Protective undergarment using improved hook and loop fasteners
AssigneeTailored Technologies, Inc.
InventorFrederica V. Coates
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protective undergarment includes a sling that is suspended from an outer shell. The sling forms a pocket in which a reusable or disposable absorbent pad can be positioned. The sling has arcuate, stitched end edges at both the front and the rear of the sling. The garment thus fits better will less chance that portions of the sling at opposite ends of the pocket will be exposed to moisture. The sling can also be attached to and detached from the garment by using hook and loop fasteners that can be partially covered so that abrasive corners are not exposed. The same overlying layers can be used on tabs for securing the protective undergarment around the waist.
Claims9
A protective undergarment comprising:
- an outer member conforming to the waist and groin of a wearer;
- a pocket member;
- an absorbent pad insertable into and removable from the pocket member;
- and
- complementary hook and loop fasteners for removably detaching the pocket member to the outer member, each hook fastener including a rectangular hook fastener strip having abrasive sides and corners, the hook fastener strip being stitched to a fabric member, wherein dart stitches comprising overlapping portions of the fabric member are formed on opposite sides of the hook fastener strip so that the overlapping portions cover four corners of the hook fastener strip so that no abrasive corner of the hook fastener strip is exposed.
7-17. (canceled)
A fastener tab for use on a garment comprising a rectangular hook fastener strip having abrasive sides and corners, the hook fastener strip being stitched to a fabric member, wherein dart stitches comprising overlapping portions of the fabric member are formed on opposite sides of the hook fastener strip so that the overlapping portions cover four corners of the hook fastener strip so that no abrasive corner of the hook fastener strip is exposed.
A method for covering the corners of a hook fastener for use on a garment, comprising the steps of:
- providing a hook fastener having a rectangular shape and four corners;
- providing a strip of fabric having a length greater than a length of the hook fastener;
- placing the hook fastener in overlying relationship on the strip of fabric;
- folding a first section of the strip of fabric into an overlapping relationship with a first edge of the hook fastener such that the first edge is between two layers of the strip of fabric and two corners of the hook fastener are covered;
- stitching the first section of the strip of fabric to the hook fastener along a first seam such that the first edge is between the two layers of the strip of fabric;
- folding a second section of the strip of fabric into an overlapping relationship with a second edge of the hook fastener opposite the first edge such that the second edge is between two layers of the strip of fabric and the other two corners of the hook fastener are covered;
- and
- stitching the second section of the strip of fabric to the hook fastener along a second seam parallel to the first seam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.