One-piece garment

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to a one-piece garment for use as working wear, coveralls, a jump suit or skiwear, etc.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#FIG. 1 is a rear view of a one-piece garment embodying the invention, with a hanging flap and a seat flap partly turned inside out;

#FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment;

#FIG. 3 is a rear view of the embodiment in use;

#Referring to the drawings, the back of the garment is divided at the waist into two halves, an upper half 1 and a lower half 2. The back is partly separated at both sides from the front 3 by slits extending vertically from the upper left and right corners of the lower half 2 down to points corresponding to the lower end of the wearer's seat. The slits are each provided with a zip fastener 4 to provide an openable seat flap 2a between them. The zip fasteners 4 may be replaced by buttons or other separable fasteners. The upper end of the seat flap 2a is provided with an elastic waist band 5 or the like to allow elastic sidewise expansion. The lower end portion of the upper half 1 is separated at both sides from the front 3 to form an openable hanging flap 1a. This flap 1a overlaps the seat flap 2a by a sufficient downward extension to ensure that the upper end of the seat flap 2a is not exposed by the lower end of the flap 1a, even when the wearer stoops or crouches. The hanging flap 1a has a strip of lining 1b along the entire length of its lower end to provide protection against creasing during washing, and so that the flap 1a gives a coat-like appearance to the upper half of the garment. Separation points 1c at both upper corners of the hanging flap 1c, where the flap separates from the front 3, are located a short distance above the upper end of the seat flap 2a to facilitate the up-and-down movement of the slides of the zip fasteners 4. The flap 1a has a female fastener member 6 affixed to each of its lower corners, and the front 3 has a corresponding male fastener member 7 affixed to each side of the waist. A plurality of such male fastener members 7 can be provided on each side, spaced along the waistline to permit the wearer to choose an appropriate fastening position depending on his waist measurement. Instead of adjusting the position at which the hanging flap 1a is fastened in this manner, it is possible, as indicated in FIG. 4, to affix only one male fastener member 7 on each side of the waist of the front 3 and attach a short length of elastic waistband 8 to provide elastic contraction around the waistline. The female and male fastener members 6, 7 can be the socket and ball members of snap fasteners, hooks and eyes, mating lengths of Velcro tape, holes or loops and buttons, or other similar combinations, FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which an ornamental strap 9 is attached to the front. Each end of the strap 9 has on one side a member adapted to engage with the female fastener member 6 of the hanging flap 1a, and on the other side a member adapted to engage with the male fastener member 7 on the corresponding side of the waist of the front 3.

#When nature calls, the wearer pulls the corners of the hanging flap 1a with its female fastener members 6 out of engagement with the male members 7 to open the flap, and then unzips the two fasteners 4, 4' to fold down the seat flap 2a to enable urination or defecation. Afterwards, the wearer zips up both zip fasteners 4, 4' so that the hanging flap 1a overlaps the outer surface of the seat flap 2a, and then snaps or otherwise fastens the female fastener members 6, 6' on both corners of the hanging flap 2a to the male members 7, 7' on the front 3.

#Because both lower corners of the hanging flap 1a are thus fastened in place, there is no danger of the flap 1a turning up to expose the inside, or being caught by something while the wearer is at work or in motion. When the user bends forward, the upper half of the back of the garment is pulled upward, and the lower half downward. With the garment of the invention, however, the separated upper and lower half parts 1, 2 follow these pulls individually, causing no tension on the back of the wearer and allowing him to work or move easily. When the stooping or crouching werarr straightens his back, the upper middle portion of the seat flap 2a returns from its downwardly stretched position to its original relaxed position. This is readily achieved because, for one thing, the upper middle portion of the seat flap 2a is pulled up by the contraction of the elastic waistband 5 while both sides of the flap are secured to the front by the zip fasteners 4 and, for another, the hanging flap 1a does not press against the upper end of the seat flap 2a.