Apparel – Nether garments – Bifurcated
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-23
2002-05-28
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Nether garments
Bifurcated
C002S409000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06393622
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a fully detachable garter system, and more particularly, to a fully detachable garter system which allows the user to attach stockings to an undergarment wherein both the stockings and the attachment straps are detachable from the undergarment so as to provide the undergarment with a standard appearance when the stockings and the straps are removed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Garter belts have been used for many years to secure stockings in an upright position on a wearer's legs. These garter belts typically comprise a belt that is secured about the wearer's waist and includes downwardly extending straps which are sewn to the garter belt and which have releasable fasteners at their lower end for securing the stockings thereto. Garter belts typically are worn on top of and in addition to an undergarment, such as a pair of underpants. This bulky arrangement is not ideally suited for modern, tight-fitting clothes. Moreover, this dual underpants/garter belt arrangement requires the wearer to purchase two separate items, i.e., the underpants and the garter belt.
Accordingly, garter straps have been incorporated into a girdle wherein the girdle has downwardly extending straps sewn to an outside, lower edge of the girdle and wherein the straps each have a releasable fastener at their lower end for securing a pair of stockings thereto. This combined girdle/garter strap arrangement has several disadvantages. The straps are sewn to the girdle so that if the girdle is worn without the stockings attached, the straps will hang loosely and may create an odd appearance under the wearer's outer clothing. Moreover, the loose straps may be visible if the wearer attempts to wear the girdle underneath short outer wear such as short sundresses or shorts. Accordingly, if the wearer desires to wear stockings during the workday and then change into shorts after work, the wearer is required to also change their girdle, which may defeat the purpose of removable stockings.
Additionally, a stocking attachment device has been incorporated into modern underpants wherein the legs of a pair of standard underpants have been substantially lengthened so that the underpants meet with the stockings contiguously around the wearer's thigh region, i.e., without the use of downwardly extending straps. This arrangement securely fastens the stockings to the underpants but does not provide ventilation for the wearer's thigh and crotch region. Such ventilation can be very important in hot and/or humid climates.
Accordingly, there is a need for a fully detachable garter system which allows a wearer to secure stockings to an undergarment, but which allows the undergarment to have a somewhat standard appearance when the stockings are removed. Moreover, there is a need for a detachable garter system which allows stockings to be attached to an undergarment while still providing ventilation to the wearer's thigh and crotch region.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a fully detachable garter system that allows a wearer to secure a pair of stockings to the garter straps of an undergarment wherein the garter straps are fully removable from the undergarment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully detachable garter system which allows a pair of stockings to be attached to an undergarment while still providing ventilation to the wearer's thigh and crotch region.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a fully detachable garter system which includes hidden or an absence of fasteners on an undergarment so that the undergarment has a standard appearance when the stockings and the straps are removed.
Accordingly, the device preferably comprises an undergarment, downwardly extending straps releasably secured thereto, and a pair of stockings. The upper ends of the straps include fasteners for releasably securing the straps to the undergarment. The lower ends of the straps include fasteners for releasably securing the straps to a pair of stockings. In another embodiment, the fasteners may be permanently secured to the stockings. The fasteners on each end of the straps, or on just the upper end of the straps, may comprise hook and pile material, snaps, hooks and eyes, buttons and buttonholes, button hooks, or other such attachment means. In one embodiment, the fasteners on the undergarment typically are positioned on an inner side of the leg openings so that the fasteners are hidden from view. In another embodiment, the fasteners on the undergarment may be positioned on an outwardly facing surface and are disguised by decorative lace or the like. In yet another embodiment, the fasteners may be positioned completely on the straps so that the undergarment and the stockings have smooth comfortable surfaces with no fastener permanently mounted thereon. Accordingly, the undergarment of the fully detachable garter system has a standard appearance when the straps and stockings of the present invention are not secured thereto.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2763008 (1956-09-01), Rosenthal
patent: 3324857 (1967-06-01), Froehlich
patent: 3463162 (1969-08-01), Heggie
patent: 3487473 (1970-01-01), Janhsen
patent: 3577993 (1971-05-01), Glucken
patent: 5027441 (1991-07-01), Wilson
patent: 5953759 (1999-09-01), Bozzini
Hale Gloria M.
McTaggart Ingrid
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