Piece of garment for covering the private parts of a person

Abstract

The invention relates to a piece of garment for covering the private parts of a person, in particular a lady, without surrounding the hips of the person in question, the piece of garment comprising a cut piece of a flat, flexible material such as a textile, fabric or the like, which is or can be detachably connected to adhesive pads.

Description

[0001] garment used to cover a person's intimate area

[0002] The invention relates to a garment for covering the intimate area of ​​a person, in particular a woman, without encompassing the hips of the person in question.

[0003] Especially at public events such as opera balls, premieres, award ceremonies, but also at theater visits, concerts, lectures, anniversaries, etc., people deliberately dress very attractively, appropriate to the respective occasion.

[0004] While men are usually limited to a variety of suit variations, women can draw on an almost inexhaustible repertoire of fashion creations from a wide range of designers, with virtually no limits to their imagination.

[0005] It's not uncommon for the most beautiful garments to feature attractive, yet often unusual, necklines. For example, a side leg slit often extends all the way to the hips, or sometimes even beyond, to the waist or even to the armpits.

[0006] Such a dress may appear extremely attractive, but it also presents the wearer with a problem. With such a high leg cut, any panties the woman in question would certainly be noticeable, even if she chose panties with a very thin waistband and / or in an inconspicuous color. If, on the other hand, the woman leaves her panties off at the event in question for this reason, she will certainly stimulate the imagination of the men present or even the paparazzi, which is not something every woman wants. The disadvantages of the described prior art give rise to the problem that initiated the invention: to develop a generic item of clothing for covering the intimate area of ​​a person, in particular a woman, in such a way that it is as inconspicuous as possible, especially when combined with a dress or other item of clothing with a wide leg slit.

[0007] The solution to this problem is achieved in the case of a generic item of clothing by means of a cut-out made of a flat, flexible material such as textile, fabric, foil or the like, which is detachably connected or connectable at several points with adhesive pads.

[0008] The cut is preferably only simply connected.

[0009] In other words, the cut of a garment according to the invention does not have a waistband that completely surrounds the waist or hips of the person in question. Rather, the waistband comprises two separate sections that extend only along the stomach on the one hand and along the back on the other. However, the front waistband section is not connected to the back waistband section in the thigh area.

[0010] This connection should be described with the term "simply connected", corresponding to the mathematical definition of a simply connected region of a surface, whereby a path, i.e. a connecting line, can be found between any two points on the surface which lies completely within the surface in question, and whereby every closed path, i.e. every line running within the surface in question can be contracted to a point. In comparison to the present invention, every standard pair of panties available on the market is connected in multiple ways, in particular triply. This results from the fact that with every standard pair of panties the front is connected to the back in three ways, namely on the outer sides by the waistband, once on the right and once on the left, and additionally a third time in the middle in the crotch by the gusset there.There is an opening between each two such connections, so there are two openings in total, each of which serves to slip in a leg.

[0011] Since the garment according to the present invention is only a single piece, apart from smaller openings, e.g., in the form of buttonholes, there are no openings for a leg to slip through. While this is unusual, it has the advantage that the waistband does not extend laterally, i.e., around the right and left of the wearer's leg, and is therefore not visible there, even if the wearer is wearing a dress with a high side slit or a similar garment with a high leg cut.

[0012] On the other hand, the waistband of a standard pair of panties also has the function of creating a certain elastic tension against the skin of the wearer through the ring-shaped waistband, thus generating a frictional force that holds the panties in place. For this purpose, most panties have an elastic band inserted along the waistband, often in conjunction with an inner panel designed to increase friction and facing the wearer's skin.

[0013] In the absence of a closed, ring-shaped waistband, this type of fastening of the garment to the human body is not possible with the garment according to the invention. For this reason, the garment according to the present invention is instead provided with adhesive pads at several locations. These pads are provided with a coating on their inner side facing the skin of the wearer in question. This coating adheres to the skin of the wearer and is thus capable of holding or fastening the garment according to the invention in place.

[0014] On the other hand, it makes it difficult for a person wearing this garment to temporarily remove it, for example, when going to the toilet. This is because we know the effect of a bandage: once removed, it's almost impossible to reapply it. Even if it wasn't accidentally folded during removal and temporary storage, it has lost all or at least most of its adhesive power and can no longer reliably fulfill its original function of adhering to the human body.

[0015] For this purpose, the present invention provides the possibility of detaching the garment according to the invention from the adhesive pads. This allows the wearer to temporarily remove the garment without having to peel the adhesive pads off their skin.

[0016] Once the reason for removing the garment is over, the person in question can reattach the garment or the cut-out using the adhesive pads, and the garment will sit firmly on the body again.

[0017] It has proven advantageous for the cut to have a mirror-symmetrical shape. This allows the cut to adapt optimally to the regular figure of a wearer, and it also ensures that force relationships are mirror-inverted with respect to the axis of symmetry, so that, for example, forces directed to the right balance out forces directed to the left. Furthermore, the cut should have an elongated or extended shape. This takes into account the fact that the leg spacing near the torso is comparatively small compared to the leg diameter there. Preferably, in the garment according to the invention, when worn, the shorter extent or width of the cut points transversely to the grain direction, while the longitudinal axis - parallel or preferably coaxial to the axis of symmetry - points in the grain direction.

[0018] It is within the scope of the invention for the blank to have a shape with several - preferably four - corners or extensions, wherein the corners or extensions can also be rounded. The corners or extensions are exposed points on the circumference at which tensile forces can be introduced into the blank, for example in order to tension it. These corners or extensions are therefore particularly suitable for connection using an adhesive pad each. A garment according to the invention preferably has two front corners or extensions, for example each in the groin area of ​​a wearer, and preferably also two rear corners or extensions, each to the side of the spine, so that a total of four corners or extensions are produced. Alternatively, the two rear corners or extensions could also be combined to form a common extension or extension.end area, so that in this case there would only be three such exposed areas.

[0019] Preferably, one, several or all edges of a cut-out of a garment according to the invention made of a textile material are hemmed by sewing and / or provided with a waistband by inserting a stiffener or webbing.

[0020] Preferably, the blank according to the invention has a front edge or a front hem or waistband which connects the two front corners or extensions to each other, as well as two side edges or side hems which extend beyond the two front corners or extensions.

[0021] While in a design with three exposed areas the two side edges run to a common extension or end area in the lower area of ​​the back, in a design with four exposed areas they extend to one of the two rear corners or extensions, which in turn are linked or connected by a rear edge or by a rear hem or waistband.

[0022] While the front edge or a front hem can preferably run at the level of the groin area and then visually recede in the groin crease, a back edge or a rear hem is not so easy to hide and could therefore push through under an outer garment made of a thin material and thus become indirectly visible. To avoid this, the present invention recommends that the front edge be longer than the back or rear edge. Since a person's back is slightly curved inwards in the area of ​​the spine, this is the area, i.e. the area of ​​the spine, where the hem of a garment according to the invention can most easily be hidden without adding bulk. From this point of view, ideally even a single rear extension or end area can lie approximately centrally above the spine or on its extension.

[0023] Depending on a person's anatomy, the side edges may be longer than the front edge and / or any rear edge that may be present.

[0024] If the side edges each follow a concavely curved profile, they diverge at their end regions, forming an exposed peripheral area in the form of a corner or extension. Depending on the number of corners, extensions, or other exposed areas of the perimeter of a blank according to the invention, three or four adhesive pads may be present. Preferably, one adhesive pad is located at each corner or extension of the blank.

[0025] The invention can be further developed such that one, several, or all of the adhesive pads are releasably arranged in the region of an exposed point on the periphery of the cut-out. By designing the cut-out according to the invention with straight or concave edges, several exposed points on the periphery are created, where tensile stresses within the cut-out can be concentrated at individual points. If at least one adhesive pad is arranged at each such exposed point, these forces can be transferred to the skin of a wearer. As a result, the garment according to the invention can be fixed as a whole or even subjected to tensile stress in order to optimally conform to the body of the person in question.The actual cut-out, however, should be free of any adhesive coating so that it fits loosely on the respective carrier or carrier and can be removed at any time, simply by loosening the connection between the cut-out on the one hand and the adhesive pads on the other.

[0026] A detachable connection between the blank on the one hand and the adhesive pads on the other hand can be realized in a variety of ways. A first possibility is that one, several or all of the adhesive pads are detachably connected to the blank via buttons. Preferably, a button can be arranged on the rear, non-adhesive side of each adhesive pad, while the blank has a buttonhole in the area of ​​an exposed point on its circumference provided for this purpose, preferably in the form of a short slit, approximately with a length corresponding to the diameter of the button in question. Another possibility for a detachable connection is that one, several or all of the adhesive pads are detachably connected to the blank via snap fasteners. Snap fasteners can be made smaller than buttons without there being any risk of such a connection accidentally coming undone.

[0027] In yet another possibility, one, several or all of the adhesive pads can be detachably connected to the cut-out using hook and eye connections. With such a connection, a hook nose engages in each eyelet opening. If such a connection is subject to constant tensile stress, the hook nose cannot free itself from the eyelet. This could only happen if the tensile stress is released, at least temporarily. To completely eliminate this risk, the hook could be developed into a type of snap hook with a movable link that can pivot briefly to create a gap through which the ring-shaped edge of an eyelet can pass. Afterwards, the movable snap hook link returns - e.g.Under the influence of an integrated spring, it returns to its original, closed position, so that the free end of the hook nose, via the movable snap link, is in contact with another area of ​​the hook-shaped component, e.g., the area behind or opposite the hook nose, in order to close the temporarily formed gap for the edge of the eyelet. Either the eyelet or the hook element can be fixed to the adhesive pad.

[0028] Another possibility is to detachably attach one, several, or all of the adhesive pads to the cut-out using hook-and-loop fasteners. Compared to other mechanical fasteners such as buttons, snap fasteners, and hook-and-eye fasteners, hook-and-loop fasteners are comparatively thin and therefore barely noticeable under a dress or other garment. They are also extremely easy to use and, at the same time, hold reliably.

[0029] However, other detachable connection techniques are also conceivable. For example, instead of a single adhesive pad at each corner or extension, a pair of adjacent adhesive pads could be provided. These pads are connected by a short thread and adhered to the skin at a distance from each other corresponding to the length of the connecting thread. An extension of the cut-out could then be pushed under the thread, folded over, and connected to the cut-out itself using a hook-and-loop fastener. The connecting thread then remains encompassed by the cut-out, creating a positive connection between the cut-out and the respective pair of adhesive pads. The advantage is that only minimal tensile force acts on the adhesive pads when the hook-and-loop fastener is released.

[0030] Since the adhesive pads, in addition to their function of positioning the inventive garment at specific points on the body of the person in question, also have the further task of keeping the cut-out under tensile stress so that it lies optimally flat against the wearer's body, it has proven advantageous for one, several, or all of the adhesive pads to have an elongated or elongated shape. This is because an adhesive pad that is flexible but at the same time only moderately stretchable is capable of transmitting a tensile force distributed across its entire length into the wearer's skin, so that the adhesive bond is not subjected to excessive local forces and thus does not accidentally detach from the person's skin.

[0031] Particular advantages can be achieved if at least one adhesive pad is detachably connected to the blank in the area of ​​one of its narrow sides. This is because from the point where the tensile force is introduced into the adhesive pad, it can be easily transmitted along the longitudinal axis through the entire adhesive pad and, so to speak, dissipated in portions into the skin of the person wearing the garment according to the invention.

[0032] Preferably - especially when worn - the longitudinal axis of at least one adhesive pad runs in a direction from the blank approximately radially outwards, i.e. approximately in the direction of the angle bisector between the asymptotes of the edges adjacent to the relevant corner or the respective extension, and thus approximately in or against the direction of the tensile stress there, so that the tensile force can be passed on along the longitudinal axis of the relevant adhesive pad or transferred to its entire adhesive surface and thus distributed.

[0033] It is within the scope of the invention that at least one adhesive pad has an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side. When applied to the skin of a wearer, the adhesive side is placed against the relevant skin area and lightly pressed down. The non-adhesive side faces the wearer's clothing and therefore cannot accidentally stick there.

[0034] The non-adhesive side of the adhesive pad should be as smooth as possible so that it does not accidentally catch on clothing and then possibly become visible due to the resulting creases in the garment lying above.

[0035] As long as the garment according to the invention is not used, the adhesive side of an adhesive pad can be covered, for example by a removable, non-adhesive film.

[0036] Alternatively, the actual adhesive pad could also be equipped with two adhesive sides, each initially covered by a removable film or protective foil. Upon first use, one of the two protective foils is removed, and the exposed layer is used as the adhesive layer.

[0037] Upon reuse, the protective film could then be removed from the unused side and applied to the previously exposed adhesive layer. Thus, such a design allows the garment according to the invention to be used at least twice.

[0038] In addition, the detachable connection between the actual garment on the one hand and the adhesive pads on the other hand allows the garment to be used again and again and only the adhesive pads to be replaced after one or two uses.

[0039] In this case, the cutout can also be designed to be washable. Such a washable cutout can also be offered and sold in a set together with a number of additional adhesive pads, allowing multiple or even multiple uses before new adhesive pads need to be purchased.

[0040] If an adhesive pad has only one adhesive side, the detachable connecting means of at least one adhesive pad should be arranged on the non-adhesive side of the respective adhesive pad. Thus, the respective adhesive pad is located, so to speak, between the detachable cut of the garment according to the invention on the one hand and the person in question on the other.

[0041] The invention can be further developed such that the cut has an inner side facing the body of the person in question and an outer side facing away from the body of the person in question. While the inner side facing the person in question can possibly be designed to be absorbent in order to absorb any sweat that may be secreted, the outer side should fulfill other functions: Firstly, the material can be dyed skin-colored or at least partially transparent, e.g., made of nylon or lace, so as not to be noticeable. Furthermore, the material could also be water-repellent or provided with a water-repellent coating so that the material cannot or does not have to absorb moisture from the outside.The material could even be designed like functional clothing, meaning it is breathable, so that the skin areas covered by it do not tend to sweat and any moisture that may be present can be released to the outside but not absorbed from the outside.

[0042] Preferably, the detachable connecting means of the cut-out is arranged on the inside of the cut-out, facing the skin of the person concerned or an adhesive pad attached to it. This facilitates handling because the cut-out, as a detachable part, can simply be pulled upwards, i.e., away from the skin of the person concerned. This operation is particularly simple if the detachable connection is designed as a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0043] Furthermore, the material of the cut-out can be constructed like a textile, for example, woven or knitted, or have a texture similar to that of a nylon stocking. This main component of the garment according to the invention can also be elastic to optimally conform to the wearer's body.

[0044] As explained above, the invention prefers that at least one adhesive pad has only a one-sided adhesive surface and can therefore be designed with a minimal thickness so that it does not add bulk and does not show through the outer clothing.

[0045] Particular advantages can be achieved by coating at least one adhesive surface of at least one adhesive pad with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. This is because a pressure-sensitive adhesive ideally develops its adhesive properties at room temperature or at the wearer's body temperature and has long-lasting stickiness. Application is achieved by applying the adhesive and, if necessary, gently pressing it against the skin. If necessary, the adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive used can even be triggered or increased at the typical human body temperature in the range of 35°C to 38°C.

[0046] A material that has proven particularly effective as a pressure-sensitive adhesive is one that exhibits a soft, rubbery consistency within a specific temperature range—preferably the relevant temperature range, roughly from room temperature to body temperature. This soft, rubbery consistency has the advantage that the pressure-sensitive adhesive can easily conform to the body part being covered.

[0047] Possible materials include viscoelastic substances. For example, so-called highly viscous elastic liquids whose glass transition temperature is below body temperature, preferably below room temperature, in particular below freezing point. Such a pressure-sensitive adhesive would not solidify in the relevant temperature range between 0 °C and 38 °C, preferably between 10 °C and 37.5 °C, in particular between 20 °C and 37 °C, but would develop its desired elastic-viscous properties in this temperature range. In the case of an amorphous solid, the glass transition temperature is understood to be the temperature below which the material remains in a rigid, glass-like state, while above that temperature it transitions into a soft, rubbery state.

[0048] To achieve the best possible adhesion, the pressure-sensitive adhesive in question should wet the respective surface—in this case, a person's skin—as completely and quickly as possible. To achieve this, the pressure-sensitive adhesive used must be able to optimally adhere to the surface structure of the skin in question, regardless of its shape, and be able to easily follow dynamic movements, especially during dynamic movements.

[0049] A suitable pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises natural rubber, e.g. 1,4-cis-polyisoprene, optionally with the addition of tackifying resins, or a synthetically produced elastomer, e.g. a block copolymer of isoprene and / or butadiene with styrene, optionally with the addition of natural resins, modified natural resins or synthetic resins.

[0050] Also suitable is a pressure-sensitive adhesive with an acrylate copolymer, preferably made from 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and / or isooctyl acrylate, optionally with the addition of acrylic acid and / or other acrylate monomers. In the case of acrylate-based pressure-sensitive adhesives, the addition of tackifying resins can generally be omitted. On the other hand, acrylate systems—like natural rubber-based pressure-sensitive adhesives—should be chemically crosslinked to ensure a certain degree of internal strength.

[0051] Other materials can also be used as pressure-sensitive adhesives, for example polyurethane-based substances.

[0052] The invention is advantageously further developed in that an adhesive pad comprises a substrate layer made of a textile or film. This layer is responsible for providing the adhesive pad with sufficient mechanical stability and, in particular, tear resistance.

[0053] On the other hand, such a substrate layer should have elastic properties so that the adhesive pad can optimally adapt to the contours of the body part to be covered, thus giving the pressure-sensitive adhesive sufficient opportunity to bond to the covered body part over a large area. Ideally, this creates optimal adhesion. If at least one adhesive pad is transparent, it will not be noticeable even if it is temporarily no longer covered by another piece of clothing - for example, due to a careless movement by the wearer. An adhesive pad with a skin-colored reverse side facing outwards could have a similar effect.

[0054] Finally, it is in accordance with the teaching of the invention that the back of at least one adhesive pad is smooth, for example, provided with a smooth coating. A smooth back helps prevent the adhesive pad from getting caught on any clothing.

[0055] Further features, details, advantages, and effects based on the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and from the drawings. Herein:

[0056] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a garment according to the invention for the intimate area of ​​a person in a flat, spread-out position;

[0057] Fig. 2 is a front view of a person wearing the garment of Fig. 1; and

[0058] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the person in Fig. 2 from a different angle.

[0059] The item of clothing 1 shown in Fig. 1 on its own is shown in Figures 2 and 3 in the state worn by a person 2, in particular a woman. It can be seen from Figures 2 and 3 that the item of clothing 1 serves to cover the intimate area 3 of a person 2, in particular a woman. In this respect, the item of clothing 1 according to the invention is, purely in terms of its function, comparable to a standard pair of panties that are currently available on the market. However, a particularly striking property of the item of clothing 1 according to the invention is that, when worn, the hips 4 of the person 2 in question are not covered, in contrast to the situation with a standard pair of panties. This is primarily due to the fact that the item of clothing 1 according to the invention completely lacks a waistband running around the hips 4, as is known from standard panties.

[0060] Instead, the garment 1 according to the invention comprises a cut-out 5, which is responsible for the actual covering of the intimate area 3 of the person 2, as well as several adhesive pads 6, preferably made of a skin-friendly material, which are detachably connected to the cut-out 5.

[0061] From Fig. 1, where the garment 1 according to the invention is shown in a flat, spread-out state, the geometry of the blank 5 can be clearly seen:

[0062] The blank 5 has an elongated shape with a front edge 7 or a front, preferably open seam, which can be seen at the top in the arrangement according to Fig. 1, and a rear edge 8 or a rear, also preferably open seam, which can be seen at the bottom in Fig. 1. These two edges 7, 8 or seams are comparatively short, resulting in the narrow, rather band-like shape of the blank 5. As can also be seen, the front edge 7 is longer than the rear edge 8.

[0063] In contrast, the two lateral edges 9 are considerably longer and, when the garment 1 is worn, each run along a groove 10 between the intimate area 3 of the person 2 and a thigh 11. The front edge 7 and the rear edge 8 preferably follow a straight, stretched course and are each cut at right angles by an axis of symmetry 12 running in the longitudinal direction of the cut 5 and are thereby divided into two halves of equal size.

[0064] In contrast, the lateral edges 9 follow a generally concave shape. This geometry results from the corresponding shape of the throat 10 between the genital area 3 and the thigh 11 of the person 2 in question.

[0065] Basically, all flat and flexible materials are suitable for cutting 5, provided they are also skin-friendly.

[0066] Although foils or similar materials could also be used for this purpose, they are often not hygienic or skin-friendly and may not be tear-resistant; they are also less comfortable to wear.

[0067] It therefore seems better to use a textile material made of threads or filaments.

[0068] Textiles can also be made of felted fabrics, such as loden or felt, rather than woven or knitted. However, these materials are not well suited for this application for several reasons. In particular, the thickness of such a wool fabric tends to show under outerwear, and comfort is also limited. Hygiene is unsatisfactory due to washing in cold water.

[0069] Woven or knitted textiles therefore appear to be more suitable.

[0070] The blank 5 can be made entirely from a single segment, but may also consist of several segments, for example a front segment 13 adjacent to the front edge 7, a middle segment 14 and a rear segment 15 adjacent to the rear edge 8. In the latter case, the front segment 13 can be connected to the middle segment 14 via a front seam 16, and the rear segment 15 via a rear seam 17, whereby other joining techniques such as ironing or gluing are also conceivable.

[0071] The middle segment 14 extends between the two thighs 11 of the wearer and covers the actual intimate area 3. Since this segment 14 is not visible from the outside when worn, the material used can be selected purely according to functional considerations, e.g., an absorbent and / or breathable material such as cotton. This segment 14 could have a sewn or finished hem, for example, or even be designed as a waistband with a drawstring or other elastic band, if desired—preferably running along the two side edges 9.

[0072] In contrast, the front segment 13 and the rear segment 15 could potentially be visible through a garment worn over them and thus be visible to third parties. To avoid this, the invention recommends selecting a comparatively thin material for at least these segments 13, 15, such as natural silk or artificial silk such as polyviscose or denatured polyviscose such as so-called ice silk, but textiles made from other microfibers are also possible.

[0073] Microfibers can be made from synthetic or natural materials, particularly polyester, nylon, acrylic, and / or cellulose. These fibers have a fineness of less than 1 dtex, with the majority of microfibers ranging between 0.3 and 0.8 dtex. There are also even finer fibers with a fineness of less than 0.3 dtex, known as supermicrofibers or ultrafine fibers. Microfibers are characterized by the fact that 10,000 meters of such a fiber weigh only 1 gram. In these cases, the fiber diameter, depending on the density, is between 3 and 10 pm, allowing the production of extremely thin textiles that do not tend to show under other garments.

[0074] In contrast, the fineness of natural silk fibers is 1.3 dtex, cotton fibers generally range between 1.5 and 2.5 dtex, and virgin wool fibers range from 3 to 6 dtex. Nevertheless, these materials are generally usable, although the thickness of the textile is greater than that of microfibers.

[0075] Microfibers made of polyviscose or denatured polyviscose, such as ice silk, are particularly recommended. Ice silk is a textile raw material made of synthetic fibers or synthetic fiber blends such as rayon, viscose, viscose filament, nylon, and others. Generally, ice silk is a blend of one or more synthetic fibers, sometimes with the addition of cotton or viscose.

[0076] Microfiber fabrics are exceptionally soft and shape-retaining, making them ideal for use in underwear. Ice silk offers additional benefits: The surface of ice silk is particularly smooth and cool to the touch. At the same time, it is breathable and, in terms of moisture content, meets the physiological requirements of human skin very well.

[0077] The hygroscopicity and gas permeability of ice silk exceed the comparable properties of other polyviscose materials. Furthermore, ice silk exhibits antibacterial, antiallergic, antistatic, and antiultraviolet properties, making it ideal for use in a garment 1 according to the invention.

[0078] The antibacterial effect can be increased even further if the fibers, especially those made of natural or synthetic fibers, are twisted together, i.e. twisted, so that sweat and other moisture is wicked away and no moist environment is created that is suitable for bacteria.

[0079] For the present application in the context of the garment 1 according to the invention, the so-called drapability is also important, ie the spherical deformability as a textile fabric without a tendency to crease and without the formation of wrinkles.

[0080] While the drapability of a plain weave is comparatively low, it improves with the so-called twill weave and is optimal with the so-called satin weave. In general, drapability increases with the float, i.e., it is greater with larger distances between the crossing points of the warp and weft threads than with smaller distances between these crossing points.

[0081] Unlike woven fabrics, knitted fabrics are made from a single yarn using needles to form interlocking loops. Knitted garments generally have greater stretch and can therefore adapt perfectly to the individual body shape.

[0082] On the other hand, the stitches create insulated air pockets that provide warmth to the wearer, but are also porous and ensure breathability. Knitwear, and especially knitted fabrics like jersey, offer the added advantage of being less prone to fraying than woven fabrics. In this context, the knit and tricot weaves are particularly noteworthy.

[0083] Due to their low tendency to fray, knits, or jersey fabrics offer the added advantage that the edges don't need to be finished when cutting. This means you can completely dispense with overstitched hems or even waistbands and leave the edges open. As a result, the edges add only a subtle amount of bulk and don't show through the garment underneath.

[0084] Instead of combining three different segments 13, 14, 15, a one-piece cut 5—e.g., made of microfiber and / or ice silk jersey—can also be used, and this can be provided with an additional insert, particularly in the form of a gusset, in the area of ​​the middle segment 14 in order to achieve special properties there, e.g., high absorbency. Such a gusset is preferably not sewn completely, i.e., all the way around, to the actual cut 5, but only along a maximum of three sides or edges, so that at least one edge remains open, resulting in a type of pocket that is 100% clean after every wash.

[0085] The pattern can, in principle, be produced in any imaginable color. However, to minimize the appearance, it should be either skin-colored or, for example, in a "champagne" shade and / or even semi-transparent. The latter is particularly achievable when using fine jersey, silk jersey, silk fine jersey, or even ice silk fine jersey.

[0086] In particular, the invention recommends the use of a knitted fabric made of semi-transparent, skin-colored silk jersey or ice silk jersey for the cut 5. Just as such fabrics were previously processed into so-called silk stockings, conversely, polyamides, such as those currently used for nylon stockings, can also be used as the material for the cut 5 within the scope of the present invention, since this material can also be produced both semi-transparently and in various colors, such as skin-colored.

[0087] Due to its semi-transparency, tulle and similar materials would also be suitable, although their drapability is usually inferior to jersey fabrics.

[0088] The adhesive pads 6 are preferably single-sided, pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes.

[0089] An adhesive pad 6 should have at least two layers, one layer of a carrier material and one layer of a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

[0090] On the one hand, plastic films, e.g. made of polyethylene, especially low-density polyethylene, can be considered as the carrier material; on the other hand, a textile can also be used as the carrier material, e.g., a fabric made of cotton or similar.

[0091] When an adhesive pad 6 is applied to the skin of a person 2, the side of the carrier material coated with the pressure-sensitive adhesive faces the person 2 in question, while the opposite side of the carrier material is potentially visible if a piece of clothing worn over it shifts. Therefore, this potentially visible side of the carrier material should be designed to be as inconspicuous as possible. To this end, the invention provides for the carrier material to be either as transparent as possible, as with a plastic film, or to be skin-colored or colored, as with a textile, e.g., in the form of a cotton fabric. This can also be achieved, for example, by coating it with an appropriately colored varnish.

[0092] Furthermore, a top coating on the non-adhesive side of the carrier material should be as smooth as possible - especially in the case of a textile carrier material - so that the adhesive pad 6 does not accidentally get caught on a piece of clothing.

[0093] To ensure that an adhesive pad 6 does not show through a piece of clothing worn over it, the backing material in particular should be as thin as possible.

[0094] In order for the pressure-sensitive adhesive to develop the best possible adhesion to the skin of a person 2, all conditions should be met to ensure that it wets the respective skin area of ​​a person 2 as completely and quickly as possible. To this end, the pressure-sensitive adhesive used must be able to optimally adapt to the surface structure of the skin area in question, regardless of its shape. This means that it must remain soft and flexible throughout its entire use and must not harden.

[0095] Therefore, the invention proposes viscoelastic materials as an example of a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

[0096] These are preferably so-called highly viscous elastic liquids whose glass transition temperature is preferably below the usual room temperature of approximately 20°C, in particular below the freezing point at 0°C. Furthermore, the boiling point should be above, for example, 60°C, preferably at 80°C or above, in particular at 100°C or above, so that, particularly in the intermediate range, for example, between 0°C and 100°C, the pressure-sensitive adhesive in question is in a soft, rubbery state. For the pressure-sensitive adhesive, the invention recommends materials based on acrylic or acrylate, polyacrylate, silicone, and / or natural or synthetic rubber.

[0097] Particular advantages are offered by an acrylate copolymer, preferably made from 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and / or isooctyl acrylate, optionally with the addition of acrylic acid and / or other acrylate monomers. The invention recommends acrylate- or polyacrylate-based pressure-sensitive adhesives without tackifying resins. On the other hand, some acrylate-based pressure-sensitive adhesives should be chemically crosslinked to achieve a certain internal strength.

[0098] Other materials can also be used as pressure-sensitive adhesives, for example substances based on polyurethane or silicone.

[0099] Furthermore, natural rubber is also suitable as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, e.g. 1,4-cis-polyisoprene, if necessary with the addition of tackifying resins, or a synthetically produced elastomer, e.g. a block copolymer of isoprene and / or butadiene with styrene, if necessary with the addition of natural resins, modified natural resins or synthetic resins.

[0100] Preferably, the adhesive effect is triggered solely by the application of pressure. The affected skin area should be as free as possible from substances such as grease, sebum, sweat, etc. before or during the application of an adhesive pad 6.

[0101] If necessary, the maximum adhesive strength of the pressure-sensitive adhesive used could be adjusted to the typical human body temperature in the range of 35°C to 38°C. To ensure a lasting adhesive effect, the pressure-sensitive adhesive used should have long-lasting stickiness, so-called permanent stickiness, at the wearer's body temperature. The invention prefers that an adhesive pad 6 has an elongated outline so that it can be easily grasped and removed after use.

[0102] A preferred length is in the range of 20 mm to 60 mm, or 30 mm to 50 mm.

[0103] The invention provides a range of 10 mm to 20 mm as the optimal width.

[0104] To facilitate removal, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer could not cover the entire inside of the backing material. Instead, one end of the backing material could remain as an easily grasped and removable, uncoated area.

[0105] A detachable connection 18 between an adhesive pad 5 and the blank 5 is preferably arranged at one end of an elongated adhesive pad 6, which in particular is opposite an end of the adhesive pad 6 which may be left uncoated to facilitate detachment.

[0106] Whether the area selected for the detachable connection 18 is coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive on its back or not depends on the connection technology used.

[0107] In principle, all detachable connections can be considered as connection techniques, in particular buttons, double buttons, Velcro fasteners, snap fasteners, magnetic connections such as neodymium magnets, suspender or braces connections, cufflinks, hook and eye connections, etc.

[0108] On the other hand, a fundamental requirement for the fastening technology is that it should be as flat as possible so that it doesn't show through any garment worn over it. From this perspective, garter or suspender fastenings, cufflink-type fastenings, and hook-and-eye fastenings appear less suitable because the clasp, hook nose, or pivoting bar protrudes from the skin and is therefore visible through an outer garment.

[0109] While snap fasteners are particularly easy to use and require at most two aligned holes in the elements to be joined together - here the blank 5 on the one hand and the adhesive pad 6 on the other hand - this may not be necessary with magnetic snap fasteners if they attract each other through the layers in question.

[0110] Magnetic snap fasteners can also be relatively flat, so they don't show through the clothing worn over them. Neodymium magnets develop particularly strong magnetic holding forces. Their magnetic forces can be so strong that they don't even need to touch to develop a reliable holding force.

[0111] This connection technology could be further developed in such a way that, for example, such a magnetic (press) button is attached to an exposed area 19 of the blank 5, for example sewn into a type of pocket, while the counterpart interacting with it is applied to an adhesive pad 6.

[0112] If the (push) button attached to the blank 5 is permanently magnetic, a soft magnetic metal, which does not have to be magnetized, is also sufficient on the adhesive pad 6.

[0113] On the other hand, magnetic connections require metallic elements to function, which may be detected by body scanners equipped with metal detectors, such as those found at airports or large events. If this is to be avoided, non-metallic fasteners such as buttons, mechanical plastic snap fasteners, or hook-and-loop fasteners should be preferred.

[0114] Of these, Velcro fasteners are particularly easy to use. They are also comparatively thin and therefore don't tend to show through outer clothing.

[0115] On the other hand, buttons and snap fasteners can also be relatively flat, with a rounded or flat peripheral edge that creates minimal bulk. Very flat buttons are available, for example, made of mother-of-pearl.

[0116] Double-sided buttons for laundry and snap fastener elements in the form of interlocking snap rivets and snap eyelets can also be designed comparatively flat.

[0117] Such elements as buttons, laundry double buttons and snap fastener elements in the form of interlocking snap rivets and snap eyelets can be as thin as a film and / or consist of a transparent material.

[0118] If the blank 5 according to the invention is made of, for example, a high-quality, yet washable, preferably textile material, it can be washed and reused several times. On the other hand, this is generally not the case for the adhesive pads 6, because their adhesive strength usually decreases or even disappears completely after being removed from a skin area.

[0119] Therefore, several sets of adhesive pads 6 can be used together with a single cut element 5. For this purpose, sets can be offered commercially that comprise a garment 1 consisting of a cut element 5 and a first set of adhesive pads 6, and which additionally have a second set or further sets of adhesive pads 6.

[0120] On the other hand, additional sets of adhesive pads 6 can also be purchased separately.

[0121] Since the adhesive pads 6 are considered disposable products, they should be relatively simple in design. For example, they could have only one hole for a button, garment button, or snap fastener connection.

[0122] With other connection techniques, the respective connecting element could itself be detachable from the adhesive pad 6. For example, a hook-and-loop fastener element could be glued to an adhesive pad 6 and, after replacing the respective adhesive pad 6, be reused together with the new adhesive pad 6.

[0123] As can be further seen from the drawing, the detachable connections 18 are located both on exposed areas 19 of the blank 5, in particular on the corners between the front edge 7 or the rear edge 8 on the one hand and a respective lateral edge 9 on the other hand, as well as on an end area 20 of the respective adhesive pad 6.

[0124] Such a structure has the effect that the respective adhesive pad 6 can be connected to the blank 5 in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the adhesive pad 6 lies approximately in common alignment with the angle bisector between the edges 7, 8, 9 which meet in the respective corner region 19 of the blank 5. The associated tensile forces are then introduced in the respective longitudinal direction of the adhesive pads 6 by the blank 5 stretched along the body of a person 2. These forces are thus distributed over the entire surface of an adhesive pad 6 and can from there be transferred over the entire length of the respective adhesive pad 6 to the skin of the wearer. This relieves the adhesive bond between the adhesive pad 6 and the skin locally as much as possible, thus ensuring a long and permanent adhesive bond.

[0125] ***

[0126] List of reference symbols

[0127] Item of clothing Person Intimate area Hip

[0128] Cutting adhesive pad anterior edge posterior edge lateral edge throat thigh axis of symmetry anterior segment middle segment posterior segment anterior seam posterior seam detachable connection exposed area terminal area

Claims

Patent claims 1. A piece of clothing (1) for covering the intimate area (3) of a person (2), in particular a woman, without encompassing the hips (4) of the person (2) in question, characterized by a cut (5) made of a flat, flexible material such as textile, fabric or the like, which is or can be detachably connected to adhesive pads (6) at several points.

2. Garment (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the blank (5) has a mirror-symmetrical shape.

3. Garment (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the blank (5) has an elongated or elongated shape.

4. Garment (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the blank (5) has a shape with four corners.

5. Garment (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the blank (5) has a front edge (7), a rear edge (8) and two side edges (9) between the corners (19).

6. Garment (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the front edge (7) is longer than the rear edge (8).

7. Garment (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the side edges (9) are longer than the front edge (7) and / or the rear edge (8).

8. Garment (1) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the side edges (9) follow a concavely curved course.

9. Garment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by three or four adhesive pads (6).

10. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) are removably arranged in the region of an exposed point (19) of the circumference of the blank (5).

11. Garment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) are detachably connected to the blank (5) via buttons.

12. Garment (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) are detachably connected to the blank (5) via snap fasteners.

13. Item of clothing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) are releasably connected to the blank (5) via hook-and-loop fasteners.

14. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) are detachably connected to the blank (5) via hook and eye connections.

15. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) have an elongated or elongated shape.

16. A garment (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that at least one adhesive pad (6) is detachably connected to the blank (5) in the region of one of its narrow sides.

17. A garment (1) according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the longitudinal axis of at least one adhesive pad (6) extends approximately radially outwards from the blank (5).

18. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one adhesive pad (6) has an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side.

19. A garment (1) according to claim 18, characterized in that the detachable connecting means (18) of at least one adhesive pad (6) is arranged on the non-adhesive side of the respective adhesive pad (6).

20. Item of clothing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the blank (5) has an inner side facing the body of the person (2) in question and an outer side facing away from the body of the person (2) in question.

21. Garment (1) according to claim 20, characterized in that the detachable connecting means (18) of the blank (5) is arranged on the inside of the blank (5).

22. Item of clothing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all adhesive pads (6) have only a one-sided adhesive surface.

23. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adhesive surface of at least one adhesive pad (6) is coated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

24. A garment (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive adhesive comprises a highly viscous elastic liquid with a glass transition temperature below body temperature, preferably with a glass transition temperature below freezing point.

25. A garment (1) according to one of claims 23 or 24, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive adhesive is a natural rubber, for example 1,4-cis-polyisoprene, or comprises a synthetically produced elastomer, for example a block copolymer of isoprene and / or butadiene with styrene, optionally with the addition of natural resins, modified natural resins or synthetic resins.

26. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressure-sensitive adhesive is an acrylate copolymer, which is preferably made from 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and / or isooctyl acrylate, optionally with the addition of acrylic acid and / or other acrylate monomers.

27. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an adhesive pad (6) has a substrate layer made of a textile or a film.

28. Garment (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the substrate layer has elastic properties.

29. A garment (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one adhesive pad (6) is transparent.

30. Item of clothing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the back of at least one adhesive pad (6) is smooth, for example provided with a smooth coating. ***

Images