US3744056A - Garment having armpit protection means - Google Patents

Abstract

A shirt or blouse type garment having an internal torso pocket along one side of the torso part opening toward the armhole, and an internal sleeve pocket along a lower sleeve region opening toward the armhole, together with an elongate absorbent pad extending through the armhole and having its opposite end regions removably retained in inserted relation within respective pockets.

Description

ilnited States Patent 1 91 Bond 1451 July 10,1973

[ GARMENT HAVING ARMPIT PROTECTION MEANS [76] Inventor: Alexander Bond, 4825 N. Broad St.,

Philadelphia, Pa.

[22] Filed: May 18, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 254,714

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 123,551, March 12,

1971 abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 2/54 [51] Int. Cl A41d 27/12 [58] Field of Search 2/52, 53, 54, 56

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 519,487 5/l894 Warner 2/56 813,585 2/1906 Reid 2/54 1,059,811 4/1913 Barrow 2/54 1,979,983 11/1934 Meek 2/53 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 12,115 1894 Great Britain 2/54 2,290 1906 Great Britain... 2/54 1910 GreatBritain... 2/1910 France ..2/56

Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Robert K. Youtie 57 ABSTRACT A shirt or blouse type garment having an internal torso pocket along one side of the torso part opening toward the armhole, and an internal sleeve pocket along a lower sleeve region opening toward the armhole, together with an elongate absorbent pad extending through the armhole and having its opposite end regions removably retained in inserted relation within respective pockets.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ATENTED "L 10 1575 3. 744. 056

GARMENT HAVING ARMPIT PROTECTION MEANS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 123,551 filed Mar. 12, I971 now abandoned entitled GARMENT HAV- ING AN ARMPIT SAFEGUARD.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While there have, in the past, been proposed a wide variety of garment constructions including armpit protection means, including protection from perspiration and the like, such prior constructions have not been entirely satisfactory, being relatively complex and expensive in manufacture and difficult to use. For example, prior armpit protection means generally involved the connection and disconnection of several fastening elements of one type or another, a tedious and cumbersome procedure; and further, the presence of armpit protection means was visually apparent so as to detract from the aesthetic appearance of the garment, as well as being generally uncomfortable to the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a unique and highly improved garment construction including armpit protection means which overcomes the above-mentioned difficulties of the prior art, the protection means including an absorbent pad which is quickly and easily insertable and replaceable with respect to the garment without the need for tedious fastening, unfastening and refastening, or the like, being highly comfortable to the wearer as requiring no special fastening means and being extremely compact and light in weight, and which is effectively concealed from view by eliminating heretofore essential fastening means and resultant garment stress and strain, localized tightness and pulling, gaps, and other aesthetically undesirable appearances.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a garment construction of the type described and having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, wherein an elongate absorbent pad is provided with stiffened and end regions for conforming engagement in respective internal pockets in smoothly distending relation therewith, so that puckers and other telltale signs of armpit protection means are effectively avoided.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing a garment construction in accordance with the teachings of the present invention including armpit protection means.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an absorbent pad constructed in accordance with the instant invention apart from the garment.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 1 illustrating the assembled garment and pad relationship.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and

specifically to FIG. 1 thereof, a garment is there gener- 'ally designated 10, and may be of a blouse or shirt type,

including a body or torso covering part 11 having armholes or scyes 12, in the conventional manner. A sleeve 13 extends from each side of the torso part 11. In particular, each generally tubular sleeve 13 has one end region 14 extending about a respective adjacent armhole 12 and secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by stitching. Thus, the sleeves 13 each communicate through a respective armhole 12 with the interior of the torso part 11.

Each side of the torso covering part 11 and the respective adjacent sleeve 13 is provided with an armpit protection means, generally designated 20, which armpit protection means may be identical. Hence, a detailed description of one armpit protection means structure will suffice.

The armpit protection means 20 comprises a sleeve pocket 21 located in a lower region of the sleeve 13, see FIGS. 3-5. The pocket 21 is located adjacent to and spaced from the armhole 12, being defined by a patch 22 of generally rectangular outline configuration, having a pair of generally parallel side edges 23 and an arcuate end edge 24. The pocket patch 22 is suitably secured to the lower region of sleeve 13, as by stitching 25, extending along the parallel side edges 23 and end edge 24, the inner end edge 26 remaining unsecured.

Thus, the pocket 21 has its inner end open, facing toward and spaced from the armhole 12. Further, the pocket 21 has its side edges generally parallel as along the patch edges 23. The outer end of the pocket 21 is closed, as along the end edge 24.

Each pocket 20 is of a construction substantially identical to that of each pocket 21, each pocket 20 being located on one internal side region of the torso part 11, adjacent to and spaced below the respective armpit 12, and opening upwardly toward the adjacent armpit.

An absorbent pad is generally designated 30, and is of elongate configuration, having generally parallel side edges 31, and terminating in arcuate end edges 32. Further, the end regions 33 of the absorbent pad 30 are advantageous stiffened, both laterally or transversely of the pad and longitudinally thereof. Suitable stiffening means may be employed, such as a pair of sandwiching outer layers 34, which may congruently overlie the pad end regions, being suitably adhesively or otherwise secured thereto, and being fabricated of carboard or other suitable material. The pad end regions 33 are configured for snug conforming insertion into respective sleeve and torso pockets 21 and 20.

While the absorbent pad 30 is illustrated as having sandwiching stiffening layers on opposite sides, other suitable stiffening means may be employed, as desired. For example, stiffening means may encompass or encircle the pad end regions, or be embedded in the pad end regions, in any desired manner.

In the operative assembled condition of FIG. 1, the pad 30 extends through the armhole 12, having one end region inserted snugly and conformably into the sleeve pocket 21, and having its other end region inserted snugly and conformably within the adjacent torso pocket 20. By this snug engagement of pad end regions in respective pockets 20 and 21, the pockets are smoothly distended to avoid unattractive puckers and pulls, while the snug insertion insures a friction fit removably retaining the pad end portions in the receiving pockets.

That is, the lateral stiffening action of the stiffeners 34 insures lateral distension of the pockets 20 and 21 for effective frictional retention therein without distortion and wrinkling of the garment material. Further, the longitudinal stiffening action of stiffening means 34 facilitates the manual insertion of the pad end regions 33 into the respective receiving pockets 20 and 21. Of course, the pads 30 are conveniently removed by deliberate manual withdrawal from the receiving pockets for quick and easy replacement, as desired.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a garment construction having armpit protection means which is extremely simple in design, durable and reliable in use, extremely easy to insert and remove absorbent pads, and which otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A garment having armpit protection means comprising a torso part for covering a wearers torso and having an armhole in one side, a torso pocket internally of said torso part on said one side spaced entirely below and opening upwardly toward said armhole, a sleeve having one end extending about said armhole and connected to said one side of said torso part communicating with the interior thereof, a sleeve pocket internally of said sleeve and on a lower sleeve region spaced en tirely from and opening toward said armhole, said torso and sleeve pockets each having generally parallel opposite sides extending toward and away from said armhole, an elongate absorbent pad extending through said armhole between and having its opposite end regions inserted into said torso and sleeve pockets respectively, and stiffening means on said opposite pad regions, said stiffening means extending laterally across said pad end regions and having generally parallel opposite sides for smooth distention of said pockets and frictional retention in said pockets.

2. A garment according to claim 1, said stiffening means extending longitudinally of said pad to facilitate insertion of said pad end regions in said pockets.

3. A garment according to claim 2, said stiffening means comprising cardboard members secured in generally congruent relation with respect to said pad end regions, and said pad having convexly arcuate terminal edges merging smoothly with said parallel opposite sides for snug conforming frictional engagement in said pockets.

Claims (3)

1. A garment having armpit protection means comprising a torso part for covering a wearer''s torso and having an armhole in one side, a torso pocket internally of said torso part on said one side spaced entirely below and opening upwardly toward said armhole, a sleeve having one end extending about said armhole and connected to said one side of said torso part communicating with the interior thereof, a sleeve pocket internally of said sleeve and on a lower sleeve region spaced entirely from and opening toward said armhole, said torso and sleeve pockets each having generally parallel opposite sides extending toward and away from said armhole, an elongate absorbent pad extending through said armhole between and having its opposite end regions inserted into said torso and sleeve pockets respectively, and stiffening means on said opposite pad regions, said stiffening means extending laterally across said pad end regions and having generally parallel opposite sides for smooth distention of said pockets and frictional retention in said pockets.

2. A garment according to claim 1, said stiffening means extending longitudinally of said pad to facilitate insertion of said pad end regions in said pockets.

3. A garment according to claim 2, said stiffening means comprising cardboard members secured in generally congruent relation with respect to said pad end regions, and said pad having convexly arcuate terminal edges merging smoothly with said parallel opposite sides for snug conforming frictional engagement in said pockets.

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