Waistband with support panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11553739-B2
Application number	US-202016820054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

Aspects herein relate to a waistband construct designed to provide support to a torso area of a wearer and more specifically, a mid to lower torso area of a human wearer, (i.e. a pelvic area of a wearer). The waistband construct in accordance herein may have a multiple modulus of elasticity construction with at least one variation in modulus of elasticity along a circumference of the waistband construct. For example, the waistband construct in accordance with aspects herein may have a first portion having a first modulus of elasticity and a second portion having a second modulus of elasticity, where at least the portion having the higher modulus of elasticity may have a multiple layer construction for providing an effective support mechanism to at least a portion of the mid to lower torso area of the wearer.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a waistband support panel for a waistband construct for a lower body garment comprising:
forming a first thermoplastic middle panel having a first perimeter shape defining a first surface area and having a curvilinear top edge configured to accommodate a portion of a wearer's abdomen when the lower body garment is in an as-worn configuration, the first thermoplastic middle panel further having a first plurality of voided portions;
positioning the first thermoplastic middle panel between a first panel of pliable material and a second panel of pliable material, wherein the first panel of pliable material comprises a second perimeter shape defining a second surface area, and the second panel of pliable material comprises a third perimeter shape defining a third surface area; and
applying energy from an energy source to bond together a first surface of the first thermoplastic middle panel to the first panel of pliable material and an opposite second surface of the first thermoplastic middle panel to the second panel of pliable material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy comprises one or more of heat energy or ultrasonic energy.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first surface area, the second surface area, and the third surface area are the same.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning a second thermoplastic middle panel adjacent to the first thermoplastic middle panel prior to applying the energy, wherein the second thermoplastic middle panel comprises a fourth perimeter shape defining a fourth surface area.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first surface area is greater than the fourth surface area.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second thermoplastic middle panel further comprises a second plurality of voided portions.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first bottom edge of the first perimeter shape, a second bottom edge of the second perimeter shape, and a third bottom edge of the third perimeter shape are aligned with each other, and wherein a first top edge of the second perimeter shape extends beyond both a second top edge of the third perimeter shape and the curvilinear top edge of the first perimeter shape prior to folding over and securing the first top edge of the second perimeter shape of the first panel of pliable material to the second panel of pliable material over the curvilinear top edge.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of voided portions are evenly sized and are evenly distributed throughout the first thermoplastic middle panel.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of voided portions comprise different sizes.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the different sizes of the first plurality of voided portions form a size gradient.

11. A method of forming a waistband construct having a waistband support panel for a lower body garment:
forming a first portion of the waistband construct having a first modulus of elasticity, a first terminal end, and a second terminal end;
forming a first thermoplastic middle panel having a first perimeter shape defining a first surface area and having a curvilinear top edge configured to accommodate a portion of a wearer's abdomen when the lower body garment is in an as-worn configuration, the first thermoplastic middle panel comprising a plurality of voided portions;
forming a first panel of pliable material having a second perimeter shape defining a second surface area;
forming a second panel of pliable material having a third perimeter shape defining a third surface area;
positioning the first thermoplastic middle panel between the first panel of pliable material and the second panel of pliable material;
applying energy from an energy source to bond together a first surface of the first thermoplastic middle panel to the first panel of pliable material and an opposite second surface of the first thermoplastic middle panel to the second panel of pliable material to form a second portion of the waistband construct; and
securing the first terminal end and the second terminal end of the first portion of the waistband construct to the second portion of the waistband construct.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising affixing the waistband construct to the lower body garment.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising applying a first reinforcement layer to the first terminal end secured to the second portion of the waistband construct and applying a second reinforcement layer to the second terminal end secured to the second portion of the waistband construct.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising applying one or more grip structures to an outer surface of the first portion of the waistband construct.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second portion of the waistband construct comprises a concave top edge corresponding to the curvilinear top edge of the first thermoplastic middle panel.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the waistband construct includes a first section and a second section, and wherein the first section has a greater width than the second section.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of voided portions comprise different sizes.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the different sizes of the plurality of voided portions form a size gradient.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein larger voided portions of the size gradient are configured to align with areas of a wearer's body with higher levels of perspiration when the lower body garment is in the as-worn configuration.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of voided portions are evenly sized and are evenly distributed throughout the first thermoplastic middle panel.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Henry Ryan P

Classifications

• A41D31/125

  Moisture handling or wicking function through layered materials · CPC title

• A41D1/08

  specially adapted for sporting purposes · CPC title

• A41D2300/22

  Elastic inserts · CPC title

• A41D31/12

  Hygroscopic; Water retaining · CPC title

• A41C1/08

  Abdominal supports · CPC title