GB2256357A - Panti-hose - Google Patents

Abstract

A panti-hose includes a body portion having a waist opening and a crotch region defined between a pair of leg openings, Fig. 6. The body portion comprises a pair of side body portions 30, 32, Fig. 4 each of which is formed from a knitted tube slit longitudinally at 35 and defining a respective one of said leg openings, and a front and rear panel located inbetween the pair of side portions so as to space the side portions apart. The front and rear panels each extends from the waist opening to the crotch region and are formed from a single tube 31 slit longitudinally at 38, 39. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to panti-hose and a method of producing panti-hose.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a panti-hose including a body portion having a waist opening and a crotch region defined between a pair of leg openings, the body portion comprising a pair of side body potions each of which is formed from a knitted tube and defines a respective one of said leg openings, and a front and rear panel located inbetween the pair of side portions so as to space the side portions apart, the front and rear panels each extending from the waist opening to the crotch region.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing panti-hose as defined above the method comprising the steps of (i) knitting a pair of body forming tubes for forming the side body portions and a single panel forming tube for forming both the front and rear panels, (li) longitudinally slitting, at a first circumferential location, the single tube along its entire length to define a front panel edge and a rear panel edge, longitudinally slitting one of said body forming tubes from one end to produce a front body edge and a rear body edge and joining, preferably by seaming, the respective front and rear edges of the single tube and said one body forming tube, and (iii) longitudinally slitting, at a second circumferential location, the single tube along its entire length to produce a front panel edge and a second panel edge, longitudinally slitting from one end the other of said pair of body tubes to produce a front body edge and a rear body edge and joining, preferably by seaming, the respective front and rear edges of the single tube and said other body forming tube.

It is envisaged that steps (il) and (iii) may be performed sequentially or simultaneously. In addition in steps (ii) and (iii) the operations of slitting and seaming may be performed sequentially or simultaneously.

Preferably for steps (ii) and (iii), prior to slitting the respective tubes to be joined are mechanically gripped along and on opposite sides of the intended slit line so that after slitting the respective edges to be seamed together are held in position.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded schematic perspective view of panti-hose according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan diagrammatic view of the panti-hose shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure 2 of a second embodiment according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagrammatic view of three tubular component parts for forming a panti-hose in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing two of the tubular components of Figure 4 joined together; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the three tubular components of Figure 4 joined together.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic side view of an alternative panel forming tube.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 3 there is shown a panti-hose 10 according to the present invention. The panti-hose 10 includes a body portion 12 from which depends a pair of leg portions 13,14. The body portion 12 includes a waist-opening 16 which is preferably surrounded by an integral waist band 17.

The body portion 12 is defined by a pair of side body portions 18,19 and front and rear panels 20,21. The side body portions 18,19 each define a leg opening 23 between which a crotch region 24 is defined. Both the front and rear panels 20,21 extend from the waist opening 16 to the crotch region 24 and therefore space apart both side body portions 18,19.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the front and rear panels 20,21 are either joined directly to one another in the crotch region by a seam 26 (Figure 2) or a gusset piece 27 is inserted between and seamed along opposed edges 29 of the front and rear panels 20,21 (Figure 3). Provision of a gusset piece 27 may be desirable for the incorporation of a material different to that of the body portions/panels and for off-setting the location of seams in the crotch region.

As seen in Figure 4, the panti-hose 10 is basically formed from three knitted tubes 30,31 and 32. Tubes 30,32 are identical and each are knitted from a suitable yarn such as a polyamide and each are preferably knitted with an integral elasticated waist-band portion 17a. Tube 31 is knitted from suitable yarn and is preferably knitted with an integral waist band portion 17b.

During make-up of the panti-hose 10, the tubes 30,32 are slit along lines 35 to create a front and rear edges for seaming with the fabric of panels 20,21.

Similarly, during make-up, tube 31 is slit along lines 38,39 to divide into two separate portions, one portion defining the front panel 20 and the other portion defining the rear panel 21. Preferably lines 38,39 are diametrically opposed so that the front and rear panels 20,21 are of the same width. However, it will be appreciated that lines 38,39 need not be diametrically opposed so that the front and rear panels 20,21 have differing widths.

A sequence of make-up operations are schematically illustrated in Figures 4 to 6. Tube 31 is arranged side by side with at least one of tubes 30, or 32 so that the waist band portion 17a of tube 30 is in line with waist band portion 17b of tube 31. Tube 30 is slit longitudinally from one end along line 35 to define a front rear edges, and tube 31 is longitudinally slit along its entire length along line 38 to define a front and rear panel edges.

The respective front and rear edges produced by slitting are then secured together to produce a pair of seams 40a, 40b to thereby join the tube 31 along its entire length to the adjoining tube 30. This produces the construction as illustrated in Figure 5. A similar operation is then performed for joining tube 31 to tube 32 to produce the garment shown in Figure 6 wherein tube 31 is joined to tube 32 along seams 40c, 40d. To complete the panti-hose, opposed edges 29 are either joined directly to one another, for example by a flat seam 26 or a gusset piece 27 is inserted.

Although joining of tube 31 to tubes 30,32 is described above as a sequential operation, it will be appreciated that joining of tube 31 to tubes 30,32 may be performed simultaneously.

Preferably prior to slitting, the tubes are mechanically gripped along and on opposite sides of the slit lines so that after slitting the edges produced thereby are held in position. This may be achieved for example in a similar manner to that described in US patent 3777681 rxhich describes a machine for directly seaming the body forming tubes 30,32 together.

The tube 31 may be knit from the same yarn as the body portions of tubes 30,32 and be of the same knit construction.

Alternatively the tube 31 may be knit so as to have a different construction in desired regions for producing desired effects on the front and rear panels. In this way for example shaping of the body portion 12 may be achieved.

In addition special fabric constructions may be created for the crotch region 24.

For instance the tube 31 may be knit throughout using a non absorbent yarn such as polyamide and have at a lower end portion a moisture absorbent yarn incorporated therein for producing an internal moisture absorbent layer in the crotch region of the garment. The moisture absorbent yarn may for instance be cotton.

The moisture absorbent yarn may be plaited with the non-absorbent yarn and/or formed into upstanding loops.

The provision of upstanding loops in the crotch region 24 enables a flat seam 26 to be provided without causing discomfort to a wearer. The moisture absorbent yarns may be incorporated in part or full courses. This is illustrated schematically in Figures 1 to 6 wherein a moisture absorbent area 50 is provided by incorporating say cotton in a combination of full and part coursing to provide a diamond shape to area 50.

It is envisaged that the single panel forming tube may be knitted, for instance by part coursing techniques and/or appropriate tuck/miss knit operations to provide a rear panel which is of a different construction to the front panel. For example a decorative design such as a lace design may be provided on the front panel whilst the rear panel may be left plain. Alternatively, the front panel may be knitted to provide areas of greater opacity.

The single panel forming tubes may also be knitted so as to provide desired shaping to the body portion. For instance the tube may be tapered from the crotch to the waist opening so as to provide more extensibility across the hips of the wearer. This is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 7 wherein tube 31 is knitted so as to taper from the crotch end 53 to the waist opening end 52. The taper may be created by the stitch construction and/or incorporation of elasticated or elastomeric yarns.

By forming the front and rear panels from a single tube it is possible to produce a wide size range of pantihose using the same size of knitted tubes 30,32 for forming the side body portions and legs. This is simply achieved by knitting the single tube so as to having a different diameter and thereby provide the body portion with a desired size.

It will be appreciated therefore that by forming the front and rear panels from a single tube it is possible to provide a wide variety of shapes/decorative effects and embellishments, such as a moisture absorbent area, to the body portion 12.

It is envisaged that the legs 13,14 may be short and left open or may be long and provided with a closed foot portion.

Claims (7)

1. A panti-hose including a body portion having a waist opening and a crotch region defined between a pair of leg openings, the body portion comprising a pair of side body portions each of which is formed from a knitted tube and defines a respective one of said leg openings, and a front and rear panel located inbetween the pair of side portions so as to space the side portions apart, the front and rear panels each extending from the waist opening to the crotch region, the front and rear panels being formed from a single tube.

2. A panti-hose according to claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the front and rear panels define a crotch region, said lower portions being knitted so as to include a moisture absorbent yarn for producing an internal moisture absorbant layer in the crotch region.

3. A panti-hose according to claim 2, wherein the lower ends of the front and rear panels are joined by a flat seam.

4. A panti-hose according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the single tube is knitted to provide a rear panel of a different construction to the front panel.

5. A panti-hose substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of producing a panti-hose according to claim 1 comprising the steps of (i) knitting a pair of body forming tubes for forming the side body portions and a single panel forming tube for forming both the front and rear panels, (ii) longitudinally slitting, at a first circumferential location, the single tube along its entire length to define a front panel edge and a rear panel edge, longitudinally slitting one of said body forming tubes from one end to produce a front body edge and a rear body edge and joining, preferably by seaming, the respective front and rear edges of the single tube and said one body forming tube, and (iii) longitudinally slitting, at a second circumferential location, the single tube along its entire length to produce a front panel edge and a second panel edge, longitudinally slitting from one end the other of said pair of body tubes to produce a front body edge and a rear body edge and joining, preferably by seaming, the respective front and rear edges of the single tube and said other body forming tube.

7. A method of producing panti-hose substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.