US20030140398A1

US20030140398A1 - Women's trousers

Info

Publication number: US20030140398A1
Application number: US10/352,421
Authority: US
Inventors: Bette Henderson
Original assignee: CHRISTOPHER & BANKS Co
Current assignee: CHRISTOPHER & BANKS Co
Priority date: 2002-01-29
Filing date: 2003-01-28
Publication date: 2003-07-31

Abstract

Trousers for wearing on a human body that includes a pair of back panels and a pair of front panels. Each back panels has a back hemline, a back waistline, a back side seam and a back inseam. The back waistline is oriented at an angle of between about 10° and 60° with respect to the back hemline. The back side seam extends between the back waistline and the back hemline. The back inseam extends between the back waistline and the back hemline. The front panels are attached to the back panels so that the trousers are capable of substantially covering at least a middle torso, hips, and upper leg portions of the human body.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to clothing. More particularly, the present invention relates to women's trousers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are various styles of women's trousers. These trousers are available in a variety of sizes that are intended to fit women having varying body weights. In spite of the differences in size, women's trousers are generally made with a shape that permits the trousers to be worn by a significant portion of society. In particular, conventional women's trousers are based upon the assumption that the person wearing the trousers has a defined waist, which means that the measurement of the middle torso is smaller than the hip measurement taken at the abdomen level or the thigh level.

A slight variation between the waist and hip measurement is often described as a straight silhouette or an H body type. A larger variation between the waist and hips where the thigh level measurement is eight inches or more larger than the waist measurement is referred to as an A body type, such as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Conventional women's trousers do not account for the fact that not all women have the same proportions for their waist, hips, thighs and calves. As a result, women whose body proportions vary significantly from the standard proportions are presented with two options. The first option is to select larger size trousers that accommodate, for example, the woman's waist. A drawback of this approach is that the other portions of the trousers are significantly larger than needed. This situation provides the trousers with a less than optimum appearance.

The second option is for women who have disproportionately shaped bodies to wear other types of clothing that fit the body more loosely than trousers. For example, women who cannot find trousers that fit right will either wear skirts or stretch trousers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is women's trousers that are configured to fit on women who have bodies that do not conform to the classic body style because the women have a middle torso that is larger than the hips. The trousers include a pair of back panels and a pair of back panels.

The back panels each have a back hemline, a back waistline, a back side seam and a back inseam. The back waistline is oriented at an angle of between about 10° and 60° with respect to the back hemline. The back side seam extends between the back waistline and the back hemline. The back inseam extends between the back waistline and the back hemline. The front panels are attached to the back panels so that the trousers are capable of substantially covering at least a middle torso, hips, and upper leg portions of the human body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of O, A and H body styles. [0008]
FIG. 2 is a front view of O, A and H body styles. [0009]
FIG. 3 is a side view of a woman with the O body style wearing trousers according to the present invention. [0010]
FIG. 4 is an overlay of front panels from the O body style and the A/H body styles. [0011]
FIG. 5 is an overlay of back panels from the O body style and the A/H body style.[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is women's trousers that are shaped to be worn by women having a non-classic body shape. In particular, women's trousers designed for H body types and A body types do not appropriately fit an O [0013] body type woman 10 whose middle torso 12 is larger than her hips 14, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In contrast, a woman 16 with the A/H body styles has hips 17 that are larger than her middle torso 18.
Women's [0014] trousers 20 according to the present invention are made from a pair of front panels 22 and a pair of back panels 24, as most clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. Sewing together of the front panels 22 and the back panels 24 is preferably done in a manner that is similar to other women's trousers.
Differences between the shapes of the [0015] front panel 22 of the present invention with a front panel 32 from a prior art women's trousers is most clearly illustrated by overlaying these items, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Similarly, differences between the shapes of the back panel 24 of the present invention and a back panel 34 from prior art women's trousers is most clearly illustrated by overlaying these items, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The various differences between the elements of the trousers from the present invention and the elements of the conventional trousers will now be discussed.
The [0016] front panel 22 has a front waistline 36, a front hemline 38, a front side seam 40 and a front inseam 42. The front waistline 36 is located opposite the front hemline 38. The front side seam 40 is located opposite the front inseam 42. The front side seam 40 and the front inseam 42 both extend between the front waistline 36 and the front hemline 38.
The [0017] back panel 24 has a back waistline 44, a back hemline 46, a back side seam 48 and a back inseam 49. The back waistline 44 is located opposite the back hemline 46. The back side seam 48 is located opposite the back inseam 49. The back side seam 48 and the back inseam 49 both extend between the back waistline 44 and the back hemline 46.
A first difference between the two styles is in a front arc rise portion of the [0018] front panels 22, 32, which are illustrated in FIG. 4. In the O body style front panel 22, a front rise arc 50 varies from a concave arc under about 1 inch to a convex arc depending on the trouser style and size. A convex arc is likely to occur as the size increases. Styles that fit closer to the body in the thigh and calves require a straight line for the front inseam and the rise or a convex arc between the crotch point and waist.
In the A/H body [0019] style front panel 32, a front rise arc 52 is generally greater than about 1 inch and is always concave.
A second difference between the two styles is in a waistline shape of the [0020] front panels 22, 32, which are illustrated in FIG. 4. In the O body style front panel 22, a waistline shape 36 is preferably straight or convex. The waistline shape 36 is never concave. A convex arc in the waistline shape 36 is likely to occur as the size increases. In the A/H body style front panel 32, a waistline shape 60 is not convex but rather is either straight or concave.
A third difference between the two styles is in a back waistline of the [0021] back panels 24, 34, which are illustrated in FIG. 5. In the O body style back panel 24, a back waistline 44 slopes downward at an angle a of less than 45°, preferably between 20° and 40° and most preferably about 30°. In the A/H body style, a back waistline 72 is substantially parallel to a hemline 46.
A fourth difference between the two styles is in a widest circumference of the [0022] back panels 24, 34, which are illustrated in FIG. 5. In the O body style back panel 24, a widest circumference 80 of the trouser is proximate the waistline 70 or in an area between the waistline 70 and about 4 inches below the waistline 70. For small and mid-range sizes, a rise 82 and a side seam 48 are substantially parallel. As the size of the trousers increases, the side seam 84 and the rise 82 angle away from each other forming an inverted triangle shape.
In the A/H body style back [0023] panel 34, a widest circumference 88 of the trouser is approximately 8 inches below the waistline 72. The back panel 34 retains essentially the same shape as the size increases.
A fifth difference between the two styles is in a back grainline of the [0024] back panels 24, 34, which are illustrated in FIG. 5. In trousers, a grainline 90 of the fabric is perpendicular to a hemline 92. Using this orientation enhances the way the trousers drape on the body.
In the O body style back [0025] panel 24, the grainline 90 is never perpendicular to the widest circumference 80 of the back panel 24. In the A/H body style back panel 34, a grainline 90 is substantially perpendicular to the hemline 46 and the widest circumference 88 of the back panel 34.
A sixth difference between the two styles is in a crotch extension of the [0026] back panels 24, 34, which are illustrated in FIG. 5. The crotch extension 100 provides covering for the inner thigh of a person wearing the trousers.
In the O body style back [0027] panel 24, the crotch extension 100 will always be less than with a corresponding size A/H body style trousers. The shape of the crotch extension 100 varies from a J-shape to an S-shape as size increases. In the A/H body style, a crotch extension 102 will always have a J-shape.
It is contemplated that features disclosed in this application, as well as those described in the above applications incorporated by reference, can be mixed and matched to suit particular circumstances. Various other modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill. [0028]

Claims

1. Trousers for wearing on a human body, the trousers comprising:

a pair of back panels, wherein each back panel comprises:

a back hemline;

a back waistline, wherein the back waistline is oriented at an angle of between about 10° and 60° with respect to the back hemline;

a back side seam that extends between the back waistline and the back hemline; and

a back inseam that extends between the back waistline and the back hemline; and

a pair of front panels, wherein the front panels are attached to the back panels so that the trousers are capable of substantially covering at least a middle torso, hips, and upper leg portions of the human body.

2. The trousers of claim 1, wherein the angle is between about 20° and 40°.

3. The trousers of claim 1, wherein a widest circumference of the trousers is proximate the front waistline and the back waistline.

4. The trousers of claim 3, wherein the back panels have a fabric grainline wherein the fabric grainline is substantially perpendicular to the back hemline, and wherein the fabric grainline is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the widest circumference.

5. The trousers of claim 1, wherein the front waistline is convex.

6. The trousers of claim 1, wherein the front panels each have a front rise arc that extends along the inseam, and wherein the front rise arc is concave less than about one inch or is convex.

7. Trousers for wearing on a human body, the trousers comprising:

a pair of front panels, wherein each front panel comprises a front hemline, a front waistline, a front side seam that extends between the front waistline and the front hemline, a front inseam that extends between the front waistline and the front hemline;

a pair of back panels, wherein each back panel comprises a back hemline, a back waistline, a back side seam that extends between the back waistline and the back hemline, a back inseam that extends between the back hemline and the back waistline; and

wherein the front panels and the back panels are attached together so that the trousers are capable of substantially covering at least a middle torso, hips, and upper leg portions of the human body, and wherein a widest circumference of the trousers is proximate the front waistline and the back waistline.

8. The trousers of claim 7, wherein a grainline of the back panels is substantially perpendicular to the back hemline and wherein the grainline is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the widest circumference line.

9. The trousers of claim 7, wherein the back waistline is oriented at an angle with respect to the back hemline of between about 20° and 40°.

10. The trousers of claim 7, wherein the front waistline is convex.

11. The trousers of claim 7, wherein the front panels each have a front rise arc that extends along the inseam, and wherein the front rise arc is concave less than about one inch or is convex.

12. Trousers for wearing on a human body, the trousers comprising:

a pair of front panels, wherein each front panel comprises:

a front waistline, wherein the front waistline has a first and second endpoint,

a front hemline,

a front side seam that extends between the front waistline and the front hemline, and

a front inseam that extends between the front waistline and the front hemline, wherein the first endpoint intersects the side seam, wherein the inseam has a crotch point, wherein a front rise arc extends between the crotch point and the second endpoint, and wherein the front rise arc is concave less than about one inch or is convex; and

a pair of back panels, wherein the front panels are attached to the back panels so that the trousers substantially cover at least a middle torso, hips, and upper leg portions of the human body.

13. The trousers of claim 12, wherein the trousers substantially corresponds to the middle torso and upper leg portions of the human body.

14. The trousers of claim 12, wherein the trousers substantially conforms to the human body where the middle torso has a larger diameter than the hips and upper leg portions.

15. The trousers of claim 12, wherein the waistline is convex.

16. The trousers of claim 12, wherein each of the back panels comprises:

a back waistline;

a back hemline;

a back side seam that extends between the back waistline and the back hemline, and

a back inseam that extends between the back waistline and the back hemline.