US20190142075A1

US20190142075A1 - Biodegradable underwear with mesh component

Info

Publication number: US20190142075A1
Application number: US16/192,618
Authority: US
Inventors: Annette Marie Lopez-Munoz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-11-15
Filing date: 2018-11-15
Publication date: 2019-05-16

Abstract

The present invention provides for a disposable and biodegradable underwear for any day use with a permeable mesh component incorporated therewith.

Description

INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application is non-provisional of, and claims benefit to, each of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/586,582 filed Nov. 15, 2017; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/697,084 filed Jul. 12, 2018; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/698,902 filed Jul. 16, 2018, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As persons familiar with the industry can attest, women's undergarments often present unique problems and difficulties. Some of these difficulties relate to not only female anatomy, but biological function.
Current underwear and panty configurations do not fully account for many known needs. The present invention provides a novel configuration to address the need of a female disposable panty that is free of waterproof layers, ribbons, or intrusive three-dimensional features.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment the present invention is an article, being underwear, presented as biodegradable, disposable underwear for any day use. The article the present invention has added is the feature of having mesh at the crotch as the lining of the panty with holes big enough as not to intercept with the menstrual flow, but able to hold the menstrual pad in place. The invention is not menstrual underwear per se, but it can be used during menstruation, hence why it is designated “for any day use” due to its versatility.
The present invention is an improvement over known underwear for many reasons including, but not limited to

- Disposable, and not made out of paper.
- Biodegradable
- Any day underwear, including menstruation versatility.
- Comfort (elasticity).

It is contemplated that the open hole mesh configuration will minimally interact with the menstrual flow.
The wholes can vary in size and are not limited to any particular size demonstrated by the figures.
The mesh will adapt to the size of the panty but will keep its basic structure.
In one embodiment, the mesh is open in the front and back as to allow insertion.
The pad can stick out (back and front) if longer than the mesh. In one embodiment, the mesh will be stitched to the panty with an opening in front and back to allow insertion of a menstrual pad.
For women not menstruating the mesh will serve as a lining of a panty.
It is a simple concept but practical. Women can buy and carry this biodegradable disposable panty regardless of their time of the month. Some women cannot predict when they will exactly get their period. It helps avoid surprises followed by embarrassment. They will have at hand a change of underwear with the capacity to hold most sizes menstrual pads.
In one embodiment, the present invention is an underwear configuration comprising:

- a main underwear body having a waistband positioned on the superior edge, superior being used to describe the top edge of the underwear as generally understood and inferior being used herein to describe the lower portion of the underwear;
- a mesh component positioned on the inferior portion of said main body, said mesh portion including connector seams constructed and arranged for connecting said mesh portion to the said main body and providing an opening for inserting a menstrual pad that, when inserted will extend from an interior region of the mesh to an exterior region of the mesh.

In one embodiment, the underwear is formed of biodegradable material.
In one embodiment, the waistband portion is contiguous with the entire garment and it is not formed of a separate elastic material.
In one embodiment the underwear is disposable.
In one embodiment, the biodegradable material is formed of a majority of biodegradable polyester.
In one embodiment, the disposable underwear is free of paper and paper based components.
In one embodiment, the underwear configuration is consisting of:

- a main underwear body having a waistband positioned on the superior edge;
- a mesh component positioned on the inferior portion of said main body, said mesh portion including connector seams constructed and arranged for connecting said mesh portion to said main body and providing an opening for inserting a menstrual pad that, when inserted, will extend from the exterior of the mesh to the interior region of the mesh and back to the exterior, with the front and the back of the pad resting in the underwear and part of the menstrual pad under the mesh.

An underwear configuration comprising:

- a main underwear body having a waist band positioned on the superior edge;
- a mesh component positioned on the inferior portion of said body, said mesh portion including connector seams attaching said mesh to main body.

In one embodiment, the waistband portion is contiguous with the entire garment and is not formed of a separate elastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front partially separated view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of one embodiment of the present invention showing a menstrual pad inserted into the mesh.

FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side partial diagram view demonstrating placement of a menstrual pad whereby the pad is longer than the mesh portion of the underwear providing placement of the ends of the interior of the underwear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As generally understood, the present invention involves a conventional underwear configuration whereby underwear 10 having a waistband 20 is formed with mesh 22 on the inferior portion of underwear 10. Each of the support seams 24 are constructed and arranged to both support mesh 22 and provide for insertion of menstrual pad 30 therein. As generally understood, the majority of menstrual pad 30 will be inside of mesh 22 with edges protruding on the interior portion of underwear 10 as demonstrated in FIG. 3. Although this embodiment demonstrates use with menstrual pads 30, the configuration of the present invention providing mesh 22 is advantageous at all times in that increased air circulation is provided to the crotch area of a user.
In a preferred embodiment, the entire composition of underwear 10 is formed and comprised of a majority of biodegradable material. Most disposable undergarments are paper-based and provide significant discomfort to a user. The discomfort of the paper disposable underwear is that it lacks elasticity thus it is hard to follow body contour. Additionally, undergarments that attempt to incorporate use of a menstrual pad therewith often have multiple layers or complicated structures to hold the pad. These three dimensional intrusions are often uncomfortable. The present invention in one embodiment has addressed each of these deficiencies by providing a comfortable and stretchy undergarment that is biodegradable and disposable, configured with a mesh component 22 whereby the mesh component 22 is connected to the undergarment 10 at the corners with corner stitching 26 and all along the lateral seams 27, which border the crotch area. In providing this configuration, the present invention eliminates conventional pockets, three dimensional intrusions, and other structures that users have noted cause significant levels of discomfort.
A significant aspect of the mesh is that it allows for menstrual flow to reach the pad presenting little obstacle and effectively holding the menstrual pad in place. It is contemplated that the mesh is either non-absorbent, or minimally absorbent. Once the pad has become saturated user will be able to dispose of the pad and the underwear at the same time. If the wearer chooses a menstrual pad that's biodegradable or organic in nature the underwear and the pad can be disposed knowing that both, underwear and pad will biodegrade.
As generally understood and demonstrated in FIG. 7, each support seam 24 is permanently attached solely with corner stitching 26, such that mesh 22 is attached to article 10 via corner stitching 26 and all along the lateral seams 27, which border the crotch area. Further, as indicated by directional arrows 28, support seams 24 can be lifted up and a sanitary pad 30 inserted therethrough, as demonstrated in FIG. 3, whereby sanitary pad 30 has portions on the interior 32 of article 10 and the majority is underneath mesh 22.
FIG. 8 is a side diagrammatic view demonstrating pad 30 is larger than mesh 22. Pad 30 has ends that are along the interior main body 32 and the major portion of pad 30 is below mesh 22.

Claims

I claim:

1. An underwear configuration comprising:

a main underwear body having a waistband positioned on the superior edge and two leg openings;

a permeable mesh component positioned on the inferior portion of said main body, said mesh component including two liftable seams constructed and arranged to provide an opening for inserting a menstrual pad that, when inserted, will be mostly situated in between the mesh component and the underwear body.

2. The underwear of claim 1, wherein said underwear is formed of biodegradable material.

3. The underwear of claim 1, wherein said underwear is disposable.

4. The underwear of claim 2, wherein said biodegradable material is formed of a majority of biodegradable polyester.

5. The underwear of claim 3, wherein said disposable underwear is free of paper and paper based components.

6. An underwear configuration consisting of:

a main underwear body having a waistband positioned on the superior edge;

a mesh component positioned on the inferior portion of said main body, said mesh portion including connector seams constructed and arranged for connecting said mesh portion to said main body. The front and back seams will provide an opening for inserting a menstrual pad that, when inserted, will extend from an interior region to an exterior region of the mesh resting in the inside of the main body.

7. An underwear configuration comprising:

a main underwear body having a waistband positioned on the superior edge;

a mesh component positioned on the inferior portion of said body, said mesh portion including connector seams attaching said mesh to said main body.