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EP-3846648-B1 - PANTS WITH AN UNDERSIDE OPENING

EP3846648B1EP 3846648 B1EP3846648 B1EP 3846648B1EP-3846648-B1

Inventors

  • GONZALEZ, BIANCA
  • EDWARDS, Georgia, Grace

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20190906

Claims (4)

  1. A pair of pants comprising: a first leg opening; a second leg opening; a waist opening; a lowest crotch point; a first closable opening (124) running from below a front center of the waist opening; a second closable opening (130) running from beyond the first closable opening (124); a zipper track (156) running along the first closable opening (124) ; an interior flap (136; 148) designed and configured to reversibly cover the zipper track (156); an exterior flap (132; 144) designed and configured to reversibly cover the zipper track (156); a single exterior blocking member (168A) traversing the zipper track (156), the exterior blocking member (168A) being attached to an exterior of the pants and separating the first closable opening (124) from the second closable opening (130); and a single interior blocking member (168B) traversing the zipper track (156), the interior blocking member (168B) being attached to an interior of the pants opposite the exterior blocking member (168A), wherein the zipper track (156) is continuous and includes a first zipper pull (160) on a first side of the exterior blocking member (168A) and a second zipper pull (164) on a second side of the exterior blocking member (168A), characterized in that the first closable opening (124) runs down toward the lowest crotch point, that the second closable opening (130) runs through the lowest crotch point and up toward a rear center of the waist opening, that the zipper track (156) runs along the second closable opening (130), that the single exterior blocking member (168A) is sewn to the pants on both sides across the zipper track (156), wherein the exterior flap (132; 144) is connected to the exterior blocking member (168A) , and that the single interior blocking member (168B) is sewn to the pants on both sides across the zipper track (156), wherein the interior flap (136; 148) is connected to the interior blocking member (168B) and wherein the blocking members (168A, 168B) are secured at locations directly opposite to each other.
  2. The pants according to claim 1, wherein the interior flap (136; 148) and the exterior flap (132; 144) include curvatures to prevent bunching during normal wear of the pants by a wearer.
  3. The pants according to claim 2, wherein the first zipper pull (160) opens and closes the zipper track (156) along the first closable opening (124) and the second zipper pull (164) opens and closes the zipper track (156) along the second closable opening (130).
  4. The pants according to claim 3, further including a third zipper pull that opens and closes the zipper track (156) along the second closable (130) opening.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to pants. In particular, the present invention is directed to Pants with an Underside Opening. BACKGROUND Pants, including shorts, capris, under-layer or base-layer pants, work-pants, leggings, underwear, and outerwear (such as ski pants, snow pants, and rain gear) often include a closable opening (or fly) in the center front area that facilitates putting on and taking off of the pants as well as allowing wearers with male urinary anatomy to urinate without having to lower the pants. These designs, however, require wearers with female urinary anatomy to lower the pants off of the waist in order to urinate, thereby exposing more of the body to the elements or to others. This can be inconvenient and unsafe, especially in harsh environments/weather conditions and/or in non-private circumstances, such as may be encountered on lengthy hiking, biking, or skiing adventures or at certain job sites. (The term "pant" is used herein to describe any article of clothing that generally includes a waist, a front crotch area, a rear area, and legs, and can include a variety of items of apparel such as jeans, shorts, leggings, snow pants, rain pants, trousers, knickers, slacks, underwear, etc.). JP 2002-69714 A describes a pair of pants primarily made of cloth with a slide fastener and stoppers for defining the moving range of the sliders. The stoppers may be made of metal or vinyl and sewn in with thread. JP 11-172508 A describes a further pair of pants primarily made of cloth and having a bidirectional slide fastener. The slide fastener includes an upper and a lower stopper for defining a moving range. The upper stopper is slightly lower than the waist finish and the lower stopper is substantially at the same position as the crotch portion. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides a pair of pants having the features of claim 1. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of pants with an underside zipper in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 2 is a front view of the pants shown in FIG. 1;FIG. 3 is a rear view of the pants shown in FIG. 1;FIG. 4 is a right side view of the pants shown in FIG. 1;FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the pants shown in FIG. 1;FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the pants shown in FIG. 1;FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the pants of FIG. 1 with cover flaps turned outward;FIG. 8 is a front view of the pants shown in FIG. 7;FIG. 9 is a rear view of the pants shown in FIG. 7;FIG. 10 is a left side view of the pants shown in FIG. 7;FIG. 11 is a top view of the pants shown in FIG. 7; andFIG. 12 is a bottom view of the pants shown in FIG. 7. DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE Pants with an underside opening of the present invention facilitate the urination of those persons possessing female urinary anatomy or, potentially, for those possessing male or female urinary anatomy who wish to defecate without having to lower the pants off of the waist. In an embodiment, the pants of the present invention include two, separately openable and closable openings, an underside opening and a front or fly opening. In another embodiment, the two openings share a continuous closing mechanism that is separated by exterior and interior blocking members, thereby allowing the openings to be operated separately. In another embodiment, under layer garments such as long underwear or thermal underwear are provided with a slit or opening along the bottom of the crotch area. Alternatively, a single long closable opening may run from the center front waist area through the bottom of the crotch. Turning to the figures, in an embodiment, pants with an underside opening of the present invention, for example full length pants 100 shown in FIGS. 1-12, include a front 104, a back 108, a left leg portion 112L, a right leg portion 112R, a waistband 116, a waistband closure 120, and a crotch area 122. A first closable opening 124 (e.g., a fly) runs from just below waistband closure 120 downward along the center of the crotch area to a location 126 near or above a low point 128 of the crotch area (low point 128 is the lowest point of the crotch area when a garment is being worn or held upright). A second closable opening 130 runs from just below or beyond location 126, along the crotch area, and back up along the back side of the crotch area terminating at or near the center of back side 108 of waistband 116. First closable opening 124 includes an exterior front flap 132 and an interior front flap 136, each of which reversibly covers a respective side of a closing mechanism for first closable opening 124, such as a zipper or buttons. Second closable opening 130 in