FLOCKED SHAPEWEAR GARMENTS

• US 20150342265A1
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spanx Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spanx Incorporated
• Inventors: Hays, Tosha L., Colon-Otten, Sylma
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,916 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 1/08 Abdominal supports
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 1/12 Component parts
• CPC Class Codes: A41C 5/00 Machines, appliances, or methods for manufacturing corsets or brassieres

Abstract

Disclosed herein are flocked shapewear garments. The flocked shapewear garments comprise a fabric, an elastomeric coating, and flocking fibers embedded in the elastomeric coating.

Claims

1. A flocked shapewear garment for a wearer having thighs, each of the thighs having an inner thigh and an outer thigh, the flocked shapewear garment comprising:

at least one fabric panel configured to extend over at least one of the thighs of the wearer,

at least one elastomeric coating on at least a portion of the fabric panel, and

flocked fibers embedded in the elastomeric coating,

wherein the elastomeric coating and flocked fibers increase a stiffness of the fabric panel and are positioned to compress the inner thigh of the at least one thigh of the wearer.

2. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises from 40% to 80% nylon.

3. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises an elastomer fiber.

4. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 3, wherein the elastomer fiber is spandex, and wherein the fabric comprises from 20% to 60% spandex.

5. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric coating comprises silicone.

6. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric coating is further positioned to compress the outer thighs of the wearer.

7. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric coating extends over both of the inner thighs.

8. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 7, wherein the elastomeric coating extends entirely around the thighs of the wearer.

9. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric coating extends from the inner thigh and toward the outer thigh.

10. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomeric coating comprises a first elastomeric coating extending straight down the inner thighs.

11. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 10, wherein the at least one elastomeric coating comprises a second elastomeric coating extending straight down the inner thighs.

12. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomeric coating comprises a first elastomeric coating that curves as it extends down the inner thighs.

13. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 12, wherein the at least one elastomeric coating comprises a second elastomeric coating that curves as it extends down the outer thighs.

14. The flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastomeric coating comprises a first elastomeric coating extending down the inner thigh and a second elastomeric coating extending down the outer thigh, wherein one of the two elastomeric coatings extends straight down the thigh and the other of the two elastomeric coatings curves as it extends down the thigh.

15. A method of making the flocked shapewear garment of claim 1, the method comprising:

applying an elastomeric coating substance to at least a portion of the fabric panel configured to extend over the inner thigh of the wearer, and

applying flocked fibers to the elastomeric coating substance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein applying an elastomeric coating substance comprises placing the fabric panel beneath a silkscreen and passing an elastomeric coating substance through screen apertures of a silkscreen.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein applying an elastomeric coating substance comprises spraying the fabric panel with the elastomeric coating substance.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein applying an elastomeric coating substance comprises extruding the elastomeric coating substance onto the fabric panel.

19. A method of making a flocked shapewear garment, the flocked shapewear garment comprising at least one fabric panel configured to extend over the abdominal area and an elastomeric coating comprising flocked fibers on at least a portion of the fabric panel, wherein the elastomeric coating defines a superior edge and an inferior edge that progressively diverge from each other extending laterally away from a central portion, the method comprising:

applying an elastomeric coating substance to at least a portion of the fabric panel configured to extend over the abdominal area, and

applying flocked fibers to the elastomeric coating substance.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein applying an elastomeric coating substance comprises placing the fabric panel beneath a silkscreen and passing an elastomeric coating substance through screen apertures of a silkscreen.