Seamless dance tight

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hosiery garments. More specifically, the present invention relates to a seamless dance tight.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well understood that in the dance community, a smooth silhouette of a dancer, referred to as a “perfect line”, is highly critical. The tights and leotards traditionally worn by dancers have a seam in the front of the waistband, due to the manufacturing method of the tights/leotard. This seam, or “worm” as referred to in the community, mars the perfect line of the dancer.

Various types of seamless pantyhose have been offered. However, pantyhose cannot be worn by a dancer in place of a dance tight. Therefore, the dance community is still in need of a seamless tight to achieve a perfect line during performances.

Further, the seamless pantyhose which were available did not provide a proper fit for the user. In particular, the torso portion of the pantyhose did not provide enough volume for the torso of the user, while ensuring proper fit in the legs.

For these reasons, there is still a need for a hosiery garment that is suitable for the dance community and that provides a proper fit throughout all areas of the leg and torso.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a seamless hosiery garment that provides sufficient volume in the torso area while also ensuring proper fit in the legs. The garment is particularly suitable as a seamless dance tight for use by a dancer to achieve a perfect line during a performance.

Thus, according to one aspect, the invention provides a method of fabricating a hosiery garment having a pair of limb portions and a torso portion, the method comprising knitting a continuous tubular member in a seamless manner, creating a gusset on one side of said tubular member over a limited intermediate portion thereof by gathering fabric during said knitting, and forming a slit in said tubular member opposite the gusset to define said torso portion with said limb portions extending on either side thereof.

In another aspect, the invention provides a hosiery garment comprising a pair of limb portions and a torso portion knit from a continuous tubular member in a seamless manner, a gusset on one side of said tubular member over a limited intermediate portion thereof created by gathering fabric during said knitting, and a slit in said tubular member opposite the gusset to define said torso portion with said limb portions extending on either side thereof.

By producing a single tubular product from which the garment is produced, the finished garment does not have a seam therein at either the front or back. By creating a horizontal gathering of fabric at the crotch area from a preferred ratio of 5:1 to create a gusset, proper fit of the garment is provided. Further, the absence of a seam improves the strength and durability of the garment for longer wear.

Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon a review of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a seamless dance tight in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a continuously knitted tubular member product in exaggerated form used to create the tight of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a top plan view of the tubular member of FIG. 2.

This invention will now be described in detail with respect to certain specific representative embodiments thereof, the materials, apparatus and process steps being understood as examples that are intended to be illustrative only. In particular, the invention is not intended to be limited to the methods, materials, conditions, process parameters, apparatus and the like specifically recited herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a seamless dance tight 10 in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. The finished tight 10 comprises two leg halves 20a, 20b symmetrical about the garment's longitudinal axis. Each leg half 20a, 20b comprises a foot portion 22a, 22b, an ankle portion 24a, 24b, a calf-knee portion 26a, 26b, an upper thigh portion 28a, 28b and the torso 12. These two halves 20a, 20b are part of one continuous piece whereby one leg half merges with and becomes a torso portion 12 and then becomes the second leg half, as is described below. The two halves or leg portions are topped by a single torso portion 12, and waistband portion 14, which are integral with and connecting the leg portions. An opening 8 at the top of the garment receives the user's body 15. In the center of the garment, there is a crotch area 41 that is achieved through the horizontal gathering of fabric from a preferred ratio of 5:1 to create a gusset, as is described below. The garment is made of a soft, tactile fabric for the user's fit and comfort. It will be noted that the two halves are not joined by a seam, as has been conventionally done before now.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a linear tubular member 31 from which the tight 10 of FIG. 1 is produced. The tubular member 31 has a number of integral portions therein that are continuously knit using a conventional knitting apparatus, such as a circular knitting machine which has been programmed and manipulated to produce the seamless tight. The tubular member includes two feet portions 22a, 22b, two ankle portions 24a, 24b, two calf-knee portions 26a, 26b, two thigh portions 28a, 28b and a single torso portion 12. The torso portion 12 includes a gusset 40 defining a crotch area 41, and a slit 43 opposite the gusset 40 to which the waistband 14 will be applied, as described below.

The torso portion 12 and crotch area 41 are critical locations of the garment. These locations must provide enough material and volume for the right fit for a user. The torso portion is of a larger diameter than the other portions is of a sufficiently large diameter in order to conform the shape and size of the user. This entire portion must provide the appropriate power, stretch and recovery to deliver proper fit. In accordance with the teachings of this invention, the torso portion is knitted wider than the gusset area, preferably to a ratio of 5:1. This is achieved by a horizontal gathering of fabric at the crotch area at a ratio of 5:1 to create the gusset.

In a final step, the tubular member 31 is removed from the circular knitting machine and the slit area 43 is cut open in the folded tubular member 31 to create the body-receiving opening 8. A tubular welt portion constituting the waistband portion 14 is then manually sewn on. The welt is continuously knit in a constant diameter so as to provide a seamless waistband portion.

Application of the waistband 14 creates a vertical form of the linear tubular member, wherein the two halves are folded about the torso portion's longitudinal axis 6. In this way, the two halves (leg portions) of the symmetrical tight are created without the need to join two separate leg portions, thus not resulting in a longitudinal seam along the symmetrical axis of the garment.

The sizes, both length and diameter, of the product portions are dependent upon the desired final size of the finished product. The variability in the sizes allows the garment to be sized for a good fit for the user. This unique seamless tight provides enough material and volume in the torso area for a proper fit for the user without sacrificing fit in the various leg portions.

By way of ex ample, typical dimensions for a small/medium garment could be as follows:

Flat measurements: panty: 6″ (in the middle of the panty)

leg+foot: 24½″

Dyed Rope stretch: panty: 24½″

leg+foot: 97″

The fit and appearance of the garment is further improved by the use of stretchable yarns which include high filament stretch nylon yarn in conjunction with lycra. Any suitable yarns providing sufficient stretch and recovery may be used. One possible yarn comprises 92% nylon and 8% spandex.

It will be understood that the seamless garment, although specifically described as a seamless dance tight, may be any type of hosiery garments, such as tights, pantyhose, stockings, leotards and the like. Further embodiments may be possible without feet portions, or with convertible feet portions.

Numerous modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.