Field of the Invention

The invention relates to fly openings for garments, and especially such openings for men' s garments that are intended to be worn next to the skin. The fly openings are particularly suitable for use in underwear, such as men's boxer shorts. The fly openings are especially suitable for use in garments worn next to the skin, and where no further outer garment is usually worn. Examples of this include sleepwear such as pyjamas and loungewear such as lounge trousers and lounge shorts.

Background and Prior Art

Undergarments designed for men often have an opening at the groin area to facilitate access to the penis (e.g. for urination) without the need to remove or pull down the undergarment. This opening usually takes the form of an elongate slot between two overlapping fabric panels. In order to preserve the modesty of the user,

undergarments are often designed to prevent inadvertent opening or gaping of the garment that might result from e.g. movement of the user.

In some designs of underwear (typically referred to as "briefs" in the UK market), the fabric overlap is relatively large and is offset to one side of the body. As a result of the large overlap, the offset, and often the use of relatively elastic materials, no further closure is required to the opening. However, some users find the use of this offset opening uncomfortable, and prefer a more centralised opening.

In other garments, such as boxer shorts or boxer briefs, the elongate opening in the groin area is usually located approximately centrally in the garment, making its use more convenient. In some designs, referred to as an "open fly" design, no further closure is applied to the opening. This does make access though the opening to the interior of the garment convenient, but does nothing to prevent inadvertent opening of the garment should tension be applied to the fabric either side of the opening. To make such garments more secure, a button fastening is often provided to releasably secure the overlapping fabric panels together.

There is another class of garments that pose similar challenges to the designer:

garments that are designed to be worn next to the skin, but (unlike in the case of underwear) where no further outergarment is usually worn on top. Garments that fall into this class include pyjamas, and loungewear, such as lounge shorts and lounge trousers. Because they are worn directly next to the skin, the standard fly closure of a zip fastener is not employed due to the risk of injury through catching sensitive skin in the zip mechanism. However, because no further outer clothing is to be worn, it is even more important that some kind of closure is provided to the usually centrally- located opening to prevent inadvertent opening of the garment and ensuing embarrassment to the user. Pyjamas and loungewear often, therefore, are also fitted with buttons to the fly opening.

The opening and closing of such button fastenings on underwear, pyjamas and the like can, however, be difficult, especially in the context of their use: access might be required during the night, in the dark and, even in the light, it might be socially unacceptable to stare closely at one's groin area when opening the fly, e.g. in a public lavatory - as a result, the button closure often needs to be operated by touch alone. In other cases, a user might have reduced dexterity in their fingers either though age or infirmity or simply because they have cold hands, thereby increasing the difficulty of operating a button fly.

A number of solutions have been proposed to this problem, such as the use of press- studs, "hook-and-loop" closures (such as that sold under the Registered Trade Mark Velcro®) and magnetic fasteners, such as that described in US Patent Application 2009/0320184 in the name of Schaefer.

Press-studs have the same problems of use as buttons in that they are difficult to operate without high levels of dexterity. Furthermore, they often require considerable closing pressure in order to make a connection and it is difficult to apply this to both sides of the closure in the context of a fly closure. Hook and loop closures are at first thought an appealing solution, but suffer from the material generally having poor drape characteristics, and the hook elements are prone to pick up fluff from other garments.

Both hook and loop closures and press-studs also suffer from a common disadvantage in the context of relatively delicate or fine clothing such as underwear, sleepwear or loungewear: both of these fastenings typically result in a strong connection being formed and, when the connection is pulled apart, this tends to put undue stress pressure on the core fabric of the garment with consequent risk of damage to the fabric or to the material used to affix the fastener to the fabric.

Magnetic closures exhibit the problem that they are easily pulled apart when tension is applied to the fabric during normal use, allowing the fly opening to be inadvertently pulled apart leading to unwanted and potentially embarrassing exposure.

Summary of the Invention

Accordingly, the invention provides a fly opening for a garment, said fly opening comprising: two overlapping fabric panels defining an elongate aperture in said garment between said panels; a two-part magnetic closure, comprising a first magnetic part attached to one of said panels within the overlap region, and a second magnetically-responsive part attached to the other said panel; said first and second parts being positioned such that when the parts are magnetically connected, the panels are held together in face-to-face abutment; a mechanical catch comprising cooperating catch portions located on each of said panels, and arranged to resist or prevent relative movement of said fabric portions in a direction parallel to their plane of abutment and perpendicular to said elongate aperture.

The magnetic and magnetically-responsive parts of the magnetic closure serve to hold the regions of overlapping fabric together whilst the mechanical catch serves to prevent the magnets slipping apart (and thereby leading to opening of the fly) in the face of tension to the fabric that might be encountered when e.g. a user sits down. By comparison to hook and loop closures or press-studs, choice of appropriate magnet strength can be made to provide adequate closure strength whilst allowing the closure to be unfastened without damage to the fabric or the attachment means.

Preferably, each catch portion is integral with a part of the two-part magnetic closure. In this way, not only are manufacturing costs reduced, but magnetic interaction of the two parts of the magnetic closure serves to more positively align the cooperating catch portions of the mechanical catch. In this way the closure is effectively "self-seeking", and largely automatic. In any embodiment of the invention it is also particularly preferred that the magnets and/or magnetically-responsive material are completely encased in a waterproof material such as plastics. This allows the garment incorporating the fly closure to be readily washable, and to prevent any contact between the magnets or magnetically- responsive material and a user's skin, thereby eliminating the risk of adverse reactions.

In any embodiment of the invention, it is further preferred that one of the parts of said two-part magnetic closure comprises an indent and the other part comprises a detent. When the magnets interact to form the closure, the detent enters the indent, thereby creating more accurate alignment of the associated catch portions of the mechanical catch.

Generally, and in any embodiment of the invention it is preferred that said magnetic closure and said magnetic catch are arranged such that operation of the magnetic closure urges the catch portions of said mechanical catch into operative alignment, again making the closure "self-seeking" and effectively automatic.

Also in any embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that the parts of said magnetic closure and said catch portions are attached to textile strips, said textile strips being attached to corresponding panel portions. This configuration has a number of advantages: Firstly, manufacturing costs can be reduced, as the closure portions may be attached to a length of tape in a semi-automated fashion, and then used in the manufacturing process for the garments. Secondly, by constructing the garment in this fashion, the rear faces of the closures where they are connected to the tape are hidden when the tape is connected (e.g. by sewing) to the fabric panels. This not only provides a more aesthetically pleasing product, but the delicate skin of a user is protected from chafing against the connection point of the closures. Thirdly, the provision of such a tape reduces the flexibility, or drape, of the garment in the fly closure area, thereby further increasing the extent to which the magnetic closures are automatically aligned with other, so further enhancing the automatic nature of the closure.

Also in any embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that said elongate aperture is closed at both ends. By using an aperture that is closed in this way, the overlapping portions of the garment panels are always approximately aligned such that the magnetic closures are opposite each other, thereby further enhancing the automatic nature of the closure.

In alternative embodiments, it is preferred that said elongate aperture is closed at one end and open at the other end, said other end being provided with a fastener. In this way, the fastener may be opened to facilitate donning and doffing of the garment but, once the fastener is closed, the magnetic closures are again aligned with each other, making the closure automatically self-seeking.

In any embodiment of the invention, it is also preferred that said elongate aperture consists of a single straight aperture. In this way, vertical tension applied to the fly opening (i.e. along the line of the elongate aperture), such as might be experienced when the garment is being put on, has the tendency to urge the panels into alignment, thereby bringing the magnetic closures also into operative alignment and further enhancing the automatic, self-seeking nature of the closure. Where alternatively shaped apertures are employed, e.g. an aperture having a L-shaped edge, tension applied along the line of the aperture has the tendency to open the aperture, rather than close it. Also, L-shaped apertures, which have been previously taught in the art, do not cooperate well with a standard, straight zip closure commonly found on trousers, because access to an L-shaped aperture on underwear via a straight aperture on a trouser fly is somewhat limited. Preferably, and in any embodiment of the invention, the fly opening has just a single magnetic closure. The inventors have found that one such closure is usually sufficient for the purpose of maintaining the fly closed, and that the provision of multiple closures can lead to one part of a magnetic closure interacting with a non- corresponding part of a second closure.

The invention also provides pyjamas, undergarments or loungewear incorporating a fly opening described herein.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a fly closure or a garment substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Figures

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a pair of boxer shorts incorporating a fly closure of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a close-up view of a fly closure of the present invention;

Figure 3 illustrates boxer shorts, pyjamas or loungewear incorporating a fly closure of the present invention;

Figure 4 illustrates the garment of Figure 3 in an open configuration;

Figure 5 illustrates a fly closure of the present invention resisting opening in the face of applied tension;

Figure 6 illustrates magnetic closures and mechanical catches mounted on a flexible tape;

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a prior art integral magnetic closure and mechanical catch suitable for use in the invention; and

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a magnetic closure and mechanical catch suitable for use in the present invention. Description of Preferred Embodiments

Figure 1 illustrates a pair of boxer shorts, generally indicated by 1, incorporating a fly opening 2 according to the present invention. The fly opening comprises a first fabric panel 3 and a second overlapping fabric panel 4. The extent of overlap of the two panels in indicated by the dotted line 5. A two-part magnetic closure and associated mechanical catch is positioned between the overlapping panels 3, 4 at a position indicated by 6, approximately mid-way along the aperture. In this embodiment, the elongate aperture 7 (which is more clearly visible in Figure 2) formed between the two panels 3, 4 has the form of a single straight aperture, and is closed at both the top end 8 and the bottom end 9. The top of the boxer shorts is provided with an elastic waistband 10 that serves to close the top end 8 of the aperture 7. Whilst boxer shorts are used in this illustration, such a fly closure and elastic waistband arrangement could equally be used for pyjamas or lounge wear.

Figure 2 illustrates the fly opening 2 of Figure 1 in its open configuration, showing the aperture 7 formed in the garment between the two overlapping panels 3, 4.

Located between the overlapping panels is a magnetic closure comprising a first magnetic part 11 located on the outer surface of one of the fabric panels 3, and opposite a second magnetically-responsive part 12 located on the inner surface of the other fabric panel 4. It will be appreciated that the magnetically-responsive part 12 may be formed e.g. of a ferrous material, such as steel, or may itself be a magnet of opposite polarity to the first magnetic part 11. In this embodiment, the mechanical catch portions are integral to the magnetic parts, and have the form of a linear, undercut portion 13 of the magnetic part 11 and a protruding hook portion 14 on the magnetically-responsive part 12. Details of such a closure are described below.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the magnetic closure parts and the integral mechanical catch parts are fixed to a flexible textile tapes 15 that are themselves fixed to the panels 3 and 4, in this case by means of stitching 16.

Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a fly closure 2 of the present invention, incorporated into a garment such as boxer shorts, lounge shorts or pyjama bottoms. The leg portion of full-length pyjamas or lounge trousers are omitted in this illustration. Elements of the embodiment are numbered the same as corresponding elements of Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment, fabric panels 3 and 4 overlap to define an openable aperture 7. In this embodiment, the aperture 7 is closed at the lower end 9, but is open at the upper end 8, as will be more clearly seen in Figure 4. The upper end 8 is held against the waistband 10 of the garment by means of a fastener in the form of two buttons 17 and cooperating button holes 18. The position of the magnetic closure is again illustrated by the dotted marker 6.

Figure 4 illustrates the embodiment of Figure 3 in an open configuration. As before, elements corresponding to like elements in earlier figures are numbered accordingly. The magnetic closure parts 11 and 12 are integral with the mechanical catch portions 13 and 14, again having the form of an undercut region 13 and a raised hook element 14. In this embodiment also, the magnetic closure parts 11, 12 and the integral mechanical catch parts 13, 14 are fixed to a flexible textile tapes 15 that are themselves fixed to the panels 3 and 4, in this case by means of stitching 16.

Figure 5 illustrates the action of the fly closure 2 of an embodiment of the invention. The embodiment illustrated is that of Figures 1 and 2, but the principle and mode of action would be equivalent for the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4. When the closure is made, pulling of the fabric panels 3, 4 in the direction indicated by the arrows 19 does not lead to the aperture 7 opening up to reveal the contents of the garment, with ensuing embarrassment, but the mechanical catch parts 13, 14 (not illustrated) act to prevent, or at least resist, separation of the magnetic closure along the line of applied force illustrated by the arrows 19. This is in stark contrast to a simple "magnet-only" closure, where magnetic closure portions can readily be slid apart along their contact faces.

Figures 6A and 6B illustrate the use of an integral magnetic closure and mechanical catch, applied to a flexible textile tape. Two portions of tape 15 are provided. On one of the tapes 15 there is affixed a first magnetic part 11, and on the other tape 15' is affixed a magnetically-responsive part 12. In this embodiment, the mechanical catch is provided by means of a linear undercut region 13 of a plastics casing 20 enclosing the magnetic part 11, that cooperates with a protruding linear hook feature 14 moulded into the casing 20 of the magnetically-responsive part 12. It will be appreciated that the undercut and hook features could be provided the other way round, with the undercut 13 being associated with the magnetically-responsive part 12 and the hook feature 14 with the magnetic part 11. In preferred embodiments, the surface of the tape 15 is provided with a low- friction finish, such as a satin finish. Not only does this provide added comfort to the user, but assists the magnetic closure in operating in a "self-seeking" manner by allowing the overlapping panels to slide more easily against each other.

Figures 7A and 7B illustrate respective two parts of an embodiment of a two-part magnetic closure with integral mechanical catch suitable for use in the invention. The closures are shown attached to a flexible textile tape but could in embodiments of the invention be attached directly to the fabric panels of a garment. Such closures are themselves known in the art, suitable closures being described in US Patent 6,163,938 and International Patent Application WO2012/093176.

Figure 7A illustrates one part of the two-part magnetic closure 11 attached to a tape 15. The part comprises a front element 2 land a rear element 22. The two elements are located either side of a flexible textile tape 15, and secured thereto by connecting the elements 21, 22 together with attachment pegs 23 passing through the tape 15. Conveniently, the elements and pegs may be constructed from plastics, and preferably a thermoplastic material so that the elements may be heat-welded onto the tape. A magnet 24 is embedded within one element 22 of the part 11. The other element 21 has a cylindrical indent 25 adjacent the magnet to receive a corresponding cylindrical detent 26 from the other part (illustrated in Fig 7B). One end of the part is provided with an undercut region 13 that can mate with a hook member 14 on the other part 12 to form the mechanical catch.

Figure 7B illustrates the second magnetically-responsive part 12 of the magnetic closure, again attached to a tape. This is also formed from a front element 27 and a rear element 28, secured to a flexible textile tape 15 by the use of pegs 23 in an analogous fashion to the first part 11. The front element 27 has an embedded magnet 29 located within a cylindrical detent 26 to provide a magnetic connection with the magnet 24 of the first part 11. At one end of the front element 27 is provided a projecting hook 14 arranged to interact with the undercut portion 13 of the first part 11.

Figure 8 illustrates the two-part closure of Figs 7A and 7B in their closed, engaging configuration. The parts have been illustrated in a slight spaced-apart manner, for clarity. Corresponding features to Fig 7 have been numbered accordingly. It can be seen that the detent 26 of the second part mates with the indent 25 of the first part, and that the hook 14 of the second part engages with the undercut region 13 of the first part. In this way, the closure features resist or prevent disengagement of the closure in face of tension applied to the closure along the direction indicated by arrows 30.

Figure 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention showing (in cross- sectional view) a portion of a first fabric panel 3 and a second fabric panel 4, in overlapping configuration. Attached to the first panel 3 is a magnet 31, and attached to the second panel 4 is a magnetically-responsive element 32, such as a disc of ferrous metal or a further magnet. Also mounted on the first panel 3 is a hook member 33 arranged to engage with a corresponding hook member 34 on the second panel 4. Figure 10 shows the arrangement of Figure 9 in cooperating engagement. The magnetic elements 31, 32 serve to hold the panels 3, 4 together and the hook elements 33, 34 serve to prevent the magnets pulling apart in the face of tension applied along the direction of the arrows 30.