Drawstring cover for clothing

Abstract

The present invention relates to a garment in which the width of an opening is adjustable by means of a cord or drawstring having free ends accessible by the wearer which ends are usually tied together to maintain the desired adjustment and to a cover comprising means to retain the tied ends of the cord or drawstring within the garment during activity by the wearer.

1 . A garment comprising an adjustable waistband, a cord within said waistband, said cord having two ends passing out of said waistband through at least one opening therein within said garment and accessible to a wearer whereby said cord can be pulled by said wearer to adjust the size of said waistband about said wearer, said ends of said cord being tieable to maintain said adjusted size, cover means secured to said waistband adjacent to said at least one opening and positionable over said tied cord between said garment and said wearer whereby said tied cord is confined between said garment and said cover means whereby eversion of said tied cord from between said garment and said wearer is prevented.  
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein said cover comprises an elongated fabric panel secured along the inner surface of said waistband immediately above and centered relative to said at least one opening, said panel having a length to extend downward over said opening and said tied cord when folded downward inside said garment whereby said tied cord is confined between said panel and said garment.  
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein said panel comprises means to releasably secure said panel to said tied cord and said garment in the downward position.  
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein said cover comprises a first side normally facing the inside of said garment and a second side normally facing said wearer, said first side having a high coefficient of friction relative to said garment whereby said cover resists displacement relative to said garment, and said second side is soft and non-irritating to the skin of said wearer.  
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 4  further comprising a pocket on said first side, said pocket opening upward when said cover is in position between said garment and said wearer, said pocket further receiving said tied ends of said cord and confining same therein.  
     
     
         6 . In a garment having a circumferentially adjustable opening, a band encircling said opening on the inside of said garment and confining a cord therein, an aperture in said band, said cord extending about said opening within said band and having two free ends passing through said aperture whereby said cord is adjustable by pulling on said ends, said ends being securable by tying them together, the improvement comprising: 
 a fabric panel having a first side and a second side, said panel being secured along an edge thereof to said band between said opening and said aperture, whereby said panel is normally positioned over said aperture whereby said ends of said cord are confined between said first side of said panel and the inside of said garment and whereby said panel is displaceable outward of said garment to provide access to said cord ends.    
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 6  further comprising a pocket in said first side of said panel, said pocket receiving and confining said ends of said cord therein.  
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 6  wherein said first side of said panel has a texture providing a gripping action against said cord ends and the fabric of said garment, whereby said panel resists displacement relative to said garment.  
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 6 , wherein said panel comprises a first layer of fabric having an inner side and an outer side wherein said outer side of said first layer corresponds to said first side of said panel and has a texture providing a gripping action against said cord ends and said garment, a second layer of fabric having an inner side and an outer side wherein said outer side of said second layer corresponds to said second side of said panel and has a surface texture that is soft and non-irritating, said first and second layers of fabric being joined about their peripheries whereby said inner side of said first layer and said inner side of said second layer are facing.  
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 9  further comprising a layer of cushioning material between said first layer and said second layer.  
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 9  further comprising a pocket formed on said outer side of said first layer, said pocket having an opening adjacent to said aperture in said band whereby said pocket is capable of removably receiving said free ends of said cord.  
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 11  wherein said pocket is formed by providing a slot in said first layer whereby said pocket comprises the space between said first layer and said second layer.  
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 11  wherein said pocket is formed by a third layer of fabric applied over said first layer of fabric and secured thereto about common peripheral edges, said third layer having a transverse edge across said first layer adjacent to said aperture in said band, said transverse edge remaining unsecured.  
     
     
         14 . A drawstring cover for a garment having a waistband adjustable by means of a drawstring the ends of which pass through an aperture in said waistband and are accessed from within said garment for adjustment and tying, said drawstring cover comprising a fabric panel secured to said waistband along an edge of said panel between said aperture and the outer edge of said waistband, said panel adapted to hang downward within said garment over said ends of said drawstring between said drawstring and a wearer, whereby said panel covers and confines said drawstring, whereby said tied drawstring is prevented from being inadvertently everted or pulled from within said garment.  
     
     
         15 . The drawstring cover of  claim 14  further comprising means to prevent displacement of said panel from a covering position during physical activity.  
     
     
         16 . The drawstring cover of  claim 15  wherein said means to prevent displacement comprises a texture on the side of said panel facing said garment and said drawstring whereby said panel releasably adheres to said garment and said drawstring.  
     
     
         17 . The drawstring cover of  claim 16  further comprising a pocket in the side of said panel facing said garment and drawstring, said pocket adapted to removably receive and confine said tied drawstring therein.  
     
     
         18 . The drawstring cover of  claim 17  wherein said panel further comprises two facing layers of fabric secured about their common peripheries, a first layer facing said garment and said drawstring and having a slit adjacent to said waistband aperture thereby providing access to an area between said facing layers forming said pocket, said tied drawstring being insertable into said pocket through said slit, and a second layer facing a wearer, said second layer having a layer of padding secured to its inner surface and having an outer surface that is smooth and non-irritating to human skin.  
     
     
         19 . The drawstring cover of  claim 14  wherein said garment, said panel and said waistband are sewn together in a layered relationship with said panel garment layer innermost and said panel intermediate said garment layer and said waistband, said garment layer is then folded over said waistband and sewn to said waistband whereby said garment layer is outermost, said panel is innermost and said waistband is intermediate said garment layer and said panel, said waistband and said garment layer forming a channel to receive said drawstring, and said panel naturally depends within said garment over said aperture in said waistband, said panel further being tack stitched at each end to said waistband.  
     
     
         20 . The drawstring cover of  claim 19  wherein said panel has a first side facing said garment and a second said facing a wearer and comprises a first layer of fabric having an inner side and an outer side wherein said outer side of said first layer corresponds to said first side of said panel and has a texture providing a gripping action against said cord ends and said garment, a second layer of fabric having an inner side and an outer side wherein said outer side of said second layer corresponds to said second side of said panel and has a surface texture that is soft and non-irritating, said first and second layers of fabric being joined about their peripheries whereby said inner side of said first layer and said inner side of said second layer are facing.