Belt Support System For Garment

Abstract

A garment is provided with one or more selectively openable tunnels on the garment around an opening in the garment. The tunnels enable a belt to be placed within the tunnels simultaneously across the entire length of the tunnel without having to thread the belt from one end of the tunnel to the other. After placing the belt within the tunnel, a releasable securing mechanism enables the tunnel to be secured to the garment around the belt to maintain the connection of the belt to the garment.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A garment comprising:
 a) a body including at least one opening adapted to receive a portion of a wearer therein; and   b) a belt support system secured to the body around the at least one opening, the belt support system including a number of tunnels disposed on the body, the tunnels being open at each end and including a flap secured to the body that defines an interior between the body and the flap, the flap having one end engaged with a releasable securing mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the flap is affixed to the body opposite the releasable securing mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein the flap is movable with respect to the body when the one end is disengaged from the releasable securing mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the releasable securing mechanism is a mechanical release mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 4  wherein the mechanical release mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop fastener, a button and a snap closure. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of tunnels disposed on opposed sides of the at least one opening. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising a belt disposed within the tunnels and extending around a perimeter of the at least opening, wherein the interior of the tunnels encompasses the belt when wrapped twice around the perimeter of the waist opening. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the garment is a pair of pants and the at least one opening is a waist opening. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the garment is a part of a martial arts uniform. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 1  further comprising at least one angled loop disposed between a pair of spaced tunnels. 
     
     
         11 . A method for securing a belt to a garment, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing the garment including the belt support system of  claim 1 ;   b) disengaging the one end of the flap of each of the tunnels from the associated releasable securing mechanism;   c) positioning the belt within the interior of each tunnel; and   d) re-engaging the one end of each flap with the releasable securing mechanism.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of positioning the belt within the interior of each tunnel comprises wrapping the belt at least twice around the garment to position the belt in an overlapped configuration within each tunnel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising engaging the belt with at least one loop secured to the garment and spaced from the number of tunnels. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the at least one loop includes a pair of angled loops secured to the garment between a pair of adjacent tunnels, and wherein the step of engaging the belt with at least one loop comprises engaging the belt with the pair of angled loops. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of engaging the belt with the at least one loop is prior to placing the belt within the interior of each tunnel.