Lower-body garment with multi-axial crotch gusset

Abstract

A lower-body garment includes a multi-axial crotch gusset. The crotch gusset includes an elongated trunk having an elongated front portion and an elongated back portion where the elongated trunk continuously extends from a front side of a pelvic portion of the lower-body garment adjacent a waist opening to a back side of the pelvic portion of the lower-body garment adjacent the waist opening. The crotch gusset further includes a first wing that extends along an inner thigh portion of a first leg portion of the lower-body garment, and a second wing that extends along an inner thigh portion of a second leg portion of the lower-body garment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lower-body garment comprising:
 a pelvic portion comprising a waist opening, a front side, and a back side;   a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending from the pelvic portion;   a crotch between the first leg portion and the second leg portion; and   a crotch gusset comprising:
 an elongated trunk that extends from the front side to the back side of the pelvic portion; 
 a first wing that extends from the elongated trunk and along an inner thigh portion of the first leg portion; and 
 a second wing that extends from the elongated trunk and along an inner thigh portion of the second leg portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lower-body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated trunk comprises an elongated front portion terminating adjacent the waist opening on the front side of the pelvic portion and an elongated back portion terminating adjacent the waist opening on the back side of the pelvic portion. 
     
     
         3 . The lower-body garment of  claim 2 , wherein the crotch gusset comprises a peripheral edge that continuously extends, sequentially, around the elongated front portion, the first wing, the elongated back portion, and the second wing. 
     
     
         4 . The lower-body garment of  claim 3 , wherein the peripheral edge comprises:
 a first transition from the elongated front portion to the first wing;   a second transition from the elongated front portion to the second wing;   a third transition from the elongated back portion to the first wing; and   a fourth transition from the elongated back portion to the second wing.   
     
     
         5 . The lower-body garment of  claim 4 , wherein the first transition, the second transition, the third transition, and the fourth transition are curvilinear. 
     
     
         6 . The lower-body garment of  claim 5 , wherein the first transition, the second transition, the third transition, and the fourth transition comprise a concave curvature. 
     
     
         7 . The lower-body garment of  claim 4 , wherein the first transition and the second transition are symmetrical based on one or more of a radius of curvature of the first transition and the second transition and an offset distance of the first transition and the second transition from a midline of the crotch gusset. 
     
     
         8 . The lower-body garment of  claim 4 , wherein the third transition and the fourth transition are symmetrical based on a radius of curvature of the third transition and the fourth transition and an offset distance of the third transition and the fourth transition from a midline of the crotch gusset. 
     
     
         9 . The lower-body garment of  claim 4 , wherein the first transition and the third transition are asymmetrical based on one or more of a radius of curvature of the first transition and the third transition and an offset distance of the first transition and the third transition from a midline of the crotch gusset. 
     
     
         10 . The lower-body garment of  claim 1 , wherein a distal portion of each wing aligns with an inseam of a respective leg sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . The lower-body garment of  claim 10 , wherein the inseam is located anterior to a coronal reference plane of the lower-body garment. 
     
     
         12 . The lower-body garment of  claim 1 , wherein the crotch gusset comprises a one-piece seamless panel. 
     
     
         13 . A crotch gusset comprising:
 an elongated trunk having an elongated front portion and an elongated back portion;   a first wing extending away from the elongated trunk in a first direction at a first location between the elongated front portion and the elongated back portion;   a second wing extending away from the elongated trunk in a second direction opposite the first direction at a second location between the elongated front portion and the elongated back portion;   a peripheral edge that continuously extends, sequentially around the elongated front portion, the first wing, the elongated back portion, and the second wing, the peripheral edge comprising:
 a first curvilinear transition from the elongated front portion to the first wing; 
 a second curvilinear transition from the elongated front portion to the second wing; 
 a third curvilinear transition from the elongated back portion to the first wing; and 
 a fourth curvilinear transition from the elongated back portion to the second wing. 
   
     
     
         14 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein the crotch gusset comprises a one-piece, seamless panel. 
     
     
         15 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein the first curvilinear transition, the second curvilinear transition, the third curvilinear transition, and the fourth curvilinear transition comprise a concave curvature. 
     
     
         16 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein the first curvilinear transition and the second curvilinear transition are symmetrical based on one or more of a radius of curvature of the first curvilinear transition and the second curvilinear transition and an offset distance of the first curvilinear transition and the second curvilinear transition from a midline of the crotch gusset. 
     
     
         17 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein the third curvilinear transition and the fourth curvilinear transition are symmetrical based on a radius of curvature of the third curvilinear transition and the fourth curvilinear transition and an offset distance of the third curvilinear transition and the fourth curvilinear transition from a midline of the crotch gusset. 
     
     
         18 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein the first curvilinear transition and the third curvilinear transition are asymmetrical based on one or more of a radius of curvature of the first curvilinear transition and the third curvilinear transition and an offset distance of the first curvilinear transition and the third curvilinear transition from a midline of the crotch gusset. 
     
     
         19 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein a radius of curvature of each of the first curvilinear transition and the second curvilinear transition is less than a radius of curvature of each of the third curvilinear transition and the fourth curvilinear transition. 
     
     
         20 . The crotch gusset of  claim 13 , wherein a length of the elongated back portion as measured from a center-most point of one of the third curvilinear transition or the fourth curvilinear transition to a terminal edge of the elongated back portion is greater than a length of the elongated front portion as measured from a center-most point of one of the first curvilinear transition or the second curvilinear transition to a terminal edge of the elongated front portion. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing a lower-body garment comprising a pelvic portion comprising a waist opening, a front side, and a back side, a first leg portion extending from the pelvic portion, and a second leg portion extending from the pelvic portion, the method comprising:
 forming, from a one-piece panel, a crotch gusset comprising:
 an elongated trunk having an elongated front portion and an elongated back portion, 
 a first wing extending away from the elongated trunk in a first direction at a first location between the elongated front portion and the elongated back portion, and 
 a second wing extending away from the elongated trunk in a second direction opposite the first direction at a second location between the elongated front portion and the elongated back portion; and 
   integrating the crotch gusset into a crotch area of the lower-body garment such that the elongated trunk extends from the front side of the pelvic portion adjacent the waist opening to the back side of the pelvic portion adjacent the waist opening, and such that the first wing extends from the elongated trunk and along an inner thigh portion of the first leg portion, and the second wing extends from the elongated trunk and along an inner thigh portion of the second leg portion.