Garment waistband

Abstract

A garment made of a resilient material includes a waistband, a first leg portion, and a second leg portion. The waistband forms an interior layer, an exterior layer, and an interstitial space from a single piece of folded fabric. Disposed within the interstitial space are an adhesive film and a perforated film. The adhesive and perforated films are used to join the interior and exterior layers, while also providing additional structure to the waistband. The adhesive and perforated films may be constructed from resilient materials and may be configured to resiliently expand while being bonded to the exterior and interior layers. The adhesive and perforated films cooperate with the interior and exterior panels of the waistband to cinch the garment bottom around the waist of the user without causing the skin of the user to fold over the top of the waistband.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A waistband of a garment bottom, the waistband comprising:
 a folded fabric piece, the fabric piece including:
 an exterior panel disposed on a first side of a fold line, the exterior panel having a first end and a second end, and 
 an interior panel disposed on a second side of the fold line, the interior panel having a third end and a fourth end, wherein the first end of the exterior panel is coupled to the third end of the interior panel proximate to the fold line, and the second end of the exterior panel is coupled to the fourth end of the interior panel; and 
   a perforated film disposed between the exterior panel and the interior panel, the perforated film including a fifth end disposed proximate to the fold line and a sixth end disposed proximate to the second end of the exterior panel and the fourth end of the interior panel.   
     
     
         2 . The waistband of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the exterior panel is coupled to a leg portion via an ultrasonic bonded seam. 
     
     
         3 . The waistband of  claim 2 , wherein the exterior panel includes an inner face and an outer face and the interior panel includes an inner face and an outer face, the inner face of the exterior panel faces the inner face of the interior panel. 
     
     
         4 . The waistband of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 seam tape disposed on the inner face of the interior panel proximate to the fourth end, the seam tape coupling the fourth end of the interior panel to the leg portion and the inner face of the exterior panel proximate to the second end, the seam tape spanning over the ultrasonic bonded seam.   
     
     
         5 . The waistband of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the exterior panel is coupled to a leg portion via stitching. 
     
     
         6 . The waistband of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an adhesive film disposed between the perforated film and the interior panel, the adhesive film having a seventh end and an eight end, the seventh end being disposed proximate to the fold line and the eight end being spaced from the sixth end of the perforated film and the fourth end of the interior panel.   
     
     
         7 . The waistband of  claim 6 , wherein the adhesive film couples the perforated film to the interior panel proximate to the fold line. 
     
     
         8 . A garment bottom comprising:
 at least one leg covering portion configured to at least partially cover one or more legs of a wearer of the garment bottom, the at least one leg covering portion having a first edge and a second edge; and   a waistband portion coupled to the at least one leg covering portion, the waistband portion comprising:
 a uniform fabric panel having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends being coupled to the first edge of the at least one leg covering portion such that the uniform fabric panel is folded over itself at a fold line to define a first portion that forms an exterior surface, a second portion that forms an interior surface, and an interstitial space disposed between the first and second portions, and 
 a film disposed within the interstitial space, the film including a third end and an opposite fourth end, the third end being disposed proximate to the fold line and the fourth end being disposed proximate to the first and second ends of the fabric panel, wherein the film is configured to prevent the fold line from folding over the exterior surface toward the first and second ends of the fabric panel. 
   
     
     
         9 . The garment bottom of  claim 8 , wherein the first end of the fabric panel is coupled to the first edge of the at least one leg covering portion via an ultrasonic bonded seam. 
     
     
         10 . The garment bottom of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second ends of the fabric panel are coupled to the first edge of the at least one leg covering portion via stitching. 
     
     
         11 . The garment bottom of  claim 8 , wherein the film is perforated with a series of openings configured to provide breathability and flexibility to the film. 
     
     
         12 . The garment bottom of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an adhesive film disposed in the interstitial space proximate to the fold line between the perforated film and the second portion of the fabric panel.   
     
     
         13 . The garment bottom of  claim 12 , wherein the adhesive film is configured to secure the third end of the perforated film proximate to the fold line 
     
     
         14 . The garment bottom of  claim 8 , wherein the fabric panel is constructed from a four way stretch material. 
     
     
         15 . A waistband of a garment bottom, the waistband comprising:
 an exterior panel having a first end and an opposite second end; and   an interior panel having a third end and an opposite fourth end, the third end being coupled to the first end of the exterior panel and the fourth end being coupled to the second end of the second panel, the coupling interior panel to the exterior panel defining an interstitial space; and   a film disposed within the interstitial space, the film including a fifth end disposed proximate to the coupling of the first end of the exterior panel and third end of the interior panel and a sixth end disposed proximate to the coupling of the second end of the exterior panel and the fourth end of the interior panel.   
     
     
         16 . The waistband of  claim 15 , wherein the film comprises a series of perforations between the fifth and sixth ends, the series of perforations being configured to provide breathability and flexibility to the film. 
     
     
         17 . The waistband of  claim 15 , wherein the exterior panel and the interior panel are uniformly formed of a resilient fabric material, where the coupling of the first end of the exterior panel and the third end of the interior panel is a fold line formed in the resilient fabric material. 
     
     
         18 . The waistband of  claim 15 , wherein the second end of the exterior panel is coupled to at least one leg portion via an ultrasonic bonded seam. 
     
     
         19 . The waistband of  claim 15 , wherein the second end of the exterior panel is coupled to the fourth end of the interior panel and at least one leg portion via stitching. 
     
     
         20 . The waistband of  claim 15 , wherein the coupling of the first end of the exterior panel to the third end of the interior panel forms a top edge of the waistband, and the film is configured to prevent a portion of skin of a user encompassed by the waistband from forcing the top edge of the waistband from folding downwardly over the exterior panel.