Elastic Trousers

This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 24164605.8, filed Mar. 19, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The invention relates to a pair of trousers, in particular leggings, and to a method for manufacturing trousers.

Elastic garments, in particular elastic trousers, such as elastic sports trousers or leggings, are known which are made substantially of elastic textile and in which elasticity is deliberately reduced at certain points. In order to favour an intended fit of the garment on the body, in the case of some garments of this kind the elasticity is reduced at selected points and, for example, parallel to a certain direction of extent of the elastic textile. A local reduction in elasticity in one or more directions of extent is conventionally achieved by applying seams to the elastic textile or by using a different, for example denser, fabric of the elastic textile in certain places.

Conventional techniques for locally reducing the elasticity of a garment may have disadvantages in that these techniques may result in an undesirable non-uniform appearance of the garment, particularly as a result of applied seams or a locally different fabric. In addition, some of these techniques, such as the use of a locally different fabric, place relatively high demands in terms complexity and accuracy on the overall manufacturing process for the garment. In addition, some of these techniques limit the choice of textiles that may be used and possible designs.

A technology that avoids or minimises the aforementioned disadvantages is therefore desirable.

This problem is solved by a pair of trousers according to claimand a method according to claim.

According to a first aspect, a pair of trousers, in particular leggings, is presented. The trousers comprise elastic textile and are elastic at least in a seat region of the trousers. The trousers further comprise at least one reinforcing cord which is fastened to at least two spaced-apart fastening portions arranged on an inner side of the trousers and which spans the elastic textile in an unattached manner in a region between the fastening portions. The reinforcing cord is configured to reduce the elasticity of the trousers in the seat region between the fastening portions.

By means of the reinforcing cord, the elasticity of the trousers between the fastening portions may be reduced without having to modify the elastic textile between the fastening portions, in particular by means of seams and/or a different fabric. This favours a uniform appearance of the trousers, in particular of the elastic textile, in the region between the fastening portions and in relation to a surrounding region. This is made possible by the fact that the reinforcing cord spans the elastic textile in an unattached manner in the region between the fastening portions.

In particular, the reinforcing cord may be fastened to the inside of the trousers, in particular in relation to an inner side of the elastic textile, by means of the at least two spaced-apart fastening portions of the reinforcing cord, and in particular over a length of each of the at least two fastening portions of the reinforcing cord.

The reinforcing cord may be elastic.

The reinforcing cord may be configured to reduce the elasticity of the trousers parallel to the spacing direction of the fastening portions. Additionally or alternatively, the reinforcing cord may be configured to at least substantially not reduce an elasticity of the trousers orthogonal to the spacing direction of the fastening portions.

The elastic textile may be elastic in the seat region in a plane of extent of the elastic textile parallel to a spacing direction of the fastening portions and orthogonal to the spacing direction of the fastening portions.

The fastening portions may be spaced apart in relation to a centre plane, i.e. a crotch plane, of the trousers. In particular, the reinforcing cord may extend along the centre plane of the trousers.

The use of the reinforcing cord in conjunction with a pair of trousers favours the arrangement of one or more of the fastening portions on one or more seams of the respective trousers that are already present due to the manufacturing process, in particular a waistband seam, an inside seam and/or a crotch seam of the trousers. This reduces the need to apply additional seams in other regions of the trousers, in particular in other regions of the elastic textile. This favours a uniform appearance of the trousers and reduces possible restrictions in terms of usable textiles and/or designs.

The arrangement of the reinforcing cord along the centre seam and the resulting reduced elasticity of the trousers along the centre seam makes it possible to achieve the so-called “scrunch” effect. In conjunction with the foregoing, the presented trousers thus favour the provision of scrunch leggings with an improved, in particular more uniform, external appearance and with extended possibilities in terms of usable textiles and/or designs. A course of the reinforcing cord along the centre plane in the seat region allows the trousers to be worn without restrictions in terms of wearing comfort.

The elastic textile may be manufactured seamlessly in the region between the fastening portions, in particular seamlessly woven and/or seamlessly knitted. This favours a uniform appearance and/or wearing comfort of the elastic textile

The elastic textile may have different structures that are uniform across a respective horizontal plane of the trousers and that change along a height of the trousers. This may be realised by seamlessly weaving or knitting the elastic textile.

The region between the fastening portions may extend at least partially in a hip plane of the trousers. Additionally or alternatively, the elastic textile may be manufactured seamlessly along the hip plane, in particular circular woven and/or circular knitted. This favours a uniform appearance of the elastic textile in the hip region. In addition, the trousers presented in this way favour the manufacture, in particular of scrunch leggings, using tubular, in particular circular woven and/or circular knitted, starting material.

A first fastening portion of the at least two fastening portions can be arranged on a waistband of the trousers.

A second fastening portion of the at least two fastening portions may be arranged on an inner seam of the trousers.

The second fastening portion may comprise a fastening seam which extends at least partially parallel to the spacing direction of the fastening portions and by means of which the reinforcing cord is sewn to the elastic textile.

The fastening seam may be used to adjust a length and/or a position of the region between the fastening portions in which the reinforcing cord spans the elastic textile without being fastened, particularly for a given overall length of the reinforcing cord. This allows the elastic textile to be adapted to the body and/or the wearing comfort of the trousers to be improved or coordinated.

The fastening seam may be configured so that the elastic textile is gathered in the region of the fastening seam in an unstretched state of the reinforcing cord.

In an unstretched state of the reinforcing cord, a ratio between a length of the reinforcing cord and a length of the fastening seam may be in a range between 1.2 and 5, preferably between 1.4 and 3, preferably between 1.6 and 2.4.

Such a ratio of the different lengths favours an advantageous fit of the trousers to achieve a scrunch effect without significantly impairing the aforementioned advantages of the trousers, in particular with regard to a uniform appearance and freedom of material and design in the hip region. In addition, such a ratio favours wearing comfort with regard to the course of the reinforcing cord close to the body.

At least in the region between the fastening portions, the elastic textile may have a lower modulus of elasticity than the reinforcing cord in relation to an elongation parallel to the spacing direction of the fastening portions. In particular, the elastic textile, adjacent to an entire length of the reinforcing cord, may have a lower modulus of elasticity than the reinforcing cord in relation to an elongation parallel to the spacing direction of the fastening portions.

Such a ratio of the moduli of elasticity also favours an advantageous fit of the trousers to achieve a scrunch effect and wearing comfort without significantly impairing the aforementioned advantages of the trousers in terms of a uniform appearance and freedom of material and design.

In an unstretched state of the reinforcing cord, the length of the reinforcing cord may be between 3 and 16 centimetres, preferably between 5 and 12 centimetres, preferably between 6 and 10 centimetres.

The length of the reinforcing cord may correspond at least substantially to a distance between the inner seam and an outer end of the first fastening portion of the at least two fastening portions.

The elastic textile may comprise elastic synthetic fabric. The elastic textile may comprise at least one of polyamide, polyester and/or elastane. A proportion of polyamide in the elastic textile may be 50% or more, in particular between 50% and 60%. A proportion of elastane in the elastic textile may be 5% or more, in particular between 5% and 15%. A proportion of polyester in the elastic textile may be 40% or less, in particular between 30% and 40%.

According to a further aspect, a method for manufacturing a pair of trousers is presented. The method comprises providing tubular textile starting material which comprises elastic textile at least in a region corresponding to a seat region of a pair of trousers to be manufactured. The method further comprises slitting the starting material over a partial length of the starting material along a longitudinal axis of the starting material at at least two locations spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the starting material to form two leg parts and a tubular hip part, wherein the leg parts extend from the hip part and the hip part at least partially comprises the seat region, and sewing each of the leg parts to form a respective trouser leg of the trousers to be produced. The method further comprises fastening at least one reinforcing cord to an inner side of the trousers to be manufactured, forming at least two spaced-apart fastening portions, such that the reinforcing cord spans the elastic textile in an unattached manner in a region between the fastening portions, such that the reinforcing cord, after the fastening, reduces an elasticity of the trousers in the seat region between the fastening portions.

shows a schematic example of a pair of trousers, for example leggings. A detail of the trouserscorresponding to a seat regionof the trousersis shown here. The trousersare elasticated in the seat region. For this purpose, the trouserscomprise elastic textile, for example elastic synthetic fabric.shows an inner side of the trousers.

In the upper region of the detail shown, the trouserscomprise a waistbandwith a waistband seam. In the lower region of the detail shown, there runs an inner scamof the trousers. In the example shown, the inner seamjoins various edges of textile parts of the trouserssubstantially along the inner sides of the thighs.

The trouserscomprise, furthermore, a reinforcing cord. The reinforcing cordhas two fastening portions,spaced apart from each other, by means of which the reinforcing cordis fastened on the inner side of the trouserswith respect to the elastic textile. In a region B of the trousers, which extends between the fastening portions,, the reinforcing cordspans the elastic textile without being fastened.

By fastening the reinforcing cordwith respect to the elastic textile by means of the fastening portions,and suitably dimensioning the length of the reinforcing cordin the region B, the reinforcing cordreduces an elasticity of the trousersbetween the fastening portions,. In particular, the reinforcing cordcauses an elongation of the trousersparallel to a spacing direction R of the fastening portions,to be limited by the reinforcing cordor inhibited due to the modulus of elasticity of the reinforcing cord.

The elastic textile is elastic in its plane of extent in the seat regionboth parallel and orthogonal to the spacing direction R of the fastening portions,. The reinforcing cordis arranged such that it does not reduce, or at least does not substantially reduce, an elasticity of the trousersorthogonal to the spacing direction R.

In the example shown, the fastening portions,are spaced from one another along the spacing direction R with respect to a centre plane E, which corresponds to a crotch plane of the trousers. The reinforcing cordextends along the centre plane E. A longitudinal extension of the reinforcing cordruns in the centre plane E.

In the example shown, a first fastening portionis arranged at the waistband seam, and a second fastening portionis arranged at the inner seam. The arrangement of the fastening portions,at load-bearing connecting seams of the trousers, which are provided in any case on the trousersdue to manufacturing and/or structural reasons, independently of the reinforcing cord, favours stability of the trousers. In addition, it is thus possible to avoid additional seams, which would serve exclusively to fasten the reinforcing cordin relation to the elastic textile. This favours a uniform appearance and free design options for the trousers.

In the example shown, the region B extends between the fastening portions,at the level of a hip plane H of the trousers. In conjunction with the foregoing, this allows that in some examples of the trousers, the elastic textile along the hip plane H is seamlessly manufactured, for example circular woven and/or circular knitted. This also improves the uniform appearance of the trousersin region B and in adjacent regions.

In the example shown, the second fastening portioncomprises, adjacent to a fastening, for example a sewing, of the reinforcing cordto the inner seam, a fastening seamrunning parallel to the spacing direction R. By means of the fastening seam, the reinforcing cordis sewn to the elastic textile over the length of the fastening seam. The region B, in which the reinforcing cordextends in an unattached manner over the elastic textile, is thus defined in its lower delimitation by the length of the fastening seam.

By selecting its length accordingly, the fastening seammakes it possible to influence the fastening seam to influence the stretching behaviour of the trousersbetween the waistband seamand the inner seamparallel to the centre plane E and to adapt the trousersto the body. In some examples, the fastening seamis configured for this purpose in such a way that in an unstretched state of the reinforcing cord, the elastic textile is gathered in a region of the fastening seamby means of the fastening seam.

In some examples, a relative length and a position of the region B according to a correspondingly selected position and length of the fastening seamis also selected such that a wearing comfort of the trousersis not impaired, or only slightly impaired, by the reinforcing cord.

In an unstretched state of the reinforcing cord, in some examples of the trousers, a ratio between a length of the reinforcing cordand a length of the fastening seamis between 1.2 and 5, preferably between 1.4 and 3, preferably between 1.5 and 2.5.

Moreover, in some examples, in an unstretched state of the reinforcing cord, a length of the reinforcing cordis between 3 and 16 cm, preferably between 5 and 12 cm, preferably between 6 and 10 cm.

In some examples, the length of the reinforcing cordcorresponds at least substantially to a distance between the inner seamand a first fastening portionof the at least two fastening portions,. In some of these examples, in a departure from the examples described above, the first fastening portionis not disposed at a waistband seamof the pants.

The examples of trousersdescribed above are particularly suitable for producing a scrunch effect. Compared to conventional scrunch leggings, these examples of the trousershave several advantages. In particular, scrunch leggings according to the examples of the trousersdescribed above allow a uniform design of the trousersin the region of the hip plane H and there in particular along the centre plane E. Thus, the trousersdescribed above allow the creation of a scrunch effect without altering a fabric and without applying seams to the elastic textile in this region. An aesthetic impression may thus be improved. In addition, possible limitations with regard to the manufacture and/or composition of the elastic textile in the hip region may be avoided.

The use of tubular starting material, for example of circular knitted or circular woven textile, for the manufacture of the trousersis thus particularly favoured. This is advantageous, for example, if one or more different structures are provided in the elastic textile, which on the finished trousersare present uniformly over a respective horizontal plane of the trousersand change along the height of the trousers.

shows, to this end, a flow diagram of a methodfor manufacturing trousers, for example the trousers.

The methodcomprises providing tubular textile starting material, wherein the starting material comprises elastic textile at least in a region corresponding to a seat region of the trousers, step.

The methodfurther comprises slitting the starting material over a partial length of the starting material along a longitudinal axis of the starting material at at least two locations spaced apart in a circumferential direction of the starting material to form two leg parts and a tubular hip part, wherein the leg parts extend from the hip part and the hip part at least partially comprises the seat region, step.