Three dimensional fabric support belt

Claim 1

An abdominal support belt made of three dimensional fabric comprising: a core including a cushion layer of open-weave fabric, said cushion layer having a serpentine undulating cross-sectional shape in a thickness dimension so as to define peaks and valleys in said dimension, said peaks and valleys spacing an inner surface of said core from an outer surface of said core such that the thickness of said core at a given location is greater than the sum of the thicknesses of threads of said fabric at said location, and said core includes two open-weave facing layers interwoven with said cushion layer, one said facing layer being on each of said opposed inner and outer surfaces of said core so that said cushion layer undulates between said facing layers, said facing layers each having an exposed surface; a strap secured directly against said exposed surface of said one facing layer on the outer surface of said core, said strap being narrower and longer than said core and overlying said outer surface of said core; and means for securing said strap around a body with said core between said strap and said body and said exposed surface of said one facing layer on the inner surface of said core being directly against said body.