Patent Application
20240081431
The invention relates to garments, and more particularly, to turtleneck sweaters.
A traditional turtleneck collar is an object of comfort and fashion. Typically, a turtleneck collar is a closed circular panel made of the same material as the shirt or sweater to which it is attached. Often, the turtleneck collar is made from a soft or stretchy material that works to keep the wearer warm while also stretching to fit the wearer's neck. However, the collar cannot be adjusted beyond any inherent stretching capacity of the material from which the collar is made, and the wearer cannot adjust the aesthetic design of the collar.
Convertible garments are a class of clothing that allow a wearer to adjust the positions and design of the clothing item according to the wearer's preferences. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,688 relates to a combination scarf provided with panel sections that can be adjusted by the wearer into various positions to create the appearance of various forms of draping. As another example, United States Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0307992 relates to a convertible dress provided with panel sections that can be adjusted into various positions to create different necklines and sleeve combinations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable garment which can be modified by the wearer into various configurations based on the wearer's preference with regard to function, comfort, and aesthetic. The present invention is an adjustable garment having an open collar with two ends, and having first and second panel sections attached, respectively, to the two ends of the open collar. The open collar may be made from the same material as the rest of the garment, or it may be made from a different material than the rest of the garment. More particularly, the adjustable garment may be a sweater, a dress, a sleeveless shirt, and/or the like, having an open turtleneck collar with two ends and first and second panel sections attached, respectively, to the two ends of the open collar. The first and second panel sections, respectively, may be attached permanently to the two ends of the open collar, or they may be removably attached to the two ends of the open collar in various ways, such as by button, snap, hook-and-loop enclosure, and the like. The first and second panel sections may be made from a fabric or fabric-like material, such as ribbon, and may be constructed in various lengths, such as lengths longer than the length of the garment, lengths less than the length of the garment, and lengths less than half the length of the garment. A free end of the first panel section may be removably secured to a free end of the second panel section in various ways, such as by bowtie, knot, button, snap, hook-and-loop enclosure, and the like, to close the collar at different diameters, allowing the wearer to feel more comfortable depending on their preferences. Further, the panel sections may be secured together to accommodate different aesthetic choices, such as achieving the look of a loose or slouchy collar or the look of a tight or close-fit collar, or creating different tying or draping effects, such as a bowtie closure or knot closure. The open collar may be open at different positions along the neck of a wearer and, thus, the panel sections may be secured together at different positions along the neck of the wearer, such as at the back, side, or front of the neck. For example, the adjustable garment may have a free end of the first panel section removably secured via a bowtie or knot closure to a free end of the second panel section at the back, side, or front of the wearer's neck. The first and second panel sections may also be made from a different material than the material of the collar and/or the sweater to which they are attached, allowing for a greater number of aesthetic designs while still maintaining the visual effect of a traditional turtleneck collar.
In the following detailed description, a number of details and examples are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. These examples are not intended to represent the only way or the only embodiment in which the present invention may be practiced. It is apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these details. References to “non-limiting embodiment” or “aspect” indicate the embodiment so described may include particular features or characteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular features or characteristics being discussed. Further, some embodiments may have some, all, or none of the features described for other embodiments.
As used in the following detailed description, “first” and “second” describe a common object and indicate that different instances of like objects are being referred to. Such adjectives are not intended to imply the objects so described must be provided in a particular sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking, or in any other manner. Spatial or directional terms, for example, “left”, “right,” “inner”, “outer”, “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, relate to the disclosure as shown in the figures and are not to be considered limiting, as the disclosure can assume various alternative orientations.
Adjustable turtleneck collar 2 further has first and second panel sections 4 attached, respectively, to the two open ends 3, with a free end of said first panel section being configured to be removably secured to a free end of said second panel section. For example, the first and second panel sections 4 may be secured together via tying, snaps, buttons, or a hook-and-loop enclosure. In some non-limiting embodiments, the first and second panel sections 4 are permanently attached, respectively, to the two open ends 3. In other non-limiting embodiments, the first and second panel sections 4 may be removably attached to the two open ends 3. For example, the first and second panel sections 4 may be secured to open ends 3 via tying, snaps, button, or a hook-and-loop enclosure. In some non-limiting embodiments, the first and second panel sections 4 may be made from a pliable fabric or fabric-like material, for example, ribbon, cotton, jersey, wool, and the like. In some non-limiting embodiments, the first and second panel sections 4 may be made from the same material as the rest of garment 1. In other non-limiting embodiments, the first and second panel sections 4 may be made from a different material than the rest of garment 1. In some non-limiting embodiments, the first and second panel sections 4 may span various lengths. For example, the first and second panel sections 4 may have a length greater than the length of garment 1, as measured from neck to hem, may have a length less than the length of garment 1, or may have a length less than half the length of garment 1. In the presently-described embodiment, the first and second panel sections 4 are permanently attached to open ends 3, the first and second panel sections 4 are made from a ribbon material in a length which is less than the length of garment 1, and a free end of the first panel section is removably secured to a free end of the second panel section in a bowtie style such that adjustable turtleneck collar 2 is in a closed configuration.
In some non-limiting embodiments, garment 1 may be a dress made of a fabric or fabric-like material, which may or may not include sleeves, and which may or may not be made of the same materials as adjustable turtleneck collar 2.
The present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments. However, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that a number of other configurations and styles may be further created or modified from the present invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/404,697, filed Sep. 8, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63404697 | Sep 2022 | US |
