Patent Application
20050251892
The present invention relates to a support member for supporting and retaining the shape of a collar of a garment. In particular, the present invention relates to a collar support member that is adapted to store and/or secure pins and other fastening items associated with various garments.
Garments in general, especially dress shirts, are often folded prior to being displayed for sale, or following the dry cleaning or laundry process. In the case of, for example, shirts that are put on sale, folded shirts are stacked or arranged in a manner which provides potential customers with an opportunity to visually select a shirt of choice. The customers may then either try on the selected shirt in a designated changing room, or alternatively, upon knowledge of their size (e.g., shirt size), proceed to buy the shirt. In either case, the shirt or garment may be folded using various fastening means, such as pins and/or other potentially sharp objects. These fastening items are used to hold various parts of a garment such as a shirt together for the purpose of facilitating the folding process. The primary objective, among others, for folding shirts using these fastening items, is to ensure that the shirt can be stored or arranged in an orderly manner, whereby efficient use of storage and display space is utilized. Also, by correctly folding a shirt or garment, it is less likely to become creased or wrinkled. In the case of dry cleaned or laundered garments (e.g., shirts), folding the shirts with various fastening means helps maintain each garment's ironed appearance, thus prohibiting it from becoming creased or wrinkled prior to a person wearing it.
Prior to trying on or deciding to wear a particular folded garment, fastening means such as pins become invariably scattered around either the dressing room floor of a store, or various locations (e.g., bedroom floor, bathroom, bed, etc.) within a person's home, as the shirt is unfolded for use. Consequently, there is a potential risk of someone stepping on these fastening items. Moreover, in addition to stepping on these items, young children may find and ingest them, further adding to the need to safely store and remove these fastening items from harms way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to safely store fastening items as they are removed from shirts and garments.
It is yet another object of the present invention to safely store fastening items from a garment utilizing means that aid the shaping and folding of the garment from which the fastening items were removed.
It is also a further object of the present invention to provide a means for recycling fastening items associated with a garment.
These and other objects of the present invention, at least in part, address the long felt, but unmet needs described above, and are accomplished by a collar support device for shaping the collar of a garment having a plurality of fastening items. The collar support member comprises an elongate strip placed around the periphery of the garment collar, where the elongate strip comprises a retaining member for securing at least one of the plurality of fastening items to the elongate strip when at least one of the plurality of fastening items is removed from the garment.
In another aspect of the present invention a garment collar support member comprises a first collar shaping region adapted to support a first collar region, where the first collar shaping region comprises a first non planar surface. A second collar shaping region is provided, which is also adapted to support a second collar region, the second collar shaping region also comprising a second non planar surface. A coupling system associated with coupling the first and second collar shaping region together provides a housing region between the first and second non-planar surface, wherein the housing region stores at least one fastening item.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of storing at least one garment fastening item, whereby the method comprises the steps of providing a collar support member having a first and a second non-planer surface. At least one garment fastening item is inserted into a recess associated with the first non-planer surface. The second non-planer surface is then folded onto the first non-planer surface for providing a housing therebetween, wherein the garment fastening item is located in the housing.
Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a method of storing at least one garment fastening item located on a garment having a collar support member, wherein the method comprises the steps of removing the collar support member from the garment, removing the least one garment fastening item from the garment, and attaching the at least one garment fastening item to the collar support member.
a illustrates a cross sectional view across A-A′ of the collar support member shown in
b illustrates the garment collar support member, in use, for storing fastening items, according to an aspect of the present invention.
c illustrates the garment support member manipulated in the closed position for storing the fastening items, according to the present invention.
a illustrates the garment support member according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention for securing fastening items using a securing means.
b illustrates the garment support member shown in
a illustrates a collar support member according to alternative embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, wherein the support member adhesively secures a plurality of fastening items to the surface of the collar support member.
b illustrates a collar support member according to alternative embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, wherein the support member comprises through holes for securing a plurality of fastening items to the surface of the collar support member
The securing members 104a, 104b, 106a,106b, and coupling grove 110 form a coupling system for both folding the first and second collar shaping regions 102a, 102b and securing them in a closed position once they are folded with respect to each other. Securing members 104a and 104b form a complementary snapping mechanism for locking the ends of the collar support member 100 in the closed position. Members 104a comprise three recessed regions, while members 104b include three protruding regions. In use, the three recessed regions receive the three complementary protruding regions.
Similarly, securing members 106a and 106b comprises a complementary recess and protruding pair, which are adjacent the button receiving opening 108. In use, the recess region receives the protruding region for the purpose of locking the central region of the collar support member 100 in the closed position. Securing members 104a, 104b, 106a, and 106b are for illustrative purposes only, and any other know method or means may be used to retain shaping regions 102a and 102b in the closed position. Thus, once in the closed position, any items or garment fastening items stored in the housing region between the regions are safely retained.
a illustrates the folding process of the collar support member 200 according to an aspect of the present invention. As illustrated in the figure, a cross sectional view of the collar support along A-A′ is shown. Coupling grove 204 provides a means for folding the collar support member 200 about its central region 206. As shown in the cross sectional view 202, the collar support member is folded about axis X1 in the direction of arrows B and B′. Exploded view 208 illustrates a cross section of the coupling grove 204, whereby the V-shaped grove facilitates the folding of the first and second collar shaping regions 210a and 210b with respect to each other.
b illustrates the collar support member 200, in use, according to an aspect of the present invention. Once the first and second collar shaping regions 210a and 210b are folded about the X1 axis, the recessed non-planer shape of either collar shaping region may be used to accommodate the storage of fastening items such as pins 212. The V-shaped grove 214 of coupling grove 204 provides a means for folding the collar support member 200, such that securing members 216a and 216b are aligned in a manner that allows them to snap together in a complementary way. As illustrated, the first and second collar shaping regions 210a and 210b are folded in the direction of arrows C and C′, about axis X1.
As shown in
By storing these items, there is a reduced risk of injury, which invariable occurs as a result of stepping on these items as they are removed from garments, and inadvertently end up on the floor under a person's feet. Storing pins and other fastening items in such a manner also encourages the recycling of both the collar support members and the pins or fastening items attached and/or housed within them. In addition to the hazards of stepping on these sharp and potentially dangerous fastening items, they should also be safely secured or stored in order to avoid being ingested by younger members, such as babies, or anybody that is incapable of discerning such dangers. Even if a fastening item is not particularly sharp, if ingested, it may still choke a child or person.
Although there are many different means by which these fastening items may be disposed, according to the embodiments of the present invention, a device and method is provided for immediately reminding and facilitating the safe and effective removal of a garment's fastening items from harms way.
Alternatively, first and second collar shaping regions 302a and 302b may be substantially planer shaped and include openings 304 as a means of securing fastening items, such as pin 306. If the first and second collar shaping regions 302a and 302b are planer shaped, they are not folded in order to produce a housing for storing and securing fastening items. Hence, securing means such as opening 304 are used to secure pins and other fastening items.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the collar support member 300 may comprise other securing means by providing, for example, a magnetic coating (not shown) on either or both the first and second collar shaping regions 302a and 302b. The magnetic coating is then used, among other things, for securing metallic fastening items, such as pins, to the surfaces of either or both collar shaping regions 302a and 302b.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the collar support member 300 may comprise an adhesive (not shown) region that is applied to the outer surfaces of either or both the first and second collar shaping regions 302a and 302b. The adhesive is then used, among other things, for adhering fastening items, such as pins and clips, to the surfaces of either or both collar shaping regions 302a and 302b. The adhesive region may include a backing that is removed after the collar support member is removed from the shirt or garment. This avoids the adhesive from coming into contact with the collar material or other parts of the garment in question. The backing also maintains the strength of the adhesive, which may significantly diminish as various objects and surfaces come into contact with the adhesive and are then subsequently removed.
b illustrates collar support member 300, where collar shaping regions 302a and 302b are non-planer shaped and produce a housing 302. In the illustrated aspect of the invention, fastening items such as pins 310 may either be secured by being pushed into opening 304, or as described and illustrated in relation to
a illustrates a collar support member according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The collar support member 500 comprises an elongate strip 502 having end portions 504 and 506, which are adjustably coupled to each other by coupling means 508. Coupling means 508 comprises attachment receptacle pairs 510 and 512 which provides a means for adjusting the length of the elongate strip 502 to substantially the same length as the length of the collar (not shown) to which it is attached. Coupling 508 may comprise other coupling means known to those of skill in the art for adjusting the length of an elongate member, such as strip 502.
The surface of the elongate strip 502 may comprise adhesive regions 514 to which fastening items, such as, for example pin items 516 are attached. Collar support member 500 also comprises button receiving means 518 for being attached to the top button (not shown) of a garment such as a shirt (not shown).
Alternatively, as illustrated in
According to another aspect of the present invention, the illustrated embodiments also provide a means for recycling the fastening items as well providing the safety aspects described above.
In addition to the embodiments of the aspects of the present invention described above, those of skill in the art will be able to arrive at a variety of other arrangements and steps which, if not explicitly described in this document, nevertheless embody the principles of the invention and fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the ordering of method steps is not necessarily fixed, but may be capable of being modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
