Garment With Flaps That Fold Away and Secure Below the Neckline

Abstract

The present invention is a garment that has two selectable neckline configurations, open and closed. The garment has a frontal closure. In the closed configuration, the frontal closure is closed to the neck. In the open configuration, the frontal closure is open over some interval below the neck. On each side of the frontal closure near the neckline, the garment has a respective proximal flap fastener. There is also a distal flap fastener that is further away from the neckline and from the closure than is the proximal flap fastener, and is usually below the proximal flap fastener. The garment near the intersection of the neckline and the frontal closure on either side can be folded down along a crease line, forming a flap on each side of the closure with the proximal and distal flap fasteners coupled.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fastening of a garment neckline. More specifically, the present invention relates to a garment such that, selectively, a frontal closure may be closed to the neckline, or flaps flanking the closure may be folded down and secured.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A snap fastener is frequently used to attach a layer of material to another layer. Snaps come in various styles and materials, metal and plastic snaps being quite common. A conventional snap includes a closure unit and an attaching unit. Usually both these units are circular, and once installed have a common centerline. The closure unit is basically a disk, with a closure structure—either a socket or a stud—on one side, and an attaching means on the other side. The attaching unit is essentially a disk or a ring, which has prongs or a post on one side to penetrate the material layer and to attach to the attaching means of the closure unit. When the snap is installed, a layer of material is sandwiched and affixed between the closure unit and the attaching unit. In the case of prongs, the attaching means on the closure unit is an engagement ring. When the two halves of the snap are hammered or otherwise pressed together, the prongs from the attaching unit bend underneath the ring of the closure unit. A stud snap through the first layer of material can be coupled with a socket snap in the second layer, thereby joining the two layers of material together at a point. Typically, pairs of compatible snaps of the same size are designed so that they can be coupled together or separated manually, without any special tools. It should be noted that the “layer of material” between the two halves of a snap might actually be two or more layers in some applications.

Throughout this specification, we will refer to directions from the perspective of a person standing on level ground, and wearing a garment on at least their upper torso, which we will define to be the human body excluding the head and limbs, above the waist. The vertical direction is perpendicular to the ground; horizontal, parallel to the ground. The terms “left”, “right”, “front”, “back”, “inward”, “outward”, “inner”, and outward are also defined from the wearer's perspective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A garment having two fold-down flaps below the neckline of the wearer is described. The garment can be selectively placed in either a closed configuration or an open configuration. In the closed configuration, a frontal closure can be closed, thereby securing the flaps to the neckline and frontal closure. With the closure at least partially open directly below the neckline, each flap can be folded down and coupled to a respective distal fastener, thereby securing the garment in the open configuration.

Closure fasteners on either side allow the closure to be selectively closed to the neck, or open at the neck to a point below. A zipper might be zipped to the neck, or open to some point below the neck, for example, down to the waist or even below. Proximate to the neckline and to the closure, on each side of the closure is a respective proximal flap fastener. A respective mating flap fastener, on each side of the closure, is integrated into the material of the garment distal from and below the neckline and distal also from the closure. When the closure is open near the neckline to some lower point, a left flap can be formed on the left side by folding the material, so that the left proximal flap fastener couples with the left distal flap fastener. A right flap can be formed similarly. In some embodiments, a single flap might be held open with more than one pair of matching fasteners. In general, the detailed structure of fasteners and flaps on either side of the closure need not be entirely symmetrical. For example, one flap might be secured with different types, or a different number of fasteners, from the other, or have a different shape, or be made from a different material or materials.

The folding occurs along a fold line, or crease. The resulting flap shape may be essentially triangular, although the edge of the flap that is distal from the neckline once the proximal and distal flap fasteners are coupled, may have many other shapes; for example, it may be rounded, have a trapezoidal shape, a scalloped shape, or other shape formed from curved or straight line segments, or by attaching additional fabric or decorative pieces.

In some embodiments, both frontal closure and a flap may be secured by snaps. In some embodiments, a single fastening device has dual functionality, serving as both a closure fastener and a proximal flap fastener. Such a single fastener may be a snap. Such a snap may be a commercially available one-sided snap, such as the snaps described in the Background section of this Disclosure.

Alternatively, a snap having such dual functionality might be a bidirectional snap that has coupling structures facing outward in both directions from the material which is sandwiched within the snap. For example, a male-female (M-F) snap might have a stud structure facing outward, and a socket structure facing inward. Bidirectional M-M and F-F are also possible. Various structural configurations to achieve such bidirectional snaps are described in the Detailed Description section of this Disclosure. Some of these bidirectional snaps are formed from two snap elements, and others from three.

In other cases, a top snap of the frontal closure and the proximal flap fastener snap, on the same side of the closure, may be separate. In this case, the top snap will preferably have a centerline close to the centerline of the flap's proximal flap fastener snap. The distance between the centerlines when the garment is worn normally will be less than 10 mm, but smaller distances are generally preferable.

Fasteners other than snaps may be used for the frontal closure, the flap fasteners, or both. For example, buttons, zippers, or VELCRO® might be employed.

Preferably but not necessarily, the garment will be collarless. A collarless garment is one whose material terminates at the neckline of the wearer. The wearer's neckline encircles the neck, approximately at the level where the shoulders of the wearer meet the neck. A collarless garment will itself have a neckline, roughly coinciding with the neckline of the wearer. A collarless garment may have edging bordering its neckline, for example, gathered, ribbed, or frilled fabric.

The garment may be a baby garment, such as pajamas or an infant bodysuit. The invention has applicability to other garments as well, however, such as athletic garments, and garments used in health care and elderly care contexts.

Preferably, the edge of the neckline of the garment will be lined on the surface that will contact the wearer's skin. Such lining will preferably be of a material that may be softer than the main material from which the garment is fabricated. Other embodiments may not have such lining.

Preferably, the area under and near at least one of the flap fasteners will be reinforced to prevent tearing. The reinforcement may be a layer of material that is thicker, stiffer, or otherwise more tear-resistant than the other material near the fastener. Alternatively, the reinforcement may be done by replacing a portion of main garment material near the fastener with more tear resistant material, possibly by sewing in a patch or panel of material. Or the material near the patch might be impregnated with a stiffening substance, possibly a fluid (e.g., a glue or gel), such as a substance from which volatile liquids evaporate to leave a tear resistant fabric. Other embodiments may not have reinforcement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of one-piece collarless footed baby pajamas, the neck area including an embodiment of fold-away securable flaps, secured in the closed position.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a one-piece collarless infant bodysuit, the neck area including an embodiment of fold-away securable flaps, secured in the open position below the neckline.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the neck area of a collarless garment that includes an embodiment of securable fold-away flaps, shown unsecured.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the neck area of a collarless garment that includes an embodiment of securable fold-away flaps, secured in the open position.

FIG. 5 a is a front view of the neck area of a collarless garment that includes an embodiment of fold-away securable flaps, secured in the closed position, where the closure is fastened by snaps and the flaps are securable by snaps.

FIG. 5 b is a front view of the neck area of a collarless garment that includes an embodiment of fold-away securable flaps, secured in the closed position, where the closure is fastened by a zipper and the flaps are securable by VELCRO® fasteners.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section through a bidirectional snap securing three layers of material, the snap having a stud structure pointed upward and a socket structure pointed downward.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section through a bidirectional snap securing three layers of material, the snap having a socket structure pointed upward and a socket structure pointed downward.

FIG. 8 a is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having two sections, which has a stud structure facing upward and a socket structure facing downward, the stud section having prongs for attachment.

FIG. 8 b is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having three sections, which has a stud structure facing upward and a socket structure facing downward, and an attachment section having prongs facing upward and downward.

FIG. 8 c is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having three sections, which has a stud structure facing upward and a socket structure facing downward, and an attachment section having engagement rings facing upward and downward.

FIG. 8 d is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having three sections, which has a stud structure facing upward and a socket structure facing downward, and an attachment section having prongs facing upward and an engagement ring facing downward.

FIG. 8 e is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having three sections, which has a stud structure facing downward and a socket structure facing upward, and an attachment section having prongs facing downward and an engagement ring upward.

FIG. 8 f is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having two sections, which has a stud structure facing upward and a socket structure facing downward, the socket section having prongs for attachment.

FIG. 8 g is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having two sections, which has a socket structure facing upward and a socket structure facing downward, one socket section having prongs for attachment.

FIG. 8 h is a side-view schematic diagram of a bidirectional snap having two sections, which has a stud structure facing upward and a stud structure facing downward, one stud section having prongs for attachment.

FIG. 9 is garment including an embodiment of fold-away securable flaps in a collarless garment, illustrating a neckline liner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The invention is an improvement to garments 100 that wholly or partially enclose a person's upper torso. The invention is applicable to certain baby garments, and throughout this specification we will use baby garments as exemplary. FIG. 1 shows infant pajamas 105, incorporating an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention in a one piece baby bodysuit 201. The reader having skill in the art will recognize that the invention applies to certain adult garments 100 as well, and the use of a baby garment 100 as a particular example should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is also particularly useful in certain athletic wear, and garments for health care, elderly care, and for the disabled.

When a baby is in a car seat or a baby carrier, neckline material may tend to bunch up and cover the chin, mouth, or nose. Opening and securing the flaps will keep material away from the face, ensuring airways are open, preventing rashes, and keeping the material clean and dry. On the other hand, the frontal closure 160 can be selectively be closed to the neck instead, for example, for warmth. Similar considerations apply in some health care and elderly care contexts. An athlete might want to open a t-shirt at the neck, for cooling, but secure the resulting flaps to keep them from being distracting, or inadvertently closing up again.

The garment 100 may include one or more materials, natural or synthetic. It may be formed from a single piece of fabric, or by joining two or more fabric pieces, for example by seams, zippers, snaps, buttons, or VELCRO® closures. The garment might be short sleeve, or long sleeve, or have some other form of sleeve, such as a tank top. It might or might not: (1) extend below the waist; (2) cover all or part of the legs; or (3) cover all or part of the feet. For example, the long sleeve pajamas 105 of FIG. 1 cover the legs and feet. The short sleeve bodysuit 201 of FIG. 2 extends only down to the thighs. Both of these particular garments extend below the waist.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., the principal definition of the word “collar” is “The part of a garment that encircles the neck.” According to this definition, any garment that covers the upper torso, even, for example, a hooded sweatshirt, has a collar. In contrast to this definition and in keeping with common usage, we will define a collarless garment 101 as a garment that covers the upper torso but whose fabric ends at or near the wearer's neckline 110. Characteristically, the fabric of a collarless garment 101 ends at essentially shoulder height. Under our definition, a collar is a fabric structure that extends at least 15 mm above the neckline (when fully extended), but which does not cover the top of the head. Accordingly, an Oxford shirt has a collar, but a hooded sweatshirt does not; and neither the Oxford shirt nor the hooded sweatshirt is a collarless garment 101. A garment may have a different fabric or stitching bordering the neckline 110, and still be a collarless garment 101; such edging 120 material might, for example, be pleated, ribbed, gathered just below the neckline 110, as best exemplified by FIG. 5a.

Improvements of the invention are preferably used in a collarless garment 101, but can also be used with other garments 100. For example, an Oxford shirt might be modified to incorporate the inventive concept.

The pajamas 105 of FIG. 1 and the bodysuit 201 of FIG. 2 are examples of collarless baby garments 100. In these exemplary embodiments, the neckline 110 is approximately at shoulder 180 height, the fabric of the shoulders 180 essentially terminating at the garment's neckline 110, which then continues smoothly around the front and back of the garment 100.

A pair of infant pajamas 105, an infant bodysuit 201, or another garment 100 may enclose a baby's upper torso. The garment 100 may be constructed so that it can open in the front along a longitudinal closure 160 from the neck downwards, possibly to the waist or below. When the garment 100 is worn with the closure 160 fastened, the closure 160 may follow a essentially smooth curve that, when viewed by an external observer from the front, may be essentially vertical (at least near the neck) and may lie essentially in the plane of lateral symmetry 170, which bisects the nose and the back of the wearer's body.

The closure 160 is formed where garment 100 material that wraps around the body from the left side meets garment 100 material that wraps around the body from the right side. We will refer to the material on the front of the wearer to the left of the closure 160 as left side material 161, and to the right, as right side material 162. Note that, when the garment 100 is worn, some left side material 161 may actually be located slightly to the right of the wearer's plane of lateral symmetry 170, for example, by overlap of the two sides to facilitate fastening; or conversely. Such overlap is best illustrated by FIG. 5a. At the closure 160, left side material 161 can be joined to right side material 162 with one or more closure fasteners 150 on each side. Such fastening of the left side material 161 to the right side material 162 is preferably done with snaps 300, but might also be done with a zipper, buttons, VELCRO®, or other fastening mechanism. In each of FIGS. 1 and 2, a characteristic closure fastener 150 is labeled.

If fastening the garment 100 along the closure 160 is done with pairs of snaps 300, then one or more of the snap 300 pairs may be open or unsnapped, or all of them may be closed or snapped together. In particular, the closure fasteners 150 allow the closure 160 to be open from the neckline 110 to a point below the neckline. FIG. 1 illustrates a garment 100 in which all closure fasteners 150, in this case pairs of snaps 300, are coupled together. In the garment 100 of FIG. 2, only the top pair of closure fasteners 150 is open. FIG. 9 shows a closure 160 having several open snap 300 pairs. The zipper 550 used as a front closure 160 in FIG. 5b can be closed to the neckline 110 or opened to a point below.

If the all closure fasteners 150 are coupled, then the closure 160 may be approximately perpendicular to the neckline 110, as illustrated by FIGS. 1, 5a, and 5b. When the closure 160 is closed, the neckline 110 itself will preferably describe an closed curve that will approximate an oval, ellipse, or circle, as illustrated by FIG. 1.

Two flaps 270 proximate to the neckline 110 can be formed by folding material of the garment 100, a left flap 271 from left side material 161, and a right flap 272 from right side material 162. Each flap 270 is a piece of material, that may be approximately triangular in shape, as best illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 4. However, the details of the flaps 270 can vary widely within the scope of the invention, by how they are shaped, cut, edged, or decorated. The location of a creases 390 along which the folding might occur is seen at least in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5b.

The flaps 270 can be folded downward, away from both the closure 160 and the neckline 110, as best illustrated by comparing FIG. 5a with FIG. 4. The positions of the resulting flaps 270 will be below the normal position of the neckline 110. A garment 100 having generally triangular flaps 270 is shown in FIG. 4. One edge of each triangular flap 270 is formed along the respective crease 390. The second edge of the left flap 270 is formed from the neckline 110 in the left side material 161, and the third edge is formed from left side material 161 that would lie along the edge of the closure 160 when the closure 160 is fully closed. The second and third edges form a vertex that is distal from the fold, the distal vertex 370. As illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4 the material at the distal vertex 370 might not form a perfectly sharp geometrical angle, but be rounded or otherwise shaped or truncated. The right flap 272 triangle is formed analogously.

As illustrated by FIG. 4, when the left flap 271 is folded down, it has an visible outer surface and a hidden inner surface. Incorporated into, or attached to, the inner surface of the folded down left flap 271 is a proximal flap fastener 191. As shown in FIG. 3, the proximal flap fastener 191 will be proximate to both the neckline 110 and the closure 160 when fastened; indeed, in some cases, it may also serve as a closure fastener 150. Preferably, this fastener will be located within 1 cm of the neckline 110 and within 1 cm of the closure 160 when the garment 100 is in the closed configuration 199. Incorporated into the outer surface of the left side material 161 beneath the left flap 271 is a matching distal flap fastener 192, allowing the left flap 271 to be secured in the open position; similarly, for the right flap 272. FIG. 3 depicts matching pairs of flap fasteners 190, a stud snap 310 (i.e., a snap 300 having a stud structure 621) and a socket snap 320 (i.e., a snap 300 having a socket structure 620) for each flap 270. The left flap 271 is secured in the open configuration 299 by joining its left proximal snap 333 with left distal snap 321. The right flap 272 is secured in the open configuration 299 by joining right proximal snap 334 with right distal snap 322. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the flaps 270 secured in the open configuration 299.

The flaps in FIG. 5b may be similarly secured in the open configuration 299 using fasteners 500 of VELCRO®. In each flap of this exemplary embodiment, the proximal flap fastener 191 is a loop fastener 510 (designated by ‘L’), and the distal flap fastener 192 is a hook fastener 520 (designated by ‘H’). Of course, the hook and loop functionality could alternatively be reversed. This figure also illustrates that a flap fastener 190 can have shapes that are noncircular.

The garment 100 can also be selectively placed into a closed configuration 199, such that the closure 160 is fastened in its normal vertical orientation to the neckline 110, as illustrated by FIGS. 1, 5a, and 5b. In the closed configuration 199 of the garment 100, the surfaces of the respective flaps 270 that are visible and hidden are opposite from the open configuration 299. In the closed configuration 199, the garment 100 appears and functions like a comparable garment 100 which does not have flaps 270 that are securable in the kind of open position described above. For example, the garment 100 of FIG. 5b has flap fasteners 190 that might be sewn in, but the configuration of the zipper 550 used as a closure fastener 150 is unchanged from a garment 100 without the invention. The closure 160 might be secured in the closed position with, for example, snaps 300, a zipper, buttons, VELCRO®, or some combination thereof.

As mentioned previously, the closure 160 between the left side material 161 and the right side material 162 might be secured by pairs of snaps 300. In this case, the left side material 161 and left side material 161 may overlap in the area of the closure. This is illustrated by FIG. 3-5a, in which the left side material 161 overlaps the right side material 162. In these figures, the stud snaps 310 in the right side material 162 snap into socket snaps 320 in the left side material 161. Other combinations are, of course, possible. For example, the right side material 162 might overlap the left side material 161. Some embodiments have little or no overlap, as illustrated by FIG. 5b.

Consider the case where snaps 300 are used to secure both the closure 160 and the flaps 270, where the left side material 161 overlaps the right side material 162 at the closure 160, as shown in FIGS. 3-5a. Along the closure 160 in these figures, stud snaps 310 face outward from the right side material 162 and socket snaps 320 face inward from the left side material 161. In this case, right proximal snap 334, topmost at the closure 160 on the right side, will be a stud snap 310. When right flap 272 is folded downward, the stud structure 621 of right proximal snap 334 will face inward. Thus, right flap 272 can be secured in the open configuration 299 by snapping the stud structure 621 of right proximal snap 334 into the socket structure 620 of right distal snap 322, which is attached to the right side material 162 distal from the point of intersection of the closure 160 and the neckline 110. This is illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4. In other words, right proximal snap 334 is special in that it may serve as both a closure fastener 150 and a flap fastener 190.

Symmetry in the appearance of the garment 100 suggests that left flap 271 may be secured in the open configuration 299 to a socket snap 320, such as left distal snap 321, integrated into the left side material 161, as illustrated by FIG. 3. Note in FIG. 3 that the topmost snap 433 at the closure 160 in the left side material 161 is a socket snap 320 that connects there, in the closed configuration 199, to right proximal snap 334. Thus, unlike the right side where a single stud snap 310 couples to a respective mating socket snap 320 in each of the open configuration 299 and closed configuration 199, the left side needs a device other than the top closure fastener 150 for the left flap 271 to attach to left distal snap 321.

In the preferred embodiment, this is handled by a second stud snap 310, namely left proximal snap 333, facing opposite to socket snap 433. The material at the distal vertex 370 on the left side may have two layers, for example, the main fabric of the garment 100 on the outside, and a liner 712, such as shown in FIG. 9, on the inside, where the liner 712 will be in contact with the wearer's body in the closed configuration 199. The left proximal snap 333 and the top left side closure snap 433 may each have an attaching unit, either an open pronged ring or a capped pronged ring, hidden between the two layers.

FIG. 3 depicts the centerline 393 of left proximal snap 333, and FIG. 4 depicts the centerline 493 of top closure snap 433. These two centerlines will naturally be essentially parallel to each other when the garment is worn, and preferably, they will be within 3 mm of each other. The attaching units of left proximal snap 333 and 433 might or might not be joined together; for example, they might be glued, welded, or stitched together.

These two aligned but separate snaps 300 might have a tendency to slip relative to each other, particularly when the left flap 271 is being snapped in place. Also, two separate snaps 300 might require more reinforcing material or layers than a single once. For these reasons, the two separate aligned snaps 333 and 433 might be replaced by a single bidirectional snap 600, such as shown in FIG. 5a.

Possible configurations of a bidirectional snap 600 are depicted in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8a-8h. In the particular configuration illustrated in cross-section by FIG. 6, the pair of intermediate attaching units are eliminated. The bidirectional snap 600 has a socket structure 620 half 601 on one side, and a stud structure 621 half 602 opposite. To aid understanding, half 601 is shown raised above material 610, 611 and 612. Half 601 has prongs 603 that go through the layers of material, combining the functionality of conventional closure and attachment units. Half 602 is a conventional stud structure 621 closure half, having an engagement ring 622 for the prongs 603 on the side opposite to the stud structure 621 itself. Once fully assembled, half 602 would be in contact with material 610 and attached to half 601 by securing prongs 603 into the engagement ring 622. The two halves share a common centerline 650.

Other configurations of bidirectional snaps 600 are of course possible, and within the scope of the invention. For example, FIG. 7 shows a bidirectional snap 600 that has half 601 and half 701 providing socket closure halves facing both up and down.

FIG. 8 a-8h is a schematic diagram, not drawn to scale, depicting various configurations of bidirectional snaps 600. Each figure is a cross-section, showing component pieces of each type of bidirectional snap 600 and the material being sandwiched by the bidirectional snap 600. For the sake of illustration, the bidirectional snaps 600 and material are shown detached, although in operation the bidirectional snap 600 components would be hammered or otherwise pressed together so that the material is fastened in between. In each of these figures, two layers of material 804 and 805 are shown, although in each case, either or both of these two layers might actually represent a plurality of layers of material. Also, the bidirectional snaps 600 shown in FIGS. 8a and 8f-8h might just enclose a single layer of material.

Generally, to avoid excessive repetition, similar features in FIG. 8a-8h will usually be labeled with a reference number only upon first appearance. Seven types of bidirectional snap 600 components are shown, which will be referred to as Mp 800, Mr 820, Fp 850, Fr 810, App 830, Arr 840, and Apr 860. In the two letter designations, the first letter is either ‘M’ for male (indicating a stud structure 621) or ‘F’ for female (indicating a socket structure 620); the second letter is either ‘p’ for prongs 603 or ‘r’ for engagement ring 622. The stud structure 621 or socket structure 620 always faces outward from the material, the prongs 603 or ring 622 always inward. The three letter designations are for attaching units, which are always indicated by the letter ‘A’. These attaching units are double-sided; either side can be either prongs 603 ‘p’ or a ring 622 ‘r’. FIG. 8a-8f give exemplary configurations that have a stud structure 621 upward and a socket structure 620 downward. FIG. 8b-8f illustrate configurations having three components. FIG. 8a and FIG. 8f-8h only use two components.

The reader will note that only components Fr 810 and Mr 820 are standard unidirectional snap halves. Furthermore, the components shown can be combined in other ways to produce M-M, F-F, or M-F bidirectional snaps 600 within the scope of the invention. And any one of these bidirectional snap 600 configurations might be incorporated to serve doubly as a closure fastener 150 and a flap fastener 190 in a garment 100, for example, to replace the bidirectional closure/flap snap 555 of FIG. 5a. The reader having skill in the art will realize that bidirectional snaps 600, analogous to those shown or suggested by FIG. 8a-8h, may be configured using post technology instead of prong 603 technology.

If a snap 300 is particularly tight and difficult to open, fabric close to the snap 300 may have a tendency to tear with use. Thus, in some embodiments, a region that includes a snap 300 may be reinforced with an additional layer of material, which might be stiffer or more resistant to tearing than the main fabric. In FIG. 6, the snap 300 (which happens to be a bidirectional snap 600, although the principle applies to ordinary unidirectional snaps 300 as well) goes through three layers of material. Layer 610 might be the main fabric of the garment 100. Layer 612 might be a liner 712 to soften the material that includes the snaps for contact with the wearer's skin. Layer 611 might be a layer of reinforcing material. The exact size and shape of such reinforcing material is irrelevant to the inventive concept, so long as it includes at least the region between the snap halves. Alternatively, the reinforcement may be done by replacing a portion of main garment material near the fastener with more tear resistant material, possibly by sewing in a patch or panel of material. Or the material near the patch might be impregnated with a stiffening substance, possibly a fluid (e.g., a glue or gel) from which volatile liquids evaporate to leave a tear resistant fabric.

In general, any combination of snap 300 types that would allow the closure 160 to close and open, and the flaps 270 to close and open, is within the scope of the invention. The net result will be a closure 160 that terminates, at the top, at or near the neckline 110 of the garment 100. In the closed configuration 199, an edge of the flap 270 is secured at or proximate to (preferably within 10 mm of) the neckline 110 of the wearer. In the open configuration 299, each flap 270 is folded down and is secured to a fastener 130 distal from the neckline 110 and from the closure 160.

In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 9, the material on each side of the closure 160 consists of at least two layers, an outer layer of a main fabric 610 of the garment 100, and a inner liner 712 layer attached to the outer layer. Preferably, this attachment will be done at least in part by stitches. The liner 712, often in direct contact with the skin, might be made of a smoother or softer material than the outer layer fabric 610. Preferably, the neckline 110 will be similarly lined, and the liner 712 at the neckline 110 and the liner 712 along the closure 160 might be fabricated from a single piece of material. FIGS. 6 and 7 show three layers of material, including the main garment fabric 610, a reinforcement layer 611, and a third layer 612, which might be a liner 712.

Of course, many variations of the above method are possible within the scope of the invention. The present invention is, therefore, not limited to all the above details, as modifications and variations may be made without departing from the intent or scope of the invention. Consequently, the invention should be limited only by the following claims and equivalent constructions.

Claims

1. A garment having an open neck configuration and an alternative configuration with a closed neck, comprising: a) a neckline, defined as an edge of garment material that encircles a wearer's neck in the closed neck configuration;b) a frontal closure extending from the neckline to a second point below the neckline, separating left side material of the garment from right side material of the garment;c) one or more closure fasteners in the left side material adapted to couple with one or more closure fasteners in the right side material, thereby allowing the frontal closure to selectively be either fastened from a neckline point proximate to the neckline to a second point below the first point, or be unfastened from the first point to the second point, whereby, in the closed neck configuration, the frontal closure is fastened from the neckline point to the second point;d) in the left side material, a proximal left flap fastener and a distal left flap fastener, such that in the closed neck configuration, the proximal left flap fastener is proximate to the neckline and to the frontal closure, and the distal left flap fastener is further from the neckline and from the frontal closure than the proximal left flap fastener; ande) in the right side material, a proximal right flap fastener and a distal right flap fastener, such that in the closed neck configuration, the proximal right flap fastener is proximate to the neckline and to the frontal closure, and the distal right flap fastener is further from the neckline and from the frontal closure than the proximal right flap fastener;wherein, in the open neck configuration (i) the frontal closure is unfastened from the neckline point to a third point, below the neckline point, the third point being not necessarily distinct from the second point,(ii) the left side material is folded down from the neckline, and forms a left flap, with the proximal left flap fastener coupled to the distal left flap fastener, and(iii) the right side material is folded down from the neckline, and forms a right flap, with the proximal right flap fastener coupled to the distal right flap fastener.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a collarless garment.

3. The garment of claim 2, wherein the garment is a baby garment.

4. The garment of claim 2, wherein the garment is pajamas or a one-piece bodysuit.

5. The garment of claim 2, wherein the garment is adapted to an elderly care, health care, or athletic application.

6. The garment of claim 2, further comprising: f) a ribbed, gathered, embroidered, or scalloped border that edges at least a portion of the neckline.

7. The garment of claim 1, wherein the closure fasteners include a first plurality of snaps in the left side material and a second plurality of snaps in the right snap material, the snaps in the first plurality being adapted to being selectively coupled to, or uncoupled from, mating snaps in the second plurality.

8. The garment of claim 1, wherein a first zipper half is a closure fastener in the left side material and a matching zipper half is a closure fastener in the right side material, the matching zipper half being adapted to coupling with the first zipper half.

9. The garment of claim 1, wherein the proximal left flap fastener is a first snap, and the distal left flap fastener is a second snap, the first snap adapted to being selectively coupled to, or uncoupled from, the second snap.

10. The garment of claim 1, wherein, when the garment is in the open neck configuration, the left and right flaps have essentially triangular shapes.

11. The garment of claim 1, wherein the proximal left flap fastener or the proximal right flap fastener is one of the closure fasteners.

12. The garment of claim 11, wherein said proximal left flap fastener or proximal right flap fastener is a bidirectional snap.

13. The garment of claim 1, wherein both the proximal left flap fastener and the proximal right flap fastener are also the closure fasteners.

14. The garment of claim 1, wherein a first snap is a socket snap and is one of the closure fasteners, and the second snap is the proximal left flap fastener or the proximal right flap fastener, the first snap and the second snap each having a respective centerline, the centerline of the first snap and the centerline of the second snap approximately coinciding when the garment is worn as intended.

15. The garment of claim 14, wherein the centerline of the first snap is within 3 mm of the centerline of the second snap when the garment is worn as intended.

16. The garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flap fasteners is a snap, that snap enclosing at least two layers of material, one of the layers being significantly more tear resistant than the remaining layers.

17. The garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flap fasteners is a button, a zipper, or a VELCRO® fastener.

18. The garment of claim 1, wherein bordering at least a segment of the neckline are an outer layer of material and an inner layer of material, the inner layer of material being softer than the outer layer of material.

19. A garment having an open neck configuration and an alternative configuration with a closed neck, comprising: a) a neckline, defined as an edge of garment material that encircles a wearer's neck in the closed neck configuration, wherein bordering the neckline are at least an outer layer of material and an inner layer of material, the inner layer of material being softer than the outer layer of material;b) a frontal closure extending from the neckline to a second point below the neckline, separating left side material of the garment from right side material of the garment;c) a plurality of frontal closure snaps in the left side material adapted to couple with one or more frontal closure snaps in the right side material, thereby allowing the frontal closure to selectively be either fastened from a neckline point proximate to the neckline to a third point, not necessarily distinct from the second point, below the first point or be unfastened from the first point to the third point, whereby, in the closed neck configuration of the garment, the frontal closure is fastened from the neckline point to the third point;d) in the left side material, a proximal left flap snap fastener and a distal left flap snap fastener, such that in the closed neck configuration, the proximal left flap snap fastener is proximate to the neckline and to the frontal closure, and the distal left flap snap fastener is further from the neckline and from the frontal closure than the proximal left flap snap fastener; ande) in the right side material, a proximal right flap snap fastener and a distal right flap snap fastener, such that in the closed neck configuration, the proximal right flap snap fastener is proximate to the neckline and to the frontal closure, and the distal right flap snap fastener is further from the neckline and from the frontal closure than the proximal right flap snap fastener, wherein at least one of the proximal left flap snap fasteners or the proximal right flap snap fasteners is also one of the frontal closure snaps;wherein (i) in the open neck configuration (A) the frontal closure is unfastened from the neckline point to a second point below the neckline point,(B) the left side material is folded down from the neckline, and forms an essentially triangular left flap, with the proximal left flap snap fastener coupled to the distal left flap snap fastener, and(C) the right side material is folded down from the neckline, and forms an essentially triangular right flap, with the proximal right flap snap fastener coupled to the distal right flap snap fastener, and(ii) the garment is a collarless garment.

20. A bidirectional garment snap, comprising: a) a first closure structure in an outer surface of a first snap section;b) a second closure structure in an outer surface of a second snap section, wherein each closure structure is either a stud structure or a socket structure; andc) attachment means for coupling an inner surface of the first snap section to an inner surface of the second snap section through a layer of fabric, such that the first closure structure and the second closure structure have a common centerline.