Patent Application
20130091621
This disclosure relates generally to the field of suspenders and braces for supporting, e.g., articles of clothing such as trousers. In particular, the present disclosure describes suspenders for attaching to articles of clothing, wherein the suspender configuration may be altered according to the user's preference.
As is well known in the art, suspenders are straps or braces defining a harness for supporting articles of clothing such as trousers, typically attaching to the clothing at front and rear attachment points on the waistband. While suspenders may be used for fashion reasons, certain professions also typically use suspenders to support heavy articles of clothing or clothing to which heavy equipment may be secured. As a non-limiting example, firefighters typically use suspenders to support trousers fabricated of fire-retardant or resistant materials which can be quite heavy.
Suspenders may be provided in a variety of styles or configurations based on the pattern of the suspender straps. As examples, and for obvious visual reasons, suspenders may be classified or described as a Y back configuration (
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides suspenders which may be altered in configuration. In particular, the present disclosure provides suspenders which may be reversibly re-configured by the user from a first to a second configuration according to the user's preference or needs.
fastener or fastening system, including without intending any limitation zippers, strips of hook and loop fabric, one or more cooperating buttons and button holes, one or more cooperating pins and clips, and combinations. In one configuration, reversibly attaching the straps one to another defines suspenders having a Y back configuration. In another, separating the straps defines suspenders having an X back configuration.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides suspenders for supporting an article of clothing such as trousers from a shoulder region of a user. The suspenders include straps as described above for attaching to the clothing, the straps being releasably attachable one to another along at least a portion of a contiguous side edge thereof whereby the suspenders may be reversibly altered between a first configuration and a second configuration, such as between a Y back configuration and an X back configuration.
Suspenders defined by straps according to the present disclosure may further include terminal fasteners for attaching to the article of clothing. A connector may be provided disposed intermediately of a first and a second length dimension of the straps. The connector may be fixedly attached to the straps or may be slidably attached to allow altering the first and second length dimensions of the straps relative to one another. The connector may further include a decorative display, such as without intending any limitation a reflective surface, a high visibility surface, advertising, or combinations thereof.
In the following description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment that is illustrative of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawings:
a-b depict an embodiment of a clip for securing the straps of the suspenders of
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
In an alternative configuration also known in the art (see
With reference to
Contiguous side edges 40a, 40b of back straps 34a, 34b are provided with a cooperating fastener 42 whereby at least a portion of the contiguous side edges 40a, 40b can be releasably attached one to the other. Any number of possible cooperating fasteners 42 are possible and contemplated herein, including without intending any limitation zippers, cooperating strips of hook and loop fabric, cooperating buttons/button holes, cooperating clips and pins, and others.
As is known, suspenders 30 support an article of clothing of a user U such as trousers T (
Additional features are contemplated for the suspenders 30 of the present disclosure. Apertures 44 may be defined in, for example, front straps 32a, 32b to allow the user U to secure items to those straps, for example an electronic device 46, an identification card (not shown), decorative items such as ornamental or novelty pins or other ornaments, and combinations. The connector 36 may include a decorative display 48, for example a reflective surface for decorative or safety purposes, a decorative and/or informative design (for example, advertising, logos, etc.), combinations. A transparent polymer (not shown for convenience) may be disposed on a top surface of the connector 36 to protect the decorative display 48 from weather, wear, etc.
Other elements, such as pads 50 at a shoulder or other region of front straps 32a, 32b may be provided, for example comprising removable or permanently secured padding material for comfort, or other features considered to provide relief from soreness, inflammation, etc. For example, in other art fields it is known to provide such removable or fixed pads comprising silicon cord with titanium germanium ingredients, magnets, and the like for temporary relief from soreness, inflammation, and other conditions. Reflective or otherwise decorative strips 52 may be provided, such as along a periphery of front straps 32a, 32b or at other desirable locations to increase/improve visibility of the user U. Many such materials are known, including without intending any limitation those sold under the trademarks SCOTCHLITE, ILLUMINITE, and others.
Likewise, any number of materials for fabricating the various elements of the suspenders 30 of the present disclosure are known and contemplated for use herein. For example, the front straps 32a, 32b and back straps 34a, 34b may be fabricated of natural fabrics such as leather, cotton, fibers, may comprise synthetic materials such as polyurethane, polyester, nylons, or other polymers, SPANDEX, LYCRA, or other stretchable fabrics, or combinations. In turn, combinations of one or more of the above-listed materials or others known in the art are contemplated. A variety of reflective materials are known in art and contemplated for use herein, including materials that become reflective at night when a light source strikes them.
A number of suitable fastener types are contemplated for use as fasteners 38. For example, it is known to secure suspenders to trousers using buttons/button holes, buttons/clips, clips/pins, alligator-type clips, etc. in one embodiment (see
Accordingly, there is provided a suspender 30 which may be easily reconfigured between, for example, an X back configuration and a Y back configuration at the user's desire and whim. The conversion is easily made at the user's desire and whim, for example to satisfy a fashion preference, or to convert to an X back configuration for better weight distribution or to a Y back configuration for better support at the back.
The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, front straps 32a, 32b and back straps 34a, 34b may be four separate straps connected by connector 36. Alternatively, straps 32a, 34a may be opposed lengths of a single strap, and likewise straps 32b, 34b may be opposed lengths of a single strap. Connector 36 may be permanently or semi-permanently attached to the suspender 30 straps, or may be provided as a sliding connector of known design, allowing a length dimension of front straps 32a, 32b and of back straps 34a, 34b to be altered relative to one another. Still more, the suspender 30 of the present disclosure may be defined by a single strap (embodiment not shown), divided lengthwise at a first portion thereof to define front straps 32a, 32b and in turn divided lengthwise at a second portion thereof and provided with a cooperating fastener 42 as described to define back straps 34a, 34b. In this embodiment, an intermediate portion of the strap would remain undivided.
The disclosed embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and disclosed embodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.
