Patent Application
20230363500
In the designer handbag industry many consumers are known to acquire accessories to fashion and personalize their handbags to be used after purchase. Accessories may include decorative tags, tassels, leather straps, etc. The zipper of the designer handbags may be a popular area for fashionable modification and customization. Modern zippers are frequently small or hard to grasp and also often need extra protection or cover. There is a need therefore for a new device and/or technique for covering zippers in handbags and other accessories to make them more attractive and easier to use.
A summary of several example embodiments of the disclosure follows. This summary is provided for the convenience of the reader to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments and does not wholly define the breadth of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. For convenience, the term “certain embodiments” may be used herein to refer to a single embodiment or multiple embodiments of the disclosure.
In one aspect, a Pull-tab Extender includes a central planar body element having a proximal end and distal end, the central planar body element defining a first aperture and a second aperture thereon, a first elongated tab at the distal end of the central planar body element, a second elongated tab at the proximal end of the central planar body element and proximate to the second aperture, the first elongated tab being longer than the second elongated tab with the first elongated tab being positioned at the central planar body element closer to the first aperture than the second aperture, the first aperture being intermediate to the central planar body element, and where the second aperture can accommodate a thickness of the second elongated tab, and the first aperture can accommodate a thickness of both the first and second elongated tabs.
The Pull-tab Extender may be such as where the second aperture is at least as large as the thickness of the second elongated tab, and the first aperture is at least as large as a thickness of both the first and second elongated tabs.
The Pull-tab Extender may be such as where the first aperture is near centered relative to the central planar body element.
The Pull-tab Extender may be such as where the second elongated tab is looped back and into the first aperture.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where the central planar body element is enabled to be received at a pull-tab of a closure device and the pull-tab of the closure device is a zipper.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where the first elongated tab and second elongated tab are tapered toward the central planar body element.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where the Pull-tab Extender is made of an expandable material and the second aperture is expanded to accommodate the thickness of the second elongated tab, and the first aperture is expanded to accommodate the thickness of both the first and second elongated tabs.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where magnets are located within the first and second elongated tabs and are used to clasp the first elongated tab to the second elongated tab at the point(s) of the magnets so that the tabs are in better or full alignment. Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims in order to create full alignment of the tabs.
In one aspect, the first elongated tab is looped back over the second elongated tab, into the second aperture and then into and through the first aperture.
The pull-tab may also be such as where the first and second elongated tabs are at equal lengths when fully looped through the first and second apertures. Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
In one aspect, a Pull-tab Extender includes a central planar body element having a proximal end and distal end, the central planar body element defining a first aperture and a second aperture thereon, a first elongated tab at the distal end of the central planar body element, a second elongated tab at the proximal end of the central planar body element and proximate to the second aperture, the first elongated tab being longer than the second elongated tab with the first elongated tab being positioned at the central planar body element closer to the first aperture than the second aperture, the first aperture being intermediate to the central planar body element, and where the second aperture can accommodate a thickness of second elongated tab, and the first aperture can accommodate a thickness of both the first and second elongated tabs.
The Pull-tab Extender also includes the second elongated tab being looped back and into the first aperture and the first elongated tab being looped back over the second elongated tab, into the second aperture and then into and through the first aperture.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where the first and second elongated tabs are at equal lengths when fully looped through the first and second apertures.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where the central planar body element is enabled to be received at a pull-tab of a closure device. Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
In one aspect, a Pull-tab Extender method, includes the steps of providing a planar body element having a proximal end and distal end, defining a first aperture and a second aperture into and through the body element and positioned thereon, with the first aperture being positioned close to the proximal end of said body element, the second aperture being positioned intermediate said body element and closer to the distal end of said body element than the first aperture positioning relative to the distal end of said body element, extending a first elongated tab from the proximal end of said body element, and extending a second elongated tab from the distal end of said body element, the second tab being longer than the first tab, where the second aperture being able to accommodate a thickness of both first elongated tab and second elongated tab.
The Pull-tab Extender method further includes the steps of looping the second elongated tab into the first aperture and looping the first elongated tab over the second elongated tab, directing the first elongated tab into the second aperture and into the first aperture with the second elongated tab.
The pull-tab of method may include the extending steps of the respective first and second elongated tabs provide the first and second elongated tabs as integral with the body element. Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
The Pull-tab Extender may also be such as where the closure device fits through the first aperture as well as the first elongated tab and the second elongated tab.
The pull-tab may also be such as where the closure device fits through the second aperture as well as the first elongated tab and the second elongated tab.
The pull-tab of method may have the first and second elongated tabs at equal lengths when fully looped through the first and second apertures.
The Pull-tab Extender method may also be such as where the looping steps of first and second elongated tabs receives a pull-tab of a closure device at the central planar body element for use therewith. Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.
To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.
The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following description is provided to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the described embodiments set forth in the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Various modifications, equivalents, variations, and alternatives, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Any and all such modifications, variations, equivalents, and alternatives are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is important to note that the embodiments disclosed by the invention are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claims.
Embodiments of the present invention include novel ways of functionally and decoratively covering pull-tabs including zipper pulls, in garments, purses, handbags, etc. In the luxury handbag market many men and women are interested in distinguishing their purses, luggage, wallets, etc. While pull-tabs are used for most of the fashion and handbag market, not many after market or accessory implementations exist for protecting and decorating pull-tabs. There exists a need accordingly for implementable devices to fashion over pull-tabs, extend, and protect them and create an ornamental functional enhancement.
Embodiments include ways of looping a Pull-tab Extender with two sides or tabs that can loop over the Pull-tab Extender. The Pull-tab Extender is made in such a way that one tab may be slightly longer than the other tab. The Pull-tab Extender may have a central planar body element made up of an unlimited variety of ornamental and protective designs. The looping steps of first and second elongated tabs provides for receiving the pull-tab of the closure device or zipper at the central planar body of the extender for users operating while enhancing and protecting zipper closures and the like. The central planar body element may include two apertures, where one aperture can accommodated, and in some instances, has at least the width of the two tabs, and is intermediate or near centered in the central planar body element. The second aperture may be closer to the shorter tab. The lengths of the tabs may not be easily noticeable as being different when the Pull-tab Extender is standing alone and not attached to the Pull-tab Extender.
Once placed on the pull-tab and/or zipper, the smaller tab may loop through the first aperture. The larger tab may then loop back around and under the smaller tab. Once looped around the larger tab may be weaved into the second aperture and then through the first aperture. The larger tab may be pulled through, meeting the smaller tab at the same final point to make a balanced Pull-tab Extender.
In some embodiments, a design decision may make it desirable to have the tabs not fully balanced depending on the purse, handbag, luggage, etc. For example, it may be aesthetic for one tab to be slightly longer when finally pulled through. Once established on the pull-tab, the Pull-tab Extender may fully or partially hide the pull-tab making the pull-tab or zipper look like more of a fabric or leather pull. The fabric for the zipper protector may be canvas, textile, leather, vinyl, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), jute, hemp, bamboo, synthetic or artificial leather, cork leather, microfiber, ocean leather, etc.
The design and implementation of each set of apertures may be created for each designer pull-tab and/or zipper. For example, a First Aperture 108 may be 1 cm in width to accommodate twice the thickness of the fabric used for the Pull-tab Extender. In another embodiment, the First Aperture 108 may be 2.5 cm in order to accommodate the twice the thickness of the fabric used in addition to leaving space for the zipper itself to be jettisoned through the aperture. The manufacture of the aperture size may be determined by thickness, fragility and tautness of the fabric as well as how tight or loose the Pull-tab Extender is designed relative to the bag/luggage and zipper pulls or pull-tab.
In yet another embodiment the First Aperture 108 may accommodate the thickness of both First Elongated Tab 104 and Second Elongated Tab 112 by using an expandable material such as silicone. The First Aperture 108 and Second Aperture 110 in this case may be more narrow than the actual thickness of the tabs and may be accounted for expandability. Lycra and spandex are two other exemplary stretchable materials that can be used to accommodate the sizes of the First Elongated Tab 104 and Second Elongated Tab 112.
Another exemplary embodiment may contain a plurality of magnets on the First Elongated Tab 104 and Second Elongated Tab 112. The magnets may be circular discs embedded in the tabs. There may be several discs used for clasping the two tabs once strung through the apertures. Similarly one or more rectangular magnets may be used running along all or part/parts of the lengths of the tabs, so that the tabs will clasp together and remain in place and aligned once woven through the apertures.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, velcro and/or reusable adhesive material may be used to achieve the better alignment of the two tabs. For example, velcro or a reattachable material may be placed along all or part of the tabs so that the alignment is achieved for the two tabs to rest closely attached or within close proximity along the same axis.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided a detailed description and features for improved zipper pull attachments, as well as a disclosure of a method for attaching the Pull-tab Extenders. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim here is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The matters set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are offered by way of illustrations only, and not as limitations. The actual scope of the invention is to be defined by the subsequent claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
