Information
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Patent Grant
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6175993
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Patent Number
6,175,993
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Date Filed
Wednesday, November 25, 199825 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, January 23, 200123 years ago
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Inventors
-
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Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 024 7102
- 024 7096
- 024 7097
- 024 7098
- 024 7099
- 024 710
- 024 7101
- 024 13
- 040 664
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International Classifications
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Abstract
In one embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device and a weight slidably mounted on the fastening device. The fastening device includes a central portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the central portion being in the shape of a pin and the second end of the central portion being in the shape of a cooperating hook for holding the first end in a closed position. The weight is approximately 1 ounce and includes a bore into which the central portion of the fastening device is disposed. In another embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device, a generally U-shaped bracket mounted on the fastening device and a weight slidably mounted on the bracket. In use, the fastening device of both shirt-locking device embodiments can be used to affix the bottom portion of a shirt, or other similar material, in a tucked position down and against an undergarment, or other similar garment.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to fastening devices and, more particularly, to fastening devices for detachably securing two articles of clothing together.
It is well known for a person to wear a shirt, or other similar garment, with a pair of pants, or other similar garment. In order to create a neat and tidy appearance, a person typically disposes the shirt in a tucked position within the pair of pants.
However, it has been found that frequently the lower portion of the shirt tends ride upwardly above the waistline of the wearer, thereby creating a partially tucked or untucked appearance, which is undesirable. In particular, it has been found that the participation of demanding physical activity, such as the participation of athletics, often causes the lower portion of the shirt of a wearer to bulge outward or to become untucked from the pants of the wearer.
Accordingly, clothing pins, also commonly referred to as beauty pins, have been used to fixedly connect two articles of clothing together. Using one or more clothing pins to affix the shirt of a wearer onto the pants or undergarment of the wearer assists in preventing the shirt from becoming untucked during the participation of athletic activities.
However, it has been found that, in order to work effectively, clothing pins need to be positioned at the location of the greatest untucking force. Otherwise, if the clothing pin is not centered properly at the location of the greatest untucking force, the pin will ineffectively retain the shirt within the pants of the wearer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,588,709 to S. Dinkelbihler, there is disclosed a fastener for securing two garments together which comprises two straight flat parts of considerable length and substantial width. Each of the two straight flat parts is provided with a pin on one side and a cooperating hook for holding the pin in a closed position on the other side. The opposite side of the two straight flat parts include snap fasteners for detachably connecting the parts together. The fastener includes at least two, spaced apart, snap fasteners so that the two straight flat parts are prevented from moving out of alinement when connected thereby.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,086,767 to I. O. Haas, there is disclosed a lingerie strap holder comprising a beauty pin having a substantially U-shaped loop secured at one end. The U-shaped loop has at its free end a portion in-turned toward the pin and then inclined away from the pin toward the bottom of the loop, terminating in a curved loop lying in a plane at right angles to that of the pin and projecting laterally in both directions from the plane of the first loop.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,617 to J. M. Hofmeister, there is disclosed a connecting device for detachably joining together two articles of clothing for laundering, such as socks. The connecting device has two similar connecting members each of which is permanently attached to one garment of a pair. The connecting members each have a single stud or a pair of studs at one end which pierces one of the garments. Flanges at the opposite end of each member lock the studs in place after the member is folded upon itself securing the garment therebetween. Attachment plugs are formed on each connecting member and are snapped together detachably retaining the two garments in their proper pair.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,418,774 to S. Katz, there is disclosed a stay-down shirt comprising a form-fitting body portion having a rear section, front sections placed side by side and secured each along one vertical edge to the rear section and means to secure the front sections detachably together. The lower edges of the front sections are arranged to terminate adjacent the waist line of an intended wearer. The shirt is cut on the rear section to provide a substantially inverted flattened V-shaped lower rear edge beginning at a point at the middle of the rear section and extending to the sides of the rear sections and a more inclined lower edge on each front section to form a substantially V-shaped lower edge at the front and rear when the front sections are secured together. The edges on the front section extend below the natural abdominal bulge of the wearer. A belt comprising elastic material is attached to the lower edges of the front and rear sections over the whole length thereof. The belt of elastic material is stretchable in the direction of its length and serves to hold the lower edges of the body portion about the body of a wearer with the inclined front edges of the front sections disposed beneath the natural level of the stomach of the wearer's abdomen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved shirt-locking device for retaining a shirt, or other similar garment, in a tucked position within a pair of pants, or other similar garment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a shirt-locking device as described above which can be mass produced, has a minimal number of parts, which is limited in size and can be very easily used.
Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a shirt-locking device comprising a fastening device and a weight mounted on said fastening device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a shirt-locking device comprising a fastening device, a bracket mounted on said fastening device and a weight mounted on said bracket.
Additional objects, as well as features and advantages, of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments for practicing the invention. The embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are hereby incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like parts:
FIG. 1
is a front view of a first embodiment of a shirt-locking device constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the shirt-locking device being shown retaining a shirt down against an undergarment;
FIG. 2
is a right side view of the shirt-locking device shown in
FIG. 1
; and
FIG. 3
is a front view of a second embodiment of a shirt-locking device constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the shirt-locking device being shown retaining a shirt down against an undergarment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of a shirt-locking device constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the shirt-locking device being represented generally by reference numeral
11
. As will be described further in detail below, shirt-locking device
11
can be used to retain a shirt S, or other similar garment, in a tucked position down against an undergarment U, or other similar garment.
Shirt-locking device
11
comprises a fastening device
13
and a weight
15
slidably mounted on fastening device
13
.
Fastening device
13
is generally in the shape of a conventional beauty pin and comprises a central portion
17
which is generally cylindrical in shape. One end of central portion
17
is bent and sharpened to form a pin
19
capable of piercing fabrics. The other end of central portion
17
is bent to form an inwardly concave hook
21
which is adapted to hold pin
19
in a closed position therewithin.
It should be noted that although shirt-locking device
11
is shown comprising a fastening device
13
which is in the form of a conventional beauty pin, alternative types of fastening devices, such as clips, can be used in shirt-locking device
11
without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Weight
15
is approximately 1 ounce and comprises a generally disc-shaped portion
23
and a rectangular tab
25
integrally formed on disc-shaped portion
23
, rectangular tab
25
having a central, longitudinal bore
27
formed therein.
It should be noted that central portion
17
of fastening device is disposed through bore
27
formed in weight
15
. As such, weight
15
is capable of lateral movement along central portion
17
of fastening device
13
, as represented by arrows L and L′ in FIG.
1
.
In use, shirt-locking device
11
can be used to weightably affix shirt S down onto undergarment U in the following manner. Pin
19
is pierced through the bottom portion of shirt S and through the top portion, such as the elastic waistband, of undergarment U. Pin
19
is then disposed within hook
21
in a closed position. As such, shirt S is securely affixed down onto undergarment U so as to retain shirt S in a tucked position.
As can be appreciated, because weight
15
is slidably mounted on central portion
17
of fastening device
13
, weight
15
serves to improve the performance of shirt-locking device
11
in retaining shirt S down onto undergarment U and in a tucked position.
Preferably, one shirt-locking device
11
is affixed to the front portion of shirt S and undergarment U of the wearer and one shirt-locking device
11
is affixed to the back portion of shirt S and undergarment U. However, it is to be understood that different quantities of shirt-locking devices
11
can be implemented during usage without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that shirt-locking devices
11
can be affixed at different positions of shirt S and undergarment U during usage without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a second embodiment of a shirt-locking device constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, the shirt-locking device being represented generally by reference numeral
31
. As can be appreciated, shirt-locking device
31
functions similarly to shirt-locking device
11
in that shirt-locking device
31
can be used to retain a shirt S, or other similar garment, in a tucked position down against an undergarment U, or other similar garment.
Shirt-locking device
31
comprises a fastening device
33
, a bracket
34
mounted on fastening device
33
and a weight
35
slidably mounted on bracket
34
.
Fastening device
33
is identical with fastening device
13
of shirt-locking device
11
. Specifically, fastening device
33
is generally in the shape of a conventional beauty pin and comprises a central portion
37
which is generally cylindrical in shape. One end of central portion
37
is bent and sharpened to form a pin
39
capable of piercing fabrics. The other end of central portion
37
is bent to form an inwardly concave hook
41
which is adapted to hold pin
39
in a closed position therewithin.
Bracket
34
is generally U-shaped and is affixed onto central portion
37
of fastening device
33
. Weight
35
is identical with weight
15
of shirt-locking device
11
and is slidably mounted on bracket
34
.
The embodiments of the present invention described above are intended to be merely exemplary and those skilled in the art shall be able to make numerous variations and modifications to it without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A shirt-locking device comprising:a. a fastening device; b. a bracket mounted on said fastening device; and c. a weight slidably mounted on said bracket, said weight being approximately 1 ounce and having a bore into which said bracket is disposed; d. said fastening device comprising a central portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the central portion being in the shape of a pin and the second end of the central portion being in the shape of a cooperating hook for holding the first end in a closed position; e. said bracket being generally U shaped and extending down from the first and second ends of said central portion of said fastening device.
US Referenced Citations (16)