Patent Application
20210204624
The present invention relates to clothing, and in particular to a sweater and necktie combination.
While some neckties have a general pattern or design thereon, some neckties have designs thereof. Examples of designs on neckties include particular university logos, sporting team logos, holiday designs (e.g., Santa Claus) or any other design. While the designs on neckties can be viewed when only a shirt is worn under the necktie or when a jacket or coat is worn, the design is not visible when the necktie is worn under a sweater. An aspect of the present invention is to provide for the design on the necktie to be always visible.
The present invention, according to one aspect, is directed to a sweater and necktie combination comprising a sweater having a collar, an upper slot and a lower slot. The combination further includes a necktie having a hanging portion, with the hanging portion including an upper hidden area, a middle exposed area with a design thereon and a lower hidden area. The necktie extends through the upper slot and the lower slot such that the upper hidden area and the lower hidden area are located within the sweater and the middle exposed area is located outside of the sweater. A first engaging feature maintains the lower hidden area within the interior of the sweater. A second engaging feature maintains the middle exposed area outside of the sweater.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of creating a sweater and necktie combination comprising providing a sweater having a collar, an upper slot and a lower slot. The method also includes providing a necktie having a hanging portion, with the hanging portion including an upper hidden area, a middle exposed area with a design thereon and a lower hidden area. The method further includes extending the necktie through the upper slot and the lower slot such that the upper hidden area and the lower hidden area are located within the sweater and the middle exposed area is located outside of the sweater. The method also includes maintaining the lower hidden area within the interior of the sweater and maintaining the middle exposed area outside of the sweater.
One or more embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example and should not be construed as being limited to the specific embodiments depicted in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements.
The specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting.
For purposes of description herein, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
The reference number 10 (
In the illustrated example, the sweater 12 is worn by a person and covers at least a portion of the necktie 14. The sweater 12 includes a collar 16 as is well known to those skilled in the art. The collar 16 can have any shape or design (e.g., V-neck, round, crewneck, etc.). A neck surrounding portion 24 of the necktie 14 can typically be seen at the collar 16 and a hanging portion 26 of the necktie 14 hangs downwardly from the neck surrounding portion 24 to be at least partially covered by the sweater 12. A collared shirt 22 can be worn under the sweater 12. The design 30 is at least partially (and typically, totally) shown on the hanging portion 26 of the necktie 14.
The illustrated sweater and necktie combination 10 allows the design 30 on the necktie 14 to be exposed and viewed. As shown in
In the illustrated example, the upper slot 18 and the lower slot 20 can have any configuration to allow the necktie 14 to extend therethrough as described above. Moreover, the upper slot 18 and the lower slot 20 can have the same or different configurations. For example, the upper slot 18 and the lower slot 20 can be horizontal as shown in
The illustrated sweater and necktie combination 10 can be designed to ensure that the lower hidden area 34 remains extending through the lower slot 20, 20a, etc. and the design 30 remains located between the upper slot 18, 18a, etc. and the lower slot 20, 20a, etc. The sweater and necktie combination 10 can include at least one engaging feature to engage the necktie 14 with the sweater 12. A first engaging feature on the necktie 14 can include a lower receptacle 44 located in lower hidden area 34 on a front 42 of the necktie 14 as shown in
While the upper receptacle 48 and the lower receptacle 44 are illustrated as extending horizontally, the upper receptacle 48 and the lower receptacle 44 could extend in any direction (e.g., vertical, diagonally, etc.). Moreover, it is contemplated that the first engaging features and the second engaging features could be any feature to connect the necktie 14 to the sweater 12 (e.g., hooks, buttons, hook and loop type fasteners, etc.). Likewise, it is contemplated that the first engaging features and the second engaging features could be different features (e.g., the receptacles and buttons as shown for one of the engaging features and a button for the other engaging feature). Furthermore, it is contemplated that both the first engaging features and the second engaging features could be used or only one of the first engaging features or the second engaging features could be used.
In the illustrated example of
Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.
