AU2005100569A4 - Scarf - Google Patents

Description

-1-

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicants: Actual Inventor: Belanj Pty Ltd Tennille Nash Address for Service is: SHELSTON IP Margaret Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 CCN: 3710000352 Telephone No: Facsimile No.

(02) 97771111 (02) 9241 4666 Attorney Code: SW Invention Title: SCARF The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us File: 45803AUP00 500640236 1.DOC/5845 la- FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to clothing accessories and in particular to scarves. It has been developed primarily as a body wrap for simultaneously providing warmth for both the neck and kidney regions and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

Known clothing accessories for keeping body regions warm include scarfs, vests, jumpers and jackets. These items are advantageous for providing warmth as they can be worn over everyday clothes. They are also easily removable if the wearer moves into a warmer environment where they are no longer required.

The disadvantage of the above articles is that more than one item is usually required to keep both the neck and kidney regions warm. Furthermore, vests, jackets and jumpers can be bulky and inconvenient to carry around when removed. Some vests and jackets may also need to be placed on a coat hanger to avoid crushing delicate material.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.

It is an object of the present invention in its preferred form to provide a clothing accessory which is able to simultaneously provide warmth to both the neck and kidney regions of the body.

-2- DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a body wrap including: a neck loop for conforming engagement with a wearer's neck; a body loop for conforming engagement with a wearer's lower back; and a connecting portion intermediate said neck and body loops to define a figure-ofeight configuration.

Preferably, the loops are defined by a continuous resilient band for conformity with the wearer's body form.

More preferably, the connecting portion forms part of the band.

The connecting portion is preferably defined by one part of the band being threaded through another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a body wrap according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of a second embodiment of a body wrap according to the invention; Figure 3 is a front view of a third embodiment of a body wrap according to the invention; Figure 4 is front view of a fourth embodiment of a body wrap according to the invention; Figure 5 is a back view of the body wrap of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the body wrap taken along line 6-6 of Figure -3- Figure 7 is an alternative back view of the body wrap of Figure 4; Figure 8 is a front view of the body wrap of Figure 4 shown whilst being worn on a model; and Figure 9 is a back view of the body wrap of Figures 1 to 4 shown whilst being worn on a model.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings, the body wrap includes a neck loop 1 for conforming engagement with a wearer's neck 2 and a body loop 3 for conforming engagement with a wearer's lower back 4. The wrap also includes a connecting portion 5 intermediate the neck and body loops 1 and 3 to define a figure-of-eight configuration, as best shown in Figures 1 to 4.

The loops 1 and 3 are defined by a continuous resilient band 6 for conformity with the wearer's body form. Suitable resilient materials include stretch fabrics such as lycra.

In one embodiment, the connecting portion 5 forms part of the band 6 and is preferably defined by one part 7 of the band 6 being threaded through another 8, as shown in Figure 2. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the band 7 is threaded through a slot 9 cut out of the rear component of the front layer of the connecting portion 5, as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. The slot may also be formed by stitching the ends of a piece of material 10 to the rear component, as shown in Figure 7.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many other slot configurations could be used to form the connecting portion 5 of the body wrap, for example the embodiment shown in Figure 3.

-4- The connecting portion 5 may also be in the form of a separate sleeve of material 11 which is sleeved over the body wrap and situated between the neck and body loops 1 and 3 to define the figure-of-eight configuration, as shown in Figure 1.

In use, the wearer places the body loop 1 around their waist and stretches the neck loop 3 over their head, leaving the connecting portion 5 adjacent the sternum. The resilient nature of the material allows the body wrap to fit snugly around the wearer's neck and kidney regions to maintain warmth around these areas of the body.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated scarf is able to simultaneously provide warmth to both a wearer's neck and kidney regions.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a specific example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention can be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (4)

1. A body wrap including: a neck loop for conforming engagement with a wearer's neck; a body loop for conforming engagement with a wearer's lower back; and a connecting portion intermediate said neck and body loops to define a figure-of- eight configuration.

2. A body wrap according to claim 1 wherein said loops are defined by a continuous resilient band for conformity with said wearer's body form.

3. A body wrap according to claim 2 wherein said connecting portion forms part of said band.

4. A body wrap according to claim 3 wherein said connecting portion is defined by one part of said band being threaded through another. A body wrap substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples. DATED this 12 th day of July 2005 Shelston IP Attorneys for: Belanj Pty Ltd