AU2008100414A4 - Extender System - Google Patents

Description

7. M C y 2008 19:03 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 3 P/00/009 Regulation 3.2B

AUSTRALIA

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0 cN COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: EXTENDER SYSTEM The invention is described in the following statement together with the best method of performing it known to us: Our Reference: 086002 COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:03 WALLING ON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 4 2 00 o EXTENDER SYSTEM The present invention relates to articles of clothing for young children, and more particularly to one-piece garments for babies or very young children.

BACKGROUND

SSo-called "jump suits" for babies and toddlers which o0 are formed as a one-piece garment, have long been popular, Cl 10 especially for wear with nappies. Typically these garments may be in the form of a covering for the torso of the child, with fastening at the crotch by means of press-studs or other suitable fasteners. In other forms the suit may have long sleeves and legs, in which arrangement fastening may be along the torso from neck to crotch and/or along the insides of the legs.

Babies grow quickly so that a jump suit by nature of its one-piece construction, may quickly become too constricting. Inserts, for at least the opening at the crotch, are known whereby the dimension and useful life of the suit may be extended. A disadvantage of known arrangements is that they do not provide any adjustment, so that the suit may still have an unsatisfactory fit.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7.May. 2008 19:04 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 3 0oO o Notes 0 1C< I. The term comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of".

2. The above discussion of the prior art in the Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is citable prior art or 00 Spart of the of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided an adjustable extender system for a child's jump suit or similarly constructed article of clothing; said adjustable extender system including at least one extender insert provided with selectable sets of first and second attachment means; said first and second attachment means connecting a said extender insert respectively with a first portion and a second portion of an opening of said jump suit; said extender insert extending said jump suit in at least one dimension.

Preferably, said extender insert comprises a tailored cloth portion; said cloth portion provided with said first attachment means on a first side of said portion and with COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May, 2008 19:04 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 6 4- 0 said second attachment means on a second opposite side of (CN said portion.

Preferably, at least one of said selectable sets of first Sand second attachment means comprises at least two rows of said attachment means; said at least two rows allowing selection of a preferred row of said attachment means for o determining a preferred extension of said jump suit in said 00 at least one dimension.

Preferably, said attachment means comprise a row of fasteners; said row of fasteners spaced substantially in correspondence with a rows of fasteners of said jump suit; said fasteners comprising one of a group of fasteners including press-studs, buttons, hooks and eyelets, and Velcro® strips.

In another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of increasing a dimension of a child's jump suit in at least one direction; said method including the steps of: selecting at least one suitable extender insert from a range of extender inserts, connecting a first row of fasteners provided on a first side of said suitable extender insert to a corresponding row of fasteners along a first side of an opening of said jump suit, COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:04 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No 4397 P. 7 5 o selecting a second row of fasteners from at 0 (Nq least two rows of fasteners provided on an opposite second side of said suitable extender insert for connection to a corresponding row of fasteners along a second side of said opening of said jump suit.

SIn another preferred form of the invention, at least 00 first side of a jump suit opening may be provided with at 0 least two rows of fasteners; said at least two rows of fasteners allowing fastening of one row of fasteners along a second side to be selectively fastened to fasteners of one of said at least two rows of fasteners of said first side.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1A is a view of a first version of a child's one-piece jump suit fastened at the crotch to which the a first embodiment of the present invention may be applied, Figure 1B is a first arrangement of an extender insert for use with the jump suit of Figure 1A, Figure 1C is a second arrangement of an extender insert for use with the jump suit of Figure 1A, COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:04 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 8 6 oO o Figure 2A is a view of a second version of a child's Cl jump suit fastened at the front and insides of the legs, to Swhich a second embodiment of the present invention may be applied, Figure 2B is a view of an extender insert for j application to the jump suit of Figure 2A, Figure 3A is a view of a further version of a child's jump suit fastened at the insides of the legs to which a 00 Sthird embodiment of the present invention may be applied, Figure 3B is a view of an extender insert for application to the jump suit of Figure 3A.

DEFINITION

The term "jump suit" in this specification refers to a onepiece baby or toddler's garment which, in one version, is fastened at the crotch, but in other versions may be fastened at the front and along the inside of the legs, typically with press-studs or other fastening means and allowing easy dressing/undressing and ready access to a nappy for example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Preferred Embodiment With reference to Figure 1, a jump suit 10 in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, is a one-piece sleeveless and legless garment in which the front and back COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7.May. 2008 19:04 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 9 7 o portions are fastened at the crotch 12. Typically fasteners for attaching the opposing edges of the suit at the crotch are press-studs, such as are well known in the industry.

One half of a press-stud is a male portion and the other half a female portion, each attached to the fabric of the garment in such a way the two halves of a stud may be o- brought into engagement and so fasten the opposing edges of the garment together.

00 O The invention provides at least one form of suitable extender insert 20 such as shown in Figure IA. In this instance the extender insert 20 is a generally oblong piece of tailored cloth 22, formed into a pad, preferably with selvedge. The width may be provided in a range of sizes to suit the range of jump suits generally available, with preferably approximately two thirds of the length One end of extender insert 20 is provided with a single row of "half" press-studs 24, which may be either the male or female halves of press-studs. The other end of the extender insert 20 is provided with at least two, preferably three or more rows of "half" press-studs 26, which will be either female or male halves of press-studs.

Thus if row 24 is comprised of male halves, rows 26 will be of female halves.

The spacing of the press-stud halves 24 and 26 across the width is substantially similar to the typical spacing of press-studs at the crotch of the type of COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7-Vay. 2008 19:05 7. Wy. 203 1:05 ALI NGBTN-DLMMER N.49 .1 No. 4397 P. o0 jumpsuit 10 of Figure 1A. It is thus possible to attach the Cl row 24 of press-stud halves to the corresponding press-stud halves of say the rear portion of jump suit 10, and one of the rows 26 to the corresponding press-stud halves of the S front portion of the jump suit. Thus the extender insert substantially extends the length of the suit from neck 14 to crotch 12 as indicated by the dashed outline in Figure 1A, The two, or preferably three rows 26 allow a user to 00 select that row which provides a best fit for the wearer.

Second Preferred Embodiment With refeorence now to Figures 2A and 2b, in a second preferred embodiment of the invention, an extender insert is provided for a jump suit 40. Jump suit 40 in this instance is again of one piece but provided with at least leg portion 42, and is fastened together for wear by fastener:s 43 from neck 44 to crotch 46 of the torso and along the insides 48 of leg portions 42.

Extender insert 50 in this embodiment comprises a tailored, preferably selveged cloth strip 52 corresponding in length to that of the jump suit from neck 44 to crotch 46, and leg portions 54. As for the first embodiment described above, extender insert 50 is provided with male and female press-stud halves. For the upper strip 52, male press-stud halves are arranged along one edge of the strip 52 and female press-stud halves along the opposite edge.

OOMS ID No: AROS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:05 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 11 9 00 0 0 The leg portions are similarly arranged; each leg C' portion having male press-stud halves along one edge of a leg portion and female press-stud halves along the opposite edge. Preferably there may be two rows of press-stud halves along one edge of upper strip 52 and along one edge of each of leg portions 44 (not shown).

The extender insert 50 may, by means of the fasteners provided, be connected to the fastener halves of first 00 Sedges of the torso and leg portions, and corresponding fasteners along the second edges of the torso and leg portions. Optionally, the extender insert 50 may be provided with more than one row of fasteners (not shown) along respective edges of strip 52 and leg portions 54, allowing an appropriate row to be chosen to suit the size of the wearer.

Third Preferred Embodiment In this third preferred embodiment with reference now to Figures 3A and 3B, in this embodiment of a jumpsuit to which the present invention may be applied, comprises again a one-piece article of clothing for a baby in which the fastening is arranged along the insides 62 of the legs 64.

In this embodiment, an extender insert 70 is provided which has rows of press-studs 72 arranged along opposing sides of the strip of material 74. As in the previous embodiments described above, press-studs along opposing COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:05 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No, 4397 P. 12 10 00 o edges are arranged respectively with female press-stud Cl halves arranged on one side of the material 74 and male press-stud halves at the opposite second side of the material 74.

As with the first and second preferred embodiments, more than one row of either male or female press-stud halves may be provided so that a selection may be made of that row providing the most appropriate fit.

00 0 Fourth Preferred Embodiment With reference now to Figure 4, in a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention, a jump suit 100 in one example, opens along the torso 110 and legs 112 and 114. In a first instance, a single row 116 of press-stud halves is arranged along one edge of the opening along torso 110 and leg 112. This row 116 of press-stud halves may be male or female halves but their operative side (projecting male stud or female recess) is located on the inside of the jump suit fabric.

The opposite side of the jump suit opening along the torso portion 110, is provided with at least two, preferably three rows 120 of press-stud halves, complementary to row 116 of press stud-halves. Rows 120 have the operative sides of the press-stud halves located on the outside of the jump suit fabric.

The opposite side of the opening along leg 112 is likewise provided with at least two, preferably three rows COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:05 WALLINGTON-DLMMER No. 4397 P. 13 11 o0 122 of press-stud halves, complementary to the single row C'l 116. These rows 122 of press-stud halves have their operative sides located on the outside of the material of leg 112.

A similar arrangement is provided for leg 114. Along that side of the leg opening continuous from the opening at the torso 110, is provided at single row 124 of press-stud halves, with their operative sides located on the inside of 00 the material of leg 114. The opposite edge of the opening of leg 114 is provided with at least two, preferably three rows 126 of press-stud halves which, similarly to leg 112, have their operative sides located on the outside of the jump suit material.

In Use The extender system of the present invention provides a jump suit type one-piece garment with greater flexibility to suit different sizes of babies as well as potentially extending the useful life of this type of garment.

The extender portions of the present invention may be provided singly, or in packaged sets of, for example, three extender inserts. Thus in the case of inadvertent soiling of an extender insert in use, it may be readily replaced without the need to change the whole garment.

In the case of the Fourth Preferred Embodiment, the jump suit may be readily adjusted in size as a baby or COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7. May. 2008 19:05 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No, 4397 P. 14 12 00 o toddler grows by selecting an appropriate one of the rows 0C of fasteners for closure of the jump suit opening/s.

While the description of the invention has focused on press-studs as the means of fastening, it will be understood that the principles of an extender insert, or that of selectable rows along a jump suit opening, may use other fastening means, such as for example, buttons, hooks and eyelets or Velcro® strips.

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The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07

Claims (1)

1. 7. May. 2008 19:06 WALLINGTON-DLMMER No. 4397 P. 13 00 o CLAIMS (Cl i. An adjustable extender system for a child's jump suit or similarly constructed article of clothing; said adjustable extender system including at least one 0 extender insert provided with selectable sets of first and second attachment means; said first and second attachment means connecting a said extender insert respectively with a first portion and a second portion 00 O of an opening of said jump suit; said extender insert extending said jump suit in at least one dimension. 2. The extender system of claim 1 wherein said extender insert comprises a tailored cloth portion; said cloth portion provided with said first attachment means on a first side of said portion and with said second attachment means on a second opposite side of said portion. 3. The extender system of claim 1 or 2 wherein at least one of said selectable sets of first and second attachment means comprises at least two rows of said attachment means; said at least two rows allowing selection of a preferred row of said attachment means for determining a preferred extension of said jump suit in said at least one dimension. COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07 7.May. 2008 19:06 WALLINGTON-DUMMER No. 4397 P. 16 14 o 4. The extender system of any one of claims 1 to 3 C( wherein said attachment means comprise rows of fasteners; said rows of fasteners spaced substantially in correspondence with rows of fasteners of said jump suit; said fasteners comprising one of a group of Sfasteners including press-studs, buttons, hooks and Seyelets, and Velcro® strips. 00 5. A method of increasing a dimension of a child's jump o suit in at least one direction; said method including the steps of: selecting at least one suitable extender insert from a range of extender inserts, connecting a first row of fasteners provided on a first side of said suitable extender insert to a corresponding row of fasteners along a first side of an opening of said jump suit, selecting a second row of fasteners from at least two rows of fasteners provided on an opposite second side of said suitable extender insert for connection to a corresponding row of fasteners along a second side of said opening of said jump suit. COMS ID No: ARCS-189685 Received by IP Australia: Time 19:09 Date 2008-05-07