CA2501745A1

CA2501745A1 - Infant's garter

Info

Publication number: CA2501745A1
Application number: CA 2501745
Authority: CA
Inventors: Jennielynn Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-21
Filing date: 2005-03-21
Publication date: 2006-09-21

Description

This invention relates to garters and more particularly to a garter having an adjustable band which is adapted to encircle an infant's thigh and a clip for removable attachment of the band to an infant's sock or stocking.
Socks or stockings worn by an infant tend to slip down the infant's legs unless they are held up in some way. An elastic band may be used for this purpose. The elastic band is opened or expanded sufl ciently so that it encircles the upper portion of the sock or stocking and then is allowed to contract into contact with the leg where it will remains in place.
Alternatively, the elastic band can be attached to a garter belt around the waist of the infant.
Whichever way the elastic band is held up, the band may cause discomfort to the infant. If the elastic band is held up by closing or contracting into contact with the leg, the band may be too tight about the leg and cause pain. If the elastic band is held up by a garter belt, the belt may dig into the infant's skin if the belt moves above or below the waist. Such movement may occur if the infant is restless and moves around in a crib.
I have invented an infant's garter that holds a sock or stocking up but without causing the infant any discomfort. The garter has a band which encircles the infant's leg and which can be adjusted to the size of the infant's thigh. Briefly, the garter of my invention comprises an adjustable band adapted to encircle an infant's thigh; and a clip for removable attachment to an infant's sock or stocking and being attached to the band.
The infant's garter of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the garter;
Figure 2 is an elevation of a clip which is part of the garter;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the garter attached to the thigh of an infant;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the clip for the garter;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the clip for the garter;
Figure SA is a fragmentary elevation of the male component of the third embodiment of the clip;
Figure 6 is another perspective view of the third embodiment of the clip;
Figure 7 is an elevation of the third embodiment of the clip in conjunction with an infant's leg; and Figure 8 is an elevation of the third embodiment of the clip together with an upper portion of a sock.
Like reference refer to like parts throughout the following detailed description of the infant's garter.
With reference to Figure 1, the infant's garter, generally 10, has a band 12 having terminal portions adjacent to each end which may be fastened together by means of Velcro. To this end one terminal portion 14 is looped while the other terminal portion 16 is burred.
By means of the Velcro fastener, the diameter of the band can be adjusted to the size of

2 the infant's leg. There are of course other means for making it possible to adjust the diameter of the band. For example, the band may have a series of apertures spaced along its length for receipt of the hinged pin of a conventional buckle.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, a clip, generally 22, has a pair of arms 24,26 each having an eyelet 28 through which the band extends. Each arm has an ear 30 which is pivotally attached to the other ear. Pivoting causes the forward ends 32 of the arms alternatively to come together and to separate i.e. to open and close. The forward ends define the jaws ofthe clip.
The rear ends 34 of the arms act as a handle for causing the jaws to open and close. A coil spring 36 extends between the handles and biases the jaws closed. Squeezing the handles together opposes the bias of the spring and causes the jaws to open.
With reference to Figure 3, the band of the infant's garter encircles the thigh 40 of a baby.
The diameter of the band is adjusted in the manner described above in order to immobilized the band on the baby's leg. The clip of the garter is attached to a stocking 42 worn by the baby.
With reference to Figure 4, the illustrated clip, generally 48, has a backing 50 which is attached to a ring 52 through which the band extends. The ring is composed of elastic material which frictionally engages the band and remains immovable on the band unless either the ring or the backing is pulled with the fingers of one hand while the band is held immovable by the fingers of the other hand. The position of the backing can then be adjusted on the band.
The backing is provided with a boss 56 and a resilient metallic or plastic loop 58. The

3 loop is pivotally connected to the backing and is movable from the illustrated open position in which it is spaced apart from the boss to a closed position in which it surrounds the boss. If a portion of the stocking is positioned between the loop and the boss while the loop is closed, the stocking will be secured to the clip.
With reference to Figures 5, SA and 6, the illustrated clip, generally 60 consists of male and female components 60a, b respectively. The male component has a flexible tab 62 to which a boss 64 is attached. The boss has a stem 64a and a rim 64b at its upper end.
The outer diameter of the rim is greater than that of the stem.
The female component 60b of the clip has a backing 66 in which a key-hole shaped slot 68 is formed. The slot has a circular upper portion 68a through which the boss may pass and a lower, elongated portion 68b through which the stem but not the rim of the boss may pass.
A strap 70 extends from the clip to a band 72. The strap has a first loop 70a at its upper end through which the band passes. The position of the strap on the band may be altered by moving the strap along the band. The strap also has a loop 70b at its lower end which passes through an opening in backing 66 and terminates at a buckle 74. By means of the buckle, the effective length of the strap may be adjusted in the usual manner.
Adjacent to the two ends of band 72, pieces of Velcro 76 are attached so that the size of the opening defined by the band may be adjusted.
With reference to Figures 7 and 8, clip 60 is attached to the upper portion of a sock 78 by

4 placing the upper sock portion adjacent to the boss of the clip, then inserting the boss and sock portion through the circular upper portion of slot 68. The boss and sock portion are then pushed downward to cause the boss to enter the lower portion of the slot where they remain. The upper sock portion is thus secured to the clip.
It will be understood, of course, that modification can be made in the garter of the invention without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. An infant's garter comprising: an adjustable band adapted to encircle an infant's thigh; and a clip for removable attachment to an infant's sock or stocking and being attached to said band.

2. The garter of claim 1 wherein said clip is movable along said band.

The garter of claim 1 further including a second said clip.

4. The garter of claim 1 wherein said clip has a pair of jaws; resilient means for biasing said jaws together in order to engage a portion of said sock or stocking therebetween and a handle for applying a force to said jaws opposed to the bias of said resilient means in order to separate said jaws for removal of said sock or stocking portion therebetween.

5. The garter of claim 1 wherein said clip is composed of a backing, a boss which extends outwardly from said backing and a resilient loop pivotally connected to said backing and movable from a sock or stocking-engaging position in which said loop surrounds said boss and engages said sock or stocking therebetween and a sock or stocking-disengaging position in which said loop is spaced apart from said boss.

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