EP1878352A2

EP1878352A2 - Socks with mark for pairing.

Info

Publication number: EP1878352A2
Application number: EP07112481A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lucio Mita
Original assignee: Ubi Srl
Current assignee: Ubi Srl
Priority date: 2006-07-14
Filing date: 2007-07-13
Publication date: 2008-01-16
Also published as: ITVI20060220A1; EP1878352A3

Abstract

The invention concerns a mark (3; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) for pairing a pair of socks (1, 2; 10, 20; 30, 40; 50, 60; 70, 80; 90, 100). It consists of a portion of fabric, combined with each sock of the pair of socks, having the same colour for each sock of the pair of socks, but different from the colour constituting the background of the pair of socks. The invention also concerns pairs of socks provided with said mark.

Description

The present invention concerns a mark for pairing pairs of socks, generally having the same colour, and socks bearing said mark.
It often happens that pairs of socks, especially but not exclusively men's socks, short or long, have similar colours so that a sock can be confused and paired with another similar but not identical one.
For example, a blue sock can be paired, after washing and during ironing, with a black sock.
In the same way, a light grey sock can be paired with a sock of similar colour, especially when a person is in a rush to get dressed and hurriedly opens the drawer without paying attention to what he/she picks out.
Distinguishing between socks of similar colours, whether light or dark, becomes especially difficult when they are put on in conditions of poor light.
The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.
The main object of the present invention is to mark pairs of socks of the same colour using a different colour from that of the sock, so that the mark stands out from the colour of the sock and therefore prevents incorrect pairing, or confusion with socks of similar colours.
A further object of the present invention is to provide marks in pairs of socks produced by machines of the so-called "twin cylinder" type, well known in the sector, which do not permit the production of embroidered motifs that could act as marks.
A further object of the present invention is to mark pairs of socks with different marks, not only according to colour but also according to manufacturing origin or size.
The above-mentioned objects are achieved by the production of a mark for pairs of socks in accordance with the contents of the first claim.
Advantageously, the mark for pairs of socks of the invention can have different shapes and positions.
In one embodiment of the invention, the mark consists of at least one strip of colour markedly different from the colour of the sock.
Said at least one strip can be positioned on the toe of the sock or in an area which is not visible when the sock is covered by the shoe worn, for example on the bottom of the foot.
In another embodiment of the invention, a specific area of the sock can take on a colour which is markedly different and therefore recognisable with respect to the colour of the sock.
For example, the toe of the sock can be white or red for a blue or black sock.
Another area that can be marked with a different colour is the heel area, if the sock is worn with closed shoes.
As mentioned, the mark on the pairs of socks can be used not only to distinguish similar colours but also to indicate the manufacturing origin.
In the latter case, a particular manufacturer can be assigned a certain mark with different shape and colour.
For example, manufacturer A can be assigned a mark in the form of a straight strip, manufacturer B a curved or sinusoidal strip and for manufacturer C, the toe of the sock may be marked in a different colour from that of the pair of socks.
In other words, the customer can assign each manufacturer a mark of a specific colour and shape, so that the pairs of socks produced by one supplier cannot be confused with those of another, even though they have the same background colour.
The mark according to the invention can also be used to distinguish not only socks with identical or similar colours but also socks of the same colour but different size.
This solution avoids confusion between two socks of the same colour but different size, especially for very similar sizes.
It often happens that, after washing, the larger-sized sock becomes shorter so that it can be confused with the corresponding smaller-sized sock.
Advantageously, the mark for socks according to the invention also allows the customer to draw up a table which combines the background of a pair of socks of a certain colour with the relative mark which will be a different colour and shape and/or in a different position according to the manufacturer to whom the order is assigned.
Again advantageously, it can be observed that the mark according to the invention could be extensively used not only in families but also in community facilities such as colleges, religious institutes or homes for the elderly, where many people live together and where the personnel who work in the laundries and ironing rooms have to sort a considerable number of garments for each person, including socks with evident and recurrent risk of confusion.
Furthermore, preferably but not exclusively, the invention can be applied in socks produced by machines of the "twin cylinder" type with which it is known to be impossible to produce any sort of embroidered element that could act as a distinguishing mark.
The above-mentioned objects and advantages will be better illustrated by the description of preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a pair of socks bearing the mark of the invention on the toe;
Figure 2 shows a variant of the pair of socks of Figure 1 bearing the mark of the invention on the heel;
Figure 3 shows a variant of the pair of socks of Figure 1 bearing the mark of the invention laterally to the area of the sole of the foot;
Figure 4 shows a variant of the socks of Figure 1 bearing the mark of the invention which covers the entire toe of the sock.

In the following description, "background" of a pair of socks indicates the uniform colour of the socks themselves as opposed to the colour of the mark which is different from the uniform colour, or "background", of the pair of socks.
Figure 1 shows a pair of socks, indicated by 1 and 2 respectively, having an identical colour, for example blue.
On the toes, 11 and 21 respectively, of the socks 1 and 2, there is a strip of colour that acts as a mark, indicated by 3, which in the case of the example is white and is woven together with the sock.
In a different embodiment of the invention, the strip, in a different colour from that of the sock, instead of being woven together, can be applied to the sock, for example by stitching of the strip to the sock or with adhesives or similar fixing means.
Naturally, weaving is the preferred embodiment, since in this way the mark 3 cannot be lost.
Figure 2 shows a variant of the invention where the mark, now indicated by 31, is positioned in any area of the background of the pair of socks now indicated by 10 and 20, for example in areas 12 and 13 corresponding to the heel, as can be clearly seen in Figure 2.
The mark of the invention can also be positioned below the sole of the foot or at the side of the same, as can be seen in socks 30 and 40 of Figure 3, where it is indicated by reference number 32.
In another embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 4, the mark of the invention, indicated now by 33, consists of a different toe colour for the entire sock or for part of it, 50 and 60.
Naturally, both the toes 33 of the pair of socks 50 and 60 will have the same colour, but this will be different from that of the background of the pair of socks 50 and 60.
It can be seen that the toe areas 33 can be in a plain colour or patterned, for example striped, and this serves also to identify the manufacturing source of the sock.
A further variant of the invention is shown in Figure 5, where the mark 34 of the invention is positioned on the edge of each sock of the pair of socks now indicated by 70 and 80, respectively.
Another variant of the invention is shown in Figure 6, where it can be seen that the mark 35, which is a portion of fabric of different colour from the background colour of the pair of socks 90 and 100, has a geometrical form, in this case a lozenge, and is positioned on the part of the sock that covers part of the leg.
All the variants of the invention can advantageously apply to socks manufactured by "twin cylinder" type machines which, although structurally they do not permit the production of embroidered motifs, are nevertheless suitable for providing colour variations by means of stripes in various sizes on the toe, heel or edge of the sock in a different colour from that of the background.
In practice, when the order is placed, in addition to specifying quantities, sizes and colours of the pairs of socks ordered, the customer will indicate, for example by means of a table, the mark required for each colour ordered, in terms of both colour and shape, to distinguish each pair of socks.
In this way, each manufacturer can be assigned a mark, the colour and shape of which will always identify the manufacturing source, even after the socks have been put on sale and removed from the original packaging in which they were delivered to the customer.
It should be noted that, in particular when the marks take the form of a strip of colour, they can be woven or glued as mentioned previously, or they can be sewn in the chosen area so as to be permanently combined with the pair of socks to be marked.
From the above description, it is clear that the mark carried out according to the invention achieves the pre-established objects.
The object of marking a pair of socks of the same colour using an unambiguous colour that prevents incorrect pairing due to confusion with socks having similar colours is achieved.
The object of identifying socks having background of the same colour but originating from different supplier firms is also achieved.
The object of identifying pairs of socks of the same colour but different sizes is also achieved.
In practice variations can be made to the mark of the invention, in particular as regards the colour and positioning of the mark.
The above-mentioned variations must be considered protected by the present patent, provided that they fall within the scope of the following claims.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference sings have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

Mark (3; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) for a pair of socks (1, 2; 10, 20; 30, 40; 50, 60; 70, 80; 90, 100), characterised in that it consists of at least one portion of fabric, combined with each sock of said pair of socks, having the same colour for each sock of said pair of socks, but different from the colour constituting the background of said pair of socks.
Mark (3; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) according to claim 1), characterised in that said at least one portion of fabric consists of at least one strip of fabric.
Mark (3) according to claim 2), characterised in that said at least one strip of fabric is located near the toe (11, 21) of said socks (1, 2).
Mark (31) according to claim 2), characterised in that said at least one strip of fabric is located near the heel of said socks (10, 20).
Mark (32) according to claim 2), characterised in that said at least one strip of fabric is located near the sole of the foot of said socks (30, 40).
Mark (34) according to claim 2), characterised in that said at least one strip of fabric is located near the edge of each sock (70, 80).
Mark (35) according to claim 2), characterised in that said at least one strip of fabric is located on the part of the sock (90, 100) that covers the leg.
Mark (33) according to claim 1), characterised in that said at least one portion of fabric consists of the toe of said socks (50, 60) or part of it.
Sock produced by machines of the "twin cylinder" type, characterised in that it features a mark according to any one of the claims from 1) to 8).
Mark (3; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) according to any one of the claims from 1) to 8), characterised in that said at least one portion of fabric is combined with said pair of socks by means of weaving.
Mark (3; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) according to any one of the claims from 1) to 8), characterised in that said at least one portion of fabric is combined with said pair of socks by stitching.
Mark (3; 31; 32; 33; 34; 35) according to any one of the claims from 1) to 8), characterised in that said at least one portion of fabric is combined with said pair of socks by gluing.