GB2219187A

GB2219187A - Article for wear

Info

Publication number: GB2219187A
Application number: GB8806622A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sacha Marie Zubrisky
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-03-21
Filing date: 1988-03-21
Publication date: 1989-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-21
Also published as: GB2219187B; GB8806622D0

Abstract

An article for wear comprises a strap 1 for covering an area of skin of the body to screen said area from the sun's rays, and apertures 7 each in the shape of a letter, formed in the strap 1 such that skin exposed by the apertures 7 can become tanned by the sun's rays to form the shapes of the letters on the skin. The article may be a wrist strap, bracelet, head-band or belt. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ARTICLE FOR WEAR The present invention relates to an article for wear and in particular to such articles in the form of wrist straps, bracelets, head-bands, belts, etc.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in an article for wear including means for covering an area of skin of the body to screen said area from the sun's rays, and one or more apertures formed in said covering means in the shape of at least one letter, such that skin exposed by said apertures can become tanned by the sun 5 rays to form the shape of the letter or letters on the skin.

The covering means may include a flexible strip of material for example, a fabric, leather or a plastics material, which may be transparent and/or coloured. In another example, the covering means is made of metal which may be a precious or semi-precious metal for example silver or gold, so that the accessory forms a piece of jewellery.

In a preferred embodiment, the article includes means for securing the covering means around a part of the body, for example a wrist. The securing means may be, for example, a buckle, a tie, or a clasp.

A plurality of apertures is preferably provided, with each aperture being in the shape of a letter, which together form a word, for example a name of a person. Advantageously, the apertures are formed by cutting or punching out the required shapes from the covering means. Alternatively, the covering means including the apertures may be formed by moulding.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a plain view of an article for wear, in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view thereof; Figure 3 shows the article secured around a wrist, and Figure 4 shows schematically apparatus suitable for manufacturing the article.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the article consists of a strap 1 of a flexible plastics material, which can be transparent and/or coloured. A buckle 2 is attached to one end 3 of the strap and a line of holes 4 for use with the buckle are formed in other end 5 of the strap to enable the strap to be secured around wrists of different sizes. The strap 1 also has a loop 6 for retaining the strap end 5 when the strap is secured around a wrist.

A number of apertures 7 are cut or punched out of a middle portion of the plastics strap 1. Each of these apertures 7 are in the shape of a letter of the alphabet and together the letters form a word, which could be, for example, the name of the person wearing the strap or of another person.

When worn on a wrist, the plastics material of the strap covers an area of skin to screen it from the sun's rays and thereby prevent the covered skin from becoming tanned. however, skin which is exposed by the apertures 7 is allowed to be tanned, so that when the strap is removed from the wrist the letters are formed on the skin by the contrast in colour between the tanned and untanned areas, in similar manner to a stencil or tattoo.

Figure 4 shows apparatus, which is suitable for manufacturing the strap, as shown in Figures 1 to 3. The apparatus includes a wooden block 8 having a strap holder 9, which is preferably a steel plate of the same width as the strap from which the apertures 7 are to be cut. A press 10 is provided with a slot 11, into which steel blocks 12 can be inserted.

Each steel block 12 is provided with a razor sharp cutting edge 13, which is upstanding from one of its faces and is in the shape of a letter. As can be seen from Figure 4, the blocks can be inserted in the slot 11 to form the word required to be cut into the strap. The press 10 is then pressed onto the strap in the strap holder 9 so that the cutting edges of the block 12 punch out the apertures 7 in the plastics material of the strap.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be understood that various modifications may be envisaged without departure from the present invention.

Claims

1. An article for wear includ-ing means for covering an area of skin of the body to screen said area from the sun's rays, and at least one aperture formed in said covering means in the shape of at least one letter such that skin exposed by said at least one aperture can become tanned by the sun's rays to form the shape of the letter or letters on the skin.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering means includes a flexible strip of material.

3. An article as claimed in claim 2, wherein the material is fabric, leather, or plastics.

4. An article as claimed in claim 3, wherein the the plastics material is transparent and/or coloured.

5. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the covering means is made of metal.

6. An article as claimed in claim 5, wherein the metal is a precious or semi-precious metal.

7. An article as claimed in claim 6, wherein the precious metal is silver or gold.

8. An article as claimed in claim 6 or 7 and forming a piece of jewellery.

9. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 and including means for securing the covering means around a part of the body for example a wrist.

10. An article as claimed in claim 9, wherein the securing means is a buckle, a tie, or a clasp.

11. An article as claimed in any one of claims to 10, wherein a plurality of apertures is provided, with each aperture being in the shape of a letter, which together form a word.

12. An article as claimed in claim 11, wherein the word is a name of a person.

13. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the or each aperture is formed by cutting or punching out the required shape from the covering means.

14. An article as claimed in any one of claims to 12 wherein the covering means including the or each aperture is formed by moulding.

15. An article for wear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of forming the shape of at least one letter on the skin of a body, said method comprising, providing an article of wear having means for covering an area of skin of the body to screen said area from the sun's rays, forming at least one aperture in said covering means in the shape of at least one letter, wearing the article with the covering means over the said area of skin such that skin exposed to the sun's rays by said at least one aperture is tanned to form the shape of said at least one letter on the skin.