GB2327856A

GB2327856A - A pair of interconnectable socks

Info

Publication number: GB2327856A
Application number: GB9716368A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Iris Whyte
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-01
Filing date: 1997-08-01
Publication date: 1999-02-10
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-01
Also published as: GB2327856B; GB9716368D0

Abstract

A pair of socks (2) comprises a press fastener for securing the pair of socks (2) together, the press fastener having a first part (4) on one of the socks (2) and a second part (6) on the other of the socks (2). The fastener parts may be disposed on the inside of the socks which are turned over (at 14) to make the connection. A name tag may be attached by one of the parts.

Description

A PAIR OF SOCKS This invention relates to a pair of socks.

Most people wear socks and most people have at one time or another been aggravated by an accumulation of odd socks caused by socks not being properly paired with each other. It is known to place socks in a mesh bag prior to washing the socks in a washing machine. The mesh bag keeps the socks together but, in the case of two or more pairs of socks, the socks can still be mispaired after washing. An improvement on the mesh bag is a plastics device having a pair of apertures, each aperture having sprung fingers for gripping a sock.

Thus each plastics device is able to grip a pair of socks and the pair of socks can thus be washed and dried together. Both the mesh bag and the plastics device tend to be kept in one place, for example adjacent a linen basket for receiving dirty linen, or adjacent a washing machine. The result is that the mesh bag and the plastics device are very rarely readily available where a person takes off his or her socks, this usually being in a bedroom. Even if the mesh bag or the plastics device is kept in a bedroom, it is very unlikely that the person taking off their socks will be doing so adjacent the mesh bag or the plastics device.

It generally becomes too much trouble to get the mesh bag or the plastics device and so the socks become separated. Also, whenever a person changes their clothes for sports games and the like, socks are separated and often one is lost.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a pair of socks comprising a press fastener for securing the pair of socks together, the press fastener having a first part on one of the socks and a second part on the other of the socks.

With the pair of socks of the present invention, it is only necessary for a person who has just taken the socks off to secure them together using the press fastener. The pair of socks can then remain together for washing and drying. When it is desired to wear the pair of socks again, it simply necessary to undo the press fastener. Problems of lost socks or mis-matched socks are thus avoided. There is no need to go and look for the above mentioned mesh bag or plastics device because the press fastener forms part of the pair of socks. Thus, wherever the socks are taken off, the press fastener will always be available. All the person has to do is to remember to press the first and the second parts of the press fastener together. The person is unlikely to forget to do this because the advantage of avoiding lost and misplaced socks is so great. Also the socks are advantageous for visually impaired persons and for locating socks from a drawer in a darkened room.

Preferably, the press fastener is positioned on the parts of the socks that face inwardly during use. The press fastener is then less visible than it would be if it were positioned on parts of the socks that face outwardly. However, if desired, the press fastener can be positioned at any suitable position on the socks.

Preferably, the press fastener is positioned in the upper part of the rib part of the socks. More preferably, the press fastener is positioned 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) from a free end of the rib part of the socks.

This positioning of the press fastener enables a person easily to get their fingers in the top of both socks and the put their thumb nail between the first and the second parts of the press fastener in order to open the press fastener. This avoids too much pulling on the material of the socks, thereby avoiding forming holes in the socks around the press fastener due to excessive pulling forces.

Advantageously, the press fastener is an allergyfree press fastener. There is then no risk of the press fastener irritating the skin of people wearing the pair of socks.

The press fastener may be made of a plastics material or of a metal. Any suitable and appropriate plastics materials and metals may be employed. Thus, for example, the metal may be brass. Press fasteners made of a plastics material are preferred since they do not stretch the material of the socks as much as press fasteners made of a metal.

The press fastener will normally be manufactured to be such as to be suitable for use with stretch fabric.

There are various types of known press fasteners and the pair of socks of the present invention preferably employs one of those press fasteners that are specifically designed to be suitable for use with stretch fabric. When the press fastener is such that it is designed to be suitable for use with stretch fabric, then the press fastener will usually be such that it is able to be pulled apart with a force which does not tear the socks. An example of one suitable press fastener is a Dura P3 Soft Snap press fastener.

The press fastener may be a ring prong or capped prong press fastener. There may be one prong or more than one prong, for example four prongs, for each fastener.

The pair of socks may include a name tag, the name tag being secured in position by the first or the second part of the press fastener. The name tag may have a specific name already printed on it or, more usually, the name tag will be blank for enabling the name of the owner of the socks to be provided on the name tag. Such name tags are especially useful for elderly persons in care homes and for all school children, and especially those school children at boarding schools.

Usually, the name tag will be so secured in position that it will be on the inside of one of the socks. The name tag will then not normally be visible when the pair of socks is being worn. If desired however the name tag may be secured in position on the outside of one of the socks.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a pair of socks of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross section through part of the pair of socks shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows in detail a first type of press fastener; Figure 4 shows in detail a second type of press fastener; Figure 5 shows in detail a third type of press fastener; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth type of press fastener; Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth type of press fastener; Figure 8 shows a sock including a name tag; and Figures 9 and 10 show how two different types of press fasteners fit together and to sock material.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a pair of socks 2. One sock 2 has a first part 4 of a press fastener and the other sock 2 has a second part 6 of a press fastener. The first and the second parts 4, 6 form a press fastener 8. The first part 4 is the male part of the press fastener 8 and the second part 6 is the female part of the press fastener 8.

The pair of socks 2 shown in Figure 1 each comprise a foot part 10, an ankle part 12 and a rib part 14. The first and the second parts 4, 6 of the press fastener 8 are positioned on parts of the socks 2 that face inwardly during use of the socks 2. The press fastener 8 is then hardly visible when the socks 2 are being worn. This is especially so if the press fastener 8 is the same colour as the socks.

The first and the second parts 4, 6 of the press fastener 8 are also positioned in the upper half of each rib part 14 and, more specifically, approximately 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) from a free end 16 of the socks 2. This facilitates easy undoing of the press fastener 8.

The press fastener 8 is an allergy-free press fastener which has been specifically manufactured to be suitable for use on the stretch fabric of the socks 2.

The press fastener 8 is such that the first and the second parts 4, 6 can be pulled apart with a force which does not unduly tend to tear the socks 2. Still further, the first and the second parts 4, 6 of the press fastener 8 are such that they are not too large so that they are not easily noticed or felt when the socks 2 are being worn.

Figure 2 illustrates how the first and the second parts 4, 6 are secured together to inner facing sides 18 of the socks 2. More specifically, the first part 4 has two sub-parts 20, 22. Similarly, the second part 6 has two sub-parts 24, 26. The sub-part 20 pushes through one side 18 and connects to the sub-part 22 to lock the two sub-parts 20, 22 in position on the side 18 of the sock 2. Similarly, the sub-part 24 pushes through the other side 18 of the sock 2 and into the sub-part 26 to lock the two sub-parts 24, 26 in position on the side 18 of the sock 2. The first and the second parts 4, 6 then press together to fasten the two socks 2 together. The first or the second part 4, 6 can be a male part with the other part being a female part.

Figure 3 shows the four parts 20, 22, 24, 26 of a first single prong type of press fastener 8. Figure 4 shows the parts 20, 22, 24, 26 of a second press fastener 8.

Figure 5 shows the parts 20, 22, 24, 26 of a four prong type of press fastener 8.

Figure 6 is an exploded view of a capped prong press fastener 8. The capped prong press fastener 8 shown in Figure 6 comprises a capped prong sub-part 24 which passes through the side of a sock and which connects to and captivates a socket sub-part 26. A prong ring sub-part 20 passes through the side of another sock to engage and captivate a stud sub-part 22.

Figure 7 shows a press fastener 8 similar to that shown in Figure 6 except that the capped prong sub-part 24 has been replaced by a prong ring sub-part 24.

Figure 8 shows a sock 2 which is like the left hand sock 2 shown in Figure 1 except that the first part 4 of the press fastener 8 is used to secure a name tag 28 in position on the rib part 14 of the sock 2. The name tag 28 is shown blank so that it can have the name of its owner written on it. The name tag 28 is secured to the inside of the sock 2 so that the name tag 28 does not normally show when the sock 2 is being worn. In Figure 8, the rib part 14 of the sock 2 has been turned down in order to show the name tag 28.

Figures 9 and 10 show the different parts of two press fasteners 8 and how they fit together on the sides 18 of a pair of socks. Similar parts as in previous Figures have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

It will be appreciated that the pair of socks as shown in the drawings can easily be connected together when they have been taken off so that they can then be washed and dried together. The pair of socks can always be kept together until such time as they are ready for re-use. The problems of lost socks or mis-paired socks are thus avoided. Socks can be kept together in pairs in a flat condition and there is no need to roll the tops of pairs of socks together in order to keep the pairs of socks together.

Claims

CLAINS

1. A pair of socks comprising a press fastener for securing the pair of socks together, the press fastener having a first part on one of the socks and a second part on the other of the socks.

2. A pair of socks according to claim 1 in which the press fastener is positioned on parts of the socks that face inwardly during use.

3. A pair of socks according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the socks each comprise a foot part, an ankle part, and a rib part, and in which the press fastener is positioned in the rib part of the socks.

4. A pair of socks according to claim 3 in which the press fastener is positioned in the upper half of the rib part of the socks.

5. A pair of socks according to claim 4 in which the press fastener is positioned 0.5 inch (1.27 cm) from a free end of the rib part of the socks.

6. A pair of socks according to any one of the preceding claims in which the press fastener is an allergy-free press fastener.

7. A pair of socks according to any one of the preceding claims in which the press fastener is made of a plastics material.

8. A pair of socks according to any one of claims 1-6 in.which the press fastener is made of a metal.

9. A pair of socks according to any one of the preceding claims in which the press fastener is manufactured such as to be suitable for use with stretch fabric.

10. A pair of socks according to claim 9 in which the press fastener is such that it is able to be pulled apart with a force which does not tear the socks.

11. A pair of socks according to claim 9 or claim 10 in which the press fastener is a ring prong press fastener or a capped prong press fastener.

12. A pair of socks according to claim 11 in which the press fastener has one prong or more than one prong.

13. A pair of socks according to any one of the preceding claims and including a name tag, the name tag being secured in position by the first or the second part of the press fastener.

14. A pair of socks according to claim 13 in which the name tag is on the inside of one of the socks.

15. A pair of socks substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.