GB2372933A - Decorative band for wearing on the abdomen - Google Patents

Abstract

A band for wearing on the abdomen comprises a central element 1 which may overlie the navel and two arms 2A,B which are pivoted to opposite sides of the central element so as to extend round the sides of the wearer's body. The element 1 may be in the form of a simple eye shape or a variety of designs and it may be either detachable from the arms or formed in two parts to enable the design to be changed. The arms may be deformed to fit the wearer's body and their distal ends may be joined by a latch.

Description

Eye Band This invention relates to a novel clothing accessory in the form of an eye band suitable for wearing around the abdomen and across the stomach.

In recent years there has been an increasing focus in the clothing and fashion industry on the stomach with the use of stomach and particularly navel exposing clothing becoming relatively common. It has also become relatively common to adorn or ornament the navel or stomach using navel rings, pins and similar body piercings but the popularity of these is limited because many people regard them as unacceptable for various reasons such as medical risks, pain, their permanence and social stigma.

Accordingly, there is a requirement for a means of temporary and removably adorning or ornamenting the navel, stomach and waist area of the body.

This invention was made in an attempt to fulfill this requirement.

This invention provides a band suitable for wearing around a users abdomen and comprising a central eye pivotally connected to two arms, one arm being on each side of the eye.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic figures in which: Figure 1 shows the general arrangement of an eye band according to the invention; Figures 2a and 2b show first and second eye band designs according to the invention ; Figures 3a and 3b show the first and third eye band designs according to the invention when worn ; Figures 4a to 4e show alternative band arm designs suitable for use in the invention; and Figure 5 shows a number of possible eye designs suitable for use in the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1 the general arrangement of an eye band according to the invention comprises a central eye portion 1 and two rigid arms 2a and 2b pivotally attached to opposite sides of the eye 1 by hinges 3a and 3b.

The arms 2a and 2b are curved so that in use the band can be secured around the abdomen of the wearer by the arms 2a and 2b passing around respective sides of the wearers abdomen.

In a preferred arrangement the hinges 3a and 3b are selectively releasable hinges so that the arms 2a and 2b can be controllably attached to and detached from the eye 1. This allows a range of different eyes 1 to be attached to the arms 2a and 2b to produce a number of eye bands having a different appearance.

It is not essential that the arms 2a and 2b and eye I are detachable from one another to allow such substitution, but the capacity to change the overall appearance of the band by changing the eye 1 without having to replace the entire band will greatly reduce the cost to the user of building up a range of possible bands for wear so the ability to attach different eyes 1 to the arms 2a and 2b is highly advantageous.

As an alternative to having the entire eye 1 detachable from the arms 2a and 2b by releasable hinges 3a and 3b the eye 1 could be made as a two part element having a first eye base section permanently linked by hinges to the arms 2a and 2b and a second eye upper section arranged to be releasably attached to the base section.

This second embodiment would allow a range of different eyes to be attached and detached to provide a range of different bands similarly to the first embodiment. However, the first described embodiment is preferred because it is difficult to produce a two-part eye having a base part and a detachable upper part without the bulk and thickness of the eye becoming so great as to be uncomfortable for the wearer or having an aesthetically unacceptable appearance.

In order to retain the band around the users abdomen the arms 2a and 2b are bent to substantially match the general shape of the human abdomen and the hinges 3a and 3b are arranged to resist opening out of the arms 2a and 2b away from one another so that the band cannot become detached from the wearer in use.

Two possible arrangements of the hinges 3a and 3b to resist opening out of the arms 2a and 2b are firstly for the hinges 3a and 3b to be spring loaded to load the arms 2a and 2b towards one another. Secondly, the hinges 3a and 3b could incorporate friction elements resisting pivotal movement of the arms 2a and 2b relative to the eye 1 so that once the user puts on the band and closes the arms into contact with their abdomen the arms 2a and 2b tend to remain in a fixed position relative to one another and the eye 1 and so retain the band on the user. The skilled person will be readily able to devise suitable spring and friction hinge arrangements so these will not be described in detail here.

In the above description the arms 2a and 2b are curved to match the general shape of the human abdomen. It is preferred that the arms 2a and 2b should be dimensioned and formed of suitable materials such that the arms can be plastically deformed without breakage by application of manual pressure by a normal user so that the user can bend the arms 2a and 2b to match their own body shape. This will provide a better fit between the band and the users body which will assist in retaining the band on the users body and will normally be regarded as more attractive in appearance.

One suitable arm structure allowing such plastic deformation is for the arms 2a and 2b to be formed by a structural frame of coated or painted steel wires together with a plastics sheet interconnecting and extending from the wires to provide a more visually interesting profile or shape for the arms 2a and 2b.

In order to ensure that the eye band is securely retained around the users abdomen a latch may be provided between the distal ends of the arms 2a and 2b remote from the eye 1.

This latch may be of any suitable type.

Referring to Figure 2a a first proposed eye band design is shown comprising a central eye 1 1 in the shape of three nested crescents connected to a pair of wave shaped arms 12a and 12b. In Figure 2a the central eye 11 and arms 12 are shown separated.

In Figure 2b a second proposed eye design is shown comprising a central eye 21 in the form of a star within a ring together with a pair of substantially straight arms 22a and 22b.

Figure 3a shows the first eye band designs of Figure 2a when worn in place around a users abdomen.

In Figure 3b a third proposed eye band design is shown with a central eye 31 in the form of a hollow ring and the same straight arms 22a and 22b as the second design.

In Figures 3a and 3b the band is worn so that the eye lies over the users navel.

It is expected that users will normally wish to wear the band so that the eye overlies the navel for aesthetic reasons but this is not essential and the position of the eye on the user can be varied by the selection of suitably shaped arms.

A number of possible arm designs are shown in Figures 4a to 4e. It should be understood that all of the illustrated arms are intended to perform functionally as the arms 2a and 2b described above with reference to Figure 1. The different arm shapes illustrated are intended primarily to alter the band appearance. However, it is expected that individual users will find that particular shapes of band are particularly well suited to their individual body shape.

Figure 4a shows a pair of substantially straight arms. These straight arms are shown as arms 22a and 22b in Figures 2b and 3b.

Figure 4b shows a pair of substantially wave shaped arms. These wave-shaped arms are shown as arms 12a and 12b in Figures 2a and 3a.

Figure 4c shows a pair of substantially crescent shaped arms. These crescent shaped arms 2a and 2b are shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4d shows a pair of arms shaped to have a band of circles motif.

Figure 4e shows a pair of arms forming a shape appearing as a dashed or broken line. The apparently broken arm designs shown in Figures 4d and 4e will of course require some structural elements bridging the apparent gaps.

A range of possible eye designs in shown in Figure 5 with the design designated "Planet Peace"being the eye design 11 shown in Figures 2a and 3a, the design designated "Pointed Star"being the eye design 21 shown in Figure 2b and the design designated"Basic Eye"being the eye design 31 shown in Figure 3b.

The eye designs shown in Figure 5 may be defined by the actual shape of the eye itself or by contrasting shades or colours on a surface of the eye or a combination of the two.

The eye and arms could be made from metals including gold, silver, brass and steel or from synthetic plastics or rubber or from a combination of these materials. The list of identified materials is exemplary only and is not intended to be exhaustive.

The described embodiments are examples only and the person skilled in the art will be able to envisage other arrangements using the invention.

Claims (6)

1. Claims : 1. A band suitable for wearing around a users abdomen and comprising a central eye pivotally connected to two arms, one arm being on each side of the eye.
2. 2. A band as claimed in claim 1, in which the arms are releasable from the eye.
3. 3. A band as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and further comprising a latch connecting the ends of the arms remote from the eye.
4. 4. A band as claimed in claim 3 in which the latch is detachable from the arms.
5. 5. A band as claimed in any preceding claim in which each arm is pivotally connected to the eye by a respective hinge.
6. 6. A band suitable for wearing around a users abdomen and substantially as shown in or

   as described with reference to the accompanying figures.

   ZZ)

   6. A band suitable for wearing around a users abdomen and substantially as shown in or as described with reference to the accompanying figures.

   Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A band suitable for wearing around a users abdomen and comprising a central body pivotally connected to two arms, one arm being on each side of the body.

   2. A band as claimed in claim 1, in which the arms are releasable from the body.

   3. A band as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and further comprising a latch connecting ZD the ends of the arms remote from the body.

   4. A band as claimed in claim 3 in which the latch is detachable from the arms.

   5. A band as claimed in any preceding claim in which each arm is pivotally connected to the body by a respective hinge.