GB2374270A - Hosiery item - Google Patents

Abstract

A hosiery item with an open toe end, secured around the foot by a retentive band 6. The retentive band will consist of one or more strips of silicone rubber. This will form a band and grip to the wearer's foot. The silicone rubber strip will be attached to a separate band of fabric to the hosiery item. This band can be of a variety of widths, fabrics, compositions, patterns and textures. It will be attached to the open foot end of the hosiery garment and the silicone rubber strip will be on the innerside. On the outerside of the fabric band, silicone rubber strips can also be applied. This can give extra strength to the support need when footwear is worn over the hosiery item. The outerside of the fabric band can alternatively be smooth or textured. Rubberised areas can also be applied.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1>

HOSIERY ITEM The invention relates to hosier) garments such as tights. stockings. hold-ups and pop socks. The toe end will not be closed to form a sock where the toes would be enclosed. The items will have an open toe. secured around the foot by a retentive stnp. This will be a band of silicone rubber. which will gnp to the wearer's skin. fitting below the toes and around the foot.

The silicone rubber strip is attached at the end of the hosiery at the foot end. and forms a circular band on the inner side of the hosiery garment. A silicone rubber backing of this kind can be seen on the top of a leg of a'hold-up'hosiery item. It will stretch to fit different widths of feet and fit snugly to the foot. keeping the foot opening and hosiery garment in place when movement of the foot and leg occurs.

The rentive strip can be of different widths, this will depend of the strength needed to hold the hosiery garment in place on the foot. One or more silicone rubber strips can also be used.

Footwear such as a sandal, mule, toeless shoe or any other type of footwear design for, dancewear, surgicalwear, swimwear and sportswear can be worn in conjunction with the invention. The strap of a sandal which sits over the top of the foot. below the toes will sit over the top of the end of the hosiery item. disguishing and making the end of the foot of the hosiery garment unseen.

Using a sheer skin coloured fabric. nylon, polyester and any other composition used in the manufacture of hosiery garments, with an open toe, whilst weanng toeless footwear will give a heightened impression of a natural and bare leg.

The silicone rubber can be attached solely to the knitted fabric of the hosiery garment but fine denier items may be damaged through lack of strength and support. A hem may be implimented in the knitting of the hosiery garment. at the toe end or a separate band could be attached. A variety of plain, printed. jacquard. lace. smooth and textured fabrics can be used as a band which will be attached to the foot end of the hosiery garment. This fabric can be with or without elastane. This fabric band again can be of different widths and will be used to attach the silicone rubber strip to.

The retentive band which grips to the foot will be on the inner side of the fabric band or hem of the hosiery item. The outer side of the fabric band can incorporate smooth or textured fabrics or surfaces to improve the security and quality of the band sitting under the strap of the shoe.

A texturising of the outer band using rubberised areas reinforces support. The rubberised areas can be different sizes and shapes. The texturise areas can be constant or variable around the band, if certain areas around the foot needs to be more secure. This kind of texturing can be found on the soles of socks. babygrows and baby shoes, making them non-slip when worn.

The outer band could alternatively be smooth in order to fit the shoe on wih more ease, if the adhesive strip gave enough support on the inner side. One or more silicone rubber strips can also be added to the outer band as an alternative to a smooth or texturise surface.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

<Desc/Clms Page number 2>

FIGURE I shows a hosiery garment (1), with an open bare toe end (2) Using a retentive band (3),

the foot is secured to the hosiery and it stays in place when movement of the leg and foot occurs.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the open toes hosiery (1) worn with an open toed shoe (4). This gives an impression of a bare leg with the toes not being enclosed (2) m the hosiery FIGURE 3 shows the hosiery item (I) with the open ended foot end (3) where the retentive strip will be applied on the inner side.

FIGURE 4 shows a larger view of the opened toe section (3) A band of fabric (5), will be attached to the hosiery garment (1), rather than the toe area being sewn together and enclosing the foot. A

silicone rubber strip (6), is apphed on the inner side of this fabric band As shown in FIGURE 5 one or more rubber stnps can be applied (7), on the mnerside of the fabric band (5) at the open foot end (3) of the hosiery garment (1) The example of one or more silicone rubber strips (7), are shown as continuous bands in parallel They may also be broken lines (8) and not necessarily in straight lines (9), see FIGURE 6 FIGURE 7 shows the hosiery garment (1) with the strips of silicone rubber (6) applied to the inner and outersides of the fabric band (5) FIGURE 8 illustrates the fabric band with a textunsed outerside Rubberised areas with a slight relief

in constant, variable or patterned areas (10) will gnp to the wearer's shoe. whilst the silicone rubber strip on the Innerslde of the fabric band (5) will gnp to the wearer s skin

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1 A hosiery item with an open toe, adapted in use, to be secured to the foot with a retentive strip.
2. 2. A hosiery item according to Claim 1, in which the retentive strip comprises of a silicone rubber band or strip.
3. 3. A hosiery item according to Claim 2 in which the silicone rubber strip is attached to the toe end of the hosiery item.
4. 4. A hosiery item according to Claims 2 and 3, in which one or more silicone rubber strips are attached to each surface of the hosiery.
5. 5. A hosiery item according to any preceding claim, in which the silicone rubber innerside is provided with a texturised or rubberised outer surface.