GB2457920A

GB2457920A - A wearable flag

Info

Publication number: GB2457920A
Application number: GB0803693A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Supen Taylor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-02-28
Filing date: 2008-02-28
Publication date: 2009-09-02
Also published as: GB0803693D0

Abstract

A wearable flag 1 comprises a sheet of material 2 with flag indicia on at least one side thereof. The flag 1 has a first edge 4 which comprises a central portion 5, the flag preferably being rectangular where the first edge 4 is one of the longer sides of the rectangle. The flag 1 comprises attachment means such as ; shoulder 6, 7, neck (23) or wrist 8, 9 straps, adapted to attach the flag 1 to a human wearer such that the central portion 5 is disposed in the upper back or neck region. The straps may be elasticated and may be removably mounted to the sheet of material 2 using hook and loop fasteners or popper fasteners. The flag 1 may also comprise means for attaching it to a flag pole.

Description

Wearable Flag This invention relates to a wearable flag, for use particularly, but not exclusively, to provide support at sporting events and the like.

It is a well established practice to show one's support for sporting team or individual competitor by displaying a flag relating to them. This could be a club flag at a domestic fixture, or a national flag at an international event.

Flags are most commonly attached to flag poles, which are either static or hand held, however it has also become customary at sporting events to simply carry a loose flag and hold It aloft. In some cases supporters wear the flag over their shoulders like a cape, which allows them to display the flag behind them by grabbing adjacent corners and raising their arms.

However, using a flag in this way is not particularly practical because it is liable to fall from the shoulders, unless constantly clasped. Holding the flag up behind oneself is also only possible when one has full use of both hands.

Flags can also comprise sizable sheets of material, and when one no longer wishes to wave the flag, it must be carried some how, which is inconvenient.

The present invention is intended to overcome some of the above problems.

Therefore, according to the present invention a flag comprises a sheet of material with flag indicia on at least one side thereof, in which the flag comprises a first edge, which first edge comprises a central portion, in which the flag comprises attachment means adapted to attach the flag to a human wearer such that said central portion is arrangeable substantially in the region of the human wearer's upper back or neck.

Thus, the invention comprises a flag which can be worn in the manner of a cape, without the need to manually clasp it. In addition, a flag worn in this way can be held up behind the user's back in the manner described above, then simply released without it dropping to the floor.

The flag can be any size or shape, provided it is large enough to be worn as described above. However, in a preferred construction the sheet of material can be substantially rectangular, with a first pair of opposite edges longer than the a second pair of opposite edges; and the first edge can be one of the first pair of opposite edges.

The attachment means can comprise shoulder straps provided in the region of the central portion and adapted to be affixed around a human wearer's shoulders.

Alternatively, or in addition to this, the attachment means can comprise a pair of wrist straps at opposite ends of the first edge, which are adapted to be affixed to a human wearer's wrists. As an alternative to shoulder straps, a neck strap can be provided.

When only the shoulder straps are provided, the central portion is continuously arranged in the region of the user's upper back or neck. When only the wrist straps are provided, the central portion is arrangeable substantially in the region of the user's upper back or neck when the arms are outstretched. Preferably both attachment means are provided, which allows the flag to be worn in the manner of a cape, and held up behind a user's back without the need to hold it in the hands.

In a preferred construction the shoulder straps and/or the wrist straps can be removably mounted to the sheet of material, which provides a degree of user flexibility. The straps can be removably mounted by means of hook and loop fasteners or popper fasteners, or any other known removable fixture means.

To make all the straps comfortable to wear they can be constructed from strips of elasticated material.

In one construction the sheet of material can be provided with flag pole attachment means. As such, when the flag is not being worn as described above it can be raised on a flag pole in the traditional manner The flag indicia can be any known club, regional or national sporting indicia, or it can be other indicia, for example that relating to musical bands, a political movement or military affiliation and so on.

The invention can be performed in various ways, but two embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a first flag according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a front view of a second flag according to the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1, a flag 1 comprises a sheet of material 2 with flag indicia on at least one side thereof, in the form of the Union Flag 3, which in this case is on both sides. The flag 1 comprises a first edge 4, which first edge 4 comprises a central portion, generally designated 5. The flag 1 comprises attachment means, In the from of shoulder straps 6 and 7 and wrist straps 8 and 9, which are adapted to attach the flag 1 to a human wearer (not shown) such that said central portion 5 is arrangeable substantially in the region of the human wearer's upper back or neck.

As is clear from Figure 1, the flag 1 is rectangular, with a first pair of opposite edges longer than the a second pair of opposite edges, and the first edge 4 is one of the first pair of opposite edges.

The shoulder straps 6 and 7 are provided at each end with hook pads 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 respectively, which are adapted to be removably affixed to a loop pads (not visible) provided on the sheet of material 2. As such, the shoulder straps 6 and 7 are arranged in the vicinity of the central portion 5, and generally parallel to the first edge 4.

Likewise, the wrist straps 8 and 9 are provided at each end with hook pads 14 and 15, and 16 and 17 respectively, which are adapted to be removably affixed to loop pads (not visible) provided on the sheet of material 2. As such the writs straps 8 and 9 are arranged at opposite ends of the firs edge 4, and generally perpendicular thereto.

The shoulder straps 6 and 7 and the wrist straps 8 and 9 are constructed from elasticated strips of material. (In the present case the shoulder straps 6 and 7 and the wrist straps 8 and 9 are sized and dimensioned to simply fit around an average user's shoulders and wrists, however in alternative embodiments, which are not shown, the shoulder straps and/or the wrist straps are provided with a buckle, or similar device, so they can be size adjusted to suit the user.) The flag 1 is also provided with flag pole attachment means, in the form of toggle 18, and line 19, which are adapted to be used with a known flag pole arrangement. Further, the flag 1 is provided with a double stitched section 20 down one edge 21, to provide structural rigidity. These features are known in the flag art.

In use the flag 1 operates as follows. A user dons the shoulder straps 6 and 7.

either by placing them over their arms, or by releasing one of the hook pads 10 or 11 and 12 and 13 respectively, placing the shoulder straps 6 and 7 around their shoulders and reaffixing the hook pads 10 or 11 and 12 and 13 respectively on their corresponding loop pad (not visible). The user then places their hands through the wrist straps 8 and 9, or releases one of the hook pads 14 or 15 and 16 or 17 respectively, places the wrist straps 8 and 9 around their wrists and reaffixes the hook pads 14 or 15 and 16 or 17 respectively on their corresponding loop pad (not visible). Once the flag 1 is worn in this manner the user has full use of their hands, and need take no action to keep the flag 1 in place. As such, the flag 1 can be carried conveniently, and can actually provide a degree of warmth and weather protection in the manner of a cloak. When desired the user can raise their arms up, unfurling the flag I and displaying it behind them. To remove the flag I the above described process is reversed.

It will be appreciated that the flag 1 is flexible, and if desired the wrist straps 8 and 9 can be removed fully, and the flag 1 can be worn simply by using the shoulder straps 6 and 7. Alternatively, if desired the shoulder straps 6 and 7 can be removed fully, and the flag 1 can be worn simply by using the wrist straps 8 and 9. In this arrangement the flag I falls down to a user's waist when the arms are held by the user's side, but the central portion 5 is arrangeable in the vicinity of the user's upper back or neck when the arms are held outstretched.

The flag I retains its traditional flag functionality, and if is it desired to run the flag 1 up a flag pole the toggle 18 and the line 19 are used in the known way to do so. The shoulder straps 6 end 7 and the wrist straps 8 and 9 can be left in situ or fully removed when this is done, as desired.

The embodiment described above can be altered without departing from the scope of Claim 1, for example, in one alternative embodiment shown in Figure 2, a flag 22 is similar to flag I described above but with two differences. First of all, instead of shoulder straps flag 22 is provided with a sing'e neck strap 23. The neck strap 23 is constructed from a piece of elasticated material, and Is removably affixed to the sheet of material 24 with hook pads 25 and 26 which cooperate with loop pads (not visible) provided on the sheet of material 24. As such, the neck strap 23 is arranged in the vicinity of the central portion 27, and parallel to the first edge 28. To don the flag 22 a user places the neck strap 23 over their head, or releases one of the hook pads 25 or 26, places the neck strap 23 around their neck and reaffixes the hook pad 25 or 26 on its corresponding loop pad (not visible). The wrist straps 29 and 30 can be used with the neck strap 23, or as an alternative to neck strap 23, as with flag 1.

Flag 22 is also different to flag 1 because flag 22 does not have any flag pole attachment means. This means that flag 22 is more user friendly when it is worn, because it is lighter and has no toggle or line which could get caught. In addition, as it has no double stitched section down one edge, it is more flexible and comfortable to wear. (It will be appreciated that the invention also includes a flag with shoulder straps like those shown In Figure 1, but with no flag pole attachment means as shown in Figure 2, and visa versa.) In other alternative embodiments (not shown) a flag is only provided with shoulder straps (or a neck strap), so it can simply be worn around the shoulders (or neck) like a cape, and displayed by being manually grabbed at the corners. In another alternative embodiment (not shown) a flag is only provided with wrist straps and the central portion is arrangeable substantially in the region of the user's upper back or neck when the arms are outstretched. In other alternative embodiments (not shown) the shoulder straps and/or the wrist straps are not removable from the sheet of material.

In other alternative embodiments (not shown) the flag indicia comprises other club, regional and national sporting indicia, and indicia relating to musical bands, political movements or military affiliations.

Thus, the invention comprises a flag which can be worn in the manner of a cape, without the need to manually clasp it in addition, the flag can be held up behind the user's back simply by raising the arms. Further, the flag of the invention can still be used as a traditional flag if desired.

Claims

Claims 1. A flag comprising a sheet of material with flag indicia on at least one side thereof, in which the flag comprises a first edge, which first edge comprises a central portion, in which the flag comprises attachment means adapted to attach the flag to a human wearer such that said central portion is arrangeable substantially in the region of the human wearer's upper back or neck.
2. A flag as claimed in Claim i. in which the sheet of material is substantially rectangular, with a first pair of opposite edges longer than the a second pair of opposite edges, and in which the first edge is one of the first pair of opposite edges.
3. A flag as claimed in Claim 2 in which the attachment means comprises shoulder straps provided in the region of the central portion and adapted to be affixed around a human wearer's shoulders.
4. A flag as claimed in Claim 2 in which the attachment means comprises a pair of wrist straps provided at opposite ends of the first edge, in the which the pair of wrist straps are adapted to be affixed to a human wearer's wrists.
5. A flag as claimed in Claim 3 in which the attachment means further comprises a pair of wrist straps at opposite ends of the first edge, in the which the pair of wrist straps are adapted to be affixed to a human wearer's wrists.
6. A flag as claimed in Claim 5 in which the shoulder straps and/or the wrist straps are removably mounted to the sheet of material.
7. A flag as claimed in Claim 6 in which the shoulder straps and/or wrist straps are removably mounted to the sheet of material with hook and loop fasteners.
8. A flag as claimed in Claim 6 in which the shoulder straps and/or the wrist straps are removably mounted to the sheet of material with popper fasteners.
9. A flag as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8 in which the shoulder straps and/Or the wrist straps are constructed from strips of elasticated material.
10. A flag as claimed in any of the preceding Claims in which the sheet of material is provided with flag pole attachment means.
11. A flag as claimed in Claim 2 in which the attachment means comprises a neck strap provided in the region of the central portion and adapted to be affixed around a human wearer's neck.
12. A flag substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings.