GB2512097A

GB2512097A - Glove love

Info

Publication number: GB2512097A
Application number: GB1305099.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kathryn Heath
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-03-20
Filing date: 2013-03-20
Publication date: 2014-09-24
Also published as: GB201305099D0

Abstract

An article of clothing such as a mitten 5 includes a band 10 around the opening. The band 10 is provided with a first part of a two-part fastening device such as a zip, hook-and-loop material, stud fasteners or magnets. An attachment strap 15 is provided with the second part of the two-part fastening device. In use, the mitten 5 is put on the hand and the attachment strap 15 is looped tightly around the wrist of the wearer so that it cannot be pulled off. The two parts are then fastened together to secure the mitten 5 onto the wearer which may be useful for a child who is averse to wearing mittens 5. The band 10 and attachment strap 15 may be linked by a connecting strap 20 to prevent loss of the attachment strap 15 when it is not in use. Embodiments of the invention may also be used to secure gloves, socks, slippers, shoes and other garments for the extremities.

Description

SECTIRABLE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING

This invention relates to mittens, socks, gloves and similar articles of clothing used to cover the feet and hands (the extremities) of a person, typically a young child or baby.

Gloves, mittens, socks, slippers and various other articles of clothing used to cover and protect the extremities all reguire an opening allowing the hand or foot to be placed within the article.

This opening must be large enough to permit access to the extremity.

This means, however, that the garment can accidentally slip off or that a child who is averse to wearing gloves or socks can easily pull them off.

Numerous solutions to this problem have been proposed for both footwear and handwear. One common solution is to elasticate the opening to the article of clothing. The opening can be stretched to allow access and then tightens around the wrist or ankle. Another solution has been to add zips or hook-and-loop fasteners in various arrangements so that the opening can be tightened after the article of clothing has been put on.

These solutions have their merits and using elastic or straps to tighten the opening has worked well to prevent clothing designed for adults from accidentally slipping off. However, no effective solution exists for securing articles of clothing onto the extremities of young children and small babies. What is needed is an article of clothing that can easily be put on but can then be secured to make removal difficult.

The present invention provides an article of clothing for an extremity comprising: one part of a two-part fastening means provided at an opening of the article of clothing; an attachment strap adapted to be secured around a joint of a wearer adjacent the extremity and provided with a second part of the two-part fastening means enabling the article of clothing to be fastened to the attachment strap to secure the article of clothing onto the wearer.

Thus, embodiments of the present invention ensure that a garment can be firmly secured to a wearer so will not accidentally slip off nor be easily removed by a child.

In one embodiment, the article of clothing further comprises a connecting strap linking the article of clothing to the attachment strap. In this way, the attachment strap will not be lost when not in use.

In one embodiment, the two part-fastening means comprises hook-and-loop material and wherein one part of the hook-and-loop material is provided around an inner periphery of the opening to the article of clothing and a corresponding part of the hook-and-loop material is provided around an outer surface of the attachment strap. Hook-and-loop material provides an easy and effective method of securing the article of clothing to the wearer. Alternative fastening means include a zip fastener, stud fasteners, and magnets.

In one embodiment, the attachment strap is securable around a joint of a wearer using any of hook-and-loop material, stud fasteners, and a buckle. Preferably, the attachment strap is securable around a joint of a wearer using hook-and-loop material and a loose tab is provided on the attachment strap for ease of release of the attachment strap.

In this way, simply pulling the loose tap releases the attachment strap and the whole article of clothing can be removed.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 illustrates a securable mitten embodying the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a mitten 5 in a first embodiment of the invention. A mitten is used only as a simple example of a garment to which the present invention could be applied. The present invention can be applied to many different types of article of clothing for the hands and feet (the extremities of the wearer) including gloves, socks, slippers, shoes or boots. This description refers generally to garments and extremities rather than the specific example of the mitten shown in Figure 1.

A band 10 is located around the periphery of the opening of the garment 5. The band 10 includes a first part of a two-part fastening device such as half of a zip fastener, half of a strip of hook-and-loop material, a plurality of male or female parts of a snap fastener, or a plurality of magnets. The band may be attached to either the interior or exterior surface of the opening depending upon the fastening device used, as will be described in more detail below. The band 10 does not prevent an extremity from entering the garment 5.

An attachment strap 15 is adapted to be looped around the wrist or ankle of a wearer (generally "the joint" of the wearer) and secured sufficiently tightly so that it cannot be pulled over the extremity without releasing the strap. Any suitable securing means may be used to secure the attachment strap 15 into a loop including hook-and-loop material, a snap fastener, and a buckle. Preferably, where the securing means is hook-and-loop material, the end of the strap should include a loose piece which can be lifted to more easily release the strap. Also, the inner surface of the strap is preferably soft and/or padded to prevent discomfort or chafing when it is looped around the joint of a wearer.

The attachment strap 15 is further provided with a second part of the two-part fastening device, corresponding to the first part provided on the band 10. When the two parts of the fastening device, the first on the garment 5 and the second on the attachment strap 15 are fastened together, the garment cannot be pulled off without either releasing the attachment strap 15 or separating the two parts of the fastening device.

Optionally, the garment 5 and the attachment strap 15 are linked by a connecting strap 20 which prevents the attachment strap 15 from being lost when not in use. The link may be permanent, e.g. by sewing the connecting strap 20 to the garment 5, or releasable, e.g. with snap fasteners.

The precise method of fastening the band 10 (and the associated garment 5) to the attachment strap 15 will vary depending upon which two-part fastening device is used. Some preferred fastening methods are described here by way of example only.

For a zip fastener, one part of the zip is preferably provided on an outer surface of the band 10 and the zip extends over the edge of the band so that it can be easily fastened to corresponding zip part on the attachment strap 15. Alternatively, one part of the zip may be on the inner surface of the band 10, and the band 10 can be folded back to reveal the zip for fastening it to the corresponding zip part on the attachment strap 15. The band 10 can then be folded back over the zip and the attachment strap 15 for improved aesthetic appearance.

For a hook-and-loop fastener, the inner surface of the band 10 and the outer surface of the attachment strap 15 are provided with corresponding strips of hook-and-loop material. Preferably, the band is provided with the relatively softer loop material to prevent chafing if it were to come into contact with the skin of the wearer (for example, if the garment 5 were to slip or is being used without the attachment strap 15) . Once the attachment strap 15 has been secured around the joint of the wearer and the garment 5 has been put onto the wearer, the band 10 is lined up with the attachment strap 15 and the two parts are pressed together to create the fastening.

For a stud fastener, the inside surface of the band 10 is provided with a plurality of male or female stud parts and the outside surface of the securing strap 15 is provided with a plurality of corresponding male/female stud parts. Once the attachment strap 15 has been secured around the joint of the wearer and the garment S has been put onto the wearer, the corresponding stud parts are lined up and pressed together.

If there are a large number of stud parts, this arrangement would be very secure, but more difficult to fasten than other arrangements.

For magnets, a series of either north or south pole magnets should be securely attached to the band 10 to prevent them coming loose and becoming a choking hazard. Preferably, the magnets are sewn into the lining of the band 10 near to its inside surface. A corresponding series of north/south pole magnets are securely attached or sewn into the securing strap 15 on or near its outer surface. Once the attachment strap 15 has been secured around the joint of the wearer and the garment 5 has been put onto the wearer, the band 10 is lined up with the attachment strap 15 and the magnets in the two parts attract each other to create the fastening.

Preferred embodiments and examples have been described by way of an example only. A skilled person will recognise that variations in fastening methods for the two parts of the fastening means and methods of securing the strap 15 to the wrist or ankle of a wearer can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An article of clothing for an extremity comprising: one part of a two-part fastening means provided at an opening of the article cf clothing; an attachment strap adapted to be secured around a joint of a wearer adjacent the extremity and provided with a second part of the two-part fastening means enabling the article of clothing to be fastened to the attachment strap to secure the article of clothing onto the wearer.
2. The article of clothing on claim 1 further comprising a connecting strap linking the article of clothing to the attachment strap.
3. The article of clothing of any preceding claim wherein the two part-fastening means comprises hook-and-loop material and wherein one part of the hock-and-loop material is provided around an inner periphery of the opening to the article of clothing and a corresponding part of the hook-and-loop material is provided around an outer surface of the attachment strap.
4. The article of clothing of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the two part-fastening means comprises any of a zip fastener, hook-and-loop material, stud fasteners, and magnets.
5. The article of clothing of any preceding claim wherein the attachment strap is securable around a joint of a wearer using any of hook-and-loop material, stud fasteners, and a buckle.
6. The article of clothing of any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the attachment strap is securable around a joint of a wearer using hook-and-loop material and a loose tab is provided on the attachment strap for ease of release of the attachment strap.