US20170127865A1

US20170127865A1 - Wrinkle Removal System

Info

Publication number: US20170127865A1
Application number: US15/347,510
Authority: US
Inventors: James Vaughn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-11-09
Filing date: 2016-11-09
Publication date: 2017-05-11

Abstract

A wrinkle removal system. The wrinkle removal system includes a first jaw connected to a second jaw via a hinge having a spring, wherein the spring biases the first jaw against the second jaw in a closed position. A weighted member is removably secured to each jaw. The weighted members may be interchanged with heavier or lighter weighted members depending on the fabric or the type of garment to which the wrinkle removal system is secured. The wrinkle removal system is securable to a portion of a garment such as a shirt sleeve in order to return a garment that has been shrunk in a dryer to its original form and shape. It may also be used to prevent wrinkles from forming when the garment is hung in a closet or other storage area.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/252,672 filed on Nov. 9, 2015. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wrinkle removal systems. More specifically, the present invention provides a wrinkle removal system having interchangeable weighted members for use with different types of clothing and fabric.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It can be difficult to ensure a garment remains wrinkle-free. When a garment is dried in a dryer, the warm air combined with the wet fabric can cause the garment to shrink or otherwise lose its shape. This can causes garments to fit incorrectly and potentially ruin some clothing. Without a way to return the garment to its natural shape, an individual may need to purchase an entirely new garment to replace the shrunken garment. It is desirable to provide a system for restoring a shrunken article of clothing to its original form and shape in order to maintain the structural integrity of the garment for prolonged use.
When a garment is hung in a closet it often contacts other clothing, which can cause wrinkles to form. Over time, wrinkles can set into the fabric and can be difficult and time-consuming to remove. Some individuals use a steam iron or other device that removes wrinkles with the application of heat. However, even if the garment is ironed before being placed in the closet, wrinkles still tend to develop over time. Individuals must then re-iron the clothing to remove wrinkles, which can damage fabric over time. In light of these concerns, there is need for a wrinkle removal system having interchangeable weighted members for use with different types of garments and fabrics in order to prevent wrinkles from forming on clothing that is hung in a closet.
Devices have been disclosed in the known art that relate to wrinkle removal systems. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to clips having a particular weight for preventing movement of fabric or other materials.
The devices in the known art have several apparent drawbacks. The devices in the known art fail to provide a wrinkle removal system specifically designed to be secured to a lower portion of a garment while it is hanging in order to prevent the formation of wrinkles over time. Further, the devices in the known art fail to provide a wrinkle removal system having interchangeable weights for use with different types of clothing and fabric.
In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing wrinkle removal systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of wrinkle removal systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a wrinkle removal system wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when preventing wrinkles from forming on hanging articles of clothing.
The wrinkle removal system includes a first jaw and a second jaw secured to one another. A first handle is disposed at a midpoint of the first jaw and a second handle is disposed at a midpoint of the second jaw. A hinge having a spring connects the first jaw to the second jaw. The spring biases the first jaw and second jaw against one another in a closed position. A first weighted member is removably secured to an inner side of the first jaw, and a second weighted member is removably secured to an inner side of the second jaw. The weighted members may include ridges thereon for securely gripping the fabric. In use, the wrinkle removal system is secured to a lower portion of a garment, such as to the end of a shirt sleeve. The wrinkle removal system utilizes gravity to keep a hanging garment straight and to prevent wrinkles from forming over time when a garment is hung in a closet.
One object of the present invention is to provide a wrinkle removal system that may be secured to a garment in order to return a garment that has been shrunken in a drier to its original form and shape.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wrinkle removal system that may be left secured to an article of clothing in order to prevent the article of clothing from developing wrinkles over time.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a wrinkle removal system according to the present invention in a closed position.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a wrinkle removal according to the present invention in an open position.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a wrinkle removal system according to the present invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the wrinkle removal system. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for preventing wrinkles from forming on articles of clothing that are hung in a closet or other location. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown perspective views of a wrinkle removal system according to the present invention with in a closed position and an open position, respectively. The wrinkle removal system 11 generally comprises a first jaw 12 and a second jaw 13. In the shown embodiments, the first jaw 12 and second jaw 13 are symmetrical and are preferably rectangular in shape. In alternative embodiments, the first and second jaws 12, 13 may be curved, rounded, or other dimensioned. A first handle 14 is disposed on an edge of the first jaw 12. The first handle 14 is preferably positioned at a midpoint of the first jaw 12. Similarly, a second handle 15 is disposed on the second jaw 13, preferably at a midpoint of the second jaw 13. The first and second handles 13, 15 are preferably symmetrical. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the first and second handles 13, 15 include a first end 18 connected to the respective jaws and a second free end 17. The width of the first end 18 is greater than the width of the second end 17, providing greater structural integrity to the wrinkle removal system 11.
The first jaw 12 and second jaw 13 are connected to one another via a spring hinge 21. The spring hinge 21 biases the first jaw 12 toward the second jaw 13 such that the wrinkle removal system 11 naturally maintains a closed position with each jaw contacting the other. A first weighted member 19 is removably secured to the first jaw 12 and a second weighted member 20 is removably secured to the second jaw 13. Each weighted member 19, 20 is connected to an inner side 22 of its respective jaw 12, 13. The weighted members 19, 20 are preferably composed of a non-slip rubber material in order to effectively secure the wrinkle removal system 11 to an article of clothing. In the illustrated embodiment, the weighted members 19, 20 further comprise a plurality of ridges 16 thereon. The ridges 16 provide additional contact points in order to further ensure a secure connection between the wrinkle removal system 11 and the article of clothing. In the shown embodiments, each weighted member 19, 20 is parallel with, and extend laterally across each jaw 12, 13 and is dimensioned to not overhang the edges of each jaw 12, 13.
The weighted members 19, 20 are removably secured to the jaws 12, 13. This allows users to interchange weighted members 19, 20 with other weighted members that may be lighter or heavier depending on the type of fabric with which the wrinkle removal system is being used. For example, a lighter weighted member may be used for delicate fabrics such as a cashmere or thin articles of clothing. Likewise, a heavier weighted member may be used with articles of clothing made from thicker fabrics such as a cotton. The wrinkle removal system 11 may include multiple sets of weighted members, wherein some sets have heavier weights than others. Each weighted member remains interchangeable so that the wrinkle removal system 11 may be effectively utilized with multiple types of fabric.
In the illustrated embodiment, each weighted member 19, 20 comprises a magnet, and each jaw 12, 13 is magnetic in order to secure the weighted member thereto. The magnets allow quick interchange between weighted members. However, other means of securing the weighted members to the jaws may be utilized, such as a hook and loop fastener or other suitable fastening mechanisms.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of a wrinkle removal system according to the present invention in use with a typical dress shirt. Individuals typically hang a shirt 31 on a hanger 35 in a closet or other storage area. The wrinkle removal system 11 is secured to the lower end 33 of each sleeve 32. This prevents the sleeves 32 from getting folded and caught between other articles of clothing hanging in the closet. Additionally, the wrinkle removal systems 11 serve to stretch the fabric of the shirt 31 in order to return the shirt 31 to its original shape and form after it has been shrunken in a drier. The wrinkle removal systems 11 may be secured to various parts of the shirt 11 in order to fix the shape of a desired portion of the shirt, such as the sleeves, collar, or main shirt body.
Additional wrinkle removal systems 11 may be secured to the lower opening 34 of the shirt 31, which would serve to pull the entire garment downward and keep it straight while hanging. The wrinkle removal system 11 may be positioned as desired by the user in order to prevent particular areas from developing wrinkles. In this way, an individual may utilize the wrinkle removal system to return a shrunken garment to its original shape and form. Additionally, users may utilize the desired number of wrinkle removal systems 11 in order to effectively prevent wrinkles from forming along any portion of the garment.
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1) A wrinkle removal system, comprising:

a first jaw;

a second jaw;

a first handle disposed at a midpoint of the first jaw;

a second handle disposed at a midpoint of the second jaw;

a hinge comprising a spring connects the first jaw to the second jaw;

wherein the spring biases the first jaw and the second jaw against each another in a closed position;

a first weighted member removably secured to an inner side of the first jaw; and

a second weighted member removably secured to an inner side of the second jaw.

2) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are symmetrical.

3) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are substantially rectangular.

4) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein the first weighted member comprises a first magnet and the second weighted member comprises a second magnet, and wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are each composed of a magnetized material configured to attract the first magnet and the second magnet.

5) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein the first weighted member and the second weighted member comprise a plurality of ridges thereon.

6) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein the first weighted member and the second weighted member are composed of a non-slip rubber material.

7) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein each of the first handle and the second handle includes a first end having a first width and a second end having a second width, wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

8) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein actuation of the first handle and the second handle towards each other causes the first jaw and the second jaw to move away from each other.

9) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1, wherein the first weighted member and the second weighted member extends laterally across the first jaw and the second jaw, respectively.

10) The wrinkle removal system of claim 1:

wherein the first weighted member and the second weighted member comprise a first set;

a second set comprising a third weighted member and a fourth weighted member;

wherein the second set is heavier and interchangeable with the first set.