US20190142090A1

US20190142090A1 - Adjustment mechanism for a garment

Info

Publication number: US20190142090A1
Application number: US16/160,131
Authority: US
Inventors: Stefan Held
Original assignee: HELD GmbH
Current assignee: HELD GmbH
Priority date: 2017-11-16
Filing date: 2018-10-15
Publication date: 2019-05-16
Also published as: EP3485751A2; DE102017126991A1; EP3485751A3

Abstract

The invention concerns an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a garment 1 (e.g. motorcycle jacket 1, motorcycle trousers). The adjustment mechanism according to the invention uses a zipper 7, 8, 13 to adjust the garment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from DE 10 2017 126 991.6 filed Nov. 16, 2017, the contents of which application are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a piece of clothing (e.g. a motorcycle jacket, motorcycle trousers).
Various adjustment mechanisms are known from the state of the art which make it possible to adjust a clothing measure (e.g. hip width, waist width, arm width etc.) of a garment.
A known adjustment mechanism has a drawstring which runs in a waistband of the garment and is led out at one point, whereby the led out part of the drawstring is fixed with a stopper. The width of the garment is then adjusted according to the location of the stopper along the drawstring. A disadvantage of this well-known adjustment mechanism is the fact that the draw cord is dangling around on the inside or outside of the garment.
If the draw cord is dangling on the inside of the garment, this reduces the wearing comfort because the stopper presses the draw cord against the wearer's body. In addition, the adjustment mechanism can only be operated when the garment (e.g. jacket) is open, which is a major disadvantage in wet or cold conditions.
If, on the other hand, the draw cord is dangling from the outside of the garment, this can limit the safety of wearing, as a long free end of the draw cord can get tangled up, for example in the rim of a motorcycle.
Another well-known adjustment mechanism, on the other hand, provides for a Velcro strap that makes it possible, for example, to adjust the arm width of the sleeve of a motorcycle jacket. However, the Velcro strap only works on a small, localized area of the garment. As a result, it is precisely in this area that wrinkles can form that are visually undesirable or can also press.
The known adjustment mechanisms for the adjustment of garments are therefore not yet optimal.
The invention is therefore based on the task of creating an improved adjustment mechanism for a garment.
This task is solved by an adjustment mechanism according to the invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The adjustment mechanism according to the invention is generally suitable for adjusting a garment, such as a motorcycle jacket or motorcycle trousers. However, the invention is not limited to motorcycle jackets or trousers with regard to the type of garment. Rather, the adjustment mechanism according to the invention can also be used for other types of clothing.
It should also be mentioned that the adjustment mechanism according to the invention preferably adjusts the garment's clothing size, such as the hip width, waist width, arm width, arm opening width, waist width, leg width or leg opening width of the garment.
Alternatively, however, it is also possible that the adjustment mechanism does not adjust the garment's garment size, but makes a different adjustment to the garment. For example, the invention allows the adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and/or orientation of a protector in the garment (e.g. motorcycle jacket). It is also possible for the adjustment mechanism to adjust the size of an air inlet on the garment.
The adjustment mechanism according to the invention is distinguished from the known adjustment mechanisms described above (drawstring and Velcro strap) by a zipper, whereby the zipper has a slider which can be moved along the zipper and which adjusts the garment depending on its position. The wearer of the garment can thus move the slider of the zipper along the zipper and thus makes the desired adjustment.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the zipper closes independently in front of and behind the slide, so that the zipper is always closed regardless of the position of the slide. This distinguishes the zipper of the adjustment mechanism according to the invention from conventional zippers, where the slider either closes or opens the zipper during a movement. In contrast, the adjustment mechanism according to the invention always closes the zipper, regardless of the position of the slider along the zipper. This can be achieved, for example, by combining two sliders in opposite directions to form one slide, with one slider opening the zipper and the other slider closing the zipper immediately.
It should also be mentioned that the slider is preferably self-stopping and cannot be moved when stopped. This is advantageous so that the adjustment mechanism retains its position between two operations and thus also the adjustment of the garment. For example, this self-stopping effect can be achieved by the slider having a foldable handle, whereby the handle locks the slider in the zipped position when folded and allows the slider to be moved when folded down. To adjust the adjustment mechanism, the handle of the zipper is then folded down so that the slider can be moved. After the desired position of the garment has been set, the handle is then folded again, locking the slide.
This prevents the adjustment mechanism from changing its position between two operating operations.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjustment mechanism has an elongated pull element (e.g. pull cord, rope, wire, etc.), one end of which is attached to the slider of the zipper. Shifting the slider of the zipper thus also leads to a corresponding shifting of the pull element and thus to a corresponding adjustment of the garment.
One variant of the invention provides for two zippers, each with a slide, with the pull element connected at both ends to the two sliders.
In another variant of the invention, on the other hand, the pull element is attached at one end to the sliding slider and at its other end to a part of the garment, so that the garment can be more or less gathered by the pull element depending on the position of the slide.
In both variants of the invention there is the possibility that the pull element (e.g. pull cord, wire, rope etc.) is laid in a guide channel which is formed by the respective zipper.
It is also possible for the pull element to be guided around a deflection pulley, whereby the deflection pulley is fixed to the garment. The deflection pulley can be rotatably attached to the garment. Alternatively, there is also the possibility that the pulley itself cannot be rotated, but has a smooth surface, so that the pull element can slide over the surface of the pulley.
It should also be mentioned that the invention does not only claim protection for the adjustment mechanism described above, regardless of the garment in question. Rather, the invention also claims protection for a complete item of clothing (e.g. motorcycle jacket, motorcycle trousers) with a corresponding adjustment mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantageous modifications of the invention are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention using the figures which show the following:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a motorcycle jacket according to the invention with several adjustment mechanisms according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a pair of motorcycle trousers according to the invention with several adjustment mechanisms according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the adjustment mechanism according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a modification of an adjustment mechanism according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a motorcycle jacket 1 according to the invention, which is constructed conventionally to a large extent and has a conventional zipper 2 with a slider 3 and a handle 4 to open and close the motorcycle jacket 1.
In addition, the motorcycle jacket 1 has two conventional sleeves 5, 6, each equipped with an adjustment mechanism according to the invention to adjust the sleeve width of the sleeve 5 and 6 respectively.
The two adjustment mechanisms each have a zipper 7, 8 with a slider 9, 10 and a slider handle 11, 12. A displacement of the slider 9 or 10 then leads to a corresponding adjustment of the arm width. The exact structure and function of the two adjustment mechanisms are described in detail below with reference to FIG. 3.
In addition, the motorcycle jacket 1 has a further adjustment mechanism for adjusting the waist width. This adjustment mechanism also includes a zipper 13 with a slider 14 and a slider 15. Moving the slider 14 by means of the slider 15 also leads to a corresponding adjustment of the waist size. The structure and function of this adjustment mechanism are also described below with reference to the schematic illustration in FIG. 3.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a pair of motorcycle trousers 16 according to the invention with two trouser legs 17, 18, whereby the two trouser legs 17, 18 are each equipped with two adjustment mechanisms.
Thus in the upper area of the two trouser legs 17, 18 there are two zippers 19, 20 each with a slider 21, 22 and a slider handle 23, 24 arranged. Moving the slides 21 and 22 then leads to a corresponding adjustment of the leg width of the trouser legs 17 and 18 respectively.
At the lower end of the two trouser legs 17, 18 there are also two zippers 25, 26 with one slider 27, 28 each and one slider handle 29, 30 each. Moving the slider handles 27, 28 then leads to a corresponding adjustment of the leg opening width of the two trouser legs 17, 18.
It should be mentioned that the zippers 7, 8, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26 are self-stopping. This means that the zippers 7, 8, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26 lock automatically between two operations and thus maintain their position. This is achieved by the fact that the associated push handles 11, 12, 15, 23, 24, 29, 30 lock the respective zipper 7, 8, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26 without an active operation, which is known in itself from the state of the art and therefore does not need to be described in more detail.
In the following, with reference to FIG. 3, the function of the zippers 7, 8, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26 is described. To simplify matters, only the reference signs for the zipper 7 are shown in FIG. 3. Basically the other zippers 8, 13, 19, 20, 25 and 26 work in the same or similar way.
The slider 9 is connected at a fastening point 31 to a draw cord 32, which is guided around a deflection pulley 33 and fastened with its other end to the motorcycle jacket. A displacement of the slider 9 in the direction of the double arrow F thus leads to a corresponding gathering of the motorcycle jacket in the area of the arm opening of sleeve 5.
FIG. 4 shows a variation of the adjustment mechanism according to the invention in a cross-sectional representation through the motorcycle jacket 1. Here also a body 34 and an outer material 35 of the motorcycle jacket 1 are shown.
Here the adjustment mechanism includes two zippers 36, 37, which are shown in the drawing in a fictitious folded state for illustration. In fact, the zippers 36 and 37 are located on the outside of the outer material 35 of the motorcycle jacket 1.
The two zippers 36, 37 each comprise a slider 38, 39, which can be moved in the direction of a double arrow 40, 41.
The two sliders 38, 39 are connected with a draw cord 42, which is led around two deflection rollers 43, 44, whereby the draw cord 42 is connected at a fixation point 45 with the outer material 35 of the motorcycle jacket 1. A displacement of the two sliders 38, 39 thus leads to a corresponding gathering of the motorcycle jacket 21 and thus to a corresponding adjustment of the width of the motorcycle jacket 1.
The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments of the invention described above. In particular, the invention also claims protection for the subject-matter and the features of the dependent claims independently of the claims referred to in each case and in particular also without the features of the main claim.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1 Motorcycle jacket
2 Zipper
3 Slider
4 Push handle
5, 6 Sleeves
7, 8 Zipper
9, 10 Sliders
11, 12 Push handle
13 Zipper
14 Slider
15 Push handle
16 Motorcycle trousers
17, 18 Trouser legs
19, 20 Zipper
21, 22 Slider
23, 24 Push handle
25, 26 Zipper
27, 28 Slider
29, 30 Push handle
31 Fixing point
32 Draw cord
33 Deflection pulley
34 Body of the motorcycle jacket
35 Motorcycle jacket outer material
36, 37 Zippers
38, 39 Sliders
40, 41 Double arrow
42 Draw cord
43, 44 Deflection pulleys
45 Fixing point of the draw cord on the outer material of the motorcycle jacket

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustment mechanism for adjusting a garment, said adjustment mechanism comprising a first zipper with a first slider which is displaceable along the first zipper and which is configured to adjust the garment as a function of a position of the first slider.

2. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first zipper is configured to close automatically in front of and behind the first slider so that the first zipper is always closed independently of the position of the first slider.

3. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first slider is self-stopping and cannot be displaced in a stopped state.

4. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the first slider has a foldable handle, the foldable handle in a folded state is configured to block a displacement of the first slider in the first zipper and the foldable handle in an unfolded state is configured to allow the displacement of the first slider.

5. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 4, further comprising a pull element which is fastened at a first end to the first slider of the first zipper.

6. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 5, wherein

a) the adjustment mechanism has a second zipper with a second slider, the second zipper is configured to close automatically in front of and behind the second slider so that the second zipper is always closed regardless of the position of the second slider, and

b) the first end of the pull element is fastened to the first slider of the first zipper and a second end of the pull element is fastened to the second slider of the second zipper.

7. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the pull element is fixed with the first end to the first slider of the first zipper and with a second end of the pull element to a part of the garment.

8. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the pull element is laid in a guide channel formed by the first zipper and the second zipper.

9. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the pull element is guided around a deflection pulley, the deflection pulley being fixed to the garment.

10. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the part of the garment connected to the pull element is a protector which is displaceable in the garment according to the position of the first zipper.

11. The adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts at least one of the following garment dimensions of the garment:

a) hip width,

b) waist width,

c) arm width,

d) arm opening width,

e) waist size,

f) leg width,

g) leg opening width,

h) opening width of an air inlet, and

i) position of a protector.

12. A garment with an adjustment mechanism according to claim 1.

13. The garment according to claim 12, wherein the garment is a motorcycle jacket.

14. The garment according to claim 12, wherein the garment is a pair of motorcycle trousers.