US3786971A

US3786971A - Skirt collar support

Info

Publication number: US3786971A
Application number: US00329756A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Lojinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-02-05
Filing date: 1973-02-05
Publication date: 1974-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-22

Abstract

A shirt collar support particularly adapted for use with buttondown type collars. The collar support includes a wing section extending outwardly from each end of a center section, a symmetry axis that extends through the center section dividing the collar support into mirror image right and left hand halves. Each wing section is folded in the same direction relative to the center section on a fold line disposed at an angle of about 45* relative to the symmetry axis. In use, the collar support''s center section is wrapped around the front of the shirt''s collar band, same being held positively in location by engaging the shirt''s collar button with a collar button slot formed in the center section. The collar support is positioned relative to the shirt''s collar band so that each of the wing sections extends outwardly from the shirt''s collar band about the fold lines, thereby underlying the points of the shirt''s collar and lifting the collar''s points upwardly into collar configuration away from the body of the shirt.

Description

United States Patent [191 Lojinger Jan. 22, 1974 SKIRT COLLAR SUPPORT [76] Inventor: Robert I. Lojinger, 6405 Shadyglen,

Cincinnati, Ohio 45243 [22] Filed: Feb. 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 329,756

[52] US. Cl. 223/83 [51] Int. Cl. D06c 15/00 [58] Field of Search 223/71, 83, 84

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,448,901 6/1969 Strasser et al. 223/83 Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James S. Hight et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A shirt collar support particularly adapted for use with button-down type collars. The collar support includes a wing section extending outwardly from each end of a center section, a symmetry axis that extends through the center section dividing the collar support into mirror image right and left hand halves. Each wing section is folded in the same direction relative to the center section on a fold line disposed at an angle of about 45 relative to the symmetry axis. In use, the collar supports center section is wrapped around the front of the shirts collar band, same being held positively in location by engaging the shirts collar button with a collar button slot formed in the center section. The collar support is positioned relative to the shirts collar band so that each of the wing sections extends outwardly from the shirts collar band about the fold lines, thereby underlying the points of the shirts collar and lifting the collars points upwardly into collar configuration away from the body of the shirt.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SKIRT COLLAR SUPPORT This invention relates to collar supports. More particularly, this invention relates to a collar support particularly adapted for use with button-down type shirts.

Collar supports are, of course, very well known to the art. Numerous different collar support structures have been designed and used over the years. Collar supports are used mainly by shirt manufacturers in marketing of shirts to the retail trade. The objective of the shirt manufacturer is to cause the collar band and collar of the shirt to stand upright relative to the shirts body while the shirt rests in its package prior to purchase by a consumer. Collar supports are used also by commercial laundries and the like to support a shirts collar in upright position relative to the shirts body after the shirt has been laundered. It is felt by both shirt manufacturers and commercial launderers that support of a shirts collar in this way makes the shirt more attractive to the customer, and positively accentuates the workmanship of the manufacturer in producing the shirt or of the launderer in washing the shirt.

However, shirts of the button-down collar type provide a unique problem to shirt manufacturers and commercial launderers. The points of a button-down shirts collar are actually buttoned to the body of the shirt. In a button-down shirt each collar points size, relative to the location of the associated button on the shirts body, is fabricated so as to provide a slight roll or hump in the collar point when the shirt is worn by the user. Different style button-down shirts accentuate this roll or hump more than others. Such is particularly accentuated in button-down shirts having collars of the socalled high roll and long point configurations.

It is particularly difficult for a button-down shirt manufacturer or launderer to maintain this roll or hump in the collar points when in a shirt package for, e.g., the high roll or long point type collar configurations. That is, the button-down collar tends to flatten down against the collar band and against the shirts body in an awkward attitude that is quite different from the way that the collar appears when worn. This is unattractive to the manufacturer and launderer from a marketing standpoint because this awkward collar attitude is unattractive to the consumer. This for the reason that the button-down shirts collar is differently configured when in its package from that which will occur when the shirt is worn by the user. Thus, it is desirable to the shirt manufacturer and commercial launderer to maintain the button-down shirts collar points in the roll or hump configuration, i.e., to maintain the shirt collar points lifted off the body portion and collar band of the shirt, when the shirt is packaged for delivery to the consumer.

Hence, it has been the major objective of this invention to provide a novel shirt collar support particularly adapted for use with button-down shirts which maintains the shirt points off the shirts body, i.e., which provides means to positively lift the collars points off the shirts body when the shirt is packaged for delivery.

In accordance with the objective of this invention, the shirt collar support of this invention includes a wing section extending outwardly from each end of a center section, a symmetry axis that extends through the center section dividing the collar support into mirror image right and left hand halves. Each wing section is folded a fold line disposed at an angle of about 45 relative to the symmetry axis. A tab is cut out of each wing section, each tab being fixed to the center section at the fold lines and remaining in the center sections plane when the wing sections are folded.

In use, the collar supports center section is wrapped around the front of the shirts collar band, same being held positively in location by engaging the shirts collar button with a collar button slot formed in the center section. The center section is held in the wrapped around position by a strap surrounding the collar band beneath the collar (except where the collar support is located) and overlying the collar supports tabs. The collar support is positioned relative to the shirts collar band so that each of the wing sections extends outwardly from the shirts collar band about the fold lines, thereby underlying the points of the shirts collar and lifting the collars points upwardly into collar configuration away from the body of the shirt.

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction Withthe drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view illustrating the shirt collar support of this invention in operative engagement with a folded button-down shirt;

FIG. 2 is a frontal perspective view of the shirt collar support of this invention illustrating the shirt collar support in the folded attitude prior to operative engagement with the folded button-down shirt; and

FIG. 3 is a top view illustrating the shirt collar support of this invention in blank configuration prior to folding into that attitude illustrated in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the collar support of this invention is particularly adapted for use in combination with a button-down type shirt 10. The button-down shirt 10 is shown in folded configuration in FIG. 1, this folded configuration being that which the shirt takes when packaged for the consumer by a manufacturer or commercial launderer. The button-down shirt 10 includes the usual body 11 portion, collar band 12, and collar 13. The shirts body portion 11 is disposed in a generally planar configuration when the shirt is folded, and the collar band 12 is disposed in a generally upstanding attitude with the collar 13 flaring outwardly therefrom. The collar 13 includes points 14 which terminate in tips 15, the tips being fixed to the shirts body portion 11 by buttons 16 attached to the body which cooperate with buttonholes 17 in the collars tips in accord with normal practice. Also in the usual fashion, the collar band 12 is provided with a collar button 18 to maintain the collar in buttoned relation to the users neck when the shirt 10 is worn.

The collar support 20 of this invention is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in those FIGS., the collar support 20 includes a center section 21 and a

wing section

22a, 22b extending outwardly from each end of the center section. A symmetry axis 23 extends through the center section, thereby dividing the collar support 20 into mirror image right 24a and left 24b hand halves when the support is in blank form as shown in FIG. 3 as well as when the support is in preliminary folded position as shown in FIG. 2.

in the same direction relative to the center section on The center section 21 is provided with a body edge 25 that is substantially perpendicularly disposed to the symmetry axis 23 and that extends to either side of the symmetry axis. The bottom edge 25 is adapted to rest on the shirts body 11 when the support 20 is operatively engaged with the shirts collar 13. The center sections top edge 26 may be configured as desired. The center section 20 terminates, at each side, in an outer or fold edge 27a, 27b angularly disposed relative to the symmetry axis 23 at an angle a of about 45 and angularly disposed relative to the center section s body edge 25 at an angle a of about 45.

One of the

wing sections

22a, 22b is foldably connected at respective fold lines 27a, 27b to each side of the center section 21. Each

wing section

22a, 22b is of a generally triangular configuration, and includes a

body edge

28a, 28b that extends substantially transverse to operative fold lines 27a, 271:. Each

wing section

22a, 22b also includes a

tip edge

29a, 29b that extends substantially transverse to the symmetry axis 23. Each

triangular wing section

22a, 22b, at its outermost point as defined by the intersection of

body edge

28a, 28b with

tip edge

29a, 29b, respectively, is provided with a button notch 30a, 30b. The button notches 30a, 30b are simply cut out of the points of the wing sections free corners and are particularly adapted to cooperate with the buttons 16 which button down the shirts collar 13 to the shirts body portion 11 as is explained in detail below. The collar supports

triangular wing sections

22a, 22b are foldably related to the collar supports center section 21 and function to support the shirt collars points 14, i.e., to lift the collars points upwardly into collar configuration away from the body of the shirt, when the collar support is operably engaged with the folded shirt 10.

A

tab

31a, 31b is defined in each

wing section

22a, 22b, respectively. Each

tab

31a, 31b extends into its

wing section

22a, 22b from, but is integral with, the

center section 21. Each

tab

31a, 31b is separable from each

wing section

22a, 22b by U-shaped cut lines 32a, 32b, respectively. Further, each

tab

31a, 31b extends outwardly into the adjacent wing section from the fold line 27a, 27b which separates the center section 21 from the associated

wing section

22a, 22b, thereby orienting the tabs in the wing sections in a substantially perpendicular manner relative to the fold lines that separate the wing sections and the center section. However, the

tabs

31a, 31b are not foldable relative to the center section 21 even though defined in the

wing sections

22a, 22b, note particularly FIGS. 2 and 3. The

supports center section 21 also includes a button slot 34 having an entry throat 35 that opens onto body edge 25 of the center section. The button slot 34 is longitudinally aligned with the symmetry axis 23 of the collar support 20.

The collar support 20 of this invention may be made of paperboard or the like, but it has been found desirable to make the collar support out of a clear flexible plastic. A clear flexible plastic material is thought to provide a more desirable collar support 20 from the consumer standpoint.

The collar support 20 of this invention is illustrated in folded configuration, prior to being operationally engaged with a shirt, in FIG. 2. As shown in that FIG., the center section 21 of the collar support 20, as well as the two

tabs

31a, 31b which extend outwardly therefrom from fold lines 27a, 27b, respectively, are in one plane. The two

wing sections

22a, 22b are folded outwardly in the same direction relative to the center section 21 about respective fold lines 27a, 27b. The fold angle of each

wing section

22a, 22b in the secondary attitude of the collar support (the primary attitude being the blank configuration shown in FIG. 3) relative to the center section 21 is about or less. Thus, and as shown in FIG. 2, the collar support 20 is in folded attitude ready to be operationally engaged with a folded shirt 10.

The final or operational attitude of the collar support 20 of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in that FIG., the collar support is particularly adapted for use in connection with button-down type shirts 10. The collar support 20 is held in correct functional and side-to-side relation with the collars band 12, and the collars points 14, by slipping the supports center section 21 into place as shown with the shirts collar button 18, the button 18 being finally positioned at the top of the supports button slot 34. When so positioned, the supports center section 21 is then slightly curved to conform with the curvature of the shirts neckband 12 so as to position the supports

wing sections

22a, 22b underneath the collars points 14, i.e., to position the supports fold lines 27a, 27b underneath the collars points 14, where they are covered by the collars points. In this attitude, the

supports wing sections

22a, 22b are disposed beneath the collars points 14,

body edge

28a, 28b of each wing section resting on the shirts body portion 11 and

tip edge

29a, 29b of each wing section supporting and bearing against the collar s points from underneath, thereby positively maintaining the button-down collars points off the top surface of the shirts body portion 1 1. In this final operational attitude for the collar support 20, the

wing sections

22a, 22b themselves may have a tendency to curve slightly relative to their usual planar attitude and may have a tendency to return to a coplanar attitude with the center section 20 about fold lines 27a, 27b. These tendencies are resisted by the collar since the collars points 14 are actually buttoned to the shirts body portion 11 by buttons 16, but these tendencies also help to keep the collars points lifted off the shirts body. Further, the button notch 30a, 30b defined in the point of each

wing section

22a, 22b prevents each wing section from moving toward the shirts symmetry axis 36, i.e., prevents the supports wing sections from popping out from beneath the collar 13, each notchs edges preventing such movement by contact with the thread by which each button 16 is sewn to the shirts body portion 1 1.

Note particularly in FIG. 1 that

tabs

31a, 31b of the collar support of this invention cooperate with a band 37 disposed or captured between the shirts collar 13 and the shirts neckband 12 in the usual fashion. This support band 37 which surrounds the shirts neckband 12 and which may be of the usual paperboard, cooperates with the collar supports

tabs

31a, 31b to insure that the collar supports center section 21 is reasonably curved into conformity with the curvature of the shirts neckband. This curvature is maintained in the collar supports center section 21 by means of the band 37 overlying and cooperating with the

tabs

31a, 31b, against the normal tendency of the center section to return to the planar attitude illustrated in FIG. 2.

Having described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A shirt collar support particularly adapted for use with button-down collars, said collar support including a single center section adjustable about a shirt collars band and sized to extend from one of the points of the shirts collar to the other across the collar button on the shirt collars band,

a single wing section extending outwardly from each end of (a) said center section, each wing section being foldable in the same direction relative to said 5 center section on a fold line, said center section being positionable relative to the shirts collar band so that each of said wing sections extends outwardly from the shirts collar band about said fold lines, thereby underlying the points of the shirts collar and lifting the collars points upwardly into collar configuration.

2. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 1, said 3. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 2 wherein said center section further defines a collar button slot, said collar button slot being located on the symmetry axis.

4. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 2, said center section defining a body edge substantially transverse to the symmetry axis, and each of said wing sections defining a body edge disposed at an angle of about 45 relative to said center sections body edge when said sections are all coplanar.

5. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 4, each of said wing sections defining a tip edge. said wing sections being positionable beneath the collars points so said sections body edges rest on the shirts body portion and so said wing sections tip edges contact the underside of the shirt collars points.

6. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 1 includmg at least one tab extending from each fold line when said collar support is in operational position with the shirts collar, said tabs being adapted to cooperate with a support band that surrounds the shirts neckband between the shirts neckband and the shirts collar so as to maintain the curvature of said center section in alignment with the curvature of the shirts collar band.

7. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 6, said tabs being cut out of said wing sections.

Claims

1. A shirt collar support particularly adapted for use with button-down collars, said collar support including a single center section adjustable about a shirt collar''s band and sized to extend from one of the points of the shirt''s collar to the other across the collar button on the shirt collar''s band, a single wing section extending outwardly from each end of (a) said center section, each wing section being foldable in the same direction relative to said center section on a fold line, said center section being positionable relative to the shirt''s collar band so that each of said wing sections extends outwardly from the shirt''s collar band about said fold lines, thereby underlying the points of the shirt''s collar and lifting the collar''s points upwardly into collar configuration.

2. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 1, said collar support being divided into mirror image right and left hand halves by a symmetry axis, said fold lines being disposed at an angle of about 45* relative to the symmetry axis.

3. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 2 wherein said center section further defines a collar button slot, said collar button slot being located on the symmetry axis.

4. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 2, said center section defining a body edge substantially transverse to the symmetry axis, and each of said wing sections defining a body edge disposed at an angle of about 45* relative to said center section''s body edge when said sections are all coplanar.

5. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 4, each of said wing sections defining a tip edge, said wing sections being positionable beneath the collar''s points so said sections'' body edges rest on the shirt''s body portion and so said wing sections'' tip edges contact the underside of the shirt collar''s points.

6. A shirt collar support as set forth in claim 1 including at least one tab extending from each fold line when said collar support is in operational position with the shirt''s collar, said tabs being adapted to cooperate with a support band that surrounds the shirt''s neckband between the shirt''s neckband and the shirt''s collar so as to maintain the curvature of said center section in alignment with the curvature of the shirt''s collar band.