U.S. patent application number 10/710181 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-19 for removable garment shield.
Invention is credited to Chris Spirou, Michael Tse.
Application Number | 20060010576 10/710181 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35597815 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060010576 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tse; Michael ; et
al. |
January 19, 2006 |
Removable Garment Shield
Abstract
A removable garment patch which protects the thigh portion of a
pants leg. The patch has an inner surface which is secured to the
thigh portion of pants, and an outer surface which provides a
location that the wearer can wipe with the wwearer's hands. The
wearer can remove the garment patch prior to leaving the work site.
The garment patch can be a single patch, or alternatively, it can
be distributed in bulk quantities, such as multiple patches
attached together on a roll of patches. The garment patch can be
secured to the thigh portion of the pants prior to the initiation
of work. The garment patch should be secured to the thigh portion
of the pants prior to beginning work activities. At the end of work
activities, or at the wwearer'selection, the patch can be removed.
Alternative embodiments provide discrete patches or rolls of
patches which can be dispensed as needed.
Inventors: |
Tse; Michael; (West Palm
Beach, FL) ; Spirou; Chris; (Palm Beach Gardens,
FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JOHN C. SMITH, ESQ.
2499 GLADES ROAD
SUITE 113
BOCA RATON
FL
33431
US
|
Family ID: |
35597815 |
Appl. No.: |
10/710181 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/244 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 27/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/244 |
International
Class: |
A41D 27/08 20060101
A41D027/08 |
Claims
1. A disposable and removable patch, further comprising: a layer of
material having a size suitable to cover a portion of the thigh on
a pair of pants such that the portion of the thigh is protected
from soiling; a layer of adhesive on one surface of the layer of
material, the adhesive suitable for the removable attachment of the
layer of material to the thigh portion of the pants; a peelable
cover removably attached to the layer of adhesive, such that the
layer of adhesive is prevented from being contaminated; whereby the
disposable layer of material protects the pants.
2. A patch, as in claim 1, wherein: the layer of material is
absorbent.
3. A patch, as in claim 2, further comprising: a layer of nonporous
material between the layer of material and the adhesive.
4. A patch, as in claim 3, wherein: the layer of material includes
ornamental designs.
5. A patch, as in claim 3, further comprising: a peelable layer
that is removably attached to the layer of adhesive such that it
can be detached from the adhesive prior to attachment of the patch
to the thigh portion of a pair of pants.
6. A disposable patch, comprising: a layer of material sized such
that a substantial portion of the front surface of an individual is
covered when the patch is secured to the individual; a layer of
adhesive attached to the layer material such that the layer of
material is held in place by the adhesive; a peelable layer that is
removably attached to the layer of adhesive such that it can be
detached from the adhesive prior to attachment of the patch to a
garment.
7. A patch, as in claim 6, wherein: the patch is sized such that it
can be used as an apron.
8. A patch, as in claim 7, wherein: the layer of material is
absorbent.
9. A patch, as in claim 8, further comprising: a layer of nonporous
material between the layer of material and the adhesive.
10. A patch, as in claim 9, wherein: the layer of material includes
ornamental designs.
11. A patch, as any claim 7, further comprising: a pocket located
near the bottom of the apron.
12. A patch, as in claim 6, wherein: the patch is sized such that
it can be used as a bib.
13. A patch, as in claim 12, wherein: the layer of material is
absorbent.
14. A patch, as in claim 13, further comprising: a layer of
nonporous material between the layer of material and the
adhesive.
15. A patch, as in claim 13, wherein: the layer of material
includes ornamental designs.
16. A patch, as any claim 12, further comprising: a pocket located
near the bottom of the apron.
17. A disposable patch, comprising: a layer of material sized such
that a substantial portion of the top surface of a work surface is
covered when the layer of material is placed on it; a layer of
adhesive attached to the layer material such that the layer of
material is held in place by the adhesive; a peelable layer that is
removably attached to the layer of adhesive such that it can be
detached from the adhesive prior to attachment of the patch to the
work surface.
18. A patch, as in claim 17, wherein: the work surface is a
mattress, a massage table, or a medical examination table.
19. A patch, as in claim 18, further comprising: a layer of
nonporous material between the layer of material and the
adhesive.
20. A patch, as in claim 19, wherein: the layer of material
includes ornamental designs.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to devices for protecting
clothing from stains, soiling, and excessive wear. In particular,
it relates to a disposable and removable temporary shield used to
protect portions of a garment during work or during periods of
activity which may damage garments.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] Protection of garments is a concern for many individuals. A
variety of conditions effect the durability and attractiveness of
garments. Physical factors such as ordinary wear and tear, more
severe wear for garments used in a work environment, staining
caused by perspiration or other contaminants, etc., all impact the
durability and appearance of garments.
[0005] A variety of attempts have been made to address these
problems. For example, perspiration shields have been developed to
protect garments from the wearer' perspiration. These shields can
be used on the underarm of the wearer, on the wwearer's collar,
etc. By preventing staining of the garment, these devices increase
the attractiveness of the garment, and increase its longevity. This
type of device is useful for protecting the garment from the
wwearer's body.
[0006] Another problem associated with many types of occupations is
the damage to wworker's clothing that occurs during the course of
the workday. This increases the cost of the work being done and
interferes with the productivity of the workers. One particularly
frequent problem is related to damage to the knee portions of
pants. The reason for this is the large number of occupations, such
as carpet installers, floor tile installers, etc., which require
the worker to rest on their knees during the installation process.
Since the knee portion of the garment receives the highest amount
of wear, the knees of the pants frequently wear out while the
remainder of the garment remains in a relatively good condition. If
the knee portion of the pants were better protected, then the
entire garment would last longer.
[0007] The prior art has attempted to address this problem in a
variety of ways. In particular, specialized devices to protect the
knees of the pants legs have been developed to extend the useful
life of the pants by preventing premature wear in the knee.
[0008] One such device has been the development of removable knee
pads. Of course, the primary function of removable knee pads is to
protect the knees of the worker, not to protect the garment.
However, these devices do provide an additional benefit in that
they also provide a measure of protection for the knee portion of
the wworker's pants, and as a result, the useful life of the
wworker's pants is extended.
[0009] In addition to the fortuitous benefit provided by knee pads
when they protect the ppants' nee in addition to the wworker's
knee, the prior art has also provided devices that are primarily
intended to extend the useful life of the knee portion of a
wworker's pants. In particular, knee patches are commonly available
devices which can be secured to the knee portion of a pair of
pants. These devices can be used after the knee portion of the
pants has been damaged, or before any damage has occurred. They
merely provide an additional layer of material which will be
subjected to the same type of wear as the original material in the
pants. Unfortunately, while knee patches address the problem of
damage to the knees, they are often unsightly, and give the
impression that the wearer is using old, worn out, or repaired
clothing.
[0010] Those skilled in the art will recognize that while knee pads
and knee patches are very useful for workmen, they may also be very
useful for other individuals, such as children, who tend to place
high levels of wear on their garments, or individuals who are
engaging in activities such as sports.
[0011] The problems and solutions related to the knee portion of
pants have received substantial attention by the prior art because
problems related to the knee portion are conspicuous, and because
the presence of physical damage to the garment focuses attention on
the problem. However, other sections of the wworker's pants have
different problems which also detract from the appearance and
useful life of the garment. In particular, in many work
environments workers do not inflict excessive wear on the knees of
the pants. For example, painters, plasterers, electricians, etc.,
may spend the majority of their time in a standing position. As a
result, they may have little if any wear problems associated with
the knee portions of their work pants.
[0012] Unfortunately, while the knee portion of the wworker's pants
may remain in relatively good condition, other portions of the
wworker's garments may receive substantial amounts of wear based
upon the position required by their occupation. For example, when
the painter or plaster is in a standing position, they may
frequently wipe their hands on the thigh portion other pants the
course of a dday's work. As a result, while the garment has
received no impact or abrasion damage that would cause wear, the
thigh portion of the wworker's pants may be severely stained or
soiled. This shortens the useful life of the garment, because
eventually the garment will have to be disposed of even though it
is structurally sound.
[0013] In addition to shortening garment life, it also
inconveniences the wearer because the wearer may feel uncomfortable
when work is interrupted for activities such as lunch, etc. In
particular, the individual may feel uncomfortable because of their
appearance, and may therefore, avoid frequenting desirable
establishments. It would be desirable to have a method of
protecting selected portions of a garment, such as the thigh
portion of pants, or other garments or portions of garments.
Further, it would also be desirable to have a method of protecting
selected portions of a garment on a temporary basis.
[0014] While the prior art has provided solutions to several
problems related to the protection of garments, it has failed to
provide a method of shielding particular areas of a garment, such
as the thigh portion of a pants leg, in such a manner that the
shield can be easily attached, or easily removed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0015] The present invention provides a removable garment patch
which is designed to protect the thigh portion of a pants leg. The
removable garment patch has an inner surface which is secured to
the thigh portion of pants, and an outer surface which provides a
location that the wearer can wipe with the wwearer's hands. The
wearer can remove the garment patch prior to leaving the work site.
The garment patch can be a single patch, or alternatively, it can
be distributed in bulk quantities, such as multiple patches
attached together on a roll of patches. The garment patch can be
secured to the thigh portion of the pants prior to the initiation
of work. The garment patch should be secured to the thigh portion
of the pants prior to beginning work activities. At the end of work
activities, or at the wwearer'selection, the patch can be removed.
Alternative embodiments provide discrete patches or rolls of
patches which can be dispensed as needed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a prior art illustration in which a conventional
pair of pants has soiled thigh portions.
[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention
in which a conventional pair of pants has removable patches sized
to suitably cover the thigh portions of an iindividual's leg.
[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a preferred embodiment of
the invention in which a patch has a layer of material which acts
as a shield, a layer of adhesive, and a peelable layer which is
removed prior to use.
[0019] FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention in which a plurality of patches are
available for use, and are packaged such that individual patches
can be obtained as needed.
[0020] FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention in which a plurality of patches are
available for use, and are packaged such that individual patches
can be obtained as needed.
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of an alternative preferred
embodiment of the invention in which the patch has a layer of
absorbent material which retains fluids in messy environments, a
nonporous barrier layer, and a peel-off layer which exposes
adhesive when removed.
[0022] FIG. 6A illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of
the invention in which the patch is enlarged and used as a
disposable stick-on apron.
[0023] FIG. 6B illustrates a side cutaway view of the alternative
preferred embodiment of FIG. 6A.
[0024] FIG. 7 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which
the patch is enlarged and used as a bib.
[0025] FIG. 8 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which
the patch is enlarged and used as a protective cover for a
mattress.
[0026] FIG. 9 illustrates yet another alternative embodiment in
which the patch is enlarged to cover a substantial portion of the
thigh portion of trouser legs for outdoors activities.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Prior to a detailed discussion of the figures, a general
overview of the system will be presented. A preferred embodiment of
the invention provides a removable patch which used to protect the
thigh portions of an iindividual's pants. The patch uses an
adhesive which will temporarily secure the patch to the thigh
portion of an iindividual's pants. At the start of the work day,
the individual removes the backing from the patch to expose the
adhesive. Then the patch is installed onto the thigh portion of the
iindividual's pants.
[0028] The patch is constructed such that while the adhesive
secures the patch to the thigh portion of the wwearer's pants, the
selected adhesive is not strong enough to prevent the patch from
being removed when desired. The patch is intended to be fabricated
from an inexpensive material which will allow it to be removed as
often as desired. For example, a painter may remove the patch prior
to going to lunch. After lunch, an individual such as painter would
merely attach a new patch to protect garment prior to going home
from work. Because of the nature of use associated with the
invention, a typical work site would maintain a supply of
patches.
[0029] One preferred embodiment envisions discrete patches that are
separately packaged. Alternatively, multiple patches can be stored
together such that they can be easily dispensed to a group of
individuals.
[0030] As a result of using the patch, an individual can look more
presentable while simultaneously protecting the condition of the
garment.
[0031] Having discussed the features and advantages of the
invention in general, we turn now to a more detailed discussion of
the figures.
[0032] In FIG. 1, a prior art pair of pants 1 is shown. In this
figure, the thigh portion 2 of the pant legs shows some dirt 3.
Presence of the dirt 3, which appears on the thigh portion 2 is
unsightly and may cause the individual to prematurely replace the
pants 1.
[0033] In FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.
In this embodiment, the pants 1 have removable patches 4 that
provide an area that a workman can use to wipe his hands on during
the course of the dday's activities. Once the workman leaves the
job site, patches 4 can be removed and discarded. As can be seen,
by properly positioning the patches 4, the patches 4 will protect
the parts of the garment 1 which the worker may wipe their hands.
This protects the garment 1 from un-necessary damage or soiling
during work. When the worker returns and resumes work, a new set of
patches 4 can be attached to the garment 1. The use of these
patches 4 allows the wearer to maintain their wardrobe in much
better condition.
[0034] Another advantage of the invention is that it allows the
user to select patches having a variety of patterns or ornamental
designs for use in conjunction with their garments.
[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a preferred embodiment of
the invention in which a patch 4 has a layer of material which acts
as a shield 5, a layer of adhesive 6, and a peelable cover layer 7
which is removed prior to use.
[0036] The material used to make the patch 4 can be any suitable
material. The shield 5 can resemble the garment to which it is
being applied, or alternatively, the appearance of the shield 5 can
vary dramatically from the garment it is being attached to.
Likewise, any suitable adhesive 6 can be used. The only requirement
is that it must be suitable for its intended purpose. The peelable
cover layer 7 protects the layer of adhesive 6 prior to use.
[0037] FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention in which a plurality of patches 4 are
available for use, and are packaged in kit form such that
individual patches 4 can be obtained as needed.
[0038] FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of the invention in which a plurality of patches 4 are
available for use, and are packaged in the form of a roll 8 such
that individual patches 4 can be obtained as needed.
[0039] FIG. 5 illustrates a side edge view of an alternative
preferred embodiment of the invention in which the patch 4 has a
layer of absorbent material 9 which retains fluids in messy
environments, a nonporous barrier layer 10, and a peel-off layer 11
which exposes adhesive when removed. This embodiment is especially
useful in messy environments.
[0040] In addition to the use of the patch 5 as described in the
foregoing embodiments, it can also be used for other applications.
For example, it can be fabricated in a large size that would allow
it to be used as a drop cloth.
[0041] FIG. 6A illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of
the invention in which a patch, such as that discussed above in
regard to FIG. 5, is enlarged and used as a disposable stick-on
apron 12. In addition, a pocket 13 is formed at the bottom of the
apron 12 to catch any fluids. This type of apron is very useful for
activities such as art classes, etc., in which there may be a messy
environment with some spillage.
[0042] FIG. 6B illustrates a side cutaway view of the alternative
preferred embodiment of FIG. 6A. As can be more clearly seen in
this figure, pocket 13 catches any excess spillage. Further, the
pocket 13 is lined with absorbent material 9.
[0043] FIG. 7 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which
the patch 14 is enlarged and used as a bib. The same bib structure
can be used for infants or for adults in restaurants. The only
thing which would have to be changed is the size to accommodate a
particular individual.
[0044] Those skilled in the art will recognize that any type of
suitable ornamental design can be imprinted on these devices.
[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates another alternative embodiment of the
invention which is used to protect a work surface, in this case a
mattress. In this embodiment, the patch 16 is enlarged and used as
a protective cover for a mattress 15. Preferably, the structure
shown in FIG. 5 will be used for this embodiment. When used as a
mattress cover, the patch 16 can be used in institutional
applications (i.e., hospitals), residential applications, or in
commercial applications. Likewise, the patch 16 can be decorated to
suit a particular audience. For example, children might prefer
cartoon characters, etc.
[0046] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the garment
shield disclosed herein can be fabricated in a variety of ways. For
example, it can be made from cloth, plastic, paper, etc. It can be
biodegradable, it can be absorbent, and/or it can have padding.
Likewise, it can also be reusable.
[0047] In FIG. 9, a further alternative embodiment of the garment
shield is illustrated. In this embodiment, the patch 4 is enlarged
to cover a substantial portion of the thigh portion 2 of the
garment 1 when the garment 1 is used for outdoors activities. There
are a variety of activities which will result in a fair amount of
garment soiling if the garment 1 is not properly protected. For
example, one such activity is fishing. When a fisherman catches a
fish, they often clean the fish before taking it home. Of course,
when the fish is cleaned, a substantial amount of mess occurs. In
fact, due to the blood and other fluids which typically stain the
garment 1 during the cleaning process, the garment 1 may be
permanently stained and no longer usable in most situations.
[0048] This embodiment of the invention is intended to avoid the
situation where a garment 1 is exposed to a high degree of soiling,
such as fishing, hunting, etc. For example, when a sportsman cleans
a fish, he will often lay the fish on his thighs during the
cleaning process. Further, the fisherman will often wipe his hands
off on his pants after cleaning a fish or baiting a hook. As a
result, the material in the thigh 2 portion of the garment 1 may be
soaked with body fluids from the fish.
[0049] In addition to providing benefits to fisherman, the patch 4
also provides significant benefits to hunters. Of course, the patch
4 will help keep the hhunter's garments clean in the same manner as
it does for fisherman. However, it can simultaneously provide
additional benefits. In particular, it can be fabricated from
camouflage fabrics to assist during the hunting process.
Alternatively, it can be fabricated from highly visible or
reflective material as a safety measure (to protect the hunter from
other hunters.) The highly visible or reflective embodiment can
also be used in any situation where someone may be exposed to
danger. For example, workers engaged in roadside construction,
children at play, joggers, bicyclists, skaters, etc.
[0050] Many occupations, in addition to those already discussed,
can benefit from the patch 4. For example, chefs and other kitchen
workers (and sometimes diners) frequently wipe their hands on their
trousers. In addition to restaurant workers, restaurant patrons can
also benefit from the patch 4. For example, it can be structured as
a lobster bib, as a cover for the ddiner's lap, etc. Artists are
another occupation that can benefit from the patch 4. Artists, such
as sculptors, may often wipe their hands on their pants legs during
the process of creating a new art work.
[0051] Those skilled in the art will recognize that in addition to
providing practical benefits, the patch 4 can be fabricated solely
for aesthetic or social purposes. This may take the form of colors,
designs, written messages, political statements, religious
statements, etc.
[0052] In addition to protecting garments 1, the invention can be
used for other applications that require a work surface which
should be protected. For example, it can be used for medical
examination tables. Currently, medical examination table are
covered with paper strips that tend to slide, and as a result, are
often inconvenient for a patient. The patch 4 can be sized to fit
the surface of a medical examination table and removably attached
such that it is secured in place until it is intentionally removed.
In a similar manner, the patch 4 can also be used for massage
tables.
[0053] Since the patch 4 is envisioned as a disposable device, the
preferred embodiment fabricates the patch 4 from biodegradable
material. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the patch 4
can also be fabricated from washable and renewable material.
[0054] While the invention has been described with respect to a
preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes in detail may be made
therein without departing from the spirit, scope, and teaching of
the invention. For example, the material used to construct the
patches may be anything suitable for its purpose, the size and
shape of the patch can vary, the type of adhesive can vary, etc.
Accordingly, the invention herein disclosed is to be limited only
as specified in the following claims.
* * * * *