U.S. patent application number 11/402778 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-15 for color-coding system for infant clothing.
Invention is credited to Brooke A. Soldwedel.
Application Number | 20070033697 11/402778 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37741197 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070033697 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Soldwedel; Brooke A. |
February 15, 2007 |
Color-coding system for infant clothing
Abstract
Infant clothing articles having indicia thereon for sizing,
sorting, and preventing or inhibiting loss. The indicia includes a
color corresponding to a size of infant clothing articles. The
indicia is highly visible and is adapted to be used in hospital and
other institutional settings to distinguish infant clothing
articles from other linens and to identify different sizes of
infant clothing articles.
Inventors: |
Soldwedel; Brooke A.;
(Chicago, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Janet M. Garetto;JENKENS & GILCHRIST
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
225 W. Washington, Ste. 2600
Chicago
IL
60606-3418
US
|
Family ID: |
37741197 |
Appl. No.: |
11/402778 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60707271 |
Aug 11, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/80 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F 3/00 20130101; G09F
3/10 20130101; A41B 13/00 20130101; G09F 21/02 20130101; G09F 3/02
20130101; A41D 27/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/080 |
International
Class: |
A41D 11/00 20060101
A41D011/00 |
Claims
1. An article of infant clothing comprising: a front portion; and a
back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is
attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a
corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion
and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck
opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening, wherein the
article of infant clothing includes at least one indicia thereon,
the indicia having a color corresponding a size of the article of
infant clothing.
2. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the article
of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet,
a romper, or a bodysuit.
3. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the at least
one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.
4. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the at least
one indicia is provided on at least one edge of the neck
opening.
5. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the at least
one indicia includes colored stitching.
6. The article of infant clothing of claim 5, wherein the colored
stitching attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to
the at least one edge of the back portion.
7. The article of infant clothing of claim 1 further comprising at
least one strip of fabric, the at least one strip of fabric being
secured to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion
and the back portion, wherein the at least one strip of fabric
includes the at least one indicia thereon.
8. The article of infant clothing of claim 7, wherein the at least
one indicia includes colored stitching.
9. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the front
portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side
portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side
portion and is held in place by at least one fastener.
10. The article of infant clothing of claim 9, wherein the fastener
is a snap, a tie, a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a
combination thereof.
11. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the at least
one indicia includes at least one colored number corresponding to
the size of the article of infant clothing.
12. The article of infant clothing of claim 1, wherein the at least
one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of
infant clothing.
13. A method of distinguishing an article of infant clothing
comprising the acts of: providing an article of infant clothing,
the article of infant clothing having a front portion and a back
portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached
to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at
least one seam area such that the front portion and the back
portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first
arm opening, and a second arm opening; providing at least one
indicia on the article of infant clothing, the at least one indicia
having a color thereon corresponding with a size of the article of
infant clothing; and comparing the color of the at least one
indicia to a color code, the color code having a color
corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the article of infant clothing
is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a
bodysuit.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one indicia is
provided on the at least one seam area.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one indicia is
provided on at least one edge of the neck opening.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one indicia
includes colored stitching.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the colored stitching attaches
the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge
of the back portion.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of providing the at
least one indicia further comprises securing at least one strip of
fabric to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion
and the back portion and providing the at least one indicia
thereon.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one indicia
includes colored stitching.
21. The method of claim 13, wherein the front portion further
comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein
the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held
in place by at least one fastener.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the fastener is a snap, a tie,
a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a combination
thereof.
23. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one indicia has a
number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant
clothing.
24. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one indicia
includes a colored label attached to the article of infant
clothing.
25. A method of manufacturing an article of infant clothing
comprising: providing an article of infant clothing; and providing
at least one indicia thereon, the indicia having a color
corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the article of infant clothing
is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a
bodysuit.
27. The method of claim 25, wherein the article of infant clothing
comprises at least one seam area and wherein the at least one
indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.
28. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one indicia
includes colored stitching.
29. The method of claim 25, wherein the article of infant clothing
comprises at least one strip of fabric, the at least one strip of
fabric being secured to at least one edge of the article of infant
clothing, wherein the at least one strip of fabric includes the
indicia thereon.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the at least one indicia
includes a colored stitching.
31. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one indicia has a
number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant
clothing.
32. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one indicia
includes a colored label attached to the article of infant
clothing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/707,271, filed Aug. 11, 2005, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to infant clothing.
More particularly, the present invention relates to articles of
infant clothing having indicia thereon for aiding or assisting in
sizing, sorting, and preventing or inhibiting loss.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Institutional settings, such as hospitals, often have a
large supply of infant clothing articles including T-shirts,
undershirts, gowns, singlets, rompers, bodysuits, and the like for
use by their pediatric patients. The infant clothing articles are
available in various sizes, including 3-months, 6-months, 9-months,
12-months, and 18-months.
[0004] Distinguishing the articles of infant clothing from other
institutional linens and from each other may be difficult. The
infant clothing articles are most often manufactured and available
in an all white color. White is a neutral color, is often
associated with cleanliness and sterility and is, thus, generally
preferred in hospital settings and other institutional settings.
For these reasons, other linens in hospital and institutional
settings such as bed sheets, pillowcases, cloth diapers, towels,
washcloths, and the like are also often white. These different
types of linens are often laundered with the various sizes and
types of infant clothing, some of which are of a generally similar
size as the infant clothing articles (e.g., washcloths and
pillowcases). Because the infant clothing articles are generally
the same color and often a similar size as the other linens, the
infant clothing articles may become mixed in and/or accidentally
sorted with the other linens and/or misplaced.
[0005] Distinguishing the infant clothing articles by size may also
be difficult. Once separated from the other types of linens, infant
clothing articles are often sorted, generally by size. Sorting
infant clothing articles according to size may be problematic,
particularly in institutional settings, which generally have vast
amounts of infant clothing articles. Because the size of the
clothing is not readily apparent, it is often difficult and
time-consuming to determine the size for purposes of sorting and
storing and later to locate the desired size from storage.
[0006] Current methods of distinguishing infant clothing articles
and/or sizes of infant clothing articles include kaumography and
tagging. Kaumography is a process of transferring a label or a
decal to an article of clothing by applying heat to the label or
decal. The label or decal may include the size of the clothing
and/or a distinguishing mark, color, or logo. Kaumography requires
an additional step in manufacturing the article and, thus, may be a
time-consuming and/or expensive way of distinguishing the clothing
and/or indicating size. Alternatively, tagging involves placing a
tag or label on the article of infant clothing, usually on the
upper, back, inside portion of the article of infant clothing, to
indicate the size. Although tags may be required to provide
information about the article of infant clothing such as fiber
content, relying on writing on the tag to identify the size of the
article of infant clothing may be undesirable because the tags may
lose ink color, curl, shrink, and/or tear. Moreover, the writing on
the tag may be difficult to see from a distance, thus making it
difficult to identify the sizes and sort the clothing. In addition,
because the tags and the writing on the tags are often small in
size or can fade during washing and/or laundering, they do not
readily distinguish the articles of infant clothing from the other
linens or from other sizes of infant clothing items. Thus, tagging
may also be a time-consuming and/or ineffective way of
differentiating the infant clothing articles and/or the size of the
infant clothing articles.
[0007] Therefore, there exists a need for an improved system of
coding articles of infant clothing that promotes efficiency in size
determination and sorting and minimizes the risk of loss.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to one embodiment, an article of infant clothing
comprises a front portion and a back portion. At least one edge of
the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front
portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the
front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing
having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm
opening. The article of infant clothing includes at least one
indicia thereon, which has a color corresponding with a size of the
article of infant clothing.
[0009] According to one method of distinguishing an article of
infant clothing, an article of infant clothing is provided. The
article of infant clothing has a front portion and a back portion.
At least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one
edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area
such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular
body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a
second arm opening. At least one indicia on the article of infant
clothing is also provided. The at least one indicia has a color
thereon corresponding with a size of the article of infant
clothing. The color of the at least one indicia is compared to a
color code. The color code has a color corresponding to a size of
the article of infant clothing.
[0010] According to one method of manufacturing an article of
infant clothing, an article of infant clothing is provided. At
least one indicia is provided thereon. The at least one indicia has
a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant
clothing.
[0011] The above summary of the present invention is not intended
to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present
invention. The detailed description and Figures will describe many
of the embodiments and aspects of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will
become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and
upon reference to the drawings.
[0013] FIG. 1a illustrates a front view of a short sleeve,
slip-over infant shirt according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 1b illustrates a back view of the slip-over infant
shirt of FIG. 1a.
[0015] FIG. 2a illustrates a front view of a long sleeve, snap-side
infant shirt, according to another embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 2b illustrates a back view of the snap-side infant
shirt of FIG. 2a.
[0017] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way
of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein.
It should be understood, however, that the invention is not
intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather,
the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0018] The present invention is directed to infant clothing
articles having indicia thereon for aiding or assisting in sizing,
sorting, and/or minimizing the risk of loss of the infant clothing
articles.
[0019] The structure of infant clothing articles is generally
well-known. Articles of infant clothing generally have a shirt
section in which front and back portions of the shirt are
interconnected to define a body casing that fits around an infant's
torso. The body casing includes a neck opening, a first arm
opening, and a second arm opening at its upper end. Infant clothing
articles may further include a crotch panel that extends from the
back portion of the article through the infant's legs and attaches
to the front portion of the article. The infant clothing article
may be designed to pull over the infant's head. The infant clothing
article may also include, for example, snaps, ties, safety pins,
hook-and-loop-type fasteners, or combinations thereof. Although the
remainder of the disclosure herein will be directed toward an
infant shirt, it is to be understood that all aspects of the
invention may also be implemented on other articles of infant
clothing, including, but not limited to, T-shirts, undershirts,
gowns, singlets, rompers, bodysuits, and the like.
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1a, for example, a short sleeve,
slip-over infant shirt 10 is shown according to one embodiment of
the present invention. The shirt of FIGS. 1a, 1b may also be
referred to as a lap-shoulder shirt. According to the illustrated
embodiment, the slip-over shirt 10 is of generally typical
construction having a tubular body casing 12, which is defined by a
back portion 14 and a front portion 16. The tubular body casing 12
may include generally one piece of fabric or several (i.e., two or
more) pieces of fabric attached together to form a generally
tubular shape. In use, the back portion 14 overlies the back of an
infant's upper torso, and the front portion 16 overlies the
infant's chest and/or stomach area. Situated near the upper ends of
the back portion 14 and the front portion 16 are a first arm
opening and a second arm opening adapted to receive the infant's
arms therethrough and a neck opening 18 adapted to receive the
infant's head therethrough. Sleeves 20 may be attached to the body
casing 12 at the first and second arm openings. The sleeves 20 may
generally be short, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1a and 1b,
long as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, or of an
intermediate length or lengths (not shown). The slip-over shirt 10
may also be of a tank variety (not shown), having no sleeves. FIG.
1b shows a back view of the slip-over shirt 10 of FIG. 1a.
[0021] FIG. 2a shows a long sleeve, snap-side infant shirt 100
according to another embodiment of the present invention. According
to the illustrated embodiment, the front portion 168 generally
includes a first side portion 160 and a second side portion 165.
The second side portion 165 attaches to the inner side 162 of the
first side portion 160 via snaps 170, forming a tubular body casing
112 which is defined by a back portion 166 and a front portion 168.
Other means of attachment may include ties, safety pins,
hook-and-loop-type fasteners, other means suitable for attaching
the second side portion 165 to the first side portion 160, and
combinations thereof. In the embodiment of FIG. 2a, the first side
portion 160 overlaps the second side portion 165 and snaps onto the
outer side of the second side portion 165. Situated near the upper
ends of the back portion 166 and the front portion 168 are a first
arm opening and a second arm opening to receive the infant's arms
therethrough and a neck opening 118 to receive the infant's head
therethrough. Sleeves 120 may be attached to the tubular body
casing 112 at the arm openings. The sleeves 120 may generally be
long, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, short as shown
in the embodiment of FIGS. 1a and 1b, or of an intermediate length
or lengths (not shown). The snap-side shirt 100 may also be of a
tank variety (not shown), having no sleeves. FIG. 2b shows a back
view of the snap-side shirt 100 of FIG. 2a.
[0022] Regardless of the type or style of the infant clothing
article, various materials can be used in manufacturing the infant
clothing article. The fabric used may include, but is not limited
to, cotton, nylon, polyester, rayon, acetate, olefin, spandex, and
combinations and/or derivations thereof. It is also contemplated
that other materials or combinations of materials suitable for use
in infant clothing articles may be used.
[0023] Referring back to FIG. 1a, in accordance with principles of
the present invention, the slip-over shirt 10 includes indicia used
to indicate the size of the slip-over shirt 10. The indicia also
serves to make the slip-over shirt 10 distinguishable from other
hospital and institutional linens, such as bed sheets, pillowcases,
cloth diapers, towels, washcloths, and the like, particularly after
laundering. According to one embodiment of the present invention,
the indicia may be in the form of a colored thread 22 sewn onto the
slip-over shirt 10 or other article of infant clothing. It is
contemplated that the indicia may be attached to the article of
infant clothing using any suitable means of attachment. It is
further contemplated that the indicia may be attached or positioned
in areas of the article of infant clothing other than those shown
in the illustrated embodiments. Different thread colors may be used
to indicate different sizes of infant shirts or other articles of
infant clothing. For example, the colored thread or other indicia
on size 3-months shirts may be orange, the colored thread on size
6-months shirts may be green, etc. The colored thread or other
indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which
size slip-over shirt 10 or other article of infant clothing
corresponds with a particular color.
[0024] Various patterns of colored thread or other indicia may
generally be used in the embodiments of the invention, regardless
of the type or style of the infant clothing article. The colored
thread 22 of the illustrated embodiment is generally in the form of
a repeating pattern stitched onto the slip-over shirt 10. For
example, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1a and 1b, the colored thread
22 has a repeating zigzag pattern 50. It is contemplated that
non-repeating patterns may also be used. It is contemplated that a
variety of colored thread 22 patterns may be used in the
embodiments of the invention. It is contemplated, for example, that
the colored thread may have patterns other than that depicted in
FIGS. 1a and 1b, including, but not limited to, a repeating wave
pattern 150 as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. Using different colored
threads to correspond with the different sizes would be beneficial
in distinguishing the sizes of infant clothing articles from a
distance.
[0025] The colored thread 22 or other indicia may also have a
number pattern corresponding to the size of the clothing to
identify the size of the slip-over shirt 10 (not shown) or other
article of infant clothing. The number pattern may, for example, be
repeating. For example, size 3-months infant clothing articles may
have a repeating pattern of the number "3" formed from a first
thread having a certain color, size 6-months infant clothing
articles may have a repeating pattern of the number "6" formed from
a second thread having a different color, etc. Using numbers
corresponding to a size of infant clothing articles as the pattern
may be beneficial because the step of matching the colored thread
to a color chart to determine which size of infant clothing
articles corresponds with a particular color would be
eliminated.
[0026] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1a and 1b, the indicia generally
includes a colored thread 22 being sewn onto shoulder seams 28 and
a collar trim 30 of the slip-over shirt 10. It is contemplated,
however, that the indicia may of any suitable form positioned in
any suitable location. It is also contemplated that the indicia may
be on other types of infant clothing articles. For example, in the
embodiment of FIGS. 2a and 2b, the indicia generally includes a
colored thread 122 being sewn onto a trim 130 of a snap-side shirt
100. A trim is often referred to as a bias bridge and generally
includes a strip(s) of fabric located at or near an edge of an
article of infant clothing. The trim may be folded around the edge
of the article of infant clothing and sewn or otherwise attached
thereon. It is contemplated that the collar trim 30 or other trim
may be attached to the slip-over shirt 10 or other article of
infant clothing by other suitable attachment means. Referring back
to FIGS. 1a and 1b, for example, the collar trim 30 includes a
strip of fabric located at an edge of the neck opening 18 of the
slip-over shirt 10, folded around the edge of the neck opening 18,
and sewn thereon. As an alternative or in addition to applying the
colored thread 22 to the collar trim 30, the colored thread 22 may
be located on other areas of the slip-over shirt 10 or other
articles of infant clothing such as, for example, side seams (not
shown), sleeve seams 35a, 35b, shoulder seams 28 or other seam
areas. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, in addition to the
collar trim 30, the colored thread 22 is located on the shoulder
seams 28. The colored thread may serve a functional purpose such
as, for example, attaching the trim to the rest of the slip-over
shirt 10 or other infant clothing article or attaching the front
portion 16 to the back portion 14.
[0027] Substituting colored thread for standard white thread may
serve dual purposes of color-coding the article of infant clothing
to aid and assist in sizing, sorting, and/or preventing or
inhibiting loss as well as sewing the trim to the article of infant
clothing. If the colored thread is located on other areas of the
slip-over shirt 10 or other articles of infant clothing, it may
serve dual purposes of color-coding the article of infant clothing
and attaching one piece of fabric to another. For example,
referring to FIGS. 1a and 1b, using colored thread on the sleeve
seams 35a, 35b may provide a means of identifying the size of the
infant clothing article and a means for attaching the sleeve 20 to
the tubular body casing 12. Using the methods of the present
invention, the extra step of adding a colored indicia after the
slip-over shirt 10 has been manufactured using white thread may be
eliminated, thus reducing costs associated with manufacturing the
slip-over shirt 10. It is also contemplated, however, that the
colored thread 22 may be added as an additional step after the
slip-over shirt 10 has been manufactured.
[0028] In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1a and 1b, the
colored thread 22 is provided on the top portion 24 and front
portion 16 of the slip-over shirt 10, so that the colored thread 22
may be seen when the slip-over shirt 10 is folded and stored. The
colored thread 22 may also be placed on a portion of or the entire
collar trim 30 (i.e., the front portion 16 and the back portion 14)
of the slip-over shirt 10 as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b so that the
colored thread 22 may be seen both when front portion 16 of the
slip-over shirt 10 is facing up and when the back portion 14 of the
slip-over shirt 10 is facing up. It is also contemplated that the
colored thread 22 may be positioned on other parts of the slip-over
shirt 10, whether on the front portion 16 and/or the back portion
14, including, but not limited to, along all or part of the bottom
edge, the sleeve cuffs or edges, other seam areas, hems, and the
like. The colored thread 122 of the snap-side shirt 100, according
to one embodiment, is shown in FIG. 2a. It is contemplated that
colored thread indicia may be used with any type of infant clothing
article and may be located anywhere thereon.
[0029] Additionally or alternatively, the indicia may also be in
the form of a strip or strips of fabric sewn or heat-transferred
onto the article of infant clothing such as the slip-over shirt 10.
The thread used to sew the strip onto the slip-over shirt 10 may be
colored. It is also contemplated that other suitable means for
applying and/or attaching the indicia, such as the strip(s), to the
article of infant clothing may also be used. The strip of fabric
may be colored, or the strip of fabric may include another type of
colored indicia including, but not limited to, colored thread
and/or colored symbols thereon. The strip or strips of colored
fabric may be located at an edge of the infant clothing article
such as, for example, the trim. Different colored strips may be
used to identify different sizes of infant clothing articles. For
example, the strip on size 3-months shirts may be orange, the
colored strip on size 6-months shirts may be green, etc. The strip
of colored fabric may be used instead of or in addition to the
colored thread indicia described above. The colored strip or other
indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which
size slip-over shirt 10 or other article of infant clothing
corresponds with a particular color. It is contemplated that strips
having indicia thereon may be used with any type of infant clothing
article and may be located anywhere on the article of infant
clothing.
[0030] Regardless of the type or style of the article of infant
clothing, it is contemplated that the indicia (e.g., the thread
and/or the strips) may be comprised of any materials typically used
to manufacture the particular type of indicia. For example, the
thread and/or strips may be made of cotton, nylon, polyester,
rayon, acetate, olefin, spandex, and combinations and/or
derivations thereof. Additionally, the above-described features and
orientations may also be applied to suitable types of colored
indicia other than those described.
[0031] Additionally or alternatively, the articles of infant
clothing such as a T-shirt (e.g., slip-over or snap-side), an
undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit may be
color-coded using colored tags. For example, size 3-months shirts
may have orange tags, size 6-months shirts may have green tags,
etc. The color may be provided on a portion of or on the entire
tag. The colored tags may be attached to the articles of infant
clothing by sewing, gluing, or any other suitable attachment
method. Using colored tags has several benefits in comparison to
known tagging methods. For example, a color on a tag may be more
readily distinguishable than writing on a tag. Moreover, the color
of the tag may still be visible even if the tag is curled,
shrunken, and/or torn, thus, making it easier and more efficient to
determine the size of the articles of infant clothing. The colored
tags or other indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to
determine which size slip-over shirt 10 or other article of infant
clothing corresponds with a particular color. It is contemplated
that colored tags may be used with any type of infant clothing
article and may be located anywhere thereon.
[0032] Additionally or alternatively, information about the article
of infant clothing may be printed directly onto the article of
infant clothing using colored ink corresponding to the size of the
article of infant clothing. The printed information may include,
for example, brand name, fabric content, laundering instructions,
size, combinations thereof, and the like. It is contemplated that
the information may be printed anywhere on the article of infant
clothing including, for example, the upper, back (e.g., back
portion 14 of FIG. 1b), inside (i.e., the side adapted to contact
an infant's torso) portion of the article of infant clothing. For
example, the colored ink on size 3-months articles of infant
clothing may be orange, the colored ink on size 6-months articles
of infant clothing may be green, etc. The colored ink or other
indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which
size slip-over shirt 10 or other article of infant clothing
corresponds with a particular color. It is contemplated that
colored ink may be used with any type of infant clothing article
and may be located anywhere thereon.
[0033] With the indicia of the present invention, when a variety of
different sizes of infant shirts or other articles of infant
clothing are grouped together, one may identify the color of the
indicia in order to identify the size of the infant shirt or other
article of infant clothing by comparing the color of the indicia to
a color code that indicates which color corresponds to a particular
size. Color-coding the indicia provides a highly visible and
immediately recognizable means of identifying the different sizes
of infant shirts or other articles of infant clothing and
distinguishing the infant shirts or other articles of infant
clothing among various other white linens, such as washcloths,
pillowcases, and the like. The indicia also provides a way of
distinguishing between different sizes of infant shirts or other
articles of infant clothing by using a different color of thread or
other indicia for each different infant shirt size or other infant
clothing article. Moreover, the colored indicia of the present
invention can generally be seen from a distance. In addition to
applying any of the above indicia on various locations of a
slip-over shirt 10 (FIGS. 1a and 1b), it is contemplated that any
of the embodiments described herein may be used with a snap-side
shirt 100 (FIGS. 2a and 2b), a tie-side shirt, a lap-shoulder
shirt, a pin-back shirt, or any other article of infant
clothing.
[0034] According to alternative embodiment A, an article of infant
clothing comprises a front portion and a back portion, wherein at
least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge
of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such
that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body
casing having a neck opening, and wherein the infant clothing
includes an indicia thereon, the indicia having a color to
correspond to a size of the infant clothing.
[0035] According to alternative embodiment B, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the infant clothing
is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a
bodysuit.
[0036] According to alternative embodiment C, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia is
provided on the at least one seam area.
[0037] According to alternative embodiment D, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia is
provided on an edge of the neck opening.
[0038] According to alternative embodiment E, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia includes
a repeating pattern of colored stitching.
[0039] According to alternative embodiment F, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment E, wherein the colored stitching
attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least
one edge of the back portion.
[0040] According to alternative embodiment G, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, further comprising a strip of
fabric, the strip of fabric being secured to at least one edge of
at least one of the front portion and the back portion, wherein the
strip of fabric includes the indicia thereon.
[0041] According to alternative embodiment H, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment G, wherein the indicia includes
a repeating pattern of colored stitching.
[0042] According to alternative embodiment I, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the front portion
further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion,
wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and
is held in place by a fastener.
[0043] According to alternative embodiment J, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment 1, wherein the fastener is a
snap, a tie, a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a
combination thereof.
[0044] According to alternative embodiment K, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia has a
repeating number pattern corresponding to the size of the infant
clothing.
[0045] According to alternative embodiment L, the article of infant
clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia includes
a colored label attached to the infant clothing.
[0046] According to alternative embodiment M, a method of
distinguishing an article of infant clothing comprises the acts of
providing an article of infant clothing, the article of infant
clothing having a front portion and a back portion, wherein at
least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge
of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such
that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body
casing having a neck opening, providing an indicia on the infant
clothing, the indicia having a color thereon to correspond to a
size of infant clothing, and comparing the color of the indicia to
a color code, the color code having a color corresponding to a size
of infant clothing.
[0047] According to alternative embodiment N, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the infant clothing is a T-shirt,
an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.
[0048] According to alternative embodiment 0, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia is provided on the at
least one seam area.
[0049] According to alternative embodiment P, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia is provided on an
edge of the neck opening.
[0050] According to alternative embodiment Q, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia includes a repeating
pattern of colored stitching.
[0051] According to alternative embodiment R, the method of
alternative embodiment Q, wherein the colored stitching attaches
the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge
of the back portion.
[0052] According to alternative embodiment S, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the act of providing the indicia
further comprises securing a strip of fabric to at least one edge
of at least one of the front portion and the back portion and
providing the indicia thereon.
[0053] According to alternative embodiment T, the method of
alternative embodiment S, wherein the indicia includes a repeating
pattern of colored stitching.
[0054] According to alternative embodiment U, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the front portion further
comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein
the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held
in place by a fastener.
[0055] According to alternative embodiment V, the method of
alternative embodiment U, wherein the fastener is a snap, a tie, a
safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a combination
thereof.
[0056] According to alternative embodiment W, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia has a repeating
number pattern corresponding to the size of the infant
clothing.
[0057] According to alternative embodiment X, the method of
alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia includes a colored
label attached to the infant clothing.
[0058] According to alternative embodiment Y, a method of
manufacturing an article of infant clothing comprises providing an
article of infant clothing and providing an indicia thereon, the
indicia having a color corresponding with a size of the article of
infant clothing.
[0059] According to alternative embodiment Z, the method of
alternative embodiment Y, wherein the article of infant clothing is
a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a
bodysuit.
[0060] According to alternative embodiment AA, the method of
alternative embodiment Y, wherein the article of infant clothing
comprises at least one seam area and wherein the indicia is
provided on the at least one seam area.
[0061] According to alternative embodiment AB, the method of
alternative embodiment Y, wherein the indicia includes a repeating
pattern of colored stitching.
[0062] According to alternative embodiment AC, the method of
alternative embodiment Y, wherein the article of infant clothing
comprises a strip of fabric, the strip of fabric being secured to
at least one edge of the article of infant clothing, wherein the
strip of fabric includes the indicia thereon.
[0063] According to alternative embodiment AD, the method of
alternative embodiment AC, wherein the indicia includes a repeating
pattern of colored stitching.
[0064] According to alternative embodiment AE, the method of
alternative embodiment Y, wherein the indicia has a repeating
number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant
clothing.
[0065] According to alternative embodiment AF, the method of
alternative embodiment Y, wherein the indicia includes a colored
label attached to the article of infant clothing.
[0066] According to alternative embodiment AG, an article of infant
clothing comprises a front portion and a back portion, wherein at
least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge
of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such
that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body
casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm
opening, and wherein the article of infant clothing includes at
least one indicia thereon, the indicia having a color corresponding
with a size of the article of infant clothing.
[0067] According to alternative embodiment AH, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the article
of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet,
a romper, or a bodysuit.
[0068] According to alternative embodiment Al, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least
one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.
[0069] According to alternative embodiment AJ, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least
one indicia is provided on at least one edge of the neck
opening.
[0070] According to alternative embodiment AK, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least
one indicia includes colored stitching.
[0071] According to alternative embodiment AL, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, further comprising at
least one strip of fabric, the at least one strip of fabric being
secured to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion
and the back portion, wherein the at least one strip of fabric
includes the at least one indicia thereon.
[0072] According to alternative embodiment AM, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AL, wherein the at least
one indicia includes colored stitching.
[0073] According to alternative embodiment AN, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the front
portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side
portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side
portion and is held in place by at least one fastener.
[0074] According to alternative embodiment AO, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least
one indicia includes at least one colored number corresponding to
the size of the article of infant clothing.
[0075] According to alternative embodiment AP, the article of
infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least
one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of
infant clothing.
[0076] According to alternative embodiment AQ, a method of
distinguishing an article of infant clothing comprises the acts of
providing an article of infant clothing, the article of infant
clothing having a front portion and a back portion, wherein at
least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge
of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such
that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body
casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm
opening, providing at least one indicia on the article of infant
clothing, the at least one indicia having a color thereon
corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing, and
comparing the color of the at least one indicia to a color code,
the color code having a color corresponding to a size of the
article of infant clothing.
[0077] According to alternative embodiment AR, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the article of infant clothing
is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a
bodysuit.
[0078] According to alternative embodiment AS, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia is
provided on the at least one seam area.
[0079] According to alternative embodiment AT, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia is
provided on at least one edge of the neck-opening.
[0080] According to alternative embodiment AU, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia
includes colored stitching.
[0081] According to alternative embodiment AV, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the colored stitching attaches
the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge
of the back portion.
[0082] According to alternative embodiment AW, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the act of providing the at
least one indicia further comprises securing at least one strip of
fabric to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion
and the back portion and providing the at least one indicia
thereon.
[0083] According to alternative embodiment AX, the method of
alternative embodiment AW, wherein the at least one indicia
includes colored stitching.
[0084] According to alternative embodiment AY, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the front portion further
comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein
the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held
in place by at least one fastener.
[0085] According to alternative embodiment AZ, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia has a
number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant
clothing.
[0086] According to alternative embodiment BB, the method of
alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia
includes a colored label attached to the article of infant
clothing.
[0087] While the present invention has been described with
reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in
the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof
is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the
invention, which is set forth in the following claims.
* * * * *