U.S. patent application number 12/382085 was filed with the patent office on 2009-09-10 for multi-function garment.
Invention is credited to Alexandra Kay Townsend.
Application Number | 20090222969 12/382085 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41052059 |
Filed Date | 2009-09-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090222969 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Townsend; Alexandra Kay |
September 10, 2009 |
Multi-function garment
Abstract
A multi-function garment is disclosed. The multi-function
garment composed of a piece of fabric or woven material having a
substantially rectangular or trapezoid shape, and fasteners mounted
along at least one side of the fabric or woven material. The
multi-function garment generally has a size and a width-to-height
ratio that allows a wearer to comfortably use the garment as a hood
around the wearer's head or a shawl around the wearer's shoulder
without significantly stretching the fabric or woven material.
Moreover, the garment is sized such that, when used as a scarf
around the wearer's neck, it would give a collar or turtle neck
appearance by simply fastening some or all of the fasteners.
Inventors: |
Townsend; Alexandra Kay;
(Centerport, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ANDREWS KURTH LLP
1350 I STREET, N.W., SUITE 1100
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
41052059 |
Appl. No.: |
12/382085 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61064513 |
Mar 10, 2008 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/88 ; 2/202;
2/203; 2/207; 2/91 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 1/041 20130101;
A41D 23/00 20130101; A41D 2200/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/88 ; 2/91;
2/203; 2/202; 2/207 |
International
Class: |
A41D 3/08 20060101
A41D003/08; A41D 23/00 20060101 A41D023/00; A42B 1/04 20060101
A42B001/04; A42B 5/00 20060101 A42B005/00 |
Claims
1. A multi-function garment comprising: a trapezoidal-shaped fabric
with two opposing parallel sides of unequal length and two opposing
unparallel sides of substantially equal length, and fasteners
mounted along at least one of the two unparallel sides to enable
the garment to be configured for multiple purposes including as a
scarf, a turtle neck, a collar, a shawl and a hood, wherein the
trapezoidal shape has a height (H) that is longer than the distance
between the top of a typical wearer's head and the top of the
wearer's shoulder, and wherein the two parallel sides of the
trapezoidal-shaped fabric each has a length that is equal to or
longer than H, but is shorter than 2 H.
2. The multi-function garment of claim 1, wherein H is between 12
and 24 inches.
3. The multi-function garment of claim 1, wherein the fasteners
comprise buttons.
4. The multi-function garment of claim 1, wherein the fabric is
knitted medium weight or heavy weight yarn.
5. The multi-function garment of claim 1, wherein the fabric is a
trimmed fabric.
6. The multi-function garment of claim 1, wherein the fabric is a
single layer fabric.
7. The multi-function garment of claim 1, wherein the fabric is
made from a material selected from the group consisting of cotton,
wool, polyester, and combinations thereof.
8. A multi-function garment comprising: a substantially rectangular
stretchable fabric with two substantially parallel long sides and
two substantially parallel short sides, and fasteners mounted along
at least one short side to enable the garment to be configured for
multiple purposes including as a scarf, a turtle neck, a collar, a
shawl and a hood, wherein the long side of said substantially
rectangular stretchable fabric has a length that is about 10-20
inches longer than the average neck circumference of a targeted
wearer group, and wherein said short side-to-long side length ratio
is between 1:1 and 1:2.
9. The multi-function garment of claim 8, wherein the fasteners
comprise buttons.
10. The multi-function garment of claim 8, wherein the fabric is
knitted medium weight or heavy weight yarn.
11. The multi-function garment of claim 8, wherein the fabric is a
trimmed fabric.
12. The multi-function garment of claim 8, wherein the fabric is a
seamless fabric.
13. The multi-function garment of claim 8, wherein the fabric is a
single layer fabric.
14. A multi-function garment comprising: a trapezoidal-shaped
fabric with a short top side, a long bottom side parallel to said
top side, and two opposing unparallel sides of substantially equal
length, and fasteners mounted along at least one of the unparallel
sides to enable the garment to be configured for multiple purposes
including as a scarf, a turtle neck, a collar, a shawl and a hood,
wherein said top side has a length that is greater than the average
neck circumference of a targeted wearer group.
15. The multi-function garment of claim 14, wherein the fasteners
comprise buttons.
16. The multi-function garment of claim 14, wherein the fabric is
knitted medium weight or heavy weight yarn.
17. The multi-function garment of claim 14, wherein the fabric is a
trimmed fabric.
18. The multi-function garment of claim 14, wherein the fabric is a
seamless fabric.
19. The multi-function garment of claim 14, wherein the fabric is a
single layer fabric.
20. The multi-function garment of claim 14, wherein the fabric is
made from a material selected from the group consisting of cotton,
wool, polyester, and combinations thereof.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/064,513, filed Mar. 10, 2008, which
disclosure is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to garments and, in
particular, to an multi-function garment for head, neck and
shoulder covering.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Head, neck and shoulder covers such as scarves and hoods
have been used for centuries by people all over the world. These
scarves and hoods, however, are often designed for a single purpose
of covering only the neck/shoulder area or the head. Although a
wearer may try to use the garment for an unintended purpose, for
example, to protect the ears in extreme cold weather by wrapping a
long scarf around the head, it is usually accomplished at the
expense of appearance or style of the wearer. What is needed is a
multi-purpose garment that can be used for head, neck or shoulder
cover while maintaining the appearance and style of the wearer in
each function.
SUMMARY
[0004] A multi-function garment is disclosed. An embodiment of the
multi-function garment includes a trapezoidal-shaped fabric with
two opposing parallel sides of unequal length and two opposing
unparallel sides of substantially equal length, and fasteners
mounted along at least one of the unparallel sides to enable the
garment to be configured for multiple functions. The
trapezoidal-shaped garment has a height (H) that is longer than the
distance between the top of a typical wearer's head and the top of
the wearer's shoulder. The two parallel sides of the
trapezoidal-shaped fabric each has a length that is equal to or
longer than H, but is shorter than 2 H.
[0005] Also disclosed is an embodiment of the multi-function
garment having a substantially rectangular stretchable fabric with
two substantially parallel long sides and two substantially
parallel short sides, and fasteners mounted along either or both
short sides to enable the garment to be configured for multiple
functions. The long side of the substantially rectangular
stretchable fabric has a length that is about 10-20 inches longer
than the average neck circumference of a targeted wearer group, and
the short side-to-long side length ratio is between 1:1 and
1:2.
[0006] Also disclosed is an embodiment of the multi-function
garment that contains a trapezoidal-shaped fabric with a short top
side, a long bottom side parallel to the top side, and two opposing
unparallel sides of substantially equal length, and fasteners
mounted along at least one unparallel sides to enable the garment
to be configured for multiple functions. The top side has a length
that is greater than the average neck circumference of a targeted
wearer group.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The detailed description will refer to the following
drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like elements, and
wherein:
[0008] FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrations showing embodiments of a
multi-purpose garment.
[0009] FIG. 3 is an illustration showing the scarf function of the
multi-purpose garment.
[0010] FIG. 4 is an illustration showing the turtle neck function
of the multi-purpose garment.
[0011] FIG. 5 is an illustration showing the hood function of the
multi-purpose garment.
[0012] FIG. 6 is an illustration showing the shawl function of the
multi-purpose garment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Described herein is an unique garment that can be used for a
fall, spring, and winter wardrobe. This multi-function garment,
designated as the "Snurtle" is composed of a piece of fabric or
woven material having a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal
shape, and fasteners mounted along at least one side of the fabric
or woven material. The Snurtle generally has a size and a
width-to-height ratio that allow a wearer to comfortably use the
Snurtle as a hood around the wearer's head or as a shawl around the
wearer's shoulder without significantly stretching the fabric or
woven material. Moreover, the Snurtle is sized such that, when used
as a scarf around the wearer's neck, it may provide or have a
collar or turtle neck appearance by simply fastening some or all of
the fasteners. Accordingly, embodiments of the Snurtle have a width
that is larger than the circumference of a wearer's neck, but small
enough so as to lay smoothly and not significantly bunching or
gathering around the wearer's neck when two opposing sides of the
Snurtle are fastened against each other.
[0014] Referring now to FIG. 1, an embodiment 10 of the Snurtle
shown has a substantially rectangular shape with two long sides 11
and 12, and two short sides 13 and 14, with a width (the length of
the long sides 11 and 12) to height (the length of the short sides
13 and 14) ratio between one and two. A plurality of fasteners 15
are mounted along at least one of the short sides of the Snurtle.
The fasteners 15 may be mounted on the same surface (e.g., the
front surface) of the Snurtle or on the opposite surfaces (e.g.,
the front surface and back surface) of the Snurtle. In one
embodiment, the fasteners 15 include push buttons with male pieces
mounted on the front surface along one of the short sides 13 and 14
and female pieces mounted along the opposite side on the back
surface of the Snurtle. In another embodiment, the fasteners 15
include buttons mounted along one of the short sides 13 and 14,
with button holes mounted along the opposite side. Other known
fasteners may also be used.
[0015] Typically, the width of the rectangle-shaped Snurtle is
greater than the circumference of a wearer's neck so that the
Snurtle can be wrapped around the wearer's neck as a scarf.
Likewise the height of the Snurtle is typically greater than the
head height (i e., the distance between the top of the wearer's
head and the bottom of the wearer's chin) but less than twice of
the wearer's head height. In one embodiment, the Snurtle has a
width of 24-36 inches and a height of 18-24 inches.
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 2, another embodiment 20 of the
Snurtle has a trapezoidal shape with two opposing parallel sides
21, 22 of unequal length (i.e., a shorter top side and a longer
base side) and two opposing unparallel sides 23, 24 of
substantially equal length. A plurality of fasteners 25 are mounted
along at least one unparallel side to enable the garment to be
configured for multiple functions. In one embodiment, the fasteners
25 include push buttons with male pieces mounted along one of the
unparallel sides 23 and 24 and female pieces mounted along the
opposite side. In another embodiment, the fasteners 25 include
buttons mounted along one of the unparallel sides 23 and 24, with
button holes mounted along the opposite side. Other known fasteners
may also be used.
[0017] In one embodiment, the Snurtle has a height H (i.e., the
distance between the two opposing parallel sides) that is longer
than the height of a typical wearer's head (i.e., the distance
between the top of the wearer's head and the bottom of the wearer's
chin). In this embodiment, the two parallel sides of the
trapezoidal-shaped Snurtle each has a length that is equal to or
longer than H, but is shorter than 2 H. The fasteners are mounted
along at least one of the non-parallel sides of the Snurtle. The
trapezoidal-shaped Snurtle, with a longer bottom or base side,
provides better coverage to the shoulders of the wearer when used
as a hood or shawl. The shorter top side also allows the Snurtle to
be wrapped smoothly around a wearer's neck, like a turtle neck or
collar, without bunching or gathering in a manner that would affect
the overall appearance. In one embodiment, the height H is between
12-24 inches. In another embodiment, the height H is between 16-20
inches.
[0018] In another embodiment, the top side of the
trapezoidal-shaped or rectangular-shaped Snurtle (i.e., side 11 or
21) has a length that allows the Snurtle to be loosely wrapped
around a wearer's neck with substantially no overlap. If the
Snurtle is constructed for a particular person, the length of the
top side would be about 10-20 inches, and preferably 12-18 inches,
longer than the circumference of the wearer's neck. If the Snurtle
is constructed for a targeted wearer group, the length of the top
side would be about 10-20 inches, and preferably 12-18 inches,
longer than the average neck circumference of targeted wearer
group. For example, if the targeted wearers are adult females with
a neck circumference in the range of 13-17 inches and an average
neck circumference of 15 inches, the Snurtle would have a top side
length of about 25-35 inches, and preferably 27-33 inches.
[0019] The Snurtle can be made of a variety of fabric or woven
materials, including but not limited to, cotton, wool, polyester or
combinations thereof. The fabric can be a machine-made or hand-made
knitted fabric with medium to heavy weight yarn. In one embodiment,
the fabric has no seams. Seams may compromise the movement and
function of the Snurtle. In another embodiment, the fabric contains
trims and/or linings. In another embodiment, the Snurtle is made
from a single layer of fabric or woven material. In yet another
embodiment, the Snurtle contains decorative non-functional buttons
or other decorative objects. The fasteners can be buttons, snaps,
zips, or any other fastening means known to a person of ordinary
skill in the art. The Snurtle can be used for a variety of
purposes. For example, it can be used as a scarf, a turtleneck, a
collar, a hood, a shawl, or whatever else a wearer can create.
[0020] As used herein, the term "stretchable fabric" refers to a
fabric that is extensible and elastic when stretching forces are
applied to the fabric. That is, the fabric may be extended,
deformed or the like, without breaking when stretching forces are
applied to the fabric. The stretchable fabric will retract
substantially to its original shape after removal of the stretching
forces. For example, knitted fabrics and loosely woven fabrics are
generally stretchable, while tightly woven fabrics are generally
not stretchable.
[0021] With reference now to FIG. 3, shown is an embodiment of a
Snurtle 30 placed around a wearer's neck with all snaps/buttons
fastened to function as a scarf or turtleneck. This function can
not only dress up a simple outfit but also keep the wearer warm and
cozy, indoors and outdoors.
[0022] With reference now to FIG. 4, shown is an embodiment of a
Snurtle 40 used as a collar by placing the Snurtle 40 around a
wearer's neck and simply undoing one or two of the top
buttons/snaps 42. This option not only keeps the user warm but
allows the wearer to have a little more room around the neck.
[0023] With reference now to FIG. 5, shown is an embodiment of a
Snurtle 50 used as a hood to provide extra protection from the wind
and cold. To create this look, the back of the Snurtle 50 is pulled
up over the wearer's head. This option can be used for dressing up
a wearer's favorite coat or sweater.
[0024] With reference now to FIG. 6, shown is an embodiment of a
Snurtle 60 used as a shawl to dress up a plain T-shirt. The shawl
option is accomplished by only buttoning one or two of the top
snap/buttons 62 thus having the Snurtle 60 lay across the wearer's
shoulders.
[0025] The terms and descriptions used herein are set forth by way
of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those
skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible
within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the
following claims, and their equivalents, in which all terms are to
be understood in their broadest possible sense unless otherwise
indicated.
* * * * *