U.S. patent application number 13/223062 was filed with the patent office on 2012-05-03 for infant bodysuit.
This patent application is currently assigned to DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.. Invention is credited to Nina Seenae Huh, Lori Sue Ott.
Application Number | 20120102616 13/223062 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44936193 |
Filed Date | 2012-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120102616 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ott; Lori Sue ; et
al. |
May 3, 2012 |
INFANT BODYSUIT
Abstract
An infant bodysuit having a pair of rows of snap sockets either
one of which can receive a curved row of snaps studs, the rows of
snap sockets and snap studs being provided along a gentle curve
that is easy for a caregiver to match up the studs and sockets.
Reinforcement, through a woven fabric facing, is provided in the
region of the snap sockets on the front panel to provide
two-dimensional stability throughout the region. Rib binding is
used along the leg openings and covers the facing material for
improved comfort to the infant. A flat, straight edge bottom is
provided along the bottom edge of the front panel to reduce
bulkiness. An improved leg opening is achieved by significantly
narrowing the width of the front panel from the top of the leg
opening down to the attachment portion.
Inventors: |
Ott; Lori Sue; (Valencia,
CA) ; Huh; Nina Seenae; (Pasadena, CA) |
Assignee: |
DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Burbank
CA
|
Family ID: |
44936193 |
Appl. No.: |
13/223062 |
Filed: |
August 31, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61407555 |
Oct 28, 2010 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/80 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 13/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/80 |
International
Class: |
A41D 11/00 20060101
A41D011/00 |
Claims
1. A bodysuit for an infant, comprising: one or more fabric panels
substantially configured into a tubular shape to receive the torso
of the infant and having openings for the infant's neck, arms, and
legs; and a first closure mechanism on the back side of the leg
opening and a second closure mechanism on the front side of the leg
opening, wherein the first closure mechanism mates with the second
closure mechanism; wherein the first and second closure mechanisms
include mating portions of three or more snaps, one of the first
and second closure mechanisms including three or more snap studs
and the other of the first and second closure mechanisms including
three or more snap sockets, the snap studs and snap sockets
collectively referred to as snap features; wherein the snap
features in each of the first and second closure mechanisms are
formed in a curved row; wherein at least one of the first and
second closure mechanisms includes at least two rows each having
three or more snap features, wherein either row can be used to
temporarily attach the first closure mechanism to the second
closure mechanism so as to temporarily attach the front side of the
leg opening to the back side of the leg opening in between the two
legs of the infant so as to form a pair of separate leg openings
and contain the infant within the bodysuit; wherein each of the
curved rows follows a curve of sufficiently large radius such that
there is a straight line passing between a portion of the outermost
of the snap features in a given row that passes through a portion
of the center snap feature in the same row.
2. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein the center snap
feature in a given row is substantially equidistant from the
outermost of the snap features in that same row.
3. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein the center snap
feature in a given row is significantly closer to the outermost of
the snap features in that same row than to the outermost of the
snap features in a different row.
4. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein the distance from the
neck opening to the center snap feature in a given row on the front
side is less than the distance from the neck opening to the
outermost of the snap features in that same row.
5. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein two rows of snap
features are located on the front side and one row of snap features
is located on the back side.
6. A bodysuit as defined in claim 5, wherein the portion of the
front side where the two rows of snap features are located is
reinforced by a fabric material that is stiffer and more rigid than
the fabric panels to provide increased two-dimensional stability
between the two rows of snap features and between the snap features
of a given row.
7. A bodysuit as defined in claim 6, wherein the stiffer fabric
material is covered along the periphery of the leg openings with a
material that is softer than the fabric material.
8. A bodysuit as defined in claim 6, wherein a majority of the
bodysuit is composed of a knit fabric material, and the knit
material covers the stiffer fabric material.
9. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein a majority of the
bodysuit is composed of a knit fabric material.
10. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein the snap features on
the front side are snap sockets and the snap features on the back
side are snap studs.
11. A bodysuit as defined in claim 1, wherein the orientation of
the curved row of snap features on the back side corresponds to the
orientation of the curved rows of snap features on the front side
when the front side is temporarily attached to the back side.
12. A bodysuit for an infant, comprising: one or more fabric panels
substantially configured into a tubular shape to receive the torso
of the infant and having openings for the infant's neck, arms, and
legs; and a first closure mechanism on the back side of the leg
opening and a second closure mechanism on the front side of the leg
opening, wherein the first closure mechanism mates with the second
closure mechanism; wherein the first and second closure mechanisms
include mating portions of three or more snaps, one of the first
and second closure mechanisms including three or more snap studs
and the other of the first and second closure mechanisms including
three or more snap sockets, the snap studs and snap sockets
collectively referred to as snap features; wherein the snap
features in each of the first and second closure mechanisms are
formed in a row; wherein at least one of the first and second
closure mechanisms includes at least two rows each having three or
more snap features, wherein either row can be used to temporarily
attach the first closure mechanism to the second closure mechanism
so as to temporarily attach the front side of the leg opening to
the back side of the leg opening in between the two legs of the
infant so as to form a pair of separate leg openings and contain
the infant within the bodysuit; wherein the portion of the one or
more fabric panels that includes the at least two rows of snap
features is reinforced by a fabric material that is stiffer and
more rigid than the fabric panels to provide increased
two-dimensional stability between the two rows of snap features and
between the snap features of a given row.
13. A bodysuit as defined in claim 12, wherein the stiffer fabric
material is a woven fabric facing.
14. A bodysuit as defined in claim 13, wherein the woven fabric
facing is a single sheet that covers the entire region where the
two rows of a snap features are attached.
15. A bodysuit as defined in claim 12, wherein the stiffer fabric
material is covered along the periphery of the leg openings with a
material that is softer than the fabric material.
16. A bodysuit as defined in claim 15, wherein a majority of the
bodysuit is composed of a knit fabric material, and the knit
material covers the stiffer fabric material.
17. A bodysuit as defined in claim 12, wherein a majority of the
bodysuit is composed of a knit fabric material.
18. A bodysuit for an infant, comprising: one or more fabric panels
substantially configured into a tubular shape to receive the torso
of the infant and having openings for the infant's neck, arms, and
legs; and a first closure mechanism on the back side of the leg
opening and a second closure mechanism on the front side of the leg
opening, wherein the first closure mechanism mates with the second
closure mechanism; wherein the first and second closure mechanisms
include mating portions of three or more snaps, one of the first
and second closure mechanisms including three or more snap studs
and the other of the first and second closure mechanisms including
three or more snap sockets, the snap studs and snap sockets
collectively referred to as snap features; wherein the snap
features in each of the first and second closure mechanisms are
formed in a row; wherein at least one of the first and second
closure mechanisms includes at least two rows each having three or
more snap features, wherein either row can be used to temporarily
attach the first closure mechanism to the second closure mechanism
so as to temporarily attach the front side of the leg opening to
the back side of the leg opening in between the two legs of the
infant so as to form a pair of separate leg openings and contain
the infant within the bodysuit; wherein the portions of the one or
more fabric panels that form the front side and back side of the
leg opening are sized relatively to each other so that the material
forming each of the front side and the back side of the leg opening
narrow at a significantly higher rate at the top of the leg opening
as compared to the bottom of the leg opening and, in addition, the
front side of the leg opening is significantly narrower in width
from the material forming the back side of the leg opening from the
highest side edge of the leg opening down to the bottom edge of the
leg opening.
19. A bodysuit as defined in claim 18, wherein the bottom edge on
the front side of the leg opening is a straight edge.
20. A bodysuit as defined in claim 19, wherein the snap features in
each of the first and second closure mechanisms are formed in a
curved row.
21. A bodysuit as defined in claim 18, wherein each of the curved
rows follows a curve of sufficiently large radius such that there
is a straight line passing between a portion of the outermost of
the snap features in a given row that passes through a portion of
the center snap feature in the same row.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 61/407,555, entitled "Infant Bodysuit,"
filed on Oct. 28, 2010, the contents of which are incorporated by
reference herein as if set forth in full.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A common type of clothing worn by infant children (generally
those under 12 months, but extending up to those as old as 24
months) is known as an infant bodysuit. As is well known, the
infant bodysuit typically covers the entire torso of the infant
with a single piece of clothing. The bodysuit may have no sleeves,
short sleeves, or long sleeves. Typically, the bodysuit is open at
the bottom and has detachable closure devices located along the
bottom edge of the front and back panels. Most typically, these
closure devices may be snaps which may include a stud and a
matching socket for receiving the stud.
[0003] With many bodysuits, there is a plurality of such snaps. For
example, there may be a single row of three snaps that can be used
to removably attach the back panel to the front panel. In order to
allow for some growth of the infant, at least one manufacturer of
bodysuits has included a pair of rows of snap members (e.g.
sockets) along the bottom of the front panel so that either of the
rows of sockets of the front panel can be used to receive the studs
of the snap portions on the back panel.
SUMMARY
[0004] Disclosed herein is a bodysuit for an infant that includes:
one or more fabric panels substantially configured into a tubular
shape to receive the torso of the infant and having openings for
the infant's neck, arms, and legs; and a first closure mechanism on
the back side of the leg opening and a second closure mechanism on
the front side of the leg opening, wherein the first closure
mechanism mates with the second closure mechanism. The first and
second closure mechanisms include mating portions of three or more
snaps, one of the first and second closure mechanisms including
three or more snap studs and the other of the first and second
closure mechanisms including three or more snap sockets, the snap
studs and snap sockets collectively referred to as snap features.
The snap features in each of the first and second closure
mechanisms are formed in a curved row. At least one of the first
and second closure mechanisms includes at least two rows each
having three or more snap features, wherein either row can be used
to temporarily attach the first closure mechanism to the second
closure mechanism so as to temporarily attach the front side of the
leg opening to the back side of the leg opening in between the two
legs of the infant so as to form a pair of separate leg openings
and contain the infant within the bodysuit. Each of the curved rows
follows a curve of sufficiently large radius such that there is a
straight line passing between a portion of the outermost of the
snap features in a given row that passes through a portion of the
center snap feature in the same row.
[0005] The center snap feature in a given row may be substantially
equidistant from the outermost of the snap features in that same
row. The center snap feature in a given row may be significantly
closer to the outermost of the snap features in that same row than
to the outermost of the snap features in a different row. The
distance from the neck opening to the center snap feature in a
given row on the front side may be less than the distance from the
neck opening to the outermost of the snap features in that same
row. Two rows of snap features may be located on the front side and
one row of snap features may be located on the back side. The
portion of the front side where the two rows of snap features are
located may be reinforced by a fabric material that is stiffer and
more rigid than the fabric panels to provide increased
two-dimensional stability between the two rows of snap features and
between the snap features of a given row. The stiffer fabric
material may be covered along the periphery of the leg openings
with a material that is softer than the fabric material. A majority
of the bodysuit may be composed of a knit fabric material, and the
knit material may cover the stiffer fabric material. The snap
features on the front side may be snap sockets and the snap
features on the back side may be snap studs. The orientation of the
curved row of snap features on the back side may correspond to the
orientation of the curved rows of snap features on the front side
when the front side is temporarily attached to the back side.
[0006] Also disclosed is a bodysuit for an infant that includes:
one or more fabric panels substantially configured into a tubular
shape to receive the torso of the infant and having openings for
the infant's neck, arms, and legs; and a first closure mechanism on
the back side of the leg opening and a second closure mechanism on
the front side of the leg opening, wherein the first closure
mechanism mates with the second closure mechanism. The first and
second closure mechanisms include mating portions of three or more
snaps, one of the first and second closure mechanisms including
three or more snap studs and the other of the first and second
closure mechanisms including three or more snap sockets, the snap
studs and snap sockets collectively referred to as snap features.
The snap features in each of the first and second closure
mechanisms are formed in a row. At least one of the first and
second closure mechanisms includes at least two rows each having
three or more snap features, wherein either row can be used to
temporarily attach the first closure mechanism to the second
closure mechanism so as to temporarily attach the front side of the
leg opening to the back side of the leg opening in between the two
legs of the infant so as to form a pair of separate leg openings
and contain the infant within the bodysuit. The portion of the one
or more fabric panels that includes the at least two rows of snap
features is reinforced by a fabric material that is stiffer and
more rigid than the fabric panels to provide increased
two-dimensional stability between the two rows of snap features and
between the snap features of a given row.
[0007] The stiffer fabric material may be a woven fabric facing.
The woven fabric facing may be a single sheet that covers the
entire region where the two rows of a snap features are attached.
The stiffer fabric material may be covered along the periphery of
the leg openings with a material that is softer than the fabric
material. A majority of the bodysuit may be composed of a knit
fabric material, and the knit material may cover the stiffer fabric
material.
[0008] Also disclosed is a bodysuit for an infant that includes:
one or more fabric panels substantially configured into a tubular
shape to receive the torso of the infant and having openings for
the infant's neck, arms, and legs; and a first closure mechanism on
the back side of the leg opening and a second closure mechanism on
the front side of the leg opening, wherein the first closure
mechanism mates with the second closure mechanism. The first and
second closure mechanisms include mating portions of three or more
snaps, one of the first and second closure mechanisms including
three or more snap studs and the other of the first and second
closure mechanisms including three or more snap sockets, the snap
studs and snap sockets collectively referred to as snap features.
The snap features in each of the first and second closure
mechanisms are formed in a row. At least one of the first and
second closure mechanisms includes at least two rows each having
three or more snap features, wherein either row can be used to
temporarily attach the first closure mechanism to the second
closure mechanism so as to temporarily attach the front side of the
leg opening to the back side of the leg opening in between the two
legs of the infant so as to form a pair of separate leg openings
and contain the infant within the bodysuit. The portions of the one
or more fabric panels that form the front side and back side of the
leg opening are sized relatively to each other so that the material
forming each of the front side and the back side of the leg opening
narrow at a significantly higher rate at the top of the leg opening
as compared to the bottom of the leg opening and, in addition, the
front side of the leg opening is significantly narrower in width
from the material forming the back side of the leg opening from the
highest side edge of the leg opening down to the bottom edge of the
leg opening.
[0009] The bottom edge on the front side of the leg opening may be
a straight edge. The snap features in each of the first and second
closure mechanisms may be formed in a curved row. Each of the
curved rows may follow a curve of sufficiently large radius such
that there is a straight line passing between a portion of the
outermost of the snap features in a given row that passes through a
portion of the center snap feature in the same row.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a front view of an infant bodysuit showing the
lower portion of the back panel attached to the lower portion of
the front panel.
[0011] FIG. 2 is another front view of the infant bodysuit of FIG.
1, showing the lower portion of the back panel detached from the
lower portion of the front panel.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a magnified view of a lower portion of the infant
bodysuit of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a magnified view similar to FIG. 3, but showing
the lower portion of the back panel detached from the lower portion
of the front panel and a portion of the front panel folded over to
show the backside of that portion of the front panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The following description is not intended to limit the
invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations
and modifications commensurate with the following teachings, and
skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of
the present invention. The embodiments described herein are further
intended to explain modes known of practicing the invention and to
enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such,
or other embodiments and with various modifications required by the
particular application(s) or use(s) of the present invention.
[0015] An infant bodysuit 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The bodysuit 10
includes a neck opening 12, a pair of sleeves 14, a trunk portion
16, and a bottom portion 18.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows the bodysuit 10 with a back panel 20 detached
or disconnected from a front panel 22. FIG. 2 also shows a curved
row of snap studs 24 disposed along the bottom edge of the back
panel 20 and a pair of curved rows of snap sockets 26 disposed near
the bottom of the front panel 22. As can be seen in each of the
figures (but particularly in FIGS. 2 and 4), each of the rows of
snaps studs 24 and snap sockets 26 are located along a curved line,
wherein the curved line follows a curve having a relatively large
radius. In other words, the curved line is closer to a straight
line than it is to prior art designs where the curve follows a
relatively small radius of curvature. In such prior art designs,
the center snap socket in the curved row may be located
(equidistant to, if not) closer to the outer snap sockets of the
row above it than to the outer snap socket in the same row.
Further, in the present design, if a straight line were to be drawn
between the top edges of the outer snap sockets of a given row, the
straight line would pass through a portion of the center snap
socket of the same row. This would not be the case with prior art
designs. It has been discovered that providing these less-curved
rows makes it much easier for the caregiver that is reattaching the
snaps to reattach the snaps to a given row than in prior art
designs. In some prior art designs, the relative positions of the
snap features at times made it more difficult for the caregiver to
properly attach the front and back panels together. Further, by
having the curves of the snap studs 24 and snap sockets 26
correspond to each other, there will be less bunching and wrinkles
in the fabric when the front and back panels 20 and 22 are
connected together. The curved rows of snap features on the front
and back panels match and correspond to each other when they are
being attached together (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3). At that time,
the center snap feature in each row is located closer to the neck
opening of the bodysuit than are the outermost of each row of snap
features. Conversely, when the snap features are not attached and
the bottom edge of the back panel extends downward away from the
neck opening (as shown in FIG. 2), the curved row of snap features
on the back panel curve in an opposite direction such that the
center snap feature in that row is located further from the neck
opening of the bodysuit than are the outermost of that row of snap
features.
[0017] Another feature of the bodysuit of the present design is the
addition of a woven fabric facing 28 stitched to and along the
bottom portion of the backside of front panel 22, as shown in FIG.
4. Although shown here as attached to the backside of the front
panel 22, the facing could alternatively or additionally be
provided on the front side of the front panel 22. In this design,
each of the six snap sockets 26 of the two curved rows of snap
sockets 26 are attached to the portion of the front panel that
includes the woven fabric facing 28. The facing 28 is significantly
stiffer and more rigid than the material that makes up the
remainder of the front and back panels 20 and 22. The material that
makes up the rest of the panels 20 and 22 is typically a stretchy,
knit fabric that is provided for comfort and ease of fit of the
infant. On the other hand, the facing 28 is not easily stretched
and distorted in shape. This is advantageous because an infant
bodysuit is opened and closed multiple times each day as the
infant's diaper is changed, for bathing, and for other purposes.
Without the stability and reinforcement provided by the facing 28,
the bottom portion of the front panel 22 may be stretched and
distorted and may adversely affect the continued fit and comfort of
the bodysuit on the infant. Further, the stretching and distortion
of the material may make future attachment and reattachment by the
caregiver more difficult. Most prior art designs do not provide any
reinforcement for the snap portions, while some provide only a
narrow strip of woven twill that does not provide two-dimensional
stability across the entire region where the snap sockets 26 are
attached to the front panel 22. In other words, the narrow strip of
twill may not reduce or prevent stretching between the two separate
rows of snap sockets 26.
[0018] Another feature of the bodysuit 10 is a rib binding 30 that
is provided along the border of each of the leg openings. As can be
seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rib binding 30 covers the woven fabric
facing 28 so as to minimize contact between the infant's leg and
the facing 28. Instead, the infant's leg will come into contact
with the softer and more pliable rib binding 30. Together, the
facing 28 and overlapping rib binding 30 provide a cleaner
construction and appearance for this portion of the bodysuit 10 and
reduce bulkiness and raw edges that otherwise might contact the
infant.
[0019] It can also be seen that a bottom edge 32 of the front panel
22 is a relatively straight-line edge as compared to the curved
line bottom edges that are predominant throughout the prior art.
The flat straight edge 32 of the bottom of the front panel 22
results in a cleaner appearance and less bulkiness in the bodysuit
10 when worn.
[0020] Another feature of the bodysuit 10 is the shape of the two
leg openings as can be seen in each of the drawings. While the
width of each of the front and back panels in the vicinity of the
leg openings narrow at a higher rate at the top of the leg openings
as compared to at the bottom of the leg openings, the width of the
front panel 22 narrows much quicker than the width of the back
panel 20 as the leg opening proceeds from the upper portion of the
leg to the lower portion where the front and back panels 20 and 22
are attached. This even sharper curve, or narrower cut, of the
front panel 22 provides for a closer, less-baggy fit than prior art
designs, without being too tight. Most prior art designs have the
width of the front and back panels staying relatively the same for
at least half, if not a significant majority, of the length of the
leg opening. It is believed that this improved leg opening in the
present design enhances the comfort level of the infant and may
also provide the designer with the ability to provide "brief cut"
versus "boy cut" styles for boys and girls.
[0021] It can be seen that each of the features described herein
increases the comfort of the infant by reducing bulkiness,
providing a better fit, and providing soft materials in contact
with the skin of the infant. It is believed that each these
features also improves the appearance of the bodysuit 10 by
providing a clean, not bulky, appearance that lays flat and fits
properly and in a flattering manner. It is believed that each of
the features of the bodysuit 10 also increase the ease of use of
the bodysuit 10 to the caregiver, by providing fasteners that are
easy to snap and unsnap from a material that does not stretch or
easily wear out and offers extended life by proving a long-lasting
durability and the ability to provide different sizes of fit for
the infant.
[0022] While various features of the present design have been
discussed separately, it should be understood that any of these
features may be combined in a body suit with or without any other
of the features or combination of the features.
[0023] Although certain details have been described herein, it
should be understood that various alternatives and modifications
could also be made. For example, the two rows of snap features
could be located on either the front or back panel or both.
Further, there could be more than two rows. Also, the rows of snap
studs could be located on either the front or the back panel and
the rows of snap sockets on the other. In addition, the bodysuit
design described herein is applicable to any different type of
infant bodysuit. Thus, it may be applicable to bodysuits having
different types of neck openings, sleeves, and composed of any
material suitable for a bodysuit, and could be equally applicable
to other possible variations of bodysuits.
* * * * *