U.S. patent application number 16/259417 was filed with the patent office on 2020-07-30 for baby socks and related items with improved in-place retention.
The applicant listed for this patent is Gabriel Miller Miller. Invention is credited to Gabriel Miller, Jessica Miller.
Application Number | 20200237023 16/259417 |
Document ID | 20200237023 / US20200237023 |
Family ID | 1000003911263 |
Filed Date | 2020-07-30 |
Patent Application | download [pdf] |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200237023 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Miller; Gabriel ; et
al. |
July 30, 2020 |
BABY SOCKS AND RELATED ITEMS WITH IMPROVED IN-PLACE RETENTION
Abstract
An improved baby sock that will reduce the instance of the sock
coming off the foot while in use and related applications to
children's, women's, and men's socks. Application of the invention
to improved in-place retention for hats, mittens, foot-less
onesies, shoes, and bedding are presented.
Inventors: |
Miller; Gabriel; (Everett,
WA) ; Miller; Jessica; (Everett, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Miller; Gabriel
Miller; Jessica |
Everett
Everett |
WA
WA |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000003911263 |
Appl. No.: |
16/259417 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 2400/82 20130101;
A41D 19/01 20130101; A41D 31/18 20190201; A42B 1/041 20130101; A43B
13/04 20130101; A41B 11/003 20130101; A41B 11/126 20130101; A41D
19/0044 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41B 11/00 20060101
A41B011/00; A41B 11/12 20060101 A41B011/12; A43B 13/04 20060101
A43B013/04; A41D 19/00 20060101 A41D019/00; A42B 1/04 20060101
A42B001/04; A41D 19/01 20060101 A41D019/01; A41D 31/18 20060101
A41D031/18 |
Claims
1. A sock comprising: an upper portion that has an elastic
property; said upper portion having areas of silicone or a similar
material attached to the interior of said sock arranged at various
intervals and protruding by a predetermined amount such that an
unequal tension is produced at the points of contact between the
areas of silicone and the foot or leg surface of the wearer.
2. The sock of claim 1, where the silicone or similar material is
physiologically inert.
3. The sock of claim 1, where said areas of silicone or similar
material are in the shape of dots distributed at intervals around
the interior circumference of the sock.
4. The sock of claim 1, where said sock is a baby sock.
5. The sock of claim 1, where said sock is a child's, women's, or
men's sock.
6. The sock of claim 1, where said sock is a knee sock.
7. The sock of claim 1, where said sock is a low-rise sock wherein
the upper portion of said sock is coincident with the wearer's foot
and does not extend to the ankle.
8. A mitten, hat, or foot-less onesie comprising: a main part and
one or more openings; wherein said openings comprise at least a
portion with an elastic property; said openings having areas of
silicone or a similar material attached to the interior sides of
said opening elastic portions arranged at various intervals and
protruding by a predetermined amount such that an unequal tension
is produced at the points of contact between the areas of silicone
and the skin surface of the wearer.
9. The mitten, hat, or foot-less onesie of claim 8, where the
silicone or similar material is physiologically inert.
10. The mitten, hat, or foot-less onesie of claim 8, where said
areas of silicone or similar material are in the shape of dots
distributed at intervals around the interior circumference of the
mitten, hat, or foot-less onesie opening.
11. A shoe comprising: a main part and upper portion that has an
opening; said opening having areas of silicone or a similar
material attached to the interior sides of said opening arranged at
various intervals and protruding by a predetermined amount such
that an unequal tension is produced at the points of contact
between the areas of silicone and the skin surface or sock of the
wearer.
12. The shoe of claim 11, where the silicone or similar material is
physiologically inert.
13. The shoe of claim 11, where said areas of silicone or similar
material are in the shape of dots distributed at intervals around
the interior circumference of the sock or foot and leg covering.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of socks and
related items for babies, children, women, and men and more
particularly to an improved device for retaining baby socks on a
baby's feet, and to socks for children, women, and men.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] At the present time there remains an unsolved problem of
preventing the socks worn by a baby from coming off of the baby's
feet. This problem persists even where the woven material used for
baby socks are elasticized (as nearly all baby socks are). Various
devices have been proposed in the marketplace, including additional
articles of footwear (an outer sock with velcro closure) with the
purpose of encasing the baby's socks to hold them in place.
[0003] Unfortunately, the use of an additional encasing article of
footwear is not fully convenient, and simple elasticized sock
material has proven insufficient to solve the problem as any
Internet search for "Why do baby socks always come off?" will
quickly reveal.
[0004] There exists then, a need for an improved baby sock that
will reduce the instance of the sock coming off the foot while in
use. Such a solution must take into account the sensitive nature of
a baby's circulatory blood flow at the limb extremities as well as
the sensitivity of a baby's skin to vulcanized latex, rubber, or
rubber compounds that come into extended contact with a baby's
sensitive skin.
[0005] Such an invention, as described herein, would also find
application to children's, women's and men's socks in general, but
particularly with regard to socks worn for sports, which have a
tendency to fall down.
[0006] Similar and related problems of in-place retention exist
with baby and children's hats, mittens, the legs of foot-less
onesies, bedding, and shoes. Related problems in men's and women's
apparel tend to occur in athletic or specialized applications and
would also find value from such a solution.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, a sock comprising an
upper portion that has an elastic property, with said upper portion
having areas of silicone or a similar material attached to the
interior of said sock arranged at various intervals and protruding
by a predetermined amount such that an unequal tension is produced
at the points of contact between the areas of silicone and the foot
or leg surface of the wearer.
[0008] In a second aspect of the present invention, a sock
comprising an upper portion that has an elastic property, with said
upper portion having areas of silicone or a similar material
attached to the interior of said sock arranged at various intervals
and protruding by a predetermined amount such that an unequal
tension is produced at the points of contact between the areas of
silicone and the foot or leg surface of the wearer where the
silicone or similar material is physiologically inert.
[0009] In a third aspect of the present invention, a sock
comprising an upper portion that has an elastic property, with said
upper portion having areas of silicone or a similar material
attached to the interior of said sock arranged at various intervals
and protruding by a predetermined amount such that an unequal
tension is produced at the points of contact between the areas of
silicone and the foot or leg surface of the wearer where said areas
of silicone or similar material are in the shape of dots
distributed at intervals around the interior circumference of the
sock.
[0010] In another aspect of the current invention, a mitten, hat,
or foot-less onesie comprising a main part and one or more
openings, wherein said openings comprise at least a portion with
elastic properties, and said openings having areas of silicone or a
similar material attached to the interior sides of said opening
elastic portions arranged at various intervals and protruding by a
predetermined amount such that an unequal tension is produced at
the points of contact between the areas of silicone and the skin
surface of the wearer.
[0011] In another aspect of the current invention, a shoe
comprising a main part and upper portion that has an opening, said
opening having areas of silicone or a similar material attached to
the interior sides of said opening arranged at various intervals
and protruding by a predetermined amount such that an unequal
tension is produced at the points of contact between the areas of
silicone and the skin surface or sock of the wearer.
[0012] In another aspect of the current invention, a shoe
comprising a main part and upper portion that has an opening, said
opening having areas of silicone or a similar material attached to
the interior sides of said opening arranged at various intervals
and protruding by a predetermined amount such that an unequal
tension is produced at the points of contact between the areas of
silicone and the skin surface or sock of the wearer where the
silicone or similar material is physiologically inert.
[0013] In another aspect of a the current invention, a shoe
comprising a main part and upper portion that has an opening, said
opening having areas of silicone or a similar material attached to
the interior sides of said opening arranged at various intervals
and protruding by a predetermined amount such that an unequal
tension is produced at the points of contact between the areas of
silicone and the skin surface or sock of the wearer where said
areas of silicone or similar material are in the shape of dots
distributed at intervals around the interior circumference of the
interior of the shoe opening.
[0014] In another aspect of a the current invention, a sheet or
mattress pad comprising a main part and corner portions, said
corner portions having areas of silicone or a similar material
attached to the interior sides of said corner portions arranged at
various intervals and protruding by a predetermined amount such
that an unequal tension is produced at the points of contact
between the areas of silicone and the bottom surface of the
mattress at the mattress corners where said areas of silicone or
similar material are in the shape of dots distributed at intervals
around the interior sides of said sheet or mattress pad corner
portions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an interior view of the front of a pair of socks
illustrating the distribution and arrangement of retaining silicon
dots according to an aspect of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an interior view of the rear of a pair of socks
illustrating the distribution and arrangement of retaining silicon
dots according to an aspect of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is exterior view of a hat, rotated vertical to show a
portion of the interior near the opening, illustrating the
distribution and arrangement of retaining silicon dots according to
an aspect of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 4 is an exterior view of of a mitten, rotated
horizontally to show a portion of the interior near the opening,
illustrating the distribution and arrangement of retaining silicon
dots according to an aspect of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a front view of a foot-less onesie, with the leg
opening positioned to show a portion of the interior near the
opening, illustrating the distribution and arrangement of retaining
silicon dots according to an aspect of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a side view of top of a shoe, rotated horizontally
to show a portion of the interior near the opening, illustrating
the distribution and arrangement of retaining silicon dots
according to on aspect of the present invention;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The following detailed description is of the best currently
contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description
is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the
purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,
since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended
claims.
[0022] In one embodiment of the invention, depicted in FIG. 1, a
sock comprising an upper portion 10 that has an elastic property,
with said upper portion having areas of silicone or a similar
material shown at 20 and 30 attached to the interior of said sock
arranged at various intervals and protruding by a predetermined
amount such that an unequal tension is produced at the points of
contact between the areas of silicone and the foot or leg surface
of the wearer where said areas of silicone or similar material are
in the shape of dots distributed at intervals around the interior
circumference of the sock and further where the silicone or similar
material is physiologically inert.
[0023] As seen at 20 and 30, in the preferred embodiment there is a
taper to the arrangement of the silicon dots on each side that
provides areas of greater and lesser contact between the wearer's
skin and the interior of the sock. In the areas where the silicon
dots are located, an unequal and greater pressure upon the wearer's
skin is created which causes the friction provided by said silicone
dots to grip more tightly.
[0024] In the experimentation leading to the final development of
this invention, multiple configurations were tested, with some
configurations resulting in irritation or marks on the baby's
skin.
[0025] Through this process of experimentation, a configuration was
developed resulting in improved holding ability (one which babies
are typically unsuccessful in removing), without undue risk of
causing irritation or limiting the blood circulation to the baby's
limb extremities.
[0026] In this preferred embodiment, where the silicon dots are
arranged as shown in FIG. 1 at 20 and 30, the diameter of the
silicon dots is approximately 4 mm, with horizontal dot spacing of
6 mm from the center of the dots in he same row. The preferred
embodiment vertical spacing is 5 mm below the row above it. Dot
thickness at the thickest point is 1 mm and the sock is a baby's
sock.
[0027] In a secondary embodiments of the current invention, the
sock may be a child's, women's, or men's sock, a knee sock or a
low-rise sock wherein the upper portion of said low-rise sock is
coincident with the wearer's foot and does not extend to the
ankle.
[0028] In another secondary embodiment of the current invention, a
hat as in FIG. 3, uses the three-deep row of protruding silicone
dots as in FIG. 1 at 20. In application to the hat, the rows of
dots may be unbroken (as in FIG. 3 at 40) around the interior
circumference of the hat, or tapered as in FIG. 1 at 20. Tapering
of the row pattern and breaks in the pattern of dots will allow the
creation of unequal pressure upon the wearer's skin allow better
grip at the points of greater pressure.
[0029] In another secondary embodiment of the current invention, a
mitten as in FIG. 4, the current invention is applied with regard
to the interior of a mitten cuff at 50.
[0030] In another secondary embodiment of the current invention,
the current invention is applied to the legs openings 60 of a
foot-less onesie as in FIG. 5.
[0031] In another secondary embodiment of the current invention,
the current invention is applied to a shoe as in FIG. 6,
particularly to the interior of the shoe opening where the foot
enters the shoe at 70.
[0032] In a final embodiment of the current invention, the current
invention is applied to a sheet or mattress pad, in order to reduce
the occurrence of the corners of the sheet or mattress pad coming
free from the corners of the mattress. Using the three-deep row of
protruding silicone dots as in FIG. 1 at 20, tapered sections of
silicone dots are placed at intervals around the interior sides of
the corner sections of the sheet or mattress pad, thereby creating
areas of unequal pressure against the corners of the mattress.
[0033] Across these secondary embodiments, the placement of the
rows of dots may be grouped into areas where dots are present and
other areas of the interior side of the garment opening where dots
are not present. The areas of groups of dots may have tapered edges
as in FIG. 1 at 30, or not.
* * * * *