U.S. patent number 3,797,043 [Application Number 05/213,876] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-19 for skirt convertible into a tote bag.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Herve et Fils Papeteries du Sentier (Societe Anonyme). Invention is credited to Max Brument.
United States Patent |
3,797,043 |
Brument |
March 19, 1974 |
SKIRT CONVERTIBLE INTO A TOTE BAG
Abstract
A skirt adapted to be converted into a tote bag, having
laterally and longitudinally united front and back panels, means
attached to the waist of the skirt to serve as manually engageable
carrying devices and closable means attached to the lower edge of
the skirt for closing the lower opening thereof thus converting the
skirt into a bag.
Inventors: |
Brument; Max (Paris,
FR) |
Assignee: |
Herve et Fils Papeteries du Sentier
(Societe Anonyme) (Paris, FR)
|
Family
ID: |
9081590 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/213,876 |
Filed: |
December 30, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 6, 1971 [FR] |
|
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71.28944 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/69.5; 2/211;
190/1; 383/4; 383/15; 383/75 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D
15/04 (20130101); A45F 4/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A45F
4/02 (20060101); A45F 4/00 (20060101); A41D
15/04 (20060101); A41D 15/00 (20060101); A41d
015/04 (); A41d 001/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;2/211,221,74,75,47,69,69.5,213,72 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hunter; H. Hampton
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Greigg; Edwin E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. In a garment capable of convertibility into a tote bag and vice
versa, the combination comprising, a pair of panels of
substantially equal size, each panel having top and bottom edge
portions and uninterrupted side walls of substantially equal
length, means serving to secure a predetermined portion of the side
walls of said panels in positive relation to form a closure, each
of said panels further including adjacent to the top wall thereof
seam areas arranged to receive a draw string for securing the
panels about the waist of a wearer as well as to provide a
constrictable mouth portion for a tote bag and further means
arranged adjacent to the bottom of said panels to secure them in
face-to-face relation to form a closure therefor when the garment
is converted into the tote bag.
2. In a garment capable of convertibility into a tote bag and vice
versa as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom edge of each of
said panels is provided with means forming complemental slide
fastener means adapted to be secured in locking relation to form a
tote bag as well as disengaged to permit the panels to be used as a
skirt.
3. In a garment capable of convertibility into a tote bag and vice
versa as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pair of panels
includes complementally formed snap fastener means and the side
portions of the garment include a disassociated area of limited
extent serving to provide for folding an area of one panel over an
adjacent area to permit the formation of a closure at the bottom of
the garment to achieve a tote bag.
Description
This invention relates to a convertible article which may be used
as a skirt or a tote bag.
Articles of the aforenoted type may be distributed by stores as an
advertising item to customers for carrying the articles purchased.
After having served as a tote bag, the article is converted into a
skirt by a simple operation and thereafter may be worn as such. It
is to be understood that such a conversion is also possible in the
reverse sense; thus, if the convertible skirt is worn over another
apparel such as a short or a bathing suit, it may be removed and
transformed, for example, into a beach bag.
Articles of the aforenoted type may be made of any kind of
material, such as textile, non-woven fabric, plastic material, etc.
Preferably, the skirts are of the relatively short type having
certain design features. They also may carry an advertising
text.
Briefly stated, according to the invention, there is provided a
convertible skirt formed by a front panel and a back panel united
along lateral edges by a seam, lacing or the like between the waist
and the lower edge and is characterized in that, on the one hand,
the upper opening or waist is provided with means transformable
into carrying straps or the like and, on the other hand, the lower
edge of the skirt is provided with means to temporarily close off
the lower opening of the skirt.
The invention will be better understood as well as objects and
advantages will become apparent from the ensuing detailed
specification of several exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction
with the drawing, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective front elevational view of a first
embodiment of the invention for use as a skirt;
FIG. 2 is a perspective front elevational view of the same
embodiment for use as a tote bag;
FIG. 3 is a perspective front elevational view of a second
embodiment of the invention for use as a skirt and
FIG. 4 is a perspective front elevational view of the second
embodiment for use as a tote bag.
Turning now to FIG. 1, the skirt shown therein is formed of a front
panel 1 and a back panel 2 united along their lateral edges between
the waist and the lower end by lacings 3a, 3b.
Each panel 1, 2 is provided at its upper edge with a hollow seam 4,
5 through which pass, respectively, slidable ribbons 6 and 7. These
ribbons permit, by gathering or smoothing the material, as the case
may be, an adjustment to the waist of the wearer.
On their lower edge both panels carry complemental elements 8a of a
closing means, such as a zipper 8.
It is apparent that by closing the zipper 8 as illustrated in FIG.
2, the article which previously was a skirt, now has been converted
into a bag. If now the ends of the ribbons 6 and 7 are tied
together at either side of the article, two convenient carrying
straps 9a and 9b of the tote bag are obtained.
Another embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The rear and
back panels 11 and 12, respectively, form a skirt and are sewn
together along their lateral longitudinal edges.
At the waist the skirt is provided on each panel with a hollow seam
receiving slidable cords 16, 17 permitting, as in the previously
discussed embodiment, an adjustment of the skirt to the waist of
the wearer.
The lateral seams do not extend all the way to the lower edge of
the panels 11, 12; thus, two small slits 13a, 13b are formed
defining, between themselves, two free flaps 13c and 13d of the
panels 11 and 12, respectively.
In order to convert the skirt as shown in FIG. 3 into a tote bag as
shown in FIG. 4, the flap 13c of the panel 11 is folded inwardly
into the skirt and then the free flap 13d of the panel 12 is folded
about the lower edge of the skirt onto the external face of the
panel 11. The components are then fixed in this position by any
convenient means, such as, for example, snap fasteners, the male
and female components 14 and 15 of which are attached,
respectively, to the external face of the panel 11 and the internal
face of the free flap 13d of the panel 12. The sliding cords 16 and
17 are then tied together, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4, to
form a strap to carry the tote bag.
As set forth hereinbefore, any other type of closing means may be
utilized to close off the lower opening of the skirt. Thus, for
example, the lower edge of the panels may be provided with hollow
hems carrying cords which, when the article is to be used as a bag,
may be pulled together entirely as in a purse with a string
closure. Similarly, the carrying means for the tote bag are not
necessarily limited to slidable ribbons or cords; such carrying
means may be attached to the upper portion of the panels and may
constitute merely decorating means when the article is utilized as
a skirt.
* * * * *