Apron

Abstract

An apron made from a rectangular blank of material in which straight fold lines are used to form the body member of the apron. A single strip serves as both the neck loop and tie strings of the apron. The strip is held within the folded body member of the apron and is free to move relative thereto in those areas of the body member where the strip exits from the apron to form the neck loop and tie strings. When the strip member is tensioned, the material of the body member at the exit areas is caused to gather, increasing its strength and resistance to tearing. The tie elements of the strip exit from a portion of the body member that has reinforced edges.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apron construction and more particularly to a bib apron that may be made, for example, from a nonwoven fabric using highly automated equipment at relatively low cost.

Bib aprons having a continuous tape or draw string which serves as both a neck loop and tie elements and in which the draw string passes through folded corner portions of the body member of the apron are well known, being disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. to Lichter 1,618,208 and Kemp 1,674,904.

However, it has long been desirable to provide an apron of this type that is of simple construction, has improved strength characteristics in the areas of strain at the neckline and waist where the draw string exits from the body member, is comfortable in use and affords the wearer adequate protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention there is provided an apron of extremely simple construction that has exceptionally high strength characteristics at normal stress points. In addition, the body member of the apron is made from a rectangular piece of fabric in which simple straight line folds are utilized and no curved portions need be cut.

A pair of turned back opposed corner portions of the body member formed by straight fold lines is used to trap within the body member of the apron a single strip member that functions both as a neck loop and tie elements. Adhesive material is used to secure the single strip to the body member of the apron at selected locations. These selected locations are spaced away from the areas where the strip member exits from the body member. Adhesive is used to hold all folds in place.

The strip member is fabricated by folding a separate rectangular blank and applying adhesive thereto to hold the folds in place, resulting in a strip of increased strength that is simple and economical to manufacture.

One advantage of the present invention is that when tension is applied to the strip member and the strip exerts a force on the body portion of the apron at the points where the strip exits from the strip-entrapping fold, the fabric at those points will gather or pucker. This gathering, in effect, increases the thickness and thus the strength of the fabric at those points. This feature is highly desirable, especially where the apron is made of non-woven material.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an apron having increased strength in those areas put under stress when the apron is in use.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apron made from a rectangular blank wherein simple straight line folds are utilized to form the body member of the apron, and wherein the folds are held in place by the use of adhesives.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apron in which a single strip member forming the neck loop and tie elements of the apron is incorporated within the folded over areas of the body member of the apron and held therein at selected locations by adhesive.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved apron that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture on automated equipment.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apron made from a rectangular folded blank that is confortable to wear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of this invention will be understood more fully and clearly from the ensuing description taken in connection with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front three-quarter view in perspective of the apron in use.

FIG. 2 is a rear view in perspective of the apron in use.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blank for making the apron.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, with the border side panels turned over and secured in place.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the blank for making the combined neck loop and tie element strip of the apron.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the assembled apron, with the combined neck loop and tie element strip secured in position.

FIG. 7 is a vertical enlarged section taken generally along line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken generally along line 8--8 of FIG. 6, showing the combined neck loop and tie element strip in position.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the apron of the invention in use. As clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and as will be more fully described hereinafter, the apron is held in place on the body of the user by means of a single strip 52 which serves both as a neck loop 54 and as tie elements 56, 58 to be secured in a knot 72 either behind or in front of the wearer. The directional arrows A and B in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate tension on the strip 52 when it is looped around the neck of the wearer and pulled around behind the body at the waist to be joined in the knot 72. FIGS. 1 and 2 also illustrate the manner in which the flexible material of the apron becomes gathered and bunched together in the areas 74, 76 where the strip exits from the apron body as tension is put on the strip and is caused to exert a force against the body member of the apron. This gathering, in effect, increases the thickness of the material and its strength at these stress areas.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the blank, generally designated 10, for making the body of the apron is a rectangularly shaped piece of flexible material, preferably nonwoven, although the material used could be a flexible woven fabric or a nonporous material such as polyethylene, rubber sheeting or the like. The blank 10 comprises a body panel 12 and two side panels, generally designated 14 and 16, separated from the body panel by a pair of opposed parallel fold lines, generally designated 18 and 20, respectively, extending from the top edge, generally designated 30, of the blank to the bottom edge 66 of the blank. The fold lines are parallel to the side edges 15 and 17 of the blank and perpendicular to the top edge 30 and bottom edge 66 of the blank.

A thin bead or line of adhesive material 22, 24 extends from the top edge 30 to the bottom edge 66 of the blank within the confines of each side panel 14 and 16, respectively. As clearly shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 9, folding the side panels of the blank along lines 18, 20 forms reinforced parallel side edges with the side panels 14 and 16 foldably connected and adhesively secured to the body panel 12. It will be understood that when the material is folded along lines 18 and 20 the side panels 14 and 16 lie flat against body panel 12, with the edges formed by the fold being creased and with the bead of adhesive flattened. The showing of a space between the panels in FIGS. 7-9 with rounded edges at the fold lines and with the adhesive bead in semi-circular form is exaggerated and for purposes of illustration only. After folding, the fold lines designated 18, 20 become the longitudinal or side edges of the body member of the apron. The double thickness of the material along the side edges serves as additional reinforcement at the stress areas 74, 76 of the apron when in use.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, the opposite corners of the blank 10 are folded along fold lines 26, 28 which extend from side edges 18, 20, respectively, of the apron and converge toward top edge 30. The upper ends of the converging fold lines 26, 28 are separated by neck portion 70 which forms the neckline of the completed apron. Fold lines 26, 28 define triangular corner portions 32, 34, respectively.

Thin beads of adhesive 36, 38, 40, 41, 42 and 44, 45, 46, 48, 50 extend downwardly along the body member in the area of triangular corner panels 32, 34 parallel to the side edges 18, 20 of the body panel and parallel to each other. Referring to the left side of the partially folded apron shown in FIG. 4, outermost adhesive bead 36 is placed on the folded over side panel 14 and extends from a point spaced from the top edge 30 of the panel to a point spaced from fold line 26. Beads 38, 40, 41 and 42 are equally spaced from each other and are each approximately the same length, being slightly shorter than bead 36. They extend from a point spaced from the top edge 30 of the partially folded apron to a point below the fold line 26. Adhesive beads 44, 45 46, 48 on the right side of the partially folded apron correspond in placement to beads 38, 40, 41 and 42. Outermost adhesive bead 50 on the right side of the panel is placed on folded over side panel 16 and corresponds to bead 36. Adhesive beads 38, 40 and 41 intersect fold line 26 and adhesive beads 45, 46 and 48 intersect fold line 28 for the purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a rectangular blank used to form the single strip member 52, which, when assembled with the body member of the apron, serves as both the neck loop 54 and tie elements 56, 58. In its preferred form the strip member is made of nonwoven material, but it may be made of woven fabric or from suitable tape, string, cord or the like. Strip member 52 is formed from one continuous length of material having fold lines 78, 80 and 82 and adhesive bead 84. As shown in FIG. 8, the strip 52 is formed by folding the edges of the blank inwardly toward each other along fold lines 78 and 82 and folding the blank along the center fold line 80. The adhesive bead 84 secures the folded portions of the strip in folded condition.

FIG. 6 shows the assembled apron. The opposing corner portions 32 and 34 are of equal size and are folded and attached to body member 12 in identical manner. Therefore the structure need be described only as to one of the corner portions, it being understood that the description will apply equally to both. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the fold line 26 forming the corner portion 32 makes an included angle .alpha., preferably of approximately 53.degree., with the top edge 30 of the body member, and an included angle .beta., preferably of approximately 37.degree., with side edge 18 of the body member. While these angles are not critical, for the reasons set out more fully hereinafter the angle .alpha. should be slightly greater than 45.degree. and the complementary angle .beta. slightly less than 45.degree. so that when folded the bottom edge 64 of the folded corner portion 32 is not too far from being parallel with the neck portion 70 of top edge 30 of the body member of the apron.

When the corner portion 32 is turned back on the fold line 26, the adhesive beads 38, 40, 41 and 42 intersect, as shown in FIG. 6, forming a generally gridlike structure, and adhesively join the corner portion 32 to the body panel 12. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, adhesive bead 36, which is parallel and relatively close to the edge 18 of the body member, secures the corner portion 32 to the body member near the bottom edge 64 of the folded corner portion. The innermost adhesive bead 42 secures the corner portion to the body member near the substantially vertical edge 68 of the folded corner portion.

Intermediate adhesive beads 38, 40 and 41 secure the inner area of corner portion 32 to the body member.

A portion of strip member 52 is interposed between the body member and turned back corner portion 32 and held in place at selected locations adjacent fold line 26 by adhesive beads 38, 40, 41 and 42. Because these adhesive beads contact the strip member 52 only intermittently and at locations spaced away from the areas where the strip member exits from the body member of the apron (as shown in FIG. 6, at the point where substantially vertical edge 68 of folded corner portion 32 intersects fold line 26 and at the point where the bottom edge 64 of the folded corner portion intersects fold line 26), the strip member is free to move relative to the fold line 26 in these areas. This is significant, for when the strip member is tensioned and a force applied by the strip member to the body member in these areas, as when the loop 54 is placed around the neck of the wearer and the tie elements 56, 58 pulled to form the knot 72, the material of the body member in these areas will gather and bunch together (see areas 74 and 76 in FIG. 2), which in effect increases the thickness of the material and its resistance to tearing by the strip.

It should also be noted that the body member and the turned back corner portions have reinforced edges where the tie elements of the strip 56, 58 exit from the body member. This, of course, gives increased strength to the body member in these areas.

Fold line 26 should be positioned on the body member 12 to produce an apron having a neckline that corresponds generally to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. I have found that a neck portion 70 having a length of between approximately 8 to 10 inches produces a comfortable neckline that gives the average wearer adequate protection. Reference has already been made to the angles .alpha. and .beta. formed when folding the body member along fold line 26. Decreasing the angle .alpha. from the preferred angle of approximately 53.degree., with a corresponding increase in the angle .beta. from the preferred angle of approximately 37.degree., will result in the tie elements 56, 58 exiting from the body member a closer distance to the top edge 30 of the body member. This will, in turn, result in the tie strip being uncomfortably high, i.e., too far above the waist of the wearer. If the neck loop 54 were to be made longer in order to compensate for a tie strip that exited from the body member too close to the top edge, then neck portion 70 which forms the neckline of the apron would be correspondingly lowered and the portion of the apron above the waist would not give the wearer adequate protection.

By way of illustration, I have found that the following dimensions produce a highly satisfactory apron giving a maximum of protection and wearing comfort to an individual of average height and weight:

Width of blank 30" Length of blank 36" Width of body member 12 28" Length of bottom edge 64 of folded corner portion 32 13" Length of edge 68 of folded corner portion 10" Angle .alpha. 10" Angle .beta. approx. 37.degree. Width of blank used for strip member 52 11/2" Width of folded strip member 52 1/2" Length of strip member 52 82" Length of neck loop 54 22"

The adhesive used in joining the parts of the apron may be a hot melt adhesive, i.e., one solid at normal room temperature and heated to fluidity to apply, or a cold adhesive.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apron comprising

a flexible body member formed from a rectangular blank and provided with reinforced parallel side edges,

said body member having a pair of turned back opposed corner portions formed by folding said body member along a pair of converging fold lines,

and a single strip member forming a neck loop and tie strings for said apron,

a pair of intermediate portions of said strip member each being interposed between said body member and a respective one of said turned back corner portions and being held in place relative to said body member at selected locations adjacent a respective one of said pair of converging fold lines by adhesive means, said selected locations being spaced away from the areas where said strip member exits from said body member whereby said strip member is free to move relative to said body member and said converging fold lines in the region of said areas and the material of said body member in the region of said areas is caused to gather when said strip member is tensioned,

said body member and said turned back corner portions having reinforced edges where said tie elements of said strip exit from said body member.

2. An apron according to claim 1 wherein said flexible body member is nonwoven fabric.

3. An apron according to claim 2 wherein said strip member is nonwoven fabric.

4. An apron according to claim 1 wherein said adhesive means holding in place said strip member at said selected locations is a plurality of adhesive beads extending parallel to the side edges of said body member and intersecting said converging fold lines.

5. An apron according to claim 1 wherein said reinforced parallel side edges of said body member are formed by folding said blank along a pair of opposed parallel fold lines.

6. An apron according to claim 5 wherein said reinforced parallel side edges of said body member are secured thereto by adhesive means.

7. An apron according to claim 3 wherein said strip member is formed from a second rectangular blank by folding said second rectangular blank along a plurality of straight fold lines and securing the folded portions of said strip in folded condition by adhesive means.

8. An apron according to claim 1 wherein each of the said converging fold lines intersects the said reinforced parallel side edges at an included angle of approximately 37.degree..