HK1117000B - Device for joining garments and textile article comprising said device - Google Patents

Description

Device for joining garments together and fabric incorporating same

Technical Field

The invention is applicable in the field of textile industry, in particular in the field of the manufacture of suits (clothingcompletions) and of full sets of underwear, wherein said suits are generally constituted by two or more equivalent units, such as socks, stockings, leg sleeves, gloves, mittens, sleeves, slippers and the like; the full set of undergarments comprises a brassiere and panties, or other matching items such as tights with T-shirts and socks, etc.

The present invention relates to a device shaped and dimensioned for incorporation in a garment of the type described above, which can be used to join one article to its corresponding counterpart, typically one piece of fabric to another.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide a fabric incorporating the aforementioned attachment means, essentially a kit of articles of clothing comprising a pair of identical articles which differ only in that each article corresponds to one side of the user's body, hands, arms, feet, etc., or are identical and interchangeable.

Likewise, the fabric incorporating the connecting device of the invention also relates to household linen, such as tablecloths, towels, bedding and the like.

The main object of the present invention is to make the connection of these paired or grouped items more convenient when not in use and which must be washed, dried or stored, to save time and to reduce the inconvenience of not having to pair them again before use.

Another object of the invention is to allow the provision of an additional identification of the article on the attachment means incorporated in the garment and the fabric, comprising a symbol identifying the user or the manufacturer or the distributor.

Background

A daily problem experienced by most people when wearing is that certain items such as socks, gloves and other paired items must be paired correctly to avoid wearing socks of different colours or just one glove after another paired item has not been found due to the clutter of modern life or our lack of mind being so.

When taking off socks, stockings, gloves, etc., and cleaning or placing them, the items will be separated and the washing machine will separate them. Therefore, it is rather cumbersome to find each item in a pair before they are aired onto a clothesline or dried, or to store them later, so that they can be used immediately when needed.

It is even more troublesome that several persons, for example different members of a family, use the same washing machine at the same time and each has very similar clothes, in particular similar socks and stockings. Finally, their confusion results in undesirable switching.

In order to prevent these situations, which may be rather laughing or embarrassing, clips or other devices are marketed for holding together socks, gloves and the like, which are mainly used when washing and placing the above-mentioned laundry for drying.

Spanish utility model ES1051475U discloses a clip for holding socks, stockings or gloves, wherein a holding closing system and a plurality of ventilation openings are provided at the end of the clip for washing and drying the laundry.

Also disclosed in spanish utility model ES1052658U is a device for hanging pairs of clothes, which adopts a spindle-shaped structure to form a flexible plastic pin, which is bonded to either side of a film obtained by radial cutting, and which can place and connect clothes without damaging them due to the flexibility of the film, which can hold each pair of clothes.

These devices have the disadvantage of not being affected by the clamped-together clothes, which are loosened, so that they must be connected together for pairing when washing or placing the clothes for drying, but must be separated later for storage or wearing. This saves time when washing or placing clothes connected together in pairs for drying, but the time is wasted by having to find the right pins.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention solves the drawbacks of the above-mentioned aspects in a completely satisfactory manner.

Here, the invention relates to a device for attaching a garment, comprising two parts, each of which is associated with one of the articles forming a kit, such as a brassiere and panties or tights, a T-shirt and a sock, or articles formed in pairs, such as stockings, gloves, etc.

The parts of the connecting device have the same configuration and each part is formed by two locking elements so that each part of the connecting device can be attached to one of a pair of articles to clamp the article between the two respective elements.

For each part, one of the elements will be located on the exterior of the sock, glove or other article to be joined, so that indicia or identifying symbols may be incorporated to assist the user of the article, for example by adding name abbreviations. Similarly, the manufacturer, seller or final vendor of these items can add their logo, brand name or any other advertising indicia.

To this end, in the following description, the external element of each part of the device has a smooth surface, while its opposite surface has a continuous rib or is formed by several ribs with external teeth that can be snapped onto the other element, i.e. the inside of the article to be gripped.

The teeth of the ribs, which are used to connect the external element to another element of the same component, may have several configurations, with more or less teeth, to allow the connection of articles of different thickness, such as silk stockings, nylon stockings or thick wool gloves.

In order to snap-connect together the two elements of a component of said device for connecting articles such as silk stockings, the element located inside the article has a hollow area, preferably centrally located, which defines an opening shaped and dimensioned to fit the ribs and teeth of the connecting external element.

The ribs of the outer element are positioned on the surface in contact with the article in such a position as to be able to trap the article between the ribs when the outer element is engaged in the opening of another element of the component holding the article. Furthermore, it has a further corresponding element, wherein the other component of the device for connecting pairs of articles is likewise assembled.

When cleaning, drying and storing pairs of articles together, the two parts of the device of the invention are connected because they can be interconnected with each other.

The connection of the two parts for joining together the pair of articles is obtained by the structure of the two elements of said parts.

Each element is preferably disc-shaped. The inner element has a continuous or discontinuous flange in the hollow region of the interior over its entire periphery, i.e. it can directly or indirectly come into contact with the user's skin on the opposite region where it is snap-connected to the outer element of the same component and is exposed to the air when the article is not in use.

Thus, the circular profile of the outer element of one part of the coupling device is snap-fitted into the cavity of the inner element of the other part, while the wedge-shaped flange of the inner element retains the first element, so that the two parts of the device can be effectively coupled to hold the two items together while washing, drying or storing on a drawer or shelf at a home or retail location.

The wedge-shaped flanges of the inner element, together with the profile shape of the outer element, thus enable the two parts and thus the two items to which they are attached to be connected together in a convenient manner by inserting one of the elements into the other by applying a slight pressure, and the wedge and the disc can be easily separated without difficulty when they are joined together into a simple clip.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a fabric comprising a connecting means, typically formed of two identical or different parts, each part having attached thereto fabric elements forming a complete article, such as a set of tablecloths, towels, sheets, undergarments, etc. The two parts of the device are shaped and dimensioned to match each other.

The fabric in combination with the attachment means as described above not only relates to garments which usually comprise a group of identical items, but also other household linen, such as bedding, towels, tablecloths, napkins, sheets, pillowcases, bikini swimwear, etc., wherein said garments comprising a group of identical items differ only in that each item corresponds to one side of the user's body, hands, arms, feet, etc., or are completely interchangeable when identical.

Examples of such are socks, stockings or gloves (including mittens), leg and arm sleeves, which are currently more popular among young people, or booties intended primarily for use by infants and the elderly.

Furthermore, the connecting device, conceived to solve the problem of pairs immediately, can also be used for other clothes, such as textile slippers used in classical dancing or for comfort at home, in countryside, on beaches.

Other applications of the invention are the attachment of a set of underwear or bikini, the attachment of a brassiere to ladies' pants or the like, or the attachment of a set of fabrics such as a tablecloth, for example, the attachment of a tablecloth to a napkin, or the attachment of any fabric consisting of two or more items.

Thus, an improvement relating to known devices for these and related purposes is that the disclosed device is not separate from the article, but rather is joined in a simple manner, i.e. by joining two elements of one of the components in a snap-fit manner, thereby retaining the article between the elements.

The attachment device can be selectively attached to the article by bonding or sewing at least one of the elements, as well as by other conventional techniques.

There is thus no risk of losing components, neither of them being connected together each time the articles are washed, nor being detached after washing and drying to store the articles; the user can even wear an article with suitable attachment elements, which article may individually comprise one component of the device according to the invention.

A further advantage over the prior art is the ability to provide a trademark on one surface of the outer element in each part, providing added value for the purposes of the present invention. The smooth outer surface not only allows for the incorporation of manufacturer or vendor identification, but also allows for the inclusion of article owner identification indicia to distinguish them from other similar articles or, in the case of children's clothing, to distinguish between left and right articles.

The elements used are small in size and have rounded edges to avoid annoyance to the user when these edges come into contact with the skin, which can be used as an appendage to an article, with a suitable colour or profile (mainly advertising indicia), giving the user a sense of touch pleasure and aesthetic appeal.

The parts and elements are made of a material that can withstand the entire washing and drying process, withstand the high temperatures reached by the machines used in the process, and withstand the detergent, softener and water flows without being damaged. The rounded ribs, flanges and teeth on the device do not cause damage to the articles to which they are attached, and some articles may be easily damaged, such as slim stockings. Another characteristic is that the smooth surface on the element can be printed by serigraphy or by other means such as engraving letters or other symbols on the material to form the marking.

The device is preferably made of plastic, although other materials commonly used in the textile industry and in the manufacturing decoration industry, such as stainless metal to increase the solidity of the parts, or silver, may be used to increase the economic value of the finished product and thus constitute the original decoration of the garment.

Drawings

For a complete description, and to better understand the characteristics of the present invention, a set of drawings, forming a part of this patent application, is intended to illustrate, in a non-limiting manner, various preferred embodiments of the invention, in which:

fig. 1A shows a front view of two parts constituting the device, which are identical and connectively couple the clothes in pairs, according to the object of the invention.

Fig. 1B shows a perspective view from below of the two parts in a previous view, which according to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention are separated into two elements, an inner element and an outer element, respectively.

Fig. 1C shows a perspective view from above of the two parts in a previous view, separated into two elements, an inner element and an outer element, respectively, according to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention.

Figure 2A is a plan view showing the inner surface of the outer member of one of the components of the apparatus for attaching a garment according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the ribs capable of snapping into the inner member of the component.

Figure 2B shows a front view of an outer element of one of the components of the apparatus for attaching a garment according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing ribs and teeth by which the garment can be held.

Fig. 2C shows an enlarged front view of the tooth defining the outer profile of the rib of the outer element in the previous view, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3A shows a plan view of the inner surface of the inner element of one of the parts of the device for attaching a garment, showing a central hole into which a rib on the outer element of that part can be inserted, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3B shows a front view of the inner element of one of the parts of the device for attaching a garment according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing a wedge-shaped flange on the bottom of the outer element in the previous view.

Fig. 3C shows an enlarged front view of the wedge-shaped flange of the inner element in the previous view, according to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of two elements of each part inserted into each other and the two parts of the device are also connected together.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of the outer and inner members before they are joined together for attachment to a garment.

Fig. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of an outer element and an inner element attached to each other on a part that circumscribes a small portion of a garment.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of an outer element and an inner element attached to each other on a part that restrains a small portion of a garment.

Figure 8 shows a self-contained article of clothing, such as a sock or glove, incorporating the components of the device for joining the article of clothing in a pair.

Figure 9A is a perspective view showing the inner surface of the outer member of one of the components of the apparatus for attaching a garment according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the continuous rib locking the inner member of the component.

Fig. 9B is a perspective view showing the inner surface of the outer member according to the embodiment represented by the previous view.

Fig. 10A is a perspective view showing the top face of the inner element of one of the parts of the device for attaching a garment, showing a central hole into which a rib on the outer element of that part can be inserted, corresponding to the enlarged a and B embodiment of fig. 9.

Fig. 10B shows a perspective view of the inner surface of the inner element according to the same embodiment as the previous one.

Detailed Description

With reference to the above figures, a possible embodiment of the invention is described, as shown in fig. 1A, the device for attaching a garment comprising at least two identical parts 1, 1' that can be attached to each other.

Each part 1, 1 ' is in turn divided into an outer element 2, 2 ' and an inner element 3, 3 ', as shown in fig. 1B, which are connected to each other by inserting ribs 5, 5 ' provided on the inner surface of the outer element 2, 2 ' into the central holes 4, 4 ' of the inner element 3, 3 ', so as to be able to be perfectly inserted into each other as shown in fig. 1A.

As shown in fig. 1C, the central hole 4, 4 'of each internal element 3, 3' has a peripheral flange 6, 6 'shaped to conform to the profile of the rib 5, 5', preferably a discontinuous circle as shown in fig. 2A, and on the outside of said rib there are also teeth configured, as shown in fig. 2B, comprising at least one lower tooth 7 for holding delicate items and at least one upper tooth 8 for holding heavy items, shown in more detail in fig. 2C.

For each part 1, 1 ' of the coupling device, fig. 3A shows the incorporation of wedge-shaped flanges 9, 9 ' at the locations where the bottoms of said internal elements 3, 3 ' are opposite each other, as shown in fig. 3B, the details of which are shown in fig. 3C.

The ribs 9, 9 'of the inner element 3, 3' conform to the contour of the outer element 2, 2 ', which facilitates the connection of the two components 1, 1'. In order to connect one part 1 of the device according to the invention to another part 1 ', the smooth outer surface of the outer element 2 of the first part 1 is inserted by applying manual pressure on the hollow lower part of the inner element 3 ' of the second part 1 ', forming the desired connection as shown in fig. 4.

In order to attach the component 1 to the article P, the article P is placed between the outer element 2 and the inner element 3 and the two elements are connected, as shown in fig. 5. Thus, as shown in figures 6 and 7, the article is retained by being ideally connected between the ribs 5 of the outer element 2, which are located in the holes 4 of the inner element 3 of the same component 1.

In this preferred embodiment, the article P can be a sock, stocking, glove or the like, usually paired with another identical article P', as shown in fig. 8, the part 1 of the attachment means incorporated on such an article P having the appearance of a tiny button.

The outer element 2 is configured as a disc with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner element 3 into which it is inserted, said outer element also having a similar circular button structure. On the outside of said external element 2 there is a smooth surface on which letters and identification symbols, advertising signs or marks identifying the owner of the article P can be printed or drawn.

Thus, the part 1 with the article P attached thereto will remain throughout its lifetime and be able to withstand the normal washing and drying processes of said article P by the user. One option for ensuring a more secure attachment of the component 1 to the article P is to sew the inner element 3 of the component to the inside of said article P.

Fig. 9 and 10 show a further alternative embodiment of the elements 2, 3. In this case, the ribs 5 of the outer element 2 are continuous, forming a complete circle, as shown in the enlarged views of fig. 9A and 9B. In order for this outer element 2 to correspond to the inner element 3 shown in fig. 10, the holes 4 provided must be adapted to the diameter of the ribs 5, into which the ribs 5 must be connected. In addition, the inner element 3 also has a continuous flange 9 over its entire periphery, the shape of which conforms to the contour shape of the outer element 2 to allow joining together like the parts 1, 1'. This component structure greatly enhances the effect of the present invention and simplifies the manufacturing process.

The small dimensions of all the elements 2, 3 do not interfere with the washing and drying of the article P associated with said elements and do not affect the appearance and comfort of use of the article.

The connecting device is made of plastic, the structure of which allows to attach pairs of clothes or slippers that are not too thick in a simple way, which increases the efficiency, and it is not necessary for the user to find a device that is not related to the article, since the components that constitute the device are contained in the article or unit used in pairs.

Claims (7)

1. A device for joining garments, such as undergarments, socks, gloves and the like, consisting of at least two parts (1, 1 ') of such a shape and dimensions as to allow them to be joined to each other, characterized in that said parts (1, 1') which can be joined together are identical, each comprising a pair of elements (2, 2 '; 3, 3') for holding each garment (P) between them, one element (2, 2 ') being placed outside the garment (P) and the other element (3, 3') being placed inside the garment, so that the part (1) joined to the garment (P) and the other part (1 ') joined to the other garment (P') are joined to each other, with the external element (2) of one part (1) being inserted into the internal element (3 ') of the other part (1') so as to join at least two garments (P, p') are connected.

2. Device for connecting items of clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface of the outer element (2, 2 ') of each part (1, 1 ') on the outside of the item of clothing (P, P ') is smooth so as to be able to contain public information or other special symbols.

3. Device for connecting items of clothing according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom of the internal element (3, 3 ') is hollow and is provided, inside its profile, with a wedge-shaped flange (9, 9') which allows to join the external surface to the external element (2, 2 ') in another piece (1, 1') so that at least two items of clothing (P) can be connected.

4. A garment attachment device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the outer element (2, 2 ') of each part (1, 1') has ribs (5, 5 ') on its inner surface and the inner element (3, 3') has holes (4, 4 ') for inserting said ribs (5, 5') so as to enable attachment of said part (1, 1 ') to a garment (P, P') placed between the ribs (5, 5 ') and the holes (4, 4').

5. Device for connecting items of clothing according to claim 4, characterized in that the ribs (5, 5 ') of the outer element (2, 2 ') of each part (1, 1 ') are provided on its outer profile, said ribs being provided with teeth, each tooth having at least one lower tooth (7) for holding a delicate item of clothing (P, P ') and at least one upper tooth (8) for holding a heavy item of clothing (P, P ').

6. A fabric constructed from a set of cells, wherein each of the cells comprises a component of a device for attaching garments as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Fabric according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is selected from the group consisting of a set of underwear, a set of tablecloths, a set of towels, sheets, socks, stockings, leg sleeves, booties, gloves, mittens, sleeves and slippers.