Garments with releasable retainers

Abstract

Garments for covering appendages, such as socks and mittens for covering feet and hands, are provided with releasable retainer tabs. The tabs include elements configured to releasably attach. When attached, the tabs cinch a part of the garment covering the appendage joint, e.g., the ankle of a sock or wrist of a mitten. Elasticity of the sock or mitten ensures adequate circulation for the wearer. The tabs serve a secondary function, namely, pairing socks for laundering and storage. Pairing tabs may be provided in addition to or in lieu of the retainer tabs to join paired socks for laundering and storage.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a Nonprovisional of and claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 057,814 filed May 30, 2008, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein and made a part hereof.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention generally relates to garments, and more particularly, to garments for covering appendages, such as socks for covering feet and mittens for covering hands, with releasable retainer tabs.BACKGROUND[0003]Infants engage in considerable activity on a regular basis. They explore with their hands. They squirm, kick, roll, and crawl during various development stages. Adults lift infants from a floor, a crib, a car seat and other places. Adults must frequently remove clothing from an infant to clean the infant or change a diaper.[0004]Infants wear socks (or booties) and mittens to keep their feet and hands warm, clean and protected. Mittens also protect an infant from fingernail scratches. Unfortunately, while e...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]To solve one or more of the problems set forth above, in an exemplary implementation of the invention, socks and mittens with releasable retainer tabs are provided. The tabs include elements configured to releasably attach. When corresponding tabs are attached, the tabs cinch a part of the ankle of a sock or wrist of a mitten. Elasticity of the sock or mitten ensures adequate circulation for the infant. The tabs may also be used to pair socks for laundering and storage.

[0008]A slip-on garment with a binding joint cover is provided. The garment is designed to cover an appendage (e.g., a foot or hand) and at least part of the joint (e.g., an ankle or wrist) connecting the appendage. The garment may take the form of a sock, mitten, glove or the like. The garment includes an appendage covering and a joint covering. The joint covering extends from the appendage covering and includes a free edge defining an opening through which the appendage may be inserted. A pair of retainer tabs are attached to the joint covering, the pair of retainer tabs include a first retainer tab attached to the joint covering a first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the joint covering. A second retainer tab is attached to the joint covering in operable alignment with the first retainer tab at the first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the joint covering and spaced apart from the first retainer tab by a second distance. The second retainer tab is configured for releasable attachment to the first retainer. The pair of retainer tabs cinch the joint covering by reducing the second distance when the second retainer tab is releasably attached to the first retainer tab.

[0009]In a preferred embodiment, the pair of retainer tabs includes hook and loop fasteners. The first retainer tab may include a hook type fastener and the second retainer tab includes a loop type fastener. The second retainer tab is spaced apart from the first retainer tab by the second distance. The second distance may be about ⅛ to 1 inch when the second retainer tab is not releasably attached to the first retainer tab. The first retainer tab has a first edge and an opposite second edge. The first retainer tab is attached to the joint covering along the first edge of the first retainer tab. The first retainer tab may be able to pivot about the first edge. The second retainer tab also has a first edge and an opposite second edge. The second retainer tab is attached to the joint covering along the first edge of the second retainer tab. The second retainer tab may also able to pivot about the first edge of the second retainer tab. Alternatively, the second retainer tab may be attached to the joint covering along the first edge and the second edge of the second retainer tab. The second retainer tab configured for releasable attachment to the first retainer cinches the joint covering and increases the tensile forces in the joint covering, when worn, by reducing the second distance when the second retainer tab is releasably attached to the first retainer tab. Releasably attaching the retainer tabs thereby resists removal of the slip on garment from an appendage when worn.

[0010]In one embodiment, a pair of socks is provided. Each sock, i.e., a first sock and a second sock, includes a foot covering including a toe portion configured to coves toes of a foot, and a heel portion configured to cover a heel of a foot, and an ankle covering extending from the foot covering. The ankle covering includes a free edge defining an opening through which a foot may be inserted. A pair of retainer tabs is attached to the ankle covering. The pair of retainer tabs includes hook and loop fasteners, and comprises a first retainer tab attached to the ankle covering a first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the ankle covering, a second retainer tab attached to the ankle covering in operable alignment with the first retainer tab at the first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the ankle covering and spaced apart from the first retainer tab by a second distance. The second retainer tab is configured for releasable attachment to the first retainer. The pair of retainer tabs cinch (i.e., tighten by binding) the ankle covering by reducing the second distance when the second retainer tab is releasably attached to the first retainer tab.

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, while engaging in the aforementioned activities, infants tend to remove their socks and mittens.

Frequently, the removed items will become lost.

Each missing sock and mitten is an economic loss to be replaced at the cost of the parent.

Another common problem when washing infant socks (or booties) and mittens is that the articles separate when being washed in a washing machine.

Finding the missing article can be time consuming and tedious.

Often, the result is loss of one of the articles so that the pair is no longer available.

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