Tube wonder lock

Abstract

An adjoining device for securing paired items of clothing, such as socks, or gloves comprises a releasable fastening tab strip embedded with velcro hook and loop fastening elements and a tab strip embedded with velcro hooks wherein first tab appended horizontally on one sock of a pair and the second tab appended vertically with a belt loop form on the other sock of same pair allows loop section of first tab to engage after being inserted through the opening of belt loop of second tab strip with hooks, and then, closed to interconnect with hooks of first tab strip appended horizontally providing a secure releasable attachment that resist forces that separate paired articles clothing during the laundry process.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

In general, this invention relates to an adjoining (attachment) device for securing and holding together paired articles of clothing (socks, gloves, etc.) from being separated during and after the process of laundering.

2. Description of Related Art

The common household task of matching articles of clothing that come in pairs, particularly socks and gloves, after which the washing and drying process has been completed, often results in a frustrating and time consuming chore for the individual performing the duty of laundering because of, but not limited to, similarities in design, fabric, size, or a large quantity of an assortment of pairs of clothing items that requires an individual to manually sort and match paired items prior to placing them in a designated storage area.

Various methods for adjoining pairs of clothing items have been developed and proposed as a means for resolving this common issue of keeping together pairs of clothing items throughout the laundry process of washing and drying. However, though many present a means for accomplishing such a task, to one extent, or another they are all limited in either areas of flexibility, availability, efficiency, durability, or they may be of a discomfort to the wearer (individual) over a gradual period of time due to the placement and type of fastening element being used as the attachment device such as a metallic snap-type, or hook and eye fastener etc.

In order to promote longevity of both the attachment device and the pairs of clothing being joined by such a mechanism, flexibility is essential of which promotes comfort and enables paired socks to endure several laundry processes of washing and drying without prematurely rupturing due to the harsh stresses that can be caused by metallic type fasteners, which can also, in the process of time, cause a discomfort to the wearer. An attachment devise for securing socks disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,751 to Mason, is an embodiment of a male and female metallic snap-type-fastener attached to each sock that releasably engages for purposes of, but not limited to, laundry and storage. However; metallic type fasteners have a tendency to incur, in areas where appended, localized stresses that can blemish the appearance of paired articles of clothing due to external forces that occur in the laundry process thus creating an undesirable contact, or rubbing against the skin of the wearer as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,318 to H. F. Jones that if any discomfort felt against the skin by any fastening element associated with socks, or gloves is unacceptable.

Another method for securing pairs of socks in preparation for laundering, is the use of a sock clip which is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,657 granted to Turner. Durable in it's construction, yet this clip is subject to the probability of being misplaced, lost, or located in an area contrary to where an individual has chosen to take off their socks. Therefore, this pairing attachment, along with other external attachments (clamps, pins, clips, etc) devised and proposed for securing paired articles of clothing, particularly socks, lacks availability as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,555 to Boxer al.

Being that we live in a microwavable (fast-paced) society, by modern standards, especially in rapidly growing countries, the demand for convenience and efficiency of reliable products, or services to be rendered in a timely fashion is greatly appreciated by both the retailer and the consumer upon reception of such products, or services. As it relates to an attachment device for securing pairs of socks together throughout the laundry process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,318 to H. F. Jones, it is both durable and flexible comprising two tabs wherein a flexible strip of cloth with hook and pile elements appended to each sock of a pair of which, when both tabs are open, are able to join both socks by way of the velcro hook end and loop end affixed on one sock of a pair releasably attaches to the hook end and loop end elements of the other sock of same pair in a vertical alignment. This system of securing paired articles of clothing, such as socks and gloves, prior to and after the laundry process, has resolved many of the issues documented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,555 to Boxer et al. However, taking into consideration a person(s) returning home from work, school, or exhausted from an athletic endeavor (excercise) etc, fatigue can render one impatient having no desire to release both tabs of hook and pile, and then, interconnect the open tab strip with hook and pile appended to one sock of a pair to the open tab strip with hook and pile of the other sock of same pair positioning the attachment of both socks in parallel fashion as illustrated in FIG. 2 of drawing sheet 1 of 3 in said U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,318 to J. H. Franklin so that the tab strip hook end of one sock of a pair can adjoin with the tab strip loop end of the other sock of same pair and vice versa. Although convenient, this method involves a four-step-process which is not time friendly in today's modern society. Therefore, this method of securing socks of a pair in preparation for laundering is inefficient, time consuming, and can be intolerable when time is of the essence.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an attachment device developed for the purposes of adjoining and securing paired articles of clothing such as, but not limited to, a pair of socks, to prevent the separation of attached clothing items during the laundry process of washing and drying. The embodiment of the device is a tab consisting of a flexible strip of cloth having two sections, composed of velcro, the first embedded with hook elements appended to first sock of a pair and the second section embedded with pile elements moveable between a open and closed position both affixed in a horizontal angle thus releasably engages with the second tab with a strip of cloth backing embedded with hook elements, velcro, appended vertically in a belt loop fashion to the second sock of same pair. The preferred position of the attachment appended is approximately one inch and a half of an inch below the edge of the opening of the sock which enables the wearer to neatly fold the edge of the sock 2 to 3 inches downward overlapping the attachment, or allow the tabs to be shown openly displaying an indicia (trademark, design, etc.).

The objective of the present invention is to provide an attachment device that resolves, or ameliorates the problems found in the prior art aforementioned under the heading, DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART. The embodiment of the attachment device is comprised of both the necessary elements to adjoin and secure socks of a pair throughout the laundry process, and the essential qualities of durability, flexibility, and efficiency which promotes long life of the attachment device, comfort for the wearer, and cost effectiveness for the consumer being that it greatly reduces the burden of having to replace a pair of socks due to one of a pair being lost, or misplaced.

Another object of the invention to be expressed is to provide a tab with a hook and pile structure that releasably engages with a second tab with hook elements both being separately appended to each sock of same pair by means of, but not limited to, stitching which forms a durable long-lasting flexible mend promoting long life of the sock and the attachment, thus exceeding the durability of attachments formed with metallic-snap-type fasteners devised as a fastening device for securing paired articles of clothing.

Another important aspect of the object of the invention to be expressed is the necessity of same devise having a tab with a hook and loop end and a separate tab with hooks that provides a reliable releasably attachment of which usage and procedure is child friendly to utilize (attach), and time-wise, more efficient than the procedure found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,318 to J. H. Franklin which requires a four-step process to adequately attach both socks of a pair, whereas in the present invention, comparably improved, it only requires a two-step process to attach socks of a pair in preparation for laundry, less time and materials needed to manufacture without depleting from the ability to secure socks of a pair.

One of the primary objectives established in the development of the attachment device is to provide an easy attach-to-join release tab of which usage and procedure is child friendly, efficient (not time consuming), durable, non-depreciation in comfort to the wearer, and cost effective (inexpensive) for the purposes of being manufactured.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment device that is affixed to the socks to assure availability prior to and after the laundry process which also, unlike external attachment devices (clip, pins, connectors, etc.) such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,849 to R. Messman, or U.S. Pat. No. 6,389,657 to D. C. Turner, it does not bare the risk of being lost, or found by a child which bares the posibility of being swallowed.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an attachment device that is inexpensive to manufacture of which process also imprints, or embeds an indicia of origin being that the attachment can be customized for mass production at the manufacturing facility of Fastenation Inc., 120 Brighton Road, Unit #2, Clifton N.J. 07012 USA and Textol Systems Inc., 435 Meadow Lane, Carlstadt, N.J. 07072.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an arrangement wherein the elements of the attachment device, efficiently, releasably engages securing, but not limited to, socks of a pair for laundry and storage resolving the problems found in the aforementioned prior art and simultaneously providing the essential qualities of durability, comfort, flexibility, availability, and cost effectiveness.

The Present and forthcoming objects of this invention will be expressed more accurately and vividly in the drawings and specifications throughout the furtherance of this review.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In accordance with the present invention, one embodiment of the current drawings shall be described in reference to:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pair of socks with the first embodiment of one sock of a pair appended with a releasable tab and the second sock of same pair appended with a tab strip with a belt loop.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective exploded view of both tabs of the pair of socks in FIG. 1 in an opened position illustrating the elements (cloth, hook and pile) and construction of both tabs.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial front view of both socks with tabs of FIG. 1 with one tab in an open position appended to one sock of a pair and the second tab appended to the second sock of same pair with a belt loop.

FIG. 4 is a partial front view of both socks with tabs of FIG. 3 showing the pile end of first tab of first sock of a pair being inserted into the belt loop of second tab of second sock

FIG. 5 is a partial front view of FIG. 1 showing the arrangement of the invention interconnected by both tabs of both socks of a pair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1 tabs 12 and 14 of this preferred invention is further explained in detailed for the purposes of broadening it's usage and function as it relates to securing a pair of socks 10a and 10b.

One element of the attachment device tab 12 is comprised of a flexible strip cloth backing 16 with two sections the first consisting of a strip of pile elements 20 and the second consisting of a strip of hook elements 18 affixed horizontally to the upper back side of sock 10a of first sock of a pair in an open position as shown in FIG. 3 which can be closed, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to shield from foreign matter, or snagging of other clothing material.

Another important embodiment of the attachment device is tab 14 which is comprised of a strip of hook elements 24, FIG. 2, fabricated upon a flexible strip of cloth 22 which is appended to the back side of sock 10b, FIG. 3, forming a belt loop with the hook elements 24 facing the leg portion of sock 10b and the flexible strip of cloth 22 of same embodiment facing outwardly shielding hook 24 against foreign matter and snagging of other clothing items providing an advantage over devices requiring the opening of both tabs for the purposes of securing articles of a pair as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,853 to Rubin and Robert Boxer.

In particular, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 illustrates the method by which the tabs 12 and 14, comprised of hook and pile elements, are interconnected to prepare socks of a pair, 10a and 10b, for the laundry process of washing, drying, and storage. In the current procedure illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pile strip 20 of tab 12, as seen in FIG. 4 of sock 10a, being in an opened position, is inserted through the belt loop of tab 14 of sock 10b which enables the pile elements 22 of tab 12 of sock 10a to interconnect with the hook elements 24 of tab 14 which forms the first engagement of the attachment. Easily the pile strip 20 of tab 12 is fully inserted through and connected to the belt loop, a novelty of efficiency, consisting of hook elements 24 of tab 14 of sock 10b, engages with the hook elements 18 of tab 12 of sock 10a forming a double attachment which resist the forces that incur in conventional and modernized washers and dryers, thus preventing socks of a pair from becoming separated during the laundry process.

Another important aspect of the invention is the method of fixation of tabs 12 and 14 and the preferred location of the same embodiment.

• • 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible strip of, but not limited to, cloth 16 allows for stitching in a rectangular pattern around the perimeter of the hook end 18 which enables the pile end 20 to be opened and closed with very little effort as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 being affixed to the back side of sock 10a. Stitching can also be performed upon the face of the hook end 18 in a diagonal design forming an (X) pattern centered in a rectangular pattern without depleting the ability of the hook elements 18 from engaging securely with the pile strip 20. An area of affixation for effectiveness in functionality and usability is preferably the upper back side of socks of a pair as illustrated in FIG. 5 where, also, the indicia 26 can be revealed representing the origin of it's being.
  • 2. The suggested area for stitching tab 14 is at both ends of the vertical flexible strip of cloth 22 in a pattern that resembles a square which, after being affixed to sock 10b, forms a belt loop that allows easy insertion of pile strip 20 of sock 10a and effortless engaging of hook elements 24 and pile elements 20 requiring only a two-step method for securing articles of a pair as opposed to the four-step procedure discussed in the SUMMARY in paragraph 010.
  • 3. Other feasible and effective methods for affixing the present embodiment to socks of a pair are lamination and flexible epoxy cements which are currently being manufactured and sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,849 to R. Messman.

In reference to the dimensions of the embodiment of the present invention, tab 12 is approximately three inches in length, and a half of an inch in width. The hook strip 18 and pile strip 20 of Tab 12 is approximately one inch and a half of an inch in length and a quarter of an inch in width. Tab 14 is approximately one inch and a half of an inch in length with a width of a half of an inch. The hook strip 24 of tab 14 is approximately a quarter of an inch in width.

Both tabs, 12 and 14, are located approximately one inch and a half of an inch below the top edge of the socks 10a and 10b of which, if desired, the wearer can fold the edge of the sock over the tabs 12 and 14 for extra protection of the embodiment especially during various intense physical activities, or they may be shown openly revealing the indicia 26 of FIGS. 1 and 5 representing the origin of it's being. Relative to the various sizes of socks that are worn by individuals of different ages, the embodiment of the present invention can be modified in size respectfully for suitability of the wearer without negating from the scope of the invention aforementioned in the dimensions of the embodiment of the attachment device. Thus, other feasable modifications may be revealed through those skilled in the art.

The construction and visual aspects of the present invention is not limited to the dimensions of the current embodiment as it relates to the most beneficial means of carrying out the invention, but all aspects of the preferred embodiment pertaining to the attachment device shall be expressed within the scope of the claims in the furtherance of the specifications.

Claims

1. In conjunction with a pair of socks and an adjoining device for attaching both socks of a pair, first sock of same pair affixed with a releasably folding tab with an area for an indicia placement on backing of second section of first tab consisting of a complementary hook and pile fastening means adjutant to second tab fabricated with hooks affixed to second sock of same pair comprising:

I. A flexible tab constructed of a strip of cloth, with applicable indicia on backing, affixed horizontally having two sections the first fabricated with a strip of hook elements, which also is appended to upper back side of leg portion, FIG. 3, of first sock of same pair adjutant to second section of same tab of first sock fabricated with a strip of pile elements is moveable in an open, when attaching, and closed, while being worn, position with both sections of same tab forms a fastening means.

II. A flexible second tab devised of a cloth backing consisting of an embedded strip of fabricated hooks with second tab appended to upper back side of leg portion of second sock of same pair affixed in a belt loop fashion adjutant to pile section of first tab of first sock of the same pair.

III. Said first tab in conjunction with said second tab appended separately to said socks of a pair, said second section with fabricated pile elements of first tab is inserted through and pressed against, thus interconnecting with, belt loop with hook elements of said second tab, now overlaying hook elements of said first tab forms a second engagement with first section of first tab providing a double fastening means securing said socks of a pair for laundry.

2. The socks of claim 1, wherein socks of a pair carrying tabs appended on upper back side of same pair attaches together same socks of a pair by fastening means of hook and pile elements fabricated on said first tab of first sock of a pair and hook elements fabricated on said second tab of second sock of same pair.

3. The socks claimed in claim 1, first tab comprised of a strip of cloth embedded with two sections a hook end and a pile end appended on upper back side of first sock of a pair complimenting the hook elements of second tab appended in a belt loop fashion affixed to upper backside of second sock of same pair allowing for easy insertion of pile strip of first tab to interconnect with hook elements of second tab providing a fastening means to secure both socks of a pair during the laundry process.

4. The socks of claim 1, in which the pile end of first tab appended to the first sock of a pair releasably opens and closes protecting the first tab when closed from foreign matter, or clothing providing accessibility for attaching to second tab when opened which is efficiently initiated due to the second tab being affixed in a belt loop fashion with hook elements facing inwardly away from other clothing articles to prevent snagging having a strip of cloth backing which has a none attaching surface.

5. The first and second tabs as claimed in claim 1, the first tab comprised of a a strip of flexible cloth consisting of two sections a strip of pile elements and a strip of hook elements affixed horizontally on said first sock adjutant a moveable pile end which opens and closes, thus when the second section of first tab is utilized in a closed position, it interconnects with hook elements of second tab affixed vertically in a belt loop fashion which, afterwards, further extends through belt loop forming a second engagement with hook elements of first section of first tab of first sock efficiently and securing the same of which resist forces that occur in conventional and modernized washers and dryers during the laundry process.

6. The socks of claim 1 wherein an attachment device is comprised of hook and pile fastening elements which forms a tab that releasably opens and closes and a tab strip in a belt loop fashion.

7. The socks of claim 1 wherein first tab of first sock is closed when being worn with an an indicia imprinted on backing of second section and opened for attaching to second tab of second sock of a pair for securing said pair of socks from separating during laundry.