Item of Clothing With Accessories
This invention relates to an item of clothing with an accessory such as a badge for attachment to clothing and suitable accessories for the purpose. The badge provides a plastic main body portion having a printable surface on at least one side. An attachment portion is provided having a recess in which the main body portion can fit snugly together with a panel of a garment. The garment is trapped between the main body portion and the attachment portion when they are fitted from opposed sides of the garment panel. The fit between the main body portion and the attachment portion, once the garment panel is trapped there between, is sufficiently tight to hold the portions together in engagement. Alternatively magnetic portions may be used to ensure sufficient hold on the garment is maintained. Throughout, the badge is provided with artwork to cooperate with the artwork on the garment such that the use of different badges, different placements or different sides of two sided badges can alter the overall synergistic effect.
This invention relates to an item of clothing with attachable accessories such as a badge, in particular, although not necessarily solely, an item of clothing with a badge attached forming a cooperative artwork or adornment to the clothing item.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTIONIn the clothing market, much of the merchandize seeks to provide attractive or engaging artwork on the clothing as part of the product appeal. Typically garments such as T-shirts may have slogans, pictures or other such artwork printed onto the garment.
An accessory such as a badge is similarly used to adorn clothing. However, badges made from material such as cloth which are sewn into the article provide no flexibility in the appearance of the garment as the badges are semi-permanently attached.
A further form of badge which is detachable may have a planar front surface and a pin or similar for attachment to the garment. However, the reliance on a pin behind such a badge generally causes the badge to sit loosely on the front of the garment. Although this may be suitable where the badge itself is an adornment in its own right, it does not allow the badge to easily interact with the garment itself for any overall effect.
Similarly, clothing items themselves are not provided with artwork intended for cooperation with badges or other attachments.
To the extent that any badges or similar that may provide a better fit onto garments exist, such as that in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,271, they provide no synergy with the garment as they do not match the artwork or design to provide any increased utility.
Furthermore, the item described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,271 provides a ring engagement with no backing member. Although still providing a possible flush fit, such an item is harder to utilise as the user, upon placement, is less able to align the two portions shown or press them into suitable engagement with no sizable backing portion to the engagement portion.
A yet further problem with such badges is that the use of solely rigid materials may cause discomfort or failure of the garment to sit correctly on a user. The use of softer materials allows greater yield yet less security of engagement.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide an item of clothing with an accessory and an accessory for use with clothing which may overcome some of the disadvantages of the prior art by providing cooperation between the garment and accessory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, in the first aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in an article of clothing incorporating an accessory comprising:
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- an article of clothing;
- a region of artwork on a portion of said article of clothing;
- a clothing accessory including a main body portion containing at least a first substantially planar face and having an outer circumference;
- an attachment portion of said clothing accessory including at least a circumferential portion to substantially surround the outer circumference of the main body portion such that when said main body portion and attachment portion are placed on opposed sides of said portion of said article of clothing then said article of clothing may be securely held between said main body portion and said attachment portion; and
- wherein said main body portion forms or includes an artwork to cooperate with said region of artwork on said portion of said article of clothing.
- Preferably said attachment portion provides a base portion extending across a majority of said circumferential portion.
- Preferably said outer circumference of said main body portion includes an intermediate or leading edge of greater circumference than a trailing edge to bias said main body portion towards said base portion of said attachment portion.
- Preferably said attachment portion and said main body portion are made from different materials.
- Alternatively, said main body portion and an attachment base portion may include magnetic materials such that they may be magnetically attracted to each other.
- Preferably a magnetic attachment base portion is separable from said circumferential attachment portion.
- Preferably, said circumferential attachment portion includes a panel extending across the region within the circumference and a main body portion and a magnetic attachment portion may be disposed on opposed sides of said panel within said circumferential portion.
Accordingly, in a second aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in an accessory for use with an article of clothing comprising:
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- a main body portion containing at least a first substantially planar printable face and having an outer circumference;
- an attachment portion having a recess into which said main body portion may fit to substantially surround the outer circumference of the main body portion; and
- wherein the main body portion may be nested inside the attachment portion on opposed sides of a garment to securely trap said garment therebetween.
Accordingly, in a third aspect, the invention may broadly be said to consist in a clothing accessory for use with an article of clothing comprising:
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- a first main body portion containing at least a first substantially planar printable face and having an outer circumference;
- a second body portion;
- said first or second body portions being made from or including a magnetic material for magnetic interaction between said first and second body portions;
- an alignment portion having a recess or aperture into which said main body portion may fit to substantially surround the outer circumference of said main body portion; and
- wherein, in use, a garment may be placed over said alignment portion and between said first and second body portions and securely held by said first and second body portions with said alignment portion allowing said garment to reside substantially flush with the front face of said first body portion.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which:
This invention relates to clothing with accessories and is generally described with references to badges or similar accessories for fitment to the front of garments such as T-shirts or even other fabrics based items such as bags, posters or the like. It will be appreciated that the invention as described may also be applied to other accessories such as broaches, name tags, labels or similar without detracting from the essence of the invention as described. The reference to a badge is only for the purposes of the preferred embodiments as described.
Referring to the figures, the invention includes a badge 1 containing at least one main body portion 2 carrying a printable surface for the presentation of artwork, slogans sports team insignia or other visual items to be presented. In the preferred embodiment of this invention as shown in
The main body portion 2 may be made from a variety of materials although in this particular preferred embodiment, materials may include relatively firm plastics such as PVC, PP, PU etc. The preferred form may utilise PU (polyurethane).
It is intended that the badge 1 is provided as a relatively thin badge with the overall width of the badge being, in the preferred form, approximately 2-3 mm thick or less if desired.
Also shown in
Again, a variety of materials may be used for the attachment portion and both firm or stiff plastics materials or other materials may be used. In some embodiments, elastic materials capable of stretching to accommodate nesting of the main body portion can be used as will be described subsequently. In the preferred form, a PP attachment portion may be used.
In use, as shown in
In
Also as can be seen in
It will be appreciated that the cooperating attachment portion 4 need not provide a recess or aperture to exactly fit the main body portion 2. Instead, some tolerance to accommodate the panel of clothing may be necessary although this also depends on the rigidity or elasticity of the main body portion 2 and the attachment portion 4. In a further embodiment (not shown), the main body portion 2 could be provided without any significant concave curves in the outer circumference. An example of such a shape would be a circular disc shaped badge. In such an embodiment the attachment portion could be a relatively highly elastic member similar to an elastic band so as to stretch and conform to the outer circumference of the main body portion 2. It will be appreciated that this inhibits the use of concave curves in the circumference of the main body portion as such portions may cause separation between the elastic attachment portion and the badge as the elastic portion may attempt to reduce tension by taking a shorter path across the concave curve.
To accommodate variety in badge shapes, a relatively inelastic attachment portion is preferred. In the preferred embodiments, a relatively stiff plastics material such as PP may be used.
The outer circumference of the attachment portion 4 can be of any desired shape although to reduce overall bulk of the item, the embodiment as shown in
Referring to
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In providing magnetic material, it will be appreciated that the entire portions 32 and 33 need not be magnetic. It may be simply sufficient to have embedded magnetic material in each. Similarly, a magnet in each may not be required where a magnet is provided in one and ferromagnetic material in the other.
Furthermore, a badge as shown in these figures is also reversible to accommodate different artwork or design on each side of the main body portion 32 or indeed, on either of the faces of the portion 33 which may be swapped to act as the main body portion in a symmetrical arrangement such as that shown. Symmetry is not essential in the portions of the badge as each of the two portions 32, 33 may be interchanged to provide at least 2 faces having alternative artwork. If all 4 faces of the two portions combined are to be used, at least one axis of symmetry may be necessary.
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On all the embodiments, edges of the attachment portion that may reside against the skin may be rounded to minimise abrasion of the skin and discomfort. Additionally, a smooth material may be chosen for components that may rest against the skin to again minimise any irritation.
In use, it can be seen that the accessories may be used with suitable artwork so that the panel artwork may be changed either by replacement, reversing the badge or simply by changing the position. This allows a user to show different allegiances to, for example, a club, region and country on different portions of the badge to support multiple sports teams etc. Alternatively, a change in position of the badge on a garment may cover up artwork or display previously hidden artwork on the garment itself so as to materially change the overall synergistic effect of the combination.
Thus it can be seen that the invention provides a badge and an article of clothing with such a badge attached that provides considerable flexibility in the presentation of the artwork. Furthermore, the badge resides substantially flush on the garment.
This invention has been described by means of preferred embodiments which should not be considered limiting to the generality of the description itself. Specific integers referred to throughout the description deem to include known equivalents where appropriate.
Claims
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9. An accessory for use with an article of clothing comprising: a main body portion containing at least a first substantially planar printable face and having an outer circumference; an attachment portion having a circumferential portion and a base portion extending across at least a majority of said circumferential portion defining a recess into which said main body portion may fit to substantially surround the outer circumference of the main body portion; and wherein the main body portion may be nested inside the attachment portion on opposed sides of a garment to securely trap said garment therebetween.
10. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base of said attachment portion may be provided with an aperture sized to accommodate an edge segment of said main body portion such that said attachment portion may be used as a base with said main body portion supported transverse to said attachment portion when said accessory is not being used on an article of clothing.
11. A clothing accessory for use with an article of clothing comprising: a first main body portion containing at least a first substantially planar printable face and having an outer circumference; a second body portion; said first or second body portions being made from or including a magnetic material for magnetic interaction between said first and second body portions; an alignment portion having a recess or aperture into which said main body portion may fit to substantially surround the outer circumference of said main body portion; and wherein, in use, a garment may be placed over said alignment portion and between said first and second body portions and securely held by said first and second body portions with said alignment portion allowing said garment to reside substantially flush with the front face of said first body portion.
12. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim-9 wherein said base portion includes at least one aperture to allow a user to urge said main body portion out of engagement with said attachment portion.
13. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim-9 wherein said outer circumference of said main body portion includes an intermediate or leading edge of greater circumference than a trailing edge to bias said main body portion towards said base portion of said attachment portion.
14. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim-9 wherein said attachment portion and said main body portion are made from different materials.
15. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim-9 wherein said main body portion and an attachment base portion include magnetic materials such that they may be magnetically attracted to each other.
16. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim 15 wherein a magnetic attachment base portion is separable from said circumferential attachment portion.
17. An accessory for use with an article of clothing as claimed in claim 16 wherein said circumferential attachment portion includes a panel extending across the region within the circumference and a main body portion and a magnetic attachment portion may be disposed on opposed sides of said panel within said circumferential portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 17, 2005
Publication Date: Oct 16, 2008
Applicant: SNAPTAGZ LTD. (Central Hong Kong)
Inventor: Brennan O'Leary (Hong Kong)
Application Number: 11/665,515