Fastening means for infants and toddlers tank style body suits

Abstract

A one-piece, tank-style bodysuit for infants and toddlers having a body enveloping portion, sleeves, a neck aperture, and a rear tail member securable to the front of the torso enveloping portion by means of a hook and loop fastener, the hook and loop fastener arranged so that the one-piece, tank-style bodysuit can accommodate a growing child for a longer period of time before the necessity of purchasing a larger tank-style bodysuit.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The Applicant claims the benefit of provisional application Serial No. 60/397,769 filed Jul. 24, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a one-piece bodysuit worn by infants and toddlers, which is secured at the crotch, and more particularly, to an improved fastening means for such a one-piece, tank-style bodysuit.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] Infants, toddlers, and young children who are still wearing diapers will oftentimes be wearing a one-piece, tank-style bodysuit consisting of short or long sleeves, a neck aperture, a torso enveloping portion and a tail member extending from the rear of the torso enveloping portion, which tail member is drawn through and attached at the crotch by means of a pair of snaps consisting of a pair of male snaps and a female snaps. This arrangement allows flexibility and mobility of the young child's arms and legs.

[0006] The infants, toddlers, and young children who wear the type of garment in question require a great deal of parental attention because of their age and oftentimes parents find themselves attending to the child during the evening or early morning hours when the parent would preferably be sleeping. At such times it is often difficult to find the snaps, mate the snaps and secure the garment.

[0007] Still further, since the snaps are permanently sewed to the tail member of the bodysuit, as the child grows, the bodysuit no longer can be worn, necessitating the purchase of a new bodysuit.

[0008] Applicant's invention provides for a fastening means for the one-piece bodysuit that does not require the mating of snaps and which can accommodate a growing child over a longer period of time before the necessity of purchasing a new and larger bodysuit.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide for an improved fastening means for a tank-style bodysuit worn by infants and toddlers.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide for an improved fastening means for a tank-style bodysuit worn by infants and toddlers which allows the tank-style bodysuit to be worn by the growing child for a longer period of time before necessitating the purchase of a larger bodysuit.

[0011] A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel improved fastening means for a tank-style bodysuit for infants and toddlers which is easily secured by an adult even in the absence of light.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A one-piece, tank-style bodysuit for infants and toddlers having a body enveloping portion, sleeves, a neck aperture, and a rear tail member securable to the front of the torso enveloping portion by means of a hook and loop fastener, the hook and loop fastener arranged so that the one-piece, tank-style bodysuit can accommodate a growing child for a longer period of time before the necessity of purchasing a larger tank-style bodysuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent particularly when taken in light of the following illustrations wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the one-piece, tank-style bodysuit for infants and toddlers with the improved fastening means; and

[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the one-piece, tank-style bodysuit for infants and toddlers with the improved fastening means illustrated on the infant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a one-piece, tank-style bodysuit 10 of the present invention and FIG. 2 illustrates the bodysuit 10 on an infant or toddler. The tank-style bodysuit 10 has a torso portion 12 having a front facing surface and a rear facing surface, 14 and 16 respectively. Torso portion 12 is formed with a neck aperture 18 and a first arm aperture 20 and second arm aperture 22 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0017] Front facing surface 14 of torso portion 12 terminates at a hemline 24 which would be approximate the hips and crotch of the infant or toddler. Rear facing surface 16 of torso portion 12 extends below the hemline 24 of front facing surface 14 to form a tail member 26. Tail member 26 is designed to be drawn between the infants or toddlers legs at the crotch and be secured to the front facing surface 14 of torso portion 12.

[0018] In the prior art, this closure was accomplished by a pair of snaps, one half of the snaps consisting of a male member and the other half a female receiving member. As set forth in the description of the prior art, engaging these snaps at certain times oftentimes was difficult for the parent.

[0019] Applicant's tank-style bodysuit 10 incorporates a two-piece hook and loop fastener 28 to obtain the closure of the tail member 26 with front facing surface 14 of torso portion 12.

[0020] A first member 30 of the hook and loop fastener 28 would be positioned on the front facing surface 14 of torso portion 12. The second member 32 of hook and loop fastener 28 would be fastened onto the tail or crotch panel and would preferably have a length greater than its width so as to allow for custom fit vertically when engaged with first member 30 and would also allow the garment to be utilized over a longer period of time with respect to the size of the child as the child grows.

[0021] The use of the hook and loop fastener 28 facilitates diaper changing and potty training in that it is faster and easier to open and close and provides for a more precise fit thus allowing adjustment with child growth.

[0022] While the present invention has been described with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications or changes can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore it is manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims and the equivalence thereof.

Claims

1. An infant or toddlers tank style body suit having improved fastening means, said tank style body suit comprising:

a torso member formed of a front panel and a rear panel, each having an interior surface and an exterior surface, each partially secured along the peripheries thereof to define a neck aperture and two arm apertures, said front panel having a lower hemmed edge and said rear panel having a lower hemmed edge having a decreasing tapered tail member, said lower hemmed edge of said front panel having positioned centrally thereon on the exterior surface a first portion of a hook and loop fastener means, said interior surface of said rear panel member having positioned thereon proximate an end of said decreasing tapered tail member, a second portion of a hook and loop fastener means, said hook and loop fastener means cooperative to secure said front panel and said rear panel thereby defining two leg apertures.

2. The infant or toddler tank style body suit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hook and loop fastener means is dimensioned to secure closure of said front panel and said rear panel to accommodate an infant or toddler of varying size.

3. The infant or toddler tank style body suit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second portion of said hook and loop fastener means is dimensioned of a length greater than said first portion of said hook and loop fastener means to assist in accommodating infants or toddlers of varying sizes.

4. An improved infant or toddler tank style body suit having improved fastening means, said infant or toddler tank style body suit of the type comprising a torso member formed of a front panel and a rear panel each having an interior surface and an exterior surface, each of said panels partially secured to each other along the peripheries thereof to define a neck aperture and two arm apertures, said front facing panel having a lower hemmed edge and said rear panel having a lower hemmed edge having a decreasingly tapered tail member, said improvement comprising:

a first portion of a hook and loop fastener means secured to said exterior surface of said front panel, a second portion of a hook and loop fastener means secured to said interior surface of said rear panel proximate an end of said decreasing tapered tail member, said hook and loop fastener means cooperative to secure said front panel and said rear panel thereby defining two leg apertures.

5. The improved infant or toddler tank style body suit in accordance with claim 4 wherein said hook and loop fastener means is dimensioned to secure closure of said front and rear panel to accommodate an infant or toddler of varying size.

6. The improved infant or toddler tank style body suit in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second portion of said hook and loop fastener means is dimensioned in length greater than said first portion of said hook and loop fastener means to aid in accommodating infants or toddlers of vary size.