Cape for covering the back, with shoulder and hip extensions

Abstract

The invention concerns a cape for the beach that features four extensions in the shape of the hide of an animal. The two upper extensions are lead over the shoulders of the wearer and held releasably at a further garment or piece of swim wear in the upper breast area with the help of joining elements. The two lower extensions are lead over the hips and can also be joined releasably with each other in the area of the abdomen with the help of joining elements.

Description

[0001] The invention concerns a cape made of textile material, for covering at least the back of the wearer. It features a central main part that corresponds approximately to the human back in terms of shape and size, and which is attached releasably to complementary joining elements at the cape itself or at other pieces of clothing, with the help of joining elements at its sides. According to the invention, the cape is intended especially as a supplementary component for swimwear, in order to protect the wearer from cool wind, at the beach for instance.

[0002] At the beach, a piece of outerwear, like a sweater for instance, is usually put on when there is a cool wind. Thus the wearer is protected from the coldness, but also the sunbeams are shielded off completely. Besides, articles of outerwear, such as sweaters, are not suitable for the beach, as they often tend to pick up sand. The insight that for protecting the wearer from the coldness it is often sufficient to cover the back and possibly the area of the kidneys, forms the basis of the invention. The cape according to the invention serves this purpose.

[0003] It is characterized by a main part that features, in accordance with the shape of the back of the wearer, four extensions bulging out from it at the shoulders and the hips. At the ends of these extensions are joining elements. The extensions in the area of the hips have a length which, in addition to the lower border of the main part, exceed the girth of a human torso. So the cape has more or less the shape of the hide of an animal, with two rather short extensions in the area of the shoulders and two rather long extensions, sticking out mainly to the sides, in the area of the hips. This shape corresponds to the limbs of a four-legged animal. It can be put on easily and quickly without the wearer having to slip through openings for the arms, legs or the head. As the case may be, the cape might look like a dress worn by the wearer when watched from behind.

[0004] “Wearer” may mean persons of both sexes, but the cape is primarily thought of as a garment for ladies. The cape is suited especially for ladies because ladies swim wear features components in the breast area at which the cape can be fixed with its shoulder extensions.

[0005] Several preferred versions of the cape according to the invention are characterized in the dependent claims. The two extensions in the area of the hips of this hide-shaped version are lead together in the area of the abdomen of the wearer and joined with each other releasably. By the connection of the lower ends of the cape at its front the cape fits tightly on the sides and on the back of the wearer because of the resulting tensile forces. Preferably soft, elastic material is used for this cape. With the help of additional pieces of elastic in certain areas at the sides of the garment the cape fits perfectly on the body of the wearer.

[0006] While even in sunshine the humidity of a swim suit or a light breeze may make the wearer chill and may even cause damage to her health, the wearer is able to protect the parts of the body that are especially sensitive and exposed to wind and weather without having to change clothes completely or having to put on different clothes, which is not desired normally when somebody is at the beach, dressed for swimming or sunbathing.

[0007] Another advantage of the cape is the fact that, because of its particular shape, seams which usually keep a garment like a dress, for instance, in its hose-like shape can be avoided. Nowadays there are many new types of material that can be cut out without fraying or releasing threads. By using such types of material and because of the flatness of the garment according to the invention setting border seams or hems become redundant, except at the points at which the releasable joining elements and perhaps the additional pieces of elastic in certain sections are fixed.

[0008] Apart from the advantages of the cape according to the invention with regard to its processing, it also offers the advantage of numerous possibilities of use: firstly as an open cape, for example when the releasable fastenings at the abdomen are kept open and the extensions in the area of the hips are not joined with each other over the abdomen; secondly as an actual dress that only stays open at the front in the breast area when the upper joining elements are closed releasably in the breast area and the lower joining elements at the abdomen; and finally as a slitted skirt, when the two shoulder extensions are not fixed releasably in the upper breast area of the wearer but when the garment is simply held by the tensile forces of the fastened hip extensions, and its upper part at the back of the wearer falls from the hips over the thighs on the backside of the wearer.

[0009] In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail on the basis of several examples of possible versions of the invention with reference to the drawing. The following diagrams show schematically:

[0010] Diagram 1 top view of the inside of a cape in spread out state;

[0011] Diagram 2 front view of a cape according to a modified version of the invention, with clip fasteners, on a presentation stand;

[0012] Diagram 3 rear view of the setup of diagram 2;

[0013] Diagram 4 side view of the setup of diagram 2;

[0014] Diagram 5 rear view of a cape worn in such a manner that it is not fastened in the upper areas, resulting in the appearance of a skirt;

[0015] Diagram 6 side view of a cape that is worn in such a manner that it is not closed in the lower areas, resulting in the appearance of cloak hanging down.

[0016] Diagram 1 shows a cape 1 in the form of a textile cut, consisting of elastic material that is stretchable and does not fray, in a way that it can be just cut out or stamped out without having to use seams and hems. The shape of its pattern can be regarded as being subdivided into a central, roughly rectangular main part 2, two upper shoulder extensions 3, which lie on the shoulders of the wearer, and two extensions in the lower area of the garment, which are in the area of the hips 4 of the wearer.

[0017] The extensions 3 emerge from the main part 2 essentially in its vertical longitudinal direction when the cape is worn, which means at the short side of the rectangle. The extensions 4 emerge from the sides, at the long side of the rectangle, but in the lower area where they span about a third of the long sides of the main part 2. The long sides of the main part 2 in this area are only imaginary geometrical subdivisions. The textile material does not have seams or other lines in the material in these areas.

[0018] In the displayed model, the shoulder extensions 3 are gathered a little, and at each of its ends is a joining element 5 in the form of a hook. The extensions in the area of the hips 4 lie flat on the ground. They have rounded borders which form a steady transition from the side borders of the main part 2 on the one hand, and a steady transition from the lower short border of the main part 2 on the other hand. The curves of the borders of these extensions 4 are convex in the same direction and they meet in a rounded point, in the area of which one joining element 6 at each side is situated. The joining elements 6 of the cape 1, which face each other, are complementary to each other and they are designed in a way that they can be joined with each other releasably, for instance in the form of hooks, snap links, poppers, screws, clips, magnets, or Velcro. But they can also have the form of bands or strings that can be joined with each other releasably with a loop.

[0019] At both sides of the cape 1, in the middle area of the main part 2, pieces of elastic are incorporated.

[0020] The cape 1 is put on at the back of the wearer who is already wearing a garment like a swimsuit that features rings in the breast area, or other joining elements that can be grabbed by the hook 5, including loops, strings or bands, on which hooks can be hung. The extensions 3 are laid over the shoulders to the front and are fastened there. The area between the shoulder extensions 3 is rounded and lies around the onset of the neck.

[0021] After that, the extensions in the area of the hips 4 are wrapped around the body and joined with the help of the joining elements 6. When an elastic type of material is used for the cape, good fit on the body is achieved by the joining elements 6 and the borders of the extensions 4 having a certain distance from each other when the material is not stretched. So, in order to close the joining elements, the extensions have to be pulled together, which causes them to overlap a little.

[0022] Thus tensile forces on the material are created, which lets the garment fit tightly on the body of the wearer. Thus the cape is put on and the parts of the body that are sensitive to coldness, namely the back and the area of the kidneys, are covered.

[0023] The cape can be put on and off effortlessly and quickly. When the cape itself is folded it becomes very small and can therefore be transported easily.

[0024] Diagram 2 shows the cape on a presentation stand 11, like on a torso or mannequin that is already clothed with a two-piece swimsuit 12. In the version in diagram 2 the upper joining elements 5 are drawn in a different version at one side. In this case not a hook but a clip is used, as it can often be found at suspenders or garter belts etc. The joining elements according to diagrams 1 and 2 are again only examples for the numerous possibilities of connecting pieces of clothing that are known to the expert. So the cape displayed in the diagrams features the two extensions 3 at the top of the hide-like shape with a curve in the area of the neck lying between, and two rather long extensions 4 close to its lower end. The extensions 3 are lead over the shoulders to the upper breast area of the wearer and are knotted together there; or they are held at the garment 12 underneath the cape by the releasable joining elements 5, which can be attached to both the upper extensions 3 of the cape 1, as well as to the garment 12, in the upper breast area.

[0025] The lower extensions 4 can be joined directly with each other with the help of the releasable joining elements 6, or with the help of a bar (not displayed in the diagram) at which the releasable joining elements 6 are fastened. Because the joining elements 6 are joined only when the elastic material is stretched, a stretching of the whole area of the cape above them is effected, which lets the cape fit tightly on the body. In addition, the pieces of elastic 7 in certain areas hold the cape closely to the body.

[0026] The displayed cape 1 has a flat shape and can be worn without hems and border seams because a sewing together of parts of the material is not necessary. That is also why no hems for covering possible seams at the borders are needed because, as mentioned above, a type of material that does not fray at all, or only a little, is used in the described example.

[0027] Diagram 3 shows the cape 1 put on on the back of the wearer or the presentation stand 11. In this perspective the option of wearing the cape as a dress is shown. The pieces of elastic 7 ensure that the garment fits tightly on the body and they also prevent a possible air draft from affecting the skin.

[0028] Diagram 5 shows the cape 1 with its upper part hanging down. The hooks 5 are pulled upwards and hung in the upper folding of the cape that has emerged from letting the cape hang down. So it has the appearance of a skirt when watched from behind. Alternatively, the wearer can also let the extensions hang down over the thighs so that they fall over the part of the cape that is already hanging down at the back.

[0029] According to diagram 6 the cape 1 also offers the option of letting it “flow” over the back without stretching it around the body or fixing it at other points apart from the two joining elements 5.

Claims

1. Cape (1) made of textile material for covering at least the back of a wearer, with a central main part (2) in a shape and size corresponding approximately to the shape and size of a human back; featuring joining elements at the borders of the garment (5, 6), for releasable connection with complementary joining elements situated either also at the cape or at other garments; characterized by featuring altogether four extensions (3, 4) bulging out from the main part (2), corresponding to the shape of the back, in the area of the shoulders and in the area of the hips; at the ends of the extensions, situated most distant from the main part, joining elements (5, 6) are situated. The extensions in the area of the hips (4), in addition with the lower border of the main part, have a length corresponding to the girth of the human torso.

2. Cape as in claim 1 as the part of a further garment (12) that features components in the breast area; the cape is characterized by the extensions in the area of the shoulders (3) having a length reaching from the area of the shoulders of the main part (2) to the contact area of the components of the further garment in the breast area where the joining elements that are complementary to the joining elements (5) at the extensions (3) are situated.

3. Cape as in claim 2, characterized by the further garment (12) being a ladies garment that features rings serving as joining elements in the breast area, at which garment-components in the form of stripes are sewed on, and by the joining elements (5) at the shoulder extensions (3) of the cape being hooks that can be hung into the rings.

4. Cape as in claim 2, characterized by the joining elements (5) at the extensions in the area of the shoulders (3) being clip braces. The borders of the textile material of the garment-components in the breast area (12) are the complementary joining elements of the clip braces.

5. Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized by the extensions in the area of the hips (4) bulging out essentially sideways from the main part (2), and the extensions in the area of the shoulders (3) bulging out from the main part (2) essentially in vertical direction, according to the longitudinal axis of a standing person.

6. Cape as in claim 5, characterized by the extensions in the area of the hips (4) emerging from the bottom of the main part (2) on the one hand and on the other hand from a point that lies between ¼ and ½ of the extent of the main part on the longitudinal axis bottom-up.

7. Cape as in claim 5 or 6, characterized by the upper border of the extensions in the area of the hips (4) running in the course of the extent on the longitudinal axis of the main part (2) from its border in a steady curve.

8. Cape as in claims 5 to 7, characterized by the lower border of the extensions in the area of the hips (4) running as a prolongation of the lower border of the main part (2) sideways from it, and running upwards from there in a steady curve.

9. Cape as in claim 8, characterized by the upper border and the lower border of the extensions in the area of the hips (4) each joining in a point and by the joining elements (6), which can be joined with each other releasably, being situated in the area of the points facing one another.

10. Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized by being made of elastic material.

11. Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized by containing pieces of elastic (7) in certain areas.

12. Cape as in claim 11, characterized by featuring two pieces of elastic (7) that are incorporated in the areas at the two sides of the main part (2).

13. Cape as in one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized by being free of seams and hems.