Placket utility loop

Abstract

A utility placket for use on a garment to be worn on the body of a person, comprising a button strip, having at least one button fixed thereon, a button-hole strip, having at least one button-hole positioned to receive the button, and at least one loop fixed to the button strip or button-hole strip, the loop being adapted for holding an item, such as a writing instrument, spectacles or sunglasses, and positioned so that the loop is hidden when not in use.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a placket utility loop and, more particularly, to a placket utility loop fixed to the button strip of a garment worn on the upper body of a person. The loop is adapted to hold an item, such as a writing instrument, a pair of spectacles or a pair of sunglasses, and is positioned on the button-strip so that the loop is hidden by the garment's button-hole strip when not in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Designs showing utility loops or strips for shirts are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,011,325 to Rowan shows a loop for holding a necktie in place over a shirt front, wherein the loop is fixed to the under side of the button-hole flap of the shirt. In use, the loop is pulled through a button-hole and a necktie is placed through it and held in place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,377 to Ferdi shows a horizontally extending strip of fabric that is sewn at both ends to the shirt so that a space is formed between the fabric strip and the shirt itself to receive the arm of a pair of eyeglasses. U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,928 to Hyung-Seob shows a vertical loop attached to the bottom of a buttonhole strip of a shirt. The loop in Hyung-Seob is not concealable. Hyung-Seob also shows a vertical hole formed by sewing part of the lower ends of the button and buttonhole strips together. An arm of one's spectacles may be inserted into the vertical hole to hang a pair of spectacles on the shirt.

None of the known designs or methods, however, solve the problem of providing a garment with a utility loop for hanging items, such as pens, pencils, spectacles or sunglasses, wherein the utility loop is positioned to be convenient and comfortable when in use, and concealed when not in use. In each of the prior art inventions, the utility loop becomes an aspect of the overall appearance of the garment.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a placket utility loop which overcomes the foregoing disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention can be attained and the disadvantages of the prior art utility loops can be overcome by providing a utility placket for use on a garment to be worn on the body of a person, comprising a button strip, having at least one button fixed thereon, a button-hole strip, having at least one button-hole positioned to receive at least one button, and at least one loop fixed to the button strip or button-hole strip, the loop being adapted for holding an item, and positioned so that the loop can be hidden by the button-hole strip or button strip when not in use. The garment is preferably a standard golf or polo shirt, wherein the button and button-hole strips have more than one button and span a portion of the length of the shirt. The garment can also be a dress shirt, wherein the button and button-hole strips extend the entire length of the shirt. The garment may also be pants or a skirt, wherein a placket having a loop is located on the waistband. The garment and loop can be made of the same material used for the manufacture of garments, such as, cotton, polyester, silk or any other suitable material. The loop may also be elastic so that it closes tight around an article inserted therein.

The loop is designed so that items such as a writing instrument (e.g., a pen or pencil), spectacles or sunglasses may hang from the loop. The length of the loop is preferably smaller than the width of the button and button-hole strips and also preferably small enough so that a pen or pencil does not slide through the loop. The length of the loop can be in the range of {fraction (1/16)} to 1 ½ inches, but is preferably ⅝ inches.

The loop can be fixed at any point along the length of the button strip or button hole strip that would be convenient and comfortable when carrying an item. Both ends of the loop are preferably fixed to the edge of a button strip, where the button strip contacts the garment, that is, along the seam of the button strip at the time the strip is sewn to the body of the garment. The ends of the loop preferably are placed on the surface of or folded under the button strip such that the top of the loop is facing away from the edge of the button strip which will be attached to the garment, and stitched into place. The loop also may be fixed near the edge of the button strip contacting the garment, preferably {fraction (1/16)} to ¾ inches inward of that edge. The loop may remain hidden under the button-hole strip when not in use, and may be folded out from under the button-hole strip to receive and hang an item therefrom. The loop also may be fixed to the edge of the button strip at one end only, and may include a fastening device for opening and closing the loop to receive and hold ring-like items, such as key rings. Multiple loops also may be positioned on the button strip to allow for carrying of more than one item at a time.

The loop also may be attached to the button-hole strip. Preferably, the edges of the loop are attached to the underside of the button-hole strip at the edge of the button-hole strip not attached to the garment, with the top of the loop facing the point of contact between the garment and button-hole strip.

The invention also relates to a method for holding an item with a placket utility loop, comprising fixing the loop to a button strip or button-hole strip of a garment, positioning the loop so that the loop is concealed by a button-hole strip of the garment when not in use, and folding the loop from under the button-hole strip to receive and hang the item therefrom. The method further comprises fixing both ends of the loop to an edge of the button strip or button-hole strip which contacts the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of a garment including a placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a button strip including a placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view of placket utility loops partially hidden under a button-hole strip according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of a button strip including a placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view of a button strip including more than one placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view of a button strip including a placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view of a button strip wherein an article is hanging from a placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a view of a button strip including a placket utility loop according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, a garment 10 includes a placket consisting of a button-hole strip 11 and a button strip 12. The button strip 12 has a utility loop 13 affixed thereto. The garment 10 is preferably a golf or polo shirt, wherein the lengths of the button-hole and button strips 11, 12 are less than ½ of the length of the shirt. The garment 10 also may be a dress shirt, wherein the button-hole and button strips 11, 12 extend the entire length of the shirt 10. The garment 10 may be manufactured from cotton, polyester, silk or some other suitable material for the manufacture of garments.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the button-strip 12 includes buttons 14 which are received by button-holes 15 to close the button-hole strip 11 over the button strip 12. In addition to standard definitions, the word “button” may refer to a snap, magnetic closing device, hook, Velcro® or other suitable attachment device used to close the placket of a shirt and the word “button-hole” may refer to the corresponding receptor device. The button-hole and button-hole strips 11, 12 are preferably 1 ½ inches wide, but may be larger or smaller.

As shown in FIG. 3, a utility loop 13 is fixed (e.g., by sewing) to the edge of button strip 12 which contacts the garment 10. As shown in FIG. 2, both ends of the utility loop 13 may be placed under the button strip 12 and sewn to the garment 10 together with the button strip 12. Loop 13 is then folded against the surface of button strip 12 and stitched into place along the edge of the button strip 12 which contacts garment 10. As shown in FIG. 3, utility loop 13 can also be sewn onto the underside of button-hole strip 11, either at the vertical side contacting the garment or the opposite vertical side. As shown in FIG. 4, a utility loop 16 may be fixed to the button-strip {fraction (1/16)} to ¾ inches inward from that edge. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the utility loop 13 may be concealed by the button-hole strip 11.

The utility loop 13 may be {fraction (1/16)} to 1 ½ inches long, but is preferably ⅝ inches long. The utility loop 13 is preferably positioned near the bottom of the button strip 12, but, as shown in FIG. 5, a utility loop 17 may be positioned anywhere along the length of the button strip 12. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 5, more than one utility loop 13, 17 may be fixed to the button-strip 12 at one time. Positioning and number of utility loops may be dictated by comfort and convenience of hanging articles, such as a writing instrument, spectacles or sunglasses. The loops 13, 16, 17 are preferably made from the same material as the garment 10, but may be manufactured from any material suitable for use in garments. As shown in FIGS. 6-7, when in use, a utility loop 13 may be folded back to a position where it can receive, for example, the arm 18 of a pair of eyeglasses 19, and suspend the article. As shown in FIG. 8, a loop 20 may be fastened to the button strip 12 at one end and opened and closed with a fastening device 21, such as a snap or magnetic closure, so that items such as key rings may be held by the loop 20.

While this invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, this invention, including this disclosure and appended claims, is not so limited and is to be construed in accordance with the full spirit and scope of the invention including alternatives and modifications made apparent to those of skill in the art:

Claims

1. A utility placket for use on a garment to be worn on the body of a person, comprising:

a button strip, having at least one button fixed thereon;

a button-hole strip, having at least one button-hole positioned to receive said button; and

at least one loop fixed to said button strip or said button-hole strip, said loop being adapted for holding an item and positioned so that said loop is hidden when not in use.

2. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein the item is one of a writing instrument, spectacles, sunglasses and a key ring.

3. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein both ends of said loop are fixed to an edge of said button strip which contacts said garment.

4. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop is fixed at a distance of {fraction (1/16)} to {fraction (3/4)} inches from the edge of the button strip or button-hole strip which contacts said garment.

5. The garment as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop is fixed at any location along the length of the button strip or button-hole strip.

6. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop is fixed to the button strip or button-hole strip by sewing both ends of said loop along a seam in the garment formed by attachment of the button strip or button-hole strip to the garment.

7. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop is fixed to the underside of the button-hole strip by sewing both ends of said loop along the edge of said button-hole strip which is not attached to the garment.

8. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein the length of said loop is less than the individual widths of the button strip or button-hole strip.

9. The utility placket as recited in claim 7, wherein the length of said loop is in the range of {fraction (1/16)} to 1 ½ inches.

10. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop is folded from under the button-hole strip or button strip to receive and hang the item therefrom.

11. The utility placket as recited in claim 1, wherein said loop includes a fastening device for opening and closing the loop.

12. A method for holding an item with a placket utility loop, comprising:

fixing at least one loop to a button strip or button-hole strip of a garment;

positioning the loop so that the loop is concealed when not in use; and

folding the loop from under the button-hole strip or button strip to receive and hang the item therefrom.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising fixing both ends of the loop to an edge of the button strip which contacts the garment.

14. A method of producing a garment having a utility placket, comprising:

folding both ends of a utility loop under a button strip of the garment; and

stitching the utility loop to the garment simultaneously with the button strip.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising stitching the ends of the utility loop along a seam formed by attachment of the button strip or button-hole strip to the garment.

16. A method of producing a garment having a utility placket, comprising:

folding both ends of a utility loop on the underside of a button-hole strip at the edge not contacting said garment; and

stitching said ends of the utility loop to said edge of said button-hole strip.

17. A method of producing a garment having a utility placket, comprising:

laying both ends of a utility loop on a button strip; and

stitching the ends of the utility loop to the button strip while simultaneously stitching said button strip to the garment.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the ends of the utility loop are stitched to the button strip or button-hole strip along a seam formed by attachment of said button strip or button-hole strip to the garment.

19. A method of producing a garment having a utility placket, comprising:

laying both ends of a utility loop on a button strip or button-hole strip; and

stitching the ends of the utility loop to said button strip or button-hole strip.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the ends of the utility loop are stitched to the button strip or button-hole strip along a seam in the garment formed by attachment of said button strip or button-hole strip to the garment.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the ends of the utility loop are stitched to the button strip or button-hole strip at a distance of {fraction (1/16)} to ¾ inches from an edge of said button strip or button-hole strip which contacts the garment.