Wearer-Friendly Garment Hook And Eye Closure
The present invention refers to a wearer-friendly hook and eye closure for garments such as brassieres. In order to provide comfort, the eye closure component of the hook and eye closure includes, as part of its structure, a laminated foam or rubber-type padding. This foam or rubber could also be used without lamination. The foam or rubber-type base provides a cushion shielding the wearer from the feeling of the metal hardware. The foam edges also provide soft edges on the eye tape for extra comfort to the wearer. In addition, the backing material of this laminated foam eye tape is printable, so that label instructions can be printed on to it, and the brassiere can be designed tag-free for additional comfort. This hook and eye tape is also dyeable, so it can be offered in any desired color.
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The present invention relates to garments that are fastened with a number of book and eye pairs. In the present conventional eye tape that is used, the interlocked hooks and eyes often caused the wearer discomfort such as pain, chafing, and pressure because they could be felt through the thin folded fabric tape.
The foam type padding, according to the present invention, replaces the conventional folded eye tape construction, and herewith grants protection and comfort to the wearer.
Garments such as brassieres have used hook and eye fasteners for more than ninety years. The hooks and eyes are mounted on a stabilized fabric, usually a tape. The tape is then mounted on the garment. Typically, a series of vertical columns of eyes, usually between two and four eyes each, are aligned on a tape. Similarly there is a tape containing one corresponding vertical column of hooks such that the number of eyes for each column corresponds to the number of hooks. If there are three hooks in the hook column, there will be three eyes in each vertical column of eyes.
The use of multiple columns of eyes allows for horizontal adjustments to the garment's fit. Typically, the eye columns are separated by approximately 16 millimeters. In such a case, if there were three columns of eyes mounted on the tape (usually the limit) the wearer would have an adjustment range of 16 millimeters to 32 millimeters. If the brassiere is of an incorrect size, discomfort and poor fit are experienced. Studies show that 30% of women buy brassiere of a size too small. Often the brassiere size requirements change over time or even during the day. Multiple columns of eyes provide for some relief. When the hook row gets inserted into an eye row, the back of the hook can be felt by the wearer due to the pressure of the closure that can be felt through the fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,421,002 of Brenner, patented Jun. 27, 1922 taught the use of fastening ends of brassiere band using a row of eyes and a line of hooks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,734 of Porco, granted Nov. 5, 1985 taught the use a brassiere which is useful for nursing, maternity, and holding prosthetic devices.
There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly advantageous to have a garment such as brassiere where the metal eyes and hooks are cushioned by a foam type barrier so that the wearer will not feel the metal closure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide the wearer of a garment such as brassiere with a comfortable garment hook and eye closure, where the engaged metal eyes and hooks are cushioned by a foam type barrier so that the wearer will not feel the metal closure.
According to the present invention there is provided a wearer friendly garment book and eye closure, including: (a) an eye closure component including: (i) at least one layer of padding material, having thickness value; and (ii) at least one eye disposed on the padding material layer.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the padding material layer's thickness value is at least one millimeter.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the eye closure component further including: (iii) at least two eye columns, wherein each of the eye columns has at least two eyes.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the eye closure component further including: (iv) at least one fabric sheet, disposed on the padding material layer.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the eye closure component further including: (v) sewing thread, wherein the sewing thread connects the at least one eye to the padding material layer.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the padding material layer is selected from a group consisting of a polyester foam, plastic foam, and rubber-based material.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the padding material layer is laminated foam.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure further including: (b) a hook closure component, including: (i) at least one fabric sheet; and (ii) at least one hook disposed on the fabric sheet.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the hook closure component is attached to corresponding girth portions of a brassiere
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the laminated foam layer's thickness value is at least one millimeter, wherein the eye closure component further including: (iii) at least two eyes column, wherein each of the eye columns has at least two eyes.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure further including: (c) at least one fabric sheet, disposed on said laminated foam layer, wherein the sewing thread intimately connects each of the eyes to the laminated foam layer and to the fabric sheet, wherein the sewing thread creates a lateral stitch and tacking along the eye closure component.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention, the padding material layer's thickness value is at least three millimeters.
According to the present invention there is provided wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure having edges, including: (a) an eye closure component, including: (i) at least one layer of laminated foam, having thickness value; (ii) at least one eye column disposed on the laminated foam, wherein each of the eye columns has at least two eyes; (iii) at least one fabric sheet, disposed on the laminated foam layer; (iv) a sewing thread, wherein the sewing thread intimately connects each of the eyes to the laminated foam layer and to the fabric sheet, wherein the sewing thread creates a lateral stitch along the eye closure component; and (v) a printed label on the back of said eye closure component; wherein said laminated foam is intimately connected to said fabric sheet along at least one line close to one of the edges of said eye closure component through sealing, and wherein said eye closure component has soft edges; (b) a hook closure component, including: (i) at least one fabric sheet; and (ii) at least one hook disposed on the fabric sheet.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention the layer of laminated foam is made of non-yellowing foam, having sewable, and resilient characteristics.
According to further features in preferred embodiments of the invention the padding material layer's thickness value is at least three millimeters.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for enabling a wearer to wear a garment including a wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure comfortably without any sensation of discomfort such as pain, chafing, pressure, etc. that could be caused as a result of the pressure of interlocked metal hooks and eyes felt through merely folded fabric layers, the method including the steps of: (a) providing a wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure, the wearer-friendly garment book and eye closure including: (i) a eye closure component, including: (A) at least one layer of laminated foam, having thickness value; and (B) at least one eye disposed on the laminated foam layer, wherein the laminated foam layer's thickness value is at least one millimeter; (ii) a hook closure component, including: (A) at least one fabric sheet; (B) at least two hooks disposed on the fabric sheet; and (C) a sewing thread, wherein the sewing thread intimately connects each of the eyes to the laminated foam layer and to the fabric sheet, wherein the sewing thread creates a lateral stitch along the eye closure component; wherein said laminated foam is intimately connected to said fabric sheet along at least one line close to one of the edges of said eye closure component and wherein said eye closure component has soft edges; (b) sewing the eye closure component to corresponding girth portions of a garment; (c) sewing the hook closure component to corresponding girth portions of a garment; (d) wearing the garment; and (e) closing the wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure.
According to further features in method the garment is a brassiere.
According to the present invention there is provided a process for producing a eye closure component including the steps of: (a) providing a laminated foam; (b) providing metal eyes; (c) feeding the laminated foam into an eye sewing machine, that attaches the metal eyes onto the laminated foam with sewing thread and at the same time the tacking stitches are hidden with an additional thin layer of fabric that covers the top; (d) sealed the top layers of fabric to the laminated foam; (e) printing label information on the back of said eye closure component; and (f) cutting the laminated foam and the top layers of fabric by cold cut, exposing the laminated foam on the edge.
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The present invention is an apparatus and a method for adding malleability in the third dimension of a garment hook and eye closure.
The principles and operation of the added malleability in the third dimension of a garment hook and eye closure according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to the drawings and the accompanying description.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The materials, dimensions, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting.
Although the addition of foam to eye tape such as used in a brassiere may seem simple at first glance a workable solution for use in brassiere is by no means trivial.
Proper operation of hook and eye tape closure for a brassiere has traditionally depended on suitable stability of the hook and eye tape used so as to assure proper alignment of the fastener and acceptable durability of the garment. Mere substitution of adding a protective material would result in unacceptable misalignment twisting and bulkiness.
To solve the problems the present invention selected a material that provides cushioning while maintaining stability for proper alignment of the book and eye. By using foam-type material between 1 to 5 millimeters thick, this eye tape has been transformed from being a functional closure to becoming a comfortable closure providing padding not as an additionally added padding, that might get stuck or entwined to the eye tape, but this invention makes padding an integral part of its base construction. Furthermore this new eye tape provides soft edges.
The following list is a legend of the numbering of the application illustrations:
3 eye
4 hook
5 fabric
5a lip
5b strips
5c eye flange
6 padding layer (such as foam or rubber)
6a padding/foam top fabric lamination
6b padding/foam bottom fabric lamination
6c printed label information
6d compression zone of padding layer
7 sewing thread
7y sewing line (invisible or visible, optional)
8 soft edge
9a marking line for sealing (for example by ultrasonic sealing)
9b imprint of the ultrasonic sealing and the adjoining cutting to expose soft edge
10 brassiere (according to Brenner)
11 line of hooks (according to Brenner)
12 row of eyes (according to Brenner)
20 brassiere (according to Porco)
21 hooks (according to Porco)
22 eyes (according to Porco)
30 wearer's back
31 wearer's spine
32 brassiere back
100 eye closure component
200 hook closure component
300 garment hook and eye closure
Referring now to the drawings,
This padding layer serves as an eye flange 5c, and can include additional layers of fabric that can be attached to top fabric lamination 6a, and to foam bottom fabric lamination 6b, and which are not shown in this illustration. These layers are optional, but not necessary.
All eyes 3 are sewn by sewing line 7y shown in side view, to top fabric lamination 6a, this thread also connects an additional layer of fabric 5, or any other suitable material, to the aforementioned structure, by sewing through all layers of materials and marrying all components, which is the top layer of eye closure component 100. The illustration shows that on the left end of eye closure component 100 the uppermost layer of fabric shown creates an open lip 5a in order to enable good connection of eye closure component 100 to a garment, for example the end of a brassiere back.
Foam 6 layer is sufficiently thick, approximately 1 to 5 millimeters along Z axis, to ensure that when it is used in a garment combined with an eye closure component 100 including metal eyes 3, the wearer does not feel the eyes or pressure from the engaged hooks.
The section in the illustration shows the main improvement achieved in eye closure component 100 in comparison with the standard eye tape commonly used nowadays.
Eye closure component 100 can be manufactured at present thanks to recent technological developments, enabling the incorporation of padding foam 6 in applications that were not available until recently such as in a garment hook and eye closure. The new use of the padding foam 6 grants the material new properties such as: softness, padding, soft edges, a new level of comfort, etc.
The padding material 6 can also be a material such as a plastic-type or rubber-type material, the laminated fabric is added for looks, comfort and color matching.
Even though the illustration shows a laminating fabric on the top and bottom surfaces of the padding layer 6, this description is in no way limiting the present invention to this formation, and the eye closure component 100 according to the present invention can be used with laminating fabric on the top and bottom surfaces of the padding layer 6, or without laminating fabric to the padding layer 6. The desired qualities can be achieved thanks to the pliability of the foam material.
The illustration shows three columns separated from each other along X axis with two eyes sewn in position in each column, separated from each other along Y axis. This six-eye arrangement is one of the most common arrangements; however other arrangements are also in use. The illustration shows the a-a section line.
The illustration shows the imprint of the ultrasonic seal 9b and the soft edge 8, which are created when ultrasonic seal and cut technology is used for cutting. This technology also includes a process in which a machine first ultrasonically puts double seal down into the fabric, and then all of the layers are cut together between the two seal lines.
The illustration shows one column with two hooks 4, sewn in position, separated from each other by a gap along Y axis that conforms to the gap between the eyes 3. Padding layer 6 protects and isolates the user from the hooks 4 both when being hooked into the eyes 3 and when opening the hook and eye closure.
The illustration also shows imprint of the ultrasonic seal 9b.
The illustration also shows a side view of sewing lines 7y connecting top fabric 5, metal eyes 3, and the padding layer 6 (such as flex foam or rubber), and lines 9 marking the suitable place for cutting, that can be done using ultrasonic seal and cut technology, which creates soft edges. Ultrasonic sealing technology can be used to cut all four sides of several eye closure components 100. The illustration also shows open lip 5a.
The product is comfortable, dyeable, and printable on the back, enabling a tag free bra.
The incorporation of all of the sewing lines gives eye closure component 100 the necessary qualities to compose a single integral unit with the necessary mechanical qualities.
The illustration shows local section line c-c.
The illustration also shows two fabric strips 5b, one between the laminated foam layer and eye 3 and the other above eye 3. The sewing thread shown in the illustration in side view, which creates lateral sewing line 7y (the tacking stitches) has been sewn to connect eye 3, the two fabric strips 5b, and the laminated foam layer.
Proper selection of the materials of the padding layer 6, can determine the quality of the eye closure component 100. An example of this is selecting foam of the following characteristics: A non-yellowing foam product, laminated on both sides with fabric, sewable, resilient, and between one millimeter to five millimeters thick.
An additional example is selecting a rubber based product, used without lamination.
As used herein the specification and in the claims section that follows, the term “eye closure component” and the like refer to a component of a garment hook and eye closure substantially including an eye.
As used herein the specification and in the claims section that follows, the term “hook closure component” and the like refer to a component of a garment hook and eye closure substantially including a hook.
As used herein the specification and in the claims section that follows, the term “foam” and the like refer to a plastic, or other material substantially filled with many small bubbles of air to make it soft or light which has semi-rigid, spongy, and pliable characteristics.
As used herein the specification and in the claims section that follows, the term “laminated foam” and the like refer to foam laminated, top and bottom with fabric.
The production process of the eye closure component according to the present invention can be done according to the following steps:
- Providing laminated foam for use as a padding layer, and as the base material of the eye tape in the eye attaching machines. This base material is fed into the eye sewing machines, that attach the metal eyes onto the base with sewing thread and at the same time the tacking stitches are covered with an additional thin layer of fabric sewn on with a hidden stitch.
This sewing process marries the hardware to the foam flex-base Using traditional sewing technology ensures increasing the strength of eye attachment to the base; however the hardware could be attached by applying ultrasonic stitching. After the metal eyes are sewn on to the foam flex base, the top layers of fabric are sealed to the foam base, and then cold cut, this way exposing the foam on the edge. One could alternately cut this with an ultrasonic edge, but this would create a sharper edge. One could also laminate the top fabric covering the tacking, to the base, instead of sewing technique.
There are various cutting procedures one could use, such as to seal and cold cut in order to achieve soft edges. This product is comfortable, dyeable, and printable on the back, resulting in a tag free bra.
Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure, comprising:
- (a) an eye closure component, including:
- (i) at least one layer of padding material, having thickness value; and
- (ii) at least one eye disposed on said padding material layer.
2. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 1, wherein said padding material layer's thickness value is at least one millimeter.
3. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 1, wherein said eye closure component further including:
- (iii) at least two eye columns, wherein each of said eye columns has at least two eyes.
4. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 2, wherein said eye closure component further including:
- (iv) at least one fabric sheet, disposed on said padding material layer.
5. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 2, wherein said eye closure component further including:
- (v) sewing thread, wherein said sewing thread connects said at least one eye to said padding material layer.
6. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 1, wherein said padding material layer is selected from a group consisting of a polyester foam, plastic foam, and rubber-based material.
7. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 1, wherein said padding material layer is laminated foam.
8. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 1 further comprising:
- (b) a hook closure component, including:
- (i) at least one fabric sheet; and
- (ii) at least one hook disposed on said fabric sheet.
9. The hook and eye closure of claim 8, wherein said eye closure component and said hook closure component are attached to corresponding girth portions of a brassiere.
10. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 7, wherein said laminated foam layer's thickness value is at least one millimeter, wherein said eye closure component further including:
- (iii) at least two eyes column, wherein each of said eye columns has at least two eyes.
11. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 10, further comprising:
- (c) at least one fabric sheet, disposed on said laminated foam layer, wherein said sewing thread intimately connects each of said eyes to said laminated foam layer and to said fabric sheet, wherein said sewing thread creates a lateral stitch along, said eye closure component.
12. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 1, wherein said padding material layer's thickness value is at least three millimeters.
13. A wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure having edges, comprising:
- (a) an eye closure component, including:
- (i) at least one layer of laminated foam, having thickness value;
- (ii) at least one eye column disposed on said laminated foam, wherein each of said eye columns has at least two eyes;
- (iii) at least one fabric sheet, disposed on said laminated foam layer;
- (iv) a sewing thread, wherein said sewing thread intimately connects each of said eyes to said laminated foam layer and to said fabric sheet, wherein said sewing thread creates a lateral stitch along said eye closure component; and
- (v) a printed label on the back of said eye closure component; wherein said laminated foam is intimately connected to said fabric sheet along at least one line close to one of the edges of said eye closure component, and wherein said eye closure component has soft edges;
- (b) a hook closure component, including:
- (i) at least one fabric sheet; and
- (ii) at least one hook disposed on said fabric sheet.
14. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 13, wherein said layer of laminated foam is made of non-yellowing foam, having sewable, and resilient characteristics.
15. The wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure of claim 13, wherein said padding material layer's thickness value is at least three millimeters.
16. A method for enabling a wearer to wear a garment including a wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure comfortably without any sensation of discomfort such as pain, chafing, pressure, etc. that could be caused as a result of the compression of hooks and eyes made of rigid materials, the method comprising the steps of: wherein said laminated foam is intimately connected to said fabric sheet along at least one line close to one of the edges of said eye closure component, and wherein said eye closure component has soft edges;
- (a) providing a wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure, said wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure including:
- (i) a eye closure component, including:
- (A) at least one layer of laminated foam, having thickness value; and
- (B) at least one eye disposed on said laminated foam layer, wherein said laminated foam layer's thickness value is at least one millimeter;
- (ii) a hook closure component, including:
- (A) at least one fabric sheet;
- (B) at least two hooks disposed on said fabric sheet; and
- (C) a sewing thread, wherein said sewing thread intimately connects each of said eyes to said laminated foam layer and to said fabric sheet, wherein said sewing thread creates a lateral stitch along said eye closure component;
- (b) sewing said eye closure component to corresponding girth portions of a garment;
- (c) sewing said hook closure component to corresponding girth portions of a garment;
- (d) wearing said garment; and
- (e) closing said wearer-friendly garment hook and eye closure.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein said garment is a brassiere.
18. A process for producing a eye closure component comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a laminated foam;
- (b) providing metal eyes;
- (c) feeding said laminated foam into an eye sewing machine, that attaches said metal eyes onto said laminated foam with sewing thread and at the same time the tacking stitches are hidden with an additional in layer of fabric that covers the top;
- (d) sealed the top layers of fabric to said laminated foam;
- (e) printing label information on the back of said eye closure component; and
- (f) cutting said laminated foam and said top layers of fabric by cold cut, exposing said laminated foam on the edge.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 21, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 13, 2009
Applicant: IDEAL FASTENER CORPORATION (Oxford, NC)
Inventors: Mary Gut (Raleigh, NC), Erik Matheny (Raleigh, NC)
Application Number: 11/572,917
International Classification: A44B 13/00 (20060101); D05B 23/00 (20060101); A41C 3/00 (20060101); A41F 1/00 (20060101);