SLEEVE ACCESSORY
A sleeve accessory includes a sleeve and a fastening system for attaching the sleeve to a shoulder strap of another clothing item. The sleeve accessory is preferably removable and replaceable, and enables a user to adapt to changing environments or social situations by attaching or detaching the sleeve accessories as desired. Sleeve accessories may be provided in a variety of designs, colors, or patterns, to permit coordination with other clothing, or to permit mixing and matching of colors and patterns to increase the versatility of a wardrobe. In some examples, the sleeve accessory may include a decorative pattern, a logo, or other distinctive markings.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 61/861,653, filed Aug. 2, 2013 and titled “Sleeve Accessory”, which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA wide variety of clothing types and styles are available. However, individual clothing items are often designed to be worn in particular environments and social situations, and may be uncomfortable or inappropriate at other times. For example, a shirt or blouse designed for daytime summer wear may have short sleeves, and may not be comfortable for wear on a cool evening or at other times of year.
Additionally, a person may encounter varying environments, in which different kinds of clothing may be desirable. For example, a person working outdoors may wish to adapt his or her clothing to changing temperatures throughout the day.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect, a sleeve accessory includes a sleeve configured to fit over the arm of a wearer. The sleeve has an upper end configured to be disposed at the shoulder of the wearer, a lower end opposite the upper end, an inside configured to face the skin of the wearer, and an outside opposite the inside. The sleeve accessory further includes a fastener system configured to removably fasten the sleeve accessory to a shoulder strap of another clothing item. In some embodiments, the sleeve further includes a tab protruding from the upper end of the sleeve so as to extend along the shoulder of a wearer, and an end of the tab is configured to extend beyond and around the shoulder strap of the other clothing item. The fastening system may be disposed on the inside of the sleeve. The fastening system may include a hook and loop fastener. The fastening system may include a snap. The fastening system may include a snap having a decorative shape. The fastening system may include a button or a zipper. In some embodiments, the sleeve and fastener system are configured to fasten the sleeve accessory to a shoulder strap of a brassiere. In some embodiments, the sleeve and fastener system are configured to fasten the sleeve accessory to a shoulder strap of a sleeveless shirt. The outside of the sleeve may include a decorative pattern. The decorative pattern may be a simulated tattoo. In some embodiments, the lower end of the sleeve defines an opening of a size, shape, and position to receive a thumb of the wearer. The sleeve may be a long sleeve.
According to another aspect, a method includes placing a first article of clothing on a person, the first article of clothing having a shoulder strap over the shoulder of the person. The method further includes placing a sleeve accessory over an arm of the person. The sleeve accessory includes a sleeve having an upper end configured to be disposed at the shoulder of the wearer, a lower end opposite the upper end, an inside configured to face the skin of the wearer, and an outside opposite the inside. The sleeve accessory further includes a fastener system configured to removably fasten the sleeve accessory to the shoulder strap. The method further includes fastening the sleeve accessory to the shoulder strap using the fastener system. In some embodiments, the method further includes placing a second article clothing over the first article of clothing such that the connection between the sleeve accessory and the shoulder strap is hidden during wear of the first and second clothing articles and the sleeve accessory. In some embodiments, fastening the sleeve accessory to the shoulder strap includes positioning a tab of the sleeve accessory over the shoulder strap, and folding an end portion of the tab under the shoulder strap.
Embodiments of the invention provide a clothing accessory in the form of a sleeve that may be removable and replaceable, so that it can be used with a variety of other clothing items. The accessory may be used for a number of reasons, for example to add long sleeves to accompany a short-sleeved top for added warmth, for protection from the sun, for modesty, simply to achieve a new “look”, or for other reasons such as those discussed below.
In
There may be many reasons why a user may wish to use sleeve accessories according to embodiments of the invention. For example, the user may wish to adapt to a changing environment. For example, a hiker may put sleeve accessories such as accessories 103a and 103b in place in the morning at the beginning of a hike, and remove them as the day warms up in order to remain comfortable. In another example, a gardener may prefer to wear short sleeves in the morning, but cover her arms during the heat of the day to protect them from the sun.
In another example, a wearer may simply wish to alter the “look” of a particular garment, for example, to add the appearance of long sleeves to a shirt or top such as T-shirt 105. It will be appreciated that sleeve accessories according to embodiments of the invention may be of any suitable style and color, for example a color, print, and style matching the garment worn over them, coordinating with the garment worn over them, or even contrasting with the garment worn over them. Different colors and styles of sleeve accessories may be used with different garments in a “mix and match” manner, so that a wide variety of looks and styles can be achieved with a small number of garments and sleeve accessories.
Sleeve accessories according to embodiments of the invention may also be used for purposes of modesty. For example, a wearer may feel comfortable wearing a short sleeved garment in private, but may wish to cover his or her arms before going out in public or receiving visitors, for example to cover scars or tattoos, or simply to be more completely covered.
In some embodiments, sleeve accessories may be removable and replaceable without removing the outer garment, allowing the user to quickly and conveniently adapt to changing environments or social situations. One advantage of sleeve accessories embodying the invention is that they are washable separately from the garments with which they may be worn. A user may prefer to wear the sleeve accessories while gardening, for example, because they can be washed without having to wash the shirt with which they were worn. The shirt may continue to be worn after gardening, without the sleeve accessories or with different sleeve accessories. This may be an advantage in other situations where frequent cleaning may be needed, for example with medical scrubs and the like.
Another advantage of sleeve accessories according to embodiments of the invention may be that they can be independent of other clothing, and usable with existing clothing without requiring modification of the other clothing. For example, no fasteners need be provided on the other clothing. A single sleeve accessory or set of sleeve accessories may be used with different items in a user's wardrobe, providing an economical way to achieve a variety of different looks or to provide other benefits of the sleeve accessories with a variety of clothing.
A sleeve accessory in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be made of any suitable material. In many embodiments, the sleeve accessory will be made of a fabric such a fabric made of cotton, polyester, or another fiber material or a combination of fiber materials. In other embodiments, sleeve accessories may be made primarily (other than fasteners, thread, and the like) of paper or other low-cost materials, so that the sleeve accessories can be disposable after use. Disposable sleeve accessories may be especially attractive for applications in which cleaning of the sleeve accessories is difficult, for example in medical, food service, or outdoor uses. In another example, sleeve accessories could be made of thin plastic sheet, making them waterproof. Other materials may also be used, for example. Tyvek®, Gore-tex®, or other natural or synthetic materials.
In some embodiments, a sleeve accessory may be impregnated, coated, or otherwise treated with an insect repellant or insecticide. Any of a wide variety of treatments may be used. For example, sleeve accessories according to embodiments may be coated or impregnated with citronella, neem oil, permethrin, or another insect-repellant substance or a combination of insect repellant substances.
In a typical process, pattern 200 would be traced onto a piece of fabric or other material from which a sleeve accessory is to be made. The traced area would then be cut out and assembled into the shell of the sleeve accessory. Fasteners such as hook and loop fastener material patches would be added to complete the sleeve accessory. Decorative touches such as embroidery, iron-on patches, buttons, sequins, spangles, or other decorative items could be added as desired.
While pattern 200 is shown for making a sleeve accessory of a particular size, other patterns may include markings for making sleeves of many different sizes. Preferably, each user selects a size of sleeve accessory commensurate with his or her body size. Sleeve accessories according to embodiments of the invention may be of any desired length. For example, pattern 200 is adapted for making a full length sleeve, but other embodiments may include short sleeves, half sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, or sleeves of another suitable length.
In the example of
Example sleeve accessories 103a and 103b include hook and loop fastener materials on the inside of the sleeve accessory (toward the user's skin) so that tab 204 folds downward and under the shoulder strap of the clothing item to which the sleeve accessories are attached. It will be appreciated that many other arrangements are possible. For example in some embodiments, the hook and loop fastener materials could be placed on the outside of the sleeve accessory, so that tab 204 would be passed under the shoulder strap and would be folded over the shoulder strap to make the connection. In other embodiments, other kinds of fasteners could be used instead of hook and loop fasteners, for example snaps, buttons, zippers, or other suitable fasteners. In some embodiments, the fasteners may add a decorative touch, as is explained in more detail below. The example fastening system shown in the figures, in which hook and loop fasteners are used and tab 204 folds under the shoulder strap, may have the advantages that it can be conveniently engaged using only one hand, and is relatively smooth and thin so that the attachment need not be obvious under the user's other clothing.
While the illustrated embodiments show relatively casual clothing, if will be recognized that the invention is not limited to use with casual clothing, and that embodiments may be used with clothing of many styles. For example, a wedding dress having a sleeveless bodice may be offered with sleeve accessories of different styles, so that a bride may customize the look of her wedding dress without the expense of extensive alterations to the dress. Such an arrangement may provide additional flexibility in the wear of the dress as well. For example, the sleeve accessories may be worn during the wedding ceremony for a more formal look, and might be removed during a wedding dance later in the day for comfort and freedom of movement.
Many other stylistic details may be included as well. For example, a sleeve accessory in accordance with an embodiment of the invention may extend past the user's wrist and may include an opening of a size and shape to receive the user's thumb.
In other embodiments, sleeve accessories may include a decorative pattern. For example,
In other embodiments, sleeve accessories embodying the invention may be adorned with one or more sports team logos, company logos, or a similar designs that identify the wearer as being affiliated with a particular organization. Such accessories may be officially licensed, and may represent a revenue opportunity for the organization owning the logo.
A receiving portion 702 of snap 701 is placed near the protruding end of tab 703, such that when tab 703 is folded under a strap of another garment, receiving portion 702 meets snap 701 to attach sleeve accessory 701 to the strap.
The invention has now been described in detail for the purposes of clarity and understanding. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A sleeve accessory, comprising:
- a sleeve configured to fit over the arm of a wearer, the sleeve having an upper end configured to be disposed at the shoulder of the wearer, a lower end opposite the upper end, an inside configured to face the skin of the wearer, and an outside opposite the inside;
- a fastening system configured to removably fasten the sleeve accessory to a shoulder strap of another clothing item.
2. The sleeve accessory of claim 1, wherein the sleeve further includes a tab protruding from the upper end of the sleeve so as to extend along the shoulder of a wearer, and wherein an end of the tab is configured to extend beyond and around the shoulder strap of the other clothing item.
3. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the fastening system is disposed on the inside of the sleeve.
4. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the fastening system comprises a hook and loop fastener.
5. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the fastening system comprises a snap.
6. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the fastening system comprises a snap having a decorative shape.
7. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the fastening system comprise a button or a zipper.
8. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the sleeve and fastener system are configured to fasten the sleeve accessory to a shoulder strap of a brassiere.
9. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the sleeve and fastener system are configured to fasten the sleeve accessory to a shoulder strap of a sleeveless shirt.
10. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the outside of the sleeve includes a decorative pattern.
11. The sleeve accessory of claim 10, wherein the decorative pattern is a simulated tattoo.
12. The sleeve accessory of claim 2, wherein the lower end of the sleeve defines an opening of a size, shape, and position to receive a thumb of the wearer.
13. The sleeve accessory of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a long sleeve.
14. The sleeve accessory of claim 1, further comprising an insect repellent incorporated into or onto the material of the sleeve accessory.
15. The sleeve accessory of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made primarily of paper.
16. The sleeve accessory of claim 1, wherein the sleeve accessory is disposable.
17. A method, comprising:
- placing a first article of clothing on a person, the first article of clothing having a shoulder strap over the shoulder of the person;
- placing a sleeve accessory over an arm of the person, wherein the sleeve accessory includes a sleeve having an upper end configured to be disposed at the shoulder of the wearer, a lower end opposite the upper end, an inside configured to face the skin of the wearer, and an outside opposite the inside, and wherein the sleeve accessory further includes a fastener system configured to removably fasten the sleeve accessory to the shoulder strap; and
- fastening the sleeve accessory to the shoulder strap using the fastener system.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising placing a second article clothing over the first article of clothing such that the connection between the sleeve accessory and the shoulder strap is hidden during wear of the first and second clothing articles and the sleeve accessory.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein fastening the sleeve accessory to the shoulder strap includes positioning a tab of the sleeve accessory over the shoulder strap, and folding an end portion of the tab under the shoulder strap.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 1, 2014
Publication Date: Feb 5, 2015
Inventor: Victoria D. Bradshaw (Lakewood, CO)
Application Number: 14/449,919
International Classification: A41D 27/10 (20060101);