MOSQUITO AND SAFETY GARMENT

Abstract

A protective sleeve-like garment for the legs made of a mesh fabric in a tubular shape with an adjustable elastic band at groin level and another non-rolling elastic band at the ankle, both encased in a woven fabric for comfort. Its dual core purpose is to create a chemical-free barrier between the skin of the wearer's legs and mosquitoes and provide a safety feature of added visibility of the wearer when outdoors, dusk to dark, with the use of light-reflective safety ribbon down the full length of the outer seam of the garment making the wearer more visible to oncoming cars and those searching with flashlights for the wearer. These instances are most significant for children as the wearer of the garment while at play in the evening, camping and hiking.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is in claim of an invention disclosed in US Provisional Application No. 62/027,461 filed Jul. 22, 2014, entitled “Mosquito Legs”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to the prevention of mosquito bites specifically an article of clothing providing a chemical-free mesh barrier between mosquitoes and human skin in order to prevent bites on the legs of the wearer. This invention equally pertains to added safety by making the wearer more visible in dark conditions with the use of light-reflective safety ribbon.

2. Description of Prior Art

Mosquitoes present a variety of problems to anyone exposed to them. These problems range from a slightly red itchy bump on the skin that easily resolves, to transmission of deadly viruses that have claimed many lives. Many individuals have an allergic type of reaction to the bites requiring over-the-counter antihistamines and pain relievers. Some experience mild fever when receiving multiple bites at one time. If the allergic reaction is more severe a person may require antibiotics and/or steroids to treat severe redness, swelling, pain, and cellulitis, which is an infection of the skin itself.

Over 3000 species of mosquitoes exist in the world. The inherent issue with these insects is the species that are vectors of disease, and with each blood meal, pass diseases from host to host. Malaria, Yellow Fever, and La Crosse Encephalitis are some of the more recognized life-threatening illnesses associated with mosquitoes. West Nile Virus is also know to result in West Nile Fever or in more severe cases will result in neuroinvasive illnesses such as encephalitis and meningitis. My niece contracted LaCrosse encephalitis during the summer of 2014 from a mosquito bite. After a week in intensive care, she improved and survived. However, it took months for the majority of sequelae to subside which included seizures while hospitalized, ongoing headaches and behavioral changes. Many families have dealt with this issue particularly in geographical areas within the US and beyond where mosquitoes are abundant.

Not only do we want to keep our children safe from deadly illnesses, we want to protect them from accidents like being struck by a car while playing outside. According to the Association for Psychological Science, getting hit by a car is the third leading cause of death among children ages 5 to 9, and adolescents up to age 15 make up a disproportionate number of pedestrian casualties across the globe. A child's injuries are more likely to be fatal when hit by a car simply due to being smaller. A few key factors are observed when looking at how and why these accidents occur. Children are more easily distracted and don't always notice cars when they're playing. Their reaction times are slower and speedy drivers in residential areas increase theft vulnerability. We can't change a child's developmental pace and force a sudden enhanced reaction time to dangers. We can't control the speeding car at the second before an accident. What we can control is adding safety measures when possible to give children a better chance of being visible to drivers.

A garment that prevents mosquito bites and adds visibility of the wearer should have specific attributes making it usable in every possible aspect. The garment should be able to be used when participating in a variety of activities, particularly for children, such as running, playing, camping, hiking, or bike riding. The garment should be comfortable, breathable, easy to put on and take off, adaptable in use with any apparel, cost-effective, appealing in appearance, and chemical-free.

Currently the options to prevent mosquito bites are:

1. Spraying chemical repellents containing DEET on skin or clothing.

2. Applying citronella oil, still a chemical, directly onto skin or clothing.

3. Staying close to a flame source of citronella.

4. Wearing pants and long sleeves even in hot weather.

5. Wearing complete mesh outfits over existing clothing.

6. Wearing protective clothing with repellent soaked into the textile fiber during manufacturing.

Each of these options has drawbacks making it potentially restricting of activity, uncomfortable, and/or potentially harmful to the skin of an individual. In my search for options that combine mosquito protection and offer added safety for the wearer, I have not found that such a combination exists. While numerous insect repelling garments exist and may be suitable in certain conditions, the prior art referenced differs from the present invention in a number of ways with respect to the type of insects repelled, activity for which it is created, method of wearing, and the chemical and structural components of the textiles.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,215 to Mcllquham discloses a tic-repelling chap for each leg extending from ankle to upper thigh which contains a specified area on the textile for applying tick repellent. To secure the garment, ties at the top of the garment must be fastened to the wearer's own belt.

U.S. Pat. App. No. 2014/0283560 submitted by LYMEZE, LLC discloses a single purpose tick-repelling forearm and leg covering made of a woven textile treated during the manufacturing process with tick repellent. The leg covering specifically extends from ankle to below the knee.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,594 to Shannon discloses a multilayered garment with separate components of a jacket and pants. The textile utilized for the inner most layer against the skin is described as a thick, coarse mesh. The garment is intended for use by hunters and outdoorsman.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,510 to Schilling discloses a full-body outfit made of single layer no-see-um mesh comprising jacket, pants, and leggings. The leggings specifically are constructed as a tubular shape from the top of the leg to the ankle with elastic bands at the top and bottom of the tube and a stirrup at the lower elastic band to secure the garment under the foot or shoe of the wearer. The present invention differs in that it requires the upper elastic band function in a manner that the wearer can adjust the band to their specific need with regard to size, comfort, and stability of the garment at groin level and that the elastic be encased in a woven fabric allowing the wearer the versatility of wearing the garment directly against the skin under shorts or on the outside of shorts. The present invention requires a decorative ribbon be affixed to the outside layer of mesh at the side seam and a light-reflective safety ribbon be affixed to the inside layer of mesh at the side seam. The present invention requires the garment be reversible so the wearer is able to utilize the light-reflective safety ribbon at the side seam during evening outdoor activity thereby increasing visibility of and safety of the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a method of creating a barrier between human skin and mosquitoes and making the wearer more visible in dark conditions. In the preferred embodiment, this is achieved through sewing a double-layer of netting or tulle mesh with a side seam creating a tube shape, covering the wearer groin to ankle. The tube is sized much larger than the diameter of the leg in order to sufficiently balloon away from the skin. Attached to the top of the tube is an adjustable button-hole elastic band encased in a soft woven fabric with an attached button at the circumferential end to secure this elastic at a tension sufficient to fit snuggly at groin level. A gathered effect of the mesh is immediately achieved helping the tube stand away from the skin. At the ankle is a smaller band of non-rolling elastic encased in soft woven fabric. Non-rolling elastic indicates the elastic has a firmness that will prevent buckling in the width and allows for stability of the lower fabric casing so that it may be rolled up at the ankle if needed to better fit the wearer. The side seam of the tube is held together by sewing ribbons over top of one another entrapping the raw edges of the mesh. The ribbons used are decorative in appearance to provide an appealing and fun look for the wearer. The ribbon on the inside being a light-reflective safety ribbon makes the tube reversible for evening activities outdoors. This increases visibility of the wearer when outside at dusk/dark. As previously stated, light reflected off of the safety ribbon from a flashlight or car headlights could potentially be a life-saving feature, particularly for children.

In another embodiment the encased upper and lower elastics are constructed in the same manner as in the preferred embodiment, however a mosquito netting or no-see-um mesh is utilized in a single layer to construct the tube. The decorative and light-reflective safety ribbons are again sewn at the side seam preserving the ability to reverse the garment to the preference of the wearer.

It will be understood that the wearer can utilize either embodiment as a barrier for the arms as well, simply obtained in a smaller size. It will also be understood that the wearer of this invention specifically includes but is not limited to children. This invention is intended to be utilized by children and adults.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1. Garment shown on each leg groin to ankle, worn over shorts.

FIG. 2. Garment shown on each leg groin to ankle, worn under shorts.

FIG. 3. Ribbons used on garment side-seam.

FIG. 4. Sewing one raw edge of mesh between the two ribbons.

FIG. 5. Sewing opposing raw edge of mesh between the two ribbons completing the tube.

FIG. 6. Folded upper woven fabric casing.

FIG. 7. Inside view of upper woven fabric casing completely assembled.

FIG. 8. Upper woven casing sewn onto top edge of mesh tube.

Key/Figures

• 1 Upper Woven Fabric Casing
• 2 Mesh Fabric
• 3 Lower Woven Fabric Casing
• 4 Pull Tab
• 5 Adjustable Button-hole Elastic
• 6 Button ⅝″
• 7 Decorative Ribbon
• 8 Leg
• 9 Shorts
• 10 Sock
• 11 Shoe
• 12 Light-reflective Safety Ribbon
• 13 Sewn Seam of Thread
• 14 Raw Woven Fabric Edge
• 15 Folded/Pressed Raw Edge of Woven Fabric at End of Upper Casing
• 16 Folded/Pressed Top Edge of Upper Woven Fabric Casing

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION/FIGURES

FIG. 1: Garment is shown on each leg 8 from groin to ankle over a pair of shorts 9. The mesh fabric 2 is configured into a cylindrical shape with longest raw edges secured neatly between the outer and inner ribbons 7. The adjustable button-hole elastic 5 encased in the upper woven fabric casing 1 is holding the garment securely at groin level directly against the fabric of the shorts 9 of the wearer. To achieve the appropriate fit of the adjustable button-hole elastic 5 the pull tab 4, secured to the elastic with an iron-on adhesive, is pulled far enough to expose button holes, which exist throughout the entire length of said elastic. The wearer or parent of the wearer selects the desired length and slips the button 6 through the appropriate button hole sufficient to secure the garment in place. The lower woven fabric casing 3 which houses the non-rolling ankle elastic fits snugly against the sock 10 or ankle of the wearer preventing entrance of insects and preventing the mesh fabric 2 from slipping down over the shoe 11. The gathered effect on the mesh fabric 2 causes said mesh fabric to distend away from the leg 8.

FIG. 2: Garment is shown on each leg 8 worn under a pair of shorts 9 groin to ankle. The leg 8 on the left shows how the garment appears when worn under a pair of shorts 9 with the mesh fabric 2 still able to balloon away from the leg 8. The leg 8 on the right shows how the upper woven fabric casing 1 appears under the shorts 9 against the skin of the leg 8 itself at the groin. Wearing the upper woven casing 1 against the skin lessens the diameter and subsequently lessens the tension on the button-hole elastic 5. This elastic is adjusted more snuggly if needed by pulling the pull tab 4 to a length sufficient to achieve the desired fit. The lower woven fabric casing 3 maintains position at the sock 10 just above the shoe 11. Ribbons 7 are still visible between the bottom edge of the shorts 9 and the lower woven fabric casing 3 when worn in this fashion.

FIG. 3: Sample segment of ribbons used. Light-reflective safety ribbon 12 on the left and a decorative ribbon 7 are used to secure the longest raw edges of mesh fabric 2. True ribbon width is ⅞″.

FIG. 4: Shown is the first longest raw edge of mesh fabric 2 laid in between and being sewn in between the backsides of the decorative ribbon 7 and the light-reflective safety ribbon 12. The first sewn seem of thread 13 occurs on the left side of the ribbons 7, 12.

FIG. 5: Shown is the completed tube prior to attachment of casings. The second raw edge of mesh fabric 2 has been wrapped around to form a cylindrical shape. The second sewn seam of thread 13 is added down the right side of the ribbons 7, 12. With both raw edges of mesh fabric 2 having been sewn between the back sides of the light-reflective safety ribbon 12 and the decorative ribbon 7 the tube is created.

FIG. 6: The upper woven fabric casing 1 is shown as it appears before being sewn on to the tube in FIG. 5. It is folded and pressed. The front side is shown. The raw woven fabric edge 14 on the left is cut with pinking shears which are special scissors that cut a zig-zag shape to prevent fibers from unravelling. The opposing folded/pressed raw edge of woven fabric at the end of the upper casing 15 is secured with a sewn seam of thread 13. The ⅝″ button 6 is sewn on securing the elastic band (not shown in this figure) already placed between the fold.

FIG. 7: Shown is the upper woven fabric casing 1 folded open exposing the button-hole elastic 5, secured with a ⅝″ button 6, the pull tab 4 made of decorative ribbon 7, and the lower raw edges of woven fabric 14 folded inward and pressed along the full length of said casing. Also noted in this figure is the folded and pressed woven fabric top edge of the upper casing 16, the raw woven fabric edge 14 on the left cut with pinking shears and the opposing folded/pressed raw edge of woven fabric at the end of the upper casing 15 folded and secured with a sewn seam of thread 13.

FIG. 8: Represented is a true to scale drawing of the upper portion of a small child-sized garment when completely assembled. Components visible are the upper woven fabric casing 1 which now has a gathered appearance where a sewn seam of thread 13 connects it to the top edge of the mesh fabric 2. Contributing to the gathered appearance is the button-hole elastic 5 once pulled through the length of the upper woven fabric casing 1 by the pull tab 4, and secured by the ⅝″ button 6. The decorative ribbon 7 is seen with sewn seams of thread 13 down each side completing and securing the cylindrical shape and thereby the function of the mesh fabric 2.

Claims

1. A reversible mesh garment preventing mosquito bites and increasing safety through greater visibility of the wearer in dark conditions comprising a tubular sleeve made of mesh fabric wherein the longest parallel raw edges of said mesh are sewn together between one decorative ribbon being ⅞″ in width and one light-reflective safety ribbon being ⅞″ in width creating a cylindrical shape with elastic housed in a woven fabric casing sewn to each end of said tubular sleeve so as to secure the garment to the wearer's legs from groin to ankle.

2. The mesh fabric of claim 1 wherein the length and width of said mesh fabric is cut to appropriate dimensions per garment size to allow tubular sleeve of claim 1 to distend away from the leg of the wearer creating a sufficient air and mesh barrier against mosquitoes.

3. The mesh garment of claim 1 wherein the longest parallel raw edges of mesh of claim 2 are placed together and secured between back sides of said ribbons of claim 1 with sewn seams of thread forming the cylindrical shape.

4. The mesh fabric of claim 2 wherein said mesh is comprised of a double layer of tulle netting, or a single layer of mosquito netting, or a single layer of no-see-um netting.

5. The mesh fabric of claim 2 wherein said mesh is to be free of any added chemicals such as DEET, permethrin, or oils such as citronella during or after textile manufacturing.

6. A reversible tubular mesh garment wherein the top of said garment is held in position at the groin by ¾″ button-hole elastic housed in a woven fabric casing with said elastic being looped over a 5/8″ button affixed at the circumferential end of said encased elastic thereby securing the top of said garment to the wearer, further comprising ½″ non-rolling elastic housed in woven fabric securing the bottom of said garment snuggly at the ankle of the wearer as to prevent mosquitoes from flying up between said casing and the ankle/sock of the wearer.

7. The button-hole elastic of claim 6 wherein a pull tab corresponding to the decorative ribbon of claims 1, 3 is affixed with an iron-on adhesive or with sewing threads to the distal end of said button-hole elastic band.

8. The encased elastics of claim 6 wherein said encased elastics are assembled with components cut to length as per garment size.