UNDERWEAR AND PANTS LIFTING DEVICE

Abstract

A donning device for underwear and pants. An extendable rod has a handle end and a telescoping end. A spring loaded grasping clip is rigidly connected to the telescoping end. The spring loaded grasping clip is biased in the closed position to firmly grasp the underwear or pants so that underwear or pants may be easily donned.

Description

The present invention relates to garment handling devices, and in particular, to garment handling devices that improve the ease and efficiency of donning undergarments and pants. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/241,865, filed Oct. 15, 2015, all of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many common daily activities that seem easy and commonplace for the young and healthy can be very difficult and challenging to people with injuries, people in poor health, and the elderly. For example, putting on clothes in the morning or taking them off at night is something most people do without any significant thought. However, for many people this simple task is a big challenge and sometimes even impossible. One of life's daily tasks is donning underwear. This basic procedure requires the wearer to bend his legs, bend over, grasp the underwear near his ankles and pull upwards. This can be a difficult procedure if the wearer has injured legs or an injured back and has a problem bending over. It may be embarrassing to the wearer to seek help and ask someone else to put the underwear on for him.

What is needed is a discreetly transportable device that enables a person to don clothing such as underwear or pants with ease, efficiency and dignity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a donning device for underwear and pants. An extendable rod has a handle end and a telescoping end. A spring loaded grasping clip is rigidly connected to the telescoping end. The spring loaded grasping clip is biased in the closed position to firmly grasp the underwear or pants so that underwear or pants may be easily donned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2-4 show a preferred extendable rod.

FIGS. 5-7 show a preferred grasping clip.

FIGS. 8-9 show steps for connecting the grasping clip to the extendable rod.

FIGS. 10-15 show a preferred method for donning underwear utilizing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Garment handling device 10 includes extendable rod 1 and grasping clip 4. Extendable rod 1 includes handle end 2 and telescoping end 3. Telescoping end 3 includes five telescoping sections 3A-3E. Spring loaded grasping clip 4 is rigidly connected to end of telescoping end 3 as shown. Spring loaded clip 4 is utilized to grasp underwear for donning. The user can then grab handle end 2 and adjust the length of telescoping end 3 as desired. The user can then easily and efficiently don the underwear.

Extendable Rod

FIG. 2 shows a preferred extendable rod 1. In a preferred embodiment, extendable rod 1 is available from Yangkang Tongmao Commodity Factory, China, and is referred to as a Telescopic Rod. It may be extended from approximately 6¾ inches (as shown in FIG. 2) to approximately 25¾ inches (as shown in FIG. 4). FIG. 3 shows extendable rod extended to a distance between the minimum and maximum extension lengths. The user of device 10 may extend rod 1 to the distance he feels is appropriate.

Spring Loaded Grasping Clip

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of spring loaded grasping clip 4. In a preferred embodiment, grasping clip 4 is metal clothes pin available from Ningbo General Export, China (part no. 6000 HW47825 metal clothes pin). The spring in grasping clip 4 is biased to keep grasping clip 4 closed as shown in FIG. 5. By applying minimal finger force, the user can easily open grasping clip 4, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

Connecting Spring Loaded Grasping Clip to the Extendable Rod

In FIG. 8 the tubular connection end 15 of rod 1 has been flattened as shown to prepare for the attachment of clip 4. Opening 15b has been formed.

In FIG. 9, clip sides 20 have been squeezed together so that clip handle end 21 may be more easily inserted into opening 15b (FIG. 8).

After clip 4 has been inserted into opening 15b, garment handling device 10 appears as shown in FIG. 1. To more securely hold clip 4 into tubular connection end 15, the user has crimped tubular connection end 15 tightly onto end 21 (FIG. 8). Additionally a binding epoxy has been inserted into tubular end 15 to further secure clip 4.

Using Garment Handling Device

To utilize garment handling device 10, the user preferably adjusts the length of extendable rod 1 to the desired length. Many users will prefer the full extension of 25¾ inches. Then the user connects spring loaded grasping clip 4 to the garment. For example, in FIGS. 10 and 11 the user has clamped grasping clip 4 to the waistband of underwear 50 as shown.

In FIG. 12, the user has grasped underwear 50 and garment handling device 10 and is preparing to don underwear 50.

In FIG. 13, the user has extended garment handling device 10 downward so that the underwear 50 is near his feet. It should be noted that because the user is using garment handling device 10, he does not have to bend over and he is not straining his back or legs.

In FIGS. 14-15, the user is pulling upward on garment handling device 10 causing underwear 50 to move upwards on his legs. Once underwear 50 has been pulled upwards past his knees and close to his waist, the user can unclamp grasping clip 4 from underwear 50 and then don the underwear as normal.

Although the above-preferred embodiments have been described with specificity, persons skilled in this art will recognize that many changes to the specific embodiments disclosed above could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although the above example of usage depicted a user donning underwear, it should be recognized that the present invention can also be utilized to don long pants such as blue jeans or sweat pants. Therefore, the attached claims and their legal equivalents should determine the scope of the invention

Claims

1. An underwear and pants donning device, comprising:

A. an extendable rod, comprising: i. a handle end, and ii. a telescoping end, and

B. a spring loaded grasping clip biased in the closed position, wherein said spring loaded grasping clip is rigidly connected to said telescoping end.

2. The underwear and pants donning device as in claim 1, wherein said telescoping end comprises a flattened tubular section, and wherein said spring loaded grasping clip comprises clip sides that are squeezed together and inserted into said flattened tubular section.

3. The underwear and pants donning device as in claim 2, wherein further comprising a bonding epoxy inserted into said flattened tubular section to secure said squeezed sides of said grasping clip.

4. The underwear and pants donning device as in claim 1, wherein said extendable rod is extendable from approximately 6¾ inches to approximately 25¾ inches.

5. A method for donning underwear and pants, comprising the steps of:

A. obtaining a clothing donning device, comprising: i. an extendable rod, comprising: a. a handle end, and b. a telescoping end, and ii. a spring loaded grasping clip biased in the closed position, wherein said spring loaded grasping clip is rigidly connected to said telescoping end,

B. grasping said underwear or pants with said spring loaded grasping clip,

C. extending said extendable rod so the said handle end is held by a user and said spring loaded grasping clip is near the user's feet.

D. pulling said extendable rod upwards to don said underwear or pants.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said telescoping end comprises a flattened tubular section, and wherein said spring loaded grasping clip comprises clip sides that are squeezed together and inserted into said flattened tubular section.

7. The method as in claim 6.further comprising a bonding epoxy inserted into said flattened tubular section to secure said squeezed sides of said grasping clip.

8. The method as in claim 5, wherein said extendable rod is extendable from approximately 6¾ inches to approximately 25¾ inches.