SPINNING SKIRT

Abstract

A spinning skirt includes a skirt and a bearing assembly coupled to the skirt. The bearing assembly includes a first portion coupled to a lower portion of the skirt and a second portion coupled to an upper portion of the skirt. The first portion of the bearing assembly and the lower portion of the skirt are free to rotate 360° with respect to the second portion of the bearing assembly and the upper portion of the skirt.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a skirt that can spin or rotate about the wearer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many girls and women wear skirts that can be twirled or partly rotated about the waist of the wearer. For example, some dancers, figure skaters, and others will spin about an area or point on the floor or ice and the skirt twirls around the wearer. The skirt does not make full 360° rotations about the waist; rather the skirt partially twirls in one direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide a skirt that can spin or rotate about the wearer in full 360° rotations, as is described more in detail hereinbelow. The skirt is provided with a bearing assembly which allows the skirt to spin around the waist or other portion of the wearer. The wearer is preferably a human wearer, but the invention can also be carried out for dolls and mannequins and the like.

It is noted that the term “skirt” encompasses skirt, dress, gown and the like, and the terms are used interchangeably.

There is provided in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention a spinning skirt including a skirt and a bearing assembly coupled to the skirt, the bearing assembly including a first portion coupled to a lower portion of the skirt and a second portion coupled to an upper portion of the skirt, wherein the first portion of the bearing assembly and the lower portion of the skirt are free to rotate 360° with respect to the second portion of the bearing assembly and the upper portion of the skirt.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention one or more weights are coupled to the lower portion (such as the hem) of the skirt.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the bearing assembly includes a rolling element bearing assembly, wherein the first portion of the bearing assembly includes an outer raceway coupled to the lower portion of the skirt with an outer fastener, and the second portion of the bearing assembly includes an inner raceway coupled to the upper portion of the skirt with an inner fastener.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the rolling element bearing assembly includes a ball bearing assembly.

In accordance with an alternative non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the rolling element bearing assembly includes a roller bearing assembly including cylindrical, spherical, tapered or needle roller bearings.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the one or more weights include a series of weights joined to each other.

In accordance with an alternative non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the one or more weights include individual, non-joined weights.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of a person wearing a spinning skirt, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, with an enlarged detail of a weight at a bottom portion of a tiered or layered skirt.

FIG. 2A is a simplified illustration of the skirt spinning about the waist of the wearer.

FIG. 2B is a front-view illustration of the skirt spinning about the waist of the wearer, again showing the position of a weight.

FIG. 3A is a simplified illustration of the waist portion of the skirt which includes a bearing assembly therein.

FIG. 3B is a simplified illustration of the position of the bearing assembly in relation to the tiers or layers of the skirt.

FIG. 4A is a simplified cutaway illustration of the waist portion of the skirt, showing the bearing assembly.

FIG. 4B is a simplified illustration of the bearing assembly, with an enlarged detail of the rolling element of the bearing assembly, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C is a simplified illustration of the bearing assembly, showing the outer raceway, inner raceway, cage, and rolling elements of the bearing assembly, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a simplified top-view illustration of the waist portion of the skirt, showing the bearing assembly.

FIG. 5B is a simplified front-view illustration of the waist portion of the skirt, showing the bearing assembly coupled to straps of the upper portion of the skirt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of a person wearing a skirt 10, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Skirt 10 may be a tiered or layered skirt, such as a skirt with three tiers or layers 12. The invention is not limited to the number of tiers or layers, and is not limited to this type of skirt at all. In one embodiment, one or more weights 14 are assembled to a lower portion 16 of the skirt 10, such as but not limited to, the hem of the skirt 10. The weights 14, which may be made of metal, plastic, rubber or any other suitable material, such as heavier cloth, or folds of cloths or folds of the skirt hem, may enhance the tendency of the skirt to easily swing outwards and around the wearer. The weights 14 may be individual, non-joined weights, or as shown, may be a series of weights joined to each other, such as on a string or weights molded on a carrier as a unitary weight assembly.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate skirt 10 spinning about the waist of the wearer in the direction of arrows 18 (of course, the skirt can rotate in the opposite direction, too). The skirt 10 can spin by the wearer grasping the lower portion and spinning it relative to the upper portion, or by means of pulling a cord, or by means of a spring, or by means of a motor or any other means.

Reference is now made to FIG. 3A, which illustrates the waist portion 19 of the skirt 10 which includes a bearing assembly 20 therein. The bearing assembly 20 may be sewn or otherwise joined to the skirt. FIG. 3B illustrates the position of the bearing assembly 20 in relation to the tiers or layers 12 of the skirt 10.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4A-4C, which illustrate the bearing assembly 20. As seen in FIG. 4C, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the bearing assembly 20 is a rolling element bearing assembly, which includes an outer raceway 22, an inner raceway 24, a cage 26 and rolling elements 28. The bearing assembly 20 may be, without limitation, a ball bearing assembly or a roller bearing assembly, such as but not limited to, cylindrical, spherical, tapered or needle roller bearings. Alternatively, the bearing assembly may be a ball bearing assembly. As another alternative, the bearing assembly may be a magnetic bearing assembly, wherein magnetic elements do not move but by means of magnetic forces the outer raceway can move freely with respect to the inner raceway.

As seen in FIG. 4B, the outer raceway 22 may be coupled to a lower portion 30 of the skirt with an outer fastener 32, and the inner raceway 24 may be coupled to an upper portion 34 of the skirt with an inner fastener 36. The upper portion 34 of the skirt may be coupled to straps 35, whose length may be selected or adjusted to position the skirt properly on the wearer so that the bearing assembly 20 is at the desired height or position on the wearer. The bearing assembly can be at any desired position on the wearer, such as the hips, or higher than the hips or lower than the hips.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustration the waist portion of the skirt, showing the bearing assembly 20 coupled to straps 35 of the upper portion 34 of the skirt.

As the skirt spins about the wearer, the inner raceway 24, and the upper portion 34 of the skirt which is coupled to inner raceway 24, basically remain stationary, while the outer raceway 22, and the lower portion 30 of the skirt which is coupled to outer raceway 22, freely revolve around the wearer by means of the rolling elements 28 rolling between the inner and outer raceways. Accordingly, as opposed to prior art twirling skirts, the skirt of the present invention can spin or rotate about the wearer in full 360° rotations.

Claims

1. A spinning skirt comprising:

a skirt and a bearing assembly coupled to said skirt, said bearing assembly comprising a first portion coupled to a lower portion of said skirt and a second portion coupled to an upper portion of said skirt, wherein said first portion of said bearing assembly and said lower portion of said skirt are free to rotate 360° with respect to said second portion of said bearing assembly and said upper portion of said skirt.

2. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, further comprising one or more weights coupled to said lower portion of said skirt.

3. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, further comprising one or more weights coupled to a hem of said skirt.

4. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, wherein said one or more weights comprise cloth, folds of cloth or folds of a hem of said skirt.

5. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, wherein said bearing assembly comprises a rolling element bearing assembly, wherein said first portion of said bearing assembly comprises an outer raceway coupled to said lower portion of said skirt with an outer fastener, and said second portion of said bearing assembly comprises an inner raceway coupled to said upper portion of said skirt with an inner fastener.

6. The spinning skirt according to claim 4, wherein said rolling element bearing assembly comprises a ball bearing assembly.

7. The spinning skirt according to claim 4, wherein said rolling element bearing assembly comprises a roller bearing assembly comprising cylindrical, spherical, tapered or needle roller bearings.

8. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, wherein said bearing assembly comprises a magnetic bearing assembly.

9. The spinning skirt according to claim 2, wherein said one or more weights comprise a series of weights joined to each other.

10. The spinning skirt according to claim 2, wherein said one or more weights comprise individual, non-joined weights.

11. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, wherein said skirt comprises a tiered or layered skirt.

12. The spinning skirt according to claim 1, wherein said upper portion of said skirt comprises one or more straps.