Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CLOSURE FOR ARTICLE OF APPAREL AND FOR
USE BY A PERSON HAVING HANDICAPPED HANDS
TECHNICAL FIELD
s The present invention relates to a closure for
securement to an article of apparel, such as a brassiere,
bathing suit top, girdle, skirt, etc. and for use by a
person having limited use of their fingers.
1o BACKGROUND ART
In my U. S . Patent Nos . 4, 917, 651 granted on April
17, 1990 and 5, 032, 104 granted on July 16, 1991, I disclose
a brassiere for use by a handicapped person and which is
attachable and detachable at the front central portion
~5 thereof between the cups. Opposed sides of the cups in this
central portion are each provided with attaching portions
and with these attaching portions having loops projecting
substantially horizontally from the attaching portions.
These loops are engaged by the fingers of the handicapped
zo person to permit manipulation of the attaching portions. In
U.S. Patent 5,032,104 there are three loops in each
attachment portion and accordingly the user person would
thread three fingers of a hand through the three loops of
one of the attaching portions and three fingers of the other
z5 hand in the three loops of the other attaching portion and
then bring these attaching portions in overlapping
juxtaposed relationship whereby to position the fastening
hooks provided on the back face of one of the attachment
portions into corresponding eyes secured on the outer
3o surface of the front face of the back attaching portion.
Usually, it would initially take several attempts for a user
person to be able to engage these loops but after time this
procedure becomes less difficult to the handicapped user
person.
35 Although the brassieres as disclosed in my
previous patents have found satisfactory utility on the
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marketplace, they still provide some inconveniences and
disadvantages and particularly to persons who have serious
limited use of their fingers. Also, certain persons with
arthritis conditions may be affected more in one hand than
s the other hand and consequently may have extreme difficulty
in manipulating at least one of the closure portions of the
brassiere. I have also found that by providing all of these
many loops makes it more difficult to use the brassiere and
these affect the aesthetic appearance of the brassiere.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is a feature of the present invention to
provide a closure for securement to an article of apparel
and for use by a person having limited use of her fingers
and which substantially overcomes the above-mentioned
disadvantages of the prior art.
Another feature of the present invention is to
provide a closure for securement to an article of apparel
for use by a person having limited use of her fingers and
2o wherein the closure comprises a pair of fastener support
members which utilize a single loop which is easily
engageable by a person having handicapped hands.
Another feature of the present invention is to
provide a closure for securement to an article of apparel
2s for use by a person having limited use of her fingers and
wherein such closure comprises two fastener support members
which may be secured to the article of apparel for ease of
engagement by the right hand or the left hand.
Another feature of the present invention is to
3o provide a closure for securement to an article of apparel
for use by a person having limited use of her fingers and
wherein such closure member may be secured to a brassiere, a
swimsuit top, a girdle, a skirt, and other articles of
apparel for securing the article of apparel by a person
35 having handicapped hands.
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Another feature of the present invention is to
provide a closure member for securement to an article of
apparel for use by a person having limited use of her
fingers and wherein the closure member comprises two
fastener support members with one of these fastener support
members having a loop secured in an outer wall in a top
portion thereof and the other member having a depending
loop which depends from a lower edge thereof for ease of
grasping and securement by a single finger or finger
portion of a person having handicapped hands and wherein
the closure is easy to secure and unsecure.
According to the above features, from a broad
aspect, the present invention provides a closure for
securement to an article of apparel and for use by a person
having limited use of her fingers. The closure comprises a
first fastener support member having first fastener means
secured thereto. A second fastener support member has a
second fastener means secured thereto. The first and
second fastener support members are adapted for securement
to articles of apparel. The first and second fastener
means are removably interconnectable with one another to
retain the first and second fastener support members in
overlapping relationship. A first fabric loop is provided
in a front face of one of the fastener support members. A
second fabric loop is secured to a lower portion of the
other of the fastener support members. The second fabric
loop extends downwardly away from the one of the fasterner
support members and so that in the engaged condition the
support members are positioned with the one of the said
fastener support members overlapped on top of the other of
the fastener support members with the second fabric loop
uncovered and exposed for manual engagement. The loops are
of predetermined size and are disposed for engagement by
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handicapped hands for attaching and detaching the fasterner
means with one another.
In a preferred embodiment the fastener support
members are incorporated in a brassiere.
S
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1. is a front perspective view showing the
construction of one of the fastener support members of the
closure of the present invention and showing a loop secured
in a top portion of the front face thereof;
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of Figure 1;
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a second
fastener support member forming the closure of the present
invention and showing the depending loop secured thereto;
FIG. 4 is a top section view through the
fastener support member of Figure 3 and partly fragmented;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a brassiere to
which the closure of the present invention has been
secured;
FIG. 6 is a fragmented perspective view showing how
a person having handicapped hands secures the fastener
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support members of a brassiere whereby to connect and
disconnect these members to one another;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged view illustrating how the
fasteners are interconnected to secure the support members
together;
FIG. 8 is a top view illustrating the two
fastener support members interconnected;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are front and rear views
respectively illustrating another embodiment of a front one
~o of the fastener support members; and
FIGS. 10A and lOB are front and rear views
respectively of a rear one of the fastener support members
for use with the support member of Figures 9A and 9B.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and more
particularly to Figures 1 to 5, there will be described the
construction and use of the closure of the present invention
for securement to an article of apparel, such as the
2o brassiere 10 as shown in Figure 5 and for use by a person
having limited use of her fingers such as a person suffering
from arthritis or having any other hand handicap.
As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the closure of the
present invention is comprised of a first fastener support
z5 member 11 which is provided with one or more rigid hook
fasteners 12, herein three hook fasteners disposed
equidistantly spaced apart on a rear face 13 of the first
fastener support member 11. The closure also comprises a
second fastener support member 14, as shown in Figures 3 and
30 4, and which is also provided with one or more rigid eye-
type fasteners 15 equidistantly spaced apart and secured on
a front face 16 thereof. The fastener support members 11
and 14 are hereinshown as elongated substantially
rectangular flat reinforced fabric pieces, but could
s5 conceivably have a different shape. The hook fasteners 12
are adapted for hooking engagement with the eye fasteners
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15, as will be described later. The eye fasteners 15 are
preferably wider than the hook fasteners 12 to facilitate
engagement.
In order to facilitate the manipulation of the
fastener support members 11 and 14- when secured to an
article of apparel, a fabric loop 17 is secured in a top
portion of the front face 18 of the first fastener support
member 11 and projects outwardly of the front face 18 to
form an opening 17' between the fabric loop 17 and the front
~o surface 18. As shown in Figure 1, the fabric forming the
fabric loop 17 extends to the bottom of the front face 18
and stitched at 9 whereby to form a second loop band 17" but
which does not have a pronounced protrusion from the front
face 18. This second loop band 17" constitutes an auxiliary
loop should it facilitate manipulation by the user person.
It is, however, preferable to have a single loop 17.
Similarly, as shown in Figure 3, the second
fastener support member 14 is also provided with a single
fabric loop 19 but which is secured and protrudes from a
lower portion 16' of the front face 16 thereof . This loop
19 is also formed by a fabric band and these fabric bands
have sufficient rigidity to maintain an open loop condition
to facilitate engagement by the thumb or a finger of a
person having handicapped hands.
As also shown in Figures 1 to 4, the fastener
support members 11 and 14 are reinforced fabric pieces
fabricated from two or three fabric layers, namely fabric
layers 20, 21 and 20', 21'.. The layers are secured in
juxtaposition by circumferential stitch line patterns 22 but
3o these fastener support members may be left unstitched along
a straight outer edge 23, 23' thereof whereby to secure same
to fabric pieces 24 as shown in Figure 4. As shown in
Figure 4, a fabric piece 24 is inserted between the
unstitched edge 23' and then a further connecting stitch 25
s5 is applied to secure the fastener support member 14 to an
article of apparel containing the fabric 24.
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It is pointed out that these articles of apparel
use materials having elastic properties in the areas which
are secured to these fastener support members 11 and 14
whereby to apply tension to retain the fasteners 12 and 15
s engaged with one another.However, to provide added
retention and peace of mind to the user that the fasteners
will not become undone, there is further provided contact
fastening members in the form of Velcro tabs 26 disposed
adjacent each of the fasteners 12 and further Velcro tabs 27
~o disposed adj acent the eye fasteners 15 . As hereinshown the
fastener tabs 27 are constituted by hook tape pieces while
the fastener tabs 26 are constituted by loop tape pieces, as
is well known in the art. An additional tab 28 may be
provided in a top portion of the rear face 13 of the
15 fastener support member 11 and similarly a fastener tab 29
may be provided in the top portion of the front face 16 of
the other fastener support member 14. When in use, the
first fastener support member 11 is positioned over the
second fastener support member in overlapped, substantially
2o juxtaposed position and this is done as will be described
later with reference to Figures 5 to 8.
As shown in Figure 5, the closure of the present
invention is herein shown incorporated in a brassiere and
provides a front closure. The brassiere 10 has a pair of
z5 cup portions 30 and 31 which are interconnected and formed
integral with a back panel 32. Shoulder straps 33 also
interconnect the cup portions to the back panel as is well
known in the art and as described and illustrated in my
aforementioned U.S. Patents. As hereinshown the first
3o fastener support member 11 is connected along its straight
connecting edge 23 to a central connecting portion 34 of the
cup portion 31 by connecting stitch line 25'. Similarly,
the second fastener support member 14 is connected to the
central connecting portion 34' of the other cup 30 by
35 connecting stitch line 25". The fastener support member 14
is connected thereto with its eye fasteners 15 disposed
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outwardly. The first fastener support member 11 is
connected with its hook fasteners 12 disposed inwardly.
With reference now to Figures 6 to 8, there will
be described the manner in which the fastener support
s members 11 and 14 are interconnected together. As shown in
Figure 6, the person with the handicapped hands positions
the brassiere about his shoulders with the frontal central
portion opened and facing forwardly. In this illustration,
the fastener support member 14 is secured adjacent the left
~o cup 30 while the other fastener support member 11 is secured
adjacent the right cup 31, but these could be inverted to
suit the user. The person engages the thumb 36 or a finger
of his left hand 37 into the loop 19 and positions the cup
30 in position against the body 37, as shown in Figure 7 and
~s maintains it against the body by the palm or hand pressure.
With the thumb 38 of the right hand 39, as shown in Figure
7, the person then engages the loop 17 and brings the
fastener support member 11 over and beyond the support
member 14 with the fabric stretched. Because the brassiere
zo is provided with an elastic band 40 thereabout and made in
part with stretchable fabrics, as shown in Figure 5, there
is applied a restoring force or a tensile force tending to
pull the fastener support members away from one another.
With the hook fasteners 12 in substantial alignment with the
z5 eye fasteners 15, this restoring force will guide the hook
fasteners to engage within the eye fasteners 15, as shown in
Figure 8, when the user retracts his crossed hand 39
slightly from a position where the hands are criss-crossed
one above the other. After the person senses that the hook
3o fasteners are engaged within the eye fasteners, the person
then applies pressure with the palm portion 41 of his right
hand 39 or the wrist to engage the Velcro tabs 26, 27, 28
and 29 together. The user then withdraws the thumbs or
fingers from engagement with the fastener support members.
35 To disconnect the fastener support members from
one another, the user again engages the loops 17 and 19 in
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the same manner as he did for engaging the fastener support
members together and pushes the fastener support members in
opposed directions with the hands criss-crossing one above
the other.
s Figure 8 is a simplified top section view showing
the fastener support members 11 and 14 secured to an elastic
waistband 50 of a skirt which circumscribes a user's waist.
The fastener support members are connected in a like fashion
as described above when secured to a brassiere but the loops
~0 17 and 36 may be provided with decorative designs 51 on its
outer faces, as shown in Figure 3, for aesthetic appearance.
These designs may match the color of the piece of apparel or
have neutral designs adaptable to many different type of
apparel sufficient only to say that the reason therefor is
15 to conceal the use of these loops and to give them an
appearance of design. Conceivably the brassiere 10 as shown
in Figure 5 may be constructed as a bathing suit top and
again the loops would be provided with decorative designs or
attachments. The depending loop 19 could also serve as a
2o means to attach a key set or a article carrying capsule
which is fashionable with swimwear.
Referring now to Figures 9A and 9B, there is shown
a further embodiment of the construction of the fastener
support member 11'. As hereinshown, that member is provided
2s with a fabric loop 60 which lies substantially flat over the
outer face 61 of the member 11' and which forms a single
loop between its fastened top portion 62 and the stitch line
63. This fabric loop 60 is constituted by a "Grosgrain"
ribbon. By inserting the thumb or a finger between the
3o ribbon or the fabric loop 60 and the outer face 61 of the
fastener support member 11', in the manner illustrated in
Figure 6, a loop is formed between the ribbon 60 and the
outer face 61.
As shown in Figure 9B, this fastener support
3s member 11' is provided with only two rigid hook fasteners 64
secured in a spaced apart manner on the rear face 65 of the
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fastener support member 11'. Fabric-type Velcro fastener
tabs 66 are also appropriately secured to the rear face 65
and disposed for complimentary engagement by loop-type
Velcro tabs 66' which are provided on the front face 67 of
s the second fastener support member 14', as illustrated in
Figures 10A and 10B.
As shown in Figures 10A and 10B, the second
fastener support member 14', herein the backing member, is
provided with two rigid eye-type fasteners 68 appropriately
~o secured to the rear face 67 for engagement by the rigid hook
fastener 64. In this particular embodiment it can be seen
that the second fabric loop is constituted differently than
with the previous embodiments in that the loop 69 extends
upwardly over the rear face 70 of the fastener support
member 14'. The loop is secured to the lower edge of the
fastener support member 14' by a securement stitch 71. The
second loop 69 is also formed of the ribbon as above-
identified and accordingly when the article of apparel,
herein a brassiere such as that shown in Figure 5, is worn
zo by a user the loop 69 will not be visible and will rest
comfortably inside the brassiere behind the rear fastener
support member 14'.
As shown in Figure 9A, a decorative piece such as
a fabric rosette 72 may be integrated within the top
z5 stitching 62 and therefore compliments the design or
aesthetic appearance of the front face of the fastener
support member 11'. Also, because the fabric loop 60 is
more subtle in appearance, this allows the lady who wears
the brassiere, to use a tight-fitting sweater or blouse
3o without any loops showing through, which would reveal the
fact that the person is handicapped. The back loop 69 is
only pulled down when it is needed and thereafter can be
tucked away back to its hidden position where it will tend
to restore itself to that position as shown in Figure lOB
35 seeing that it is a close-folded loop and has sufficient
rigidity to maintain its shape while exhibiting a smooth
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surface which will not aggravate when positioned against the
skin. As also shown in the embodiments of Figures 9A to
10B, only two hook-and-eyelet fasteners are used for
securing the fastener support members 11' and 14' together
and a further Velcro piece 66" and is disposed centrally
therebetween. This stops the brassiere from opening at the
center of its fasteners.
It is pointed out that the fastener support member
as shown in Figure 3 may be modified by removing the fabric
~o loop 19 depending from its lower end if the person with
handicapped hands is capable of effectuating the closure
without the use of that loop. Additionally, the loops 17,
17'and 17" on the front face of the support member 11 could
also be removed for that same purpose. Therefore, the
invention envisages these fastener support members being
provided without loops depending on its intended use but an
important aspect of the fastener support members is the
provision of the Velcro tabs 26 and 27 being disposed in
horizontal alignment with the rigid hook fastener 12 and the
zo rigid eye-type fasteners 15. The interconnection of the
Velcro fasteners 26 and 27 would maintain the fastener
members 12 and 15 interengaged together. The user person
with its handicapped hands would merely apply pressure on
the outer fastener support member 11 once the fasteners are
z5 engaged to ensure that the Velcro tab fasteners are securely
interconnected.
It is within the ambit of the present invention to
cover any obvious modifications of the preferred embodiment
described herein, provided such modifications fall-within
3o the scope of the appended claims.
