Apparel – General structure – Stiffening or staying
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-12
2003-03-04
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
General structure
Stiffening or staying
C002S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06526597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to accessories for clothing and apparel, and more specifically to a concealed, semi-rigid stay which may be inserted removably into the waistband of a pair of trousers, a skirt, dress, or other garment. The present stay provides some additional stiffness across the width of the waistband of the garment, thus precluding wrinkling and creasing of the waistband and providing a smooth, finished appearance for the waistband and the wearer of the garment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal appearance is of some importance in almost every human society and culture. In most societies, the wearer of even informal clothing and apparel is expected to have a neat and clean appearance, and most persons make at least some attempt toward providing a neat and tidy appearance with their clothing.
While styles come and go, there has been a tendency toward less formality in business and other situations in the U. S. A. Even the wearing of jeans and other informal wear is accepted in many areas and environments now, which environments would have required more formal attire in the recent past.
In many cases, such informal apparel does not require certain accessories (e. g. belts, etc) which might be expected or required with the wearing of more formal attire. Depending upon the cut and fit of such apparel, in many cases the fit around the waist and hips can be sufficiently good, that no belt is required. In other cases, the trousers or other apparel includes sufficient elasticity at the waist, that no belt is required. This is not only true of mens' trousers and apparel, but can be true of womens, wear (skirts, dresses, slacks, etc.) as well.
One drawback to such beltless attire is that the waistband often tends to gather or “bunch up” in the vertical direction, i.e., across its width, with no belt extending therearound to, provide some support in this direction. This is particularly true when a person is seated or bends at the waist, as the front of the apparel waistband tends to gather within the folds of the lower stomach and/or midriff area of the body as the person bends at the waist. Oftentimes, the resulting generally horizontal creases which form around the front of the waistband, tend to be set in place if the person remains seated for some time (e. g., driving, working at a desk, etc.) and remain even when the person stands, resulting in an unkempt appearance due to the waistband creases.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a waistband stay for use with trousers, skirts, and virtually any other apparel having a waistband which might otherwise gather or crease at the waist during normal wear. The present waistband stay comprises a thin, elongate sheet of material which is flexible along its length in order to pass around and through the tubular waistband construction of most apparel, yet which is sufficiently stiff across its width as to resist bending thereacross to preclude folding and creasing of the apparel waistband. The present waistband stay is removable, and includes a draw string at one end so the user may withdraw the stay from the apparel waistband when the stay is no longer needed in the apparel, e. g., for laundering of the apparel, etc.
The present waistband stay is preferably formed of a thin plastic strip of material, which provides sufficient stiffness across the relatively short dimension of its width so as to resist bending thereacross. Yet, the material is sufficiently flexible as to allow the stay to be curved along its length to fit around the waistband of the apparel while being worn. The present waistband stay may be manufactured in virtually any color desired, or may be made of transparent or translucent material in order to provide an unobtrusive appearance in sheer fabrics, if so desired. Alternatively, thin, flexible metal material (e. g., spring steel, etc.) may be used if desired. The present stay may be marked at one end thereof to allow the user to trim the length as needed to fit his or her waistband as desired. The present disclosure also includes a method of installing and using the present stay, as well.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is described below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,261 issued on Oct. 21, 1952 to Edward F. McTighe, titled “Tubular Cloth Casing,” describes the construction of a fabric tube for stitching to another sheet of fabric, with the tube containing a stay therein. The McTighe stay is permanently secured within his stay pocket or tube, by stitching. No means is provided for temporary installation of the stay in the pocket or tube, and for removal therefrom, by McTighe. Moreover, the McTighe stay pocket or tube is not constructed as an apparel waistband and no means is seen for readily adapting the McTighe stay system to such an apparel waistband, whereas the present stay makes use of the existing tubular waistband construction in trousers or other apparel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,979 issued on Nov. 13, 1956 to Gilbert O. Driesbach, titled “Non-Removable Collar Stay,” describes the construction of a shirt collar incorporating a permanently installed plastic stay in each collar point. The Driesbach stays are not removable, as noted in the title of the Driesbach U. S. patent. Moreover, they do not pass longitudinally through the collar, but rather extend for only a short distance diagonally within each collar point or tip, to preclude curling of the collar points or tips. Driesbach does not provide any means of removably or otherwise installing his collar stays longitudinally through the tubular waistband of an article of apparel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,300 issued on Apr. 15, 1958 to Marcus Schwartz, titled “Boning,” describes the incorporation of a polyethylene plastic cap or end for conventional wire boning stays used in various womens' foundation garments. The polyethylene ends have the advantage of permitting sewing needle passage therethrough without breaking the needle. Thus, the Schwartz boning system is directed to a permanently sewn in place construction, rather than to removable stays as provided by the present invention. Moreover, Schwartz does not disclose the use of a thin, flat sheet of plastic or other material for use as a stay within the tubular waistband of an outer garment, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,633 issued on Apr. 24, 1962 to William L. Chalfin, titled “Plastic Strips,” describes a series of embodiments for stays which may be installed within garments. The main point of the various Chalfin embodiments is to provide stays having relatively stiff major portions, with relatively flexible end portions. The embodiment of the Chalfin U.S. patent which appears closest to the present invention is that of FIGS. 8 and 9, which includes a longitudinal slot formed through each end. Chalfin notes that this provides additional flexibility and that “the opening . . . will facilitate sewing operations.” (Column 2, lines 34 and 35.) However, Chalfin states that his stays are intended to be permanently installed within garments, and makes no provision for temporary installation in or removal of any of his stay embodiments from any garment by the wearer, as provided by the present removable waistband stay invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,410 issued on Jul. 30, 1968 to Benjamin Liebowitz, titled “Laterally Flexible Stay,” describes the construction of stays from continuously crimped pieces of metal (sinusoidally formed, “zig-zag,” etc.). The installation of the Liebowitz stays is understood to be with the stays having their elongate axes oriented generally vertically, i. e., parallel to the height of the wearer, rather than extending circumferentially therearound, as in the present waistband stays. Liebowitz seeks a longitudinally stiff stay which may flex more easily in left to right orientation, as the Liebowitz disclosure is understood. This is opposite the present stay construction, with its flexib
Hale Gloria M.
Litman Richard C.
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