Abstract:
The invention relates to a multipurpose device for the safe handling of pins found in articles of clothing such as men&#39;s dress shirts. Magnetic material may be used in the container insure sharp articles are contained in the container. Said container maybe rigid or semi-rigid to ensure sharp articles are safely contained when disposed of.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is the non provisional filing claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/197877 filed Nov. 1, 2008 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally maintaining articles of clothing, such as dress shirts and other fine fabrics, in a folded condition and more particularly to a new method of maintaining an article of clothing in a folded condition in a safe manner for consumers  29 . 
         [0003]    Certain articles of clothing, most notably men&#39;s dress shirts  25 , are often packaged and sold in a folded condition so as to minimize any wrinkling of the article and so as to present the article in an otherwise flattering manner. Typically, the article is maintained in a folded condition by means of one or more straight metal pins  1 , each of said straight metal pins  1  typically comprising an elongated shaft terminating at one end in a sharp tip designed to penetrate the article and at the other end in a rounded head designed not to penetrate the article. Typically in use, the article is folded, and a plurality of said pins  1  are used to maintain the article in its folded condition by securing the article to itself at a plurality of different locations. Often, in the case of men&#39;s dress shirts, one or more of said pins  1  are additionally used to secure the shirt  25  to a piece of cardboard or to a similar backing material. The act of using straight metal pins to maintain an article of clothing in a folded condition is typically referred to in the art as “shirt-pinning.” 
         [0004]    Although straight metal pins  1  have achieved widespread use in maintaining articles of clothing in a folded condition, certain shortcomings are associated therewith. One such shortcoming is that no suitable tool exists for dispensing such pins  1 . Another shortcoming associated with the use of straight metal pins is that the pins, as noted above, have sharp ends, which can cause injury to the person  29  (i.e., consumer) who must remove the pin from the article. Moreover, once the pins are removed from the article, they must be disposed of properly to avoid injury to others. Currently most consumers  29  dispose of said pins  1  in traditional garbage cans, once the plastic garbage bag is taken out, said pins can pose dangers to people, pets and children. Said pins  1  can easily puncture a garbage bag when it is transported. 
         [0005]    The current invention solves these problems by providing the consumer  29  a container  2  which maybe disposable which can safely store or dispose of all pins  1  removed from clothing. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide consumers  29  a safe way to dispose pins originating from any type or forms of clothing or garments. 
         [0007]    Another object of the current invention is to provide a rigid or semi rigid container so that enclosed pins  1  no longer pose a danger to anyone or anything. 
         [0008]    Yet another object of the current invention is a system of preventing inserted pins  1  into the container  2  from falling out either by a flap  4 , at least one magnet  31 , a spring or elastic force closing said opening  6 ,  36 ,  52 ,  57 . 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings, which are hereby incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings wherein like reference numerals represent like parts: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a opened container exposing the entrance point of said pins; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top view of opened container exposing the entrance point of said pins; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the closed container; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4-6  is the back view of the container with different methods of securing the container to a shirt button; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is the front view of a shirt with the container attached; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8   a - 8   c  is a side view of cylindrical container; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9   a - 9   c  is a side view of a disposable sample perfume bottle with a cavity to store pins; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10-13  is a side view of a container in the form of a clothing tag or a merchant tag. 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  is a front view of a consumer wearing a dress shirt with the container removed from the button. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    The current invention maybe constructed from a polymer, metals, glass, or ceramics. 
         [0020]    A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1-3 . The current embodiment has a hinge  7  to open a lid  9  on the receptacle  11 . Said lid  9  ensures that pins  1  are securely enclosed in the receptacle and the container  2  as a whole once a consumer disposes of the container  2 . Any type of hinge known to persons skilled in the art may be utilized. Additionally, a loop  5  may be formed on the container  2  such that a string or wire may be used to secure the container to the article of clothing. In said preferred embodiment a lid  9  hinged on the main pin receptacle  11 . Additionally a flap  6  may be attached to the opening  6  of the receptacle  11  to ensure pins  1  do not fall out once inserted. Said flap  6  maybe forced into a closed state to ensure nothing falls out. Alternatively, magnets may also be located on the container&#39;s side wall to ensure pins do not fall out. 
         [0021]    Additionally, handles may be on the lid  3  and/or the receptacle  11  to aid the consumer in opening or closing said container  2 . 
         [0022]    An alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 4-6 .  FIG. 4  shows a cavity  19  such that a shirt button  27  can be inserted. Once the button  27  is inserted and the container  2  is shifted down on the track  17  to secure the container  2  to the shirt  25 .  FIG. 5  shows a clip  13  with a track  15  for the button to be secured onto the shirt  25 .  FIG. 6  shows a hollow  23  on the bottom of the container  2  for a button  27  to be inserted into the container. Any method known to persons skilled in the art maybe utilized to secure the container  2  to a article of clothing. 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  shows the container  2  attached to a button  27  of a folded shirt  25 . Said button is inserted into the track  21  of the container  2 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 8   a - 8   c  shows an alternative embodiment of a cylindrical shaped container  2 . On the opposing end of the pin opening  33  on said container, a magnet  31  may be located to ensure pins do not fall out. 
         [0025]      FIG. 9   a - c  shows an alternative embodiment of the container  2 .  FIG. 9  shows a sample perfume bottle with a conventional push spray head  39  with a nozzle  41 . The perfume is stored in the perfume cavity  42  which is taken up into tube  43 . The bottle has pin cavity  45  to store pins  1 . Pins  1  maybe inserted into opening  37 . Additionally, pins  1  maybe secured with magnetism. 
         [0026]      FIG. 10-13  shows a flat container  2 . Said configuration of the container  2  allows marketing material to be printed onto the container  2 . Brands and/or trademarks maybe placed on this tag like container. Alternatively, said container maybe utilized to display details and pricing on the article of clothing. Said tag container  2  maybe secured onto the article of clothing with a string  47 . Alternatively in  FIG. 10 , said pin opening  52  may be secured with a siding lid  51 . Said lid  51  may have a force returning the lid  51  to a closed state such as but not limited to a spring.  FIG. 11  shows a push button system to close the pin opening  57 . Said force exerted onto the button causes the internal cavity  56  to line up with the pin opening  57  to allow pins  1  to be inserted. 
         [0027]    While the above invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. One skilled in the art may find variations of these preferred embodiments which, nevertheless, fall within the spirit of the present invention, whose scope is defined by the claims set forth below.