Abstract:
A sleeve holder for maintaining a garment sleeve in a rolled or gathered condition on the wearer&#39;s forearm above the wrist, is disclosed. The sleeve holding device comprises an elongated body of a truncated cone shape having opposite ends. The narrower end includes an elastic core located within its interior defined by a cover. The elastic core has a relaxed length and a relatively longer stretched length in response to an applied tensile force. The opposite end of the sleeve holding device is wider in circumference than the elastic core, creating a pocket where the sleeve of the garment is held.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to the provisional patent application with Ser. No. 61/132,343 filed on Jun. 18, 2008. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to wearing apparel. More particularly the present invention relates to a protective device for sleeved garments, such as shirts, blouses, long sleeved dresses, sweaters and the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Long-sleeved garments can prove to be inconvenient and troublesome when the wearer engages in certain activities with their hands. Activities such as washing dishes and household chores, gardening, as well as arts and crafts all represent situations where the wearer&#39;s sleeved garment is prone to getting wet or soiled during the aforementioned activities. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a way for protecting garment sleeves during these activities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a sleeve holder, having a truncated cone shape, which is placed on the forearm with the wider opening leading up the arm toward the shoulder. The smaller opening fits snuggly around the wearer&#39;s forearm holding its position while keeping the garment sleeve protected from the elements. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a device for holding a sleeve of a garment in a rolled or gathered condition worn on the user&#39;s forearm to maintain the sleeve of the wearer&#39;s garment above the wrist. The sleeve holding device includes an elongated body of a truncated cone shape having, thereby forming a wide opening and a narrow opening on opposite ends. The narrower opening includes an elastic core located within the interior of the cover. In one embodiment, the elastic core is stitched to the interior of the cover only at the fabric ends, allowing for greater flexibility. In another embodiment, the elastic core is stitched to the interior of the cover at multiple points to preserve the truncated cone shape. The elastic core has a relaxed length and a relatively longer stretched length in response to an applied tensile force. The opposite end of the sleeve holding device is wider in circumference than the elastic core, creating a pocket where the sleeve of the garment is held. 
     In one embodiment, the sleeve holding device has a single stitched seam holding it together. In one embodiment, the body cover is made from a double width of fabric material having opposite side edge portions secured to each other to define a closed cross section. This double thickness adds to the durability and stability of the cover. If additional stability is desired an interfacing may be added to the inside of the sleeve holding device before stitching is initiated. In another embodiment, the body cover is comprised of latex rubber, providing improved protection from water and other liquids. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration showing a sleeve holder for maintaining a garment sleeve in a rolled or gathered condition on the wearer&#39;s forearm above the wrist. 
         FIG. 1B  is a cutaway illustration showing the sleeve holder of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2  is a side plan view of the sleeve holder of  FIG. 1  with the opposite end portions separated from each other to show the conical shape, gathered at one end and open at the receiving end of the sleeve holder. 
         FIG. 3  is an end plan view of the sleeve holder of  FIG. 2  showing the device from the gathered end. 
         FIG. 4  is a view of a partially assembled sleeve holder. 
         FIG. 5  is a reverse side view, showing the seam that secures the sleeve holder together. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a sleeve holder. 
         FIG. 7  is a top-down view of the sleeve holder of  FIG. 6   
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the drawings where like numerals identify like elements, there is illustrated in  FIG. 1  a sleeve holder  6  according to the present invention secured to the wearer&#39;s forearm  7  worn by a person. The sleeve holder  6  maintains a sleeve  8  of the sleeved garment above the wrist  9  of the wearer. The sleeved garment shown in  FIG. 1  is a long-sleeved sweatshirt. It should be understood, however, that the sleeve holder  6  could be used with other types of sleeved garments, such as blouses, sweaters, and long-sleeved dresses, to name a few. 
     The sleeve  8  of the sleeved garment is shown in  FIG. 1  in a gathered-up condition on the forearm above the wrist  9 . Alternatively, the sleeve holder  6  could be used to maintain the sleeve in a rolled-up, or bunched, condition on the forearm  7  above the wrist  9 . As shown, the securing of the sleeve  8  in this manner exposes the forearm  7  of the person in a similar fashion as a ¾ length sleeved shirt. This promotes freedom of movement for the person&#39;s forearm  7 , desirable for people using their hands in water or other materials that could come in contact with their sleeve  8 , if not protected. 
       FIG. 1B  shows the sleeve holder  6  of  FIG. 1  in a cutaway view. In this view, the portion of the wearer&#39;s forearm that is covered by the sleeve holder  6  is indicated as  7 B. The portion of sleeve  8  that is covered by the sleeve holder  6  is indicated as  8 B. The sleeve holder  6  is essentially a truncated cone shape, having a wider end and a narrow end. The diameter of the wider end is preferably chosen to be wider than a typical wearer&#39;s forearm, such that a space between the sleeve holder  6  and the forearm  7 B is formed. This space is referred to as the “pocket.” Sleeve portion  8 B rests in this pocket defined by the space between the sleeve holder  6  and the forearm  7 B. 
     As will be described in greater detail, the sleeve holder  6  is adapted for removable attachment to the forearm. The use of the removable sleeve holder  6  for maintained forearm exposure, instead of removal of the sleeve, preserves the integrity of the garment for wearing of the sleeves in an unrolled condition at other times. This is desirable when the garment is worn by a hostess of a dinner party, for example. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2-5 , the sleeve holder  6  consists of a central and continuous body portion  11 . As shown in the sectional view of  FIG. 4 , the sleeve holder  6  comprises interior  12  enclosed by an outer cover  13 . The outer cover  13  is preferably made from a fabric material such as cotton, polyester, or nylon. The fabric may be treated for water and stain resistance and/or made of a waterproof material such as latex rubber or leather. In one embodiment, the fabric is coated with a waterproof coating, such as NIKWAX, distributed by NIKWAX North America, of Seattle, Wash. To form the cover  13 , a piece of fabric material is secured along longitudinally extending side edge portions  14 ,  15  preferably by a seam line of stitching. The end portions  16 ,  17  are then secured together by a seam line of stitching  22 , located on the reverse side, (see  FIG. 5 ), such that the piece of fabric defines a closed cross section in the nature of a conical tube defined by the cover  13 . 
     A bias facing  19  may be added to the interior  12  of the cover  13  to help add stability to the fabric cover  13 . This helps the body portion  11  maintain its shape through washing and wearing. The core  18  is made from an elastic material such that it will increase in length longitudinally from a relaxed length in response to an applied tensile load. As shown in  FIGS. 2-3 , the body portion  11  is defined by forming a fabric material into a conical-like shape. In one embodiment, the gathered fabric portions at narrow end  20  are formed by attaching the elastic core  18  to the cover  13  when the core  18  is held in a stretched condition. The cover  13  has a length that corresponds to a stretched length for the elastic core  18 . 
     The core  18  is attached to the cover  13  just short of the end portions  16 ,  17 . As a result, the return of the elastic core  18  to its relaxed length following removal of the tensile load causes compression of the cover  13  resulting in the formation of the gathered portions at narrow end  20  of body portion  11 . At the wide end  21  of the body portion  11  the fabric is in a relaxed state causing it to be able to accept the extra material from the bunched, rolled or gathered sleeve  8 . The extensible nature of the body  13  of sleeve holder  6  facilitates use of a given sleeve holder with differing garment types, such as long sleeved blouses, bathrobes, shirts, or sweaters. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the sleeve holder  6  is received by the sleeve  8 , by placing the hand  10  through the sleeve holder  6  and onto the forearm  7  with the sleeve  8  rolled-up. The sleeve holder  6  is then brought up the forearm  7  until the appropriate amount of tension is reached to create a secured fit on the forearm  7 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 , the sleeve holder  6  is shown removed from the forearm  7  and sleeve  8  in its at-rest condition defining a closed conical shape. Referring to  FIG. 5 , it is an opposite side (reverse side) view, showing the seam  22  that secures the sleeve holder together. The fabric and elastic core may be constructed at various lengths to accommodate forearms  7  of different sizes. It should also be noted that the seam  22  may be sewn to the inside of the cover  13  so that the seam lays flat. Or, the seam may be sewn with end portion  17  lying atop end portion  16  so that the seam lays flat. 
       FIG. 1  shows only one sleeve  8  in a gathered-up condition to facilitate the description of an embodiment of the present invention. However, it should be understood that a pair of sleeve holders  6  would typically be used by a person to secure both sleeves  8  of the garment they are wearing, in a gathered-up condition. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show an alternative embodiment of a sleeve holder.  FIG. 6  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of sleeve holder  26 . In this embodiment, a conduit  28  is formed by forming a seam  35  near to narrow end  20  of sleeve holder  26 . A cord  30  is threaded through conduit  28  via grommets  41 A and  41 B, and is secured via cord lock  33 . While the embodiment shown uses grommets, another embodiment (not shown) only has access holes, eliminating the grommets. In one embodiment, cord lock  33  comprises a spring-loaded release mechanism, activated by release button  36 . Such cord locks are known in the art, and are the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,288,891 and 6,189,186, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. The cord ends may be joined by fastener  31 , or knotted together, to keep the cord  30  orderly.  FIG. 7  is a top-down view of the sleeve holder  26  of  FIG. 6 . In this view, the cord  30  is shown oriented around the circumference of the sleeve holder  26 . The cord  30  is preferably comprised of elastic, or other flexible, stretchable material. Cord  30  eliminates the need for core  18  of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     When using sleeve holder  26 , the user first places the sleeve holder  26  on the arm, preferably between the wrist and the elbow, with the narrow end  20  oriented towards the wrist. The user then adjusts cord lock  33  to provide a comfortable amount of tension on the wearer&#39;s arm, such that the sleeve holder  26  is tight enough to remain securely in place, but not so tight as to be uncomfortable to wear. In this way, the sleeves of a sleeved-garment are protected during activities such as gardening, dishwashing, and food preparation, to name a few. 
     Although the description above contains many specific details, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the present invention.