Abstract:
Disclosed is a device for straightening the placket of a dress shirt. An embodiment of the device includes a sheet of material, the material is perforated to allow sizing and is coated in a reusable adhesive, along the sheet of material are holes which are perforated to allow for shirt buttons to fit through the sheet of material. When a user desires to fit the sheet of material to a dress shirt, excess material is removed along the perforations in order to allow the resized sheet of material to properly fit on the placket of a dress shirt.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In order for dress shirts to maintain their shape it is necessary to undertake one of several methods of care. When a wearer has a freshly laundered or ironed shirt, it will keep its shape which depicts a certain level of preparation to onlookers. When the shirt is not freshly cleaned or ironed, the placket of the shirt beings to sag and cause an unsightly situation which can negatively affect the appearance of the wearer. Current methods to deal with the unsightly appearance that a shirt which is not freshly laundered has are mostly targeting to the collar region, the few that solve the problems with the placket region of the shirt are cumbersome or require additional effort by the wearer. Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,125, U.S. Pat. No. D681,921, U.S. Pat. No. D681,923, U.S. Pat. No. 8,001,619, U.S. Pat. No. D689,265, and US20070044198. However, each one of these references suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: bulk, difficultly in use, cumbersome, expensive, limited size options, and/or limited utility. 
         [0002]    For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an easier method of straightening the placket of a dress shirt. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present invention is directed to a device for straightening the placket of a shirt. A device, comprising: a geometrically shaped section of material, said section of material having a plurality of perforations to allow for sizing of individual pieces, a ventral surface, and a dorsal surface, said dorsal surface having an adhesive affixed thereto. 
         [0004]    An embodiment of the device wherein the adhesive is reusable. 
         [0005]    Another embodiment of the device wherein the geometrically shaped section of material is flexible. 
         [0006]    Another embodiment of the device wherein the geometrically shaped section of material is plastic. 
         [0007]    An additional embodiment of the device wherein said geometrically shaped section of material includes a plurality of perforated sections which can be removed. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment and a presently preferred method of the invention. These drawings, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and method given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a plan view of the ventral side of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the dorsal side of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows a top perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows a top perspective view of one of the embodiments of the invention as shown in  FIG. 2  with a section detached; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows an example of where the invention may be attached to a shirt; 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    In the Summary above and in the Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features [including method steps] of the invention. It is so understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. 
         [0015]    The term “comprises” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also one or more other components. 
         [0016]    Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility). 
         [0017]    The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined}. For example “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable then being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number),” this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm, and whose upper limit is 100 mm. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2 , and  FIG. 3 , a plan view of the ventral and dorsal sides, and top perspective view of an embodiment of the invention comprises a geometrically shaped section of material, said section of material having a plurality of perforations  104  to allow for sizing of individual pieces  103 , a ventral surface  101 , and a dorsal surface  201 , said dorsal surface  201  having an adhesive  202  affixed thereto, said geometrically shaped section of material includes a plurality of perforated sections  102  which can be removed. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a top perspective view of one of the embodiments of the invention as shown in  FIG. 2  with a section  103  detached along the perforation  104 ; 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , an example of where the invention may be attached to a shirt, an embodiment of the device  103  is shown in a potential position along the placket of a shirt  501 . 
         [0021]    A device which can be used to straighten the placket of a shirt. One aspect includes a device, including: a geometrically shaped section of material, said section of material having a plurality of perforations to allow for sizing, a ventral surface, and a dorsal surface, said dorsal surface having an adhesive affixed thereto. Other embodiments of this aspect include reusable adhesive, perforated sections, flexible material, and plastic on one or more placket straighteners, each configured to perform the required function. 
         [0022]    Implementations may include one or more of the following features. The device where said adhesive is reusable. The device wherein said geometrically shaped section of material is flexible. The device where said geometrically shaped section of material is a variety of plastic. The device where said geometrically shaped section of material includes a plurality of perforated sections which can be removed. 
         [0023]    In order to utilize the invention, an embodiment of the invention is sized to the desired dimensions by breaking apart the embodiment along the perforations. The device is then attached to the placket of a shirt by utilizing the adhesive along the dorsal surface of the device. Optionally, an embodiment of the invention includes a section of material which can be removed along perforations in order to allow the device to fit around fasteners which may exist on the shirt. Some embodiments include a plurality of different sized devices to accommodate different sizes and varieties of shirts. 
         [0024]    The previously described versions of the present invention have many advantages, including the ability to be sized, low cost, reusability, durability, and ease of use. 
         [0025]    The invention does not require that all of the advantageous features and all the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of the invention. 
       EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0026]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example the section of material shown is a rectangle but the material could easily be any geometric shape, or the perforations shown for the shirt fasteners, which are rectangular, could be any geometric shape. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. 
         [0027]    The reader&#39;s attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0028]    All the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features service the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
         [0029]    Any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, ¶ 6.