CUFF CONSTRUCTION

Abstract: A cuff construction having readily accessible coverings for hands, feet and head is provided. The cuff is generally integrally attached to an article of clothing, and folds in on itself for storing the coverings. The cuff is formed at an opening in a garment, such as a glove, sleeve, neck or leg and included a panel along about one half of the circumference of the opening with the two adjacent edges of the panel secured to the cuff. The panel is switchable between a first open position allowing the head, hand or foot to pass through and a second closed position forming a covering around the appendage. The cover­ ing may take the form of a glove or mitten, a sock or shoe, or a ski mask or the like. A pocket for ready storage may also be provided.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to cuff constructions, and in particular to cuff constructions for garments and the like which provide covering for hands integrally formed with the cuff. Cuffs are well known in the art of clothing manufacture. Almost every article of clothing has a cuff of some sort at the opening through which a person's limb is extended. These cuffs come in many forms, such as button closing cuffs and elastic band closing cuffs, but the main function of these cuffs is merely to seal the clothing around the limb or neck of the wearer. These conventional cuffs have been satisfactory for some time; however, they can be improved to provide addititional benefits other than merely sealing about an opening or providing a decorative feature. It would be further advantageous if a cuff provided a covering for hands, feet and head which is easily accessible and does not get lost. The covering is generally a separate distinct piece from the cuff and the article of clothing to which the cuff is integral. Therefore, the gloves or socks have to be removed and stored in a secure place and then retrieved from that place and put back on to the hand or foot each time the wearer of the covering wished to switch from covered use to bare use and vice versa . The same is true for a hat or mask which a wearer would use at certain times. If the period of time of use between bare and covered use is not of short duration it then becomes necessary to keep track of where the coverings were stored so that they will not be lost or mislaid. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a cuff construction which provides the additional function of providing hand coverings integral with the cuff so that the covering is always within easy reach, while also keeping them in a convenient storage spot out of the way when not in use. CA-A-1182251 discloses an article of clothing having an integral mitt for the four fingers of a hand; the mitt comprises a cuff extension which in the open position is folded back over the sleeve end, and in the closed position folds forwardly over and under the fingers to provide an enclosure. A separate thumb cover is attached to the sleeve and protrudes whether the cuff extension is in the open or closed position; individual finger coverings are not disclosed. CA-A-1182251 is the nearest prior art. The invention distinguishes from this prior art essentially in that a covering for a digit is stored in a pocket formed by a panel on the cuff. The invention is disclosed in the main claims 1 and 2. US-A-2775771 discloses a garment sleeve having an integral mitten formed therewith; separate thumb or finger covers are not provided. US-A-4475253 discloses a foot mitten for pyjamas which may be rolled up around the foot to provide an opening in the pyjama leg; separate toe coverings are not provided. According to the invention there is provided a cuff construction for an article of clothing having an opening for a hand; the cuff including a panel, secured to the distal end of the cuff, the panel having a first edge extending for at least a portion of the perimeter of the distal end of the cuff and secured to the cuff along said first edge; the panel being also secured to the cuff at the two edges adjacent to said first edge to form a pocket facing away from said opening, the panel being adapted to be folded about a fold line from an open position to a closed position, the open position allowing a hand of a wearer to pass through the opening, and in the closed position the panel being folded over the opening to form a covering for the wearer's hand, characterized in that a covering for a digit of a hand is integrally attached to said cuff adjacent said opening; said covering communicating with the interior of the cuff and being stored in the pocket when the panel is in the open position. Such a construction permits the digit covering, for example a thumb covering, to be hidden from view when the first panel is in the open position; this has aesthetic and safety advantages. Preferably the covering has an open distal end and a digit panel having a first digit edge extending for at least a portion of the perimeter of said distal end and secured to the distal end along said first digit edge, the digit panel being also secured to the covering at the two edges adjacent to said first digit edge, the panel being adapted to be folded from an open position to a closed position, the open position allowing a digit of the wearer to pass through the open end, and the closed position providing a covering for the wearer's digit. In preferred embodiments separate coverings are provided for an additional finger or for each finger of a hand. The cuff construction may include a second panel extending from the remaining portion of the perimeter of the cuff and secured to the cuff along the two edges adjacent to said distal end to form a storage compartment between the second panel and the cuff, and having a storage opening opposite said fold line. Closing means such as velcro or snap fasteners may be provided for the storage compartment. The invention accordingly comprises features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a full understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sweater-type garment including a cuff construction in accordance with the invention in an open position; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cuff of FIG. 1 taken along line 2-2; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cuff of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cuff in a position with the covering; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cuff construction taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the cuff construction showing a hunter's mitten with forefinger exposed and thumb; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the of the embodiment of FIG 7 taken along line 8-8; FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the of the embodiment of FIG. 6 in the closed position taken along line 9-9; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG 6 taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cuff construction in the closed position; FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 11 taken along line 12-12; FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG 11 taken along line 13-13; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 11 shown in the open position; FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 14 taken along line 15-15; FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a glove embodiment with a pocket in the palm; FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 16 taken along line 17-17; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference is made to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, wherein a cuff construction arranged in accordance with the invention is shown as part of a garment. A cuff generally indicated as 11, is integrally formed at the end of sleeves 12 of an article of clothing, such as a sweater 13. Cuff 11 consists of a distal portion 14 of sleeve 12 and a folding panel 16 which is folded back over sleeve distal portion 14 and forms sleeve opening 17. As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, when folding panel 16 is shown in its open position as shown in FIGS. 1-3, a wearer's hand 18 may pass through opening 17. Panel 16 extends substantially half-way around the circumference of cuff 11 and is secured at its sides 20 to cuff 11. In this manner panel 16 in the folded back position forms a pocket 19 in that panel 16 is closed at its far end and attached to sleeve distal portion 14. A thumb 21 is integrally formed as part of cuff 11 and is folded into pocket 19 when panel 16 is in the up or open position. Thumb 21 communicates with the inside of cuff 11 by means of a hole 22 located at the base of thumb 21. In this position, with panel 16 folded back along cuff 11 in the open position, user's hand 18 slides through hole 17 and thumb 21 is tucked away in pocket 19 formed by panel 16. Thus, the general appearance of cuff 11 is that of a regular cuff of sweater 13 or other garment. FIGS. 4 and 5 show cuff 11 in the closed position to form a hand covering or mitten 23. Panel 16 is pulled down and around the front of wearer's hand 18 and over the opposite portion of the distal portion 14 of sleeve 12. This is done by turning the closed end of pocket 19 inside out. This exposes thumb 21 and closes sleeve opening 17. The overall effect is that mitten 23 is formed at the end of each sleeve 12. User's hand 18 fits into mitten 23 of the cuff construction as it would into a normal mitten. Panel 16 is now at the opposite side of cuff 11 from where it was situated in the open position. To reform cuff 11 into a standard cuff, the above described process of folding folding panel 16 is merely reversed. While in this embodiment the garment is a sweater, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize the cuff construction on a wide variety of garments. Sweater 13 may be of a conventional wool or acrylic material or the like. If the garment is a shirt or jacket, it may be constructed of natural fiber, such as cotton, or synthetic materials, such as nylon or polyester. The advantages and conveniences provided by the cuff construction make it particularly useful for a wide variety of uses. For example, a child's or infant's sweater fabricated with the cuff construction can instantly provide a hand covering to keep the wearer's hand warm. Similarly, a hunter or hiker suddenly overcome by a cold wind can instantly cover their hands. In all cases, the covering is part of the garment so that there is no need to stop one's activity and search for mittens or gloves. This convenience will also make it advantageous for use of the cuff constructions in areas such as space flights. In this latter case, the garment and/or cuff may be formed of an airtight material and, when in the closed position, folding panel 16 will be sealed to distal portion 14 of sleeve 12. Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 - 10, wherein an alternate embodiment of a hunter's mitten shown generally as 31 is depicted. Specifically, a second finger, namely, the forefinger, is added to the mitten construction. When the cuff construction is in the open position, a forefinger cover 32 also folds into a pocket 33. Forefinger cover 32 communicates with the inner space of the cuff through a hole (not shown) in the same manner as hole 22 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 - 5. Hunter's glove 31 allows for increased dexterity by allowing use of a thumb 34 with a forefinger 36. This embodiment provides all the advantages of the first embodiment and further provides increased dexterity by providing at least two fingers in the hand coverings. For even further increased dexterity and the use of tactile senses, forefinger 36 and thumb 34 can be exposed in the same manner as user's hand 18 is exposed in the above description of cuff 11. A finger covering , formed with a distal end 41, a panel 38 is attached in the same way as panel 16 was attached to cuff 11. In the open position, forefinger 36 extends through finger covering 37 through an opening 39 at distal end 41 of finger cover . To close opening 39, panel 38 is pulled up and over the exposed part of forefinger 36 in a fashion similar to that shown in FIG. 9. The same process applies to thumb 34 having a thumb covering 42. A panel 41 is affixed to thumb covering 42 in the same manner as described above. To open thumb covering 42 and expose thumb 36, panel 43 is pulled out and over the thumb 36 and folded back in the now familiar manner. To reclose thumb covering 42, the process is reversed and panel 43 is folded over thumb 34. Reference is now made to FIGS. 11 - 15, wherein a further embodiment of the invention with the hand covering forming a full glove with each finger having its own separate covering is shown generally as cuff 51. A storage compartment 52 is formed above the hand portion by a flattened loop 53 having an upper portion 54 and a lower portion 56. In this embodiment, upper half 54 serves as the panel for closing the cuff and forming the pocket 103 for storage of the finger coverings when in the open position. In the closed position, as depicted in FIG. 11, each of a user's fingers is enclosed in a respective pinkie covering 57, ring finger covering 58, middle finger covering 59, forefinger covering 61 and thumb covering 62, respectively. Loop 53 is attached to the distal end of cuff 51 at lower portion 56. In the illustrated embodiment lower portion 56 is sewn to a surface 55 of cuff 51 in the region of the back of the wearer's hand along the two edges adjacent to the fold. The opposite edge 64 is formed with a fastener of VELCRO(Trade Mark) 63 for forming storage compartment 52. Any fastening means, such as buttons, snaps, or the like, may be substituted. Additionally, this embodiment of a full five finger glove may be constructed without loop 53 so that a pocket is formed only from panel 54 as in the earlier embodiments and the back surface of cuff 51. Cuff 51 may be turned into its open position as shown in FIG. 14 by turning panel 54 up and over all the finger coverings. This forms an opening 60 allowing the passage of an uncovered user's hand 18 therethrough. Panel 54 is now positioned on the side of cuff 51 opposite from where it was situated in the closed position. As lower portion 56 of loop 53 is fixed to the surface of cuff 51, it remains in place. The overall effect is to form a normal looking cuff at the end of a sleeve as shown in FIG. 14. Similar to the previously described embodiment, finger coverings 57, 58, 59, 61 and 62 are stored between panel 54 and the outer surface of cuff 51. Cuff construction 51 may be returned to the closed position by reversing the above described process. Namely, pulling panel 54 over hand 18 closing opening 60. Reference is now made to FIGS. 16 and 17, wherein another embodiment of a cuff construction including a full glove 68 is shown. Glove 68 includes a panel shown in the closed position in FIG. 16 with finger coverings 70, 71, 72, 73 and 74. In this state, a pocket 75 formed between lower portion 56' and the palm surface of cuff 51' below a wearer's hand. The operation for switching from open to closed positions and the storage of fingers coverings 70 - 74 during the open position use is the same as the previously described embodiments. Accordingly, by providing a cuff construction in accordance with the invention, a hand covering with a panel which switches from a first open position to a second closed position is provided. The panel may be a single ply or formed from a loop of material which may be provided with a closure for forming a pocket when in the open position. Use of a loop allows formation of a pocket in both the open or closed position. When the hand covering is not in use, it is merely stored within the cuff itself. It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto,

Claims: A cuff construction for an article of clothing having an opening (17) for a hand; the cuff including a panel (16), secured to the distal end of the cuff, the panel having a first edge extending for at least a portion of the perimeter of the distal end of the cuff and secured to the cuff along said first edge; the panel (16) being also secured to the cuff at the two edges adjacent to said first edge to form a pocket (19) facing away from said opening (17), the panel (16) being adapted to be folded about a fold line from an open position to a closed position, the open position allowing a hand of a wearer to pass through the opening (17), and in the closed position the panel (16) being folded over the opening (17) to form a covering for the wearer's hand, and a covering (21) for a digit of a hand integrally attached to said cuff adjacent said opening; said covering (21) communicating with the interior of the cuff and being stored in the pocket (19) when the panel (16) is in the open position. A cuff construction for an article of clothing having an opening (60) for a hand; the cuff including a panel (54), secured to the distal end of the cuff, the panel having a first edge extending for at least a portion of the perimeter of the distal end of the cuff and secured to the cuff along said first edge; the panel (54) being also secured to the cuff at the two edges adjacent to said first edge, the panel (54) being adapted to be folded about a fold line from an open position to a closed position, the open position allowing a hand of a wearer to pass through the opening (60), and in the closed position the panel (54) being folded over the opening (60) to form a covering for the wearer's hand, the panel (54) forming a first pocket (104) defined by said edges in the closed position, and a second pocket (103) defined by said edges in the open position, a covering (57,58,59,61) for a digit of a hand being integrally attached to said cuff adjacent said opening; said covering (57,58,59,61) communicating with the interior of the cuff and being stored in said second pocket (103) when the panel (54) is in the open position. A cuff construction according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the covering (21,32) has an open distal end (39) and a digit panel (38) having a first digit edge extending for at least a portion of the perimeter of said distal end and secured to the distal end along said first digit edge, the digit panel (38) being also secured to the covering at the two edges adjacent to said first digit edge, the panel (38) being adapted to be folded from an open position to a closed position, the open position allowing a digit of the wearer to pass through the open end (39), and the closed position providing a covering for the wearer's digit. A cuff construction according to claim 2, wherein the cuff comprises four of said coverings (57-61), one covering for each finger. A cuff construction according to claim 4, wherein the distal end of the cuff further includes a second panel (56) extending from the remaining portion of the perimeter of the cuff and secured to the cuff along the two edges adjacent to said distal end to form a storage compartment (52) between the second panel (56) and the cuff, and having a storage opening opposite said fold line. A cuff construction according to claim 5, further including fastening means (63) for closing the storage compartment (52). A cuff construction according to any of claims 1-6, wherein the cuff is formed at the end of a sleeve of an article. A cuff construction according to any preceding claim, wherein the cuff is integrally formed with an article.

Inventors: MALEH DE BUENOS, ANNE, MALEH DE BUENOS, JANE, SYLVERST, LEROY M.
Applicants: MALEH DE BUENOS, ANNE, MALEH DE BUENOS, JANE, SYLVERST, LEROY M.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A41D27
IPC codes: A41D19, A41D27