GARMENT

Abstract: A child's garment with sleeves and/or legs as well as with external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on at least some of the areas which may be used in locomotion other than walking as for example romping.

Description: GARMENT This invention relates to garments and in particular to garments for children. Children who have not let learned to walk, or who still find difficulty in walking, will resort to other manners of locomotion, especially crawling. It would be desirable to provide a garment which encourages or facilitates crawling or other ways of getting across a floor surface, for example, thereby encouraging exercise and development of motor skills. The present invention provides a garment with external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on at least some of the areas which may be used in locomotion other than walking. Such regions (referred to as anti-slip regions) may be provided on underarm areas, elbow areas, buttock areas, underleg areas, knee areas, and/or shin areas, in particular. The anti-slip regions may be formed by printing a suitable anti-slip material, such as a gel, on the appropriate area. The material may be printed as a pattern, e.g. a decorative pattern, and/or as a figurative design (representing animals, fishes, birds, or insects, for example). In particular the anti-slip regions may occupy shapes representing hands, to indicate to a parent or child-minder where best to hold the child. The garment may be a single-piece or two-piece garment. It may cover the upper and/or lower body, arms and/or legs. In particular, the garment may be a romper, a one-piece suit, a singlet romper, or pants, for example. In another aspect the invention provides a garment for a child, the garment bearing external indicia (e.g. representing hands) which indicate optimum positions for placing one's hands in order to hold or steady the child. In another aspect the invention provides a garment for covering the body of a baby, the garment having pleats or gathers allowing room for a nappy (diaper). The invention will be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a front view of a romper; Figure 2 is a rear view of the romper; Figure 3 is a front view of a baby suit. Figure 4 is a rear view of the baby suit; Figure 5 is a front view of a singlet romper; Figure 6 is a front view of the singlet romper; Figure 7 is a front view of another singlet romper; Figure 8 is a rear view of the singlet romper of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a front view of a pair of pants; Figure 10 is a rear view of the pair of pants; Figure 11 is a further view of another romper; Figure 12 is a rear view of the romper of Figure 11; Figure 13 is a front view of another romper; Figure 14 is a rear view of the romper of Figure 13; Figure 15 is a front view of another romper; and Figure 16 is a rear view of the romper of Figure 15. The romper 1 shown in Figures 1- and 2 is constructed as a single-pisce- suit of knitted material (cotton, wool, synthetic yarn) for example, which buttons up the front, covers the body of a baby, toddler, or small child, and has sleeves 2. Anti-slip regions 3 of enhanced ' frictional coefficient are provided on the outside of underarm areas (or elbow areas) of the sleeves 2. Each anti-slip region 3 comprises a pattern of spots of anti-slip material (such as a known gel used for anti-slip socks) which may be applied by a printing process. The anti-slip regions 3 help the child to exert traction by means of its arms, thereby stimulating crawling and facilitating the development of motor skills. Pleats or gathers 4 in lower body or waist areas allow room for a nappy. The whole-body suit 11 shown in Figures 3 and 4 has sleeves 12 and leg portions 13. The suit 11 is similar to the romper 1 and again has anti-slip regions 3 on the underarm areas and pleats/gathers 4 in waist areas. In addition the garment has printed anti-slip regions 14 on the knee (or shin) areas of the leg portions 13. These regions 14 are shaped so as to represent hands, and they give an indication of where best to hold the child in order to steady it when it is attempting to walk. The singlet romper 16 shown in Figures 5 and 6 has no sleeves and has leg portions 17 in which the knee areas are again provided with the above-described anti-slip regions 14. The singlet romper 18 of Figures 7 and 8 has the above-described anti-slip regions 14 at knee-shin areas of the leg portions 19. The pants 21 shown in Figures 9 and 10 have the above-described anti-slip regions 14 at knee-shin areas of the leg portions 22. The pants 21 of course cover only the lower body and legs of the child. The romper 23 shown in Figures 11 and 12 has short sleeves and no legs. The above-mentioned pleats/gathers 4 are provided in waist areas to allow room for a nappy. In the buttocks area 24 anti-slip regions 26 are printed to represent fishes. The anti-slip regions 26 increase friction between the buttocks area 24 and the floor, protect against slipping (e.g. from a chair), and stimulate crawling. The romper 27 shown in Figures 13 and 14 again has pleats/gathers 4 to allow room for a nappy. Hand-shapes 28 are printed on the back of the garment as indicia to indicate where best to hold a baby when picking it up. The romper 29 shown in Figures 15 and 16 again has pleats/gather 4 to allow room for a nappy. The words "Pat Pat" are printed on the upper area of the back of the garment to indicate where best to pat a baby to encourage it to burp after feeding. It will be appreciate that selected features of the garments described above may be used in combination in any particular garment. The invention is not limited to the garment styles specifically illustrated.

Claims: Claims: I. A child's garment having sleeves and/or legs, characterised in that the garment has external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on at least some of the areas which may be used in locomotion other than walking. 2. A child's garment as claimed in claim 1, including external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on underarm areas of the sleeves. 3. A child's garment as claimed in claims 1 or 2, including external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on elbow areas of the sleeves. 4. A child's garment as claimed in any preceding claim, including external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on shin areas of the legs. 5. A child's garment as claimed in any preceding claim, including external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on knee areas of the legs. 6. A child's garment as claimed in any preceding claim, including external regions of enhanced frictional coefficient on under leg areas of the legs. 7. A child's garment as claimed in any preceding claim, including an external region of enhanced frictional coefficient on a seat area. 8. A child's garment as claimed in any precedmg claim, in which the said regions comprise friction-enhancing material printed on the said areas. 9. A child's garment as claimed in claim 8, in which the said material, in at least one area, constitutes a figurative design. 10. A child's garment as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the garment bears printed representations of hands indicating optimum positions for holding or steadying the child. II. A child's garment as claimed in any preceding claim, including pleats or gathers allowing room for a nappy. 2. A garment substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 and 4, Figures 5 and 6, Figures 7 and 8, or Figures 9 and 10, of the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: BROEKSMIT KARIN, BROEKSMIT, KARIN
Applicants: BROEKSMIT KARIN, D D S A INTERNAT LTD, BROEKSMIT, KARIN, D.D.S.A. INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A41B13
IPC codes: A41B13, A41B17, A41D11, A41D13, A41D27