Abstract:
A garment accessory for attachment to a hem of a garment for prevention of entrapment of the garment beneath a foot or shoe of the wearer, comprising an adhesive-backed flexible and conforming film having a low-friction surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE AND PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    To the fullest extent permitted by law, the present U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application claims priority to and the benefit of United States Provisional patent application entitled “Garment Accessory,” filed on Nov. 6, 2007, on behalf of inventor Catherine Delaney, and having assigned Ser. No. 60/985,774, wherein said application, specifically including all disclosure, figures and photographs is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to clothing, and more specifically to a hem attachment for preventing entrapment of the hem beneath a wearer&#39;s foot or footwear. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A common problem experienced by many individuals relates to the entrapment of a garment, such as pants and skirts, either beneath a wearer&#39;s footwear or between the wearer&#39;s foot and the wearer&#39;s footwear, especially when backless shoes are worn. Such entrapment adversely affects the appearance of the wearer and of the garment itself, and further, involves the risks of soiling and/or damaging the garment. As such, the beneficial prevention of such entrapment would alleviate the undesirable affect on the wearer&#39;s appearance, and would further avoid the costs associated with cleaning, repair, or replacement of garments which have been soiled or damaged from such entrapment. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, garment stiffening devices have been proposed and implemented in an attempt to provide a solution to the problem of garments becoming trapped beneath a wearer&#39;s foot or footwear. These stiffening devices work by attachment of a rigid (at least compared to the garment fabric) member that prevents the garment from bending near the hem, whereby the hem cannot become trapped. Such stiffening devices, however, inevitably fail to provide an adequate solution, especially for highly flexible fabrics and/or garments that are intended to flow or exhibit movement, because addition of the rigid member necessarily alters the structural characteristics of the garment. In many instances, such structural characteristics may not be altered without making the garment unsuitable to the wearer&#39;s needs or preferences. 
         [0005]    Thus, it is clear that what is needed is a garment accessory that is capable of preventing entrapment of the garment beneath a wearer&#39;s foot or footwear that does not adversely affect the structural characteristics of the garment, whereby the aesthetic attributes of the garment are not altered. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and meets the recognized need for such a device by providing a removable garment accessory for attachment to an inside of a garment, proximate a hem portion thereof, for reducing a coefficient of friction of a surface in contact with a wearer&#39;s skin, hosiery, or footwear, whereby the garment may slide over same to prevent entrapment of the garment beneath the wearer&#39;s foot or footwear. 
         [0007]    According to its major aspects, and broadly stated, the present invention is a garment accessory comprising a thin sheet of flexible material having an adhesive disposed on a first side and an opposing second side having a low coefficient of friction. Specifically, the garment accessory is preferably formed of a thin sheet of polymeric material exhibiting a low coefficient of friction, or having a low-friction coating disposed over a first major surface and having a releasable adhesive coating, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed over at least a portion of an opposing second major surface. 
         [0008]    The releasable adhesive is preferably selected such that no staining, residue, or other lasting effect of attachment of the garment accessory remains after removal of the garment accessory, and is further preferably selected such that the garment accessory is securely attached to the garment during use. The sheet material from which the garment accessory is formed and/or the low-friction coating material is/are preferably selected to reduce or prevent accumulation of static electrical charge that may provide an attraction force between the garment accessory and a wearer&#39;s foot, footwear, and/or hosiery. The sheet material is preferably further selected such that it provides substantially no rigidity to the portion of the garment to which it is attached, whereby during use, a structural rigidity of the garment, or any portion thereof, is substantially unaltered by the garment accessory, whereby the appearance of the garment is likewise substantially unaltered. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, a feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to prevent entrapment of a garment portion beneath a wearer&#39;s foot or footwear via low-friction and/or low static electric attraction sliding engagement of the garment accessory with the wearer&#39;s foot, footwear, and/or hosiery. 
         [0010]    Another feature and advantage of the present invention is its ability to prevent entrapment of a garment portion beneath a wearer&#39;s foot or footwear without substantially altering an appearance of the garment during use or thereafter. 
         [0011]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reading the following Detailed Description and Claims in light of the accompanying drawing Figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Accordingly, the present invention will be understood best through consideration of, and reference to, the following Figures, viewed in conjunction with the Detailed Description of the Invention referring thereto, in which like reference numbers throughout the various Figures designate like structure and in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a garment accessory according the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the garment accessory shown attached proximate a hem of garment; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a garment with the garment accessory in use therewith. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    It is to be noted that the drawings presented are intended solely for the purpose of illustration and that they are, therefore, neither desired nor intended to limit the invention to any or all of the exact details of construction shown, except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the claimed invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    In describing preferred embodiments of the present invention illustrated in the Figures, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. The invention, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
         [0018]    In that form of the preferred embodiment of the present invention chosen for purposes of illustration,  FIGS. 1-3  show garment accessory  100  comprising flexible sheet  101  preferably formed of a continuous or woven polymeric sheet. Garment accessory  100  is preferably adapted for attachment to an interior surface of garment G proximate hem H thereof. As such, garment accessory  100  may include substantially straight bottom edge  101   a,  whereby garment accessory  100  may be disposed proximate a length of hem H of garment G. 
         [0019]    Flexible sheet  101  is preferably formed of a polymeric material of suitable durability and rigidity, such as an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWP) sheet, a polyester sheet, a polytetraflouroethylene sheet, a high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheet, or the like, having a thickness from approximately 2 mils to approximately 10 mils, whereby a structure of garment G is not substantially altered by attachment of garment accessory  100  thereto. It should be noted that while 2 mils to 10 mils is generally preferred for the thickness of garment accessory  100  according to presently available and economically viable manufacturing alternatives, garment accessory  100  could be of a thickness less than 2 mils without departing from the intended scope thereof. That is, because a targeted feature of garment accessory  100  is the “non-impact” on the natural flow of the garment to which it is adhered, in general, the more thin reasonably achievable for garment accessory  100  while retaining the functionality, the better. It is further noted, however, that for some fabrics, a first particular thickness may be preferred, while for some other fabrics, another second particular thickness may be preferred; for example, a denim garment may benefit from a more thick version of garment accessory  100  than a silk garment. Garment accessory  100  may preferably be formed having dimensions sufficient to cover a substantial portion of an interior surface of garment G likely to come into contact with a wearer&#39;s foot, hosiery, and/or footwear, such as the lower approximately two inches of the back half of garment G. Thus, for pants, garment accessory  100  may be formed with dimensions of approximately 9″ by 2″. Of course, the peripheral dimension of garment accessory  100  is essentially without limitation, wherein a minimal size to accomplish the purpose is preferred, but a larger size to cover a greater area for a given type of garment may also be desirable. As such, lengths greater or less than 9″ may be provided, as well as widths greater or less than 2″. For skirts, dresses, or the like, a single larger garment accessory  100  may be used, or, alternatively, two or more smaller garment accessories  100  may be used. 
         [0020]    Flexible sheet  101  preferably has first major surface  101   b  having a low coefficient of friction, wherein friction forces between garment accessory  100  and a wearer&#39;s skin, hosiery, and/or footwear is reduced, whereby garment accessory  100  preferably slides easily thereover. Flexible sheet  101  preferably further has second major surface  101   c  opposing first major surface  101   b  having attachment means  105  disposed over at least a portion thereof, such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, or other releasable adhesive. 
         [0021]    First major surface  101   b  may have a low coefficient of friction by virtue of the material selected for flexible sheet  101 , or, alternatively, may include a coating  107  of a material having a low coefficient of friction, including spray on coatings, multiple ply arrangements, and the like. Additionally, second major surface  101   c  may include a paper cover, or other covering  103 , to protect an adhesive coating  107  disposed thereon. Alternatively, flexible sheet  101  may be packaged in a folded arrangement, whereby an adhesive on second major surface  101   b  may be used to retain garment accessory  100  in the folded arrangement, and whereby the adhesive may be protected by flexible sheet  101 . Additionally, flexible sheet  101  may be formed of a material that resists accumulation of static electrical charge, or may have an anti-static coating applied at least to a portion of first major surface  101   b.  Such anti-static characteristic of flexible sheet  101  preferably prevents or resists static cling between garment G and/or garment accessory  100  and a wearer&#39;s skin, hosiery, and/or footwear. 
         [0022]    In use, garment accessory  100  may be attached to an inside surface of garment G via the adhesive on second major surface  101   c  thereof. If a backing  103  is supplied, or if packaged in a folded arrangement, the adhesive is preferably exposed prior to attachment. The adhesive preferably attaches to the garment without marring, discoloring, staining, dissolving, or otherwise altering or affecting garment G. Garment accessory  100  is preferably attached to garment G with straight edge  101   a  disposed generally parallel to a bottom of hem H with flexible sheet  101  covering at least a portion of a back portion of the inside surface of garment G proximate hem H thereof. As shown in  FIG. 2 , if garment G has a crease, seam, or other structure, garment accessory  100  preferably conforms thereto, whereby an external appearance created by such crease, seam, or other structure is not affected. 
         [0023]    When garment accessory  100  is so attached to an inside surface of garment G, a wearer&#39;s skin, hosiery, and/or footwear preferably engages garment G at a location over which garment accessory  100  is disposed, whereby the low coefficient of friction of first major surface  101   b  allows easy sliding engagement between garment G and the wearer&#39;s skin, hosiery, and/or footwear. Such easy sliding engagement preferably prevents garment G, or any portion thereof, from sticking to the wearer&#39;s skin, hosiery, and/or footwear, and prevents garment G, or any portion thereof, from becoming trapped beneath the wearer&#39;s foot or footwear thereby. 
         [0024]    By way of further example, it is noteworthy that a comparative assessment of the two legs of a single pair of pants worn by an individual person, wherein one first leg of the pants had garment accessory  100  attached therewithin, and the other second leg of the pants did not have garment accessory  100  attached therewithin, resulted in an aesthetically appealing, loose hanging first leg of the pants and a visually disconcerting, trapped and generally mangled appearance for the second leg of the pants. 
         [0025]    Moreover, a method of use on a pair of pants of an illustrative embodiment of garment accessory  100 , such as was utilized in the aforementioned comparative assessment, may be described as follows: (1) a pair of generally rectangular flexible sheets  101  is obtained, wherein first major surface  101   b  is generally exposed, and wherein second major surface  101   c  is protected by covering  103 ; (2) each flexible sheet  101  is preferably positioned on a flat surface with covering  103  exposed, wherein a peeling back of covering  103  ensues; (3) the target garment, in this example, a pair of pants, is laid out flat on a surface, such as, for exemplary purposes only, an ironing board or countertop, such that either the pants are inside-out, or the bottom region of each leg is turned up a suitable distance; (4) after second major surface  101   c  is exposed by removal of covering  103 , each flexible sheet  101  is turned over so that second major surface  101   c  may be pressed against the exposed area of the interior rear portion of each pants leg; (5) when flexible sheet  101  is attached to the pants leg, first major surface  101   b  remains exposed; (6) pants are turned rightside-out and worn with flexible sheet  101  essentially undetectably positioned proximate the rear hem. 
         [0026]    Having, thus, described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments as illustrated herein, but is only limited by the following claims.