Abstract:
Wearable items having wear-susceptible areas or indicia for influencing an emotional or psychological state, after a progressive amount of wear occurs on the area or indicia, are disclosed. The wearable item comprises a substrate that includes wear-susceptible areas, wear-susceptible indicia, and/or a combination of wear-susceptible areas and indicia. One or more wear-susceptible areas incorporate markings and/or indicia such as words, pictures, symbols, which progressively “wear away.” These phrases, symbols, and pictures can relate to emotional and/or psychological obstacles and impediments, which are adversarial in nature.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/612,906, titled “Therapeutic Footwear System, Methods and Devices,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The field of the present invention relates to wearable items having wear-susceptible areas or indicia for influencing emotional and/or psychological states, after a progressive amount of wear occurs on the area or indicia. 
         [0004]    2. Background 
         [0005]    For many individuals, what they wear on any given day impacts their emotional or psychological state. These individuals would readily admit that when they wear certain items, their emotional or psychological state is positively impacted. For some that positive influence comes from wearing a favorite piece of jewelry, a comfy pair of socks, or a new pair of shoes. For others, it may be a certain hat, t-shirt or jacket that provides the influence. However, regardless of what item provides the influence, even children instinctively recognize the psychological or emotional influence of items that they wear. 
         [0006]    Although few have studied the emotional or psychological influence of wearable items, at least one study has researched the effect certain clothing colors have on wearers&#39; psychological states. In this study, red was shown to have a positive impact on performance in sport related activities. In contrast, white and other blander colors were shown to negatively influence the wearer of the item. 
         [0007]    Unfortunately, conventional wearable items are susceptible to wear and will, over time, stop providing the positive influence they once had. After all, colors will fade, new shoes will wear out, blankets will become tattered, etc. 
         [0008]    Wear can&#39;t be avoided. It comes from many sources, including wear caused by washing, various frictional sources, frequent use, etc. And when significant wear occurs, those once new and favorite wearable items will likely have a negative influence. As in the case with blander clothing colors that negatively influence a wearer, conventional wearable items having faded colors and worn areas will likely provide a negative influence. 
         [0009]    Considering the potential of negative influences caused by wear, few, if any, manufacturers of wearable items have used the inevitable wear that occurs for emotional or psychological influence. Rather, the goal of these manufacturers is to provide materials that resist wear and use manufacturing methods that seek to prevent initial wear from occurring. In so doing, many manufacturers integrate wear-resistant materials on wear-prone areas. For example, socks are often reinforced at the heel because this is an area that wears quickly. Other types of clothing manufacturers provide reinforcement on other wear-prone areas such as elbows and knees. 
         [0010]    Although these reinforced materials and methods are useful for their intended purpose, there is a clear need to use the inevitable wear that occurs on wearable items in a way that can cause emotional or psychological influence. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    The invention is directed to wearable items having wear-susceptible areas or indicia for influencing an emotional or psychological state, after a progressive amount of wear occurs on the area or indicia. 
         [0012]    The wearable item comprises a substrate that includes wear-susceptible areas, wear-susceptible indicia, and/or a combination of wear-susceptible areas and indicia. In one aspect, one or more wear-susceptible areas incorporate markings. These markings comprise words, pictures, symbols or and/or a combination of words, pictures, and symbols, which are incorporated into the wear-susceptible area. The progressive “wearing away” of the markings over time has emotional and/or psychological significance to a wearer, a person, organization or a cause. In some embodiments, these phrases, symbols, and pictures relate to emotional and/or psychological obstacles and impediments, which are adversarial in nature, which an individual, organization, or cause has to overcome or is attempting to overcome. 
         [0013]    In addition to, or in lieu of the markings, wear-susceptible indicia may be integrated with or disposed on one or more wear-susceptible areas. In contrast to markings, the indicia represent one or more appliques incorporated with or disposed on a wear-susceptible area. The indicia can also include various types of words, phrases and/or symbols that are included on the wearable item for influencing a wearer&#39;s emotional and/or psychological state. 
         [0014]    In another aspect, the invention may incorporate wear-resistant markings and/or wear-resistant indicia disposed under the wear-susceptible area or indicia. In this aspect, the progressive “wearing away” of the markings and/or indicia still relates the removal of emotional and/or psychological obstacles and impediments, which are adversarial in nature. However, after the wear-susceptible areas or indicia are worn away, positive words, symbols, pictures, and phrases are revealed to reflect transformative goals and/or desires of an individual, organization, or cause. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In the drawings: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a representation of a section of a wearable item having a wear-susceptible area that incorporates a marking; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a representation of a section of a wearable item having wear-susceptible indicia; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a representation of a section of a wearable item having a wear-resistant area that incorporates a marking partially disposed under a wear-susceptible area that incorporates a marking; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a representation of a section of a wearable item having a wear-resistant indicia disposed under wear-susceptible indicia; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a first type of wearable item, incorporating both a wear-susceptible area and wear susceptible indicia; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5B  is a bottom view of a wearable item incorporating a wear-susceptible area with either wear-susceptible markings and/or wear-susceptible indicia; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second type of wearable item incorporating both a wear-susceptible area and wear susceptible indicia. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Turning in detail to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows a representation of a section  10  of a wearable item (not shown) comprising a wear-susceptible area  12  incorporated into a substrate  14 . The wearable item includes any type of item capable of being worn on an animal. Such items include clothing or garments of any type and especially clothing or garments having one or more wear-prone areas, as further described below. Wearable items include, but are not limited to, hats, eyewear, neckwear (including ties and scarves), jewelry, shirts, belts, undergarments, pants, skirts, stockings, socks, shoes, outerwear, gloves, hosiery, and sports specific protective gear. 
         [0024]    As used herein, the term “substrate” is broadly defined as any material which has a relative position that is partially or entirely disposed under, incorporated with, or that surrounds a wear-susceptible area. The substrate  14  material is preferably made of the same material as the wear-susceptible area. However, the substrate  14  can also be manufactured from any material that is generally compatible with the wear-susceptible area. 
         [0025]    Moreover, the substrate  14  is made from any material suitable for manufacture as a wearable item. Examples of such materials include fabrics manufactured from natural and/or synthetic materials. Unconventional wearable materials such as metallics and composites, however, may also be suitable for use as a substrate  14  material. Although the substrate  14  is shown in a generally flat configuration, it may be coupled to or integrated with a wearable item having any geometry. Such geometry should, however, be such that manufacture as a wearable garment is feasible. 
         [0026]    Incorporated into the substrate  14  are one or more wear-susceptible areas  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The wear-susceptible areas  12  may be subject to wear due to any known method. Such methods include adhesive wear, abrasive wear, surface fatigue, fretting wear, and erosive wear. In addition, wear may occur from the repeated application of stress to the wear-susceptible area  12 . Examples of this latter type of wear occur when a wear-susceptible area is subject to repeated bending stress, as in the case with knee and elbow areas of various types of wearable items. In another aspect, wear may occur from placement of the wear-susceptible areas  12  under constant or alternating load. 
         [0027]    The wear-susceptible area  12  can also comprise one or more weak or pre-stressed areas  16 , having a weaker material strength than the surrounding substrate  14 . These areas  16  may be manufactured from a material similar to a surrounding substrate  14 . However, the weaker areas may also be coupled to the substrate  14  by any suitable method. For example, a wear-susceptible area  12  may be sewn into a substrate  14 . 
         [0028]    Wear susceptible areas  12  are preferably positioned on or incorporated with a wear-prone area  22  ( FIG. 5A ) on a wearable item. Such wear prone areas may be, e.g., where the wearable garment comes in repeated contact with various types or surfaces and/or where the wearable item is subject to repeated movements. In the case of a wearable item configured as hosiery, for example, the wear-susceptible area  12  may be positioned on the sole or underside of the hosiery. 
         [0029]    One or more markings  20  comprising words, pictures, symbols or and/or a combination of words, pictures, and symbols are incorporated into the wear-susceptible area  12 . The markings  20  may be incorporated into the wear-susceptible area  12  using any suitable method. For example, a marking  20  may be knitted, woven, or sewn into the wear-susceptible area  12 . 
         [0030]    The marking  20  depicts a representation of something that has significance to a wearer, an organization, or a cause such that when the marking progressively wears away, emotional and/or psychological influence occurs. The influence may be considered adversarial in the sense that that a symbolic intervention occurs when the marking is progressively worn away. Examples of markings  20  which are adversarial include diseases, addictions, sports teams, democratic parties, psychological diagnoses, health-related issues, sports mascots, personal issues, political parties, names of adversaries, causes, locations, municipalities, states, countries, business entities, and other various types of subject matter. 
         [0031]    The marking  20  is made of a material that preferably wears away at a progressive rate that is the same or faster than that of the wear-susceptible area  12 . Once the material progressively wears away, an individual such as the wearer, another individual, a group of persons, or an organization will be influenced emotionally or psychologically. This influence can have short-term or long-term benefits, depending on the words, pictures, or symbols depicted by the marking  20 . 
         [0032]    In another aspect, shown in  FIG. 2 , wear-susceptible indicia  18  may be disposed on or incorporated into the substrate  14 . In contrast to the marking, the wear-susceptible indicia  18  comprise an applique  28  that is applied to or incorporated into one or more wear-susceptible areas  12 . The term applique, as used herein, is broadly defined as any type of indicia  18  applied to a wear-susceptible area that comprises a material different than the wear-susceptible area. An applique  28  can comprise paint, elastomeric materials, metallic materials, composite materials, water-based inks, oil-based inks, plastisol inks, stains, etc. The applique  28  may be applied to the wear-susceptible area  12  using any known method, including the use of adhesives, molding, and heat-transfer methods. 
         [0033]    As in the case of the marking, the wear-susceptible indicia  18  also depict a representation of something that has significance to a wearer, an organization, or a cause such that when the indicia  18  progressively wear away, emotional and/or psychological influence occurs. The influence may also be considered adversarial in the sense that that a symbolic intervention occurs when the marking is worn away. The wear-susceptible indicia  18  are made of a material that also wears away at a rate that is the same as or faster than that of the wear-susceptible area  12 . 
         [0034]    In yet another aspect of the invention, shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the substrate  14  may incorporate a wear-resistant marking  24  or wear-resistant indicia  26  positioned partially or entirely under a wear-susceptible area  12  or wear-susceptible indicia  18 . In this aspect, once the wear-susceptible indicia  18  or marking(s) integrated into the wear-susceptible area progressively wear away, the wear-resistant marking  24  or wear-resistant indicia  26  is revealed. This results in a transformative effect that has significance to a wearer, an organization, or a cause such that when the marking or wear-susceptible indicia wears away, emotional and/or psychological influence occurs. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5A  shows one type of wearable item configured as a sock  100 . In this configuration, a marking  20  has been incorporated into a wear-susceptible area  12  on a knitted structure of sock  100 . Here, the marking  20  is shown on the upper heel portion  110 . As such, the marking is incorporated on a wear-prone area  22 . However, the marking may also be incorporated into other areas of the sock that are susceptible to wear. For example, the wear-susceptible area  12  may be incorporated in the ball, toe, or the entirety or partial area(s) of the weight bearing surface. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5B  shows a sole  200 , as positioned on the underside of hosiery, socks, or shoes. For these types of wearable items, multiple wear-susceptible areas  12 , markings  20 , or indicia  18  are shown. This type of item shows markings or indicia configured as political symbols and disease. When markings and/or indicia are applied in this manner, adversarial influences are symbolically represented as being under the wearer&#39;s feet. Thus, a progressive wearing away of the marking and/or indicia can therefore be considered removal from a person&#39;s mind over relatively short and/or long periods. In the case of footwear, for example, markings and/or indicia can wear away over the course of a 5K race, a marathon, or any other walking or running event that promotes overcoming a disease or even an emotional or psychological obstacle. At the end of the event, the markings and/or indicia will have progressively worn away to provide positive emotional and psychological influence for those participating in the event. 
         [0037]    In this embodiment, wear-susceptible areas  12 , markings  20 , or indicia  18  may also be removed from the sole when in use and when subject to alternating or substantially constant loads. For example, in the case of socks or hosiery, when in use the sole  200  is subject to both alternating and substantially constant loads due to the weight of the user. Therefore, in this embodiment, emotional and/or psychological influence may occur due to the placement of the wear-susceptible markings and/or indicia “under one&#39;s feet.” As such, users of the wearable item, may consider themselves as taking a position of authority and/or control of the object represented by the words, picture, and/or symbols placed under their feet. 
         [0038]      FIG. 6  shows an additional type of wearable item, as pants  300  having wear-susceptible areas  12  with wear-susceptible indicia  18  or markings  20 .  FIG. 6  shows wear-susceptible areas  12  having indicia  18  or markings  20  positioned on the knee  30  and inner thigh area  32 . However, the positioning of the areas, indicia, and/or markings is not to be construed as limiting. Additional areas on the pants may be particularly suitable for placement of indicia and/or markings. 
         [0039]    While embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the following claims.