Abstract:
A system and method for securing a tie to a folded shirt. The system includes a folded shirt having buttons down the front thereof; a tie; and an elongated strap defining first and second loops wherein the folded shirt is disposed in the first loop and the tie is disposed in the second loop. The method includes the steps of providing a strap having a first side and an opposite second side extending between first and second ends; attaching the tie to the neck area of the folded shirt; positioning the tie along the folded shirt; wrapping the strap around the folded shirt; attaching the first end of the strap to the second side at a first location proximal to the second end and attaching the second end of the strap to the first side at a second location proximal to the first end to thereby define a main loop containing the folded shirt and a second loop suitable for containing a portion of the tie; and inserting the tie into the second loop.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/809,672 filed Mar. 24, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/250,158 filed Jun. 9, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Retailers are discovering that shirt and tie combinations packaged together better meet the needs of a certain class of shoppers. When displaying and selling dress shirts in combination with ties, retailers assist their clients with a fashion choice that can be time consuming. Furthermore, when suitably coordinated, a shirt and a tie combination can make a more attractive display item for sale than if displayed individually.  
         [0003]     Unfortunately, some consumers tend to remove and replace ties from their previously associated shirt, and thus create additional costs and difficulties to the retailer. Among other problems created, the individual components are not separately priced. Thus, retailers would benefit from a way to package shirt and tie combinations so that the consumer is discouraged from removing ties from these combinations. Retailers would further benefit from a device for packaging such combinations that can securely attach to these articles in a non-destructive way. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, providing a system and method for securing a tie to a folded shirt. In accordance with the present invention, retailers can securely attach a tie to a shirt, thereby providing a shirt and tie combination which discourages consumers from removing a tie from the combination. The shirt and tie combination can be placed on display for sale in retail outlets and stores.  
         [0005]     In accordance with another aspect of the invention the method includes the step of providing a strap having a first side and an opposite second side, first and second ends, and a buttonhole. The tie is attached to the neck area of the folded shirt and positioned along the buttons of the shirt. The strap is wrapped around the folded shirt and the buttonhole secured to one of the buttons. The method also includes the step of attaching the first end of the strap to the second side and the second end of the strap to the first side to thereby define a main loop containing the folded shirt and a second loop suitable for containing a portion of the tie, and then inserting the tie into the second loop.  
         [0006]     Optionally, the first and second ends are attached to the first and second sides, respectively, using glue, staples, buttons, thread or a heat seal. Also optionally, the strap is transparent, can include indicia thereon, is composed of plastic, fabric or rubber, or possesses more than one of these features.  
         [0007]     In another aspect, the present invention concerns a folded shirt and tie combination, comprising a folded shirt having buttons down the front thereof. The combination includes a tie and an elongated strap having a first end and a second end, wherein the first and second ends are attached to one another so as to define a first loop configured for the placement of the folded shirt therein and a second loop configured for the placement of a tie therethrough.  
         [0008]     These and further aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that the references to “an” or “one” embodiment of this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a depiction of a first embodiment of the present invention in an unfolded state;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a depiction of the first embodiment in a folded state;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an end view of the first embodiment in a folded state;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an end view of a variation of the first embodiment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5A  is a depiction of a second embodiment of the invention in the unfolded state;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5B  is a depiction of the second embodiment of the invention in a folded state;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a depiction of a third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a depiction of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a depiction of a fifth embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a depiction of a sixth embodiment of the present invention in an unfolded state;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is a depiction of the first embodiment in a folded state; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is an end view of the first embodiment in a folded state.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]     The main component of the present invention is the body  100 , shown in  FIG. 1  in an unfolded state and in  FIG. 2  in a folded state. The body  100  folds along scorelines  102  and  103 . The scorelines are indentations that are either created as part of the manufacture of the body or are the result of the folding of the body.  
         [0023]     The body  100  extends in horizontal direction, marked by arrow  105 , between ends  107  and  108 . The body can be composed of a variety of materials. In a preferred embodiment, plastic is used. Also, in a preferred embodiment, the body is manufactured from a transparent material in order to reveal a shirt and a tie beneath it. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the body  100  includes indicia, for example, placed on the portion  110  between the scorelines  102  and  103 . Indicia may include trade names and/or describe the merchandise with which the present invention is to be used.  
         [0024]     The body  100  also includes a set of first lock-slots  112  and a set of second lock-slots  113 . Multiple lock-slots help accommodate shirts of different dimensions. A first lock-tab  115  is placed next to the first end  107  and a second lock-tab  116  is placed next to the second end  108 . While each of the two sets of lock-slots,  112  and  113 , respectively, are shown comprising multiple slots, it is within the scope of the present invention that each set of lock-slots is replaced by a single slot.  
         [0025]     The present invention is used in conjunction with a folded shirt ( 300  in  FIG. 3 ) and a tie ( 200  in  FIG. 2 ) attached thereto. When folded along the scorelines  102  and  103 , the body  100  can be made to wrap around the shirt, as shown in  FIG. 2 . In a preferred embodiment, the tie is folded to span portions of the top and bottom surfaces of the shirt. The body  100  is placed in a position so that it intersects the tie at least once (and preferably twice—on the top and the bottom of the folded shirt).  
         [0026]     When body  100  is folded, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the second lock-tab  116  is inserted in one of the first slots  112  and the first lock-tab  115  is inserted in one of the second slots  113 .  FIG. 3  shows a side view of the body  100  wrapped around a folded shirt  300 . There it can be seen that when lock-tab  116  is inserted into lock-slot  112  a lock-joint  302  is formed. Similarly, when lock-tab  115  is inserted into lock-slot  113 , lock-joint  303  is formed. The ends  107 ,  108  remain fixed to define the channel  305  because the lock tabs  115  and  116  preferably include at least a portion that is larger than the lock slots. When these insertions are made, the channel  305  defined between the lock-joints  302  and  303  and a portions of the body  100  is suitable for the insertion of a tie therein. In a preferred embodiment the channel is so formed that it provides frictional resistance to the tie when placed therein. Thus, once a tie is placed-within the channel one must exert a force on the tie in order to pull it out.  
         [0027]     If the tie  200  is placed so that it intersects the body  100  twice, then the one end of the tie is placed in the space between the body  100  and the folded shirt  307 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  depicts an alternative arrangement of the present invention. There, a strip  400  is added to the folded body in a position corresponding to the underside of folded shirt  300 . The strip  405  is attached to the body  100  by joints  402  and  403 . These joints may be created by the above described lock-tab and lock-joint method or by any other method, such as, for example, the use of glue, tape, staples, heat-seal, etc. In  FIG. 4 , the strip  400  is placed between the body  100  and the folded shirt  300 . It may however be placed on the other side of the body  100 , so that the body  100  is between the strip  400  and the shirt  300 . The strip  400  helps form a second channel  405 , which is also suitable for the placement of a tie therein. Thus, in cases where the tie is folded in such a way as to intersect the body  100  twice, the tie can be placed within the first channel  305  and within the second channel  405 . Alternatively, channel  405  can be used to hold a second tie (not shown).  
         [0029]     A second embodiment of the invention is depicted in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Referring to  FIG. 5A , two elongated bodies  501  and  502  are shown. Each elongated body comprises a single scoreline  503  and  504  which is perpendicular to the direction the body extends in. The first elongated body  501  extends between a first end  511  and a second end  512  and the second elongated body  502  extends between a third end  513  and a fourth end  514 . There are first, second, third and fourth lock-tabs  521 ,  522 ,  523  and  524  placed adjacent to the first, second, third and fourth ends  511 ,  512 ,  513  and  514 , respectively. Each elongated body comprises two lock-slots ( 531 - 534 ). The lock-slots of each elongated body are on opposing sides of its scoreline. First and second lock-slots  531  and  532  are positioned on the second elongated body  502 . The first lock-slot  531  is proximate to third end  513 , and the second lock-slot  532  is proximate to the fourth end  514 . Third and fourth lock-slots  533  and  534  are positioned on the first elongated body  500 . The third lock-slot  533  is proximate to first end  511 , and the fourth lock-slot  534  is proximate to the second end  512 .  
         [0030]     The two elongated bodies are folded along their respective scorelines and wrapped around a folded shirt  300  as shown in  FIG. 5B . The first lock-tab  521  engages the first lock-slot  531  and the third lock-tab  523  engages the third lock-slot  533  to form a first pair of lock-joints  551  and  552 , respectively. The second lock-tab  522  engages the second lock-slot  532  and the fourth lock-tab  524  engages the fourth lock-slot  534  to form a second pair of lock-joints  553  and  554 , respectively. After the engagements are made and the lock-joints are formed, first and second channels  541  and  542  are formed between the lock-joints and the two elongated bodies. These channels are suitable for the placement of a tie or ties therein. In a preferred embodiment a single tie is placed within one of the channels, folded along one of the sides of a folded shirt and placed within the other channel.  
         [0031]     A third embodiment of the present invention is depicted in  FIG. 6  where the elongated body  600  is composed of fabric. The fabric elongated body  600  has first and second ends  601  and  603 . The elongated body  600  is wrapped around the folded shirt  300  in a similar fashion to the way the elongated body  100  of the first embodiment is wrapped. However, instead of using lock-tabs and lock-slots, the ends  601 , and  602  are attached to binding points  603  and  604 , the binding points being positioned on the elongated body. Thus, the elongated body  600  forms a main loop, or a fabric strap, around the folded shirt  300 . A channel  605  sized for the placement of a tie therein is formed between the binding points and portions of the strap.  
         [0032]     A fourth embodiment of the present invention is depicted in  FIG. 7 . In this embodiment a fabric elongated body  700  is used. The elongated body is made to form a main loop by attaching its ends  701  and  702 . The main loop is suitable for the placement of a folded shirt  300  therein. An additional wall  705 , composed, preferably of the same material as the elongated body  700 , is attached to the elongated body  700  at two attachment points  703  and  704 . A channel  706  is formed between the elongated body  700 , the wall  705  and the attachment points  703  and  704 . The channel  706  is suitable for the placement of a tie therein.  
         [0033]     Regarding the third and forth embodiments discussed above, fabric elongated bodies  600  and  700  need not be restricted solely to fabric and can be readily composed of plastic, rubber, metal, or any other material useful for surrounding a folded shirt and tie combination.  
         [0034]     In use, a tie is secured to a folded shirt without requiring that the shirt and tie combination be enclosed in a bag, box or other cover. Such enclosure is seen as detrimental to the display characteristics of the shirt and tie combination, because customers often want to feel the fabric of the shirt and/or tie before they buy the combination.  
         [0035]     The tie is attached to the neck area of a folded shirt. There are several known methods for effecting such attachment. Pins, or a plastic or paper device may be used for this purpose. The tie is then positioned along the buttons of the folded shirt. A strapping device as described herein is wrapped around the shirt. The tie is inserted into the strapping device. The wrapping and inserting steps can optionally be performed simultaneously. This can be achieved, for example, when using some of the strapping devices described above. More specifically, referring to  FIG. 2 , the tie  200  can be placed within the strapping device  100  (i.e. the elongated body), while the action of wrapping the folded shirt with the strapping device  100  is ongoing, that is, while the lock-tab  116  is being placed in a lock-slot  112  and the lock-tab  115  is about to be placed in a lock-slot  113 .  
         [0036]     A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 8  shows the back side of a folded shirt  300 . The shirt includes a row of buttons  802 . A tie  200 , is attached to the folded shirt. The tie is folded along the bottom of the folded shirt so that a portion of it is disposed along the back of the folded shirt as shown in  FIG. 8 . A strap is placed around the folded shirt. The strap comprises an elongated body  100  having first and second scorelines, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and described above. The elongated body is foldable along the scorelines.  
         [0037]     A first side portion  803  of the elongated body  100  is defined between the first scoreline  102 , and the first end  107 . A buttonhole  800  is placed through the first side portion of body  100 . The buttonhole is sized to accommodate one of the buttons of the row of buttons  802 . A second side portion  804  is defined between the second scoreline  103  and the second end  108 . A central portion  805  is defined between the first and second scorelines  102  and  103 . In  FIG. 8 , the central portion  805  is hidden, as it extends across the front side of the folded shirt. The central portion has a length sufficient to accommodate one dimension of the folded shirt, i.e., the transverse dimension relative to the row of buttons  802 . Thus, in  FIG. 8 , the central portion accommodates the width of the folded shirt.  
         [0038]     The combined length of the first and second side portions is greater than that of the central portion. Therefore, when the elongated body is folded along the scorelines, the first and second side portions overlap. It is preferred but not required that the first and second side portions are of equal length. After folding the elongated body, the first end  107  is attached to the second side portion  804  at a position  807  which is displaced from the second end  108 . Similarly, the second end  108  is attached to the first side portion  803  at a position  806  which is displaced from the first end  107 . The attachments may be made in various manners, including for example, the use of glue, stapling, and hot stamping. Optionally, areas of the body in proximity to the first and second ends  107  and  108  and the first and second attachment positions  806  and  807  are roughened to facilitate the application of glue thereon. When the attachments are made, a channel is formed between the overlapping portions of the first and second side portions. The channel is suitable for the placement of a tie therein.  
         [0039]     In use, an elongated body, such as the one shown in  FIG. 8 , is provided. A tie is disposed on a folded shirt. One portion of the tie is secured proximate to the collar and a second portion depends downwardly along the row of buttons. The elongated body is wrapped around the folded shirt. The first side portion can be placed under the tie. The buttonhole  800  is preferably secured to a button  801 , which belongs to the row of buttons  802 . The second side portion  804  can be placed over the tie. The first end  107  is attached to the elongated body at a first position  807  which is displaced from the second end. The second end  108  is attached to the elongated body at second a position  806  which is displaced from the first end. Thus, the tie may be placed between the first and second side portions and secured between the first and second positions before or after the first and second ends are attached or after one of these ends has been attached. The first and second attachment positions can be spaced so as to permit a tie to be seated flat between them.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a sixth embodiment of the present invention is shown. Body  900  is shown in an unfolded state in  FIG. 9  and in a folded state in  FIG. 10 . Body  900  has a first side  910  and an opposite second side  911  and first and second ends,  107  and  108 , respectively. The body  900  is flexible and folds along scorelines  102  and  103 . The scorelines  102  and  103  are indentations that are either created as part of the manufacture of the body  900  or are the result of the folding of the body. Additional scorelines can be created on body  900  without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Likewise, body  900  can be designed without any scorelines.  
         [0041]     Body  900  extends in horizontal direction, marked by arrow  105 , between first and second ends  107  and  108 . The body can be composed of a variety of materials, e.g., plastic, rubber, fabric and metal. In a preferred embodiment, body  900  is composed of a transparent plastic such as to reveal a shirt and a tie beneath it. Furthermore, body  900  preferably includes descriptive indicia, for example, placed on the portion  910  between the scorelines  102  and  103 . Such indicia may include trade names and/or describe the merchandise with which the present invention is to be used.  
         [0042]     The present invention is used in conjunction with a folded shirt ( 300  in  FIG. 11 ) and a tie ( 200  in  FIG. 10 ). When folded at the scorelines  102  and  103 , the body  900  can be made to wrap around the shirt  300 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . In a preferred embodiment, the tie is folded to span portions of the top and bottom surfaces of the shirt. The body  900  is placed in a position so that it intersects the tie at least once (and preferably twice—on the top and the bottom surfaces of the folded shirt).  
         [0043]     When body  900  is folded, as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the first end  107  is attached to the second side  911  and the second end  108  is attached to the first side  910 . Any suitable attachment means can be used to attach the ends  107  and  108  to the respective sides  911  and  910 , i.e., glue, staples, buttons, mating slots, heat seal, etc.  FIG. 11  shows a side view of the body  900  wrapped around a folded shirt  300 . There it can be seen that when first end  107  is attached to second side  911  a binding point  903  is formed. Similarly, when second side  108  is attached to first side  910  a binding point  903  is formed. Ends  107 ,  108  remain fixed at their respective binding points to define the channel  305 . The channel  305  defined between the binding points  902  and  903  and portions of body  900  is sized to be suitable for the insertion of a tie therein. Optionally, channel  305  is formed such that it provides frictional resistance to the tie when placed therein (e.g., via waves in the body  900 ). Thus, once a tie is placed within the channel one must exert a force on the tie in order to pull it out.  
         [0044]     One method for securing a tie to a folded shirt using body  900  is described as follows. Tie  200  is attached to the neck area of folded shirt  300  and positioned along the buttons of the shirt. As illustrated in  FIG. 11 , body  900  is wrapped around shirt  300 , first end  107  is attached to second end  911 , and second end  108  is attached to first end  910 . A main loop or first cavity  307  containing folded shirt  300  and a second loop or cavity  305  suitable for containing a portion of tie  200  has thereby been defined. Lastly, tie  200  can be inserted into the second loop. As discussed above, binding points  902  and  903  are formed when the first and second ends,  107  and  108  respectively, are attached to their respective sides. Binding points  902  and  903  in correlation with body  900  define the first and second cavities  307  and  305  respectively. As is apparent to one of skill in the art, the order of the above steps can be interchanged without departing from the primary objective. For example, and in accordance with alternative arrangements, body  900  can be wrapped around shirt  300  first. Next, the first end  107  can be attached to second end  911  and second end  108  attached to first end  910 . Afterward, tie  200  can be attached to the neck area of folded shirt  300 , positioned along the buttons of the shirt, and inserted within into the second loop. Again, alternatively, the tie  200  can be positioned on the shirt  300  over the body  900  after attaching the first end  107  to the second end  911  and before completing the cavity  305 , that is, before attaching the second end  108  to the first end  910 .  
         [0045]     Expedients of the present invention described in one embodiment are not to be limited to that embodiment and can be readily combined with any of the other described embodiments. Furthermore, any feature of one embodiment, not expressly described in connection with an alterative arrangement or embodiment, can be combined with that arrangement or embodiment to derive benefit therefrom. For example, a buttonhole sized to accommodate a button of the folded shirt, which has been described in one embodiment of the invention, can be combined with any of the other embodiments for the added benefit of securing the body to the shirt via one of its buttons. Additionally, a body comprising a set of first and second lock-slots and tabs can be replaced by a body of any other embodiment, i.e., a body without lock-slots and tabs attachable by any other described attachment means.  
         [0046]     While the invention has been described with reference to several embodiments thereof, the invention is more broadly defined and limited only by the recitations in the claims appended hereto and their legal equivalents.