Abstract:
A preknotted adjustable necktie is provided containing no rigid materials comprising a first outer tie portion having a front wide flap segment integral with a knot segment with an opening therethrough; and a second inner tie portion having an adjustable neck embracing loop extending through the opening in said knot segment.

Description:
This is a continuation of application under 37 CFR 1.53(b) of prior application Ser. No. 09/873,685 filed on Jun. 4, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,835 which is a CIP of Ser. No. 09/789,425 filed Feb. 21, 2001 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to preknotted adjustable neckties and, more particularly to a preknotted adjustable necktie formed of fabric material and containing no rigid materials. 
     Heretofore, neckties were tied each time they were worn. When a necktie is tied and untied, the area where the knot is formed often becomes wrinkled or distorted. In addition, the user seldom ties the same knot each time, leading to misshaped knots. There have been at least two solutions to these problems: the clip on necktie, and the necktie having a pre-tied knot which fits around the user&#39;s neck and is adjustable by a means of a slidable zipper. Such neckties are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,898,698, 4,656,672, 4,897,887 and 5,048,127. These patents generally disclose a knot portion with a rigid plate member and a neck loop with a zipper sewn in slidably attached to the knot portion to adjust the size of the loop to fit around a user&#39;s neck. However, these pre-tied neckties use rigid materials in the knot and zippers which tend to break, are uncomfortable to wear and tend to loosen during use. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a preknotted adjustable necktie comprising a first outer tie portion having a front wide flap segment integral with a knot segment with an opening therethrough; and a second inner tie portion having an adjustable neck embracing loop extending through the opening in said knot segment, wherein the first outer tie portion and the second inner tie portion are formed of fabric material and contain no rigid materials. 
     The present invention also provides a process for forming this preknotted adjustable necktie by: forming from a fabric material the first outer tie portion as an elongated tie shaped strip and a second inner tie portion as a neck embracing loop; folding a top section of the first outer tie portion to form a knot cover folded over an inner knot part; attaching the corners of the knot cover together to form an oval shaped lower end of the knot segment with an opening therethrough and a bow shaped top end of the knot segment; and inserting the second inner tie portion through the opening in the lower end of the knot segment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a preknotted adjustable necktie according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the preknotted adjustable necktie. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a partial rear view of the knot segment area of FIG.  2 . 
         FIG. 2   b  is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of the preknoted adjustable necktie wherein one end of the neck embracing look is attached to the back of the knot segment and the other end extends through the opening in the knot segment. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the process step wherein a pattern has been cut for forming the elongated tie shaped strip. 
         FIG. 4   a  is a front view of the process step wherein the edges of the pattern of  FIG. 3  have been secured together. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the process step wherein the stitched pattern of  FIG. 4   a  has been turned inside out to form the elongated tie shaped strip of the first outer tie portion. 
         FIG. 5  is a partial rear view of the process step wherein the top part of the first outer tie portion is folded over and secured to a lower part of the outer tie portion. 
         FIG. 5   a  is a front view of a guide fabric strip. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial front view of the process step wherein a longitudinal dimple is created in the outer tie portion. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial rear view of the process step wherein a guide fabric strip is attached to the back of the inner knot part. 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the neck embracing loop. 
         FIG. 9  is a partial rear view of the process step wherein a neck embracing loop is inserted into the formed guide loop. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings  FIGS. 1 and 2  the preknotted adjustable necktie  1  has a first outer tie portion  2  having a front wide flap segment  3  integral with a knot segment  4  with an opening  5  therethrough. The front wide flap segment  3  is integral with the knot segment  4  by being made from a single piece of fabric. A second inner tie portion  6  having an adjustable neck embracing loop  7  extends through the opening  5  in the knot segment  4 . The knot segment  4  has a triangular shaped front face with a bow shaped top end  8  and an oval shaped lower end  9  with the opening  5  therethrough. The necktie also has a guide loop  10  attached to the back of the top end of the knot segment  4  (ie. to inner knot part  13 ) for guiding the neck embracing loop  7  through the opening  5  in the knot segment. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  5 - 11  the knot segment  4  is folded from a top section  11  of the first outer tie portion  2  to form a knot cover  12  folded over an inner knot part  13  and wherein the corners  14  of the knot cover  12  are attached together to form the oval shaped lower end  9  of the knot segment  4  with an opening  5  therethrough and a bow shaped top end  13  of the knot segment  4 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  a longitudinal dimple (crease)  15  is formed by stitching the fabric together below the top section  11  of the first outer tie portion  2 . Preferably the corners  14  of the knot cover  12  are attached together over the dimple  15 . Preferably the top section  11  is a folded top part of the first outer tie portion  2  with the folded over part being attached as per stitches  16 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  the opening  5  in the knot segment  4  and the guide loop  10  are sized to snugly fit the neck embracing loop  7  therethrough in order to allow for manual adjustment of the position of the knot segment  4  on the neck embracing loop  7  whereas otherwise the knot segment is in a secure position on the neck embracing loop. Preferably the guide loop  10  is of a non slip fabric (eg. an elastic or rough material) to help maintain the knot segment in a secure position after adjustment. In one embodiment as shown in  FIG. 2  the lower ends  18  of the neck embracing loop  7  are secured together with the guide loop  10  having two paths for the neck embracing loop  7  to pass through. In a second embodiment as shown in  FIG. 2   b  one end of the neck embracing loop  7  is secured  23  (eg. stitched) to the back of the knot segment  4  (inner knot part  13 ) and the other end  18  of the neck embracing loop  7  extends through the guide loop  10  and through the opening  5  in the knot segment  4 . The necktie can also have a label loop  17  attached to the inner side of the front wide flap segment  3  which is used to secure the loose lower end  18  of the neck embracing loop  7 . The label loop  17  commonly will have a trademark of the manufacturer or designer printed thereon (herein the registered trademark AFTER SIX is depicted). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-9  a process is provided for forming the preknotted adjustable necktie  1 . 
     The first step involves forming from a fabric material the first outer tie portion  2  as an elongated tie shaped strip  19  (see  FIG. 4 ) and a second inner tie portion as a neck embracing loop  7  (see FIG.  8 ). The elongated tie shaped strip  19  is formed by cutting a pattern  20  (see  FIG. 3 ) from the fabric material then folding the pattern  20  in half with the pattern side of the fabric facing in, then securing the edges  21  together and stitching  21   a  to provide form (see  FIG. 4   a ) followed by turning the shaped strip  19  of  FIG. 4   a  inside out and pressing to provide the shaped strip  19  of FIG.  4 . 
     To provide bulk and form to the knot segment preferably the top section  11  is formed by folding over a top part of the first outer tie portion  2  and securing the folded part to a lower part of the outer tie portion by stitching  16  to form the top section  11  (see FIG.  5 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 6  to provide a desirable appearance to the knot segment preferably a longitudinal dimple (crease)  15  is created below the top section  11  of the outer tie portion  2 . This dimple is secured by stitching the fabric together. At this point the guide loop  10  can be attached to the inner knot part  13  by stitching the outside edge of a piece of guide fabric strip  22  (see  FIG. 7 ) to the back of the top section  11 . For the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  the neck embracing loop  7  is inserted into the guide loop or for the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2   b  one end of the neck embracing loop is secured  23  to the back of the knot segment  4  (inner knot part  13 ) with the other inserted into the guide loop. Then the guide loop  10  is formed by attaching inner sections of the guide fabric strip  22  to the inner knot part  13  to create the guide loop  10  having two snugly fitted paths for the neck embracing loop to pass through as in  FIG. 2  or one path as in  FIG. 2   b.    
     The knot segment  4  is completed by folding the top section  11  of the first outer tie portion  2  to form a knot cover  12  folded over an inner knot part  13  and attaching the corners  14  of the knot cover  12  together over the dimple  15  to form an oval shaped lower end  9  of the knot segment  4  with an opening  5  therethrough and a bow shaped top end  13  of the knot segment  4 . 
     It should be understood that the order of the process steps can be varied to produce the preknotted adjustable fabric necktie. For example, the guide loop  10  can be inserted after the knot cover  12  is folded over the inner knot part  13 , or the guide loop  10  can be formed and then the neck embracing loop  7  is inserted, followed by stitching the ends of the neck embracing loop together (as in  FIG. 2 ) or stitching one end to the inner knot part  13  ( FIG. 2   b ).