Patent Publication Number: US-2006010558-A1

Title: Infant garment and removable bib

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Not applicable  
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Not applicable  
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC  
      Not applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      This invention relates generally to infants&#39; clothing and more particularly to an infant torso garment in combination with a decoratively designed separate removable bib which is releasably attachable onto an identically mating design permanently applied to the front surface of the infant garment.  
      2. Description of Related Art  
      The concept of a removable and separately launderable bib for infant garments is generally well known. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,092, Taranto teaches an infant bib which is permanently attachable to an upper torso infant garment, the bib being composed of a unique multi-layer arrangement of materials to achieve bib protection without annoying the infant.  
      In U.S. Pat. No. 5,881,382, Bernard teaches a place-on bib which is adapted for releasable attachment atop the upper body infant garment. Smith, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,269 teaches another combination garment and bib system which includes a garment having an absorbent layer backed by a fluid impermeable layer positioned in front of the neck opening and a bib also having an absorbent layer backed by a fluid impermeable layer. This bib is releasably attachable to the front of the garment to provide a primary protection mode while the garment provides a secondary protection element.  
      An apparel stain protector is taught by Chester-Salter in U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,402 for protecting the front of a user&#39;s garment from being soiled or stained by food or beverage. This protector appears to be disposable and is intended to provide a scarf cover for a necktie having releasable attachment means on one surface of each such apparel stain protector segment.  
      In U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,879, Hibler teaches a reusable protective unornamental overlay with a pressure adhesive back onto the unornamental front surface of a torso garment. This device appears to be either disposable or reusable. Koenig teaches a restraining garment with detachable bib in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,946. This arrangement provides an upper torso garment which may be utilized to safely restrain a child in a high chair while also providing a releasably attachable garment covering the front area of the garment.  
      A special garment for the disabled is taught by Brucato in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,500 which provides a front and back portion of the garment and a removable outer front portion which protectively covers the front portion of the garment during meals and beverage consumption and Odell, in U.S. Pat. No. 540,756, teaches a two-part bib arrangement wherein an under bib is attached around and is supported by the neck of an infant while a second outer bib portion is releasably attachable thereatop for removal and laundering.  
      The present invention teaches, in combination, an infant&#39;s torso garment having a first decorative design permanently attached thereto by conventional means and a bib which is decoratively configured to match all, or the main portion of, the first decorative design applied to the infant garment. This unique feature of the present invention allows the infant garment to maintain the same appearance for decoration purposes whether the bib is in place or removed for laundering or when not needed.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention is directed to, in combination, an infant garment and a removable bib. The infant garment is formed of washable fabric material and shaped to fit over a torso of an infant. A front panel of the infant garment bears a first decorative design permanently applied thereon which defines a first decorative perimeter border. The bib is also formed of washable fabric material and bears a second decorative design permanently applied thereon which defined a second perimeter border substantially identical to that of the first decorative design. The first and second decorative designs being substantially identical one to another. A releasable attachment between the bib and the first perimeter of the first decorative design preferably facilitates self-alignment whereby a decorative appearance of the infant garment is substantially similar when said bib is either attached atop the first decorative design to prevent soiling of said first decorative design or detached therefrom.  
      It is therefore an object of this invention to provide, in combination, an infant garment and a removable launderable bib which facilitates maintaining the identical decorative appearance of the infant garment whether the bib is in place or has been removed for laundering and storage.  
      In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of still another embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the invention is there shown generally at numeral  10 . This embodiment  10  includes a torso garment  12  having a body  14  formed of flexible fabric material which is preferably launderable and covers at least the upper torso of an infant. Fabric body  14  includes a front surface  16  having a decorative design  22  having the appearance of a teddy bear permanently applied thereto in any conventional fashion such as by silk screening, embroidery, heat transfer, and the like. Within a perimeter  18  of the decorative design  22  will be found two buttons  20  which are conveniently placed within the profile of the ears of the decorative design  22 .  
      A bib  24  is also provided formed of flexible fabric material which is washable as needed. The bib  24  has a decorative design  26  which substantially identically matches the decorative design  22  permanency applied to the front torso area  16  of the infant garment  12 . Additionally, the perimeter  29  of bib  24  identically matches the perimeter  18  of the decorative design  22 .  
      The bib  24  is releasably attachable by providing button holes  28  positioned in the ears of the teddy bear design  26  which are carefully spaced and aligned with the buttons  20  permanently attached to the front surface  16  of the infant garment  12 . By careful alignment of the button holes  28  with the buttons  20 , the bib  24  is made releasably attachable directly onto, and maintained in full alignment and registry with the decorative design  22  such that the overall decorative appearance of the infant garment  12  of this embodiment  10  remains unchanged whether the bib  24  is in place during feeding or has been removed for laundering purposes.  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , another embodiment of the invention is there shown at numeral  30  and also includes an infant garment  32  having a body  34  formed of flexible fabric material which is preferably launderable. Permanently applied to the front surface  36  of the infant garment  32  is another decorative design  40  in the form of a sunflower having a uniquely configured perimeter  38  permanently applied thereto.  
      In this embodiment  32 , additional decorative material  42  has been permanently applied outside of the perimeter  38  of the decorative design  40  and which complements and is decoratively compatible with the decorative design  40 . This embodiment  32  therefore provides the design opportunity for decoratively enhancing the front panel  36  of the infant garment  32  into areas of the front panel  36  which are typically not soiled or affected by baby feeding.  
      As a result, the bib  46 , bearing a decorative design  48  and a perimeter  52  which identically matches the decorative design  40  and perimeter  38  permanently applied to the front panel  36  does not need to be exaggerated in size beyond the normal configuration of a removable bib for protecting this critical area of the infant garment  32 .  
      In this embodiment  30 , releasable attachment of the bib  46  is accomplished by mating VELCRO strips  44  and  50  which are again positioned in spaced alignment fashion so as to facilitate the attachment of the bib  46  in precise alignment and registry with the permanently attached decorative design  40  of the infant garment  32 .  
      Another embodiment of the invention shown generally at numeral  60  in  FIG. 3  also provides a decorative design  70  having a circular perimeter  68  depicting a baseball which is compatible with additional decorative design portions  72  implying a batter striking the baseball  70  and sending it into flight. However, the critical soilage area is defined by perimeter  68  which identically mates with a perimeter  82  of a separate bib  76 . The decorative design  78  identically matches that of the decorative design  70  which has been permanently applied to the front panel  66  of the infant garment  62 . Likewise, the perimeter  82  of bib  76  identically matches the perimeter  68  of the decorative design  70 . Proper alignment between the decorative designs  70  and  78  when the bib  76  is in use is facilitated by the careful placement of snaps  74  and  80  which are permanently attached to the respective surfaces  66  of garment  62  and the reverse surface of the bib  76 .  
      Lastly in  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of the invention is there shown generally at numeral  90  and also includes an upper torso garment  92  which primarily covers the upper torso area of an infant only in the form of either a shirt or dress. This embodiment  92  also includes a decorative design  100  in the form of a fish having a perimeter  98  permanently applied to the front panel  96  of the infant garment  92 .  
      The removable, launderable bib  104 , also formed of flexible fabric material, includes a decorative design  106  which identically mates with and matches the decorative design  100  applied to the front panel  96 . Again, the perimeter  110  also identically matches the perimeter  98 .  
      Releasable attachment of this embodiment  104  is achieved by buttons at  102  and wherein the buttons  102  conveniently match a physical feature of the decorative design  100 . By careful placement and spacing of the button holes  108  formed through the bib  104 , careful alignment and registry of the decorative design  106  atop the decorative design  100  will be established and maintained so that, when the bib  104  is in use, the overall decorative appearance of the torso garment  92  is maintained as being identical to the infant garment  92  alone.  
      While the instant invention has been shown and described herein in what are conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is therefore not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be afforded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent apparatus and articles.