Patent Publication Number: US-9901205-B2

Title: Garment stretching apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This continuation in part application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/076,637, filed on Mar. 21, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/319,120, filed on Jun. 30, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,290,875). All of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to implementations of a garment stretching apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are a number of existing garment stretching apparatus that are designed to stretch various articles of clothing. Generally, these existing garment stretching apparatus focus on a specific article of clothing, such as shirts or blouses, or focus on a specific aspect of a clothing article such as a shirt collar or a waist band of a skirt. Typically, these existing garment stretching apparatus comprise several sections that are mechanically adjusted to achieve a pre-set stretching amount. Furthermore, these existing garment stretching apparatus typically are overly complicated and not user friendly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-8  illustrate a first implementation of an example garment stretching apparatus according the present disclosure. 
         FIGS. 9-11  illustrate a second implementation of an example garment stretching apparatus according the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Implementations of a garment stretching apparatus are provided. In some implementations, the garment stretching apparatus comprises a top attachment device, a bottom attachment device, an adjustable strap, a first hanger, and a second hanger. The adjustable strap adjust the height of the garment stretching apparatus to fit any door and also adjust the garment stretching apparatus to a desired stretching. 
       FIGS. 1-8  illustrate a first implementation of an example garment stretching apparatus  100  according the present disclosure. In some implementations, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the garment stretching apparatus  100  comprises a strap  101 , a top bracket  102 , a bottom bracket  103 , and a pair of clamps,  104 ,  105 . In some implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the strap  101  may comprise a plurality of apertures  111  extending through the strap. In some implementations, the apertures may be include grommets. In some implementations, the apertures  111  extend down the strap (e.g., along the horizontal center of the strap). In some implementations, the openings  111  spaced evenly along the strap. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the top bracket  102  is U shaped or generally U-shaped and configured to fit on the top of and around the edges of an elongated horizontal surface, such as a the top of a door. In some implementations, the top bracket  102  is connected on a first end  106  of the strap  101 . 
     Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the bottom bracket  103  is U shaped or generally U-shaped and configured to fit under and around the edges of an elongated horizontal surface, such as the bottom of a door. In some implementations, the bottom bracket  103  is connected on a second end  107  of the strap  101 . 
     In some implementations, the top bracket  102  comprises a first side  108 , a second side  109 , and a third side  110  extending from the first side  108  to the second side  109  thereby forming a u-shaped gap. 
     Similarly, in some implementations, the bottom bracket  103  comprises a first side  108 , a second side  109 , and a third side  110  extending from the first side  108  to the second side  109  thereby forming a u-shaped gap. 
     In some implementations, the third side  110  of the top bracket  102  is configured to rest on top of a horizontal surface and the first side and second side are configured to extend downwardly on both sides, respectively, of the horizontal surface. Similarly, the third side  110  of the bottom bracket  103  is configured to rest against a horizontal surface and the first side and second side are configured to extend upwardly on both sides, respectively, of the horizontal surface. 
     In some implementations, the strap  101  may be made of nylon materials. 
     In some implementations, the brackets  102 ,  103  may be made from plastic, metal, or any other suitable material. 
     In some implementations, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , each clamp  104 ,  105  comprises a hook  116  and a pair of flats  112 ,  113  configured to hold a portion of a garment. In some implementations, an inner side  117  of each flat  112 ,  113  may be lined with a strip of material  118  for added grip. The strip of material  118  may be fastened to the inner side  117  of each flat  112 ,  113  by adhesive or other similar materials. 
     In some implementations, each clamp  104 ,  105  may further comprise a clamp mechanism  114 . In some implementations, when the clamp mechanism  114  is folded downward, the flats  112 ,  113  may open to enable the user in place a portion of a garment between the flats,  112 ,  113 . 
     In some implementations, each clamp  104 ,  105  may further comprise an elastic device  115 . 
     To stretch a garment using the garment stretching apparatus  100  according to present disclosure, place the top bracket  103  on top of a door where the third side of the top bracket rest on top of the door and a portion of the door is positioned in the u-shape gap of the top bracket. 
     Place the bottom bracket under a bottom of a door where the third side of the bottom bracket  103  rest against the bottom of the door and a portion of the door is positioned in the u-shape gap of the second bracket. In this way, the strap  101  extends vertically from the top bracket to the bottom bracket. 
     Secure a first portion of a garment between the pair of flats of the top clamp  104  and attached the hook to the garment stretching apparatus  100  at a first position such that the hook of the top clamp  104  is above the pair of flats of the top clamp  104 . In some implementations, the hook of the top clamp  104  is attached to the garment stretching apparatus by inserting the hook  116  of the top clamp  104  into an aperture  111  of the strap  101 . 
     Secure a second portion of the garment between the pair of flats of the bottom clamp  105  and attach the hook to the garment stretching apparatus  100  at a second position lower than the first position on the garment stretching apparatus  100 . In some implementations, the hook of the bottom clamp  105  is attached to the garment stretching apparatus by inserting the hook  116  of the bottom clamp  105  into an aperture  111  of the strap  101 . The user may select a lower aperture to insert the hook of the bottom clamp  105  based on the amount of stretching desired. The bottom clamp is positioned such that the hook of the bottom clamp  105  is below the second pair of flats (i.e., the bottom clamp is upside-down) thereby allowing the garment attached to the top clamp  104  and the bottom clamp  105  extend vertically from the pair of flats of the top clamp  104  to the pair of flats of the bottom clamp  105 . 
       FIGS. 9-11  illustrate a second implementation of an example garment stretching apparatus  200  according the present disclosure.  FIG. 9  is a side view of a top attachment device of the garment stretching apparatus  200 . 
     In some implementations, the garment stretching apparatus  200  comprises a top attachment device  210 , a bottom attachment device  220 , an adjustable strap  230 , a first hanger  240 , and a second hanger  250 . 
     In some implementations, the top attachment device  210  is configured to rest on top of a door. In some implementations, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the top attachment device  210  comprises an elongated portion  210   a  having a first end and a second end, a first hook portion  210   b  extending from the first end, and a second hook portion  210   c  extending from the second end. 
     In some implementations, the first hook portion  210   b  forms a first hook on a first side of the elongated portion  210   a  and the second hook portion  210   c  forms a second hook on a second, opposite side of the elongated portion  210 . 
     In some implementation, the first hook is configured such that a portion of the first hook rest on top of a horizontal surface and the sides of the hook are configured to extend downwardly on both sides, respectively, of the horizontal surface. 
     In some implementations, first hook concaves downwardly and the second hook concaves upwardly when the elongated portion  210   a  extends vertically. 
     In some implementation the adjustable strap  230  comprises a plurality of straps and buckles (e.g., cam buckles). 
     In some implementations, the adjustable strap  230  comprises a first strap  230   a  having a first end and a second end, a second strap  230   b  having a first end and a second end, and a third strap  230   c  having a first end and a second end. 
     In some implementations, the adjustable strap  230  further comprises at least a first buckle  230   a  and a second buckle  230   b    
     In some implementations, a closed loop  230   a   1  (e.g., D-ring) may be attached to the first end of the first strap  230   a . In some implementations, the closed loop is configured to receive the second hook of the top attachment device  210 . 
     In some implementations, the first strap  230   a  comprises one or more openings (e.g., opening  230   a   2 ) through the strap. In some implementations, the one or more openings extend along a portion of the first strap  230   a . In some implementations, at least one of the openings is adjacent or near the first end of the first strap  230   a.    
     In some implementations, the second end of the first strap  230   a  may be attached to a first side of the first buckle  230   d.    
     In some implementations, the first end of the second strap  230   b  extends through the second side of the first buckle  230   d.    
     In some implementations, the first strap  230   a , the second strap  230   b , and the first buckle  230   d  are configured such that the first buckle  230   d  adjusts the second strap  230   b  (that is, the first buckle  230   d  moves along the second strap  230   b.    
     In some implementations, the second strap  230   b  extends through the first side of the second buckle  230   e.    
     In some implementations, the third strap  230   c  is attached to the second side of the second buckle  230   e . In some implementations, the third strap  230   c  comprises an opening  230   c   1  through the strap  230   c.    
     In some implementations, the second strap  230   b , the third strap  230   c , and the second buckle  2303  are configured such that the second buckle  230   e  moves along the second strap  230   b.    
     In some implementations the second end of the second strap  230   b  is attached to the bottom attachment device  220 . 
     In some implementations, the adjustable strap  230  may less than three straps or more than three straps. In some implementations, the adjustable strap  230  may comprise one buckle or more than two buckles. 
     In some implementations, the bottom attachment device  220  is similar to the bottom bracket  103 . 
     In some implementations, the first hanger  240  and a second hanger  250  are similar to the clamps  104 ,  105 . 
     In some implementations, the hangers  240 ,  250  may be wooden. In some implementations, the inner side of one or more of the flats may be lined with a strip of the loop portion of hook and loop fastener (e.g., the loop portion of VELCRO). 
     To stretch a garment using the garment stretching apparatus  200 , place the first hook of the top attachment device  210  on top of a door such that a portion of the first hook rest on top of the door and the sides of the first hook are configured to extend downwardly on both sides, respectively, of the door. 
     Attach the closed loop  230   a   1  of the first strap  230  to the second hook of the top attachment device  210 . 
     Place the second attachment device  210  under a bottom of a door where the third side of the bottom bracket  103  rest against the bottom of the door and a portion of the door is positioned in the u-shape gap of the second attachment device  210 . In this way, the adjustable strap  230  extends vertically from the first attachment device  210  to the second attachment device  220 . 
     Use the first buckle  230   d  to adjust the second strap  230   b  thereby adjusting the height of the garment stretching apparatus  200 . In some implementations, the second strap  230   b  is adjusted until the garment stretching apparatus  200  is tightly secured to the door. 
     Secure a first portion of a garment between the pair of flats of the first hanger  240  and attached the hook to the garment stretching apparatus  200  at a first position such that the hook of the first hanger  240  is above the pair of flats of the first hanger  240 . 
     In some implementations, the hook of the first hanger  240  is attached to the garment stretching apparatus  200  by placing the hook of the first hanger  240  on the second hook of the top attachment device  210 . 
     In some implementations, the hook of the first hanger  240  is attached to the garment stretching apparatus  200  by inserting the hook of the first hanger  240  into an opening of the strap  230  (e.g., an opening of the first strap  230   a ). 
     Secure a second portion of the garment between the pair of flats of the second hanger  250  and attach the hook of the second hanger  250  to the garment stretching apparatus  200  at a second position lower than the first position on the garment stretching apparatus  200 . 
     In some implementations, the hook of the second hanger  250  is attached to the garment stretching apparatus by inserting the hook of the second hanger  250  into an opening  230   c   1  of the third strap  230 . 
     The user may adjust the second buckle based on the amount of stretching desired. 
     The second hanger  250  is positioned such that the hook of the second hanger  250  is below the second pair of flats (i.e., the second hanger  250  is upside-down) thereby allowing the garment attached to the first hanger  240  and the second hanger  250  extend vertically from the pair of flats of the first hanger  240  to the pair of flats of the second hanger  250 . 
     In some implementations, the closed loop  230   a   1  may be a D-ring. In some implementations, the closed loop  230   a   1  may be any ring or loop structure of any shape or any structure having an opening therethrough. In some implementations, the closed loop  230   a   1  may be manufactured from metal (e.g., steel, aluminum, and/or titanium). In some implementations, the closed loop  230   a   1  may be manufactured from high strength plastic. In some implementations, the closed loop  230   a   1  may be manufactured from any suitable material. 
     In some implementations, the straps  230   a, b, c  may be manufactured from tubular nylon webbing. In some implementations, the straps may be manufactured from flat nylon webbing. In some implementations, the straps may be manufactured from any material suitable. 
     Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “implementation” or words of similar import means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in some implementations” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. 
     The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail. 
     While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results.