Patent Publication Number: US-2007113314-A1

Title: System and method for forming untanned skin portions on the body of a person during a sun tan process

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is generally directed to clothing that is worn outdoors and, in particular, to a system and method for forming untanned skin portions on the body of a person during a sun tan process.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      When a person wears an item of clothing outdoors in the sunshine (for example, a bathing suit) light rays from the sun irradiate the portions of the skin of the person that are not covered by the clothing. If the person remains in the sun for an extended period of time the exposed portions of the skin of the person will tan. Conversely, the portions of the skin of the person that are covered by clothing will not tan. The line between the skin that is tanned and the skin that is not tanned is referred to as a suntan line.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a back view of a woman  100  who is wearing a bathing suit  110 . The bathing suit  110  has portions that form two shoulder straps  120  that cross across the back of the woman  100 . The portions of the skin of the woman  100  that are not covered by the bathing suit  110  (and shoulder straps  120 ) are designated with the reference numeral  130 .  
      If the woman  100  remains outdoors in the sunshine long enough, the exposed portions of skin  130  will tan. The amount of tan depends upon the length of the exposure time.  FIG. 2  illustrates a back view of the woman  100  after the tanning process has been complete and the bathing suit  110  has been removed. The exposed portions of skin  130  are tan. The portions of the skin that were previously covered by the bathing suit  110  have not been tanned. The untanned portions of skin are designated with the reference numeral  210 .  
      The suntan lines between the tanned skin portions  130  and the untanned skin portions  210  are designated with reference numeral  220 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the suntan lines  220  trace an outline of the edges of the bathing suit  110  on the body of the woman  110 .  
      Later when the woman  100  wears other types of clothing the suntan lines  220  may be visible.  FIG. 3  illustrates a back view of the woman  100  when she is wearing a dress  310 . On the portions of the skin of the woman  100  not covered by the dress  310 , the tanned skin portions  130  and the untanned skin portions  210  (and the suntan lines  220  between them) are visible.  
      There may be times when it is desirable that the untanned skin portions  210  not be visible. For example, in a wedding a bride may wish to wear a bridal gown with portions that would not cover the untanned skin portions  210 . The same may be true for bridesmaids in the wedding who desire to wear a dress with portions that would not cover the untanned skin portions  210 .  
      Therefore, it would be desirable to have a system and method for positioning the location of untanned skin portions  210  (and suntan lines  220 ) on the body of a person when the person is getting a suntan.  
      Before undertaking the Detailed Description of the Invention below, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: the terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term “or,” is-inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior uses, as well as future uses, of such defined words and phrases.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a view of the back of a woman who is wearing a bathing suit having portions that form two shoulder straps that cross across the back of the woman;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a view of the back of the woman in  FIG. 1  showing a pattern of suntan lines that the sun forms on the back of the woman while the woman wears the bathing suit;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a view of the back of the woman in  FIG. 2  wearing a dress and visible portions of the suntan lines on the back of the woman that are not covered by the dress;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a back view of a woman who is wearing a dress as a design garment in accordance with the principles of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a back view of the woman in  FIG. 4  while she is wearing a sun tan garment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary location of untanned skin portions and suntan lines that are created by wearing a sun tan garment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a flow chart showing the steps of an advantageous embodiment of the method of the present invention.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       FIGS. 4 through 6 , discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present invention in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present invention may be implemented in any type of suitably arranged type of clothing.  
      The present invention comprises a sun tan garment (for example, a bathing suit) that has dimensions that position the location of the untanned skin portions (and suntan lines) on the body of a person when the person is getting a suntan. The dimensions of the sun tan garment are designed to provide boundaries for the untanned skin portions in reference to another garment (for example, a wedding dress) that will be worn at a later time. For convenience in description, the garment that will be worn at a later time is referred to as the design garment.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a back view of a woman  400  who is wearing a dress  410 . The dress  410  is the design garment that the woman  400  will wear after the sun tanning process. The dress  410  has dimensions that expose a portion of the skin of the woman  400 . The exposed portions of skin are designated with reference numeral  420 . The edges of the dress  410  are designated by reference numeral  430 .  
      It is acceptable that the portions of the exposed skin  420  are tanned when the dress  410  is worn. However, it is desirable that no untanned skin portions or suntan lines be visible when the dress  410  is worn.  
      The sun tan garment of the present invention is designed having portions that position the location of the untanned skin portions (and suntan lines) on the body of the woman  400  so that the untanned skin portions (and suntan lines) are not visible when the woman  400  wears the dress  410 .  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a back view of the woman  400  while she is wearing the sun tan garment  500  of the present invention. The sun tan garment  500  is designed for use with the design garment  410  (i.e., dress  410 ) that is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the dimensions of the sun tan garment  500  are selected so that when the sun tan garment  500  is worn no untanned skin portions will be located on the exposed skin portions  420  not covered by the design garment  410 . The edges  430  of design garment  410  are shown in dotted outline in  FIG. 5 .  
      All of the untanned skin portions (and suntan lines) that are created by wearing sun tan garment  500  are located under design garment  410  and at a selected distance from the edges  430  of design garment  410 . The value of the selected distance is chosen so that the untanned skin portions are not visible when the design garment  410  is worn.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates the location of the untanned skin portions  610  (and suntan lines  620 ) that are created by wearing sun tan garment  500 . The location of the untanned skin portion  610  is shown as a shaded area and the locations of the suntan lines  620  are shown in dotted outline. As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the design garment  410  (i.e., dress  410 ) is worn, the untanned skin portions  610  (and suntan lines  620 ) are not visible.  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a flow chart  700  showing the steps of an advantageous embodiment of the method of the present invention. In the first step of the method a design garment  410  is selected (step  710 ). Then the boundaries are located for the tanned skin portions of the wearer of the design garment  410  (step  720 ).  
      Then a sun tan garment  500  is provided that has a pattern for the untanned skin portions of wearer of the design garment  410  (step  730 ). Then the wearer wears the sun tan garment  500  during a tanning process (step  740 ). After the tanning process the wearer removes the sun tan garment  500  and wears the design garment  410  (step  750 ). The design garment  410  covers the untanned skin portions and the suntan lines so they are not visible (step  760 ).  
      Although an advantageous embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to a sun tan garment  500  worn by a woman  400 , the principle of the present invention is not limited to use by women. The principles of the sun tan garment of the present invention are applicable to persons of either sex and to persons of any age.  
      The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may understand the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.  
      Although the present invention has been described with an exemplary embodiment, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art. It is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.