Patent Publication Number: US-6708344-B2

Title: Knitted shirt collar with plastic stays

Description:
The present invention relates to improvements in appearance-enhanced collars of shirts made of knitted construction material using plastic stays, the improvements, more particularly, facilitating the inserting of the plastic stays along the edges bounding the neck opening of the collar. 
     EXAMPLE OF THE PRIOR ART 
     It is known by common experience that while it is desired to wear an open collar shirt of knitted fabric construction material at different times because it is particularly comfortable to wear, the somewhat casual appearance afforded by it inhibits its use on occasions when a somewhat tidier appearance is desired. One reason for this is the collar which by virtue of being made of knitted fabric tends to lay irregularly and does not look neat and tidy. 
     Prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,278 for “Knitwear Articles Having Collars” issued to R. R. O&#39;Connor on Nov. 22, 1996 directly addresses this problem and proposes as a solution inserting plastic stays in cooperating pockets strategically located at the edges of the collar which bound the front neck opening of the shirt. Using stay-embodying techniques, as disclosed in numerous prior patents, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,337 for “Shape Retaining Collar Devices and Articles Of Wearing Apparel Using Same” issued to Molouf, Jr. on Sep. 1, 1981, O&#39;Connor&#39;s knitted collar has pockets with end openings through which the plastic stays are inserted and, after which, have to be stitched closed since knitted fabric, unlike woven fabric, will not otherwise retain the pocketed stays during normal wear because of the nature of the knitted construction. The pocket-closing stitching adds to manufacturing and handling costs and prevents removal of the stays, which is desirable, before cleaning/washing the shirt at a temperature that distorts the shape of the plastic stays. 
     Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a knitted collar with embodied plastic stays overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. 
     More particularly, it is an object to use to advantage the use of an entry opening into the stay pockets that is closed by the stretch and recovery of the knitted construction material and thus obviates the closure stitching of the prior art, all as will be better understood as the description proceeds. 
    
    
     The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
     FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a knitted shirt with plastic stays in its collar; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale, as taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 illustrating details of one of the pocketed plastic stays; 
     FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view, also on an enlarged scale, of the other pocketed plastic stay illustrating further details; and 
     FIGS. 4-7, inclusive, are partial perspective views illustrating in numerical sequence, the method in accordance with the present invention in which the plastic stays are pocketed, wherein FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the pocketing of the distal end of the plastic stay, and FIGS. 6 and 7 the pocketing of the proximal end. 
    
    
     Even though a knitted shirt, as generally designated  10  in FIG. 1 is typically for casual wear, an excessive curling in the edges  12  and  14  bounding the neck opening  16  of the shirt collar  18  is not entirely satisfactory, and to prevent this occurrence use is advantageously made of plastic stays,  20  on the right, and  22  on the left, inserted in cooperating pockets  26  and  24 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, each plastic stay  20 ,  22  is pocketed in its pocket  24 ,  26  in a noteworthy facilitated manner, as now described in connection with plastic stay  20 . More particularly, as best understood from FIGS. 2,  3 , in the knitting construction of the knitted collar edge  12 , the top and bottom knitted plies  28  and  30  are joined along a seam  32  having a length portion  34  in continuation of the seam  32  and in parallel relation to the pocket  24 , but only up to a pocket entry site  36 , at which site, stitches of the seam are not employed in the knitting process, but used along a second length portion  35 . Thus, between the length portions  34  and  35 , the seam  32  is devoid of stitches joining the plies  28  and  30  and this results in unattached superposed edges  38  and  40  which bound an opening, generally designated  42 , opening into the pocket  24  formed in a well understood manner inboard of collar edge  12 . 
     Using the opening  42 , and as best understood from FIG. 4, an installer  44  hand gripping, as at  46 , the proximal end  48  of the stay  20  readily inserts the stay distal end  50  through the opening  42  and into the pocket  24 , steadying the collar  18  against movement with a band grip  52 . 
     Next, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the full length of the stay  20  is pushed, as noted at  54  into the pocket  24  and once the stay distal end  50  clears the end of the opening  42 , the steadying hand grip  52  is then used to stretch the knitted construction material  56  of the collar  18 , a degree of movement  58  that is not resisted by knitting but, by comparison, would not be possible with fabric that is woven. 
     The plastic stay  20  is thusly fully pocketed in its cooperating pocket  24  and the hand grip  46  of FIG. 6 removed, resulting in the return of the edge  12  to its unstretched condition, a degree of movement  60  noted in FIG. 7, which is caused by the urgency of the knitting manufacturing process. 
     To remove the stays  20 ,  22 , as might be desirable prior to cleaning the shirt  10 , the insertion method as just described is reversed, thus using to advantage the stretchability of the knitting manufacturing process for the required handling of the stays. 
     While the knitted shirt collar for practicing the within inventive method, as well as said method herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the detail of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.