Patent Publication Number: US-7895673-B2

Title: Waistband extender

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to garments and, more particularly, to an apparatus that allows for the extension of a garment&#39;s waistband. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pregnancy may be miraculous, but it can be extremely uncomfortable. Anything, no matter how minor it may seem, that reduces the discomfort of pregnancy would be a godsend to millions of women the world over. One element of discomfort associated with pregnancy is the distension of the mother&#39;s belly. Not only is the enlargement of the belly uncomfortable, in and of itself, the discomfort can be exacerbated by the constriction of an unforgiving waistband. In order to avoid such discomfort, one could buy new clothes for each waist-size extension (and suffer discomfort between standard waist-sizes), accumulating a storehouse of outfits that, if fashions don&#39;t change and the clothes are not donated to a charity organization in the meantime, might, possibly, be used during a subsequent pregnancy. Because few people have the wealth of Croesus (or Midas, for that matter), it is generally impractical to buy sets of clothes to accommodate each size transition that a mother will pass through during the course of her pregnancy. There is often a reluctance to make the transition from one size to a larger size, particularly during the early stages of a pregnancy. 
     Pregnancy isn&#39;t the only condition during which waists may expand. Many people experience some fluctuation in their weight over time. People often become more sedentary during the winter months, when they&#39;re less likely to be outside engaging in calorie-burning activities. The fall and winter also bring holidays, with their traditional big meals and calorie-laden treats. “Packing on a few pounds” during the holidays can transform otherwise comfortable garments into tight-waisted, binding, uncomfortable, constrictors. Additionally, people become bloated for a variety of reasons, rendering their waistbands constrictive and uncomfortable. Futhermore, because not everyone can afford custom-tailored clothes, garments, such as pants or skirts, that feature waistbands, may fit a person in the waist, but not in the hips, or vice versa. 
     An apparatus for providing relief from constricting waistbands is highly desirable. The need for such an apparatus during the first months of pregnancy, when a mother is just beginning to “show” is particularly acute. 
     SUMMARY 
     A waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention comprises a plurality of loops, at least a portion of at least one of the loops being substantially composed of a material having elastic properties, such as natural or synthetic rubber, for example. The waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention is compact, so that it may be easily carried, in a pocket or a purse, for example. Additionally, the waistband extender is easy to use. At least one loop, an engaging loop, is configured to engage a waistband button. A remaining portion of the waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention is configured to thread through the buttonhole with which the button mates. A second loop within the remaining portion of the waistband extender engages the button, thereby securing the waistband&#39;s button/buttonhole combination, while providing a greater separation than the button/buttonhole combination alone normally would. 
     In an illustrative embodiment, the engaging loop (that is, the loop that is designed to be placed over the button first) is of a diameter not much greater than the outside diameter of the button that it is engaging. The engaging loop thereby provides a snug mating engagement with the button in a manner much like the buttonhole with which the button normally engages would do. In an illustrative two-loop embodiment, the loop that is not the engaging loop, (sometimes referred to herein as the “threading loop” because, in operation, it is threaded through the buttonhole) is longer than the engaging loop, permitting it to be threaded through the buttonhole and return to the button with enough material to still engage with the button. However, the engaging and threading loops may be of the same diameter. Not only may elastic materials be employed in the composition of the waistband extender in order to accommodate a plurality of size extensions, a plurality of threading loops, differing distances from the engaging loop, may be employed to provide different extension lengths for the waistband extender. 
     A multi-loop waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be formed, for example, by sewing, or otherwise joining (that is, stapling, weaving, crimping, clamping, grommet button combination, hook and loop, or riveting, for example), individual loops together. Each loop may be of single-band or multi-cord construction, may be braided or woven and may exhibit a rectangular or elliptical (which may be circular) cross section. In an illustrative embodiment, the elastic material of the loops is cloth-covered. One or more sections of one or more of the loops may include an area for decoration that may include logos, for example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and further features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a multi-loop waistband extender; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a three-loop multi-loop waistband extender; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a two-loop waistband extender in use; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of a two-loop waistband extender in use; and 
         FIGS. 5A through 5C  are plan views illustrating the construction of multi-loop waistband extenders in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the landscape view of  FIG. 1  a multi-loop waistband extender  100  in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes two loops, at least a portion of one of the loops being substantially composed of a material having elastic properties. In this illustrative embodiment, both loops are composed of material that exhibits elastic properties. Many such materials are known and are widely available. For example, materials variously referred to as knitted, webbed, or braided elastics are available from a number of manufacturers and are available in various lengths and widths. Other materials, such as clear elastics, could also be employed to form all or part of the one or more loops substantially composed of elastic material in a waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The elastic materials may include natural or synthetic rubber, for example. 
     In the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 1  an engaging loop  102 , is configured to engage a waistband button. The loop  102  is the engaging loop of this illustrative embodiment (that is, the loop that is designed to be placed over the button first). The non-stretched diameter of the loop  102  is sized to provide a snug, secure fit with the waistband button with which it is designed to engage. Thus, the non-stretched diameter of the loop  102  may range from less than that of the outside diameter of the waistband button with which it is designed to engage to a diameter that is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the button. The engaging loop thereby provides a snug mating engagement with the button in a manner much like the buttonhole with which the button normally engages would do. A second loop  104  within the remaining portion of the waistband extender, which, in this illustrative embodiment, composes the remaining portion of the waistband extender, is configured to thread through the buttonhole with which the button mates and engage the button, thereby securing the waistband&#39;s button/buttonhole combination, while providing a greater separation than the button/buttonhole combination alone normally would. In this illustrative embodiment, the threading loop  104  is longer than the engaging loop  102 , permitting it to be threaded through the buttonhole and return to the button with enough material to still engage with the button. 
     A joint  106  forms the boundary between the engaging loop  102  and threading loop  104 . The joint may be formed through a variety of mechanisms, such as, stapling, weaving, crimping, clamping, grommetibutton combination, hook and loop, or riveting, for example. Each loop may be of single-band or multi-cord construction, may be braided, knitted or woven and may exhibit a rectangular or elliptical (which may be circular) cross section. In the illustrative embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the waistband extender  100  includes an area  108  for decoration. The decoration may include such things as a logo, for example, and it is contemplated within the scope of the invention that the entire waistband extender  100 , or any portion of it, may be covered by decorative or other designs that may be implemented using beads, buttons, or threading, for example. Decorative items may be permanently or detachably fixed to the decorative area  108 . In an illustrative embodiment, the decorative are could include any portion of the waistband extender. That is, any or all of the waistband extender may include decoration. 
     In  FIG. 2  a multi-loop waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes an engaging loop  102  a threading loop  104  and a second threading loop  110 . The engaging loop  102  and threading loop  104  are as previously described. The second threading loop  110  provides a user more waistband extension options. That is, for the earliest stages of a pregnancy, for example, the first threading loop  104  may be engaged with a waistband button to provide a certain degree of waistband extension. Later in the pregnancy, when the mother&#39;s belly becomes more distended, the second threading loop  110  may be engaged with the waistband button, thereby providing a greater degree of waistband extension to the prospective mother. Additional threading loops, that provide more extension options, are contemplated within the scope of the invention. 
     The front plan view of  FIG. 3  illustrates the use of a waistband extender  100  in accordance with the principles of the present invention. A garment includes a waistband  112 , a button  114 , and a buttonhole  116 . Normally, the gap  118  between the two garment pieces (that is, the one piece to which the button is attached and the other piece within which the buttonhole is formed) is closed by engagement of the button  114  with the buttonhole  116 . In this illustrative embodiment a waistband extender  100  in accordance with the principles of the present invention engages the button  114  with an engagement loop  102 . The waistband extender&#39;s threading loop  104  is threaded through the buttonhole  116  and is engaged with the button  114 . Because at least a portion of at least one of the waistband extender  100  loops is composed of material that exhibits elastic properties, the gap  118  will vary in extent, depending upon the pressure applied to it, to accommodate the waist encompassed by the waistband  112 . 
     The top plan view of  FIG. 4  illustrates the use of a waistband extender  100  in accordance with the principles of the present invention from a different angle. The waistband  112 , button  114 , buttonhole  116 , and the gap  118  between the two garment pieces are as previously described. The waistband extender  100  engages the button  114  with an engagement loop  102  and its threading loop  104  is threaded through the buttonhole  116  and is engaged with the button  114 . The distance of the gap, G,  118  ranges between a lower and upper limit, approximately as follows:
 
½UL −2B-2BH to ½FEL −2B-2BH
 
     Where: 
     UL=the un-stretched length of the waistband extender 
     FEL=the fully extended length of the waistband extender 
     B=the distance from the engaging loop&#39;s point of contact with the button opposite the gap to the button&#39;s side edge of the garment adjacent the gap 
     BH=the distance from the threading loop&#39;s point of contact with the buttonhole to the buttonhole&#39;s side edge of the garment adjacent the gap 
     The top plan views of  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C illustrate the construction of a two-loop embodiment of a waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  FIG. 5A  illustrates a single length of polyester braided elastic band  120 . The length, L, of the band  120  is chosen to yield a double-loop waistband extender that provides a relief gap  118  of a predetermined range when the finished waistband extender is employed. The width, W, of the band  120  is chosen to ease insertion and threading of the waistband extender through a buttonhole  116 . That is, the width should be great enough to provide sufficient strength and resistance to prevent the extender&#39;s “bottoming out” (that is, becoming fully stretched) too easily, but not so wide as to make the threading of the extender through a buttonhole difficult. Additionally, the width, W, (and related resistance) should also be selected so that the extender allows for some “play” (that is, some variability of length). That is, the width, W, and elastic material of the band  120  are chosen so that the resistance is not so light that the extender bottoms out and not so great that the extender provides no variability of length. 
       FIG. 5B  illustrates a lap-jointed embodiment of a two-loop waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this illustrative embodiment, the two ends  122  and  124  of the band  120  are overlapped, fixed to one another and fixed to an interior section of the band  120  to thereby form a two-loop waistband extender. As previously described the joint may be created by any of a variety of fixing means, including, for example: sewing, stapling, weaving, crimping, clamping, grommetibutton combination, hook and loop, or riveting.  FIG. 5C  illustrates a butt-jointed embodiment of a two-loop waistband extender in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this illustrative embodiment, the two ends  122  and  124  of the band  120  are butted to one another and fixed, through means such as sewing, etc., to an interior section of the band  120  to thereby form a two-loop waistband extender. 
     The foregoing description of specific embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the claims appended hereto.