Patent Publication Number: US-2011047676-A1

Title: Add A Patch

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 61/275,548 filed Aug. 31, 2009, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a removable decorative patch capable of covering openings, tears or rips in articles of clothing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to removable decorative patches for articles of clothing. These patches attach to the inside surfaces with low profile fasteners and appear integral with the surrounding material. The fasteners utilize adhesives to attach to the inside surfaces of garments. The adhesives may be activated with water, activator, hot iron, or simply pressed onto a surface and may include a protective strip material that would be peeled off prior to activation. It is preferable that the fastening means utilized in the present invention is very thin and low profile, since one of the attractive features and improvements of the present invention, is the ability to blend in with the surrounding fabric and appear as if patching is a native element of the overall garment. 
     Garments with random openings in them, in particular, with holes having frayed edges have been around for a long time. Until recently holes in garments was a sign of wear or excessive use. Recently, such holes were deliberately introduced as a fashion statement and appealed to young people and as a casual diversion to mainstream garments. The present invention aims at enhancing the present state of this segment of the garment market by splicing the rugged, seditious appearance with bright colors or textures. Alternatively, it may be used as a frugality implement or an aid to the environmentally conscious, as it may prolong the life of a worn out garment that would be discarded otherwise. However, if a wearer is not in the mood of bright colors, or if a wearer wishes to update styles or express solidarity with a specific color, the present invention may be easily removed, or replaced. The present invention may be applied to any part or section of human attire. However, it may be particularly appealing with t-shirts and jeans. 
     Although, patches and garment accessories are known in the art, they suffer from drawbacks that the present invention overcomes. For example, prior art devices required hefty and obtrusive attachment means, with very noticeable seams that created a raised surface all around the patch, and all but dissipated the illusion of the patch being integral with the garment. In addition, prior art was very shape specific, meaning it required that the opening in the garment be of specific dimensions that would correspond to the shape of the prior art device. Finally, the frayed edging of an opening may not be very suitable to stable and robust support for a patch that prior art inventions require. The present invention however, does not require very secure attachment to stay in place, even in locations where the link between the invention and material will be subject to intense frictional forces. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,757 discloses an article of a fabric material having an outside surface, an inside surface, and an orifice, and an affixing means on the inside surface bordering the orifice and hidden from view when one views the orifice and the outside surface. Provided in conjunction therewith is an underlying section having an imprint, pocket or pouch on one side thereof, and an affixing means on a border region of said one side, outwards of the imprint, pocket or pouch. The underlying section can be affixed to the affixing means to be visible in the orifice when one views the orifice and the outside surface. The underlying section can further have an imprint, pocket or pouch on a second side thereof, and affixing means also on a border region of this second side, outwards of the imprint, pocket or pouch on the second side. This allows either side of the underlying section to be displayable in the orifice. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,747 discloses A free-standing, removable transfer pocket system enables transfer pockets to be attached and detached at will to and from garments such as clothing and other surfaces, using a hook and loop fastener. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0068944 discloses A method of personalizing a beverage bottle comprises providing a bottle assembly with a side wall having an exterior surface. An array of selectable sleeve wraps are provided, each configured to fit on the side wall of the bottle assembly. Each sleeve wrap has at least one characteristic that is visibly different from the other sleeve wraps of the array. One of the sleeve wraps is selected from the array and attached on the side wall of the bottle assembly. 
     Various implements are known in the art, but fail to address all the problems solved by the invention described herein. One embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be described in more detail herein below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a removable patch for clothing having a section of material with an inner surface and an outer surface, and with fastening means disposed on the outer surface of the section of material that makes up the patch. The fastening means is capable of fixating the section of material to an inside surface of an article of clothing. So affixed, the fastening means would cover an opening in the article of clothing and show there through. Additionally, the present invention may be supplied as a kit having a patch with fastening means. In yet another embodiment the present invention may be supplied with an article of clothing, where the clothing has openings that may be optionally closed with the present invention by attaching the latter to the inside surface of such a garment. The garment would already have one side of the preferred fastening means, which may be a hook and loop fastener, preferably with the loop section being attached to the clothing. 
     Therefore, the present invention succeeds in conferring the following, and other not mentioned, desirable and useful benefits and objectives. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a patch that removable attaches to an article of clothing. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for enhancing the stylish appeal of garments. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device that covers holes in a garment in a quick and secure fashion. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device that can cover holes in a garment out of modesty or to increase the thermal value of the garment. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a patching kit for an article of clothing. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a patching accessory for an article of clothing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is front view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the present invention, shown as a kit that is mounted to the reverse side of a garment. 
         FIG. 3  shows the present invention be used with various types of garments. 
         FIG. 4  shows a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, showing the inside surface of the garment. 
         FIG. 5  shows a plan view of a further, alternative embodiment of the invention, showing the inside surface of the garment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the present invention showing a removable patch  1 , a section of material  10  having an inner surface  20  and an outer surface  30 . The inside surface  20  of the section of material  10  is that surface that will confront the wearer&#39;s skin or undergarment when a garment  60  having the removable patch attached, is worn. The removable patch  1  may also have a fastening means  40 , preferably attached to the outer surface  30  of the section of material  10 , and having an exposed side of the fastening means  45 . The removable patch  1  may also have an optional decorative design  80  that is preferably on the outer surface  30  or the section of material  10 . The fastening means  40  may also have an optional seam  90  as part of its attachment to the section of material  10 . The section of material  10  may have an outer edge  100 , corners  105 , a width  110 , and a length  120 . The section of material  10  may be of any reasonable length  120  or width  110  and need not be a square piece of material  10 , but may be elliptical, triangular, or any other shape required by a particular use. However, the preferred shape of the removable patch  1  is a square, as shown, with fastening means  40  disposed on corners  105 , near the outer edge  100 . The outer edge  100  may preferably have a jagged edge to prevent fraying and tearing due to use. The section of material  10  may be made of cotton, rayon, acetate, nylon, modacrylic, olefin, acrylic, polyester, or even carbon fiber, or any other suitable materials that were not specifically mentioned herein may be used as well. 
     The outer surface  30  of the section of material  10  preferably contains the fastening means  40 . However, the fastening means  40  may be disposed on both the inner and the outer surfaces  30  and  20  of the section of material  10  , either as a single instance of the fastening means  40 , or as multiple sections of an instance of the fastening means  40 , or as a separate fastening means  40 . The fastening means  40  may adhere to the section of material  10  without a need for any stitching, but if a seam  90  is utilized it may most likely be visible on the inner surface, as well as on the outer surface. However, in any event the seam may preferably be thin and not easily noticeable. 
     The fastening means  40  may, for instance, be pasted or glued, onto the section of material  10  with an adhesive or may be sewn on with a thread. Any adhesive may be used including those that do not exhibit an adhering quality until exposed to heat, for example, heat from a hot iron. Other types of adhesives may be active on contact, and, when stored, displayed or sold, may then be preferably shielded from adhering to objects by strips of material, such as wax paper. The preferred embodiment of the fastening means is one using hook and loop fasteners, or adhesives, which may be, but are not limited to, natural adhesives, synthetic adhesives, drying adhesives with or without a solvent, contact adhesives, hot or heat activated adhesives, emulsion adhesives that are preferred in the fabrics industry, UV radiation and light curing adhesives, or pressure sensitive adhesives such as a tape, or some combination thereof. In an embodiment where an adhesive is used to enable the fastening means  40 , it is highly preferable that to use substances that are not generally known to cause allergies or that are toxic to touch, handle, or be exposed to. The fastening means  40  as shown in  FIG. 1  may be manufactured to be pre-attached to the outer surface  30 , or may still need to be attached to the outer surface  30 , or to the inside surface  50 , or to both surfaces  30  and  50 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the patch  1  may be a section of material  10  that may be detached from a larger segment of fabric. If that is the case, fraying may become an issue; especially in areas were friction against other materials or human body parts is very prevalent, such as in case of a knee or an elbow patch  1 . To prevent fraying, the present invention may utilize a jagged edge for the outer edging  100 . Alternatively, fraying may be avoided by lightly melting the outer edge  100 . This may be especially desirable for fabrics made out of an artificial polymer, where an application of sufficient amount of heat induces a melting process, which fuses together all material in the immediate vicinity of the heat application. For more durable applications, however, it may be preferable to apply hem stitching to the outer edge  100 . Although the latter alternative may be the most time consuming and expensive, it may also considerably lengthen the lifespan and durability of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded diagram the preferred embodiment the present invention. Also identified in  FIG. 2  are a section of material  10  having an inner surface  20 , an outer surface  30 , a fastening means  40 , an outer edge  100 , corners  105  and a first fastening means  140 . Also shown in  FIG. 2  is an article of clothing  60  having an inside surface of an article of clothing  50 , an opening  70 , a frayed edge  75  and a second fastening means  150 . To use the patch, the first fastening means  140  and the second fastening means  150  may link together and make up the reciprocal sides of the fastening means  40 . The preferred fastening means  40  may be a hook and loop connection, sometimes be referred to as a Velcro® fastener. If a preferred fastening means  40  is used, it may be further preferred that the first fastening means  140  contain the hook portion of the fastening means  40 , whereas the second fastening means  150 , being disposed on the inside surface  50  of the garment  60  or article of clothing, contain the loop section. Such a configuration may be preferable since it avoids irritation and discomfort which may be caused if a stiffer loop section is made to rub against the skin of a wearer upon the occasional removal of the patch  1 . 
     Other fastening means  40  may be snap fasteners. For a snap fastener it may not matter whether the female or the male section of the fastener is located on the outer surface  30  or the inside surface  50 . As stated above, adhesive surfaces may also be used; however, such fastening means  40  may be more disposable and temporary, since after the attaching and detaching actions may likely ruin the adhesive surface of such a fastening means  40 , which may additionally be rendered ineffective with its natural tendency to attract and retain dust particles, loose hair, fabric, lint and other loose debris. It should also be noted that although the fastening means  40  is shown as having two reciprocal parts, namely, the first fastening means  140  and the second fastening means  150 , the fastening means  40  may also be a one piece entity, such as, but not limited to a ribbon or a strip of material having an adhesive surface from both sides. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2 , four fastening means  40  are shown, with one fastening means  40  being disposed on each corner  105 . Other configurations of fastening means  40  may be possible. For example, with fastening means  40  being a solid strip of ribbon, or multiple ribbon segments, or snap fasteners that are disposed all along the outer edge  100 . The outer edge  100  may be the preferred location for the fastening means  40  since it may be the optimal location to guard against a highly undesirable inward curling and because such a location may induce the thinnest and most discreet coupling between the patch  1  and the inner surface  50  of the article of clothing  60 . Inward curling occurs when the skin or other fabric areas of the wearer rub against the patch  1 . The constant back and forth rubbing may induce the outer edge  100  to begin to wrinkle, fold or curl inward. This effect would be highly undesirable, since it would undercut the natural and intimate appearance of the patch  80  with respect to the article of clothing  60 . An integrated, one-piece appearance of the patch  1 , when installed over an opening  70 , is also a major motivator for having a very low profile fastening means  40 , that may or may not contain a seam  90  ( FIG. 1 ). 
     The segment of material  10  may preferably be made about twice to three times larger than the area of the opening  70 . A larger size of the patch  1 , coupled with the placement of the fastening means  40  close to the outer edge  100  serves to create a robust and long lasting connection with the fabric of the article of clothing  60 . 
     The opening  70  may be a hole that may be present in an article of clothing  60  as a result of excessive wear, unintentional tear or a deliberate opening that may be considered a stylistic element. Holes or openings  70 , particularly those created due to excessive wear or for stylistic considerations, tend to have frayed edges. For this reason, heavy, predefined or clearly delineated patching lines may be undesirable, unsupportable or impractical. The main reason for this is that the frayed edge consists of a loose thread fringes and poorly supported and therefore unstable adjacent fabric  72  (shaded), with the opening  70  being the main source of instability. The adjacent fabric  72  may disintegrate under pressure from the edge  75 . The present invention overcomes this problem, by placing the fastening means  40 , well away from the unstable area  72  achieving a robust durable connection with an article of clothing  60 , achieving a longer life of the present invention. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2  the present invention is preferably placed on the inside surface  50  of the article of clothing  60 , so that the provisional nature of the patch  1  is masked in favor of a native appearance of the patch  1  with respect to the surrounding material. It is preferable that the presence of the fastening means  40  is not at all discernible. For example, it is preferable that any means used to attach the fastening means  40  to the inside surface  50  or the patch  1 , should remain invisible on the outer appearance of the opening  70  or the patch  1 . Therefore, even if the fastening means  40  is attached with stitching, it should preferably be done with a fine thread, or a thread matching the color of the article of clothing  60  or of the outer surface  30 . Another example is to use thin and low profile fastening means  40 , such as an adhesive strip or a hook and loop fastener. Another example of making the presence of the fastening means  40  indiscernible is to place the fastening means  40  substantially close to the outer edge. These examples and other features of the present may likely raise the outer edge  75  by less than ⅛ of an inch, which is insignificant and therefore not discernible. It is also for this reason that the inside surface  50  of the article of clothing  60  is the preferable location for attaching the present invention. 
     Another alternative method of attaching of the patch  1 , to the inside surface  50  of the article  60 , is to have a thin, low profile groove surrounding the opening  70  on two to three sides, preferably in a U shaped configuration, with the furrow of the groove oriented inwardly, in the direction of the opening  70 . The patch  1  would then be introduced through the side not having a groove, and slid down through the parallel furrows of the U shaped groove, to terminate in the bottom furrow (none shown). Such a groove has a substantial appearance of a three sided frame around the patch  1 . The open side may have additional fastening means  40  to prevent the patch  1  from sliding back out of the furrow. Once inside the groove, the patch  1  may be additionally secured within the furrow with an adhesive or a hook and loop fastener, or another fastening means  40  on the inside surface of the furrow, facing and attaching to the segment of material  10 . The U shaped groove may alternatively be a pair of parallel grooves or O shaped folds surrounding the opening  70 , and that are capable of unfolding to admit a patch  1  and then folding back over the patch  1 . In such an embodiment the folds (not shown) would preferably contain a fastening means that would fixate the patch  1 . Furthermore, the patch  1  may have a fastening means  40  on its outer side  30 , which would adhere to the inside surface  50  of the article of clothing  60 , and may additionally, or exclusively contain another fastening means  40  on its inner side  20  that would adhere the a groove or a fold, or that would function as a reciprocal fastening means  40  for the fastening means located on such a groove or a fold. 
     In yet another embodiment of the fastening means  40  is to have a zip fastener surround the opening  70  on the inside surface  50  on at least 2 sides, or on three or all 4 sides. In an embodiment utilizing a zip fastener (not shown), one half of the fastener would be disposed on the inside surface  50 , while the other half would be disposed on or close to the outer edge  100  of the patch  1 . The distance of the zip fastener or any other fastening means  40  from the edge  75  of the opening  70  would be at least one inch and installed in a square, elliptical configuration, or in any other configuration that would be practical under the circumstances. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 2  the present invention may be independently marketed as a kit, having, for instance one or more removable patches  1 , that may for instance, vary in size, shape, color and decoration, or some combination thereof. The kit, which may be in a suitable package, may be a separate item, or it may be packaged as an accessory to an article of clothing  60 . For example a set of jeans or slacks ( FIG. 3 ) may have a prefabricated set of at least one opening  70 , and an optional set of accessories that would include the present invention. Whether presented as a kit or an accessory or an intimate element of the article of clothing  60 , the patch  1  may be disposed separately from or together with the fastening means  40 . The fastening means  40  may be have a single section, for example a single or double sided adhesive tape, or it may have a double section with one part being attached to the patch  1  and the other to the inside surface  50  of the article of clothing  60 . The fastening means  40  may be attached permanently or when needed, and may be a multi-use attachment or a more disposable attachment. 
       FIG. 3  shows the general appearance of the present invention in the preferred usage. Shown are a removable patch  1 , an article of clothing  60 , a pair of jeans  61 , a pant leg  62 , a t-shirt  63 , a sleeve  64 , an opening  70 , a frayed edge  75 , and a decorative design  80 . The decorative design  80  is showing through the opening  70 , which may have a frayed, jagged or other haphazard edge  75 . The opening  70  is shown on a pant leg  62  or the sleeve  64 . However, the present invention may be applied to any kind of opening  70 , regardless of where on an article of clothing  60  it may be located. 
       FIG. 4  shows a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, showing the inside surface of the garment. The removable patch  200  includes a section of material  10  and an adhesive coated cover  210 . The inside surface  20  of the section of material  10  may be attached to the adhering side of the adhesive coated cover  210 . The combined section of material  10  and the adhesive coated cover  210  may then be applied to the inside surface  50  of the garment  60  so that the section of material  10  covers the opening  70 . When seen from the outer surface of the garment  60 , such as, but not limited to, when the garment  60  is being worn by a person, the outer surface  30  of the section of material  10  will be visible through the opening  70 . The opening  70  may be, but is not limited to, an irregularly shaped opening such as a tear or a rip. If the outer surface  30  of the section of material  10  has an optional decorative design  80 , the section of material  10  may be position so that the optional decorative design  80  is visible through the opening  70 . 
     The adhesive coated cover  210  may be, but is not limited to, a polymer film coated with a removable pressure sensitive adhesive such as a suitable polyethylene film coated with an acrylic adhesive as used in, for instance, surgical tape. Such a polyethylene film has good stretch and recovery properties, allowing it to conform to body contours. 
       FIG. 5  shows a plan view of a further, alternative embodiment of the invention, showing the inside surface of the garment. In this embodiment, the adhesive coated cover  210  may not cover the entire section of material  10 , but may be applied as strips that extend beyond one or more edges of the section of material  10 .  FIG. 5  shows the adhesive coated cover  210  strips located on two edges of the section of material  10 . One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the adhesive coated cover  210  strips may equally be attached to three, four or how ever many sides the section of material  10  has. 
     Because of the flexible, adhesive nature of the adhesive coated cover  210 , in these two embodiments of the invention, the adhesive coated cover  210  may be applied close to the edge  75  of the opening  70 , and may even be adjacent the edge. 
     For the purposes of, for instance, display, storage or selling, the exposed portions of the adhesive coated cover  210  may be covered with a removable, non-adhesive covering that may be removed before applying the removable patch  200  to the inside surface  50  of the garment  60 . 
     The section of material  10  may be made of the same material as the garment  60 , or it may be made of any suitable material. The color of the section of material  10  may be the same as the garment  60  or it may be of a different, possibly contrasting color. The color of the section of material  10  may for instance be a flesh colored material, either to blend in with the skin color of the wearer or, for instance, for wearing the garment  60  on a cold or otherwise inclement day or night, or the section of material  10  may be colored so as to give the impression of a tan. A section of material  10  having a skin or tanned looking color may also have an optional decorative design  80 , such as, but not limited to, a tattoo effect, the effect of a cut, a bleeding cut, a scar or a wound, or some combination thereof. The optional decorative design  80  may also be a 3D effect such as, but not limited to, a hologram of a cut, a scar, a bleeding cut, a deep wound, some organ of the body, or a cut away view of an organ of the body, or of a substitute robotic or alien organ, or some combination thereof. 
     One of the many desirable qualities of the present invention is the interchangeability of patches  1 . A wearer may remove the patch  1  at any time and replace it with a different patch or simply keep the opening  70  uncovered. As circumstances such as external temperatures change, a wearer may be able to instantly alter his or her appearance by removing the patch  1  or by replacing it with a one of a different color or texture. The preferred fastening means, namely a hook and loop fastener or a snap fastener, or any fastening means herein disclosed that enables repeated use enables such interchangeability because it does not loose a fastening capability through a continuous removal and attachment, as a wearer switches patches  1  based on personal discretion. Additionally, the preferred fastening means are easy to obtain and attach to either the segment of material  10  or the inside surface  50 , meaning, a patch  1  may be easily and inexpensively manufactured or assembled, providing a wearer of an article of clothing  60  with many different choices that can be constantly interchanged, without having to change the article of clothing  60 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, the present invention may serve as a quick patching kit for an article of clothing  60  that may have been inadvertently torn or worn out. Such a patch may prolong the lifespan of such a garment. Other uses for the present invention may be as an extra later of insulation for thin, open or torn articles of clothing  60 . Other uses or embodiments may be possible as well such as to cover a slit or a missing section or a part of an article of clothing. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.