Patent Publication Number: US-9414705-B2

Title: Clothing management apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/029,719, filed Jul. 28, 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to garment accessories and, more particularly, an apparatus providing discrete clothing management for a user with balance deficits, lacking full hip/bending motion or the like. 
     Some individuals have balance deficits, hip precautions, lack full hip/bending motion or the like, forcing them to maintain a 90 degree or less bend at their hip joints at all times, or otherwise limit their bending motion. For such individuals, pulling up their lower garments, even from a seated position, can be impossible without assistance. 
     Besides getting the help of another individual, current apparatuses that address these limitations are hand-held or otherwise must be carried separately. Being hand-held, such apparatuses have the following disadvantages: cumbersome, making it more difficult to balance (for people already having a balance deficit); second, can be dropped, which would frustrate their very purpose of avoiding bending over unnecessarily; and third, are indiscreet, garnering usually unwanted attention or pity. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a hands-free apparatus that is discretely worn about the waist so as to facilitate the clothing management of a user with balance deficits, lacking full hip/bending motion or the like. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a clothing management apparatus includes a waistband having a first side and an opposing second side; a plurality of garment straps, each garment strap connected to the waistband and extending to a garment end; a pair of hook-and-loop halves disposed near each waistband end; and at least one fastener disposed near each garment end. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a clothing management apparatus includes a waistband having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the waistband extends from a left end to a right end; a complementary fastener along the left and right ends; a comfortable liner disposed along the second side; two strap loops formed along the first side; two under-garment straps extending from an under-waistband end to an under-garment end, wherein each under-waistband end is connected to different strap loops; two over-garment straps extending from a over-waistband end to an over-garment end, wherein each over-waistband end is connected to different strap loops; a pair of hook-and-loop halves disposed near each waistband end and each under-garment end, wherein each pair of hook-and-loop halves are dimensioned and adapted for forming an end loop of varying lengths; and a clip fastener disposed near each over-garment end. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of lifting lower garments to a waist of a user includes providing a clothing management apparatus having a waistband and two pairs of hook-and-loop halves, each pair of hook-and-loop halves interconnected to the waistband with lower garment straps, and wherein each pair of hook-and-loop halves are dimensioned and adapted for forming an end loop of varying lengths; cutting two loop portions into a lower garment; adjustably connecting each pair of hook-and-loop halves, forming end loops so as to securely engage each loop portion; and pulling on each lower garment strap to lift the lower garment by its loop portions. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a clothing management apparatus. The clothing management apparatus may include a waistband and a plurality of garment straps extending from the waistband to at least one lower garment, thereby making the at least one lower garment retrievable even while in a seated position. Each garment strap may provide adjustable, removable garment fasteners dimensioned and adapted to adjust the overall length of each garment strap. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the present invention may include a clothing management apparatus  10 . The clothing management apparatus  10  may include a waistband  12  and a plurality of garment fasteners interconnected to the waistband  12  by a plurality of lower garment straps, including under-garment straps  24  and over-garment straps  22 . 
     The waistband  12  may be made of resilient material dimensioned and adapted to wrap around a waist of a human wearer  46  for retaining the clothing management apparatus  10  and a plurality of lower garments. Lower garments may include but not be limited to under-garments  48 , such as underwear, disposable underwear, adult diapers or the like, and over-garments  52 , such as pants, skirts, shorts or the like, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The waistband  12  may include an inner lining  14  made of comfortable material, such as fleece, attached to the waistband  12  via stitching or an equivalent means. The waistband  12  may include at least one set of complementary fasteners  16 ,  18  disposed near opposing ends thereof for removably securing the waistband  12  about the human waist. The waistband  12  may form a plurality of strap loops  20  extending horizontally and sideways along the waistband  12 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Each strap loop  20  may be dimensions and adapted to slidably receive at least one end of a lower garment strap, such as under-garment straps  24  and/or over-garment straps  22 . In certain embodiments, each strap loop  20  is dimensioned to accommodate at least two garment straps so that such straps are disposed along the waist of the user  46  at only two general locations, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Each lower garment strap  24 ,  22  may extend from a waistband end to an opposing garment end. One of a plurality of complementary fasteners may be disposed near each end. The plurality of complementary fasteners may be any fastener known in the art for fastening or removably securing one object to another including, for example, standard push-button snaps, Velcro-type fasteners, adhesive substances, clips and rings, combinations thereof, and the like. It should also be that the plurality of complementary fasteners may be configured in any array and/or number, so long as the complementary fasteners function in accordance with the present invention as described herein. 
     The plurality of complementary fasteners may provide both of two halves of a mating hook-and-loop combination  26 ,  28 ;  30 ,  32 ;  34 ,  36 ; and  38 ,  40 , respectively. The hook portion  26 ,  28 ;  30 ,  32 ;  34 ,  36 ; and  38 ,  40  of the mating hook-and-loop combinations may be any known design and construction such as is commercially available under the trademark Velcro. Such combinations may be disposed near ends of a garment strap so as to form end loops for securely yet removably engaging the strap loop  20  of the waistband  12  or a loop portion  50  of a predetermined lower garment, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Such loop portions  50  may be manually cut into the predetermined lower garment with sufficient width to accommodate the formed end loop. Such combinations may enable end loop formations that are adjustable in their length and so enable the adjustability of the overall length of the resulting lower garment strap. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the end loops formed along a garment end may be adapted to removably secure a pant clip  42 , possibly interconnected by an aperture ring  44 . Each pant clip  42  may be adapted to removably secure to a lower garment of the user  46 . 
     A method of using the present invention may include the following. The clothing management apparatus  10  disclosed above may be provided. The clothing management apparatus  10  may be worn discreetly under clothing allowing individuals independence in clothing management in a seated, squatting or standing position. For example, the under-garment straps  24  on each side of the waistband  12  may extend to attach each garment end to the under-garments  48 . In certain embodiments, the associated hook-and-loop combination  38 ,  40  may be formed into a garment-end end loop of a predetermined length, thereby adjusting the overall length of said under-garment strap  24  for suitably securing the formed end loop through its associated loop portion  50 . With such an engagement, the user  46  may pull on each under-garment strap  24  to raise the under-garments  48  while in a seated position, thereby making the unreachable within arm&#39;s reach, decreasing risk for loss of balance and/or breaking hip precautions, and therefore improving safety and increasing independence. 
     Similarly, the over-garment straps  22  may be attached to the pants  52  of the user  46 , along the waistband thereof by the at least one pant clip  42 , thereby enabling the lifting of said pants  52  in a seated or standing position, whereby the user  46  maintains at least a 90 degree or less bend at their hip joints. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.