Method to Apply Reflective Material on an Outer Garment

Abstract

Applying significant reflective material to stretchy textile materials by reducing the size of each individual reflective surface to a plurality of very small size pieces and allowing plenty of stretch room between the small reflective surfaces. The small reflective surfaces combined to display a selected design on the article of clothing. The method generally comprises (a) cutting or dividing a reflective material into many small pieces; (b) arranging the plurality of small reflective pieces on the stretchy material forming a larger pattern that makes a discernable design/word; and, (c) appropriately applying the small reflective pieces to the stretchy material.

Claims

1. A method to apply reflective material on a material, which method comprising the steps of: dividing a reflective material in to a plurality of small reflective pieces, arranging the plurality of small reflective pieces on a material forming a selected larger pattern, applying the arranged reflective pieces to the material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of small reflective pieces having a circular configuration.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the size of each of said small reflective pieces has less than a ½ inch diameter.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the size of each of said small reflective pieces is not more than a 6 inch diameter.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the size of each of said small reflective pieces is not more than a 1 inch diameter.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the diameter of each of said small reflective pieces is between 0.005″ and 6 inches.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of arranging the reflective pieces includes having a spacing between each of the plurality of small reflective pieces.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said reflective material is heat-applied vinyl.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said reflective material is a reflective tape.

10. A method to apply reflective material on fabrics comprising the steps of: separating a reflective material in to a plurality of small reflective pieces, each of said small reflective pieces having a similar shape, arranging the plurality of small reflective pieces on a fabric forming a selected larger pattern, wherein a spacing is defined between the small reflective pieces, applying the arranged reflective pieces to the fabric.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said shape is a circular configuration.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the size of each of said small reflective pieces has less than a ½ inch diameter.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the size of each of said small reflective pieces is not more than a 6 inch diameter.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the size of each of said small reflective pieces is not more than a 1 inch diameter.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the diameter of each of said small reflective pieces is between 0.005″ and 6 inches.

16. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said shape is a hexagon shape.

17. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said shape is a diamond shape.

18. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said reflective material is vinyl.

19. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said reflective material is a reflective tape.

20. A method of applying reflective material on fabrics comprising the steps of: dividing a sheet of reflective material into a plurality of small reflective pieces having a similar shape and having a diameter of between 0.005″ and 6 inches, arranging the plurality of small reflective pieces on a fabric with a spacing between the reflective pieces, applying the arranged reflective pieces to the fabric.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram illustrating the preferred embodiment, a reflective outer garment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0021] The present invention is for applying a significant reflective surface to stretchy materials. The invention uses reflective materials to achieve the goals of allowing the garment to stretch as well as be durable while maintaining the desired amount of total reflective surface. More particularly, the disclosed method relates to a method of applying a significant reflective surface to materials in a way that would be both durable and not constrict the material's desirable ultra-flexible attributes. In the broadest context, the method herein consists of components and steps configured with respect to each other so as to attain the desired objective.

[0022] All previously exposed results are possible through the method object of this application, which allows applying the reflective material on various materials. The method generally comprises the following steps: (a) cutting or dividing a reflective material into many small pieces; (b) arranging the plurality of small reflective pieces on the stretchy garment forming a larger pattern that makes a discernable design/word; and, (c) appropriately applying the reflective material to the stretchy garment.

[0023] From the outset it should be understood that while the present method is generally described for applying a reflective material to a stretchy material or garment, the present invention works equally well on less stretchy or non-stretchy materials such as, but not limited to, cotton or poly-blend materials. Further while the description primarily refers to applying the reflective material to a garment, it should be understood that the present method includes applying the reflective material to objects made of a fabric that are not outer garments. As such, application of the present invention to a fabric material includes all articles that are constructed of a fabric material.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, which describes one embodiment of the present invention, a shirt 100 made of a Lycra, spandex, polyester blend was used. Then, dividing 110 a silver reflective vinyl heat applique material (used to make the tape in method #2 described above) into a plurality of small pieces, and then arranging 120 the plurality of small pieces into a larger selected pattern that makes a discernable design/word like a pointillist mosaic. Then, heat-apply 130 the arranged small reflective pieces to the shirt in a wrap-around design.

[0025] Access to the reflective material is available in various size sheets known in the art. The smaller pieces described may be cut or divided in hexagon or diamond configurations. However, better results were obtained dividing the reflective material in small circles having a less than ½ inch diameter. Small circle configurations were found to be the least difficult to divide, arrange, and iron into place.

[0026] As should be understood, different shirt panels (front, back, sleeves) in various sizes (S-XXL) required their own die-cut mosaic of dots made and applied, then the assemblage of dots had to be assembled carefully to allow for the wrap-around designs on the stretchy garment to be contiguous. The end result are stretchy shirts that have hundreds of square inches of reflective surface (enough to meet the requirements of any work site, night time athlete, or emergency worker and much greater than most traditional reflective clothing) while still allowing the garment to stretch, compress, and otherwise perform as it is supposed to.

[0027] This method for applying a significant reflective surface to stretchy materials can be modified from the specific procedure outlined above in many ways. What is important is (a) to reduce the size of each individual reflective surface to a plurality of very small size pieces or dots preferably having a diameter of about ½ inch, but not less than a pinpoint (about 5 thousandths of an inch (0.005″)) in diameter, and not more than a 6 inch diameter, preferably not more than about a 1 inch diameter, and (b) include a slight spacing between the small pieces to allow plenty of stretch room in between the small reflective surfaces. It is important that there are enough of the small reflective surfaces to produce the composite reflective effect and they are thick, durable, and anchored well.

[0028] One could also use a screening process to apply the reflective material instead of dividing heat-applied vinyl as described and applying by iron. The small reflective surfaces (or “dots”) could be any shape: such as hexagons to make a beehive look or little smiley faces, company logos, etc. The dots could make any shape, word, or message imaginable. This method could be applied to any type of stretch material such as: lycra, cotton, spandex, nylon, polyester, latex, rubber, etc. And could be used to make almost any existing product reflective: athletic garments, panty hose, swim wear, biking clothes, socks, hats, etc.

[0029] Therefore, and in accordance with the state of the art, there is no previous method that allows the manufacturer of reflective products with similar features, advantages, end appearance, quality and efficiency, as offered by the method here described through this application, improving substantially all known in this field, so far.

[0030] Although the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. As such, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the claims.

[0031] It would be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.