EMBELLISHMENTS

Abstract

An embellishment that looks integral with a clothing and is suited to be attached to a slit formed in a clothing, including a base member in a plate shape and an embellishing part in a sheet shape extending in a height direction from a surface of the base member. The base member has a dimension capable of passing through the slit. The embellishment is attached such that the base member is located inside the clothing and that the embellishing part penetrates through the slit to outside the clothing.

Claims

1. An embellishment suited to be attached to a slit formed in a clothing, comprising: a base member in a plate shape and having a surface; and an embellishing part extending in a first direction from the surface of the base member, wherein: the embellishing part has an embellishing main part extending in the first direction and a connecting part formed upright on the surface of the base member to connect the embellishing main part and the base member: the base member has a dimension capable of passing through the slit, and the embellishment is attached such that the base member is located inside the clothing and that the embellishing part penetrates through the slit to outside the clothing.

2. (canceled)

3. The embellishment according to claim 1, wherein the connecting part is in a plate shape extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

4. The embellishment according to claim 1, wherein the connecting part includes a plurality of connecting members aligned in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

5. The embellishment according to claim 1, wherein: the embellishing main part is in a sheet shape having a width dimension in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and made of fabric; and a distance between the surface of the base member and the embellishing main part is 2 mm or less.

6-8. (canceled)

9. The embellishment according to claim 5, wherein the connecting part is formed integral with the base member, and the embellishing main part is a sheet member folded in two with the connecting part interposed therebetween.

Description

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 A view showing an embellishment according to a first embodiment of the invention attached to a clothing.

[0011] FIG. 2 A view showing the clothing of FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 3 An enlarged view of the embellishment of FIG. 1.

[0013] FIG. 4 A cross-sectional view of the embellishment of FIG. 3 attached to a clothing.

[0014] FIG. 5 A cross-sectional view taken along a V-V line in FIG. 4.

[0015] FIG. 6 A perspective view showing an example of structure of the embellishment of FIG. 3.

[0016] FIG. 7 A view showing a modification of the embellishment of FIG. 3.

[0017] FIG. 8 A view showing an embellishment according to a second embodiment of the invention, wherein (a) is a perspective view, and (b) is a front view.

[0018] FIG. 9 A perspective view of an embellishment according to a third embodiment of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 10 An enlarged cross-sectional view of the embellishment of FIG. 9 attached to a clothing.

[0020] FIG. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view showing a condition where the embellishing part is pulled upward from a state shown in FIG. 10, and FIG. 11(b) is a cross-sectional view of an embellishment having a base member with a flat surface with its embellishing part being pulled upward.

[0021] FIG. 12(a) is a view showing a condition where the embellishing part is pulled upper rightward from the state shown in FIG. 10, and FIG. 12(b) is a view of an embellishment having a base member with a flat surface with its embellishing part being pulled upper rightward.

[0022] FIG. 13 A perspective view of an embellishment according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

[0023] FIG. 14 A cross-sectional view of the embellishment of FIG. 13 attached to a clothing.

[0024] FIG. 15 A perspective view of an embellishment according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

[0025] FIG. 16 A view of the embellishment of FIG. 15 attached to a clothing.

EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

[0026] With reference to attached drawings, an embellishment according to a first embodiment of the invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, an embellishment 2 according to the embodiment is configured to be detachably attached to a clothing. A T-shirt 3 will be used as an example of the clothing.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the T-shirt 3 has a sleeve 12 formed with a slit 14, and the embellishment 2 is attached to the slit 14. A peripheral edge of the slit 14 is preferably sewn like a buttonhole. Also, a patch cloth (not shown) may be sewn to an inside of the sleeve 12, and the slit 14 may be formed at a position where the patch cloth is sewn. In this case, the periphery of the slit 14 is reinforced, thereby effectively preventing the embellishment 2 from accidentally coming off the slit 14.

[0028] With reference to FIG. 3, the embellishment 2 has a height in a first direction D1, a width in a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1, and a thickness in a third direction D3 perpendicular to the first and second directions D1 and D2. Hereinafter, the first direction D1, the second direction D2, and the third direction D3 will be referred to as a height direction D1, a width direction D2, and a thickness direction D3, respectively.

[0029] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the embellishment 2 has a base member 4 in a plate shape and an embellishing part 6 in a sheet shape extending from a surface 41 of the base member 4 in the height direction D1. The base member 4 is preferably in a circular shape in a plan view, but may be in an elliptic shape or a polygonal shape more than a quadrilateral shape.

[0030] The embellishing part 6 includes an embellishing main part 8 in a sheet shape and a connecting part 10 that connects the embellishing main part 8 and the base member 4. The connecting part 10 is a plate-shaped member (sheet-shaped member) formed upright on the surface 41 of the base member 4 and extends in the height direction D1 and the width direction D2. A width dimension (SW) of the embellishing main part 8 in the width direction D2 is larger than a width dimension (RW) of the connecting part 10, and the embellishing main part 8 extends beyond the connecting part 10 in either side in the width direction D2. The embellishing main part 8 may have any outer shape, such as circular shape, oval shape, rectangular shape, and the like, and there is no limitation thereto. Also, the embellishing main part 8 is decorated with such decoration A as diagrams, marks, drawing patterns, logos of such groups as sports teams, characters, animals, plants, vehicles, or the like.

[0031] The embellishment 2 is formed of, for example, general plastic (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, vinyl chloride resin, ABS resin, for example) by integral molding. Alternatively, the base member 4 and the embellishing part 6 are formed separately and connected with each other.

[0032] Still alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the base member 4 and the connecting part 10 are formed integral with one another, and the embellishing main part 8 is attached to an upper part of the connecting part 10. In this case, the embellishing main part 8 is, for example, a sheet member folded in two with the upper part of the connecting part 10 interposed and adhered therebetween. Also, the sheet member is preferably made of soft materials, such as fabrics. Alternatively, the connecting part 10 and embellishing main part 8 are formed detachable from one another.

[0033] As described above, because the embellishment 2 does not require any metal parts, it is possible to lighten the embellishment 2, preventing a cloth of the T-shirt 3 from sagging when it is attached to the T-shirt 3.

[0034] The embellishment 2 is attached to the T-shirt 3 as shown in FIG. 1 by passing the base member 4 through the slit 14 formed in the T-shirt 3 from the outside to the inside. In a condition where the embellishment 2 is attached to the T-shirt 3 in this manner, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base member 4 is located inside the T-shirt 3, and the embellishing part 6 extends through the slit 14 to the outside of the T-shirt 3. More specifically, the base member 4 is located inside the sleeve 12, and the connecting part 10 of the embellishing part 6 is located in the slit 14, and the embellishing main part 8 is located outside the sleeve 12. Also, the width direction D2 of the embellishment 2 extends along a longitudinal direction D4 of the slit 14 (D2=D4), and the decoration A on the embellishing part 6 is exposed outside the sleeve 12 and maintained visible from surroundings. Thus, the embellishing part 6 seems as if integral with the sleeve 12.

[0035] A height dimension of the connecting part 10 in the height direction D1 (i.e., a distance between the surface 41 of the base member 4 and the embellishing main part 8) is preferably 2 mm or less so as to make the connecting part 10 difficult to be seen.

[0036] A width dimension (BD) of the base member 4 in the width direction D2 is required to be the size that allows the base member 4 to pass through the slit 14 and preferably substantially the same as a length (SL) of the slit 14. That is, the width dimension (BD) of the base member 4 is preferably equal to the length (SL) of the slit 14 or slightly larger or smaller than the length (SL) of the slit. Because the cloth of the T-shirt 3 is stretchable, it is possible to pass the base member 4 through the slit 14 even if the width dimension (BD) of the base member 4 is somewhat larger than the length (SL) of the slit 14. Also, if the width dimension (BD) of the base member 4 is smaller than the length (SL) of the slit 14, then it will be easy to pass the base member 4 through the slit 14. If it is too small, however, then the base member 4 will undesirably easily come off. Thus, setting the width dimension (BD) of the base member 4 and the length (SL) of the slit 14 to substantially the same size allows to pass the base member 4 through the slit 14 and at the same time prevents the base member 4 of the embellishment 2 attached to the T-shirt 3 from unintentionally coming off the slit 14.

[0037] Also, the width dimension (SW) of the embellishing main part 8 in the width direction D2 (i.e., the maximum dimension of the embellishing part 6) is set larger than the width dimension (BD) of the base member 4 (SW>BD). This configuration makes it difficult for the embellishment 2 to come off the slit 14 into the sleeve 12 although the embellishing main part 8 is a thin sheet.

[0038] Further, because the connecting part 10 of the embellishing part 6 extends in the width direction D2, the embellishment 2 is prevented from rotating relative to the slit 14. It should be noted that although there is no limitation to the width dimension (RW) of the connecting part 10 in the width direction D2 as long as it is possible for the connecting part 10 to pass through the slit 14, the width dimension (RW) is preferably as large as possible. Setting the width dimension (RW) of the connecting part 10 to be substantially the same as the length (SL) of the slit 14 prevents the connecting part 10 from moving in the width direction D2 (i.e., in the longitudinal direction D4 of the slit 14) within the slit 14, stabilizing attachment of the embellishment 2 to the slit 14.

[0039] In this embodiment, because the thickness dimension of the base member 4 in the thickness direction D3 (i.e., outer diameter of the base member 4) is larger than the width dimension of the slit 14 in the thickness direction D3 as described above, the embellishment 2 is prevented from falling outside the sleeve 12 with the base member 4 passing through the slit 14. Also, because the width dimension (SW) of the embellishing main part 8 is larger than the length (SL) of the slit 14, the embellishment 2 is prevented from falling into the sleeve 12 with the embellishing main part 8 passing through the slit 14.

[0040] As described above, because the embellishment 2 of this embodiment can be attached to the T-shirt 3 by passing the base member 4 through the slit 14 from the outside to the inside in the same manner as buttons, the embellishment 2 can be easily attached to or detached from the T-shirt 3. Also, because no screw is used, there is no danger that such a part as a female screw will drop and go missing. Because no pin is used, safety in handling is enhanced.

[0041] It should be noted that although the connecting part 10 is depicted, in the example shown in FIG. 3, as a plate-shaped member extending in the width direction D2, the connecting part 10 includes in a different embodiment shown in FIG. 7 a plurality of (two in the example shown in FIG. 7) connecting members 10a aligned in the width direction D2. In this case also, the embellishment 2 is prevented from rotating relative to the slit 14.

Second Embodiment

[0042] Next, an embellishment according to a second embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8. In the following embodiments, parts substantially the same as those of the above-described first embodiment will be assigned with the same reference numbers and description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] In the above-described first embodiment, the embellishing part 6 incudes the embellishing main part 8 and the connecting part 10. In this embodiment, however, the connecting part 10 is dispensed with. That is, an embellishment 2A of this embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is substantially the same as the embellishment 2 of the first embodiment, but differs in including an embellishing part 6A instead of the embellishing part 6. The embellishing part 6A includes the embellishing main part 8, and the embellishing main part 8 is formed upright on the surface 41 of the base member 4.

[0044] Because the T-shirt 3 is stretchable, the embellishment 2 with no connecting part 10 can be attached to the slit 14 if the embellishing main part 8 (the entire embellishing part 6A) is in a thin sheet shape.

Third Embodiment

[0045] Next, an embellishment according to a third embodiment of the invention will be described. An embellishment 2B according to this embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is substantially the same as the embellishment 2 of the first embodiment, but differs in including a base member 4B instead of the base member 4.

[0046] The base member 4B is substantially in a circle shape in a plan view and has a surface 41B protruding in an arc shape toward the embellishing part 6 (in the height direction D1). More specifically, the surface 41B of the base member 4B extends straight in the width direction D2 and extends in a curve downward in the thickness direction D3 from the center toward the either side (see FIG. 10).

[0047] With the base member 4B having the surface 41B in a protruding arc shape as described above, it is possible to prevent damages to the cloth of the T-shirt 3 when the embellishment 2B is pulled outward and also makes it difficult for the embellishment 2B to come off the slit 14. More specifically, when the embellishment 2B is pulled in a direction Y shown in FIG. 10, then as shown in FIG. 11(a) edges 14a of the slit 14 move along the arc of the surface 41B outward in the thickness direction D3 (in the width direction of the slit 14) to open the slit 14. As a result, no excessive force is placed on the cloth of the T-shirt 3, and damages to the cloth are prevented. On the other hand, if the surface 41B of the base member 4B is flat, then as shown in FIG. 11(b) the edges of the base member 4B catch on and pull the edges of the slit 14 of the sleeve 12 in the thickness direction D3, causing damages to the cloth.

[0048] Also, when the embellishment 2B is pulled diagonally outward in a direction B shown in FIG. 10, then as shown in FIG. 12(a) the surface 41B of the base member 4B tilts toward the pulling direction B, and the sides of the slit 14 in the thickness direction D3 move evenly along the arc of the surface 41B from the center of the embellishment 2B toward the either side to open the slit 14. As a result, in the thickness direction D3, the embellishment 2B is maintained at a center position of the slit 14, making it difficult for the base member 4B to be detached from the slit 14, and no excessive force will be placed on the cloth of the T-shirt 3. On the other hand, if the surface 41B is flat as shown in FIG. 12(b), then a leading edge of the base member 4B in the pulling direction B (an edge on the right side in FIG. 12(b)) catches on the sleeve 12, and the base member 4B tilts with this catching part as a fulcrum, and also the embellishment 2B moves to a side (a right side in the example shown in FIG. 12(b)) within the slit 14. In this condition, the other edge of the base member 4B (an edge on the left side in FIG. 12(b)) is lifted up, making it easier for the other edge of the base member 4B to come off the slit 14. That is, it becomes easier for the embellishment 2B to come off the sleeve 12. Also, the leading edge of the base member 4B catching on the sleeve 12 as described above may cause damages to the cloth of the T-shirt 3.

[0049] As described above, forming the surface 41B of the base member 4B in the protruding arc shape prevents damages to the cloth when the embellishment 2B is pulled outward and also prevents the embellishment 2B (the base member 4B) from coming off the slit 14 especially when pulled diagonally outward.

[0050] It should be noted that although the entire base member 4B is formed in the protruding arc shape in this embodiment, the rear surface of the base member 4B may be flat as long as the surface 41B is in the protruding arc shape.

[0051] Also, the surface 41B of the base member 4B is in a spherical band or a corn shape in a different embodiment. In this case also, the same effects are achieved as when the surface 41B is in the protruding arc shape.

Fourth Embodiment

[0052] Next, an embellishment according to a fourth embodiment of the invention will be described. With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, an embellishment 2C of this embodiment is substantially the same as the embellishment 2 shown in FIG. 3, but differs in including an embellishing part 6C instead of the embellishing part 6. The embellishing part 6C has an embellishing main part 8C and the connecting part 10 that connects the embellishing main part 8C and the base member 4. The embellishing main part 8C is in a sheet shape, and a thickness dimension (SD) of the embellishing main part 8C in the thickness direction D3 is equal to or greater than 3 mm and thicker than the thickness of the connecting part 10. On the other hand, a width dimension (SW) of the embellishing main part 8C in the width direction D2 is smaller than the length (SL) of the slit 14.

[0053] When the thickness dimension (SD) of the embellishing main part 8C is thicker than a predetermined thickness (more specifically, 3 mm or more) as described above, the edges 14a of the slit 14 are sandwiched between the surface 41 of the base member 4 and the lower end of the embellishing main part 8C as shown in FIG. 14(b) even if its width dimension (SW) is smaller than the length (SL) of the slit 14. Thus, even when the embellishing main part 8C nearly comes off the slit 14, the embellishing main part 8C catches on the edges 14a and is prevented from coming off the slit 14. Thus, the embellishment 2C is prevented from dropping inside the slit 14.

Fifth Embodiment

[0054] Next, an embellishment according to a fifth embodiment of the invention will be described. With reference to FIG. 15, an embellishment 2D of this embodiment is substantially the same as the embellishment 2 shown in FIG. 3, but differs in including an embellishing part 6D instead of the embellishing part 6. The embellishing part 6D includes an embellishing main part 8D and the connecting part 10, and the embellishing main part 8D is supported by the connecting part 10.

[0055] The embellishing main part 8D is a three-dimensional object in a size that cannot pass through the slit 14. It should be noted that although the embellishing main part 8D shown in FIG. 15 is in a shape of panda bear, the shape of the embellishing main part 8D is not limited to this shape but may be in such a geometric shape as a column shape, polygonal column shape, conical shape, or spherical shape or a shape imitating animals, insects, vehicles, or foods.

[0056] When the embellishment 2D described above is attached to the slit 14, then as shown in FIG. 16, it looks as if a panda bear is on the sleeve 12.

[0057] It should be noted that the height of the connecting part 10 is determined based on the shape of the embellishing main part 8D. Also, the embellishment 2D may include the base member 4B shown in FIG. 9 instead of the base member 4. That is, the surface of the base member 4 may be in a curved protrusion shape, spherical band shape, or corn shape.

[0058] While the embellishments according to the embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to the drawings, the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0059] For example, a number of tiny bumps and dips may be formed on the surface 41 (41B) of the base member 4 (4B) to increase frictional resistance of the surface 41 (41B). In this case, the embellishment 2 (2A to 2D) is prevented from coming off the slit 14.

[0060] Also, the position and the orientation of the slit 14 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 1. It can be formed at any place in any orientation. For example, it can be formed in a shoulder of a clothing.

[0061] Further, in the above embodiments, the T-shirt 3 is described as an example of the clothing. The clothing, however, is not limited to the T-shirt 3, but may be sweatshirt, business shirt, parker, polo shirt, sportswear, hat, cap, or the like. That is, in this invention, the clothing includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, business shirts, parkers, polo shirts, sportswear, coats, hats, caps, and the like.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0062] 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D embellishment [0063] 3 clothing (T-shirt) [0064] 4, 4B base member [0065] 6, 6C, 6D embellishing part [0066] 8, 8C, 8D embellishing main part [0067] 10 connecting part [0068] 12 sleeve [0069] 14 slit