Closure system

• US 7,900,273 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Marvin, William, Reagan, Greg, Davis, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Welch; Gary L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson; Amber R
• Application Number:
  US11/605,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20070068042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,560 Days
• Field of Search: 2 8/5, 2 9/3, 2 9/6, 212/8, 227/0, 291/3, 291/5, 291/7, 2 6/9, 224/4, 230/0
• US Class Current: 2/69
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 7/02 Closures for cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0081 made at least partially of hook-and-loop type material hook and loop-type straps for fastening purpose A43C11/1493
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/12 Sandals; Strap guides thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/242 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/244 characterised by the attachment between upper and sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/913 Chest encircling, e.g. shirt, vest
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/181 Adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/27 including readily dissociable fastener having numerous, protruding, unitary filaments randomly interlocking with, and simultaneously moving towards, mating structure [e.g., hook-loop type fastener]

Abstract

A closure system comprises a hook and pile material having hooks on one side and pile on the other side. With regard to footwear, the present invention is a shoe comprising this material allowing a wearer to adjust the point of attachment of closure straps on the exterior of the outer member of the shoe, thereby allowing every shoe wearer to wear the strap across the throat of the shoe at a different location. With regard to apparel, the present invention is a closure system comprising a single-ply hook and pile material in which the overlapped piece, or the exterior piece attaches to the underlapped piece, or the interior piece that provides the wearer with the ability to customize the fitting of the apparel, including the tightness of the apparel around an individual.

Claims

1. An article of clothing comprising:

a first area formed of a first material;

a second area formed of a second material and connected to said first area; and

a third area formed of said second material and connected to said first area,

wherein said second material has a first side and a second side that faces in a direction opposite from said first side, wherein said first side has pile and said second side has hooks located substantially opposite everywhere said first side has said pile,

wherein one of said first and second side of said second material that forms said second area removably fastens to the other of said second side or first side of said second material that forms said third area,

wherein said article of clothing is selected from the group consisting of a shirt, a jacket, pants, shorts and a skirt.

2. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein said article of clothing is a shirt or a jacket, wherein at least 50% of a front portion of said article of clothing is comprised of said second material.

3. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein substantially an entire outer surface of said article of clothing is comprised of said second material.

4. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein said third area is at least a portion of a circumference of a waistband, an arm cuff or a leg cuff, and wherein said second area defines a strap that extends around said portion of said circumference and removably fastens to said portion of said circumference.

5. The article of clothing of claim 4, wherein said third area is substantially the entire circumference of the waistband, the arm cuff or the leg cuff.

6. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein said article of clothing is a shirt having first and second front portions separated by an opening and having at least one strap,

wherein said first front portion is positioned on one of a left or right side of said opening and said second front portion is positioned on the other of the left or right side of said opening,

wherein said second area includes said first front portion of said shirt, and

wherein said third area includes said at least one strap that extends from said second front portion of said shirt and is removably fastened to said first front portion of said shirt.

7. The article of clothing of claim 6, wherein said third area includes at least two straps that extend from said second front portion of said shirt and are removably fastened to said first front portion of said shirt.

8. The article of clothing of claim 6, wherein said third area further includes said second front portion.

9. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein said article of clothing is a shirt or a jacket having first and second front portions separated by an opening and having first and second straps formed of said second material,

wherein said first front portion is positioned on a left side of said opening and said second front portion is positioned on the right side of said opening,

wherein said second area includes said first front portion and said first strap, and wherein said third area includes said second front portion and said second strap.

10. The article of clothing of claim 9, wherein said first strap extends from said first front portion on said left side of said opening and is removably fastened to said second front portion on said right side of said opening, and wherein said second strap extends from said second front portion on said right side of said opening and is removably fastened to said first front portion on said left side of said opening.

11. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein said second material is single-ply.

12. An article of clothing comprising:

a first area formed of a first material;

a second area formed of a second material and connected to said first area; and

a third area formed of said second material and connected to said first area,

wherein said second material has an interior surface and an exterior surface that faces in a direction opposite from said interior surface and that is coextensive with said interior surface, wherein one of hooks and pile is provided on substantially the entirety of said interior surface, and wherein the other of said pile and said hooks is provided on substantially the entirety of said exterior surface,

wherein one of said interior and exterior surface of said second material that forms said second area removably fastens to the other of said exterior or interior surface of said second material that forms said third area,

wherein said article of clothing is selected from the group consisting of a shirt, a jacket, pants, shorts and a skirt.

13. The article of clothing of claim 12, wherein said third area is at least a portion of a circumference of a waistband, an arm cuff or a leg cuff, and wherein said second area defines a strap that extends around said portion of said circumference and removably fastens to said portion of said circumference.

14. The article of clothing of claim 12, wherein said article of clothing is a shirt or a jacket having first and second front portions separated by an opening and having first and second straps formed of said second material,

wherein said first front portion is positioned on a left side of said opening and said second front portion is positioned on the right side of said opening,

wherein said second area includes said first front portion and said first strap, and wherein said third area includes said second front portion and said second strap.