GB2363698A

GB2363698A - Lounging and sleeping garments for legs

Info

Publication number: GB2363698A
Application number: GB0014368A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patricia Ann Mazzaglia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-06-14
Filing date: 2000-06-14
Publication date: 2002-01-09
Also published as: GB0014368D0

Abstract

This invention is a lounging and sleeping garment that is warm, loose fitting and covers the feet and legs of the user to the upper thigh. Infinitely adjustable means 17 for closing the upper or open end of the garment around the thigh of the user allows the garment to be lightly secured for walking short distances and to prevent warm air from escaping through the opening 15 while not being so tight as to reduce the circulation. Anti-slip means 14 are provided on the bottom 13 of the foot portion of the garment to prevent the user from slipping.

Description

X fiu 2363698 LOUNGING AND SLEEPING GARMENT

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Field of Invention

When lounging and sleeping, the feet and legs of the person quite often get cold Put another way, if the feet and legs of a person are warm, then the remainder of the body tends to be warm.

Keeping the feet and legs warm during lounging and sleeping is an age-old problem If the person wears socks or stockings that are designed to be worn during normal daily activities, which must be tight enough not to slide down the leg and crumple into the shoe, they are too tight and reduce blood circulation in the legs and feet during resting and sleeping Any reduction in the circulation to the lower extremities will make the legs and feet colder This, of course, accomplishes the opposite effect from that desired, i e making the legs and feet colder rather than warmer.

Various types of stockings and leggings have been developed, but a majority of these are only thigh high and do not go above the knee.

Ladies' stockings historically have been designed to go over the knee to the upper thigh, but these invariably fit skin tight even if they are held up by a garter belt.

Stockings are also usually made from thin knit fabric.

Stockings as described above are not suitable for lounging and sleeping since they are first, tight fitting which can reduce circulation and secondly, the fabric that is fitting skin tight does not retain heat very well.

Concise Explanation of Prior Art

United States Patent No 340,131 to Hans Loesner and Flora B Persch, Persch Assignor to Loesner discloses a ladies stocking with a gusset at the knee with bands and buckles to adjust enough tension to hold the stocking up.

United States Patent No 147,385 to Gabriel M Gernshym is for leggings with a stirrup bottom and a drawstring to hold the same up.

United States Patent No 1,644,185 to Phillip A Fischer teaches a gartered hosiery that uses buttons to hold the hosiery up.

United States Patent No 2,700,161 to Henrietta E Boyce shows a gauntlet sock with a split cuff 11 that can be tied to hold the mitten or stocking on.

United States Patent No 1,823,736 to Nathan J Goodman, assignorto Courtney S Goodman discloses a hosiery with a pull tab at the top of the tube portion with support members passing therethrough which are tied to hold the hosiery up.

United States Patent No 5,566,396 to Deborah A Leib discloses a stocking construction using tapered flat bed knit leg with a drawstring in the upper cuff thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

After much research and study into the above mentioned problem, the present invention has been developed to provide a lounging and sleeping garment that is warm, loose fitting and covers the feet and legs of the user to the upper thigh.

To prevent the garment of the present invention from falling down when the user gets up from either lounging or sleeping, an infinitely adjustable means at the top or open end of the garment is provided so that just the slightest pressure can be exerted on the leg just to hold the garment up in walking short distances This is not enough pressure to effect or reduce the circulation in the legs and feet of the user because it is infinitely adjustable to the user.

(g Pe m 1) Tie strings, Velcroi slip lock buckles and the like can be used for the infinite adjustment of the retaining means on the garment of the present invention.

High friction coefficient means is applied to the bottom of the foot portion of the present invention to prevent the user from slipping and possibly falling when walking on non-carpet areas such as wooden floors, tile floors and the like.

The present invention can be made from any suitable warm material such as terrycloth, fleece and other fabrics made from natural or man-made fibers that are warm and comfortable for lounging and sleeping.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lounging and sleeping garment that is warm, loose fitting and covers the feet and legs of the user to the upper thighs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lounging and sleeping garment that includes an infinitely adjustable means by the top or open end of such garment to provide slight pressure on the leg to hold the garment up while walking short distances.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lounging and sleeping garment with an infinitely adjustable means for holding the same up while walking short distances while not applying enough pressure to effect or reduce circulation in the legs and feet of the user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lounging and sleeping garment with an infinitely adjustable tie string to apply the slightest pressure to the fold or open end thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lounging and sleeping garment that uses Velcro to apply the slightest pressure to the upper or open end thereof to hold the same up when walking short distances without applying enough pressure to effect or reduce circulation in the legs and the feet of the user thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a loose fitting lounging and sleeping garment with high friction coefficient means applied to the bottom of the foot portion thereof to prevent the user from slipping and possibly falling when walking on non-carpeted areas such as wood floors, tile floors and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig 1 is a side elevational view of the warm, loose fitting lounging and sleeping garment of the present invention with tie strings at the upper or open end thereof; Fig 2 is a cutaway side elevational view of warm, loose fitting, lounging and sleeping garment of the present invention with hook and loop fastening means for infinitely adjusting the upper or open end of the garment.

Fig 3 is a top elevational view looking into the open end of the garment of the present invention; and Fig 4 is a plan view of the bottom of the foot portion of the lounging and sleeping garment of the present invention showing the high friction coefficient means to prevent slipping on surfaces such as wood, tile floors and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The lounging and sleeping garment of the present invention, indicated generally at 10, includes a foot portion indicated generally at 11 and a leg portion indicated generally at 12.

On the bottom 13 of the foot portion 11 are a plurality of high-friction coefficient non-skid means 14 mounted thereon This prevents the user from slipping on non- carpet smooth surfaces such as wood floors, tile floors and the like Since non-slip means of this type are well known to those skilled in the art, further detailed discussion of the same is not deemed necessary.

The lounging and sleeping garment of the present invention is designed to fit loosely over the feet and legs of the user to the upper thigh To retain heat, the garment must be loose fitting to form an air envelope around the leg and foot which heats up and acts as additional insulation.

The upper or open end 15 of the garment of the present invention includes a is means 16 for lightly securing such open portion about the leg of the user thereof This means for lightly closing the end portion has two purposes First, it keeps warm from escaping from inside the loose fitting garment and secondly, it prevents the garment from falling down when the user walks short distances such as from a lounge chair to the bed or to the bathroom.

This means for closing the open end of the garment around the leg of the user is infinitely adjustable so that the opening can be lightly secured for the purpose set forth in the above while at the same time not reducing the circulation of blood the leg and foot of the user.

The infinitely adjustable closing means 16 shown in Fig 1 is tie ribbons or string 17 while the infinitely adjustable securing means shown in Fig 2 is hook and loop fastening material 18 Since these and other infinitely adjustable securing means are well known to those skilled in the art, further detailed discussion of the same is not deemed necessary.

The terms "upper", "lower", "side" and so forth have been used herein merely for convenience to describe the present invention and its parts as oriented in the drawings.

It is to be understood, however, that these terms are in no way limiting to the invention since such invention may obviously be disposed in different orientations when in use.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of such invention The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1 Wearing apparel comprising:

a pair of lounging and sleeping garments, each having a foot portion and a leg portion, that loosely cover the feet and legs to the upper thigh of a user thereof; said garment being made from a high pile fabric; an infinitely adjustable means for lightly closing the garments around the thighs of the user without restricting blood flow to such feet and legs while allowing the user to walk short distances; and non-slip means mounted on the bottom of the foot portion of the garment whereby the user can walk even on waxed wooden floors, linoleum, tile and the like without slipping.

2 The wearing apparel of Claim 1 wherein the infinitely adjustable means is a ribbon like means with two ends that can be tied.

3 The wearing apparel of Claim 1 wherein the infinitely adjustable means is formed from hook and loop fastening material.

4 The wearing apparel of Claim 1 wherein the non-slip means on the bottom of the foot portion is formed from a high friction coefficient, rubber-like material.