WO2010037989A1

WO2010037989A1 - A method of manufacturing a garment for preventing a sock from being pulled off an infant's foot

Info

Publication number: WO2010037989A1
Application number: PCT/GB2008/003346
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kezi Levin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-03
Filing date: 2008-10-03
Publication date: 2010-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 2011-04-03
Also published as: DE112008004023T5

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a garment (1) worn over an infant sock (7) for preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot comprising the steps of cutting out a blank(lθ) of material having two sides (11, 12) and two ends (3,4) and having a recess (5) in each side, overstitching the two ends and the recesses in each side, bringing the two sides together such that the blank of material is formed into a tube (2) and stitching the two sides together such that the two recesses form a hole in the body of the tube suitable for accommodating an infant's heel.

Description

A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A GARMENT FOR PREVENTING A SOCK FROM BEING PULLED OFF AN INFANT'S FOOT

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a garment worn over an infant sock for preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot.

An infant sock can come off the infant ' s foot for the following reasons :

a) A baby's foot is short and stout, thus making it difficult for the sock to stay in place. (It should be noted that this is not a problem once the foot grows longer) .

b) Due to a baby's natural developmental stages, they tend to flap, kick and vigorously move their legs and feet, causing their socks to come off.

c) Babies develop a fascination with their feet and amuse themselves by pulling off their socks.

The problems associated with an infant's socks coming off their feet are as follows :

i) Socks are needed to provide warmth and maintain body temperature as a large amount of heat can escape from an baby ' s uncovered foot .

ii) Socks are viewed as a fashionable accessory and complete an outfit. A baby without his/her socks looks incomplete. iii) Pulling off socks often results in them getting lost or misplaced, which can become a costly business.

The manufacture of devices for holding socks in place is known. The most common example of such a device is the garter. However, such devices are not designed with babies in mind. Not only are they difficult to put on a baby who is vigorously moving his/her legs and feet but they can be easily unfastened by an inquisitive baby once put on. Also, such devices are designed to hold up a sock rather than to prevent a baby's sock from being pulled off.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a garment worn over an infant sock for preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot comprising the steps of :

(a) cutting out a blank of material having two sides and two ends and having a recess in each side;

(b) overstitching the two ends and the recesses in each side;

(c) bringing the two sides together such that the blank of material is formed into a tube;

(d) stitching the two sides together such that the two recesses form a hole in the body of the tube suitable for accommodating an infant's heel.

The garment made by the method of the present invention is advantageous because it prevents an infant from pulling off his/her socks.

If the infant's sock is pulled from the toe end, the hole in the body of the tube of the garment gets caught on the back of the infant ' s heel preventing the sock from being pulled off.

The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a garment which is more fashionable than existing devices for holding socks in place and could become part of everyday sock wear.

The over garment keeps the infant's sock firmly in place without compromising the infant's blood circulation.

The over garment also helps to prevent heat loss from the infant ' s foot .

The material is preferably a knitted material, more preferably a tricot material and most preferably a tricot material comprising 90% Nylon and 10% of an elasticised material such as Elastane. .

The method may further comprise the step of attaching rubberised treads to the outside of the tube after step (d) to prevent the infant from slipping.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a garment worn over an infant sock for preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot comprising a knitted tube with open ends suitable for accommodating an infant ' s foot and ankle, and a hole in the body of the tube suitable for accommodating an infant ' s heel to lock the sock into place around the heel, wherein the garment is removable only by being pulled over the end of the foot. The knitted tube is preferably made out of a tricot material, more preferably made out of a tricot material comprising an elasticised material and most preferably made out of a tricot material comprising 90% Nylon and 10% Elastane.

The garment may further comprise rubberised treads attached ttoo tthhee oouuttssiiddee of the knitted tube to prevent the infant from slipping.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of preventing a sock from being pulled off an infant's foot comprising pulling a sock over garment, comprising a tube of material with open ends and a hole in the body of the tube, over the sock on the infant ' s foot so that the heel of the infant is located in the hole.

The material is preferably a knitted material, more preferably a tricot material and most preferably a tricot material comprising 90% Nylon and 10% of an elasticised material such as Elastane .

The garment may further comprise rubberised treads attached to the outside of the tube of material to prevent the infant from slipping.

An example of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a sock over garment placed over an infant sock; Figure 2 shows a side view of a sock over garment;

Figure 3 shows a top view of a sock over garment; and

Figure 4 shows a blank of material cut out into the shape of a sock over garment before it is formed into a tube.

Figures 1-3 shows a sock over garment 1 which comprises a machine knitted tube 2 with open ends 3 , 4 suitable for accommodating an infant's foot and ankle respectively, and a hole 5 in the body of the tube suitable for accommodating an infant ' s heel .

The machine knitted tube 2 is made from a tricot material which ideally comprises 90% Nylon and 10% of a highly elasticised material such as Lycra™ (Elastane) . However, it will be appreciated that the garment can be made from other materials .

The edges of the open ends 3,4 and the edge of the hole 5 are overstitched to provide further elasticity at these points and also to prevent the edges from fraying.

The sock over garment 1 may also comprise non-slip rubberised treads 6 attached to the outside of the tube 2 adjacent to the underside of the infant's foot to prevent the crawling/walking infant from slipping.

In use, the sock over garment 1 is placed over a sock 7 already worn on an infant's foot. To put the garment 1 on, the open end 3 of the garment 1 is pulled over the toe end 8 of the sock 7 on the infant ' s foot until the heel of the infant is located in the hole 5.

If the infant's sock is pulled, from the toe end 8, the back edge 9 of the hole 5 in the body of the tube of the garment 1 gets caught on the back of the infant ' s heel , locking the sock into place around the heel, and preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot.

Only an adult or person with manual dexterity can dislodge the sock 7 and over garment 1 by pulling the over garment 1 down from the ankle, around the heel and then over the toe end of the infant ' s foot .

The sock over garment 1 is manufactured from a flat piece of material of the type previously described. The material is cut out into a blank 10 having an outline shape similar to that shown in Figure 4. The blank 10 has two sides 11,12 and two ends 3,4 which correspond to the open ends of the tube 2. A semi-circular or semi-oval shaped recess 5, corresponding to one half of the hole in the body of the tube, is cut out of each side 11,12. The two ends 3,4 and the recesses 5 on each side are overstitched. The two sides 11,12 are then brought together such that the blank 10 of material is formed into a tube 2. The sides 11,12 are stitched together to form a permanent tube.

Non-slip rubberised treads 6 may optionally be attached to the outside of the tube 2 using a suitable adhesive in the location previously described.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a garment worn over an infant sock for preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot comprising the steps of:

(b) overstitching the two ends and the recesses in each side,- (c) bringing the two sides together such that the blank of material is formed into a tube;

(d) stitching the two sides together such that the two recesses form a hole in the body of the tube suitable for accommodating an infant ' s heel .

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the material is a knitted material.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the material is a tricot material.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the tricot material comprises an elasticised material.

5. A method according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the tricot material comprises 90% Nylon and 10% Elastane.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of attaching rubberised treads to the outside of the tube after step (d) to prevent the infant from slipping.

7. A garment worn over an infant sock for preventing the sock from being pulled off the infant's foot comprising a knitted tube with open ends suitable for accommodating an infant's foot and ankle, and a hole in the body of the tube suitable for accommodating an infant's heel to lock the sock into place around the heel, wherein the garment is removable only by being pulled over the end of the foot.

8. A garment according to claim 7, wherein the knitted tube is made out .of a tricot material.

9. A garment according to claim 8, wherein the tricot material comprises an elasticised material.

10. A garment according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the tricot material comprises 90% Nylon and 10% Elastane.

11. A garment according to any of claims 7 to 10, further comprising rubberised treads attached to the outside of the knitted tube to prevent the infant from slipping.

12. A method of preventing a sock from being pulled off an infant's foot comprising pulling a sock over garment, comprising a tube of material with open ends and a hole in the body of the tube, over the sock on the infant's foot so that the heel of the infant is located in the hole.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the material is a knitted material.

14. A method according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the material is a tricot material.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the tricot material comprises an elasticised material .

16. A method according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the tricot material comprises 90% Nylon and 10% Elastane.

17. A method according to any of claims 12 to 16, where the sock over garment further comprising rubberised treads attached to the outside of the tube to prevent the infant from slipping.