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Blouse front closerRelated Patent Categories: Apparel, Body GarmentsBlouse front closer description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070044198, Blouse front closer. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CLAIM OF PRIORITY [0001] Applicant claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/710,711 filed Aug. 23, 2005. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention concerns an attachment to a blouse for holding closed the openings of a blouse at and between the buttons of the blouse to avoid the occurrence of inadvertent opening of the blouse. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] A typical woman's blouse is formed with a pair of opposed front panels with overlapping edges, with one of the front panels having a series of buttons, snaps or other connectors attached thereto by threads or other type connectors, and the second front panel having a series of buttonholes or other receivers for receiving the buttons, etc. of the first front panel. In some circumstances, the blouse panels tend to separate between the buttons or the buttons release from the button holes, forming an undesirable opening in the front of the garment. For example, the separation might be due to the blouse properly fitting across the shoulders but not across the bosom, or due to the movement of the wearer of the blouse, or due to the particular fabric and the spacing of the buttons of the blouse. It is to this problem that this invention is directed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] Briefly described, the present invention concerns a blouse front closer for use on a blouse or similar garment that opens at the front and which includes opposed first and second front panels with overlapping edges. The first front panel of the blouse has a series of buttons or other types of connectors, referred to herein as "buttons." The buttons may be attached to the blouse by button connectors, usually threads. A second front panel has a series of buttonholes or other type receivers referred to herein as "button holes" for receiving the buttons of the first front panel. When the blouse is first donned, the buttonholes are aligned over the buttons and the buttons pass through the holes. This invention includes a blouse front closer having an elongated connector strip that is positioned between the overlapping edges of the first and second panels of the blouse. [0005] In one embodiment of the invention the connector strip adhesively connects together the overlying edges of the blouse, thus avoiding the formation of gaps between the buttons. The connector strip may have a releasable adhesive material applied to its opposite surfaces. Peel-away strips are applied to the releasable adhesive material for protecting the adhesive before use, and for selectively exposing the adhesive when the connector strip is to be applied to the overlying surfaces of the front panels of the blouse. [0006] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a recess is formed in one of the edges of the elongated connector strip, intermediate the ends of the connector strip. The recess is for placement on the blouse about the connector of a button of the first front panel of the blouse. This permits the remaining length of the connector strip to be aligned with and extend between adjacent buttons, so as to avoid exposure beyond the outer edge of the outer front panel of the blouse, and to strengthen the blouse front panels at the most necessary location. [0007] Preferably, the elongated connector strip is translucent and without a discernable color so that it is clear and becomes substantially invisible when properly placed in a blouse as described above. Also, the connector strip may be made of colors, if desired, to match with the color of the blouse. [0008] The connector strip may be of any desirable length and width and can be provided in end-to-end connected supply. For example, the supply of connector strips may be packaged in the form of an elongated reel of the connector strips, or in a fan folded supply, so that the wearer can retrieve the desired length of the blouse front closers for a particular blouse. [0009] In another embodiment of the invention, the elongated strip has an intermediate space where there is no adhesive applied to its surfaces, with the recess formed in the non-adhesive intermediate section. This permits the wearer to more easily place the connector strip in its desired position, with the recess surrounding the connector threads of the button before the peel-away protective strips are removed from the connector strip. This allows accurate alignment, added strength and placement of the connector strip before it is adhered to the blouse. [0010] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the intermediate portion of the connector strip can be made of reinforced material so that it is less flexible and tends to retain its shape behind the button of the blouse, tending to avoid the unsightly collapse of the portion of the blouse adjacent the button. [0011] The elongated connector strip is made of flexible material that can be trimmed by conventional scissors to be formed in any desired shape, to be compatible with blouses that have buttons that are closely spaced. [0012] Yet another embodiment of the invention includes a hook and loop fastener that is connected to the edges of the blouse front. The loop patches may be applied to both the facing surfaces of the overlying blouse panels and hook patches may be positioned between the loop patches, such that the intermediate hook patches cling to the loop patches and hold the blouse panels closed. Or only a mating pair of hook and loop patches may be used. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] FIG. 1 is an expanded view of the opposed first and second front panels of a blouse, and the blouse front closer shown between the overlapping edges of the panels. [0014] FIG. 2 is a front view of the blouse front closer, showing it applied to the placket of a blouse. [0015] FIG. 3 is a front view of a modified form of the blouse front closer. [0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of a series of blouse front closers manufactured in continuous form and stored in a reel configuration. [0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second form of the blouse closer. [0018] FIG. 6 is a side view of the blouse closer of FIG. 5. [0019] FIG. 7 is an expanded perspective view of a hook and loop connector positioned between the overlapping blouse panels. Continue reading about Blouse front closer... Full patent description for Blouse front closer Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Blouse front closer patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Blouse front closer or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Knee protective device Next Patent Application: Protective garment having a drag and rescue device accessible from the collar Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Blouse front closer patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.11122 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Qualcomm , Schering-Plough , Schlumberger , Seagate , Siemens , Texas Instruments , 174 |
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