TECHNICAL FIELD

100011 This disclosure relates generally but not exclusively to garments having an integrated stiffening element disposed within cuff portions of the garments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

100021 Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a garment with integrated cuff stiffening elements, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

100031 Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the garment shown in Figure 1.

100041 Figure 3 is a back perspective view of the garment shown in Figure 1.

[0005] Figure 4 is an enlarged, internal view of a cuff portion of the garment shown in Figure 1.

100061 Figure 5 is another view of the garment shown in Figure 1 depicting an underside of the sleeve portion.

[0007] Figure 6 is an enlarged view depicting a stiffening element circumscribing a cuff portion of the garment shown in Figure 1 prior to creating a void within the cuff portion.

[0008] Figure 7 depicts an embodiment of a method for constructing a garment, in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

100091 The present disclosure describes particular embodiments and their detailed construction and operation. The embodiments described herein are set forth by way of illustration only and not limitation. Those skilled in the art will recognize, in light of the teachings herein, that there may be a range of equivalents to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Most notably, other embodiments are possible, variations can be made to the embodiments described herein, and there may be equivalents to the components, parts, or steps that make up the described embodiments. For the sake of clarity and conciseness, certain aspects of components or steps of certain embodiments are presented without undue detail where such detail would be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings herein and/or where such detail would obfuscate an understanding of more pertinent aspects of the embodiments.

[0010| The present disclosure describes a garment having an integrated stiffening element disposed within a cuff portion of the garment to define a substantially uniform height of the cuff portion. Figures 1-5 illustrate an example of a garment 100 in accordance with aspects of the present invention. Even though garment 100 is depicted as a men's oxford-style, button- down dress shirt in Figure 1, those skilled in the art will recognize that garment 100 may take on any variety of forms. For example, garment 100 may take on the form of a coat, a jacket, a pair of pants, a sweat shirt, a pair of shorts, a dress, a sweater, a skirt, and the like.

1001 1 | Garment 100 includes a torso portion 110, a pair of opposing sleeve portions 120, and a pair of cuff portions 130. Seams 142 and 144 join textile panel 115 to textile panels 111 and 113, respectively, to construct torso portion 110. Each sleeve portion 120 is composed of a textile panel 121. As best seen in Figure 5, a seam 154 joins opposing ends of the textile panel 121 to construct the corresponding sleeve portion 120. Each cuff portion 130 is composed of a textile panel 131. Furthermore, as best seen in Figure 4, a seam 148 joins opposing ends of the textile panel 131 to construct the corresponding cuff portion 130. In an embodiment, one or more of seams 142, 144, 152, and 154 join their respective textile panels substantially along the edges of the textile panels in constructing their corresponding portion of garment 100.

[0012] Each of the textile panels (i.e., textile panels 1 1 1, 1 13, 115, 121, and 131) can be composed of a woven fabric, knit fabric, nonwoven fabric, or any combination thereof. An - type of woven construction may be used to implement the woven fabric, such as a plain weave, satin/sateen, twill, basket weave, and the like. Suitable knit fabrics include a weft knit, a double knit, a rib knit, warp knit, and the like. In an embodiment, textile panels may be composed of a laminate of woven and nonwoven fabric, a knit and nonwoven fabric, a woven and knit fabric, and the like. In an embodiment, a textile panel includes one or more functional finishes, coatings, or other treatments that enhance a functionality of the textile panel. For example, the textile panel can include anti-bacterial agents, coatings, flame retardant coatings, and the like.

[0013] When textile panels are composed of woven fabric or knit fabric, the woven and/or knit fabric can be formed from any number of yarn types, such as spun yarns or continuous filament yarns. Examples of suitable spun yams include natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or various blends of natural and synthetic fibers. Suitable natural fibers include cotton, wool, cotton, denim, flannel, hemp, leather, linen, seersucker, silk, terry cloth, velvet, and the like. Suitable synthetic fibers include polyester, polyolefin fibers, polyamide 6 fibers, polyamide 6,6 fibers, poly lactic acid ("PLA") fibers, vicose rayon fibers, acrylic fibers, nylon, polar fleece, rayon, spandex, and the like.

[0014] When textile panels are composed of nonwoven fabrics, the nonwoven fabrics may include melt-spun nonwovens, such as spunbond and meltblown materials or similar structures. A melt-spun nonwoven can include a single spunbond layer, multiple spunbond layers, a single meltblown layer, multiple meltblown layers, or multiple layers of spunbond and meltblown materials. Melt-spun nonwovens can be formed with polyester, polyolefin, polyamide 6, poiyamide 6,6, PLA polymers, and the like. Alternatively, the nonwoven fabrics can be carded or airiaid materials that are bonded thermally, chemically, and/or mechanically (e.g., via needles or stitch bonding). Suitable fibers for carded or airiaid materials include PET and viscose fibers, and the like.

[0015] In an embodiment, one textile panel among the various textile panels (i.e., textile panels 1 11, 113, 115, 121, and 131) composing garment 100 has at least one characteristic that is distinct from the other textile panels. Such characteristics include aesthetic characteristics and material characteristics. Examples of aesthetic characteristics include color, pattern (e.g., stripes, dots, plaid, etc.), surface contour, ornamental attachments, and the like. Examples of material characteristics include weight, fabric density, fabric structure, fiber size, thickness, stiffness, rigidity, elasticity, weave tightness, knit tightness, thread count, and the like.

[0016] Seams 148 (Figure 4) join their respective cuff portions 130 to a corresponding sleeve portion 120 and seams 146 join their respective sleeve portions 120 to the torso portion 110 to form garment 100. When worn by a person 200, the torso portion 1 10 of garment 100 is configured to cover a torso of the person 200. Each sleeve portion 120 is configured to extend from the torso portion 110 towards a corresponding hand of the person 220, thereby covering at least a portion of an arm associated with the corresponding hand. Those skilled in the art will recognize that in some embodiments garment 100 may be implemented as a pair of pants. In these embodiments, each sleeve portion 120 may be implemented as a leg of the pair of pants. As needed, additional films or barriers may be disposed in a void created between garment 100 and an internal liner (not depicted). [0017] As best seen in Figure 6, an integrated stiffening element 175 is disposed within a void created within each cuff portion 130. In an embodiment, the stiffening element 175 is coupled to the corresponding cuff portion 130 via at least one point of attachment. In an embodiment, the at least one point of attachment is an internal stitch. In an embodiment, the integrated stiffening element 175 is implemented as a band of fabric. A height of the stiffening element 175 defines a substantially uniform height of the corresponding cuff portion 130.

[0018] In defining the substantially uniform height, the stiffening element 175 imparts an extending force on the cuff portion 130 from within the void in the cuff portion 130. The extending force translates into a stretching of textile panel 131 in an axial direction with respect to an axis defined by an arm of the wearer 200. That stretching reduces any rumpling of the cuff portion 130 thereby providing the cuff portion 130 with a taut and crisp outward appearance. In an embodiment, a lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element 175 imparts the extending force. In an embodiment, the lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio exceeds a predetermined value. The predetermined value may be determined based on any number of factors. For example, the predetermined value may be determined based on the characteristics of textile panel 131, a desired level of reduction in the rumpling of the cuff portion 130, and the like. In an embodiment, the lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio exceeds one.

[0019] In an embodiment, a wearer (e.g., person 200) of garment 100 is able to fold the corresponding cuff portion 130 in an upward direction about itself towards the torso portion 1 10 to position the cuff portion 130 closer to a shoulder of the wearer. In an embodiment, an elasticity of the stiffening element 175 enables the wearer to fold a corresponding cuff portion in an upward direction about itself. The substantially uniform height of the corresponding cuff portion 130 is maintained upon positioning the cuff portion 130 closer to the shoulder due to the lateral-to-iongitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element 175.

[0020] Figure 7 depicts an embodiment of a method 700 for constructing a garment, in accordance with aspects of the present invention. It may be appreciated that, with respect to Figure 7, there are embodiments of the invention that do not implement ail of the depicted operations, or that implement the depicted operations in a different order than is described herein. In block 710, a garment having a sleeve portion and a torso portion coupled to the sleeve portion is provided. In an embodiment, the garment is a men's dress shirt. In block 720, the sleeve portion of the garment is attached to a first end of a cuff portion having an internal surface and an external surface opposing the internal surface.

100211 In block 730, a stiffening element (e.g., stiffening element 175 of Figure 6) is positioned about the cuff portion such that the stiffening element substantially circumscribes the cuff portion. In an embodiment, the stiffening element is a band of elastic material. In an embodiment, a lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element exceeds a predefined value. In an embodiment, a lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element exceeds one. In an embodiment, the stiffening element is coupled to the cuff portion via at least one point of attachment. In an embodiment, the at least one point of attachment is located along a seam forming the cuff portion. In block 740, a second end of the cuff portion opposing the first end is attached to the first end thereby creating a void within the cuff portion in which the stiffening element is disposed. In optional block 750, the cuff portion is folded in an upward direction towards the torso portion such that the external surface of the cuff portion intervenes between the internal surface of the cuff portion and the sleeve portion.

[0022] As previously noted, the various features and processes described above may be used independently of one another, or may be combined in various ways. All possible combinations and sub- combinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, certain method or process blocks may be omitted in some implementations. The methods and processes described herein are also not limited to any particular sequence, and the blocks or states relating thereto can be performed in other sequences that are appropriate. For example, described blocks or states may be performed in an order other than that specifically disclosed, or multiple blocks or states may be combined in a single block or state. The example blocks or states may be performed in serial, in parallel, or in some other manner. Blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed example embodiments. The example systems and components described herein may be configured differently than described. For example, elements may be added to, removed from, or rearranged compared to the disclosed example embodiments.

[0023] Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, "can," "could," "might," "may," "e.g.," and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like are synonymous and are used inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, and so forth. Also, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the list.

[0024] The terms and descriptions used above are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that those and many other variations, enhancements and modifications of the concepts described herein are possible without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should therefore be determined only by the following claims and their equivalents.