METHOD OF PACKING CLOTHES AND PACKAGE OBTAINED WITH SAID PACKING METHOD

The present invention relates to a method for packing clothes, preferably, but not necessarily, trousers such as blue jeans.

The enclosed invention also concerns the package obtained by said cloth packaging method.

As it is well known, clothes or indumenta to be put on by persons are displayed in shops for look and selling to the public, on support structures such as, e.g., shelves, displayers, tubular elements placed within wardrobes or making part of a movable frame.

Some support structures provide shelves or planes on which cloths are laid down, suitably folded, while other structures provide the use of hangers that, by suitable pliers, support clothes, particularly trousers and skirts.

Analogously, storage and transportation of clothes occurs by support structures that, even if less aesthetically pleasant and realised with less valued materials, are similar to the one previously described under a constructive point of view. As an alternative, support structures employed for storage or transportation of clothes comprises box-shaped bodies within which the same clothes, particularly trousers, are stacked.

Clothes displaying, storage and transportation systems just described in the above have been used for many years and represent a well-consolidated habit in the clothing field.

However, some drawbacks remain with respect to the conditions presently taken by the clothes during their storage, transportation or displaying to the public with the store.

Main drawback is due to the fact that either at the store or during storage or transportation of clothes, due to the traditional configuration of clothes in these situations, they have a set space occupied that, even if optimised with respect to the present standards, should be further reduced.

The above aiming to satisfying always more requests of saving space within the concerned sectors, simplifying sloth movement operations and, consequently, reducing costs, without negatively affect on the integrity of clothes.

Another drawback of the above known solutions, with particular reference to blue-jeans trousers, is due to the fact that said clothes are often displayed to the public according to a rather anonymous configuration, having a reduced visual impact and not suitable to immediately catch the attention of the client that, therefore, must ask to the store personnel to know where they are positioned on the shelves.

A further drawback that can be today noted in the clothing field it the fact that, if clothes are packaged, their use, e.g. for fitting by the client, is a process causing the irreversible loss of the packaging envelope, with the consequent disadvantages either for client buying the product and for retailer maintains the same with his/her store.

The present invention aims to overcoming the above drawbacks of the known solutions.

Particularly, it is the main object of the invention that of realising a method for packaging clothes, particularly trousers, permitting reducing space occupied with respect to the known solutions during every step of their use, before the selling to the final buyer.

Within the above, it is object of the present invention that of providing a packaging method for clothes that, with respect to the known solutions, permits to the operator to move a higher number of clothes in a more easy way.

Consequently, it is another object of the invention that of reducing costs relevant to the movement of clothes with respect to the known solutions, and more generally, relevant to the handling of clothes rising during the manufacturing and distribution phases.

It is a second object of the invention realising a packaging method for clothes by which it is possible easily restoring the original package of the clothes even after that, for every reason, it has been taken by a parson, separating the same from protection and/or support envelopes or structures.

It is another object of the present invention realising a package increasing visibility of clothes displayed with a store, much more attracting attention of clients on the same clothes.

Last but not least object of the invention is that of providing a packaging method for clothes that can be easily actuated even by a not skilled person.

The above objects are obtained by a method of packaging clothes as described in claim 1 , to which it is made reference for sake of brevity.

Further detailed features of the method of packaging clothes are given in the relevant dependent claims.

Subject matter of the invention is also a package according to claim 15, to which it is made reference for sake of brevity.

Other detailed features of the package according to the invention are described in the relevant dependent claims Advantageously, method according to the invention permits packaging clothes in a very attractive and pleasant way.

Further, package obtained by the method according to the invention attracts on itself, and consequently on the clothes contained therein, client attention much more than it presently occurs in the specific field.

Package according to the invention, due to its original features, really is a component increasing client attention on clothes than it would occur for the sole product to be sold or employing known packages.

Still advantageously, the invention permits restoring the original condition of the package without damaging clothes and using the same components of original package after that clothes have been taken for every needing or use, separating them from the support shaped element coupled to the same clothes.

Moreover, this operation can be practically, quickly and easily realised by a not skilled person.

Still advantageously, by the packaging method according to the invention, clothes occupy a reduced space with respect to what happens when presently stored, transported and displayed.

Above objects and advantages, as well as other the will emerge during the present specification, will be more evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention and of a preferred embodiment of the package according to the invention given for exemplificative and not limitative purposes, with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is an axonometric view of package according to the invention; figure 2 is an exploded view of figure 1 ;

figures 3 and 4 are axonometric views of two different operations of packaging method according to the invention; figure 5 is an axonometric view of package of figure 1 in applicative conditions. Package according to the invention is shown in figure 1 , genericaily indicated by reference number 1.

According to the invention, package 1 comprises a support shaped element 2, suitable to be coupled with a support structure, shown in figure 5, and indicated by letter S, and a clothes 3 wound about an annular surface sector, indicated by reference number 4 in figure 2, of support shaped element 2, to which it is firmly fixed by connection means, genericaily indicated by reference number 5.

Preferably, but not necessarily, as it can be observed from figure 2, shaped element 2 individuates a symmetry longitudinal axis Z and has a frusta-conical profile 2' when observed frontally.

In view of said profile 2', outer wall 2c of shaped element 2 defines a longitudinal direction K, inclined of a set angle α with respect to the symmetry longitudinal axis Z.

Besides, shaped element 2 projects from both ends 2a, 2b of clothes 3.

Other embodiments of the invention, not shown in the following drawings, could provide that shaped element projects only from one end of the clothes.

From figures 1 and 2 it is observed that shaped element 2 has through axial opening 6, for receiving, as will be better described in the following with reference to figure 5, a support body for permitting hanging the shaped element 2, and eventual clothes 3, to the support structure S.

A clothes 3 is in this case comprised of trousers, specifically blue jeans comprised of a tissue known as "denim" tissue, rather robust and with a surface roughness.

Before being wound, blue jeans trousers are folded, juxtaposing the two symmetrical portions that, when used, cover the user legs.

Furthermore, a clothes 3 is removably couplet with shaped element 2, for permitting that it is withdrawn, more clearly and specifically observed, fit and eventually bought by the client.

Further, clothes 3 is wound for realising a tubular structure 7 fully surrounding surface sector 4 of the shaped element 2 and with a

central through hole 8, which is coaxial with symmetry longitudinal axis Z, wherein shaped element 2 is introduced.

According to the preferred described embodiment of the invention, connection means 5 comprise mechanical interference between a part of shaped element 2 outer wall 2c and a part of inner wall 8a defining though hole 8 of tubular structure 7 defined by wound clothes 3.

Particularly, part of outer wall 2c concurs in realising the above coupling by mechanical interference substantially extends for the whole annular surface sector 4 on which clothes 3 is wound. The same clothes 3 is part of the connection means 5, tissue of which has a rather high friction with outer wall 2c of the shaped element 2.

Further advantageously, package 1 provided retaining means, generically indicated by reference number 9, coupled outside and coaxially with clothes 3 wound about the annular surface sector 4 of shaped element 2.

Figures 1 and 3 put into evidence that, in the specific case, retaining means 10 comprise a containment band 10, a kind of belt for example comprised of tissue or paper, realising a ring about the clothes 3.

Preferably, containment band 10 has coupling means on its ends 10a, 10b, generically indicated by reference number 11 , suitable to place containment band in the closure position, shown in figure 1 , and in the open position, not shown.

This constructive solution permits removing, if necessary, in a practical and quick way, containment band 10 from clothes 3 and easily put it back about the same, without being necessary replacing it but when it is really damaged.

Containment band 10 can have aesthetical features making it package 1 even more pleasant.

More specifically, containment band 10 could have its outer surface suitably coloured and realising a marketing tool, bearing advertising messaged, logos, trademarks and other distinctive elements, size, price and so on, relevant to the clothes 3.

Coupling means 11 are of any known type to one skilled in the field, such as Velcro ^® . Packaging method for clothes 3, particularly blue jeans, is shown schematically for exemplificative purposes in figures 2, 3 and 4.

According to the invention, method comprises the following steps:

- preparing shaped element 2 suitable to be associated with a support structure S, e.g. an equipped wall of a store; - preparing the clothes;

- placing clothes 3 wound about the annular surface sector 4 of the support shaped element 2;

- firmly fixing clothes 3 to the shaped support element 2. Method according to the invention also includes step of folding in an orderly way clothes 3, before putting the same about the annular surface sector 4 of shaped element 2.

In the present case, folding step of clothes 3 provides juxtaposing symmetrical portions 31 , 32 of trousers, as shown in figure 3.

Inventive method further comprises ironing clothes 3, carried out before folding the same.

In a preferred but not limitative way, method comprises operation of winding clothes 3, as shown in figure 4.

This operation is carried out before placing wound clothes about the annular surface sector 4 of shaped element 2. Particularly, above mentioned winding operation prepares clothes 3 according to the tubular structure 7, that can be observed in figure 4 while it is prepared, realising a central through hole 8.

Central hole 8 has a substantially circular profile if observed in cross-section, and it is coaxial with respect to the longitudinal symmetry axis Z according to wήich shaped element 2 mainly develops, as shown in figure 2.

Thus, in the specific case, operation of placing clothes 3 wound about annular surface sector 4 of shaped element 2 provides introducing the latter within the central hole 8 of tubular structure 7 defined by clothes 3. i

Introduction of shaped element 2 within central hole 8 of tubular structure 7 occurs from end 2b, the one that, according to the transverse section, has a shorter diameter, stopping when it meets connection means 5. Shaped element 2 projects from both ends 2a, 2b from clothes

3 when shaped element 2 is introduced within central hole 8 of tubular element 7.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, operation by which clothes 3 is firmly coupled with shaped element 2 provides a mechanical interference coupling 2 with a part of the inner wall

8a delimiting central hole 8 of tubular structure 7 defined by wound clothes 3.

As already put into evidence, shaped element 2, having a frustum-conical profile 2', makes coupling by mechanical interference starting from an annular edge 12 of shaped element 2.

Annular edge 12 is included between ends 2a, 2b of shaped element 2 and has transverse dimensions bigger than the diameter of through hole 8 of tubular structure 7.

Other applicative solutions could exist, not shown in the enclosed drawings, wherein operation of placing wound clothes about the shaped element surface sector provides winding the clothes directly about the shaped element.

Preferably, inventive method provides firmly maintaining clothes 3 wound about the annular surface sector 4 of shaped element 2.

This is obtained externally and coaxially coupling a containment band 10 about clothes 3, said band 10 being closed as a ring. Inventive method thus provides firmly and removably coupling ends 10a, 10b of containment band 10, to put the same in a closure position.

This operation is carried out after having coupled containment band 10 outside and coaxially with respect to the clothes 3, and it is realised by coupling means 11.

To release the clothes 3 from the containment band 10, one must separate ends 10a, 10b, acting on said coupling means 11.

In the same way, if necessary, one can put again the containment band 10 close to the clothes 3 tubular structure 7, and maintain it closed as a ring coupling, by ends 10a, 10b of the same band 10 by said coupling means 11.

Figure 5 shows a plurality of packages 1 according to the invention in one of the possible use, i.e. hanging from a support structure

S, for example comprised of an equipped wall in a clothing shop. Particularly, coupling of every package 1 with support structure

S occurs introducing a support body C within through axial opening 6 of

shaped element 2, said body C being integral with the support structure S projecting from the same upward and according to inclined direction X.

On the basis of the above, it is therefore understood that invention, including packaging method for clothes and the package thus obtained, reaches above mentioned objects and advantages.

During its realisation it is possible introducing modifications to the package, for example by providing different connection means between support shaped element and clothes.

It is well clear that operation of firmly coupling clothes with shaped support element will vary on the basis of the above specification.

Furthermore, other embodiments of inventive package can comprise a support shaped element having a different shape with respect to the described and illustrated in the drawings, this not jeopardising the advantages obtained. In further embodiments, clothes can fully wind the support shaped element or at least only one surface sector of the same having an extension different with respect to the one described in the above.

It is further put into evidence that packaging method according to the invention is mainly applied on trousers, particularly blue-jeans, track-suit, not excluding however that it can also concern those clothes that can be wound on their selves or about a support shaped element to realise a tubular structure.

It is finally clear that many other modifications of the method and of the relevant package can be realised, without departing from the general scope of the invention, as well as it is well clear that, when practicing the invention, materials, shapes and dimensions of the shown details can be different, on the basis of the specific needing, and that can be replaced by other that are technically equivalent.