CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent

Application No. 62/596,235, filed on December 08, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates to articles, systems and methods for keeping selected clothes articles together during a washing process. In particular, this disclosure relates to a keeper that is configured to keep socks together during washing, for example, in a washing machine.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Clothes washing is a common household activity that can consume a significant amount of time to accomplish. While not necessarily required, people often take the time to separate clothes according to garment type, color or other attributes. Often times, people will wash undergarments such as socks together, for example, to utilize the‘hot’ wash setting. It can be cumbersome and consume additional time to match items such as socks together after the washing and drying cycles have completed.

[0004] To attempt to address this issue, others have disclosed sock clips and pins. For example, US Patent No. 5,440,791 discloses a sock clip that keeps socks together using a clamping mechanism. US Patent No. 6,463,636 discloses a holder for socks that utilizes a snap feature to hold pairs together. However, systems that rely on forcibly clamping socks or other clothing items together may suffer from incomplete washing where the relatively large-area clamping or pinching occurs, or incomplete rinsing of soap from these areas, or both. Similarly, clothing items may not dry completely or become‘dented’ or wrinkled where they are forcibly held together. Therefore, a keeper article for keeping clothing items such as socks paired together during washing and drying while exposing a maximum amount of the clothing items to the washing and drying environment is an unmet need. SUMMARY

[0005] In a general, a clothing keeper is disclosed. In one embodiment, a keeper includes a main body and a bias member at least partially embedded in the main body. In this embodiment, an exposed portion of the bias member is biased toward a portion of the main body. Socks or other clothing articles can thereby be held between the exposed portion of the bias member and the main body. In a preferred embodiment, the exposed portion of the bias member includes a rounded distal end portion to reduce the likelihood of injury to a user and also to clothing. In a preferred embodiment, the main body includes contoured portions intended for ergonomic comfort. In this and other embodiments, a keeper can be colored or include decorations or other indicia to aid the user in categorizing clothes, e.g., a mother’s socks can be kept using blue clips; children’s socks can be kept using red clips; etc. In another approach, the indicia can include words such as“mom,”“dad,” or names such as“Joe” or“Sue.”

[0006] In one aspect, a keeper for fastening clothing articles during washing or drying is disclosed. The keeper includes a main body including a planar bottom surface encompassed by a circumferential edge, a rod member having first, second and third rod segments, wherein the third rod segment is at least partially embedded within the main body and the second rod segment includes an engagement portion. The first rod segment includes at least one bend that causes the engagement portion of the second rod segment to be urged against the bottom surface of the main body.

[0007] In one embodiment, an end portion of the third rod segment includes first and second bends. In a related embodiment, each of the first and second bends are right angles.

Furthermore, the end portion of the third rod segment can be J-shaped or U-shaped.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second rod segment crosses the third rod segment.

[0009] In one embodiment, the bottom surface incudes a channel having a shape and size complimentary to the engagement portion to allow the engagement portion of the second rod segment to at least partially nest within the channel.

[0010] In one embodiment, the engagement portion of the second rod segment includes an anti-slip element. In various approaches, the anti-slip element is at least one of: a protrusion, a roughed surface, a bumpy surface, a knurled surface and a surface having serrated portions. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the anti-slip element is a sleeve, such as a sleeve made from rubber, neoprene, silicone or plastic. [0011] In one embodiment, the main body further includes a rear side from which a portion of the third rod portion protrudes, a front side that is opposite the rear side; and a left side and a right side, each of which spans the front side and the rear side. The front side and the right side cooperatively form a protrusion including at least one outwardly curved portion.

[0012] In one embodiment, the at least one outwardly curved portion is complimentary to an inwardly curved portion of a human finger bent at approximately ninety degrees.

[0013] In one embodiment, the left side includes a notch that allows an end portion of the second rod segment to extend outwardly without contact with the main body. In a related embodiment, the end portion of the second rod segment extends from the engagement portion to a terminal end of the second rod segment. In a further related embodiment, the bottom surface includes a channel having a shape and size complimentary to the engagement portion to allow the engagement portion to at least partially nest within the channel. A side of the notch is parallel with the channel.

[0014] In one embodiment, the main body is formed of a plastic, and the rod is formed from stainless-steel. In one embodiment, when in an assembled configuration (e.g., such as FIGS. 1 or 2), the main body and the rod are collectively sized to fit within the opening of a sock or stocking.

[0015] In a general aspect, a keeper for keeping clothing articles together during a wash or dry cycle is disclosed. The keeper includes a flat main body including a circumferential edge having at least one ergonomic protrusion for receiving the inwardly-curved portion of a user’s finger, a bias member at least partially embedded in the main body, the bias member being generally g (Greek letter gamma)-shaped and configured such that an exterior portion of the bias member is biased against a bottom surface of the main body.

[0016] In one embodiment, the bias member is a rod formed of stainless-steel; and the main body further includes a channel into which the exterior portion of the bias member is received.

[0017] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of any described embodiment, suitable methods and materials are described below. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. In case of conflict with terms used in the art, the present specification, including definitions, will control. [0018] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description and claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0019] The present embodiments are illustrated by way of the figures of the accompanying drawings, which may not necessarily be to scale, in which like references indicate similar elements, and in which:

[0020] FIG. l is a front-side perspective view of a clip according to one embodiment;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a rear-side perspective view of the clip of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates use of a keeper according to one approach; and

[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates use of a keeper according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, front-side and rear-side perspective views, respectively, of a keeper 100 are shown according to one embodiment. Keeper 100 can be used for clipping and keeping articles together during washing and drying, saving time by eliminating the need to match articles after washing and drying. In this embodiment, the keeper 100 includes a main body 105 having front (110) and rear (112) surfaces encompassed by a circumferential edge 106, a front side 180, a rear side 181, a right side 182 and a left side 183. In this embodiment, the front side 180 and the right side 182 cooperatively form a protrusion 185 that includes at least one outwardly curved portion 140. The main body 105 is formed with surface and circumferential edge contours to provide ergonomic comfort and handling, as described in greater detail below. The main body 105 can be formed of any desirable material but is preferably formed of a lightweight, resilient plastic that can withstand long-term repeated exposure to washing and drying machine cycles.

[0025] In this embodiment, keeper 100 includes a bias member, which in this embodiment is an elongate, semi-flexible stainless-steel rod 117 (hereinafter‘rod 117’) having first (115), second (120) and third (125) rod segments as illustrated, and proximal (123) and distal (124) end portions. In this embodiment, the left side 183 includes a notch 190 that allows an end portion 191 of the second rod segment 120 to extend outwardly without contact with the main body 105 as illustrated. In this embodiment, a side 192 of the notch is parallel with the second rod segment 120 which aids in applying the keeper 100 to clothing articles. In this embodiment, an embedded portion 126 (shown most clearly as the dashed portion of rod 117 in FIG. 2) of the third rod segment 125 is immovably embedded in the main body 105. Bends 130, 135 of the rod 117 are formed so as to engender bias of an engagement portion 128 (shown having a cross- hatched surface in FIG. 2) of the second rod segment 120 into a channel 140 of the main body 105. In this embodiment, channel 140 has a complimentary shape to the engagement portion 128 to allow the engagement portion 128 to nest at least partially therein, as illustrated.

[0026] In general, keeper 100 is configured to hold clothing articles together. For example, prior to washing, a user can match socks together. The matched sock pairs can be held together using keeper 100 in at least the following way, so that they stay together during the wash and dry processes. For instance, a user can slide a portion of each sock in-between the second rod segment 120 and the rear surface 112 of the main body 105, in particular, such that the sock portions are interposed between the engagement portion 128 and channel 140. The bias of the second rod segment 120 against the main body 105 can provide a sufficient clamping force on the sock portions to minimize the likelihood of the keeper 100 disengaging from the sock pair.

[0027] To maintain the holding ability of the bias member and prolong the useful lifetime of the keeper 100, it can be preferable to slide the two confronting top portions of each sock pair onto keeper 100 as described as opposed to flexing the bias member away from the main body. Additionally, fastening socks together in this way yields the keeper being surrounded by sock material, and can prevent the keeper from tangling with other clothes during washing or drying.

[0028] In this embodiment, proximal end portion 123 has a rounded profile to minimize the likelihood of accidentally poking one’s hands when using the keeper 100 and also to minimize damage to clothing, compared to proximal end portion 123 having a pointed profile.

[0029] In general, the portion of the bias member that is biased toward the main body 105, e.g., second segment 120 of rod 117, can include an anti-slip element to prevent or minimize the likelihood of the keeper 100 disengaging from clothing. Exemplary, non-limiting features include protrusions, surface texturing, e.g., to provide a rough surface, bumps, knurls, serrated edges, etc. In one embodiment, keeper 100 can include a separate sleeve member configured to receive all or a portion of the bias member, e.g., second portion 120 of rod 117. In such an embodiment, a sleeve member can be formed of a material that aids in preventing the keeper from disengaging from clothes articles; for example, the sleeve member can be formed of flexible rubber, neoprene, plastics or similar materials.

[0030] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a method of keeping clothing articles together during washing is illustrated according to one embodiment. In the exemplary illustration of FIG. 3, a pair of socks A are placed side-by-side as shown. Next, keeper 100 is oriented such that proximal end portion 123 of second portion 120 points toward the interior of the socks A as shown. Next, keeper 100 is engaged with the socks A such that the second portion 120 is inserted into one of the socks and the body portion 105 is inserted into the other sock.

Preferably, the keeper 100 is shifted substantially fully into the socks, i.e., except for a very top portion of the third rod portion 115. By ensuring that the entire keeper 100 is fully seated within the garment, the likelihood of the keeper becoming snagged on other clothing can be minimized. FIG. 4 shows a magnified view keeper 100 being inserted into sock pair A, showing the tops of each sock Ai and A _2. Like FIG. 3, FIG. 4 illustrates proximal end portion 123 of second portion 120 being inserted into sock Al, and the body portion 105 being inserted into sock A2.

[0031] FIG. 4 also illustrates features of the body 105 that provide ergonomic comfort for the user. For example, body 105 includes curved portions 140 and 150 that are cooperatively configured to engage a joint portion of a user’s finger and a portion of the palm near the thumb, respectively. Because humans’ hands are of different sizes, body 105 can be made to

accommodate an average human hand or, alternatively, body 105 can be made in any number of sizes to accommodate smaller hands, larger hands, etc.

[0032] Often times when washing clothing, a large number of socks may be washed at once. Utilizing prior art methods to keep socks together, such as, in particular, a safety pin may require fastening and unfastening of small, sharp parts. Such repeated motion and manipulation of small parts may lead to repetitive strain injury or be especially difficult for persons suffering from diseases such as hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes.

[0033] Keeper 100 overcomes such drawbacks by allowing articles to be fastened together with a simple‘orient-and-push’ method. For example, referring in particular to FIG. 4, to fasten socks Ai and A ₂ together at a confronting portion C, a user can orient the proximal end portion 123 of second portion 120 toward the interior of one of the socks. Then, the user can advance the keeper 100 such that the second portion 120 is placed into the first sock Ai and the body 105 is placed into the second sock. In doing so, the user can, for example, use the heel, or a portion of their palm or their thumb to urge the keeper forward by pressing against the third portion 115 of rod 117.

[0034] In this embodiment, a portion of the second segment 120 is offset from the main body 105 as illustrated by double-headed arrow 160. This serves at least two important aspects. First, it allows a user to easily engage the exposed portion with, for example, their thumb, and flex the second segment 120 away from the main body 105. Such action can allow the keeper 100 to be easily placed over the confronting portions of the socks. In another aspect, such a configuration allows the keeper 100 to be easily disengaged when desired.

[0035] Relatedly, in this embodiment, the configuration of the first (115), second (120) and third (125) segments provides a U-shaped handle that can provide a simple and ergonomic grasping portion for disengaging a keeper 100 from paired clothing articles.

[0036] Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the distal end portion 124 of rod 117 includes a J-shaped feature as illustrated. The J-shaped feature can provide resilience of the rod member 117 against torque forces applied thereto. For example, if the distal end portion 124 were linear in shape, overcoming torque forces resulting from twisting the third segment 125 or would be dependent on the bond between the embedded portion of the rod (126) and the material of the main body. The J-shaped feature provides at least one arm that is perpendicular to such a torque axis t (FIG. 4).

[0037] In one embodiment, the overall g-shape of the rod 117, the J-shaped feature, channel 140 and the engagement portion 128 collectively provide for compressing a first portion of a first clothing article (e.g., Ai) and a second portion of a second article of clothing (e.g., A ₂ ) together against the main body 105.

[0038] In another aspect, the‘ribbon’ configuration of the rod 117, in particular the crossing of second (120) and third (125) segments, provide that flexing the second segment 120 outward during use reduces the torque applied to the third segment 125, i.e., torque axis t. This configuration can prolong the life of the keeper by minimizing the likelihood that forces applied to the rod 117 result in disengagement from the main body 105.

[0039] In general, a method of making an article keeper is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming embedding a portion of a bias member such as an elongate stainless- steel rod into a main body mold. The main body mold can be filled with a hardenable material such as plastic so as to produce a solid main body 105. The main body mold can include features for providing ergonomic comfort, for example, curvatures on the circumferential edges as exemplified in FIGS. 1-2; and dimples, depressions or other features, e.g., on the front (110) and rear (112) surfaces.

[0040] Next, once the material forming the main body is suitable firm, bends in the bias member can be made so as to engender an urging force of an exposed portion of the bias member (i.e., a portion not embedded in the main body) against the main body. In a preferred

embodiment, the bends can be made such that the bias member substantially resembles the Greek letter gamma g, wherein the exposed segment of the bias member crosses over the portion of the bias member embedded in the main body.

[0041] A number of illustrative embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the various embodiments presented herein. For example, while the present disclosure has used socks as a clothing article to demonstrate the usability of a keeper, other clothing articles can similarly be used, as can non-clothing articles. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.