EP3522741B1

EP3522741B1 - Article of clothing

Info

Publication number: EP3522741B1
Application number: EP17792194.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Silvia MARTA; Federica MARTA
Original assignee: Siggi Group SpA
Current assignee: Siggi Group SpA
Priority date: 2016-10-06
Filing date: 2017-10-06
Publication date: 2023-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-06
Also published as: WO2018065947A1; HRP20230460T1; EP3522741A1; IT201600100477A1

Description

The present invention refers, in general, to an article of clothing. More particularly, it refers to a pair of trousers of adjustable size so as to fit people of different sizes.
Notoriously, when a firm or entity provides their employees or collaborators with work clothes and the said supply has to be dealt with urgently, they shall keep not only all different kinds of clothing but also of all sizes.
The firm or entity has to keep a large number of articles of clothing without being certain that they will be all used.
Another issue relating to articles of clothing according to prior art, especially to trousers, is their limited flexibility in terms of wearability.
For instance, should people be working outside during wintertime or in cold places, besides wearing work trousers, they can also wear tights which make said trousers tight and uncomfortable.
A similar problem occurs when people who have to wear those trousers gain or lose weight, making it necessary to purchase a new pair of them that fit.
Adjustable articles of clothing are disclosed by patent documents WO 2016/054471 A1 , US 2009/178174 A1 and US 2007/028362 A1 .
One aim of the invention is to remedy the foregoing and further problems by creating an article of clothing, in particular a pair of trousers, which can be worn by people of different sizes.
Another aim of the invention is to create an article of clothing, in particular a pair of trousers, so as to allow a reduction of inventory of such articles and assure the same catchment area a regular supply.
A further aim of the invention is to provide an article of clothing, in particular a pair of trousers, which can be used regardless any weight change of the person who has to wear them.
These and other aims are all achieved, according to the invention, by an article of clothing, in particular a pair of trousers, comprising a left trouser leg and a right trouser leg.
In particular, the pair of trousers comprises at least one patch of expansion of the upper part of the left trouser leg and/or the right trouser leg. The patch has a first side edge and a second side edge respectively fixed, on the one part, to an upper portion of the upper part and, on the other part, to a lower portion of the same upper part.
The respective teeth of a zip are fixed to the first side edge and the second side edge, the zip being disposed in oblique position with a development from above downwards, from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers.
Thanks to said configuration, the patch can outstretch and expand the corresponding area of the pair of trousers by opening the zip.
A left front pocket with opening is fixed to the left trouser leg; a left front patch of expansion of the upper part of the left trouser leg is disposed in the left front pocket. The first side edge and the second side edge of said patch is respectively fixed, on the one part, to an upper portion of the left pocket and, on the other part, to a lower portion of the same left pocket.
The teeth of a first zip is fixed to the first side edge and the second side edge and said zip can be closed or opened by means of a left slider with a development from above downwards and from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers.
Thanks to the said placement of the zip and the relevant fabric patch in correspondence of the left side, it is possible to enlarge the area corresponding to the left front part of pelvis and thig.
Moreover, the presence of the zip on the pocket makes the pair of trousers esthetically more appreciable.
Of course this configuration can be also achieved in the left part of the pair of trousers.
Advantageously, there can be comprised a rear lateral expansion area comprising a rear zip that connects an upper edge of a rear pocket to a rear upper portion of at least one of said left trouser leg and right trouser leg. The two opposite edges of a rear patch can be respectively fixed to the two detachable ends, said rear zip being disposed in oblique position with a development from above downwards, from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers.
Consequently, also the rear part of the trousers can be enlarged.
In particular, the right trouser leg can comprise a right rear lateral expansion area comprising a right rear zip that connects an upper edge of a right rear pocket to a right rear upper portion of the right trouser leg. The two opposite edges of a rear patch can be respectively fixed to the two detachable ends of the right rear zip, said right rear zip being disposed in oblique position with a development from above downwards, from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers.
Thanks to the above-identified configuration, an enlargement of the pair of trousers in the rear right area is possible, but of course the same configuration can be also achieved in the left area.
Advantageously, there may be comprised a lateral expansion area comprising a rear zip disposed vertically on at least one side of the pair of trousers; said lateral zip can be opened or closed by means of a slider in order to free or fix to each other a first side edge and a second side edge of the pair of trousers, the opposite ends of a lateral patch being fixed to the first side edge and the second side edge, respectively.
Consequently, it is possible to enlarge the pair of trousers in correspondence of one or both side(s) of the trousers.
In order to make the wearability of the pair of trousers, object of the invention, even more flexible, a loop can be comprised to be coupled to a button, said loop and said button being disposed on the upper band of the pair of trousers corresponding to the position of the waist.
Further user flexibility in terms of size of the article of clothing is obtainable thanks to the fact that the pair of trousers according to the invention are made of a stretch fabric.
Besides, the pair of trousers according to the invention can cover at least three adjacent sizes.
Further features and details of the invention can be better understood from the following specification which is provided by way of a non-restricting example, as well as from the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view of an article of clothing according to the invention, namely a pair of trousers;
Figure 2 is a schematic rear view of the article of clothing in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of a side portion of the article of clothing in Figure 1.

With reference to the annexed figures, number 10 denotes an article of clothing produced according to the invention, in particular a pair of trousers.
The pair of trousers 10, as shown in pictures 1 and 2, includes a left trouser leg 12 and a right trouser leg 14.
A front left pocket 16 with an upper opening 18 is fixed to the left trouser leg 12 and similarly a front right pocket 20 with upper opening 22 is fixed to the right trouser leg 14.
A front left patch 24 for expanding the upper part of the left trouser leg 12 is placed on the front left pocket 16.
More precisely, the lateral edges 26, 28 of the said patch 24 are respectively fixed to an upper portion 30 of the left pocket 16 on the one side, and to a lower portion 32 of the same left pocket 16 on the other side.
The teeth of a first zip are fixed to the lateral edges 26, 28, which can be closed or opened by means of a left slider 34.
The first zip is placed in oblique position, proceeding from above downwards and from the center outwards of the pair of trousers 10.
Similarly, a front right patch 36 for expanding the upper part of the right trouser leg 14 is placed on the front right pocket 20.
More precisely, the lateral edges 38, 40 of the said patch 36 are respectively fixed to an upper portion 42 of the right pocket 20 on the one side, and to a lower portion 44 of the same right pocket 20 on the other side.
The teeth of a second zip are fixed to the lateral edges 38, 40, which can be closed or opened by means of a right slider 46.
The second zip is placed in oblique position, proceeding from above downwards and from the center outwards of the pair of trousers 10.
As shown in picture 1, by moving upwards the left slider 34 and the right slider 46, the two zips are opened allowing the mutual removal of the upper portion 30 from the lower portion 32 of the left pocket 16 and of the upper portion 42 from the lower portion 44 of the right pocket 20.
In this way, the front left patch 24 and the front right patch 36, previously folded and lodged below the respective pockets 16, 20 can expand thus enlarging the trousers 10 in the front area in correspondence of the thighs of the person who wears them.
As shown in picture 1, in correspondence of the right side, the right trouser leg 14 has a lateral expanding area obtainable by moving a lateral right slider 48 of a lateral right zip 50 from above downwards.
As shown in picture 3, the lateral right zip 50 allows the mutual fixing of two edges 52, 54. In case the lateral right slider 48 is lowered, the two edges 52, 54 can remove from each other and a lateral right patch 56, previously lodged and folded below the zip, is kept free to extending thus enlarging the trousers 10 in correspondence of the right side.
A similar operation can be made in correspondence of the left side, where the left trouser leg 12 includes the same parts which have been previously described for the right side, even though they are not shown in the pictures.
As shown in picture 2, the trousers 10 have a rear right lateral and a rear left lateral expansion areas.
The rear right lateral expansion area has a rear right zip 62 which joins an upper edge of a rear right pocket 64 to an upper portion 66 of the right trouser leg 14.
The rear right zip 62 is placed oblique, and extends from above downwards and from centre outwards of the pair of trousers 10.
By lowering the slider 68 of the zip 62, the upper edge of the pocket 64 can remove from the upper portion 66 of trousers 14, allowing that a fabric patch fixed to the two ends of the zip and previously lodged below the pocket to extend.
On the left side, similarly to what has been previously described, the rear left lateral expansion area has a rear left zip 70 which joins an upper edge of the rear left pocket 72 to an upper portion 74 of the left trouser leg 14.
Also in this case, the rear left zip 70 is placed oblique, extending from above downwards and from centre outwards of the pair of trousers 10.
By lowering the slider 76 and the zip 70, the upper edge of the pocket 72 can remove from the upper portion 74 of the left trouser leg 12, allowing a fabric patch fixed to the two ends of the zip and previously lodged below the pocket to extend.
The separation of the edges of the zips 62, 70 allows an enlargement of the trousers in the lumbar area.
A further adjustment of the trousers 10 according to the invention is achievable by means of the presence of two loops each one of them with their respective press stud adapted to couple with a corresponding button 58, 60 placed on the upper band in the waist region. The loops tighten or release trousers at the waist, depending on where the press studs are fixed.
Moreover, trousers 10 according to the invention can be made of stretch cloth, allowing additional use flexibility and comfort in terms of wearability.
A pair of trousers 10 as per the foregoing can fit three different consecutive waists. In other words, a first pair of trousers according to the invention can fit sizes from 42 to 46, a second pair of trousers sizes from 48 to 52 and a third pair of trousers sizes from 54 to 58.
Consequently, the trousers quantity economy that a firm has to store to meet the needs of users is evident, as well as a successful supply.
A skilled artisan may introduce changes or variants which have to be deemed as included in the scope of protection of this invention.
For instance, further zips can be placed in other positions of the trouser leg, such as in correspondence of the lower portion of trousers 12, 14.

Claims

Pair of trousers (10), comprising a left trouser leg (12), a right trouser leg (14), at least one patch (24, 36) of expansion of the upper part of the left trouser leg (12) and/or the right trouser leg (14), said patch (24, 36) having a first side edge (26, 38) and a second side edge (28, 40) respectively fixed, on the one part, to an upper portion (30, 42, 66, 74) of the upper part and, on the other part, to a lower portion (32, 44, 64, 72) of the same upper part, respective teeth of a zip (62, 70) being fixed to the first side edge (26, 38) and the second side edge (28, 40), the zip being disposed in oblique position with a development from above downwards, from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers (10); characterized by the fact that
a left front pocket (16) with opening (18) is fixed to the left trouser leg (12), a left front patch (24) of expansion of the upper part of the left trouser leg (12) being disposed in the left front pocket (16), the first side edge (26) and the second side edge (28) of said patch (24) being respectively fixed, on the one part, to an upper portion (30) of the left pocket (16) and, on the other part, to a lower portion (32) of the same left pocket (16), teeth of a first zip being fixed to the first side edge (26) and the second side edge (28) and said zip can be closed or opened by means of a left slider (34) with a development from above downwards and from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers (10).
Pair of trousers (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein there is comprised a rear lateral expansion area comprising a rear zip (62, 70) that connects an upper edge of a rear pocket (64, 72) to a rear upper portion (66, 74) of at least one of said left trouser leg (12) and right trouser leg (14), the two opposite edges of a rear patch being respectively fixed to the two detachable ends, said rear zip being disposed in oblique position with a development from above downwards, from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers (10).
Pair of trousers (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the right trouser leg (14) comprises a right rear lateral expansion area comprising a right rear zip (62) that connects an upper edge of a right rear pocket (64) to a right rear upper portion (66) of the right trouser leg (14), the two opposite edges of a rear patch being respectively fixed to the two detachable ends of the right rear zip (62), said right rear zip (62) being disposed in oblique position with a development from above downwards, from the centre towards the outside of the pair of trousers (10).
Pair of trousers (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there is comprised a lateral expansion area comprising a rear zip (50) disposed vertically on at least one side of the pair of trousers, and said lateral zip (50) can be opened or closed by means of a slider (48) in order to free or fix to each other a first side edge (52) and a second side edge (54) of the pair of trousers, the opposite ends of a lateral patch (56) being fixed to the first side edge (52) and the second side edge (54), respectively.
Pair of trousers (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a loop is comprised and is adapted to be coupled to a button (58, 60), said loop and said button (58, 60) being disposed on the upper band of the pair of trousers (10) corresponding to the position of the waist.
Pair of trousers (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact of being made of a stretch fabric.
Pair of trousers (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact of covering at least three adjacent sizes.