US 5,708,977 AGranted

Expansion unit for clothing

OwnerDorothy Lynn Morkunasinventor

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Abstract

An expansion unit for clothing generally having seams. The unit is of a one-piece construction and is generally located on one seam-side of a garment; the other seam-side of the garment being the receiving end of an expander section associated with the expansion unit. The expansion unit is bi-directional in scope and easily and effortlessly contracts and expands as needed. In the preferred embodiment, in either state, a single seam is exposed while no component of the expansion unit is plainly visible. In the contracted state, the expander section is retained and hidden from view under the clothing worn. In the expanded state, the expander section is exposed and coupled to the opposite seam-side of a garment. All pieces are removably held in place by fasteners of the hook-and-loop type, snap type, button type, hook-and-eye type, and zipper type.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An expansion unit for clothing having a first section and a second section, said expansion unit comprising:

a first garment section having a first garment section end at a seam location and a first garment section connector inside said first garment section;
a second garment section having a second garment section end at a seam location and a second garment section connector outside said second garment section;
an expander section affixed to said second garment section end at a seam location, said expander section having an expander mid-point and an expander connector inside said expander section substantially at said expander mid-point, and further having an expander section end and an expander retainer outside said expander section substantially at said expander section end;
and
means for removably connecting said first garment section by said first garment section connector to said second garment section by said second garment section connector in a non-expanded mode and, in an expanded mode, for removably connecting said expander section by said expander connector onto said first garment section at said first garment section connecter at a seam location while said expander retainer and said second garment section connector are also connected,
whereby, when said first garment section is disengaged from said second garment section, said expander section becomes exposed and is connected to said first garment section thereby expanding said clothing in a seam-to-seam manner to accommodate increased growth of a wearer.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.