# US 9,516,901 B2 · Pair of complementary articles of clothing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,516,901 B2 - Document ID: US9516901B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/177,060 - Filed: 2014-02-10 - Published: 2014-08-07 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-13 - Assignees: St. Antoni LLC - Applicants: St. Antoni LLC - Inventors: Dewi Schoenbeck; John Schoenbeck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9516901B2 ## CPC - A41B 11/002: {Pairing socks (devices for keeping articles together during laundering D06F95/008)} - A41D 19/0034: {Retaining means} - Y10T 428/24008: including fastener for attaching to external surface - A41B: SHIRTS; UNDERWEAR; BABY LINEN; HANDKERCHIEFS - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A pair of complementary articles of clothing, such as socks, that can be detachably connected to each other. The detachable connection can be made by first and second complementary connecting elements, which are each fastened to the article of clothing by a carrier element, wherein one of the ends of each carrier element forms a gripping area without a connecting function, so that the connection between the first and the second connecting element can be detached by pulling on the gripping areas of the carrier elements. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A clothing assembly, comprising: first and second complementary articles of clothing; a connection assembly configured to detachably connect the first and second articles of clothing together; the connection assembly including a male connector assembly attached to the first article of clothing and a female connector assembly attached to the second article of clothing; the male connector assembly including an elongate reinforcement first strip; the first strip having a first connection portion secured directly to fabric of the first article of clothing; the male connector assembly including a first gripping portion; the male connector assembly including a male connector unit attached to the first connection portion; the male connector unit including a first plate, first and second male connector studs each having enlarged heads and extending perpendicularly out from an outward surface of the first plate, and a first receptor attached to an inward surface of the first plate; the male connector assembly including a first male connector element configured to pass into the first receptor to secure the male connector unit to the first connection portion; the female connector assembly including an elongate reinforcement second strip; the second strip having a second connection portion secured directly to fabric of the second article of clothing; the female connector assembly including a second gripping portion; the female connector assembly including a female connector unit attached to the second connection portion; the female connector unit including a second plate, first and second recesses on an outward surface of the second plate, and a second receptor attached to an inward surface of the second plate; the female connector assembly including a second male connector element configured to pass into the second receptor to secure the female connector unit to the second connection portion; the first and second recesses being configured to snap-fit receive therein the respective enlarged heads of the first and second male connector studs so that the male and female connector assemblies produce a non-twistable connection between the first and second articles of clothing and the first and second gripping portions remain spaced from one another, and the connection being configured to be detachable by a user grasping the first and second gripping portions and pulling the first and second articles of clothing apart; and the first receptor passing through the first connection portion, and the second receptor passing through the second connection portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first receptor extends outwardly from the inward surface of the first plate, and the second receptor extends outwardly from the inward surface of the second plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first gripping portion is part of the first strip and is secured directly to the fabric of the first article of clothing, and the second gripping portion is part of the second strip and is secured directly to the fabric of the second article of clothing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the male connector unit is an injection molded unit with a first portion thereof being formed of a first plastic and a second portion thereof being formed of a different second plastic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first male connector element includes a first head and a first stud extending out therefrom for insertion into the first receptor at an end opposite to the first plate, and the second male connector element includes a second head and a second stud extending out therefrom for insertion into the second receptor at an end opposite to the second plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second articles of clothing comprise a pair of socks. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first male connector element includes a first head and a first stud extending out therefrom for insertion into the first receptor at an end opposite to the first plate, and the second male connector element includes a second head and a second stud extending out therefrom for insertion into the second receptor at an end opposite to the second plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first strip extends longitudinally relative to the first article of clothing and the first gripping portion is distal relative to the first connection portion and the second strip extends longitudinally relative to the second article of clothing and the second gripping portion is distal relative to the second connection portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The clothing assembly of claim 1 wherein the first strip is sewn to the fabric of the first article of clothing and the second strip is sewn to the fabric of the second article of clothing. ### Claim 10 A clothing assembly, comprising: first and second complementary articles of clothing; a connection assembly configured to detachably connect the first and second articles of clothing together; the connection assembly including a male connector assembly attached to the first article of clothing and a female connector assembly attached to the second article of clothing; the male connector assembly including an elongate reinforcement first strip; the first strip having a first connection portion secured directly to fabric of the first article of clothing; the male connector assembly including a first gripping portion; the male connector assembly including a male connector unit attached to the first connection portion; the male connector unit including a first plate, first and second male connector studs each having enlarged heads and extending perpendicularly out from an outward surface of the first plate, and a first receptor attached to an inward surface of the first plate; the male connector assembly including a first male connector element configured to pass into the first receptor to secure the male connector unit to the first connection portion; the female connector assembly including an elongate reinforcement second strip; the second strip having a second connection portion secured directly to fabric of the second article of clothing; the female connector assembly including a second gripping portion; the female connector assembly including a female connector unit attached to the second connection portion; the female connector unit including a second plate, first and second recesses on an outward surface of the second plate, and a second receptor attached to an inward surface of the second plate; the female connector assembly including a second male connector element configured to pass into the second receptor to secure the female connector unit to the second connection portion; the first and second recesses being configured to snap-fit receive therein the respective enlarged heads of the first and second male connector studs so that the male and female connector assemblies produce a non-twistable connection between the first and second articles of clothing and the first and second gripping portions remain spaced from one another, and the connection being configured to be detachable by a user grasping the first and second gripping portions and pulling the first and second articles of clothing apart; and the first receptor being formed on the inward surface of the first plate and the second receptor being formed on the inward surface of the second plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first receptor is a first tube and the second receptor is a second tube. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first gripping portion is part of the first strip and is secured directly to the fabric of the first article of clothing, and the second gripping portion is part of the second strip and is secured directly to the fabric of the second article of clothing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first receptor and the first plate are formed as an injection-molded first unit and the second receptor and the second plate are formed as an injection-molded second unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first and second articles of clothing are a pair of socks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first strip is sewn to the fabric of the first article of clothing and the second strip is sewn to the fabric of the second article of clothing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first strip extends longitudinally relative to the first article of clothing and the first gripping portion is distal relative to the first connection portion and the second strip extends longitudinally relative to the second article of clothing and the second gripping portion is distal relative to the second connection portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first male connector element includes a first head and a first stud extending out therefrom for insertion into the first receptor at an end opposite to the first plate, and the second male connector element includes a second head and a second stud extending out therefrom for insertion into the second receptor at an end opposite to the second plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first strip extends longitudinally relative to the first article of clothing and the first gripping portion is distal relative to the first connection portion and the second strip extends longitudinally relative to the second article of clothing and the second gripping portion is distal relative to the second connection portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The clothing assembly of claim 10 wherein the first strip is sewn to the fabric of the first article of clothing and the second strip is sewn to the fabric of the second article of clothing. ### Claim 20 A clothing assembly, comprising: first and second complementary articles of clothing; a connection assembly configured to detachably connect the first and second articles of clothing together; the connection assembly including a first connector attached to the first article of clothing and a second connector attached to the second article of clothing; the first connector including a first flexible carrier strip having a first connection portion secured directly to fabric of the first article of clothing and a first gripping portion; the first connector including a male connector unit; the male connector unit including a first base plate secured directly to the first connection portion and first and second male connector studs secured to an outward surface of the first base plate and each stud having an enlarged head, a first receptor secured to an inward surface of the first base plate, and a first male connector element configured to pass into the first receptor to secure the male connector unit to the first connection portion; the second connector including a second flexible carrier strip having a second connection portion secured directly to fabric of the second article of clothing and a second gripping portion; the second connector including a female connector unit; the female connector unit including a second base plate secured directly to the second connection portion and first and second recesses on an outward surface of the second base plate, a second receptor secured to an inward surface of the second base plate, and a second male connector element configured to pass into the second receptor to secure the female connector unit to the second connection portion, the first and second recesses being configured to receive therein the respective enlarged heads of the first and second male connector studs so that the first and second connectors produce a non-twistable connection between the first and second articles of clothing and with the first and second gripping portions being in a spaced relationship, and the connection being configured to be detachable by a user grasping the spaced first and second gripping portions and pulling them apart to thereby separate the first and second articles of clothing; and the first receptor being a first tube and the second receptor being a second tube. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The clothing assembly of claim 20 wherein the first gripping portion is not directly connected to the fabric of the first article of clothing and extends in a cantilever-manner a distance out from an edge of the first article of clothing and thereby forms a user-grippable first tab; and the second gripping portion is not directly connected to the fabric of the second article of clothing and extends in a cantilever-manner a distance out from an edge of the second article of clothing and thereby forms a user-grippable second tab. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The clothing assembly of claim 20 wherein the first and second articles of clothing comprise a pair of socks. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The clothing assembly of claim 20 wherein the single plastic piece includes one portion formed of a first plastic and another portion formed of a different second plastic which forms a graphic. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The clothing assembly of claim 20 wherein the first receptor extends outwardly from the inward surface of the first plate, and the second receptor extends outwardly from the inward surface of the second plate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The clothing assembly of claim 20 wherein the first receptor passes through the first connection portion, and the second receptor passes through the second connection portion. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The clothing assembly of claim 20 wherein the first receptor is formed on the inward surface of the first plate and the second receptor is formed on the inward surface of the second plate.