US4593839A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Garment stretcher
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1985-03-01
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Granted: 1986-06-10
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Expires: 2005-03-01
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method for stretching a localized area of a garment. The apparatus comprises a pair of pads and a pair of screws engaged with a barrel for forcibly urging the pads away from one another to stretch the localized area. The pads engage only a localized area of the garment, and are retained against rotation by the area itself.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven J. Vandoros
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 14:58
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06F; D06F59/00; D06F59/02; A; A47; A47G; A47G25/00; A47G25/14; A47G25/44; A47G25/441; A47G25/445; A47G25/446; D06C; D06C5/00; D06C5/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A garment stretcher adapted for distending a localized region of a garment such as a waistband dimension comprising a barrel member having two ends and defining a longitudinal axis, said barrel member being removably insertable within the garment, a first rod member including a proximal end threadably engageable with one end of said barrel member, and a second rod member including a second proximal end threadably engageable with the other end of said barrel member, pad means for engaging the garment, said pad means being mounted at a distal end of each of said rod members, said pad means further having a width dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis, said width dimension being greater than the transverse width dimension of the barrel member for spacing the garment transversely from the barrel member so as to provide access for hand engagement of the barrel member, said pad means being rotatable about the longitudinal axis for engaged alignment with the localized region of the garment, rotational means for generating a distention force along the longitudinal axis of the barrel member, whereby said pad means are extendably displaceable from the respective ends of the barrel member to stretch the garment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
A garment stretcher adapted for distending a localized region of a garment such as a waistband dimension comprising a barrel member having two ends and defining a longitudinal axis, said barrel member being removably insertable within the garment, a first rod member including a proximal end threadably engageable with one end of said barrel member, and a second rod member including a second proximal end threadably engageable with the other end of said barrel member, pad means for engaging the garment, said pad means being mounted at a distal end of each of said rod members, said pad means further having a width dimension transverse to the longitudinal axis, said width dimension being greater than the transverse width dimension of the barrel member for spacing the garment transversely from the barrel member so as to provide access for hand engagement of the barrel member, said pad means being rotatable about the longitudinal axis for engaged alignment with the localized region of the garment, rotational means for generating a distention force along the longitudinal axis of the barrel member, whereby said pad means are extendably displaceable from the respective ends of the barrel member to stretch the garment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 1 further including support means without the garment, said support means being releasably attachable to the barrel member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 2 wherein the support means comprises a hook mounted to the barrel member and extending from the barrel member transversely to said longitudinal axis, said hook being rotatable about said axis with respect to the barrel member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 3 wherein said barrel member has an annular groove on its exterior surface extending about said longitudinal axis, said hook having a loop engaged in said annular groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pad means includes a distal surface facing away from the barrel member, said distal surface being substantially planar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 5 wherein the distal surface of each pad means is concave in a first direction orthogonal to the barrel member axis and convex in a second direction orthogonal to both the barrel member axis and to the first direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 1 wherein said barrel member has left-hand threads extending about said longitudinal axis at one end and right-hand threads extending about said axis at the other end, one of the rod members being engaged with said left-hand threads at one end of the barrel member and the other of the rod members being engaged with said right-hand threads at the other end of the barrel member, the rotational means for generating a distention force including the threads, each of the rod members being constrained against rotation about the longitudinal axis with respect to the associated pad means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 7 wherein the threaded engagement of the barrel member with each rod member is self-locking.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 7 further comprising two clips, each of said clips being associated with respective pad means and means for biasing each clip toward the respective pad means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A garment stretcher as claimed in claim 1 wherein the width of each pad means in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis is greater than the greatest dimension of the barrel member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-06-09 | 1989-12-09 | 1990-06-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-09 | 1993-12-09 | 1994-06-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-09 | 1997-12-09 | 1998-06-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |