WEAR SIZE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM AND GARMENT HAVING THE SAME

The present invention relates to a wear size adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the size of a garment, and a garment having the adjustment mechanism.

BACKGROUND

There have conventionally been garments having an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the size thereof. Examples of such an adjustment mechanism include those for adjusting the waist size of trousers and those for adjusting the width and length of an outer wear. There are various types of adjustment mechanisms for various applications.

For example, some floating vests for use on the shore of a sea, a river, or the like have an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the size thereof. As disclosed in Patent Literature 1, such an adjustment mechanism is provided in a connecting portion that connects between a front body and a back body of a floating vest and configured to adjust the distance between the front body and the back body. More specifically, the adjustment mechanism includes hook members fixed on the front body and the back body, an adjustment string stretched between the hook members of the front body and the hook members of the back body so as to cross itself, and a tightening member configured to adjust the tightness of the adjustment string stretched between the hook members. The distance between the front body and the back body can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the adjustment string via the tightening member.

RELEVANT REFERENCES

LIST OF RELEVANT PATENT LITERATURE

• Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-199720
• Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-166193

SUMMARY

It is necessary to minimize the size of the adjustment member disposed in a limited space within a garment so as to enhance the comfort and appearance for example, and it is desirable that the adjustment member enable efficient and wide adjustment with less adjusting operation.

However, when an adjustment string is hooked on a plurality of hook members and extend in a crossed loop as disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2, the distance by which the tightening member pulls (tightens) the adjustment string is theoretically halved in two directions on both sides of the hook members by the principle of movable pulley at the points where the adjustment string is hooked on the hook members. Therefore, the distance by which the associated front body or the back body having the hook members fixed thereon is pulled is only the half of the distance by which the tightening member pulls the adjustment string.

In addition, there is known an adjustment mechanism in which a winding device is fixed on the connecting portion connecting between the front body and the back body, an adjustment wire is stretched between the winding device and a plurality of guide members fixed on the front body or the back body to form a loop, and both ends of the adjustment wire are attached and fixed to the winding device. With this adjustment mechanism, when both sides of the adjustment wire are simultaneously wound for adjustment by winding of the winding device, the length of the adjustment wire wound by the winding device is likewise halved in two directions on both sides of the guide members by the principle of movable pulley at the points where the adjustment wire is hooked on the guide members. Therefore, the distance by which the associated front body or the back body having the guide members fixed thereon is pulled is only the half of the length of the adjustment wire wound by the winding device. Further, a tightening string is merely disposed in a loop across the garment cloth. Therefore, when the tightening string is wound for tightness by a winding element, portions of the garment cloth on which the tightening string is disposed in a loop are not only contracted in the left-right direction (at the left and right side of the garment cloth) but undesirably also contracted in the top-bottom direction (to make wrinkles). This may reduce the comfort.

The present invention addresses the above problems. One object of the present invention is to provide a wear size adjustment mechanism that enables efficient and wide adjustment of a wear size with less adjusting operation and to provide a garment having the adjustment mechanism. Another object of the present invention is to provide a wear size adjustment mechanism that restricts and adjusts a wear size in the direction of adjustment and to provide a garment having the adjustment mechanism.

To achieve the above object, a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises: a winding device 12 fixed on a garment cloth; an elongated member 14 configured to be wound by the winding device 12; a first retainer 16 fixed on the garment cloth on one side of the winding device 12 and at a distance from the winding device 12, the first retainer 16 retaining the elongated member 14 such that the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 is hooked on the first retainer 16, so as to define a first contraction region 20 of the garment cloth to be pulled from the one side toward the winding device 12 by a pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12; a second retainer 18 fixed on the garment cloth on the other side of the winding device 12 and at a distance from the winding device 12, the second retainer 18 retaining the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retainer 16 and extending from the first contraction region 20 to the other side, so as to define a second contraction region 22 of the garment cloth to be pulled from the other side toward the winding device 12 by a pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12, wherein in the second contraction region 22, the elongated member 14 does not extend between the second retainer 18 and the winding device 12.

In the above arrangement, the first contraction region 20 in which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked on the first retainer 16 may be defined on one side of the winding device 12, while the second contraction region 22 in which the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retainer 16 and extending from the first contraction region 20 is retained may be defined on the other side of the winding device 12. Therefore, the pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12 may cause the garment cloth to be contracted reliably. In addition, the garment cloth of the first and second contraction regions 20, 22 on both sides of the winding device 12 can be simultaneously pulled with one operation of the winding device 12, thereby securing a large width of size adjustment.

In the above arrangement, the second contraction region 22 may be defined, in which the elongated member 14 may not extend between the second retainer 18 and the winding device 12. In the second contraction region 22, the distance of pulling may not be halved on both sides of the hooking point by the principle of movable pulley. Therefore, in the second contraction region 22, the distance of pulling the garment cloth may theoretically be twice as in the first contraction region 20. As a result, the adjustment mechanism as a whole enables efficient and wide adjustment of a wear size with less adjusting operation. Since efficient and wide adjustment of a wear size is possible with less adjusting operation, the wear size adjustment mechanism can be downsized as far as possible to be disposed in a limited space of the garment.

A wear size adjustment mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises: a winding device 12 fixed on a garment cloth; an elongated member 14 configured to be wound by the winding device 12; a first retainer 16 fixed on the garment cloth on one side of the winding device 12 and at a distance from the winding device 12, the first retainer 16 retaining the elongated member 14 such that the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 is hooked on the first retainer 16, so as to define a first contraction region 20 of the garment cloth to be pulled from the one side toward the winding device 12 by a pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12; a second retainer 18 fixed on the garment cloth on the other side of the winding device 12 and at a distance from the winding device 12, the second retainer 18 retaining the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retainer 16 and extending from the first contraction region 20 to the other side, so as to define a second contraction region 22 of the garment cloth to be pulled from the other side toward the winding device 12 by a pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12, wherein in the second contraction region 22, the elongated member 14 does not extend between the second retainer 18 and the winding device 12, and the first retainer 16 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 is hooked cooperates with the winding device 12 to restrain the first contraction region 20 from being contracted in a second direction substantially orthogonal to a first direction of distance from the winding device 12 to the first and second retainers 16, 18, and the second retainer 18 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the first retainer 16 is hooked restrains the second contraction region 22 from being contracted in the second direction.

In the above arrangement, the first retainer 16 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 is hooked cooperates with the winding device 12 to restrain the first contraction region 20 from being contracted in a second direction substantially orthogonal to a first direction in which the first contraction region 20 may be contracted and expanded (a direction of distance from the winding device 12 to the first retainer 16), and the second retainer 18 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the first retainer 16 is hooked restrains the second contraction region 22 from being contracted in the second direction. Therefore, the garment cloth may be restrained from being contracted (making wrinkles) in the second direction over the entire height of the first and second contraction regions 20, 22 related to the adjustment mechanism 10. Therefore, the reduction of comfort can be prevented. That is, the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 arranged as above can restrict and adjust the size of the garment in the first direction in which the size is to be adjusted.

In the above arrangement, the first contraction region 20 in which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked on the first retainer 16 may be defined on one side of the winding device 12, while the second contraction region 22 in which the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retainer 16 and extending from the first contraction region 20 is retained may be defined on the other side of the winding device 12. Therefore, the pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12 may cause the garment cloth to be contracted reliably. In addition, the garment cloth of the first and second contraction regions 20, 22 on both sides of the winding device 12 can be simultaneously pulled with one operation of the winding device 12, thereby securing a large width of size adjustment. In addition, the present invention also provides a garment including the wear size adjustment mechanism.

ADVANTAGES

The present invention provides a wear size adjustment mechanism that enables efficient and wide adjustment of a wear size with less adjusting operation and restricts and adjusts the wear size in the direction of adjustment, and also provides a garment having the adjustment mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Fig. 1 is a front view of a floating vest as an example of a garment having a wear size adjustment mechanism of the present invention.
• Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a region around a connecting portion of the floating vest shown in Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 4 schematically illustrates an operation principle of the wear size adjustment mechanism of Fig. 3 in comparison with that of a conventional adjustment mechanism.
• Fig. 5 schematically illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 7 schematically illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 8 schematically illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 9 schematically illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of a wear size adjustment mechanism according to the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 illustrates a floating vest as an example of a garment having a wear size adjustment mechanism of the present invention. As shown, the main body 1A of the floating vest 1 may be made of Nylon, polyester, or other materials sewed together, and may include left and right front bodies 2A, 2B and a back body 3, which may be integrated together via left and right shoulder portions 5a, 5b and left and right waist portions (connecting portions) 6a, 6b. Further, openings 7a, 7b through which arms of a wearer are to be passed may be provided between the left and right shoulder portions 5a, 5b and the left and right waist portions 6a, 6b, and a fastener 8 may be sewed on the middle of the front surfaces of the left and right front bodies 2A, 2B and configured to connect the front bodies together. On the surfaces of the front bodies 2A, 2B, there may be sewed a plurality of pockets 9 that can be opened and closed with fasteners or the like The main body 1A configured as described above may include a flotation material (not shown) in appropriate portions thereof.

As shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 2, a wear size adjustment mechanism 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be provided on the waist portions (connecting portions) 6a, 6b configured to connect the front bodies 2A, 2B and the back body 3 together, or on the vicinity thereof, so as to be capable of adjusting the distance between the front bodies 2A, 2B and the back body 3. The following description will be related to the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 provided on the left waist portion 6a that connects the left front body 2A and the back body 3 at the lower left side, and the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 provided on the right waist portion 6b may have the same configuration. The wear size adjustment mechanism 10 provided on this portion may be operated to adjust the distance between the front body 2A and the back body 3. In the following description, the left front body will be referred to simply as the front body 2A, and the left waist portion will be referred to simply as the connecting portion 6a.

The configuration of the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 will be hereinafter described. As shown in Fig. 3, the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 may include: a winding device 12 fixed (sewed) on, e.g., the connecting portion 6a as a garment cloth; an elongated member 14 formed of, e.g., a metal wire and configured to be wound by the winding device 12; a first retainer 16 fixed (sewed) on the back body 3 (or the connecting portion 6a in some cases) as a garment cloth on one side (the back body 3 side) of the winding device 12 at a distance from the winding device 12; and a second retainer 18 fixed (sewed) on the front body 2A (or the connecting portion 6a in some cases) as a garment cloth on the other side (the front body 2A side) of the winding device 12 at a distance from the winding device 12.

The first retainer 16 fixed on the back body 3 may retain the elongated member 14 such that the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked on the first retainer 16. Thus, the first retainer 16 may define a first contraction region 20 of the garment cloth 3, 6a to be pulled from the one side (the back body 3 side) toward the winding device 12 by a pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12. The second retainer 18 fixed on the front body 2A may retain the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retainer 16 and extending from the first contraction region 20 to the other side (the front body 2A side). Thus, the second retainer 18 may define a second contraction region 22 of the garment cloth 2A, 6a to be pulled from the other side (the front body 2A side) toward the winding device 12 by a pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12.

In the embodiment, the first retainer 16 may include a first retaining member 16a and a second retaining member 16b. The first retaining member 16a may define a first hooking region 24 in the first contraction region 20. The first hooking region 24 may be positioned on one side (the upper side in Fig. 3) of the winding device 12 along the direction (the height direction Y) substantially orthogonal to the direction of distance from the winding device 12 to the first retainer 16 (the widthwise direction X). In the first hooking region 24, the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may hooked on the first retaining member 16a. The second retaining member 16b may define a second hooking region 26 in the first contraction region 20. The second hooking region 26 may be positioned on the other side (the lower side in Fig. 3) of the winding device 12 along the height direction Y. In the second hooking region 26, the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked on the second retaining member 16b.

It may be preferable that the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b are positioned such that the portions of the elongated member 14 extending from the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b (from the first contraction region 20) toward the second contraction region 22 are substantially in parallel with each other without complication, and the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b have, e.g., a substantial C-shape with both ends thereof opened toward the second contraction region 22.

The second retainer 18 may include, e.g., a transparent tube 18a and a cloth 18b. The transparent tube 18a may extend over the entire length of the height L of the adjustment mechanism 10 (in this embodiment, the height L may be substantially equal to the height between the upper end of the first retaining member 16a and the lower end of the second retaining member 16b) so as to directly receive the portions of the elongated member 14 extending from the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b of the first retainer 16 (from the first contraction region 20) toward the second contraction region 22 substantially in parallel with each other. The cloth 18b may be sewed on the front body 2A so as to externally cover the transparent tube 18a and fix the transparent tube 18a on the front body 2A. The elongated member 14 may be inserted through the transparent tube 18a and thus retained. Therefore, in the second contraction region 22 including the second retainer 18, the elongated member 14 may not extend between the second retainer 18 and the winding device 12.

In the embodiment, the elongated member 14 may be formed of a wire having both ends thereof attached to the winding device 12 and the wire being retained by the first and second retainers 16, 18 as described above, so as to extend in a loop through the first and second contraction regions 20, 22. More specifically, the elongated member 14 may extend from one side (the upper side in Fig. 3) of the winding device 12, and may be hooked on the first retaining member 16a in the first hooking region 24 within the first contraction region 20. Then, the elongated member 14 may be guided to the second contraction region 22 substantially in parallel with the widthwise direction X by an upper guide member 17 fixed on the connecting portion 6a, and may be inserted through the transparent tube 18a of the second retainer 18 positioned in the second contraction region 22 from one end of the transparent tube 18a. Further, the elongated member 14 may be passed through the other end of the transparent tube 18a and guided to the first contraction region 20 substantially in parallel with the widthwise direction X by a lower guide member 19 fixed on the connecting portion 6a. Still further, the elongated member 14 may be hooked on the second retaining member 16b in the second hooking region 26 within the first contraction region 20, and then reach the other side (the lower side in Fig. 3) of the winding device 12.

The winding device 12 for winding the elongated member 14 may be configured to simultaneously wind the portion of the elongated member 14 positioned in the first hooking region 24 and the portion of the elongated member 14 positioned in the second hooking region 26. Or, the portion of the elongated member 14 positioned in the first hooking region 24 and the portion of the elongated member 14 positioned in the second hooking region 26 may be configured to be capable of being simultaneously wound by the winding device 12. More specifically, in the embodiment, the winding device 12 can be switched by operation of an operation section thereof between a winding lock position where both end sides of the elongated member 14 extending in a loop can be wound simultaneously and a release position where the lock is released and both end sides of the elongated member 14 can be unwound simultaneously.

The winding device 12 may include: a main body 12a having the operation section and a spool around which the elongated member 14 is wound; and a pair of guide sections 12b, 12c positioned on the top and bottom of the winding device 12 and configured to receive the elongated member 14 and guide it onto the barrel of the spool. The guide sections 12b, 12c may have, e.g., a substantial L-shape and may be opened toward the associated one of the first and second hooking regions 24, 26. It is optional to provide the pair of guide sections 12b, 12c.

In the embodiment, the first retainer 16 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked may cooperate with the winding device 12 to restrain the first contraction region 20 from being contracted in the height direction (the second direction) Y substantially orthogonal to the widthwise direction (the first direction) X. For this purpose, the sum of the size a1 of the first retaining member 16a along the height direction Y, the size a2 of the second retaining member 16b along the height direction Y, and the size b of the winding device 12 (including the main body 12a and the guide sections 12a, 12b) along the height direction Y may be substantially equal to the size L of the adjustment mechanism 10 along the height direction Y. In addition, the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b and the winding device 12 may be formed of a material that is rigid enough to support the garment cloth and prevent the contraction thereof in the height direction Y.

In the embodiment, the second retainer 18 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the first retainer 16 may be hooked may restrain the second contraction region 22 from being contracted in the height direction Y. For this purpose, the size of the transparent tube 18a along the height direction Y may be substantially equal to the size L of the adjustment mechanism 10 along the height direction Y. In addition, the transparent tube 18a may be formed of a material that is rigid enough to support the garment cloth and prevent the contraction thereof in the height direction Y. The size L of the adjustment mechanism 10 along the height direction Y may be defined as the distance between the portions of the elongated member 14 extending through the first contraction region 20 and the second contraction region 22 substantially in parallel with each other along the widthwise direction X.

With such arrangement of the wear size adjustment mechanism 10, when the winding device 12 is switched to the winding lock position by operation of the operation section of the winding device 12 and then the winding device 12 is rotated in one direction, both ends of the elongated member 14 may be simultaneously wound into the winding device 12. The pulling action of the elongated member 14 produced by the winding may cause the first contraction region 20 of the garment cloth to be pulled from one side (the back body 3 side) toward the winding device 12 and, at the same time, may cause the second contraction region 22 of the garment cloth to be pulled from the other side (the front body 2A side) toward the winding device 12. That is, the garment cloth around the connecting portion 6a may be contracted in the widthwise direction X.

The details of this contraction operation are as follows. In the first contraction region 20, the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b and the winding device 12 fixed on the garment cloth may withstand rigidly over the respective sizes along the height direction Y to support the garment cloth and prevent contraction thereof in the height direction Y. The pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12 may cause the first retaining member 16a and the second retaining member 16b to be integrated together in the height direction Y and moved in the widthwise direction X. This may restrain the first contraction region 20 from being contracted in the height direction Y. On the other hand, in the second contraction region 22, the second retainer 18 (the transparent tube 18a) may receive the pulling force from the elongated member 14 that extends from the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b moved in the widthwise direction X integrally in the height direction, and withstand rigidly over the entire height L of the adjustment mechanism 10 to support the garment cloth and prevent contraction thereof in the height direction Y, while moving in the widthwise direction X. This may restrain the second contraction region 22 from being contracted in the height direction Y.

When the winding device 12 is switched to the release position by operation of the operation section, both end sides of the elongated member 14 can be unwound from the winding device 12, and the first and second contraction regions 20, 22 of the garment cloth can be expanded in the widthwise direction X (the garment cloth around the connecting portion 6a can be expanded in the widthwise direction).

As described above, in the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 according to the embodiment, the first retainer 16 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked may cooperate with the winding device 12 to restrain the first contraction region 20 from being contracted in the height direction Y substantially orthogonal to the widthwise direction X in which the first contraction region 20 may be contracted and expanded. In addition, the second retainer 18 on which the elongated member 14 extending from the first retainer 16 may be hooked from may restrain the second contraction region 22 from being contracted in the height direction Y. Therefore, the garment cloth may be restrained from being contracted (making wrinkles) in the height direction Y over the entire height of the first and second contraction regions 20, 22 related to the adjustment mechanism 10. Therefore, the reduction of comfort can be prevented. That is, the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 of the embodiment can restrict and adjust the size of the garment in the widthwise direction X in which the size is to be adjusted.

In the embodiment, the first contraction region 20 in which the elongated member 14 extending from the winding device 12 may be hooked on the first retainer 16 may be defined on one side of the winding device 12, while the second contraction region 22 in which the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retainer 16 and extending from the first contraction region 20 is retained may be defined on the other side of the winding device 12. Therefore, the pulling action of the elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12 may cause the garment cloth to be contracted reliably. In addition, the garment cloth of the first and second contraction regions 20, 22 on both sides of the winding device 12 can be simultaneously pulled with one operation of the winding device 12, thereby securing a large width of size adjustment.

In the wear size adjustment mechanism 10 of the embodiment, the second contraction region 22 may be defined, in which the elongated member 14 may not extend between the second retainer 18 and the winding device 12. In the second contraction region 22, the distance of pulling may not be halved on both sides of the hooking point by the principle of movable pulley. Therefore, in the second contraction region 22, the distance of pulling the garment cloth may theoretically be twice as in the first contraction region 20. That is, when the winding device 12 is rotated to wind each end side of the elongated member 14 by a distance of 2a, the distance of pulling in the first and second hooking regions 24, 26 may theoretically be halved on both sides of the first and second retaining members 16a, 16b (the hooking points), and therefore, the first contraction region 20 can be contracted only by a distance of a, while the second contraction region 22 can be contracted by the distance of 2a.

With reference to Fig. 4, such an advantageous principle of the adjustment mechanism 10 (see part (a) of Fig. 4) may be compared from a different point of view with another adjustment mechanism 100 (see part (b) of Fig. 4) which may not have the second contraction region 22. For convenience, Fig. 4 shows that a length of elongated member 14 wound by the winding device 12 penetrates the second contraction region 22, but it may actually be wound into the winding device 12. In the adjustment mechanism 100 as shown in part (b) of Fig. 4, the end fixing point P of the elongated member 14 that corresponds to the second retainer 18 of the adjustment mechanism 10 is aligned with the winding device 12 in the height direction. When the elongated member 14 extending as shown in the lower section of part (b) of Fig. 4 is wound by a length of 4a, the first retainer 16 is moved toward the winding device 12 only by a distance of 2a in accordance with the principle of movable pulley, as shown in the upper section of part (b) of Fig. 4. By contrast, in the adjustment mechanism 10 of the embodiment shown in part (a) of Fig. 4 having the second retainer 18 defining the second contraction region 22, when the elongated member 14 extending as shown in the lower section of part (a) of Fig. 4 is wound by a length of 4a, the first retainer 16 is moved toward the winding device 12 only by a distance of a in accordance with the principle of movable pulley, but the second retainer 18 is moved toward the winding device 12 by a distance of 2a, as shown in the upper section of part (a) of Fig. 4.

Thus, the distance of pulling the garment cloth may be doubled in the second contraction region 22. The adjustment mechanism 10 as a whole may enable efficient and wide adjustment of a wear size with less adjusting operation. Since efficient and wide adjustment of a wear size is possible with less adjusting operation, the wear size adjustment mechanism can be downsized as far as possible to be disposed in a limited space of the garment. In this arrangement, the winding device 12 may be shifted leftward in Fig. 3 such that the second contraction region 22 is larger than the first contraction region 20, thereby to further increase the efficiency of size adjustment.

Fig. 5 illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism 10A according to a second embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the second retainer 18 may have a different form than in the first embodiment. That is, in the embodiment, the second retainer 18 may include the above-mentioned transparent tube 18a, and guide sections 30, 32 that are connected to the opposite ends of the tube 18a and opened toward the first retainer 16.

Fig. 6 illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism 10B according to a third embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the second retainer 18 may have a different form than in the first embodiment. That is, in the embodiment, the second retainer 18 may include the above-mentioned transparent tube 18a that may be divided in the height direction Y into two parts (the transparent tubes 18aa, 18ab). Alternatively, the transparent tube 18a may be divided into three or more parts. As in the first embodiment, these transparent tubes 18aa, 18ab may be externally and integrally covered with the cloth 18b sewed on the front body 2A so as to be fixed on the front body 2A.

Fig. 7 illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism 10C according to a fourth embodiment. As shown, the second retainer 18 may include the above-mentioned transparent tube 18a of the first embodiment, and guide sections 30, 32 that are connected to the opposite ends of the tube 18a and opened toward the first retainer 16.

Fig. 8 illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism 10A according to a fifth embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the winding device 12 and the second retainer 18 may have a different form than in the first embodiment. More specifically, the second retainer 18 of the adjustment mechanism 10A may only include retaining guide sections 18c, 18c that correspond to the upper end and the lower end of the transparent tube 18a of the first embodiment, and the retaining guide sections 18c, 18c may retain and guide the elongated member 14. In addition, the winding device 12 may not have the pair of guide sections 12b, 12c positioned on the top and bottom of the winding device 12.

Fig. 9 illustrates a wear size adjustment mechanism 10B according to a sixth embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the winding device 12 and the second retainer 18 may have a different form than in the first embodiment. More specifically, the second retainer 18 of the adjustment mechanism 10B may include a first fixing member 18d for fixing the portion of the elongated member 14 hooked on the first retaining member 16a and extending from the first hooking region 24 to the second contraction region 22, and a second fixing member 18e for fixing the portion of the elongated member 14 hooked on the second retaining member 16b and extending from the second hooking region 26 to the second contraction region 22. The first and second fixing members 18d, 18e may be disposed at positions corresponding to the upper end and the lower end of the transparent tube 18a of the first embodiment. Therefore, in this arrangement, the elongated member 14 may be divided into two parts 14a, 14b and may not form a loop.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above descriptions and are susceptible to various modifications. For example, in the above embodiments, the wear size adjustment mechanisms 10 may be disposed on the left and right waist portions 6a, 6b, but it may also be possible that only one wear size adjustment 10 is disposed on one of the waist portions. The adjustment mechanism 10 may not necessarily be disposed on the waist portions 6a, 6b, and may also be used for, e.g., adjusting the distance between the left and right front bodies 2A, 2B. In this case, the floating vest 1 may not have a fastener 8 (may not open in the front), and thus may be put on and taken off via a wearer's head.

The adjustment mechanism 10 may not necessarily be disposed on a floating vest 1, and the present invention may also be used for various other kinds of garments. In this case, there is no limitation on the number of retainers 16, 18, the number of retaining members of the first retainer 16, and the number of fixing members of the second retainer 18. In the above-described embodiment, the elongated member may be a wire, but the material thereof is also not particularly limited.

Needless to say, the adjustment mechanism described above can be reversed. That is, the first retainer 16 may be disposed on the front body 2A side and the second retainer 18 on the back body 3 side.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2A, 2B, 3

garment cloth

10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D

wear size adjustment mechanism

13

winding device

14

elongated member

16

first retainer

16a

first retaining member

16b

second retaining member

18

second retainer

18d

first fixing member

18e

second fixing member

20

first contraction region

22

second contraction region

24

first hooking region

26

second hooking region