Preknotted adjustable fabric necktie

This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 09/789,425 filed Feb. 21, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to preknotted adjustable neckties and, more particularly to a preknotted adjustable necktie formed of fabric material and containing no rigid materials.

Heretofore, neckties were tied each time they were worn. When a necktie is tied and untied, the area where the knot is formed often becomes wrinkled or distorted. In addition, the user seldom ties the same knot each time, leading to misshaped knots. There have been at least two solutions to these problems: the clip on necktie, and the necktie having a pre-tied knot which fits around the user's neck and is adjustable by a means of a slidable zipper. Such neckties are described in US Pat. Nos. 3,898,698, 4,656,672, 4,897,887 and 5,048,127. These patents generally disclose a knot portion with a rigid plate member and a neck loop with a zipper sewn in slidably attached to the knot portion to adjust the size of the loop to fit around a user's neck. However, these pre-tied neckties use rigid materials in the knot and zippers which tend to break, are uncomfortable to wear and tend to loosen during use.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a preknotted adjustable necktie comprising a first outer tie portion having a front wide flap segment integral with a knot segment with an opening therethrough; and a second inner tie portion having an adjustable neck embracing loop extending through the opening in said knot segment, wherein the first outer tie portion and the second inner tie portion are formed of fabric material and contain no rigid materials.

The present invention also provides a process for forming this preknotted adjustable necktie by: forming from a fabric material the first outer tie portion as an elongated tie shaped strip and a second inner tie portion as a neck embracing loop; folding a top section of the first outer tie portion to form a knot cover folded over an inner knot part; attaching the corners of the knot cover together to form an oval shaped lower end of the knot segment with an opening therethrough and a bow shaped top end of the knot segment; and inserting the second inner tie portion through the opening in the lower end of the knot segment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1

is a front view of a preknotted adjustable necktie according to the invention.

FIG. 2

is a rear view of the preknotted adjustable necktie.

FIG. 2

a

is a partial rear view of the knot segment area of FIG.

2

.

FIG. 2

b

is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of the preknoted adjustable necktie wherein one end of the neck embracing look is attached to the back of the knot segment and the other end extends through the opening in the knot segment.

FIG. 3

is a front view of the process step wherein a pattern has been cut for forming the elongated tie shaped strip;

FIG. 4

a

is a front view of the process step wherein the edges of the pattern of

FIG. 3

have been secured together

FIG. 4

is a front view of the process step wherein the stitched pattern of

FIG. 4

a

has been turned inside out to form the elongated tie shaped strip of the first outer tie portion;

FIG. 5

is a partial rear view of the process step wherein the top part of the first outer tie portion is folded over and secured to a lower part of the outer tie portion.

FIG. 5

a

is a front view of a guide fabric strip.

FIG. 6

is a partial front view of the process step wherein a longitudinal dimple is created in the outer tie portion.

FIG. 7

is a partial rear view of the process step wherein a guide fabric strip is attached to the back of the inner knot part.

FIG. 8

is a front view of the neck embracing loop.

FIG. 9

is a partial rear view of the process step wherein a neck embracing loop is inserted into the formed guide loop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings

FIGS. 1 and 2

the preknotted adjustable necktie

1

has a first outer tie portion

2

having a front wide flap segment

3

integral with a knot segment

4

with an opening

5

therethrough. The front wide flap segment

3

is integral with the knot segment

4

by being made from a single piece of fabric. A second inner tie portion

6

having an adjustable neck embracing loop

7

extends through the opening

5

in the knot segment

4

. The knot segment

4

has a triangular shaped front face with a bow shaped top end

8

and an oval shaped lower end

9

with the opening

5

therethrough. The necktie also has a guide loop

10

attached to the back of the top end of the knot segment

4

(ie. to inner knot part

13

) for guiding the neck embracing loop

7

through the opening

5

in the knot segment.

Referring to

FIGS. 1

,

2

and

5

-

11

the knot segment

4

is folded from a top section

11

of the first outer tie portion

2

to form a knot cover

12

folded over an inner knot part

13

and wherein the corners

14

of the knot cover

12

are attached together to form the oval shaped lower end

9

of the knot segment

4

with an opening

5

therethrough and a bow shaped top end

13

of the knot segment

4

. As shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

a longitudinal dimple (crease)

15

is formed by stitching the fabric together below the top section

11

of the first outer tie portion

2

. Preferably the corners

14

of the knot cover

12

are attached together over the dimple

15

. Preferably the top section

11

is a folded top part of the first outer tie portion

2

with the folded over part being attached as per stitches

16

.

Referring to

FIG. 2

the opening

5

in the knot segment

4

and the guide loop

10

are sized to snugly fit the neck embracing loop

7

therethrough in order to allow for manual adjustment of the position of the knot segment

4

on the neck embracing loop

7

whereas otherwise the knot segment is in a secure position on the neck embracing loop. Preferably the guide loop

10

is of a non slip fabric (eg. an elastic or rough material) to help maintain the knot segment in a secure position after adjustment. In one embodiment as shown in

FIG. 2

the lower ends

18

of the neck embracing loop

7

are secured together with the guide loop

10

having two paths for the neck embracing loop

7

to pass through. In a second embodiment as shown in

FIG. 2

b

one end of the neck embracing loop

7

is secured

23

(eg. stitched) to the back of the knot segment

4

(inner knot part

13

) and the other end

18

of the neck embracing loop

7

extends through the guide loop

10

and through the opening

5

in the knot segment

4

. The necktie can also have a label loop

17

attached to the inner side of the front wide flap segment

3

which is used to secure the loose lower end

18

of the neck embracing loop

7

. The label loop

17

commonly will have a trademark of the manufacturer or designer printed thereon (herein the registered trademark AFTER SIX is depicted).

Referring to

FIGS. 1-9

a process is provided for forming the preknotted adjustable necktie

1

.

The first step involves forming from a fabric material the first outer tie portion

2

as an elongated tie shaped strip

19

(see

FIG. 4

) and a second inner tie portion as a neck embracing loop

7

(see FIG.

8

). The elongated tie shaped strip

19

is formed by cutting a pattern

20

(see

FIG. 3

) from the fabric material then folding the pattern

20

in half with the pattern side of the fabric facing in, then securing the edges

21

together and stitching

21

a

to provide form (see

FIG. 4

a

) followed by turning the shaped strip

19

of

FIG. 4

a

inside out and pressing to provide the shaped strip

19

of FIG.

4

.

To provide bulk and form to the knot segment preferably the top section

11

is formed by folding over a top part of the first outer tie portion

2

and securing the folded part to a lower part of the outer tie portion by stitching

16

to form the top section

11

(see FIG.

5

).

As shown in

FIG. 6

to provide a desirable appearance to the knot segment preferably a longitudinal dimple (crease)

15

is created below the top section

11

of the outer tie portion

2

. This dimple is secured by stitching the fabric together. At this point the guide loop

10

can be attached to the inner knot part

13

by stitching the outside edge of a piece of guide fabric strip

22

(see

FIG. 7

) to the back of the top section

11

. For the embodiment shown in

FIG. 2

the neck embracing loop

7

is inserted into the guide loop or for the embodiment shown in

FIG. 2

b

one end of the neck embracing loop is secured

23

to the back of the knot segment

4

(inner knot part

13

) with the other inserted into the guide loop. Then the guide loop

10

is formed by attaching inner sections of the guide fabric strip

22

to the inner knot part

13

to create the guide loop

10

having two snugly fitted paths for the neck embracing loop to pass through as in

FIG. 2

or one path as in

FIG. 2

b.

The knot segment

4

is completed by folding the top section

11

of the first outer tie portion

2

to form a knot cover

12

folded over an inner knot part

13

and attaching the corners

14

of the knot cover

12

together over the dimple

15

to form an oval shaped lower end

9

of the knot segment

4

with an opening

5

therethrough and a bow shaped top end

13

of the knot segment

4

.

It should be understood that the order of the process steps can be varied to produce the preknotted adjustable fabric necktie. For example, the guide loop

10

can be inserted after the knot cover

12

is folded over the inner knot part

13

, or the guide loop

10

can be formed and then the neck embracing loop

7

is inserted, followed by stitching the ends of the neck embracing loop together (as in

FIG. 2

) or stitching one end to the inner knot part

13

(

FIG. 2

b

).