SHIRT

TECHNICAL FIELD:

This invention relates generally to a shirt, and more particularly to a shirt having shape-retaining members fitted to collar ends to prevent collars from getting out of shape, as often found as the increased distance between both collar edges, bent collar lines or the swelled central part of the collar ends, characterized in that tips of the shape-retaining members are exposed on the rear surfaces of collar ends and engaged with the front part of the shirt so as to fixedly fit the collar ends to the front part.

BACKGROUND ART:

Heretofore, shirts (including cutter shirts, Hong Kong shirts with half-length sleeves, etc.) to be worn under a suit, with a tie 53 put around the collar, as shown in Fig. 5 (A), are known, in which rectangular shape-retaining plates 52 are fitted to the inside of collar ends 51 to prevent the collar ends 51 from losing shape.

Moreover, shirts of the so-called "button-down" type are also known, in which button holes are provided at the collar ends 51 to fit the collar ends 51 to the front part 54 by means of small buttons 55 attached to the front part 54, as shown in Fig. 5 (B).

Though not shown, shirts are also known, in which the rear surfaces of the collar ends are joined to the front part by means of Velcro fasteners.

Furthermore, shirt of the so-called "pin-hole" type are also known, in which pin holes are provided on both the collar ends 51 and 51, through which a pin 56 is passed to connect the collar ends 51 and 51, as shown in Fig. 5 (C).

In addition, shirts of the so-called "tab-collar" type are also known, in which strings 57 and 57 having joining means such as hooks at the ends thereof are provided to stretch and connect both the collar ends underneath the tie 53 by means of the joining means, as shown in Fig. 5 (D).

The prior art shown in Fig. 5 (A) is effective in preventing the collar ends 51 from losing shape. With the above-mentioned prior art, however, the shape of the collar tends to be unwantedly deteriorated as the collar ends 51 are bent upwards, or the distance between the collar ends 51 is unwantedly increased, or the central part of the collar ends 51 swells outwards when the neck is bent downwards, or turned to the right or left.

The examples of the prior art shown in Figs. 5 (B) through (D) are effective in fixedly fitting the collar ends 51 to the front part, and suitable for casual wear in which fashionable designs are of prime importance.

These examples, however, are not suitable for formal wear. Particularly in the example shown in Fig. 5 (D), the width of the collar ends 51 and 51 has to be increased to reduce the distance between the collar ends 51 and 51 so as to conceal the strings 57 and 57 that are passed under the tie 53.

In the examples shown in Figs. 5 (B) and (D), or in a shirt where Velcro fasteners are used to fit the collar ends to the front part, buttons, strings or Velcro fasteners could cause a possible interference with the iron in ironing the shirt.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION:

This invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems. To this end, the shirt of this invention is a shirt having shape-retaining members fitted to collar ends to prevent collars from getting out of shape, in which a shape-retaining member inserting means having openings on the rear surface of the collar ends for causing the ends of the shape-retaining members to be exposed while leaving the shape-retaining members inside the collar ends, and an engaging means for engaging with the exposed ends of the shape-retaining members at positions corresponding to the openings on the rear surface of the collar ends are provided; the shape-retaining members being fitted to the shape-retaining member inserting means in a state where part of the ends of the shape-retaining members is exposed to the openings; the ends exposed to the openings being engaged with the engaging means.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying Figs. 1 through 4.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

Figs. 1 (A) through (D) are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of this invention; Fig. 1 (A) being a front view, Fig. 1 (B) a diagram illustrating a state where a collar end is raised, Fig. 1 (C) a perspective view of a shape-retaining member according to this invention, Fig. 1 (D) a cross section taken along line A-A shown in Fig. 1 (B).

Figs. 2 (A) and (B) are diagrams of assistance in explaining another embodiment of the shape-retaining member engaging means of this invention.

Figs. 3 (A) through (C) are plan views of another embodiment of the shape-retaining member of this invention.

Figs. 4 (A) and (B) are diagrams of assistance in explaining still another embodiment of a shape-retaining member engaging means of this invention.

Figs. 5 (A) through (D) shows examples of the prior art.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION:

First, an embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 1 through 4 will be described. Reference numeral 1 refers to a collar end; 2 and 8 through 10 to shape-retaining members; 2-1, 8-1, 9-1 and 10-1 to inserting portions; 2-2, 8-2, 9-2 and 10-2 to engaging portions; 8-3 to a shouldered portion; 3 to a front part; 4 to an engaging strip; 4' to an engaging portion hole; 5 to a tie; 6 to a shape-retaining member inserting pocket; 6' to a pocket opening; 7 to a shape-retaining member engaging opening; 11 and 12 to shape-retaining member engaging pocket; and 11' to a pocket opening, respectively.

The shape-retaining member 2 in Fig. 1 is made of a flexible rectangular sheet, such as a vinyl plate, for example, as shown in Fig. 1 (C). A shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6 for inserting an inserting portion 2-1 of the shape-retaining member 2 is provided on the rear surface of a collar end 1, as shown in Fig. 1 (B). The inserting portion 2-1 is detachably inserted through a pocket opening 6', which is an opening of the shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6, or fixedly fitted in a state where the inserting portion 2-1 is inserted. The shape-retaining member 2 is held in the shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6 in a state where an engaging portion 2-2, which is an end of the shape-retaining member 2 is exposed to the pocket opening 6'.

An engaging strip 4 is provided at a position corresponding to a position of a front part at which the engaging portion 2-2 is engaged, that is, a position corresponding to the position of the pocket opening 6'. An engaging portion hole 4' for inserting the engaging portion 2-2 is formed between the engaging stipr 4 and the front part 3, as shown in Fig. 1 (D). Although Fig. 1 (B) shows the right side of Fig. 1 (A), the same holds for the left side of the figure.

Next, the engaging portion 2-2 exposed to the rear surface of the collar end 1 is inserted into the engaging portion hole 4' of the engaging strip 4. As a result, the shape-retaining member 2 is held in position as the inserting portion 2-1 is inserted into the shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6 and the engaging portion 2-2 is engaged with the engaging stipr 4.

As described above, the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 makes it possible to prevent the shape of collars from deteriorating, as often found as an unwanted increase in the distance between the collar ends 1 partly because of the use of the shape-retaining member 2 and partly because the collar end 1 is substantially fixedly fitted to the front part 3, as shown in Fig. 1 (A).

As in the case of the prior art described referring to Fig. 5 (C) at the beginning of the present Specification, this invention in which no pin is used can achieve the same effect as obtained by the use of the pin. In additon, the absence of buttons, strings, Velcro fasteners and other obtrusive members makes ironing easy.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the engaging strip 4 is used as an engaging means for engaging the shape-retaining member 2 with the front part 3, but a shape-retaining member engaging opening 7 as shown in Fig. 2 may be provided on the front part 3 as a means for engaging the shape-retaining member 2. The shape-retaining member engaging opening 7 may be slit, such as a button hole, provided at a position where the engaging portion 2-2 of the front part 3 is engaged. As in the case of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, by inserting the engaging portion 2-2 exposed to the rear surface of the collar end 1 in the shape-retaining member engaging opening 7, the shape-retaining member 2 is held in position as the inserting portion 2-1 is held in the shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6 and the engaging portion 2-2 is engaged with the shape-retaining member engaging opening 7. Consequently, even when the shape-retaining member engaging opening 7 shown in Fig. 2 is used as a means for engaging the shape-retaining member 2 with the front part 3, substantially the same effect as obtained with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 can be accomplished. Fig. 2 (A) corresponds with Fig. 1 (B), and Fig. 2 (B) is a cross section taken along line A-A shown in Fig.2 (A).

Furthremore, the shape-retaining member 2 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 is formed into a rectangular shape, as shown in Fig. 1 (C). However, any of the shape-retaining members shown in Fig. 3 (A) through (C) may be used as the shape-retaining member of this invention.

That is, the shape-retaining member 8 shown in Fig. 3 (A) has a shouldered portion 8-3 provided between the inserting portion and the engaging portion 8-2, and can be used in essentially the same manner as with the shape-retaining member 2 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. By using the shape-retaining member 8 shown in Fig. 3 (A), the inserting portion 8-1 is prevented from unwantedly falling from the shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) because of the presence of the shouldered portion 8-3 in a state where the engaging portion 8-2 of the shape-retaining member 8 is engaged with the engaging strip 4 (shown in Fig. 1) or the shape-retaining member engaging opening 7 (shown in Fig. 2). Both the shape-retaining member 9 shown in Fig. 3 (B) and the shape-retaining member 10 shown in Fig. 3 (C) can be used in essentially the same manner as with the shape-retaining member 2 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. The shape-retaining member 9 shown in Fig. 3 (B) is made of a flexible sheet, such as a vinyl plate, while the shape-retaining member 10 shown in Fig. 3 (C) is formed by bending a flexible wire, as used for paper clips, into a loop shape.

Still other embodiments of the shape-retaining member engaging means are shown in Figs. 4 (A) and (B).

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 (A) is a shape-retaining member engaging means where a shape-retaining member engaging pocket 11 having a pocket opening 11' is provided on the rear surface of the front part 3 at a position on the front part corresponding to a position of the pocket opening 6' provided on the rear surface of the collar end 1. In this embodiment, the engaging portion 2-2 exposed to the rear surface of the collar end 1 is inserted into the pocket opening 11' and into the rear surface of the front part 3 and then into the shape-retaining member engaging pocket 11 in a state where a tie 5 is tied. In this state, the engaging portion 2-2 is engaged with the shape-retaining member engaging pocket 11, thus the shape-retaining member 2 is prevented from being unwantedly falling from the shape-retaining member inserting pocket 6 of the shape-retaining member 2 even when the shape-retaining member 2 is formed into a rectangular shape shown in Fig. 1 (C).

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 (B) is a shape-retaining member engaging means where a shape-retaining member engaging pocket 12 for engaging the shape-retaining member engaging member 2-2 is provided on the front surface of the front part 3, and has essentially the same effect as with the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 (A).

The shape-retaining member engaging pockets 11 and 12 are formed into a shape corresponding to the engaging portion 2-2 of the shape-retaining member 2 formed into a rectangular shape, as shown in Fig. 1 (C). However, if a shape-retaining member 2 of any other shape, that is any of the shape-retaining members 8 through 10 shown in Figs. 3 (A) through (C), is used, the shape-retaining member engaging pockets 11 and 12 must be formed into a shape corresponding to the engaging portions 8-2 through 10-2.

As described above, this invention makes it possible to prevent the distance between the collar ends from unwantedly increasing, and to prevent the shape of the collar from deteriorating, as often found in the forms of bent collar ends, or the swelled central part of the collar ends since the collar ends are substantially fixedly fitted to the front part, preventing the displacement of the collar ends. Furthermore, this invention makes it possible to make the edges of the collar ends essentially parallel with the knot of the tie, and to bring the tips of the collar ends in close contact with the front part, as in the case of conventional pin-hole type shirts, and to conceal the shape-retaining member engaging means under the collars. This permits the shirt of this invention to be used as formal wear as well as casual wear where fashionable designs are of prime importance. The absence of buttons and Velcro fasteners as a means for fixing the collar ends offer the ease of ironing.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY:

As described above, the shirt of this invention is useful as a shirt in which the shape of the collars is prevented from deteriorating, and can be applied to various types of shirts, whether formal or casual ones.