Scarf with writing area and writing area

Abstract

 A scarf (1) with a body element (2) made of a first material, further having at least one writing area (3,4) made of a second material and being affixed to the body element (2) and covering a section of the scarf (1), whereas the writing area (3,4) is made of a material that provides a better basis for being written on by means of a pen than the material of the body element (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a scarf, in particular to a scarf that is sold and used as fan merchandise.

[0002] Scarfs are often sold and used as fan merchandises, for examples sports fan merchandises. Therefore they usually show the emblem and colors of the respective team. Such particular fan scarfs are usually produced by knitting or crocheting with thick yarns and loose meshes, to provide the durability needed and the appearance expected.

[0003] To individualize the scarfs most of the sports fans get their scarves signed by their favorite team players. But writing on knitted or crocheted scarves having loose meshes represents a problem, as the meshes apart during signing, leading to a deformed and often unreadable autograph. Furthermore the adhesion of the ink of the pen on the material of the scarf, even if a special textile marker is used, is limited. Thus many sports fans refrain from washing their scarves as they fear to loose the autographs of their favorite team players.

[0004] Based on this the invention aims at providing a scarf that represents a better basis for being written on.

[0005] This aim is solved by the subject of the independent claims 1 and 21. Advantageous embodiments are subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] The basic idea of the invention is to provide a scarf having a body element that is made of a first material and to provide at least one writing area made of a second material, whereas this writing area is affixed to and covers at least a section of the scarf and whereas the writing area is made of a material that provides a better basis for being written on by means of a pen than the material of the body element.

[0007] The first material may be a material that is commonly used for producing scarfs used as fan merchandises. The body element may further provide a permanent labeling, e.g. the emblem of the sports team, being printed onto the first material and/or being incorporated into the first material, e.g. by knitting, crocheting or weaving.

[0008] "Providing a better basis for being written on by means of a pen" is primarily understood herein in that the materials ability for adhesion of the ink of the pen is better and/or in that the surface of the material is smoother so as to achieve a better typeface. With some materials, a superior adhesion is achieved by ironing the material that has been written on.

[0009] The invention allows producing scarfs that are used as fan merchandise and which may be signed and written on without the need to change the production method or the material of the body element of the scarf. As the writing area made of the second material preferably covers only a section of the scarf the overall appearance of the scarf remains substantially unchanged.

[0010] The writing area may be attached to the body element with its full surface. Alternatively the writing area may be attached to the body element only with a part of its surface, protruding the scarf with the other part.

[0011] Advantageously the writing area is made of a material that provides an adhesion of the ink of the pen, in particular when using a textile marker, that allows the washing of the scarf, preferably even in a washing machine, without substantially washing out the ink.

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention the first material of the body element comprises one or several of the group of materials or compositions including Ramy, Dralon^®, acrylic, wool-cashmere, cotton-cashmere, cotton-acrylic, wool-acrylic, wool, cotton, cotton-synthetic fibres, whereas all of those materials are preferably either knitted, crocheted or woven for producing the body element. Furthermore the body element or parts of the body element may be made of fleece material and/or of felt.

[0013] The writing area may be made of a fabric, preferably a woven fabric, which comprises one or several of the group of materials or compositions including linen, cotton, silk, nylon, rubber, leather, synthetic leather, plastic, and/or plasticized or coated materials. Accordingly those materials provide a good basis for achieving a permanent adhesion of the writing and a good typeface.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention the writing area has at least the size of a standard autogramm card or that of a postcard. Preferably it is as wide as the body element and at least 20cm long.

[0015] Furthermore the writing area may be positioned close to one or both of the ends of the scarf. Usually sports fans get their scarfs signed while still wearing them around the neck thereby presenting the ends of the scarfs to the team players. Thus the writing area may be attached the scarf in the position that is most likely to be signed. Alternatively the writing area may be affixed to the body element in any other position.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention a writing area may be located on both, the front and backside of the scarf, advantageously in the same position relative to the body element. Thus an enlarged space for writing can be achieved without an extensive covering of the body element.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the writing area is affixed to the body element by means of sewing and/or bonding. This provides a durable connection between the writing area and the body element. It may further be ironed on the body element.

[0018] The writing area may as well be fixed to the body element by means of dissolvable fastening means. These may include hook-and-loop fastenings and/or zippers and/or push buttons. By means of the dissolvable fastening means the writing area may be separated from the body element before the body element is washed and furthermore the writing area may be saved when the scarf is disposed of and may be fixed to a replacement scarf.

[0019] In a further embodiment of the invention the writing area may be incorporated into the material of the body element. This may be achieved, for example by knitting the second material (that allows a permanent adhesion with the ink of the pen) into the material of the body element in a section of the body element. Accordingly the writing area may not be separated from the scarf anymore. But by incorporating the writing area into the body element the appearance of the scarf is least changed compared to scarfs known from the prior art.

[0020] The writing area may possess a pattern that corresponds to the pattern of the body element in the particular section. This can be achieved by producing the writing area in the appropriate pattern. Alternatively the pattern may be printed on the writing area after manufacturing and/or affixing to the body element. In case the writing area is incorporated into the scarf, the colors of the fibers and the position where they are incorporated into the material of the body element may appropriately be chosen to achieve the desired pattern.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the present invention the scarf provides one or several pockets, e.g. for holding a pen that is intended to be used for writing on the writing area. Accordingly the pocket(s) for the pen may advantageously be located in close proximity to the writing area. The pocket(s) for the pen may be closed by solvable fastening means, e.g. by a hook-and-loop fastening and/or a zipper (made of metal and/or plastic) and/or push buttons to avoid the loss of the pen.

[0022] Advantageously the pocket opening may be 3 cm long. This Is long enough to allow a good withdrawal of the pen from the pocket and is still small enough for not substantially influencing the appearance of the scarf. The pocket opening may as well be wider than 3 cm.

[0023] Furthermore the scarf may provide fastening means, e.g. a chain, strap and/or a ring, to fix the pen to the scarf. The pen is preferably affixed to the scarf inside the pocket.

[0024] Preferably the pen being affixed to the scarf is a textile marker as sold by a number of companies, e.g. Edding, as those have proven to provide a good adhesion of the ink on the materials preferably used for the manufacture of the writing area.

[0025] Preferably the scarf is approximately 200 cm long and 18 cm wide. Other dimensions are possible and may be suitable. For example the width of the scarf may vary over its length. Furthermore scarfs for children or pets may have other dimensions.

[0026] In one embodiment of the invention the endings of the scarf may terminate in straight edges. Alternatively the edges may be round, peaked or asymmetrically shaped. Furthermore they may provide fringes.

[0027] The scarf according to the invention will also find use in other areas than sports merchandise, like for example in the music- and film-business.

[0028] Below the invention will be described further by means of drawings, the drawings, however, only showing preferred embodiments of the invention. In the drawings,

Fig. 1

shows the scarf according to the invention in a schematic top view and

Fig. 2

shows a section of the scarf according to the invention in a schematic, cut side view.

[0029] Fig. 1 shows the scarf 1 having a body element 2 made of a first material and two writing areas 3,4 affixed to and covering the end-sections of the body element 2, the writing areas 3,4 being made of a second material. Fringes 5 are arranged at the end sections of the body element 2.

[0030] Fig. 2 shows the body element 2 and the writing area 4 arranged on top of the body element 2. A seam 6 affixes the writing area 4 to the body element. Further seams can be arranged at other sides of the writing area 4 for securely affixing the writing area 4 to the body element 2 and for determining its position on the body element 2.

Claims

1. Scarf having a body element which is made of a first material, characterised by at least one writing area made of a second material being affixed to and covering at least a section of the body element, whereas the writing area is made of a material that provides a better basis for being written on by means of a pen than the material of the body element.

2. Scarf according to claim 1, characterised in that the adhesion of the ink of the pen on the writing area allows the washing of the scarf, without the ink being washed out.

3. Scarf according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the first material is made of one the materials or compositions of the first group of materials including Ramy, Dralon^®, acrylic, wool-cashmere, cotton-cashmere, cotton-acrylic, wool-acrylic, wool, cotton, cotton-synthetic fibre, all of those either knitted or woven, further fleece and felt or is made of several materials or combinations of materials of this first group.

4. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the writing area is made of a fabric made of a material or a composition of the second group of materials or compositions including linen, cotton, silk, nylon, rubber, leather, synthetic leather, plasticized and/or coated materials, plastic or made of several materials or combinations of materials of this second group.

5. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the writing area provides a pattern that corresponds to the pattern of the body element.

6. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the writing area is as wide as the body element and at least 20cm long.

7. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the writing area(s) is/are located close to one or both of the ends of the scarf.

8. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that writing areas are located on the front and backside of the body element.

9. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the writing area(s) is/are affixed to the body element by means of sewing and/or bonding.

10. Scarf according to any of the claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the writing area is affixed to the body element by means of dissolvable fastening means.

11. Scarf according to claim 10, characterised in that the writing area Is affixed to the body element by means of hook and loop fastenings and/or zippers and/or push buttons.

12. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised by a pocket for a pen.

13. Scarf according to claim 12, characterised in that the pocket for the pen is located in close proximity to the writing area.

14. Scarf according to any of the claims 12 or 13, characterised in that the pocket for the pen is closed by a hook-and-loop fastening and/or a zipper and/or a push button.

15. Scarf according to any of the claims 12 to 14, characterised in that the pocket opening is at least 3cm wide.

16. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a pen is affixed to the scarf by means of a chain, strap and/or a ring.

17. Scarf according to claim 16 and one of the claims 12 to 15, characterised in that the pen is affixed to the scarf inside the pocket.

18. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the scarf Is approximately 200cm long and 18cm wide.

19. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the endings of the scarf either have a round, peaked or asymmetric shape and/or provide fringes.

20. Scarf according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the body element and/or the writing area provide a permanent labeling, established by print and/or weaving.

21. Writing area made of a material on which can permanently be written by means of a pen, whereas the writing area is suited for being affixed to and for covering a section of a scarf.

Drawing