Garments with releasable retainers

Abstract

Garments for covering appendages, such as socks and mittens for covering feet and hands, are provided with releasable retainer tabs. The tabs include elements configured to releasably attach. When attached, the tabs cinch a part of the garment covering the appendage joint, e.g., the ankle of a sock or wrist of a mitten. Elasticity of the sock or mitten ensures adequate circulation for the wearer. The tabs serve a secondary function, namely, pairing socks for laundering and storage. Pairing tabs may be provided in addition to or in lieu of the retainer tabs to join paired socks for laundering and storage.

1 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover, said slip on garment comprising:
 an appendage covering;   a joint covering extending from the appendage covering, the joint covering including a free edge defining an opening through which an appendage may be inserted;   a pair of retainer tabs attached to the joint covering, said pair of retainer tabs including:
 a first retainer tab attached to the joint covering a first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the joint covering; 
 a second retainer tab attached to the joint covering in operable alignment with the first retainer tab at the first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the joint covering, spaced apart from the first retainer tab by a second distance, wherein said second retainer tab is configured for releasable attachment to said first retainer, and said pair of retainer tabs cinching said joint covering by reducing the second distance when said second retainer tab is releasably attached to said first retainer tab. 
   
   
   
       2 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 said pair of retainer tabs comprising hook and loop fasteners.   
   
   
       3 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 said pair of retainer tabs comprising hook and loop fasteners, said first retainer tab comprising a hook type fastener and said second retainer tab comprising a loop type fastener.   
   
   
       4 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 said pair of retainer tabs comprising hook and loop fasteners, said first retainer tab comprising a hook type fastener and said second retainer tab comprising a loop type fastener, and   said second retainer tab being spaced apart from the first retainer tab by the second distance, said second distance being about ⅛ to 1 inch when said second retainer tab is not releasably attached to said first retainer tab.   
   
   
       5 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 said first retainer tab having a first edge and an opposite second edge, and said first retainer tab being attached to the joint covering along the first edge of the first retainer tab, and said first retainer tab being able to pivot about the first edge; and   said second retainer tab having a first edge and an opposite second edge, and said second retainer tab being attached to the joint covering along the first edge of the second retainer tab, and said second retainer tab being able to pivot about the first edge of the second retainer tab.   
   
   
       6 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 said first retainer tab having a first edge and an opposite second edge, and said first retainer tab being attached to the joint covering along the first edge of the first retainer tab, and said first retainer tab being able to pivot about the first edge; and   said second retainer tab having a first edge and an opposite second edge, and said second retainer tab being attached to the joint covering along the first edge and the second edge of the second retainer tab.   
   
   
       7 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 wherein said second retainer tab configured for releasable attachment to said first retainer cinches said joint covering and increases the tensile forces in the joint covering, when worn, by reducing the second distance when said second retainer tab is releasably attached to said first retainer tab.   
   
   
       8 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1 :
 wherein said second retainer tab configured for releasable attachment to said first retainer cinches said joint covering by reducing the second distance when said second retainer tab is releasably attached to said first retainer tab and thereby resists removal of the slip on garment from an appendage when worn.   
   
   
       9 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1  wherein the appendage is a foot and the joint is an ankle. 
   
   
       10 . A slip on garment with a binding joint cover according to  claim 1  wherein the appendage is a hand and the joint is a wrist. 
   
   
       11 . A pair of socks, including a first sock and a second sock, with each sock comprising:
 a foot covering covering including a toe portion configured to coves toes of a foot, and a heel portion configured to cover a heel of a foot;   an ankle covering extending from the foot covering, the ankle covering including a free edge defining an opening through which a foot may be inserted;   a pair of retainer tabs attached to the ankle covering, said pair of retainer tabs comprising hook and loop fasteners, and said pair of retainer tabs including:
 a first retainer tab attached to the ankle covering a first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the ankle covering; 
 a second retainer tab attached to the ankle covering in operable alignment with the first retainer tab at the first distance from the free edge defining the opening of the ankle covering, spaced apart from the first retainer tab by a second distance, wherein said second retainer tab is configured for releasable attachment to said first retainer, and said pair of retainer tabs cinching said ankle covering by reducing the second distance when said second retainer tab is releasably attached to said first retainer tab; 
 said first sock being releasably attachable to the second sock using the first and second retainer tabs of the first sock and the first and second retainer tabs of the second sock. 
   
   
   
       12 . A pair of socks according to  claim 11 , wherein the first retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the first retainer tab of the second sock, and the second retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the second retainer tab of the second sock. 
   
   
       13 . A pair of socks according to  claim 12 , wherein the ankle coverings of said first and second socks are in alignment when the first retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the first retainer tab of the second sock, and the second retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the second retainer tab of the second sock. 
   
   
       14 . A pair of socks according to  claim 11 , wherein the first retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the second retainer tab of the second sock, and the second retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the first retainer tab of the second sock. 
   
   
       15 . A pair of socks according to  claim 11 , wherein the first retainer tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the second retainer tab of the first sock, and the first retainer tab of the second sock is configured to releasably attach to the second retainer tab of the second sock, with the first retainer tab of the second sock and the second retainer tab of the second sock being disposed between the ankle covering of the first sock and the pair of retainer tabs of the first sock. 
   
   
       16 . A pair of socks, including a first sock and a second sock, with each sock comprising:
 a foot covering covering including a toe portion configured to coves toes of a foot, and a heel portion configured to cover a heel of a foot;   an ankle covering extending from the foot covering, the ankle covering including a free edge defining an opening through which a foot may be inserted;   a foldable pairing tab attached to the ankle covering, said pairing tab comprising:
 a tab body attached to the ankle covering, 
 a hook retainer portion attached to the tab body; 
 a loop retainer portion attached to the tab body and spaced apart from the hook retainer portion by a folding area, said hook retainer portion releasably engaging said loop retainer portion when said tab body is folded along the folding area and the hook retainer portion and loop retainer portion are urged into contact. 
   
   
   
       17 . A pair of socks according to  claim 16 , wherein the foldable area is aligned with the free edge of the ankle covering. 
   
   
       18 . A pair of socks according to  claim 16 , wherein the pairing tab of the first sock is configured to releasably attach to the pairing tab of the second sock.