Article of manufacture and method for detachably securing two or more garment items together

Abstract

Apparatus for attaching and detaching a first item and a second item of garments together includes a base member, a first filament having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed between the opposing first and second ends. A second filament having a first end is attached to the base member. An opposing second end of the second filament is detachably secured to the intermediate portion of the first filament, where the second end of the second filament is formed as a hinge, and wherein the first and second filaments are movable relative to each other.

1 . An article of manufacture for detachably securing two or more items together comprising:
 a base member;   a first filament having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed between the opposing first and second ends; and   a second filament having a first end attached to the base member, and an opposing second end being detachably secured to the intermediate portion of the first filament in a pivotal hinged relation, wherein the first and second filaments are movable relative to each other.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the second filament is positioned substantially normal to the second end of the first filament in a first state. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the second filament is moveable to a position that is substantially parallel to the first filament in a second state. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the second end of the second filament is moveable to a position that is substantially parallel to the second end of the first filament in a second state. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the second end of the second filament is moveable to a position that is substantially normal with respect to the second end of the first filament in a third state. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the first filament is detached at its intermediate portion from the hinge of the second filament in a fourth state. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second filaments are generally round. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the first end of the first filament has a tapered tip. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the second filament is U-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the intermediate portion is positioned closer to the second end of the first filament than to the first end of the first filament. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the items include a fabric woven from a thread-like material, said base being dimensioned greater than the fabric weave to thereby prevent the first end of the second filament from passing through the first and second items of garments. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the first end of the second filament is detachably secured to the base member. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the first end of the second filament is fixedly secured to the base member. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 1  which is integrally molded from a resilient polymeric material. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 1  in which one or more points of detachment of the filaments are weakened areas. 
     
     
         16 . An article of manufacture for detachably securing two or more items together comprising:
 a base member having at least one socket;   a first filament having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed between the opposing first and second ends; and   a second filament having a first end attached to the base member, and an opposing second end being secured to the intermediate portion of the first filament in a pivotal hinged relation, wherein the first and second filaments are movable relative to each other, wherein the second end of the first filament is sized and configured for insertion into and removal from a first socket of said at least one socket.   
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16  wherein the second end of the first filament has a bulbous end-portion. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 16  wherein the first end of the second filament is sized and configured insertion into and removal from a second socket of said at least one socket. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18  wherein the first end of the second filament has a bulbous end-portion. 
     
     
         20 . A method of detachably securing a pair of garments together using a laundry fastener, the laundry fastener including a base member; a first filament having a first end, an opposing second end, and an intermediate portion formed between the opposing first and second ends; a second filament having a first end attached to the base member, and an opposing second end being detachably secured to the intermediate portion of the first filament, said second end of the second filament being formed as a hinge, and wherein the first and second filaments are movable relative to each other, said method comprising:
 pairing a first garment with a second garment, the first and second garments being fabricated from a woven fabric material;   inserting the first end of the first filament through the fabric of the paired garments;   detaching the second end of the first filament from the base;   sliding the first filament through the fabric to the intermediate portion of the first filament;   moving the second ends of the first and second filaments together at the hinge, wherein the second end of the first filament and the second end of the second filament are substantially parallel;   sliding the second ends of the first and second filaments through the fabric toward the base;   releasing the second ends of the first and second filaments, wherein the second end of the first filament returns to a position substantially normal to the second end of the second filament to thereby secure the paired garments between the base, the second end of the second filament and the second end of the first filament.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of detaching the second end of the filament at the hinge from the intermediate portion of the first filament. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of slidably removing the paired garments from the second end of the second filament. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the step of detaching the first end of the second filament from the base member. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of slidably removing the paired garments from the first end of the second filament. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the base member includes one or more sockets, the second end of the first filament being sized and configured for removable insertion into a first of the one or more sockets, and wherein the step of detaching the second end of the first filament from the base comprises applying a substantially normal force to remove the second end of the first filament from the first socket. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the first end of the second filament is sized and configured for removable insertion into a second of the one or more sockets, the method further comprising the step of detaching the first end of the second filament from the base by applying a substantially normal force to remove the first end of the second filament from the second socket.