Garment with integrated cuff stiffening elements

Abstract

A garment with integrated cuff stiffening elements having a sleeve portion and a torso portion coupled to the sleeve portion is disclosed. The sleeve portion is attached to a first end of a cuff portion. Disposed in a void created within the cuff portion by attaching a second end of the cuff portion to the first end is a stiffening element. The stiffening element substantially circumscribes the cuff portion and defines a substantially uniform height of the cuff portion. In defining the substantially uniform height, the stiffening element provides the cuff portion with a crisp outward appearance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment ( 100 ), comprising:
 a torso portion ( 110 );   a sleeve portion ( 120 ) coupled to the torso portion;   a cuff portion ( 130 ) having an internal surface and an external surface opposing the internal surface, wherein the sleeve portion is attached to a first end of the cuff portion; and   a stiffening element ( 175 ) positioned about the cuff portion such that the stiffening element substantially circumscribes the cuff portion;   wherein a second end of the cuff portion is attached to the first end opposing the second end thereby creating a void within the cuff portion, wherein the stiffening element is disposed within the void.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is configured as a shirt. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is configured as a coat, a jacket, a sweatshirt, or a sweater. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 2 , wherein first and second seams ( 142 ,  144 ) join a first textile panel ( 115 ) to second and third textile panels ( 111 ,  113 ), respectively, to construct the torso portion. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein the sleeve portion is composed of a fourth textile panel ( 121 ), and a seam ( 154 ) joins opposing ends of the fourth textile panel to construct the sleeve portion. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 5 , wherein the cuff portion is composed of a fifth textile panel ( 131 ), and a seam ( 148 ) joins opposing ends of the fifth textile panel to construct the cuff portion. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 6 , wherein each textile panel ( 111 ,  113 ,  115 ,  121 ,  131 ) is composed of a woven fabric, knit fabric, nonwoven fabric, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 7 , wherein at least one textile panel includes one or more functional finishes, coatings, or other treatments that enhance a functionality of the textile panel. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one textile panel includes an anti-bacterial agent. 
     
     
         10 . The garment of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one textile panel includes a flame retardant coating. 
     
     
         11 . The garment of  claim 6 , wherein the seam ( 148 ) joins the cuff portion ( 130 ) to the sleeve portion ( 120 ) and a second seam ( 146 ) joins the sleeve portion to the torso portion ( 110 ). 
     
     
         12 . The garment of  claim 11 , wherein the stiffening element ( 175 ) is coupled to the cuff portion via at least one point of attachment, wherein the at least one point of attachment comprises an internal stitch. 
     
     
         13 . The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the stiffening element ( 175 ) comprises a band of fabric, and wherein the height of the stiffening element defines a substantially uniform height of the cuff portion. 
     
     
         14 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein, in defining the substantially uniform height, the stiffening element imparts an extending force on the cuff portion from within the void in the cuff portion, wherein the extending force translates into a stretching of the fifth textile panel ( 131 ) in an axial direction with respect to an axis defined by an arm of a potential wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the stretching reduces rumpling of the cuff portion ( 130 ), thereby providing the cuff portion with a taut and crisp outward appearance. 
     
     
         16 . The garment of  claim 15 , wherein a lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element imparts the extending force, and wherein the lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio exceeds one. 
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the garment is configured such that a wearer of the garment is able to fold the cuff portion in an upward direction about itself towards the torso portion to position the cuff portion closer to a shoulder of the wearer; wherein the elasticity of the stiffening element enables the wearer to fold the cuff portion in an upward direction about itself; and wherein the substantially uniform height of the cuff portion is maintained upon positioning the cuff portion closer to the shoulder due to the lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element. 
     
     
         18 . A method for constructing a garment ( 100 ), comprising:
 providing a torso portion ( 110 ) and a sleeve portion ( 120 ) coupled to the torso portion;   attaching the sleeve portion to a first end of a cuff portion ( 130 ) having an internal surface and an external surface opposing the internal surface;   positioning a stiffening element ( 175 ) about the cuff portion such that the stiffening element substantially circumscribes the cuff portion; and   attaching a second end of the cuff portion to the first end opposing the second end thereby creating a void within the cuff portion, the stiffening element disposed within the void.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the garment is configured as a shirt, coat, a jacket, a sweatshirt, or a sweater;   first and second seams ( 142 ,  144 ) join a first textile panel ( 115 ) to second and third textile panels ( 111 ,  113 ), respectively, to construct the torso portion; wherein the sleeve portion is composed of a fourth textile panel ( 121 ), and a seam ( 154 ) joins opposing ends of the fourth textile panel to construct the sleeve portion;   the cuff portion is composed of a fifth textile panel ( 131 ), and a seam ( 148 ) joins opposing ends of the fifth textile panel to construct the cuff portion;   each textile panel ( 111 ,  113 ,  115 ,  121 ,  131 ) is composed of a woven fabric, knit fabric, nonwoven fabric, or combination thereof; wherein the seam ( 148 ) joins the cuff portion ( 130 ) to the sleeve portion ( 120 ) and a second seam ( 146 ) joins the sleeve portion to the torso portion ( 110 );   the stiffening element ( 175 ) is coupled to the cuff portion via at least one point of attachment, wherein the at least one point of attachment comprises an internal stitch; wherein the stiffening element ( 175 ) comprises a band of fabric, and wherein the height of the stiffening element defines a substantially uniform height of the cuff portion; and   in defining the substantially uniform height, the stiffening element imparts an extending force on the cuff portion from within the void in the cuff portion, wherein the extending force translates into a stretching of the fifth textile panel ( 131 ) in an axial direction with respect to an axis defined by an arm of a potential wearer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the stretching reduces rumpling of the cuff portion ( 130 ), thereby providing the cuff portion with a taut and crisp outward appearance;   a lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element imparts the extending force, and wherein the lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio exceeds one; and   the garment is configured such that a wearer of the garment is able to fold the cuff portion in an upward direction about itself towards the torso portion to position the cuff portion closer to a shoulder of the wearer; wherein the elasticity of the stiffening element enables the wearer to fold the cuff portion in an upward direction about itself; and wherein the substantially uniform height of the cuff portion is maintained upon positioning the cuff portion closer to the shoulder due to the lateral-to-longitudinal stiffness ratio of the stiffening element.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least one textile panel includes one or more functional finishes, coatings, or other treatments that enhance a functionality of the textile panel.