Adjustable Shirt Collar Stiffener with Segmented Arms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing collar stiffening solutions, such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,296,865, fail to accommodate varying sizes of dress or collared shirts, often being too large or too small, leading to an unacceptable appearance due to loss of structural stabilization.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable apparatus comprising a circular, semi-rigid element with elongated extension elements and a rearward coupling element, allowing for adjustable length and width to fit different shirt sizes, featuring teeth for engagement and a catching mechanism to maintain shape, and a rubber coating for secure placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed-size collar stiffening apparatus is used, then it can provide structural stabilization to the collar, but it cannot accommodate different sizes of shirts (too large for children/small adults or too small for larger shirts)
Solution Approach 1:
The collar stiffening apparatus incorporates adjustable components including an adjustable armband with modular segments that can be configured to different lengths, and an adjustable collar holder that can accommodate various collar sizes. This dynamic adjustability allows the same device to provide reliable structural stabilization across different shirt sizes while maintaining adaptability.
2Length of stationary object
If the apparatus is made larger to fit bigger shirts, then it can stabilize larger collars, but it becomes too large for smaller shirts and creates an unacceptable appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The armband is divided into multiple adjustable segments that can be connected in different configurations. The collar holder is also segmented with adjustable components. This segmentation allows the apparatus to be resized to match different shirt dimensions, preventing the appearance problem of an oversized device on smaller shirts while maintaining the ability to stabilize larger collars when needed.
3Length of stationary object
If the apparatus is made smaller to fit smaller shirts, then it can accommodate children's and small adult shirts, but it becomes too small for larger shirts and cannot provide adequate stabilization
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable armband and collar holder work together as a dynamic system that can be expanded or contracted. For smaller shirts, the armband segments are configured in a compact arrangement, and the collar holder is adjusted to the appropriate smaller size, providing adequate stabilization without being oversized. For larger shirts, the same components are expanded to maintain proportional stabilization, ensuring reliable structural support across all shirt sizes.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable apparatus designed to operate with a shirt collar so as to provide stiffness to the shirt collar. A circular, semi-rigid element coextensive with the shirt collar, the semi-rigid element having a gap located at a placket of a shirt. The semi-rigid element comprises a left side having an adjustable first length, and a right side having an adjustable second length. A rearward coupling element adjustably couples the rearward ends of left and right sides, the rearward coupling element configured for adjusting a width of the semi-rigid element. The apparatus further includes a first elongated element that projects downwards from a left side of the semi-rigid element such that a tip of the first elongated element contacts a left shoulder of the shirt. The apparatus further includes a second elongated element that projects downwards such that a tip of the second elongated element contacts a right shoulder of the shirt.