US-12616319-B2 - Dimensionally stable hollow article and method for storing at least one hosiery item

US12616319B2US 12616319 B2US12616319 B2US 12616319B2US-12616319-B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a dimensionally stable hollow article for storing at least one hosiery item, particularly tights or a pair of stockings, comprising an inner cavity for receiving part of the stocking, a front side with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hollow article, and a rear side opposite of the front side along the longitudinal axis, and a lower side with respect to the longitudinal axis, and an upper side opposite of the lower side perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The invention further relates to a method for storing at least one hosiery item such that the at least one hosiery item has an improved identifiability of the colour, pattern, and thickness of the hosiery items.

Inventors

MARGARITA DELL

Assignees

MARGARITA DELL

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210609
Priority Date: 20200610

Claims (10)

1 . A method for storing at least one hosiery item using a dimensionally stable hollow article, wherein the dimensionally stable hollow articles has an inner cavity for receiving part of the hosiery item, a front side with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hollow article, and a rear side opposite of the front side along the longitudinal axis, and a lower side with respect to the longitudinal axis, and an upper side opposite of the lower side perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the hollow article is designed to be inserted, front side first, along the longitudinal axis, into a thigh portion of the hosiery item, wherein the upper side is convexly curved about the longitudinal axis at least in sections, wherein the hollow article tapers along the longitudinal axis from the rear side to the front side at least in a front section of the hollow article adjacent to the front side, wherein at least the rear side comprises at least one receiving opening at least for receiving part of another hollow article, which is oriented in the same way as the hollow article, in the cavity of the hollow article, wherein the corners and/or the edges of the hollow article are rounded, wherein the lower side and the rear side respectively comprise at least one planar standing surface for stably mounting the hollow article on a horizontal base, the method comprising: inserting the hollow article, with the front side of the hollow article first, along the longitudinal axis of the hollow article, into a thigh portion of a leg section of the hosiery item, stowing a hip section and another leg section of the hosiery item or stowing another hosiery item in the cavity of the hollow article, stretching a lower leg portion of the leg section over the lower side of the hollow article, and inserting a foot portion of the leg section into the cavity of the hollow article through the receiving opening of the rear side of the hollow article.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the front side is, at least in portions, convexly curved about a transverse axis oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis and along the lower side and/or about a vertical axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the transverse axis.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the lower side comprises at least one receiving opening for receiving at least part of another hollow article oriented in the same way as the hollow article in the cavity of the hollow article.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the upper side is smooth.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow article is elastically deformable during the insertion into the thigh portion so that the thigh portion is stretched by the inserted hollow article.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the upper side is illuminable at least in portions.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least the upper side, at least in portions, has a high color contrast to typical hosiery colors.
8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the insertion of the hollow article into the thigh portion is performed so that, in the end of the insertion, the upper side of the hollow article, at least in portions, abuts on a front side of the thigh portion, and/or the front side of the hollow article, at least in portions, abuts on a knee portion of the leg section.
9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the insertion of the foot portion into the cavity comprises seizing the foot portion in the cavity.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the insertion of the foot portion into the cavity comprises seizing the foot portion in the cavity.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates to a dimensionally stable hollow article for storing at least one hosiery item, particularly tights or a pair of stockings, comprising an inner cavity for receiving part of the stocking, a front side with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hollow article, and a rear side opposite of the front side along the longitudinal axis, and a lower side with respect to the longitudinal axis, and an upper side opposite of the lower side perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The invention further relates to a method for storing a hosiery item using the hollow article. Description of the Related Art Hosiery items, particularly stockings and tights, are usually stored in drawers in a rolled-up or balled-up manner so that the colour, pattern, and thickness of the stockings are hard to identify. The document DE 7212081 U discloses a packing container for hosiery items, particularly tights. The packing container is formed by a substantially cylindrical container which is closed in a line-shape on one end and can be covered by a cap on its other end. In the container, tights can be stored with low space requirements in a twisted state. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the invention to provide a device and a method for the space-saving storage of hosiery items providing for an improved identifiability of the colour, pattern, and thickness of the hosiery items. The subject matter of the present invention provides a hollow article according to claim 1 which solves the technical object. The object is likewise solved by a claimed method. Advantageous embodiments will become apparent from the dependent claims. The hollow article according to the invention is designed for storing at least one hosiery item, particularly tights or of a pair of stockings, and implemented with an inner cavity for receiving part of the hosiery item, for example a lower leg portion and a foot portion of a leg section as well as a hip section and another leg section of the tights. Within the meaning of the invention, those parts of the hosiery item which adjoin a leg or on a hip of a wearer of the hosiery item when the hosiery item is worn are referred to as a leg section and hip section of the hosiery item. Correspondingly, those portions of the leg section adjoining a thigh, knee, lower leg, or foot when the hosiery item is worn are referred to as the thigh portion, knee portion, lower leg portion, or foot portion. The hollow article is implemented with a front side with respect to a longitudinal axis of the hollow article, and a rear side opposite of the front side along the longitudinal axis, and with a lower side with respect to the longitudinal axis, and an upper side opposite of the lower side perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The hollow article is dimensionally stable, i.e., its shape is substantially invariable when used and stored as intended. In particular, its shape may be invariable except for minor elastic deformations. A deformation is deemed minor when a dimension of the hollow article is changed by less than 25%, particularly by less than 15% thereby. The hollow article is designed to be inserted, front side first, along the longitudinal axis, into a thigh portion of the hosiery item, the upper side preferably being convexly curved about the longitudinal axis at least in portions, particularly over an entire length of the hollow article along the longitudinal axis. The curvature of the upper side results in the advantage that a front side of the thigh portion can be stretched over the upper side of the hollow article like on a human thigh so that a colour, thickness, and patterning of the front side can be seen as they appear on the thigh in a simple manner. The hollow article preferably tapers along the longitudinal axis from the rear side to the front side at least in a front section of the hollow article adjacent to the front side, preferably over an entire length of the hollow article along the longitudinal axis. With a, for example, conical narrowing, it is easier to insert the hollow article into the thigh portion without damaging it. In addition, the tapered shape of the hollow article corresponds to the shape of a human thigh so that the visual impression of the thigh portion stretched over the hollow article is particularly close to the visual impression of the thigh portion on a human thigh. The lower side and/or the rear side comprise(s) at least one planar standing surface for stably mounting the hollow article on a horizontal base. A stable installation is particularly achieved by a projection of the centre of gravity of the hollow article, particularly in a state of the hollow article loaded with the hosiery item, being located along a surface normal of the standing surface within a contour of the standing surface. With the aid of the standing surface on the lower side, the hollow article can advantageously be stably positioned so