US20070033697A1

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Publication number: US20070033697A1
Application number: US11/402,778
Authority: US
Inventors: Brooke Soldwedel
Original assignee: Medline Industries LP
Current assignee: Medline Industries LP
Priority date: 2005-08-11
Filing date: 2006-04-12
Publication date: 2007-02-15

Abstract

Infant clothing articles having indicia thereon for sizing, sorting, and preventing or inhibiting loss. The indicia includes a color corresponding to a size of infant clothing articles. The indicia is highly visible and is adapted to be used in hospital and other institutional settings to distinguish infant clothing articles from other linens and to identify different sizes of infant clothing articles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/707,271, filed Aug. 11, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to infant clothing. More particularly, the present invention relates to articles of infant clothing having indicia thereon for aiding or assisting in sizing, sorting, and preventing or inhibiting loss.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Institutional settings, such as hospitals, often have a large supply of infant clothing articles including T-shirts, undershirts, gowns, singlets, rompers, bodysuits, and the like for use by their pediatric patients. The infant clothing articles are available in various sizes, including 3-months, 6-months, 9-months, 12-months, and 18-months.

Distinguishing the articles of infant clothing from other institutional linens and from each other may be difficult. The infant clothing articles are most often manufactured and available in an all white color. White is a neutral color, is often associated with cleanliness and sterility and is, thus, generally preferred in hospital settings and other institutional settings. For these reasons, other linens in hospital and institutional settings such as bed sheets, pillowcases, cloth diapers, towels, washcloths, and the like are also often white. These different types of linens are often laundered with the various sizes and types of infant clothing, some of which are of a generally similar size as the infant clothing articles (e.g., washcloths and pillowcases). Because the infant clothing articles are generally the same color and often a similar size as the other linens, the infant clothing articles may become mixed in and/or accidentally sorted with the other linens and/or misplaced.

Distinguishing the infant clothing articles by size may also be difficult. Once separated from the other types of linens, infant clothing articles are often sorted, generally by size. Sorting infant clothing articles according to size may be problematic, particularly in institutional settings, which generally have vast amounts of infant clothing articles. Because the size of the clothing is not readily apparent, it is often difficult and time-consuming to determine the size for purposes of sorting and storing and later to locate the desired size from storage.

Current methods of distinguishing infant clothing articles and/or sizes of infant clothing articles include kaumography and tagging. Kaumography is a process of transferring a label or a decal to an article of clothing by applying heat to the label or decal. The label or decal may include the size of the clothing and/or a distinguishing mark, color, or logo. Kaumography requires an additional step in manufacturing the article and, thus, may be a time-consuming and/or expensive way of distinguishing the clothing and/or indicating size. Alternatively, tagging involves placing a tag or label on the article of infant clothing, usually on the upper, back, inside portion of the article of infant clothing, to indicate the size. Although tags may be required to provide information about the article of infant clothing such as fiber content, relying on writing on the tag to identify the size of the article of infant clothing may be undesirable because the tags may lose ink color, curl, shrink, and/or tear. Moreover, the writing on the tag may be difficult to see from a distance, thus making it difficult to identify the sizes and sort the clothing. In addition, because the tags and the writing on the tags are often small in size or can fade during washing and/or laundering, they do not readily distinguish the articles of infant clothing from the other linens or from other sizes of infant clothing items. Thus, tagging may also be a time-consuming and/or ineffective way of differentiating the infant clothing articles and/or the size of the infant clothing articles.

Therefore, there exists a need for an improved system of coding articles of infant clothing that promotes efficiency in size determination and sorting and minimizes the risk of loss.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one embodiment, an article of infant clothing comprises a front portion and a back portion. At least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening. The article of infant clothing includes at least one indicia thereon, which has a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.

According to one method of distinguishing an article of infant clothing, an article of infant clothing is provided. The article of infant clothing has a front portion and a back portion. At least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening. At least one indicia on the article of infant clothing is also provided. The at least one indicia has a color thereon corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing. The color of the at least one indicia is compared to a color code. The color code has a color corresponding to a size of the article of infant clothing.

According to one method of manufacturing an article of infant clothing, an article of infant clothing is provided. At least one indicia is provided thereon. The at least one indicia has a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.

The above summary of the present invention is not intended to represent each embodiment or every aspect of the present invention. The detailed description and Figures will describe many of the embodiments and aspects of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1aillustrates a front view of a short sleeve, slip-over infant shirt according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1billustrates a back view of the slip-over infant shirt ofFIG. 1a.

FIG. 2aillustrates a front view of a long sleeve, snap-side infant shirt, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2billustrates a back view of the snap-side infant shirt ofFIG. 2a.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to infant clothing articles having indicia thereon for aiding or assisting in sizing, sorting, and/or minimizing the risk of loss of the infant clothing articles.

The structure of infant clothing articles is generally well-known. Articles of infant clothing generally have a shirt section in which front and back portions of the shirt are interconnected to define a body casing that fits around an infant's torso. The body casing includes a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening at its upper end. Infant clothing articles may further include a crotch panel that extends from the back portion of the article through the infant's legs and attaches to the front portion of the article. The infant clothing article may be designed to pull over the infant's head. The infant clothing article may also include, for example, snaps, ties, safety pins, hook-and-loop-type fasteners, or combinations thereof. Although the remainder of the disclosure herein will be directed toward an infant shirt, it is to be understood that all aspects of the invention may also be implemented on other articles of infant clothing, including, but not limited to, T-shirts, undershirts, gowns, singlets, rompers, bodysuits, and the like.

With reference toFIG. 1a, for example, a short sleeve, slip-overinfant shirt10 is shown according to one embodiment of the present invention. The shirt ofFIGS. 1a,1bmay also be referred to as a lap-shoulder shirt. According to the illustrated embodiment, the slip-overshirt10 is of generally typical construction having atubular body casing12, which is defined by aback portion14 and afront portion16. Thetubular body casing12 may include generally one piece of fabric or several (i.e., two or more) pieces of fabric attached together to form a generally tubular shape. In use, theback portion14 overlies the back of an infant's upper torso, and thefront portion16 overlies the infant's chest and/or stomach area. Situated near the upper ends of theback portion14 and thefront portion16 are a first arm opening and a second arm opening adapted to receive the infant's arms therethrough and aneck opening18 adapted to receive the infant's head therethrough.Sleeves20 may be attached to thebody casing12 at the first and second arm openings. Thesleeves20 may generally be short, as shown in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1aand1b, long as shown in the embodiment ofFIGS. 2aand2b, or of an intermediate length or lengths (not shown). The slip-overshirt10 may also be of a tank variety (not shown), having no sleeves.FIG. 1bshows a back view of the slip-overshirt10 ofFIG. 1a.

FIG. 2ashows a long sleeve, snap-side infant shirt100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. According to the illustrated embodiment, thefront portion168 generally includes afirst side portion160 and a second side portion165. The second side portion165 attaches to the inner side162 of thefirst side portion160 viasnaps170, forming atubular body casing112 which is defined by aback portion166 and afront portion168. Other means of attachment may include ties, safety pins, hook-and-loop-type fasteners, other means suitable for attaching the second side portion165 to thefirst side portion160, and combinations thereof. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2a, thefirst side portion160 overlaps the second side portion165 and snaps onto the outer side of the second side portion165. Situated near the upper ends of theback portion166 and thefront portion168 are a first arm opening and a second arm opening to receive the infant's arms therethrough and aneck opening118 to receive the infant's head therethrough.Sleeves120 may be attached to thetubular body casing112 at the arm openings. Thesleeves120 may generally be long, as shown in the embodiment ofFIGS. 2aand2b, short as shown in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1aand1b, or of an intermediate length or lengths (not shown). The snap-side shirt100 may also be of a tank variety (not shown), having no sleeves.FIG. 2bshows a back view of the snap-side shirt100 ofFIG. 2a.

Regardless of the type or style of the infant clothing article, various materials can be used in manufacturing the infant clothing article. The fabric used may include, but is not limited to, cotton, nylon, polyester, rayon, acetate, olefin, spandex, and combinations and/or derivations thereof. It is also contemplated that other materials or combinations of materials suitable for use in infant clothing articles may be used.

Referring back toFIG. 1a, in accordance with principles of the present invention, the slip-overshirt10 includes indicia used to indicate the size of the slip-overshirt10. The indicia also serves to make the slip-overshirt10 distinguishable from other hospital and institutional linens, such as bed sheets, pillowcases, cloth diapers, towels, washcloths, and the like, particularly after laundering. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the indicia may be in the form of acolored thread22 sewn onto the slip-overshirt10 or other article of infant clothing. It is contemplated that the indicia may be attached to the article of infant clothing using any suitable means of attachment. It is further contemplated that the indicia may be attached or positioned in areas of the article of infant clothing other than those shown in the illustrated embodiments. Different thread colors may be used to indicate different sizes of infant shirts or other articles of infant clothing. For example, the colored thread or other indicia on size 3-months shirts may be orange, the colored thread on size 6-months shirts may be green, etc. The colored thread or other indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which size slip-overshirt10 or other article of infant clothing corresponds with a particular color.

Various patterns of colored thread or other indicia may generally be used in the embodiments of the invention, regardless of the type or style of the infant clothing article. Thecolored thread22 of the illustrated embodiment is generally in the form of a repeating pattern stitched onto the slip-overshirt10. For example, in the embodiment ofFIGS. 1aand1b, thecolored thread22 has a repeating zigzag pattern50. It is contemplated that non-repeating patterns may also be used. It is contemplated that a variety ofcolored thread22 patterns may be used in the embodiments of the invention. It is contemplated, for example, that the colored thread may have patterns other than that depicted inFIGS. 1aand1b, including, but not limited to, a repeatingwave pattern150 as shown inFIGS. 2aand2b. Using different colored threads to correspond with the different sizes would be beneficial in distinguishing the sizes of infant clothing articles from a distance.

Thecolored thread22 or other indicia may also have a number pattern corresponding to the size of the clothing to identify the size of the slip-over shirt10 (not shown) or other article of infant clothing. The number pattern may, for example, be repeating. For example, size 3-months infant clothing articles may have a repeating pattern of the number “3” formed from a first thread having a certain color, size 6-months infant clothing articles may have a repeating pattern of the number “6” formed from a second thread having a different color, etc. Using numbers corresponding to a size of infant clothing articles as the pattern may be beneficial because the step of matching the colored thread to a color chart to determine which size of infant clothing articles corresponds with a particular color would be eliminated.

In the embodiment ofFIGS. 1aand1b, the indicia generally includes acolored thread22 being sewn onto shoulder seams28 and acollar trim30 of the slip-overshirt10. It is contemplated, however, that the indicia may of any suitable form positioned in any suitable location. It is also contemplated that the indicia may be on other types of infant clothing articles. For example, in the embodiment ofFIGS. 2aand2b, the indicia generally includes acolored thread122 being sewn onto atrim130 of a snap-side shirt100. A trim is often referred to as a bias bridge and generally includes a strip(s) of fabric located at or near an edge of an article of infant clothing. The trim may be folded around the edge of the article of infant clothing and sewn or otherwise attached thereon. It is contemplated that thecollar trim30 or other trim may be attached to the slip-overshirt10 or other article of infant clothing by other suitable attachment means. Referring back toFIGS. 1aand1b, for example, thecollar trim30 includes a strip of fabric located at an edge of the neck opening18 of the slip-overshirt10, folded around the edge of theneck opening18, and sewn thereon. As an alternative or in addition to applying thecolored thread22 to thecollar trim30, thecolored thread22 may be located on other areas of the slip-overshirt10 or other articles of infant clothing such as, for example, side seams (not shown), sleeve seams35a,35b, shoulder seams28 or other seam areas. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1a, in addition to thecollar trim30, thecolored thread22 is located on the shoulder seams28. The colored thread may serve a functional purpose such as, for example, attaching the trim to the rest of the slip-overshirt10 or other infant clothing article or attaching thefront portion16 to theback portion14.

Substituting colored thread for standard white thread may serve dual purposes of color-coding the article of infant clothing to aid and assist in sizing, sorting, and/or preventing or inhibiting loss as well as sewing the trim to the article of infant clothing. If the colored thread is located on other areas of the slip-overshirt10 or other articles of infant clothing, it may serve dual purposes of color-coding the article of infant clothing and attaching one piece of fabric to another. For example, referring toFIGS. 1aand1b, using colored thread on the sleeve seams35a,35bmay provide a means of identifying the size of the infant clothing article and a means for attaching thesleeve20 to thetubular body casing12. Using the methods of the present invention, the extra step of adding a colored indicia after the slip-overshirt10 has been manufactured using white thread may be eliminated, thus reducing costs associated with manufacturing the slip-overshirt10. It is also contemplated, however, that thecolored thread22 may be added as an additional step after the slip-overshirt10 has been manufactured.

In the illustrated embodiment ofFIGS. 1aand1b, thecolored thread22 is provided on thetop portion24 andfront portion16 of the slip-overshirt10, so that thecolored thread22 may be seen when the slip-overshirt10 is folded and stored. Thecolored thread22 may also be placed on a portion of or the entire collar trim30 (i.e., thefront portion16 and the back portion14) of the slip-overshirt10 as shown inFIGS. 1aand1bso that thecolored thread22 may be seen both whenfront portion16 of the slip-overshirt10 is facing up and when theback portion14 of the slip-overshirt10 is facing up. It is also contemplated that thecolored thread22 may be positioned on other parts of the slip-overshirt10, whether on thefront portion16 and/or theback portion14, including, but not limited to, along all or part of the bottom edge, the sleeve cuffs or edges, other seam areas, hems, and the like. Thecolored thread122 of the snap-side shirt100, according to one embodiment, is shown inFIG. 2a. It is contemplated that colored thread indicia may be used with any type of infant clothing article and may be located anywhere thereon.

Additionally or alternatively, the indicia may also be in the form of a strip or strips of fabric sewn or heat-transferred onto the article of infant clothing such as the slip-overshirt10. The thread used to sew the strip onto the slip-overshirt10 may be colored. It is also contemplated that other suitable means for applying and/or attaching the indicia, such as the strip(s), to the article of infant clothing may also be used. The strip of fabric may be colored, or the strip of fabric may include another type of colored indicia including, but not limited to, colored thread and/or colored symbols thereon. The strip or strips of colored fabric may be located at an edge of the infant clothing article such as, for example, the trim. Different colored strips may be used to identify different sizes of infant clothing articles. For example, the strip on size 3-months shirts may be orange, the colored strip on size 6-months shirts may be green, etc. The strip of colored fabric may be used instead of or in addition to the colored thread indicia described above. The colored strip or other indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which size slip-overshirt10 or other article of infant clothing corresponds with a particular color. It is contemplated that strips having indicia thereon may be used with any type of infant clothing article and may be located anywhere on the article of infant clothing.

Regardless of the type or style of the article of infant clothing, it is contemplated that the indicia (e.g., the thread and/or the strips) may be comprised of any materials typically used to manufacture the particular type of indicia. For example, the thread and/or strips may be made of cotton, nylon, polyester, rayon, acetate, olefin, spandex, and combinations and/or derivations thereof. Additionally, the above-described features and orientations may also be applied to suitable types of colored indicia other than those described.

Additionally or alternatively, the articles of infant clothing such as a T-shirt (e.g., slip-over or snap-side), an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit may be color-coded using colored tags. For example, size 3-months shirts may have orange tags, size 6-months shirts may have green tags, etc. The color may be provided on a portion of or on the entire tag. The colored tags may be attached to the articles of infant clothing by sewing, gluing, or any other suitable attachment method. Using colored tags has several benefits in comparison to known tagging methods. For example, a color on a tag may be more readily distinguishable than writing on a tag. Moreover, the color of the tag may still be visible even if the tag is curled, shrunken, and/or torn, thus, making it easier and more efficient to determine the size of the articles of infant clothing. The colored tags or other indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which size slip-overshirt10 or other article of infant clothing corresponds with a particular color. It is contemplated that colored tags may be used with any type of infant clothing article and may be located anywhere thereon.

Additionally or alternatively, information about the article of infant clothing may be printed directly onto the article of infant clothing using colored ink corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing. The printed information may include, for example, brand name, fabric content, laundering instructions, size, combinations thereof, and the like. It is contemplated that the information may be printed anywhere on the article of infant clothing including, for example, the upper, back (e.g., backportion14 ofFIG. 1b), inside (i.e., the side adapted to contact an infant's torso) portion of the article of infant clothing. For example, the colored ink on size 3-months articles of infant clothing may be orange, the colored ink on size 6-months articles of infant clothing may be green, etc. The colored ink or other indicia may be readily compared to a color chart to determine which size slip-overshirt10 or other article of infant clothing corresponds with a particular color. It is contemplated that colored ink may be used with any type of infant clothing article and may be located anywhere thereon.

With the indicia of the present invention, when a variety of different sizes of infant shirts or other articles of infant clothing are grouped together, one may identify the color of the indicia in order to identify the size of the infant shirt or other article of infant clothing by comparing the color of the indicia to a color code that indicates which color corresponds to a particular size. Color-coding the indicia provides a highly visible and immediately recognizable means of identifying the different sizes of infant shirts or other articles of infant clothing and distinguishing the infant shirts or other articles of infant clothing among various other white linens, such as washcloths, pillowcases, and the like. The indicia also provides a way of distinguishing between different sizes of infant shirts or other articles of infant clothing by using a different color of thread or other indicia for each different infant shirt size or other infant clothing article. Moreover, the colored indicia of the present invention can generally be seen from a distance. In addition to applying any of the above indicia on various locations of a slip-over shirt10 (FIGS. 1aand1b), it is contemplated that any of the embodiments described herein may be used with a snap-side shirt100 (FIGS. 2aand2b), a tie-side shirt, a lap-shoulder shirt, a pin-back shirt, or any other article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment A, an article of infant clothing comprises a front portion and a back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, and wherein the infant clothing includes an indicia thereon, the indicia having a color to correspond to a size of the infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment B, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

According to alternative embodiment C, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

According to alternative embodiment D, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia is provided on an edge of the neck opening.

According to alternative embodiment E, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia includes a repeating pattern of colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment F, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment E, wherein the colored stitching attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge of the back portion.

According to alternative embodiment G, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, further comprising a strip of fabric, the strip of fabric being secured to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion and the back portion, wherein the strip of fabric includes the indicia thereon.

According to alternative embodiment H, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment G, wherein the indicia includes a repeating pattern of colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment I, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the front portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held in place by a fastener.

According to alternative embodiment J, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment 1, wherein the fastener is a snap, a tie, a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a combination thereof.

According to alternative embodiment K, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia has a repeating number pattern corresponding to the size of the infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment L, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment A, wherein the indicia includes a colored label attached to the infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment M, a method of distinguishing an article of infant clothing comprises the acts of providing an article of infant clothing, the article of infant clothing having a front portion and a back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, providing an indicia on the infant clothing, the indicia having a color thereon to correspond to a size of infant clothing, and comparing the color of the indicia to a color code, the color code having a color corresponding to a size of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment N, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

According to alternative embodiment0, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

According to alternative embodiment P, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia is provided on an edge of the neck opening.

According to alternative embodiment Q, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia includes a repeating pattern of colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment R, the method of alternative embodiment Q, wherein the colored stitching attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge of the back portion.

According to alternative embodiment S, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the act of providing the indicia further comprises securing a strip of fabric to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion and the back portion and providing the indicia thereon.

According to alternative embodiment T, the method of alternative embodiment S, wherein the indicia includes a repeating pattern of colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment U, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the front portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held in place by a fastener.

According to alternative embodiment V, the method of alternative embodiment U, wherein the fastener is a snap, a tie, a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a combination thereof.

According to alternative embodiment W, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia has a repeating number pattern corresponding to the size of the infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment X, the method of alternative embodiment M, wherein the indicia includes a colored label attached to the infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment Y, a method of manufacturing an article of infant clothing comprises providing an article of infant clothing and providing an indicia thereon, the indicia having a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment Z, the method of alternative embodiment Y, wherein the article of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

According to alternative embodiment AA, the method of alternative embodiment Y, wherein the article of infant clothing comprises at least one seam area and wherein the indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

According to alternative embodiment AB, the method of alternative embodiment Y, wherein the indicia includes a repeating pattern of colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment AC, the method of alternative embodiment Y, wherein the article of infant clothing comprises a strip of fabric, the strip of fabric being secured to at least one edge of the article of infant clothing, wherein the strip of fabric includes the indicia thereon.

According to alternative embodiment AD, the method of alternative embodiment AC, wherein the indicia includes a repeating pattern of colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment AE, the method of alternative embodiment Y, wherein the indicia has a repeating number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment AF, the method of alternative embodiment Y, wherein the indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment AG, an article of infant clothing comprises a front portion and a back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening, and wherein the article of infant clothing includes at least one indicia thereon, the indicia having a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment AH, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the article of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

According to alternative embodiment Al, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

According to alternative embodiment AJ, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on at least one edge of the neck opening.

According to alternative embodiment AK, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment AL, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, further comprising at least one strip of fabric, the at least one strip of fabric being secured to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion and the back portion, wherein the at least one strip of fabric includes the at least one indicia thereon.

According to alternative embodiment AM, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AL, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment AN, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the front portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held in place by at least one fastener.

According to alternative embodiment AO, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least one indicia includes at least one colored number corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment AP, the article of infant clothing of alternative embodiment AG, wherein the at least one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment AQ, a method of distinguishing an article of infant clothing comprises the acts of providing an article of infant clothing, the article of infant clothing having a front portion and a back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening, providing at least one indicia on the article of infant clothing, the at least one indicia having a color thereon corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing, and comparing the color of the at least one indicia to a color code, the color code having a color corresponding to a size of the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment AR, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the article of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

According to alternative embodiment AS, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

According to alternative embodiment AT, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on at least one edge of the neck-opening.

According to alternative embodiment AU, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment AV, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the colored stitching attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge of the back portion.

According to alternative embodiment AW, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the act of providing the at least one indicia further comprises securing at least one strip of fabric to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion and the back portion and providing the at least one indicia thereon.

According to alternative embodiment AX, the method of alternative embodiment AW, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

According to alternative embodiment AY, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the front portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held in place by at least one fastener.

According to alternative embodiment AZ, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia has a number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing.

According to alternative embodiment BB, the method of alternative embodiment AQ, wherein the at least one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of infant clothing.

While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An article of infant clothing comprising:

a front portion; and

a back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening,

wherein the article of infant clothing includes at least one indicia thereon, the indicia having a color corresponding a size of the article of infant clothing.

2. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the article of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

3. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

4. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on at least one edge of the neck opening.

5. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

6. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 5, wherein the colored stitching attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge of the back portion.

7. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1 further comprising at least one strip of fabric, the at least one strip of fabric being secured to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion and the back portion, wherein the at least one strip of fabric includes the at least one indicia thereon.

8. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 7, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

9. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the front portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held in place by at least one fastener.

10. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 9, wherein the fastener is a snap, a tie, a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a combination thereof.

11. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one indicia includes at least one colored number corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing.

12. The article of infant clothing ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of infant clothing.

13. A method of distinguishing an article of infant clothing comprising the acts of:

providing an article of infant clothing, the article of infant clothing having a front portion and a back portion, wherein at least one edge of the back portion is attached to at least one edge of the front portion by a corresponding at least one seam area such that the front portion and the back portion form a tubular body casing having a neck opening, a first arm opening, and a second arm opening;

providing at least one indicia on the article of infant clothing, the at least one indicia having a color thereon corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing; and

comparing the color of the at least one indicia to a color code, the color code having a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.

14. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the article of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

15. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

16. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one indicia is provided on at least one edge of the neck opening.

17. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

18. The method ofclaim 17, wherein the colored stitching attaches the at least one edge of the front portion to the at least one edge of the back portion.

19. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the act of providing the at least one indicia further comprises securing at least one strip of fabric to at least one edge of at least one of the front portion and the back portion and providing the at least one indicia thereon.

20. The method ofclaim 19, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

21. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the front portion further comprises a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein the first side portion overlaps the second side portion and is held in place by at least one fastener.

22. The method ofclaim 21, wherein the fastener is a snap, a tie, a safety pin, a hook-and-loop-type fastener, or a combination thereof.

23. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one indicia has a number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing.

24. The method ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of infant clothing.

25. A method of manufacturing an article of infant clothing comprising:

providing an article of infant clothing; and

providing at least one indicia thereon, the indicia having a color corresponding with a size of the article of infant clothing.

26. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the article of infant clothing is a T-shirt, an undershirt, a gown, a singlet, a romper, or a bodysuit.

27. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the article of infant clothing comprises at least one seam area and wherein the at least one indicia is provided on the at least one seam area.

28. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the at least one indicia includes colored stitching.

29. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the article of infant clothing comprises at least one strip of fabric, the at least one strip of fabric being secured to at least one edge of the article of infant clothing, wherein the at least one strip of fabric includes the indicia thereon.

30. The method ofclaim 29, wherein the at least one indicia includes a colored stitching.

31. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the at least one indicia has a number pattern corresponding to the size of the article of infant clothing.

32. The method ofclaim 25, wherein the at least one indicia includes a colored label attached to the article of infant clothing.