Granted Patent B1

US 12,649,988 · App. 18/583,524 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Inventor: Fernando P. Wright, Sr. (Louisville, KY)

D06F95/008

Abstract

Claims (53)

1 . A sock pair accessory for maintaining a sock pair together during washing and drying procedures, said sock pair accessory comprising: a single, unitary, and resiliently foldable layer having a central longitudinal axis and including

a central section;

a proximal section and a distal section each being flexibly and monolithically connected to opposed edges of said central section, respectively; and

a plurality of fasteners attached to said proximal section;

wherein said fasteners are configured to selectively engage and disengage said distal section and when said proximal section and said distal section are selectively articulated towards and away from each other, respectively, between attached and detached positions, respectively;

wherein said single, unitary, and resiliently foldable layer has a planar and rectilinear configuration when disposed at equilibrium at said detached position;

wherein each of said fasteners is attached to an opposed longitudinal rectilinear edge of said proximal section and is oriented perpendicular thereto, respectively; wherein each of said fasteners has a plurality of teeth protruding only inwardly towards said central longitudinal axis;

wherein said single, unitary, and resiliently foldable layer further has

a plurality of first friction inducing members statically attached to said proximal section; and

a plurality of second friction inducing members statically attached to said distal section and offset from said plurality of first friction inducing members;

wherein each of said plurality of first friction inducing members and said plurality of second friction inducing members remain spaced apart when said proximal section is attached to said distal section;

wherein said proximal section has a first planar top most surface and a first planar bottom most surface opposed therefrom;

wherein said distal section has a second planar top most surface and a second planar bottom most surface opposed therefrom;

wherein said proximal section has a first uniform cross-sectional thickness equal to a second uniform cross-sectional thickness of said distal section.

2 . The sock pair accessory of claim 1 , wherein said central section has a cross-sectional thickness less than said first uniform cross-sectional thickness of said proximal section and said second uniform cross-sectional thickness of said distal section, respectively;

wherein said central section has a central latitudinal axis registered orthogonal to said central longitudinal axis;

wherein said central latitudinal axis is medially disposed between said proximal section and said distal section.

3 . The sock pair accessory of claim 2 , wherein said layer further comprises:

a first shoulder located at a first junction between said central section and said proximal section; and

a second shoulder located at a second junction between said central section and said distal section;

wherein said first shoulder remains spaced apart from said second shoulder when said fasteners are engaged with said distal section.

4 . The sock pair accessory of claim 3 , wherein each of said proximal section and said distal section has a plurality of apertures equidistantly offset from said central latitudinal axis.

5 . The sock pair accessory of claim 4 , wherein said central section is configured to be a living hinge.

6 . The sock pair accessory of claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality of first friction inducing members and said second plurality of friction inducing members has a cone shape.

7 . The sock pair accessory of claim 6 , wherein said proximal section has a shape that is symmetric to a shape of said distal section.

8 . The sock pair accessory of claim 7 , wherein said fasteners are statically affixed to said proximal section and disposed adjacent to said first shoulder.

9 . A sock pair accessory for maintaining a sock pair together during washing and drying procedures, said sock pair accessory comprising: a single, unitary, and resiliently foldable layer having a central longitudinal axis and including

a central section;

a proximal section and a distal section each being flexibly and monolithically connected to opposed edges of said central section, respectively; and

a plurality of fasteners attached to said proximal section;

wherein said fasteners are configured to selectively engage and disengage said distal section and when said proximal section and said distal section are selectively articulated towards and away from each other, respectively, between attached and detached positions, respectively;

wherein said single, unitary, and resiliently foldable layer has a planar and rectilinear configuration when disposed at equilibrium at said detached position;

wherein said central section is integral with said proximal section and said distal section;

wherein each of said fasteners is attached to an opposed longitudinal rectilinear edge of said proximal section and is oriented perpendicular thereto, respectively; wherein each of said fasteners has a plurality of teeth protruding only inwardly towards said central longitudinal axis;

wherein said single, unitary, and resiliently foldable layer further has

a plurality of first friction inducing members statically attached to said proximal section; and

a plurality of second friction inducing members statically attached to said distal section and offset from said plurality of first friction inducing members;

wherein each of said plurality of first friction inducing members and said plurality of second friction inducing members remain spaced apart when said proximal section is attached to said distal section;

wherein said proximal section has a first planar top most surface and a first planar bottom most surface opposed therefrom;

wherein said distal section has a second planar top most surface and a second planar bottom most surface opposed therefrom;

wherein said proximal section has a first uniform cross-sectional thickness equal to a second uniform cross-sectional thickness of said distal section.

10 . The sock pair accessory of claim 9 , wherein said central section has a cross-sectional thickness less than said first uniform cross-sectional thickness of said proximal section and said second uniform cross-sectional thickness of said distal section, respectively;

wherein said central section has a central latitudinal axis registered orthogonal to said central longitudinal axis;

wherein said central latitudinal axis is medially disposed between said proximal section and said distal section.

11 . The sock pair accessory of claim 10 , wherein said layer further comprises:

a first shoulder located at a first junction between said central section and said proximal section; and

a second shoulder located at a second junction between said central section and said distal section;

wherein said first shoulder remains spaced apart from said second shoulder when said fasteners are engaged with said distal section.

12 . The sock pair accessory of claim 11 , wherein each of said proximal section and said distal section has a plurality of apertures equidistantly offset from said central latitudinal axis.

13 . The sock pair accessory of claim 12 , wherein said central section is configured to be a living hinge.

14 . The sock pair accessory of claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of first friction inducing members and said second plurality of friction inducing members has a cone shape.

15 . The sock pair accessory of claim 14 , wherein said proximal section has a shape that is symmetric to a shape of said distal section.

16 . The sock pair accessory of claim 15 , wherein said fasteners are statically affixed to said proximal section and disposed adjacent to said first shoulder.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (9)