Spinning Skirt

The present invention relates generally to a skirt that can spin or rotate about the wearer.

Many girls and women wear skirts that can be twirled or partly rotated about the waist of the wearer. For example, some dancers, figure skaters, and others will spin about an area or point on the floor or ice and the skirt twirls around the wearer. The skirt does not make full 360° rotations about the waist; rather the skirt partially twirls in one direction.

The present invention seeks to provide a skirt that can spin or rotate about the wearer in full 360° rotations, as is described more in detail hereinbelow. The skirt is provided with a bearing assembly which allows the skirt to spin around the waist or other portion of the wearer. The wearer is preferably a human wearer, but the invention can also be carried out for dolls and mannequins and the like.

It is noted that the term “skirt” encompasses skirt, dress, gown and the like, and the terms are used interchangeably.

There is provided in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention a spinning skirt including a skirt and a bearing assembly coupled to the skirt, the bearing assembly including a first portion coupled to a lower portion of the skirt and a second portion coupled to an upper portion of the skirt, wherein the first portion of the bearing assembly and the lower portion of the skirt are free to rotate 360° with respect to the second portion of the bearing assembly and the upper portion of the skirt.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention one or more weights are coupled to the lower portion (such as the hem) of the skirt.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the bearing assembly includes a rolling element bearing assembly, wherein the first portion of the bearing assembly includes an outer raceway coupled to the lower portion of the skirt with an outer fastener, and the second portion of the bearing assembly includes an inner raceway coupled to the upper portion of the skirt with an inner fastener.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the rolling element bearing assembly includes a ball bearing assembly.

In accordance with an alternative non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the rolling element bearing assembly includes a roller bearing assembly including cylindrical, spherical, tapered or needle roller bearings.

In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the one or more weights include a series of weights joined to each other.

In accordance with an alternative non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the one or more weights include individual, non-joined weights.

Reference is now made tois a simplified illustration of a person wearing a skirt, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Skirtmay be a tiered or layered skirt, such as a skirt with three tiers or layers. The invention is not limited to the number of tiers or layers, and is not limited to this type of skirt at all. In one embodiment, one or more weightsare assembled to a lower portionof the skirt, such as but not limited to, the hem of the skirt. The weights, which may be made of metal, plastic, rubber or any other suitable material, such as heavier cloth, or folds of cloths or folds of the skirt hem, may enhance the tendency of the skirt to easily swing outwards and around the wearer. The weightsmay be individual, non-joined weights, or as shown, may be a series of weights joined to each other, such as on a string or weights molded on a carrier as a unitary weight assembly.

illustrate skirtspinning about the waist of the wearer in the direction of arrows(of course, the skirt can rotate in the opposite direction, too). The skirtcan spin by the wearer grasping the lower portion and spinning it relative to the upper portion, or by means of pulling a cord, or by means of a spring, or by means of a motor or any other means.

Reference is now made to, which illustrates the waist portionof the skirtwhich includes a bearing assemblytherein. The bearing assemblymay be sewn or otherwise joined to the skirt.illustrates the position of the bearing assemblyin relation to the tiers or layersof the skirt.

Reference is now made to, which illustrate the bearing assembly. As seen in, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the bearing assemblyis a rolling element bearing assembly, which includes an outer raceway, an inner raceway, a cageand rolling elements. The bearing assemblymay be, without limitation, a ball bearing assembly or a roller bearing assembly, such as but not limited to, cylindrical, spherical, tapered or needle roller bearings. Alternatively, the bearing assembly may be a ball bearing assembly. As another alternative, the bearing assembly may be a magnetic bearing assembly, wherein magnetic elements do not move but by means of magnetic forces the outer raceway can move freely with respect to the inner raceway.

As seen in, the outer racewaymay be coupled to a lower portionof the skirt with an outer fastener, and the inner racewaymay be coupled to an upper portionof the skirt with an inner fastener. The upper portionof the skirt may be coupled to straps, whose length may be selected or adjusted to position the skirt properly on the wearer so that the bearing assemblyis at the desired height or position on the wearer. The bearing assembly can be at any desired position on the wearer, such as the hips, or higher than the hips or lower than the hips.

illustration the waist portion of the skirt, showing the bearing assemblycoupled to strapsof the upper portionof the skirt.

As the skirt spins about the wearer, the inner raceway, and the upper portionof the skirt which is coupled to inner raceway, basically remain stationary, while the outer raceway, and the lower portionof the skirt which is coupled to outer raceway, freely revolve around the wearer by means of the rolling elementsrolling between the inner and outer raceways. Accordingly, as opposed to prior art twirling skirts, the skirt of the present invention can spin or rotate about the wearer in full 360° rotations.