Clothing Cuff Clip with Contamination Indicator

Abstract

A clothing cuff clip attachable to an article of clothing, especially a pants leg cuff, to gather and lift the clothing up from an adjacent surface and provide a barrier between the surface and the clothing item being worn. The clothing cuff clip is inexpensive to manufacture and may be disposable after extended use. The clip is easy to attach to the lower back edge of the pants leg cuff on the item of clothing being worn and yet remains securely attached even after extended use. Optionally, a contamination indicator that changes in appearance when subjected to significant moisture, a change in pH, or the presence of a selected contaminant material, is positioned on the lower floor contact area of the clip to provide the wearer with an indication of when the clip, and therefore the item of clothing, has come into contact with contaminated materials.

1 . A clothing clip for limiting contact between an item of clothing and a floor surface that is being traversed by an individual wearing the item of clothing, the clothing clip comprising:
 (a) a generally flat back clip member;   (b) a generally flat front clip member connected to the back clip member and positioned in spaced parallel relationship with the back clip member; and   (c) a press through ridge configured on one of the back or front clip members, the press though ridge aligned with a press through aperture structured through the parallel opposing clip member.   
     
     
         2 . The clothing clip of  claim 1  further comprising a contamination indicator positioned on a base portion of the clothing clip, the contamination indicator comprising a material that changes in appearance with an accumulation of compounds picked up from external surfaces during use of the clothing clip. 
     
     
         3 . The clothing clip of  claim 1  wherein the back clip member further comprises an end tab to facilitate manipulation of the clothing clip by the user. 
     
     
         4 . The clothing clip of  claim 1  wherein the press through ridge is configured on the front clip member and is aligned with the press through aperture structured through the back clip member, the press through ridge comprising two or more semicircular raised edges having a width incrementally less than a width of the press through aperture. 
     
     
         5 . The clothing clip of  claim 1  wherein the back and front clip members comprise a polymer plastic material. 
     
     
         6 . The clothing clip of  claim 1  wherein the back and front clip members comprise an aluminum metal material. 
     
     
         7 . The clothing clip of  claim 1  wherein the back and front clip members comprise a stainless steel metal material. 
     
     
         8 . The clothing clip of  claim 2  wherein the contamination indicator comprises an absorbent polymer substrate impregnated with one or more color change compounds. 
     
     
         9 . The clothing clip of  claim 2  wherein the contamination indicator comprises a moisture indicator. 
     
     
         10 . The clothing clip of  claim 2  wherein the contamination indicator comprises a pH indicator. 
     
     
         11 . The clothing clip of  claim 2  wherein the contamination indicator is removable from the base portion of the cuff clip, whereby the contamination indicator may be replaced after a period of use. 
     
     
         12 . A clothing clip for limiting contact between an item of clothing and a floor surface that is being traversed by an individual wearing the item of clothing, the clothing clip comprising:
 (a) a generally flat back clip member;   (b) a generally flat front clip member connected to the back clip member and positioned in spaced parallel relationship with the back clip member, the spaced parallel back and front clip members defining external surfaces and internal surfaces; and   (c) friction increasing structures positioned on at least a portion of the internal surfaces defined by the spaced parallel back and front clip members.   
     
     
         13 . The clothing clip of  claim 12  wherein the friction increasing structures comprise interlocking ripples on the internal surfaces of the back and front clip members. 
     
     
         14 . The clothing clip of  claim 12  further comprising a contamination indicator positioned on a base portion of the clothing clip, the contamination indicator comprising a material that changes in appearance with an accumulation of compounds picked up from external surfaces during use of the clothing clip.