Patent Application
20160366953
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to an article of clothing having internally-disposed coverings. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an article of clothing having pockets disposed on one or more inner surfaces of the article of clothing and capable of accommodating extremities of its wearer.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,915 to Rodriguez (Hereinafter Rodriguez) discloses an outer garment to be worn by one or more people together, having an outer jacket with a pair of sleeves, and an inner jacket portion with one sleeve. The outer jacket and inner jacket are partially connected at the neck opening and partially connected at the waistband. The garment is convertible from an unexpanded configuration wearable by one person to an expanded configuration wearable by at least two people. In the unexpanded configuration, the one sleeve of the inner jacket portion is inserted by the wearer into one of the sleeves of the outer jacket. To change to the expanded configuration, a securing feature on the back of the outer garment is released, allowing additional folded material to be unfolded into an expanded back portion. In addition, in another embodiment, when an inner panel is attached to the back portion of the outer jacket, two people can both be separately enveloped in their own garment. The expandable feature allows for ease of movement by the people wearing the garment. When worn by two caring people, they can enjoy close physical contact and embrace each other while wearing the garment. The garment is designed for warmth and is also adaptable to different-sized people. Rodriguez discloses an outer garment that is configured for two wearers. The internal sleeves of Rodriguez are not disposed adjacent their respective outer sleeves as they are not configured to be worn in a manner disclosed herein. Rodriguez fails to disclose an internal pocket. Rodriguez's garment is of a jacket type, i.e., it is not a continuous piece of garment that may be put on, through the body hole of the clothing, e.g., sweater, but instead having a closable front split when disposed on a wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,518 to Jordan (Hereinafter Jordan) discloses an outfit/costume that two or more people can wear at the same time. The outfit/costume has what appears from the outside to be three or more legs and the center leg will hold a leg of each person. It also has two arm sleeves, one for each person, inner sleeves that will hold the other two inner arms of the persons and at least two neck apertures for the persons wearing the outfit/costume. Again, Jordan discloses an outfit that is configured for two wearers. The internal sleeves of Jordan are also not disposed adjacent their respective outer sleeves as they are not configured to be worn in a manner disclosed herein. Jordan also fails to disclose an internal pocket.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 20120144550 of Nejad (Hereinafter Nejad) discloses a poncho style blanket configured to provide its wearer warmth and support. The so-called Ponchillow allows its consumers to sleep and sit virtually anywhere with the support of its unique neck pillow and removable seat cushion, carry personal items easily and tie it altogether with the warmth of its fleece poncho style blanket construction. Ponchillow is purported to be a blanket that can be used while driving or riding in a car, flying in plane, everyday shopping, watching a movie or your child play their favorite outdoor sports. According to Nejad, blankets today do not offer the all-in-one convenience that Ponchillow offers. Consumers are forced to carry multiple items such as; blankets, neck support, head coverings, storage device and pillows for support and cushion. Ponchillow is designed to combine all these features into one compact, comfortable and portable product. However, Ponchillow does not include the same construction details as those articles of clothing, e.g., sweater, shirts, etc., which are widely used.
Thus, there is a need for an article of clothing suitable for adding warmth to its wearer while not altering the appearance of a normal article of clothing. There is also a need for an article of clothing having one or more mechanisms integrally built with the article of clothing for adding warmth to its wearer when additional warmth is desired and capable of being at least partially removed or altered when additional warmth is no longer needed.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an article of clothing adapted for use by a wearer having a torso having a front side, the article of clothing including:
In one embodiment, there is provided an article of clothing adapted for use by a wearer having a torso having a front side, the article of clothing including a body configured for covering the torso, the body including a front sheet configured for covering the front side of the torso of the wearer, the front sheet having an inner surface and a pocket disposed on the inner surface of the front sheet. In one embodiment, the pocket of the front sheet includes two openings, each adapted for access with one hand of the wearer. In one embodiment, there is further provided an internal pocket attached to a portion of an interior surface of the pocket of the front sheet, the internal pocket includes an opening configured for receiving a heat pack. In one embodiment, the body further includes at least one opening disposed on a side of the body and the article of clothing further includes at least one sleeve having a top end, a bottom end and an inside surface, the top end of the at least one sleeve is configured to be attached to the at least one opening of the body and the at least one sleeve includes a pocket disposed on the bottom end of the inside surface of the at least one sleeve, the pocket having an opening for accommodating one of the wearer's hands. In one embodiment, the pocket of the at least one sleeve further includes an internal pocket attached to a portion of an interior surface of the pocket of the sleeve, the internal pocket includes an opening configured for receiving a heat pack. In one embodiment, the body further includes a neck opening disposed on a top portion of the body and a hood extending from the neck opening, the hood including a pair of pockets, each pocket of the hood is configured for receiving a heat pack and each pocket of the hood is disposed at a location such that when disposed over the wearer, the pocket of the hood is disposed substantially over an ear of the wearer.
In one embodiment, there is provided an article of clothing adapted for use by a wearer having a torso having a front side, the article of clothing including a body configured for covering the torso, the body including at least one opening disposed on a side of the body, at least one sleeve including a top end, a bottom end and an inside surface. The top end of the sleeve is configured to be attached to the at least one opening of the body and the at least one sleeve includes a pocket disposed on the bottom end of the inside surface of the at least one sleeve, the pocket having an opening for accommodating one of the wearer's hands. In one embodiment, the pocket of the at least one sleeve further includes an internal pocket attached to a portion of an interior surface of the pocket of the sleeve, the internal pocket includes an opening configured for receiving a heat pack. In one embodiment, the body further includes a neck opening disposed on a top portion of the body and a hood extending from the neck opening, the hood including a pair of pockets, each pocket of the hood is configured for receiving a heat pack and each pocket of the hood is disposed at a location such that when disposed over the wearer, the pocket of the hood is disposed substantially over an ear of the wearer. In one embodiment, the hood is configured to be double-layered. In one embodiment, the body further includes a front sheet configured to cover the front side of the torso, the front sheet having an inner surface, an inside sheet including a first surface, a second surface and a pocket disposed on the first surface, the first surface facing the inner surface of the front sheet, the second surface facing away from the inner surface, the inside sheet extending from a portion of the inner surface of the front sheet.
In any of embodiments disclosed elsewhere here, the article of clothing may be constructed in the form of a sweater, T-shirt or compression fit shirt.
An object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing that includes additional sleeves or coverings for a wearer's upper extremities including such areas as the arms, hands, head and torso.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing that includes additional sleeves or internally or inconspicuously disposed additional coverings or pockets for a wearer's arms and hands that are integrally built with the article of clothing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing that includes additional coverings for a wearer's hands where the additional coverings are capable to be used without restricting movement of the wearer's arms.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing that includes additional coverings capable of removably receiving heat packs to add warmth to the ears, head, hands and torso of a wearer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing that includes additional sleeves or coverings for a wearer's arms, hands, torso, ears and head that are concealable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of clothing that includes additional sleeves or coverings for a wearer's arms, hands, torso, ears and head where the additional sleeves or coverings blend into normal and ubiquitous clothing.
Whereas there may be many embodiments of the present invention, each embodiment may meet one or more of the foregoing recited objects in any combination. It is not intended that each embodiment will necessarily meet each objective. Thus, having broadly outlined the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, there are, of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein and will form a part of the subject matter of this specification.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
The present article of clothing allows its wearer to keep warm without requiring additional and separate articles of clothing, thereby reducing the chance that one or more disparate articles of clothing will be lost or separated. The additional coverings of the present article of clothing are integrally formed with the article of clothing, removing the need for the wearer of the article of clothing to remember to bring along loose, unattached items, e.g., gloves, etc. to keep warm. The present article of clothing allows its wearer to keep warm by bringing the wearer's upper extremities close to the wearer's core or torso and/or by covering the wearer's hands within pockets disposed on internal surfaces of the sleeves.
The present article of clothing allows its wearer to wear an article of clothing that, on its outward appearance, look normal and ubiquitous and provides additional features which can keep its wearer warmer.
The present article of clothing allows its wearer to keep warm by having appropriate amounts of covering on various portions of the wearer's body.
The term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the region of. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20 percent up or down (higher or lower).
The term “body” is used herein to mean a portion of an article of clothing configured to substantially cover the torso of a wearer and includes a front sheet that is connected to a rear sheet. When disposed on the wearer, the front sheet is configured to protect or cover the front side, e.g., chest and abdomen areas of the wearer's torso while the rear sheet is configured to protect or cover the rear side, e.g., back of the wearer's torso. Although described as the “front” or “rear” sheet, the body is essentially a single continuous piece of fabric or pieces of fabric that have been sewn or otherwise attached together. The reference to front or rear sheet facilitates the ensuing description with regard to the positioning of pockets or other features on the article of clothing. The body includes two sleeve openings configured to accommodate two sleeves, one on each side of the body and a neck opening or a collar portion on the top end of the body, from which a hood may extend.
The term “sleeve” is used herein to mean a portion of an article of clothing configured to substantially cover the upper extremities of a wearer. A sleeve is configured to extend from one side of the body.
The term “hood” is used herein to mean a portion of an article of clothing configured to substantially cover the head of a wearer and extend from a neck opening of the body of an article of clothing. When erected over a wearer's head, the hood substantially covers the wearer's head leaving the wearer's face substantially unobstructed.
The term “pocket” is used herein to mean a pouch or container made substantially from a material similar to the materials used in the construction of an article of clothing to which the pocket is attached. In some embodiments, a pocket can have two openings disposed substantially on opposing ends of the pocket. In some embodiments, a pocket is divided into separate compartments such that access to one compartment is blocked from one of the other compartments. In some embodiments, a pocket includes only one opening. In some embodiments, a pocket, e.g., an internal pocket, includes a cover or flap used in selectively restricting access to the contents of the pocket through an opening of the pocket. An internal pocket, e.g., one configured for securing a heat pack may be sewn to the article of clothing or may be removably secured using hook and loop patches.
Disclosed herein is an article of clothing 2, e.g., a sweater, adapted for use by a wearer, the article of clothing including an outer body 10 and an inner body 11. The outer body 10 includes a front sheet, a collar portion 8, a pair of sleeves 4, each sleeve 4 extending from one side of the outer body 10. The inner body 11 includes a front sheet, a collar portion 8, a pair of sleeves 5, each sleeve 5 extending from one side of the inner body 11. The collar portion 8 of the inner body 11 is attached to the collar portion 8 or neck opening of the outer body 10. In one embodiment, the collar portion 8 of the inner body 11 is sewn to the collar portion 8 of the outer body 10. Other means of attaching the collar portions 8 or the two bodies 10, 11 can also be used, i.e., by gluing, taping or patching one collar portion 8 to another, etc. The length of the inner body 11 is preferably shorter than the length of the outer body 10 such that its wearer will not feel excessively warm with two layers of covering the entire upper body of the wearer including his extremities. It shall be noted in
In donning a present article of clothing or sweater 2 and if the inner sleeves 5 have already been disposed within the outer sleeves 4 and the wearer desires a normal look, the sweater 2 may be put on in a manner consistent with the manner in which normal sweaters are donned. If the inner sleeves 5 have been retracted and disposed within the outer body 10, the wearer may first put the inner body 11 over his head and proceed to insert his arms in the inner sleeves 5 before inserting his now inner sleeve-covered arms in the outer sleeves 4. At any time when a “no arms” look is desired, the wearer may grasp a bottom portion of an outer sleeve 4 and proceed to pull the still inner sleeve-covered arm from the inside of the outer sleeve 4 and place it within the outer body 10. The wearer may proceed to put the hand inside the pocket 6. In this configuration, the wearer has now covered his entire upper torso, including all of his upper extremities for additional warmth. While having the sweater 2 in this configuration, if the wearer no longer needs the sweater, the wearer may proceed to grasp the bottom ledge of the outer body 10 and bend his arm to lift and remove the outer body 10. At this point, the wearer can proceed to remove the sweater 2 in a manner consistent with the manner in which conventional sweaters are taken off a body.
It shall be noted that the articles of clothing shown in
The article of clothing of any one of the embodiments disclosed elsewhere herein can be a sweater, T-shirt, compression fit shirt and the like. Applicant discovered that when a sweater is used, the inner body is preferably a size smaller than the outer body to facilitate putting on both sets of sleeves, retracting the inner sleeves from the outer sleeves, re-inserting the inner sleeves into the outer sleeves, inserting or removing the wearer's hands in the pocket and removing both the inner and outer bodies. However, when a T-shirt or compression fit shirt is used, the inner and outer bodies are preferably made from shirts of the same size as the materials used in the construction of a shirt is less substantial than the materials used for the construction of a sweater and presents no significant hindrance to such uses.
The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, with the full scope of equivalents to which they may be entitled. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
This non-provisional application claims the benefit of priority from provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 62/182,059 filed Jun. 19, 2015. Said application is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62182059 | Jun 2015 | US |
