The invention generally relates to a convertible garment, and more particularly to a convertible garment that converts from a garment form to a stored form with integral storage compartment.
Rainwear, or more particularly, rain jackets have been used for many years. Typically, rain jackets are made of a waterproof material or made of a conventional material and layered with a waterproof coating. Common waterproof materials used to manufacture rain wear include rubber or state-of-the-art materials such as GORE-TEX® or similar alternative. Waterproof-coated rainwear is typically made of nylon or similar fabric and coated with an outer layer of waterproof coating such as poly-vinyl chloride (PVC).
Rain jackets enable users to venture outdoors in the rain, snow or sleet without the use of umbrellas and without getting wet. Users of rain jackets include school children, hikers, and everyday joggers, walkers and anyone who plans on being outdoors for a sustained period of time.
Therefore, when one is in an outdoor environment it is often highly desirable, especially when the weather conditions change unexpectedly, to have ready access to an upper torso garment such as a rain jacket, a poncho, or the like. However, people tend to dress according to the weather conditions at the start of an outdoor excursion, and do not always take the garment they need. So, for example, if the weather is fair and warm, a person will tend not wear an upper torso garment. Should the weather subsequently become cold or stormy, the person will want to be able to easily and conveniently put on a garment for warmth or protection, and to avoid the possibility of succumbing to hypothermia. Consequently, convenient and ready accessibility to such garments is highly desirable. Conversely, a person may start an outdoor excursion wearing a garment, and, should the weather subsequently become warm or the precipitation end, the person will want to be able to easily and conveniently remove the garment and store it neatly and safely away without having to carry it by hand, or in cumbersome separate bags, pouches, or the like.
Numerous attempts have been made in the prior art to provide outer wear garments having self-contained carrier pockets or similar type of self-containment members. In each of these references, the individual is typically required to carry a separate pack or pouch which houses the garment when the garment is not being worn.
A popular type of carrier pack, commonly referred to as a “fanny pack”, is particularly convenient for activities where unencumbered, hands free, outdoor movement is desired. These packs are generally carried along the lower back, front or side of the mid-section of an individual, and are held, for example, by an adjustable belt. Common designs provide a pack of generally uniform cross-section, with access to a storage compartment by one or more zippers. However, because of the bulk coats and jackets, fanny pack designs have a poor capability to accommodate them. In addition to the above stated problem of utilizing fanny packs with existing coats or jackets, an individual user must remember to carry both the fanny pack and the garment.
As a result, if one inadvertently forgets to pack the fanny pack with an appropriate garment, obviously such garment is not available for later use. Moreover, if one starts out wearing the garment, but forgets the fanny pack, or packs the fanny pack with other items without leaving sufficient storage room for the garment, the garment may not be stored in the fanny pack.
The present invention provides a belt pack that is convertible to a garment. The belt pack is adapted to be secured about the mid-section of a person. Certain embodiments include a front portion, a back portion, first and second opposed end portions with each end portion having an external portion.
Embodiments may further includes an elongate compartment having an elongate opening and inner front and back surfaces defined therewithin, and an outer front and back surface defined therewithout. A belt clasping assembly may be provided and attached to the external end portions of the belt pack and may be adapted for removable attachment of the belt pack to a mid-section of a person.
The belt pack may be integrally formed with a garment adapted to be worn about an upper torso section of a person. The garment may define front and back panels wherein a portion of the garment is integrally joined to a portion of the inner portion of the elongate compartment of the belt pack to enable the garment to be secured to and folded within the elongate compartment for storage.
The belt pack and the belt clasping assembly may function to releasably secure the garment stored in the elongate compartment about a mid-section of a person when the garment is folded within the compartment for storage. When the garment is extended from the elongate opening so as to be worn about a mid-section of a person, the elongate compartment may be configurable to be turned inside-out and may be adapted to form a pocket compartment for the garment and is configured to house and conceal the entire belt clasping assembly.
The objects and features of the invention may be understood with reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawing in which:
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views,
The pocket compartment 12 includes a main body portion 16 having opposing front 18 and a back surfaces 20 which together define an interior main compartment 22. The main body portion 16 may be constructed from a single sheet of material folded on itself, or from multiple panels cut to size and sewn or otherwise connected together, as is known in the art. The main compartment 22 includes a closure mechanism 24 that is adapted to open and close the main compartment 22 for access thereto. The closure mechanism 24 may be of any desired type of closure such as a zipper, hook and loop closure material, buckles, snaps, buttons, laces, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the closure mechanism 24 is in the form of a zipper. As used herein, the term “belt pack” shall be understood to mean a small pack having an interior compartment and designed to be secured around the midsection of a person by belt closing members.
As best illustrated in
With reference to
In the illustrated embodiment, and specifically with reference to
As discussed above, the garment 14 is integrally associated with the pocket compartment 12. In this manner, a single combination garment 14 and pocket compartment 12 is created. As will be discussed in more detail below, when the outwear garment 14 is folded and disposed within the interior main compartment 22 of the main body portion 16 of the pocket compartment 12, belt portions 30 and 32 function to secure the pocket compartment 12 around the midsection 110 of a user 100 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the garment 14 is integrally associated with the pocket compartment 12 by configuring the bottom end 56 the outer surface of the back panel 48 of the garment 14 to form the pocket compartment 12, as best illustrated in
As will be apparent from the below discussion, the garment 14 is integrally associated with the pocket compartment 12 by securing the bottom end 56 end of the garment 14 to the rear surface portion 20 of the pocket compartment 14. That is, the bottom end 56 of the outwear garment 14 is attached directly to the rear surface portion 20 of the pocket compartment 12, or may be formed integrally therewith. The manner of attachment can be by any desired type of attachment mechanism, such as stitching, or bonding, although the use of snaps, hooks, laces, zippers, hook and loop material, and by other art known connecting means may be used. In the illustrated and preferred form, the bottom end of the back panel 48 of the garment 14 is stitched or bonded directly to the rear surface 70 of the pocket compartment. Preferably this bonding or stitching takes place along a substantial portion of the entire width of the main compartment 22 so as to maximize the area of bonding or attachment between the garment 14 and the pocket compartment 12.
With the structure of the combination belt pack and garment device 10 being described above, its method of use will now be described.
With reference to
Next, and with reference to
To conceal the belt members 30 and 32 used to secure the pocket compartment 12 to the user 100, as shown in
With reference to
When it is desired to store the garment 14 back into the pocket compartment 12 of
The combination belt pack and garment device 10 may then be reattached by belt members 30 and 32 about the mid-section 110 of the user 100, as illustrated in
As noted above, the material for the garment 14 may be of any desired type material but is preferably light weight material such as nylon or light weight fleece. It may be impermeable barrier material or porous depending upon the environment in which the garment 14 is designed to be utilized. Depending on the material selected for the garment 14, the size dimensions of the belt pack 10 will be adapted to fit garment 14 when it is in its folded position.
As can be seen from above, the combination belt pack and garment device of the present invention provides a unique article particularly useful for individuals who are engaged in outdoor activities. The invention provides a mid-section supported belt for a permanently available single garment in the event an individual is exposed to a change in weather requiring the use of such a garment. Consequently, such garments need not be packed separately, but rather are inherently part of the belt itself. Thus, the present invention obviates the necessity of individuals having to remember to carry separate garments or to make such garments available as well as eliminating the nuisance of carrying such garments in separate containers. Further, the garment 14 is contained in a stored, out of the way position so as not to be lost or to interfere with access to other articles or items stored in the belt pack 10. As a result, the present invention provides highly convenient accessibility to a garment.
The foregoing description and the illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in varying modifications and alternate embodiments. While preferred embodiments of the combination belt pack and garment device of the instant invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those who are skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the bumper protector as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
This Application claims benefit to Provisional Application No. 61/072,239 filed Mar. 28, 2008 and incorporates the same herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61072239 | Mar 2008 | US |