Patent Application
20170347729
The present invention relates generally to a pocket garment assembly. More particularly the present invention relates to a work out tank top having a rear pocket in a lower back area of a user.
When exercising, it is often required to carry personal items such as keys, cellular phones, wallets, cards, medicines, and the like. However, often exercise clothing is tight fitting and does not provide space or capability for the carrying of such items.
Therefore, what is needed is a pocket garment assembly that may be used to safely store personal items while, for example, exercising.
The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases, interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem, and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.
In one aspect, a pocket tank top assembly is provided. The pocket tank top assembly is particularly suited for exercise clothing and is configured to store personal items while a user is exercising and capable of holding them in place during the movements experienced during exercise. The tank top has a front and rear torso portion connected together by, for example, vertical seams. The tank top further comprises a chest covering, and two shoulder straps, which define arm holes and a head hole. A rear patch is attached to a surface of the rear torso portion by stitching about at least three sides of the patch. The patch, stitching, and rear torso portion define a cavity which forms the pocket. Personal items may thus be placed in the pocket and will be held in place by the construction of the pocket and the materials used. For example, the patch may be a flexible elastic material which may hold the items in place.
The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and does not represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.
Generally, the present invention concerns a tank top or related garment having a rear pocket. This tank top may have straps or may be strapless. The garment may be particularly suited for exercise clothing, and may be formed of an appropriate lightweight material. The rear pocket may be configured to hold items in place during exercise, and may be formed in such a way to tightly and securely hold the items. In further embodiments, two front pockets may be utilized on a side waist or upper torso area of the tank top. These pockets may similarly be configured to securely store items during exercise.
Items stored within the pockets of the pocket garment may include, but are not limited to personal items such as cellular telephones or other handheld electronic devices, headphones, exercise tracking devices, GPS devices, pedometers, bio-monitors, and other electronics, medical devices, keys, cards, wallets, medicines, cosmetics, money, sporting equipment, and the like.
The pockets for the present invention are formed by patches attached to the fabric of the garments, in most embodiments. Typically the attachment is by a stitching however other connection solutions may also be within the scope of this invention. These patches may be formed of any material. Typically they may be formed either of a same material as the garment, or a stretchable material, generally a stretchable fabric such as spandex and the like. An advantage of such stretchable fabric is the ability to stretch about the contents within the pocket to hold the contents securely in place, preventing it from jostling during movement. However, it should be understood that the patches need not be formed of such a material. Further, while typically depicted as rectangular, and rectangular with curved edges, it should be understood that the patches and corresponding pockets may be any shape without straying from the scope of this invention.
In a particular embodiment, the garment of the present invention is designed to protect wearers from radio frequency emissions from electronic devices supported by the system. To achieve this protection, the garment material may be fabricated of a radio frequency protective material. The radio frequency protective material is fabricated of a blend of fabrics chosen from the class consisting of polyester and cotton and further including copper and silver. In one embodiment, the radio frequency protective material is fabricated of 78 percent of a blend of fabric chosen from the class consisting of polyester and cotton and further including 21 percent copper and 1 silver. In another embodiment, the radio frequency protective material is fabricated of 90 percent of a blend of fabric chosen from the class consisting of polyester and cotton and further including 9.5 percent copper and 0.5 silver.
The opening providing access to the pocket interior may be formed in any manner, whether for a rear pocket or front pocket. In one embodiment, a break in the stitching holding the patch to the garment may form an opening in the pocket allowing items to be passed through the opening into a cavity formed between the garment and patch. The non-stitched edge may then be moved away from the garment when in an open position, and may be position against the garment when in a closed position. In one embodiment having a four sided patch, the stitching may be on both vertical side, and a bottom horizontal side, while the opening may be along an entire length of the top horizontal side. In further embodiments, the stitching may be along a small percentage (less than 50%) of the horizontal side as well.
In another embodiment, the opening may be provided by a linear slit in the patch. The slit may be, for example, parallel with and closely spaced from the upper edge of the patch. However, this slit may be positioned anywhere on the patch without straying from the scope of the present invention. In a particular embodiment, the slit may have a length that is greater than 90 percent of the width of the patch. Many slit embodiments comprise stitching about an entire perimeter of the patch. In another embodiment, the slit may have a length that is between 75-90 percent of the width of the patch. Through the slit, items may be passed to the cavity between the garment and patch. In further embodiments, an elastic band may be disposed on one side of the slit or both sides of the slit, the elastic band may aid in returning the slit to a closed position and may urge the slit closed when an item is within the pocket. In other words, the slit may stretch open when items are being inserted, and may be configured to automatically contract to a closed orientation when items are within the pocket cavity by virtue of its material properties.
In varying embodiments, piping may be positioned along an edge of the patch at the opening, or about the slit forming the opening, depending on embodiment.
Turning now to
In a similar embodiment to
In a particular embodiment, flap 24 may be the attached to the rear torso portion 12 along its two side edges as well as on its top edge. This attachment may be adjacent to and slightly outside of the stitching connecting the patch 23 to the rear torso portion 12, or using the same stitching connecting the patch to the rear torso portion (or attached adjacent to and slightly outside of the slit in the rear torso portion if a multi-layer pocket is used). In this embodiment, the flap may be formed of a flexible material and may have piping about its leading edge. To access the rear pocket, a user may lift the flap upward, stretching it away from its resting position, exposing the opening to the pocket. In a further embodiment, the top edge of the patch may also be flexible to facilitate access to the pocket by stretching away from the garment. Further, the top edge of the patch may also comprise piping in this embodiment. At rest, this embodiment retains the flap in a closed position, and the flap can only move to the open position to provide access to the pocket by a stretching away from the top edge of the pocket. Once this stretching force is removed, the patch will return to its closed resting position. A similar configuration may be used for a flap covering other pockets of the present invention including front pockets and side pockets.
As is shown in
In a similar embodiment of
While several variations of the present invention have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present invention, or the inventive concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.
