The present invention relates generally to the field of exercise gear, and more particularly to a removable pouch for carrying a cell phone during exercise.
Typically, the options for a woman that wants to carry her phone during exercise include armbands or belts which may be cumbersome or clunky to wear. Both of these alternatives bounce during use, and annoy and chafe the skin of the user. These drawbacks are increased during activities such as jogging or other vigorous exercise. During these activities the user may always be aware of the devices because they bounce or move.
There have been attempts to incorporate pouches and pocket assemblies into women's garments. U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,410 discloses a floating storage pouch for concealing articles within a sports bra.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0304357 discloses a women's garment top with an integrated pocket assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,761 discloses a sports bra with a storage pouch.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0257457 discloses a concealed and discreet security pocket worn in the interior of a brassiere cup or bathing suit top.
What is needed is an improved device for carrying items during exercise that eliminates the drawbacks discussed above.
With parenthetical reference to the corresponding parts, portions or surfaces of the disclosed embodiment, merely for the purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation, the present invention provides a pouch (10) that can be clipped onto the back of a sports bra (16) such that the pouch (10) and the items being carried provide minimal distraction during the exercise activity.
In one aspect the invention provides a pouch assembly comprising a pouch (10) constructed of a lightweight, breathable dry handle knit fabric with wicking properties, the pouch (10) having an opening (22) at the top. A liner (37) is disposed inside the pouch (10). The liner (37) is constructed of a waterproof fabric. The liner (37) has an opening at the top. A U-shaped clip (34) is attached to the pouch (10). The U-shaped clip (34) has a first end (40) and a second end (43) opposite the first end (40). One of the first and second ends (40, 43) has a magnetic material disposed thereon, and the other of the first and second ends (40, 43) has a ferromagnetic material disposed thereon.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a method of securing a pouch to a sports bra. The method comprises providing a pouch (10) with an inverted U-shaped clip (34) attached thereto. Next, the method includes providing a sports bra having a pair of cups shaped to receive a woman's breasts. The cups are joined by a cleavage portion of the bra between proximate edges thereof. The cups are also joined by a back portion. Next, the method includes sliding the pouch inside the back portion of the sports bra and supporting the pouch by engagement of the first and second ends of the clip on opposite sides of the back portion such that the pouch is supported substantially in the upper, middle back area of the user.
In another aspect, the invention comprises a sports bra having a pair of cups shaped to receive a woman's breasts. The cups are joined by a cleavage portion of the bra between proximate edges thereof and by a back portion of the bra between distal edges thereof. A lined pouch assembly is removably attached to the back portion of the sports bra. The lined pouch assembly comprises a first elongate panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge disposed opposite from the first side edge. The first elongate panel is constructed of a waterproof material.
A second elongate panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge is disposed opposite from the first side edge. The second elongate panel is constructed of a waterproof material. The second elongate panel is attached to the first elongate panel along the bottom edge, left side edge and right side edge to form a first pouch member having an opening bordered by the top edge of the first elongate panel and the top edge of the second elongate panel. The first pouch member has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface forms the inside surface of the lined pouch assembly.
A third elongate panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge is disposed opposite from the first side edge. The third elongate panel is constructed of a microfiber material having wicking properties. A fourth elongate panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge is disposed opposite from the first side edge. The fourth elongate panel is constructed of a microfiber material having wicking properties.
The third and fourth elongate panels are attached to each other along the bottom edges and the left and right side edges to form a second pouch member having an opening bordered by the top edge of the third elongate panel and the top edge of the fourth elongate panel. The second pouch member has an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface forms the outside surface of the lined pouch assembly.
The first pouch member is disposed inside the second pouch member.
A zipper assembly has a first tape supporting a first set of teeth, a second tape supporting a second set of teeth, a slider body, and a pull tab. The top edges of the first and third elongate panels are joined through attachment to the first tape, and the top edges of the second and fourth elongate panels are joined through attachment to the second tape.
The zipper assembly is configured and arranged to provide a closure for the top openings of the first and second pouches.
An elongate clip has a body extending from a first end to a second end opposite the first end. The clip is attached to one of the third and fourth elongate panels. The clip is capable of folding about a midportion of the body such that the first end and the second end are disposed near each other. The first and second end are configured and arranged to detachably attach to each other to secure the lined pouch assembly to a strap on a garment worn by the user. One of the first and second ends of the clip have a magnet thereon and the other of the first and second ends of the clip have a ferromagnetic material thereon.
The pouch assembly has an outside surface formed from a microfiber material with wicking properties and has an inside surface formed from a water proof material and has a closeable, top opening configured and arranged to receive items for storage inside the double walled pouch assembly.
The lined pouch assembly is removably attached to the back portion by placing the first and second ends of the clip on opposite sides of the back portion of the sports bra such that they are disposed near and held together by the magnetic attraction such that the lined pouch assembly stays in position in the upper middle back area of the user during activity by the user.
At the outset, it should be clearly understood that like reference numerals are intended to identify the same structural elements, portions or surfaces consistently throughout the several drawing figures, as such elements, portions or surfaces may be further described or explained by the entire written specification, of which this detailed description is an integral part. Unless otherwise indicated, the drawings are intended to be read (e.g., cross-hatching, arrangement of parts, proportion, debris, etc.) together with the specification, and are to be considered a portion of the entire written description of this invention. As used in the following description, the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “left”, “right”, “up” and “down”, as well as adjectival and adverbial derivatives thereof, (e.g., “horizontally”, “rightwardly”, “upwardly”, etc.), simply refer to the orientation of the illustrated structure as the particular drawing figure faces the reader. Similarly, the terms “inwardly” and “outwardly” generally refer to the orientation of a surface relative to its axis of elongation, or of rotation, as appropriate.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Turning to
The fabric for the liner 37 is preferably polyurethane laminate (“PUL”) which is a waterproof material. The lined pouch assembly of the invention is intended to be used for storage of electronic items such as cell phones so it is desirable that they do not become wet from exposure to sweat, rain or snow. The same applies for credit cards and cash that may be stored in the pouch 10.
The fabric for the outside of the pouch 10 may comprise a dry handle knit that is lightweight, breathable, and has wicking properties. The fabric wicks sweat away from the pouch and also prevents the pouch from heating up the back of the user 11 during strenuous physical activities such as running.
The pouch 10 and liner 37 of the present invention may be constructed of other materials besides four rectangular panels. The alternate materials may eliminate some of the sewing. For example, the invention may be constructed from tubular fabrics that may comprise two tubular pieces of fabric that would only require sewing or closures at the two open ends.
Turning to
In
Turning to
In use a woman that is a runner or a biker, or just looking for a hands free way to walk a dog or chase kids at a playground would insert their phone, keys, money, credit cards, or the like into the pouch and zip it closed. Next, the woman holds the pouch in her hand with the clip facing her. She reaches her arm and the pouch over her head. With the other hand, the woman slightly lifts her bra strap and then she slides the pouch inside the middle back of the bra structure. Once the top edge of the back portion of the bra reaches the inside of the clip, the ends of the clip hold the pouch in position by means of magnetic properties. Once the pouch is positioned inside the bra structure, a portion of the clip extends downward outside of the bra to hold the pouch in position.
The present invention contemplates that many changes and modifications may be made. Therefore, while the presently-preferred form of the Pouch has been shown and described, and several modifications and alternatives discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims.
The present application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/566,008 filed on Sep. 29, 2017, and entitled “Water-resistant Phone Pouch and Clip Inserted in Back of Bra,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4705086 | O'Neill | Nov 1987 | A |
4784199 | Wise | Nov 1988 | A |
4903745 | Roman | Feb 1990 | A |
5103884 | Roman | Apr 1992 | A |
D378018 | Ouellette | Feb 1997 | S |
D426703 | Kojoori | Jun 2000 | S |
D429068 | Kleinsmith | Aug 2000 | S |
6176761 | Underhill | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6318613 | Underhill | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6321958 | Erdmann | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6517410 | Underhill | Feb 2003 | B1 |
7585200 | McLaren | Sep 2009 | B1 |
9060550 | Conrad | Jun 2015 | B2 |
D752858 | Hamilton | Apr 2016 | S |
20060206990 | Demus | Sep 2006 | A1 |
20080023508 | Harchol | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20080032600 | Updyke | Feb 2008 | A1 |
20100005694 | Forte et al. | Jan 2010 | A1 |
20110079619 | Lewis | Apr 2011 | A1 |
20120304357 | Highfield | Dec 2012 | A1 |
20130098954 | Inglis | Apr 2013 | A1 |
20130227764 | DiDavide | Sep 2013 | A1 |
20140259298 | Esagoff | Sep 2014 | A1 |
20150257457 | Kenny | Sep 2015 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62566008 | Sep 2017 | US |