1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clothing and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for designing, locating, and creating pockets for shirts and blouses.
2. Background Art
Clothing designs have developed over centuries, even millennia. Clothing in western civilization today relies on shirts and blouses for the upper body, along with trousers or skirts for the lower body, in various designs. Suits and dresses are also ubiquitous. A fixture in many articles of clothing for the upper body, such as jackets, shirts, blouses, and so forth is the breast pocket.
Meanwhile, ubiquitous hand-held electronic devices continue to search for a home. Teenagers carry cell phones in trouser front pockets and back pockets, shirt pockets, jacket pockets, cases, on lanyards, and in various other ways. A certain demographic relies on holsters attached to waist bands or belts.
A wide spread problem for pockets on upper body clothing articles is leaning. It is not uncommon, in fact highly common, for an individual who leans over or bends over for any reason to clutch at the breast pocket of the shirt in order to prevent pens, cards, cell phones, or other articles in the pocket from falling out onto the ground.
As any weight of an article within a pocket tends to pull the pocket outward and away from the body or torso of the clothing article (e.g., shirt, blouse, etc.), any excess fabric surrounding the torso of the wearer becomes slack, falls forward, following the weight in the pocket, and thus provides an even greater reduction of any gripping or retaining capacity of the pocket. To solve this problem, much active wear includes a button and button hole, a button and flap, a hook-and-loop fastener combination on a pocket flap, or the like. For items that are not to be frequently retrieved from and replaced in a pocket, such mechanisms serve well. Mobile phones, personal digital assistants, and the like do not fit well in that category.
What is needed is a pocket suitable for retaining a personal electronic device, personal digital assistant, cellular phone, or the like without additional closing mechanisms or seals. It would be a further advance in the art if such a system were readily accessible, operated automatically, was resistant to substantially all motions or all directions of motion. By resistant is not meant that a system should resist the motion of the user, but that such a system should resist the loss of contents of a pocket during motions such as bending over to lift an object or to pick up an article, leaning sideways in a work situation, or the like.
In view of the foregoing, in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a method and apparatus are disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention as including a shirt, blouse, or other article of upper body clothing that includes a body or torso portion, and may be provided with sleeves. Typically, a collar opening will accommodate the neck of a user, and a lower opening will accommodate the torso. Such a shirt, blouse, or other article will typically have a lower hem or lower edge that may represent a shirt tail, but may be cut at a straight angle across in order to be worn outside of the waistband of trousers, skirt, or the like.
In some embodiments, such articles of clothing may have an opening down the front, which may be closed with buttons. It may extend a short distance of several inches (centimeters) down from the collar opening, or may extend all the way to the lower hem, such as a fully buttoned-down shirt. Nevertheless, some shirts have only a short buttoned region (e.g., golf shirt) and others have no button opening (e.g., t-shirts, pullovers, etc.).
In one embodiment of an apparatus and method in accordance with the invention, a pocket may be spaced selected distances from the collar and the shoulder line or shoulder seam corresponding to the shoulder of a clothing article. Meanwhile, the pocket may also be spaced a specified distance from an outer edge, such as the beginning of a sleeve. In certain presently contemplated embodiments, the pocket is angled away from the vertical at an angle of from about 34 to 56 degrees. An angle of about 45 degrees proves to be a suitable target angle. The pocket may be slightly more vertical or less vertical, as desired. Nevertheless, an angle of about 45 degrees has been found suitable. Nevertheless, it has been found also properly functional to vary that angle up to about 11 degrees in either direction.
A functional feature of a pocket in accordance with the invention is a return, which is formed by a seam extending across the opening of the pocket near the lower edge thereof. Typically, the fabric of a t-shirt, golf shirt, or the like may be formed of a knit fabric, having a certain ability to stretch. Moreover, as such material is stretched in one dimension, it will typically shrink in an orthogonal direction.
In one embodiment, a pocket may be tilted at 45 degrees from vertical, with the opening dropping down from the original, conventional uppermost position to turn inward toward the neck of a user and downward. Typically, the return will be formed by a seam at the lower edge of the pocket, and close a portion of the pocket from about ¼ inch to about ¾ of an inch. A return of about ½ inch has been found suitable.
Meanwhile, the length of the pocket may be larger or smaller than conventional pockets. In one embodiment, the length of the pocket or the height is about the same as a conventional shirt pocket. However, it has been found suitable to narrow the width of the pockets slightly. Thus, the pocket will tend to be more snug about any carried object, such as a mobile phone.
It has been found effective to position the pocket within a matter of inches of the shoulder line of a clothing article. For example, the lower corner on the upper opening of a pocket is typically about 6 inches from the shoulder seam in an adult article of clothing.
Meanwhile, the opposite upper corner is typically about 3 inches from the shoulder seam. It has been found effective to place the pocket over the top of the pectoral muscle, and toward the upper portion thereof. There is a natural swale or hollow formed between the shoulder and the pectoral muscles that provides a convenient location for a pocket in accordance with the invention.
Such a pocket may be sewn onto t-shirts, jogging clothing, athletic wear, sweat shirts, hoodies, jump suits, medical scrubs, dress shirts, sports shirts, golf shirts, jackets, and the like. Typically, regardless of the position taken by a user, the return (area enclosed on two sides near an upper inside corner of a pocket) tends to retain any contained object by a naturally occurring stress or restraint existing between that corner of the pocket and the edge of the opposite side, including a corner diagonally opposite the pocket.
By placement above the pectoral muscle and closer to the neck, shoulder, and sleeve of an article of clothing, the article provides much better support for the weight of the object (e.g., mobile phone, personal digital assistant, personal digital device, tool, instrument, etc.) than other shirt designs.
For example, by capturing the upper portion of the pocket in the region bounded by the neck, collar, or the like, on the inside, with the sleeves seam opposite on the outside, and the shoulder seam thereabove, great stability is provided to the pocket, without sagging. This is in contradistinction to conventional shirts where weight in a breast pocket tends to shift the fabric and create an undesirable sagging appearance. In fact, some manufacturers of dress shirts provide no breast pocket in order to avoid that uneven, sagging appearance.
The foregoing features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which:
It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.
Referring to
Typically, at the upper extremity of the body portion 12 on the article 10 is a neck opening 13a. Opposite, at the lower end of the article 10 and specifically the body 12, is a lower edge 13b or lower opening 13b that forms the tail 13b or bottom 13b of the article of clothing 10. Typically, the tail 13b may be cut as a conventional shirt tail, or may be cut at a horizontal angle and seamed or hemmed in order to be suitable for wearing outside of a lower article of clothing, such as trousers or a skirt.
Sleeves 14 are indicated here by sleeves 14a, 14b. In every instance, a trailing letter simply indicates a specific instance of an item identified by the reference numeral. Therefore, herein it is proper to speak of any item by its reference numeral alone, and in any specific instance by its reference numeral and trailing letter.
Although it may vary in position, a sleeve seam 15 will exist in most fabricated articles 10 of clothing. Similarly, a shoulder seam 17 will typically exist to connect a front portion of the main body 12 to a rear portion thereof. Similarly, along the edges 34a, 34b will typically be a side seam. The side seams 34a, 34b or edges 34b are typically opened up in order to accommodate the arm opening created by a sleeve 14a, 14b, respectively, thereby securing each sleeve 14a, 14b to the body 12 along a respective seam 15.
A collar 16 may surround the neck opening 13a and may be any of several types. For example, a T-shirt will typically have a knit collar that is completely closed. A golf shirt 10 or sporting shirt 10 may include an opening 18 or strip 18 that may be opened or closed by means of buttons 19.
A pocket 20 may be positioned in any suitable location on the article 10. Nevertheless, a particular concern has been the inability of a breast pocket on an article 10 of clothing to retain objects, and particularly heavier objects such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants or other instruments, when a user is leaning forward, or to one side or the other. Accordingly, a pocket 20 in accordance with the invention is tilted or canted off the typical vertical orientation. In the illustrated embodiment, a pocket 20 in accordance with the invention may be tilted at a suitable angle and positioned with distances 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d defining its location and support.
For example, the distance 21a may be thought of as the distance from the pocket 20 to a sleeve seam 34a or a left edge 34a of the clothing article 10. The distance 21b may be thought of as the distance that the pocket 20 is translated from the lower edge of the sleeve attachment or the armpit of the article 10 of clothing.
The distance 21c may be thought of as the uppermost extremity of the pocket 20 spaced away from the sleeve seam or the left side 34a of the article 10. Likewise, the distance 21d may be thought of as the distance of the uppermost extremity of the pocket 20 away from a shoulder seam or the uppermost reach of the shoulder of the article 10 of clothing. These distances may be measured instead from the center line of a neck opening 36, collar 16, or the like. However, these distances are selected in order to position the pocket 20 above the pectoral muscle, and toward the upper reaches thereof in order to keep it well supported by the neck, sleeve, and shoulder of the clothing article 10. A return seam 22 is sewn into the pocket 20.
In the illustrated embodiment, the upper corner 23d is typically positioned sufficiently close to the side seam 34, neck 36, and the shoulder seam 17 to provide excellent support and stability for the pocket 20 and whatever electronic instrument or other article 40 may be contained therein. Similarly, the return corner 23a and the diagonally opposite corner 23c are typically positioned sufficiently close to the vertical center line and the neck 36 of the clothing article 10 and the sleeve seam 15 of the clothing article 10 to maintain tension in most circumstances and sufficient support by the respective shoulder seam 17 thereabove.
For example, the pocket 20 is tilted at an angle 24 with respect to horizontal. This angle has a value typically of from about 34 to about 56 degrees. A target position may be about 45 degrees within a degree or two. Thus, a 45 degree target angle or a 46 degree target angle has been found suitable. Nevertheless, the system operates well within the range of from about 34 degrees to about 56 degrees.
In certain embodiments, a width 26 of the pocket 20 may be selected to correspond better with the size and shape of an article 40 such as a mobile phone, personal digital assistant, electronic instrument, notebook, or the like that will typically be carried in a pocket 20.
For instance, it has been found that a narrowing of the width 26 compared to the conventional width of a shirt breast pocket serves better to retain a carried article inside the pocket 20 below the return seam 22. Likewise, by having a width 26 narrower than is customary in conventional design, the corners 23c, 23d urge the contained article 40 toward the opposite corners 23a, 23b, thus rendering the return seam 22 much more effective in maintaining a corner or edge of the contained article 40 inside the pocket 20.
The length 28 or depth 28 of the pocket 20 may be adjusted to meet typical sizes of articles that may be carried. For example, smartphones have largely settled out on a few standardized sizes. The length of the return seam 22 may be selected to actually close somewhat the opening 30 of the pocket 20. When knit fabrics are the material of choice in a clothing article 10, with its associated pocket 20, then the opening 30 may actually be smaller than the circumference of the contained article 40.
Thus, gripping the article with fingers and drawing it out of the opening 30 of the pocket 20 will tend to stretch the knit fabric around the circumference of the opening 30, thus releasing the contained object. Nevertheless, inadvertent dropping of such an article from the pocket 20 through the opening 30 will be rendered very rare, and nearly impossible in certain embodiments.
For example, if the amount of force required to stretch the opening 30 sufficiently to release the contained object 40 from the pocket 20, has a value greater than the weight of that object, then the return seam 23a will retain the object in substantially all orientations, absent some jolt or excessive force.
In certain embodiments, a user may also push on the pocket 20 near the corner 23b, in order to urge an article out through the opening 30. Thus, just as gripping a smartphone, for example, between thumb and forefinger at the opening 30, an appropriate force of pushing at the corner 23b may likewise move a portion of the contained article 40 out of the opening 30 for retrieval and use.
The bottom 32 of the pocket 20 will typically restrain and contain an article 40. Similarly, the seam in securing the pocket 20 between the corners 23a, 23b will likewise support a major portion of the weight of the contained article 40. Nevertheless, the seam of the pocket 20 extending between the corners 23c and 23d will likewise provide support, as will the underlying fabric in the body 12 of the clothing article 10.
In the illustrated embodiment, the fit of the clothing article 10 about the torso of a user will tend to maintain tension within the body 12 of the clothing article 10, as well as in the pocket 20 itself. Tension in the pocket 20 will tend to flatten it against the body 12 of the clothing article 10, thus making the return seam 22 even more effective at maintaining the opening 30 as a closed slit 30.
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In fact, the contained article 40 is captured between the corners 23b, 23c and the corner 23a where the return seam 22 forms a containment barrier 22. Of course, the pocket 20 may be positioned in a minor image position (about the vertical center line) on the right side of the clothing article 10. Accordingly, an individual may lean to the right or the left. In the illustrated embodiment, the user is leaning at approximately a 45 degree angle with respect to the vertical (e.g., standing, vertical).
Referring to
Instead of being angled upward and toward the inside, it is angled downward at about the same angle that it was upward. In this instance, the return seam 22 is responsible to resist exit of the contained article 40. Here, the corner 23a forms the vertex of a containment pocket 20 created by the seam of the pocket 20 between the corners 23a and 23b, and the return seam 22.
Moreover, in this example, the opposite corner 23c tends to act with the weight of the contained article 40 to push the contained article 40 toward the corner 23a, thus, the article would require being lifted toward the opening 30 before it could exit of its own weight. Again, with the proper selection of the width 26 of the pocket 20, the seam running between the corners 23c and 23d would also tend to urge the contained article 40 against the opposite side of the pocket 20 and into the cavity created at the corner 23a by the return seam 22.
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In certain weaves of fabric, where there is little or no resilience or stretching of the fabric. This fabric with the pocket in an upside down position would yield the most extreme likelihood for releasing the contained article 40. However, even this situation is helped by a proper selection of the width 26, the geometry of a pocket 20. Two flat panels (body 12 and pocket 20) sewn together will tend to be expanded by the contained article 40. By providing little clearance they urge the contained article 40 to rest in the corner 23a against the edge seam and the return seam 22.
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Meanwhile, tension 39 across the width 26 of the pocket 20 tends to urge the contained article 40 against the opposite seam extending between the corners 23a, 23b. Effectively, a net tension 42 exists in a diagonal direction from the corner 23a to the corner 23c. Tension tends to urge the pocket 20 and the body 12 of the clothing article 10 to flatten the overall cavity created therebetween, thus urging the contained article 40 to stay positioned inside.
Likewise, the length of the return seam 22 may be selected in order to require stretching of the opening 30 in order to permit the contained article 40 to be extracted. In other embodiments, the length of the return seam 22 may simply be selected in order to create a sufficiently large pocket area (cavity) at the corner 23a to receive easily and resist exit by, the contained article 40.
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For example, the contained article 40 may move downward and sideways along the direction of the return seam 22, thereby moving a larger proportion thereof toward the opening 30 of the pocket 20. If the width 26 of the pocket 20, and specifically the dimension of the opening 30 is sufficiently open, a contained article 40 could slide out. However, the return seam 22 is engaged to turn the article 40 and catch a corner of it.
In many embodiments, particularly where knit fabrics are involved, the opening 30 is sized by the return seam 22 to be slightly less than the width dimension of the contained article 40. In this way, the contained article 40 can be restrained against exiting the pocket 20 absent sufficient force in a proper direction to extract the contained article 40.
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Care should be taken in sizing a pocket 20 for such fabrics in order to provide access, but restraint. Typically, in such embodiments, the opening 30 may be sized closer to the circumference of the contained article 40. Meanwhile, the return seam 22 may be somewhat longer, thus providing a larger, V-shaped corner 23a in which to contain the contained article 40.
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The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its purposes, functions, structures, or operational characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/439,480, filed on Dec. 11, 2012, entitled SHIRT WITH DIAGONAL POCKET, which is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/426,255, filed on Jul. 2, 2012, entitled SHIRT WITH DIAGONAL POCKET, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/399,313, filed on Aug. 11, 2011, entitled SHIRT WITH DIAGONAL POCKET, now U.S. Pat. No. D662,688. All the foregoing references are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29426255 | Jul 2012 | US |
Child | 29439480 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29439480 | Dec 2012 | US |
Child | 14135189 | US | |
Parent | 29399313 | Aug 2011 | US |
Child | 29426255 | US |