Hooded garment which converts into a purse
A hooded garment which can be converted into a purse. The garment, having the appearance of a jacket, sweater, sweatshirt, etc. will have a zipper (2) sewn into the opening of the hood (4), beginning at the location corresponding to the crown of the head and ending at the location corresponding to the collar bone. This provides the ability to zip the hood (4) closed, creating an enclosed hood (1). The body of the garment (16) should then be inserted into the hood enclosure (1). The invention also includes a pouch (30) attached to a shoulder strap (20) in the fashion of a small purse. The pouch (30) can be detached from the shoulder strap (20) and placed inside the hood enclosure (1). The shoulder strap (20) can then be attached to the hood enclosure (1), creating a complete purse (36).
Latest Patents:
- METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR RNA-GUIDED TREATMENT OF HIV INFECTION
- IRRIGATION TUBING WITH REGULATED FLUID EMISSION
- RESISTIVE MEMORY ELEMENTS ACCESSED BY BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS
- SIDELINK COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE AND STORAGE MEDIUM
- SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE HAVING MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME
This invention relates to convertible clothing, specifically to an improved function in garments. Originally garments such as jackets and sweaters, once removed had to be carried over your arm, hung over your purse or tied around your waist. This is an inconvenience and creates a problem, because when the garment is hung over your arm or purse it can fall and become stained. It can be lost or get too heavy. It can also cause stretching of the garment. Short sleeved jackets and sleeveless garments don't even have the option to be tied around your waist. It is unattractive to carry your garment in this way. Inventors have created several types of convertible garments in an attempt to solve some of these problems, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,251 to Hopkins (1984) wherein the folding process was too complicated. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,689 to Hager (1983) wherein the garment was of an outdated style after transformation, and seemed limited to being carried around the waist. U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,042 to DeWan (1990) wherein the converted garment did not have the benefit of looking like an actual purse after transformation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,853 to Argento, et. al. (1977) wherein the garment did not have a protective hood and also had too many steps in the folding process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,066 to Pearsall (1982) wherein the folding process was too complicated and the garment was limited to being worn around the waist after conversion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,334 to Pearsall (1982) was limited to female use and also had a complicated folding process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,709 to DeLott (1987) had too many steps in the conversion process. All of the convertible garments heretofore mentioned suffer from a number of disadvantages most often including complicated and lengthy folding and conversion processes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA garment constructed in accordance with the principles of the average upper body garment, however such garment can be converted into a purse by removing the garment and zipping it up in the normal fashion. The hood, which has a zipper sewn into it's opening, that zips from the location corresponding to the crown of the head towards the location corresponding to the area of the collar bone, meeting the top of the separating zipper, creates an enclosure out of the hood. The body of the garment, which primarily consists of: a left and a right sleeve, a front of the garment (which can include a left and a right side of the garment), and a back of the garment, folds into the hood enclosure, which becomes the body of the purse. In combination with the garment is a small pouch attached to a shoulder strap with swivel hooks, in the fashion of a small purse. Once the body of the garment is inserted into the hood enclosure, the small pouch is unhooked from the shoulder strap and placed inside the hood enclosure. The shoulder strap is then hooked into the corresponding D-rings located at the base of the back of the hood and at the front of the hood, forming a complete purse.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of our invention are: when the garment is taken off it can be converted into a purse, thus providing a dual purpose. Another object of this invention is to provide an attractive method for carrying the garment while it is not being worn, therefore also protecting it from soiling and stretching. This invention provides a place to store items, as opposed to carrying those items in the pockets of the garment, preventing the need to transfer each item individually, thus keeping these items secure. An additional advantage of our invention is that it is very easily converted from an article of clothing to a purse and vice versa. Other objects and advantages of our invention include that it appears to be an ordinary garment when not converted and that it does not require complicated folding, tying or knotting procedures, as opposed to the prior art. Our invention also does not have to be placed on a flat surface during conversion. Our invention has the advantage of having a hood in case of inclement weather. Another object and advantage of our invention is that it can be used just as a purse, but also has the option of becoming a garment in case of change in climate, whether indoor or outdoor. Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description thereof.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in
An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in
Thus the reader will see that the convertible garment of the invention provides a highly reliable, economical article of clothing that can be worn by persons of any age. While our above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of two preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example: the garment can be made of any kind of flexible fabric or material that lends itself to sewing and conversion. It can be any color, size, or style that includes an enclosing hood. The garment can include or exclude pockets, waist bands, wrist bands, decorative embellishments, a collar, short, long or no sleeves, etc. The garment does not have to be a zippered article of clothing; it can resemble a sweatshirt design. The garment is also not limited to having an attached hood. It can have a removable hood, as long as it is an enclosing hood. The garment can have any shoulder strap size and can be made out of numerous materials. The shoulder strap can be attached to the garment in various fashions and does not have to be attached to a pouch. The shoulder strap can also be attached to the garment in various locations. Its closing and/or attaching apparatus' are not limited to swivel hooks, zippers, and d-rings. Parachute buckles, snaps, circular rings, fabric loops, buttons, hook and loop, belt buckles, etc. can also be used. The garment can be used by not only females, but has alternate embodiments that are gender neutral. The garment can also be made to fit an animal such as a dog or cat. The garment can have a lining, but does not require one. The pouch included in the preferred embodiment can also have any of the aforementioned applicable variations, and can also be exchanged for an existing purse or pouch that lends itself to attachment to the shoulder strap, and insertion into an enclosed hood. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. An article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, comprising:
- (a) a hood
- (b) means for enclosing said hood
- (c) a body of the garment
- (d) a length of flexible elongated material
- (e) means for attaching said flexible elongated material to said hood.
2. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 1 further including:
- (a) a pouch
- (b) means for attaching said length of flexible elongated material to said pouch.
3. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 1 further including one or more lengths of flexible elongated material.
4. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 3 further including means for attaching said one or more lengths of flexible elongated material to one or more locations on said hood.
5. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 3 further including means for said one or more lengths of flexible elongated materials to be partially encased within said article of clothing.
6. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 5 further including means for said one or more lengths of flexible elongated material to be free moving within said one or more partial encasements within said article of clothing.
7. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 5 further including means for said one or more lengths of flexible elongated material to be stationary within said one or more partial encasements within said article of clothing.
8. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 6 further including one or more openings in said one or more partial encasements wherein said one or more lengths of flexible elongated material can protrude from said article of clothing.
9. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 1 wherein said means for enclosing said hood is a zipper.
10. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 1 wherein said length of flexible elongated material is a shoulder strap.
11. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said flexible elongated material to said hood are swivel hooks and d-rings.
12. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 3 wherein said one or more lengths of flexible elongated material are drawstrings.
13. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 8 further including means for preventing the ends of said one or more lengths of flexible elongated materials from passing through said openings in said one or more partial encasements and becoming difficult to retrieve.
14. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 13 wherein said means for preventing the ends of said one or more lengths of flexible elongated materials from passing through said openings in said one or more partial encasements are one or more cordstops.
15. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 8 wherein said one or more openings in said one or more partial encasements are eyelets.
16. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 1 wherein said body of the garment is comprised of
- (a) a right sleeve
- (b) a left sleeve
- (c) a front of the garment
- (d) a back of the garment
17. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 16 wherein said front of the garment is comprised of
- (a) a left side of the garment
- (b) a right side of the garment.
18. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 17 wherein said left and right side of the garment are adjoined by means of fastening.
19. The article of clothing, convertible into a carrying bag, and vice versa, of claim 18 wherein said means of fastening is a separating zipper.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 30, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 5, 2009
Applicants: (Lansing, IL), (Country Club Hills, IL)
Inventors: Melissa N. Johnson (Lansing, IL), Agathe R. Wright (Country Club Hills, IL)
Application Number: 11/896,315
International Classification: A41D 3/02 (20060101); A41D 1/00 (20060101); A45F 4/00 (20060101);