MULTI-COMPONENT COVERALL

Abstract

A multi-component coverall includes a jacket portion. The jacket portion includes an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion. A pant portion is releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard.

Description

RELATED CASE

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/605,122, filed on 29 Feb. 2012, by William Harris III, entitled “Bi-Component Attachable Uniform”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to uniforms and, more particularly, to multi-component uniforms.

BACKGROUND

Coveralls are often utilized in work environments due to their ease of use. For example, mechanics may utilize a coverall to cover their clothing, thus reducing the likelihood of getting dirt & grease on their clothing. Further, pilots may utilize a coverall (in the form of a flight suit) when piloting military aircraft.

While convenient, coveralls often provide an image that is less than professional. For example, since a traditional uniform utilizes a jacket that is separate from a pair of pants, the jacket is free to move with respect to the pair of pants, thus avoiding bulging in the front of the traditional uniform when e.g., the wearer is sitting down. However, due to the one-piece construction of a coverall, such bulging may occur, resulting in an unkempt/unprofessional appearance.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

In one implementation, a multi-component coverall includes a jacket portion. The jacket portion includes an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion. A pant portion is releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard.

One or more of the following features may be included. The pant portion may include a lower portion of a circumferential zipper assembly. The circumferential draft guard may include an upper portion of the circumferential zipper assembly configured to releasably engage the lower portion of the circumferential zipper assembly included on the pant portion. The circumferential draft guard may be longitudinally shorter than the circumferential skirt portion. The circumferential skirt portion may be configured to obscure the circumferential draft guard and the circumferential zipper assembly.

The circumferential draft guard may be constructed of a lighter weight material. The lighter weight material may be a knit material. The circumferential skirt portion may be constructed of a heavier weight material. The heavier weight material may be a woven material.

The upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion may include a longitudinal zipper assembly for longitudinally closing the upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion. The circumferential draft guard may include a longitudinal closure assembly for longitudinally closing the circumferential draft guard. The longitudinal closure assembly may include a hook and loop fastener system. The multi-component coverall may be constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material. The multi-component coverall may be constructed, at least in part, of a ballistic material.

In another implementation, a multi-component coverall includes a jacket portion. The jacket portion includes an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion. A pant portion is releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard. The multi-component coverall is constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material. The circumferential draft guard is constructed of a knit material. The circumferential skirt portion is constructed of a woven material.

One or more of the following features may be included. The circumferential draft guard may be longitudinally shorter than the circumferential skirt portion. The circumferential skirt portion may be configured to obscure the circumferential draft guard. The upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion may include a longitudinal zipper assembly for longitudinally closing the upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion.

In another implementation, a multi-component coverall includes a jacket portion. The jacket portion includes an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion. The circumferential draft guard includes an upper portion of a circumferential zipper assembly. A pant portion is releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard. The pant portion includes a lower portion of the circumferential zipper assembly configured to releasably engage the upper portion of a circumferential zipper assembly included on the circumferential draft guard. The multi-component coverall is constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material.

One or more of the following features may be included. The circumferential skirt portion may be configured to obscure the circumferential draft guard and the circumferential zipper assembly.

The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a multi-component coverall;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a jacket portion of the multi-component coverall of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view of a jacket portion of the multi-component coverall of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a pant portion of the multi-component coverall of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a back view of a pant portion of the multi-component coverall of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a circumferential draft guard of the multi-component coverall of FIG. 1.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1-5, there is shown multi-component coverall 10. Multi-component coverall 10 may include jacket portion 12. Jacket portion 12 may include upper shell portion 14, circumferential skirt portion 16 coupled to upper shell portion 14, and circumferential draft guard 18 positioned within circumferential skirt portion 16. Multi-component coverall 10 may include pant portion 20 that may be configured to be releasably couplable to circumferential draft guard 18.

Jacket portion 12 may be configured to include one or more pockets (e.g., pockets 22, 24) and one or more wear protectors (e.g., wear protectors 26, 28) that may be positioned at high wear points (e.g., elbows) and may be configured to provide additional protection to the user and/or provide a higher level of wear resistance to a particular portion of jacket portion 12. For example, wear protectors 26, 28 may be constructed of a higher wear resistance material that provides wear protection to a particular area of jacket portion 12, wherein such a higher wear resistance material may be too rigid to be used to construct jacket portion 12 in its entirety.

Circumferential draft guard 18 may be configured to be positioned within the interior of circumferential skirt portion 16, wherein circumferential skirt portion 16 may be configured to hide circumferential draft guard 18 from view. For example, circumferential draft guard 18 may be longitudinally shorter (e.g., having a longitudinal length of x) than circumferential skirt portion 16 (e.g., having a longitudinal length of y). Accordingly, circumferential skirt portion 16 may be configured to obscure circumferential draft guard 18 from view.

Referring also to FIG. 6 and as discussed above, pant portion 20 may be configured to be releasably couplable to circumferential draft guard 18. Accordingly, pant portion 20 may be configured to include lower portion 30 of circumferential zipper assembly 32. Further, circumferential draft guard 18 may be configured to include upper portion 34 of circumferential zipper assembly 32, wherein upper portion 34 may be configured to releasably engage lower portion 30 of circumferential zipper assembly 32 included on pant portion 20.

Since (and as discussed above) circumferential draft guard 18 may be longitudinally shorter (e.g., having a longitudinal length of x) than circumferential skirt portion 16 (e.g., having a longitudinal length of y), circumferential skirt portion 16 may be configured to also obscure circumferential zipper assembly 32 from view.

Circumferential draft guard 18 may be constructed of a lighter weight material, examples of which may include but are not limited to a knit material, while circumferential skirt portion 16 may be constructed of a heavier weight material, examples of which may include but are not limited to a woven material. Specifically, circumferential draft guard 18 may be configured to easily flex beneath circumferential skirt portion 16, thus allowing circumferential skirt portion 16 to move freely, thus reducing the likelihood of circumferential skirt portion 16 bulging due to the non-compliance of circumferential draft guard 18.

For example, upper shell portion 14, circumferential skirt portion 16, and pant portion 20 may be constructed of TenCate Defender M woven fabric, while circumferential draft guard 18 may be constructed of TenCate Defender M knit fabric. A sample fabric blend may include: 62% Lenzing-FR Rayon; 25% Para-Aramid; 10% Nylon; and 3% Antistat.

Upper shell portion 14 and circumferential skirt portion 16 of jacket portion 12 may include longitudinal zipper assembly 36 for longitudinally closing upper shell portion 14 and circumferential skirt portion 16. Accordingly, upper shell portion 14 and circumferential skirt portion 16 of jacket portion 12 may be configured to function in a manner similar to a traditional “wind-breaker” type jacket that includes a front zipper.

Circumferential draft guard 18 may configured as a tube-like structure positioned within the interior of circumferential skirt portion 16. As also shown in FIGS. 1-5, upper portion 38 of circumferential skirt 16 may be coupled to upper shell portion 14 of jacket portion 12. In a similar fashion, upper portion 40 of circumferential draft guard 18 may also be coupled to upper shell 14 of jacket portion 12. As discussed above, since circumferential draft guard 18 may be longitudinally shorter (e.g., having a longitudinal length of x) than circumferential skirt portion 16 (e.g., having a longitudinal length of y), circumferential skirt portion 16 may be configured to obscure circumferential zipper assembly 32 from view.

Accordingly, upon releasably coupling (via circumferential zipper assembly 32) pant portion 20 and circumferential draft guard 18, the wearer (not shown) of multi-component coverall 10 may be shielded from their surroundings. Accordingly, if multi-component coverall 10 is constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material, the wearer (not shown) of multi-component coverall 10 may be shielded from e.g., flash over and/or flash fire situations. Alternatively, if multi-component coverall 10 is constructed, at least in part, of a ballistic material (e.g., ballistic nylon or Kevlar), the wearer (not shown) of multi-component coverall 10 may be shielded from e.g., small arms fire and/or shrapnel from explosives. Additionally, multi-component coverall 10 may be constructed, at least in part, of a NBC (i.e., Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) material that is impervious/resistant to nuclear, biological and/or chemical contaminants. Further, multi-component coverall 10 may be constructed, at least in part, of a POL (i.e., Petroleum, Oil, Lubricants) material that is impervious/resistant to petroleum-based fuels, oils, lubricants and solvents. Further still, multi-component coverall 10 may be constructed, at least in part, of a material that provides desirable thermal properties, such as insulating the wearer from cold weather.

Circumferential draft guard 18 may include longitudinal closure assembly 42 for longitudinally closing circumferential draft guard 18. An example of longitudinal closure assembly 42 may include a hook and loop fastener system (e.g., hook and loop fasteners 44, 46). By using a hook and loop fastener system, the circumference of circumferential draft guard 18 may be adjusted, thus allowing a single jacket size to be used with a variety of pant sizes (or visa versa).

A number of implementations have been described. Having thus described the disclosure of the present application in detail and by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multi-component coverall comprising:

a jacket portion including: an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion; and

a pant portion releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard.

2. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the pant portion includes a lower portion of a circumferential zipper assembly.

3. The multi-component coverall of claim 2 wherein the circumferential draft guard includes an upper portion of the circumferential zipper assembly configured to releasably engage the lower portion of the circumferential zipper assembly included on the pant portion.

4. The multi-component coverall of claim 3 wherein the circumferential draft guard is longitudinally shorter than the circumferential skirt portion.

5. The multi-component coverall of claim 3 wherein the circumferential skirt portion is configured to obscure the circumferential draft guard and the circumferential zipper assembly.

6. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the circumferential draft guard is constructed of a lighter weight material.

7. The multi-component coverall of claim 6 wherein the lighter weight material is a knit material.

8. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the circumferential skirt portion is constructed of a heavier weight material.

9. The multi-component coverall of claim 8 wherein the heavier weight material is a woven material.

10. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion include a longitudinal zipper assembly for longitudinally closing the upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion.

11. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the circumferential draft guard includes a longitudinal closure assembly for longitudinally closing the circumferential draft guard.

12. The multi-component coverall of claim 11 wherein the longitudinal closure assembly includes a hook and loop fastener system.

13. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the multi-component coverall is constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material.

14. The multi-component coverall of claim 1 wherein the multi-component coverall is constructed, at least in part, of a ballistic material.

15. A multi-component coverall comprising:

a jacket portion including: an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion; and

a pant portion releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard;

wherein: the multi-component coverall is constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material, the circumferential draft guard is constructed of a knit material, and the circumferential skirt portion is constructed of a woven material.

16. The multi-component coverall of claim 15 wherein the circumferential draft guard is longitudinally shorter than the circumferential skirt portion.

17. The multi-component coverall of claim 15 wherein the circumferential skirt portion is configured to obscure the circumferential draft guard.

18. The multi-component coverall of claim 15 wherein the upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion include a longitudinal zipper assembly for longitudinally closing the upper shell portion and the circumferential skirt portion.

19. A multi-component coverall comprising:

a jacket portion including: an upper shell portion, a circumferential skirt portion coupled to the upper shell portion, and a circumferential draft guard positioned within the circumferential skirt portion, the circumferential draft guard including an upper portion of

a circumferential zipper assembly; and

a pant portion releasably couplable to the circumferential draft guard, the pant portion including a lower portion of the circumferential zipper assembly configured to releasably engage the upper portion of a circumferential zipper assembly included on the circumferential draft guard;

wherein the multi-component coverall is constructed, at least in part, of a flame retardant material.

20. The multi-component coverall of claim 19 wherein the circumferential skirt portion is configured to obscure the circumferential draft guard and the circumferential zipper assembly.