PURSE ALTERNATIVE
A pocket for retaining and concealing personal items such as cell phones, identification, money, and valuables. The pocket has a detachable version and a permanently attached version. The pocket may be acquired separately from the garment with which it is used and inserted by attachment means. The pocket is assembled with a garment in an orientation that is opposite of conventional pockets, having an opening that aligns with a terminal end of a garment, such as the lowest edge of a hem. The closure of the pocket is in-line with the terminal end of the garment or within 0.5 inches of the end of the garment. The pocket is easily accessible from the terminal end of the garment.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61786880 filed Mar. 15, 2013 titled “Purse Alternatives” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDIndividuals increasingly rely on technology to manage all aspects of their day to day life. Computer technology has advanced allowing inexpensive access to individuals to handheld computing devices. The devices may serve as communication devices, but also provide important information such as news, weather, location services, and otherwise. As individual reliance on computing devices increases, more and more individuals are carrying the devices with them on a regular if not consistent basis. Individuals also routinely carry other items with them such as but not limited to, identification, money, monetary devices such as credit cards and rebate cards, and personal care products such as medication, cosmetics, skin salves, and otherwise.
As technology increases the number of items individuals are compelled to carry, clothing and design interests have decreased the number of manner of carrying the items. Designers have removed or reduced the size of pockets in clothing, particularly women's clothing. Pockets are removed in some instances to lend a more slimming line to the waste and hips. In other cases, merely to project a sleek clothing profile.
The removal of pockets from clothing has increased the need for carrying bags, purses, backpacks, and otherwise in an effort to accommodate personal items.
BRIEF SUMMARYA pocket is disclosed for use with a garment. Where the garment has an upper edge, such as a waist line or neck line, and a terminal edge, such as a hem. The pocket may be removably attached to the garment, or permanently attached to a garment. The pocket has at least a front wall and a back wall which are connected in such a way as to define a three dimensional compartment therein. The compartment has a depth suitable for holding personal items, including common electronic items such as cellular phones. The compartment also has structural elements that redistribute the weight of contained objects away from the face of the garment toward the wearer's body. The access means of the pocket is aligned with the terminal edge of the garment such that the contents of the garment may be easily accessed without lifting the garment to reveal the user's skin or body underneath.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the disclosure will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims
The claimed subject matter is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are generally used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. It may be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate describing the claimed subject matter.
The following description of the drawings and the various system, method, and apparatus is not intended to limit the inventive system, methods and apparatus disclosed herein to one embodiment, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art of to make and use the inventive pocket.
Pockets have long been disappearing from clothing, particularly women's clothing, professional clothing, and formal wear. Due to a lack of pockets, individuals may use bags, purses, backpacks, waste packs, and otherwise to carry their personal items, e.g., cell phones, money, identification, cosmetics, and similar. These personal items may be bulky and may not fit in pockets provided by clothing (if pockets are provided at all).
Carrying purses, bags, backpacks, waist packs, and etc. often pose a problem of inconvenience to individuals. For example, often in formal environments, bags are not permitted and are required to be checked at a coat check. In this instance, the individual must either return to the coat check to make a call or apply cosmetics, or the individual must attempt to store the needed items in undergarments such as bras, underwear, or nylons. In other situations, such as individuals attending weddings, dances, outdoor picnics, outdoor concerts, barbeques, or socializing in restaurants and bars, purses, bags, wallets, and etc. may become cumbersome. In some situations such as these, there is a significant advantage of having both hands free to, for example, hold food and drinks, dance freely with or without a partner, or play sports. In these situations, it may not be advisable to leave a purse or bag unattended while the individual circulates the event.
Existing attempts to solve this problem have not been satisfactory. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,464,798 and 4,498,200 disclose forming a pocket out of the hem of a garment. In these patents, a zipper or other access means is inserted at the selvage of the hem (in that case, the selvage is defined as an uppermost part of a hem, the hem being a folding over of the edge of the piece of cloth and sewn at a location above the edge leaving a pocket around the periphery of the garment), providing the wearer access to the hem space for storage. Using the hem as storage presents several limitations. First, being unbounded, the contents placed within the hem space may relocate around the diameter of the skirt, causing bulges in the hem, and also making it difficult to retrieve the items, as they must first be maneuvered through the fabric of the skirt to move them to a location where they can be retrieved through an opening. Second, hemlines do not provide sufficient space or support for carrying larger items such as cellular phones, credit cards, and otherwise. They are primarily useful only for currency and perhaps lipstick. Finally, the location of the zipper at the selvage necessitates that the skirt is lifted to access the zipper, which may risk displaying the wearer's undergarments. Alternatively, the wearer will have to retreat to a private location, which may not be possible if the wearer is at a large event where bathrooms or other private spaces are limited.
Other solutions include gun-holster type compartments, which are strapped to the body, for example, to the leg or arm. These compartments similarly pose problems of access (the garment must be lifted or removed). They also pose problems of comfort, and may restrain free movement or lead to skin chaffing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,115 illustrates a solution for swimwear and sportswear. This assembly is a two-part assembly that requires the permanent fixation of a pocket device into which a second carrying pouch is inserted. This invention is primarily for swimwear and is not adapted to carry more than a key, money, or other small profile item. They are not suitable for or disclosed as being suitable for cellular phones and/or cameras. Also, the disclosure stresses the importance of the slim profile in swimwear such that observers do not notice the pocket. Placing an electronic device in such a pocket would be quite contrary to the purpose of discreteness. These pockets also pose the access problem discussed above; they do not allow easy access without removing the clothing to some extent.
None of the currently disclosed inventions could be placed on outerwear in such as way that they would hold larger items such as electronics without interfering with the line of the clothing.
We disclose herein an alternative to carrying a bag, such as a purse, backpack, waste pack, or otherwise. We disclose a novel and improved pocket, which may be a concealed pocket, for inserting into garments. The novel and improved concealed pocket may have, among other properties, the ability to contain electronic items, wallets, and cosmetics without disrupting the natural line of the garment with which it is associated. Applicant's unique design advances have resulted in an improvement that encourage a weight distribution away from the face of the garment toward the body of the user reducing outward bulging when used with a garment. Further, the unique design allows for items to be loaded into the pocket or removed from the pocket in a non-revealing manner. As used herein, a garment may have a revealing position and a nonrevealing position. A revealing position is one which reveals more than and including 0.6 inches of the wearer's body (otherwise covered by the garment at issue) due to the adjustment in the garment that must be made to access contents. An unrevealing position is one which reveals less than 0.6 inches of the wearer's body (otherwise covered by the garment at issue) due to the adjustment of the garment that must be made to access contents.
The discussion of top portion 107 and terminal edge 115 are for illustrative purposes to provide orienting points for fully describing the orientation of the pocket 120 assembled with the garment 105.
The garment 105 may have seams 125 which may be vertical seams, horizontal seams, decorative seams, or otherwise. Additionally or alternatively, the garment 105 may end at a hem 110. The hem 110 may be any type of hem known in the art for securing the edge of the fabric against unraveling. The garment 105 may have a face 102 which represents the plane of the garment. While the term ‘face’ is used, it is meant to represent both the inner face and the outer face of the garment 105.
In one variation the pocket backing 210 includes a periphery described by at least one of a first side 122, a second side 124, a third side 126 and a fourth side 128. The fourth side 128 may be flush with the fourth side
For orientation purposes, in the variation of
The pocket 120 may be assembled with the inside of a garment 105. For example, the pocket 120 may be assembled to the inside of the garment 105 either fixedly or removably. The pocket 120 may be detachable. In one variation, the pocket 120 is fixedly attached to the inside of the garment 105 by, for example but not limited to, sewing, e.g., one or more of the sides 122, 124, 126, and 128 to the face 102, which may be the inner face, of garment 105. In one variation, the pocket may be fixedly assembled with the garment 105 by sewing one or more of the first side 122 and the third side 126 of the pocket, which may be the vertical edges of the pocket 120 along seams 125, which may be vertical seams of the garment 105. In this variation, the fourth side 128 may be sewn to the garment 105 at a location at or near the terminal edge 115 of the garment. For example, the fourth side 128 may be sewn to the garment 105 such that it is flush with the terminal edge 115, or so that it is located slightly above the terminal edge 105, but still located close enough to the terminal edge to allow a wearer to access the pocket without having to significantly invert the edge of the garment 105. For example, the fourth side 128 containing the opening 134 may located between the terminal edge 105 and within about 0.0 inches to about 0.5 inches (and all increments contained therein) of the terminal edge 105, such that access to the opening is easily accessible without substantially inverting the garment, and or, without inverting the garment at all.
In a second variation, the pocket 120 may be partially or entirely removably attached to the garment 105 by using adhesive material or another method of attachment. For example, the pocket 120 may be removably attached to the garment 105 by using hook and loop tape, VELCRO, pre-mounted VELCRO backing, or another method of attachment. While
The pocket 120, may further include an opening 134 equipped with a access means 135. This figure demonstrates the access means 135 in a closed formation. The access means 135 both allows access to the pocket pouch 210 and also securely closes the pocket pouch 210. Examples of access means 135 include but are not limited to zippers, hook and loop tape or otherwise. The access means 135 should create a complete closure and protect against contents falling out of the pocket, particularly small contents such as jewelry and coins. The access means 135 in this example is located at the fourth side 128 of the pocket 120, which is the side closes to the wearer's feet. The location of the access means 135 is unique over known pockets. Known pockets provide access at a location above the body of the pocket.
In one variation, the pocket 120 is oriented on the garment 105 such that the opening 134 and associated access means 135, which in this variation is a zipper, is at or near the terminal edge
Turning to
The pocket pouch 210 may be a three dimensional compartment, for example, the pouch may have multiple faces or walls approximating a cube, a rectangular prizm, a triangular prizm, a dome-like configuration, or otherwise. The faces may define a space within the compartment capable of receiving electronic devices, credit cards, cosmetics, and similar items. Where fabric is used to create the pouch, the faces and/or walls may not always be strictly planar due to the fluid nature of the fabric. However, in some variations, the fabric may be strengthened, e.g., infusing the fabric with plasticizer, fabric stiffener, starch, or other materials to create a rigidity to the fabric.
Turning briefly to
The structural element, such as structural seam 215 may be created using many mechanisms known in the art, for example but not limited to, folding the material used for the pocket pouch 210 onto itself to form one or more pleats which may be box pleats or other kind of pleat or folded fabric configuration. The structural seam 215 may alternatively or additionally be created using dimensioning devices (e.g., collar stays, rods, plastics, corner reinforcements, and similar).
The structural seam 215, e.g., pleating, folding, reinforcing with collar stays, etc., of the pocket pouch 210 creates a three-dimensional pouch in which one may conceal numerous items. Additionally, the three-dimensional aspect of the pocket pouch 210, by encouraging the positioning of internal objects toward the wearers body 307, allows any bulge created by the items placed in the pocket 120 to show only on the inside of the garment 105, thus maintaining the pleasing line and shape of the silhouette of the garment 105. The pocket pouch 210 may be infused with plasticizer, fabric stiffener, or another material that would provide a certain degree of rigidity to the pocket pouch 210. Alternatively or additionally, the pocket backing 205 may be infused with plasticizer, fabric stiffener, or another material that would provide a certain degree of rigidity to the pocket backing 205.
The pocket pouch 210 may be assembled onto a pocket backing 205. In one variation, the pocket backing may form a side-wall of the pouch. In a second variation, the pocket pouch 210 may be a complete pouch (e.g., have complete integrity to secure items without the backing) that is assembled onto a pocket backing 205.
The stipling on
In the variation shown in
In a second variation, the pocket pouch 210 may be entirely removably attached to the garment 105 by using adhesive material or another method of attachment. For example, the pocket pouch 210 may be removably attached to the garment 105 by using hook and loop tape, VELCRO, pre-mounted VELCRO backing, or another method of attachment. It will be understood that the pocket pouch 210 attachment is not limited to being sewn onto the seams 125 of the garment 105. The pocket pouch 210 may also be removaby or fixedly attached to the garment 105 at other locations and by other means, such as but not limited to by sewing, the use of adhesive material, hook and loop tape, adhesive snaps, or another method of attachment
The pocket backing 205 may provide a winged surface facilitating assembly of the pocket 120 with a garment 105. For example, the removable adhesives listed above may be located on the pocket backing 205.
Method of using a pocket 120. A pocket 120, 210 may be purchased separately and added permanently to a garment 105, e.g., by sewing, permanent adhesives, or otherwise. Once attached the to the garment, a wearer may position items inside the pocket. Items may be inserted while wearing the garment or before wearing the garment. The wearer may then go about the business of the day. When the wearer wishes to access the contents of the pocket, the wearer will reach down and open the pocket 120, 210 by accessing the access means 135, creating an opening, and catching the contents as they fall into the user's hand.
In another variation of a method of using a pocket 120. A pocket 120, 210 may be purchased separately and added temporarily to a garment 105, e.g., by adhesives, loop tape, or other known attachment means. Either before or after the pocket 120 or pocket pouch 210 are attached the to the garment, a wearer may position items inside the pocket. Items may be inserted while wearing the garment or before wearing the garment. The wearer may then go about the business of the day. When the wearer wishes to access the contents of the pocket, the wearer will reach down and open the pocket 120, or pocket pouch 210 by accessing the access means 135, creating an opening 134, and catching the contents as they fall into the user's hand.
Method of Making the Pocket 120.
In one variation, the pocket 120 may be made for example, by folding the material used for the pocket pouch 210 onto itself to form one or more pleats 215 which may be box pleats or other kind of pleat or folded fabric configuration known in the sewing arts. The pleating or folding of the pocket pouch 210 creates a three-dimensional pouch in which one may conceal numerous items. Prior to or after folding, the fabric making up the pocket pouch 210 may be infused with plasticizer, fabric stiffener, or another material that would provide a certain degree of rigidity to the pocket pouch 210. Once folded, the pocket pouch 210 may be affixed to the pocket backing 205 along the outer edge 225 of the pocket pouch 210 and a portion of the bottom edge 230 of the pocket pouch 220 by sewing, using adhesive material, or other method, leaving a portion of the bottom edge 230 of the pocket pouch 210 unaffixed for the insertion of an access means 135. The access means 135, for example, a zipper, may be affixed to the pocket backing 205 and pocket pouch 210 by sewing, adhesive, or other method. The access means 135, which may be a zipper, may be convex or another type that would resist sagging under the weight of the contents contained the pocket 120. For example, with the pocket 120 oriented on the garment 105 so that the access means 135 is at or near the bottom of the garment's hem 110, may prevent the pocket 120 from sagging below the bottom of the hem 110 of the garment 105 and exposing the pocket 120 from underneath the garment.
An advantage of the disclosed pocket 120, and pocket pouch 210 over prior solutions include, because the pocket 120 is not required to be comprised of any portion of undergarments, there is no need to wear undergarments, such as a slip or half-slip, in order to obtain use of the pocket 120. By not constructing the pocket 120 out of any portion of the hem 110 of the garment 105, the hem 110 can accept decorative treatments, such as a frayed edge, ruching, pleats, etc. and there is no limitation on the construction of the hem 110, its depth, or etc. For example, since the hem 110 does not hold the contents of the pocket, a blind-hem stitch may be used.
Another advantage of the pocket 120 is the self-contained backing. Prior solutions rely upon the fabric of the garment to which it is attached. Using the garment as backing (by merely sewing a piece of material over the garment such and leaving an opening for inserting objects) have drawbacks of increasing the wear and tear on the garment. The pocket 120 having self-contained backing, has increased integrity. The pocket 120 having a self-contained backing has the ability to be moved to multiple garments. This may be particularly advantageous if one wants to purchase one product that may be used regularly in multiple outfits.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described, as it also covers all equivalent implementations insofar as they do not depart form the spirit of the invention. Further, the invention is not yet limited to the combination of features as described herein but may be defined by any other combination of all of the individual features disclosed. Further, the invention is not yet limited to the sequence of method steps as described herein but may be defined by any other combination or order the steps disclosed. Any person skilled in the art of will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claims that modifications could be made to the disclosed embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A detachable pocket comprising:
- a garment having a waistline and a terminal edge;
- a pocket removably attached to the garment;
- the pocket having a front wall and a back wall;
- the front wall having at least one structural element;
- the front wall secured to the back wall to form a three-dimensional compartment;
- the three-dimensional compartment having a depth;
- the compartment comprising a closed perimeter and an opening;
- the compartment oriented on the garment such that the closed perimeter is oriented toward the waistline and the opening is oriented toward the terminal edge;
- the opening further oriented to align with the terminal edge such that the opening is within about 0 to about 0.5 inches from the terminal edge.
2. The detachable pocket of claim 1 the opening assembled with an access means.
3. The detachable pocket of claim 2, the access means comprising a zipper.
4. The detachable pocket of claim 3, the zipper comprising a convex zipper.
5. The detachable pocket of claim 1, the structural element comprising a pleat.
6. The detachable pocket of claim 1, the depth being about 0.15 to about 1.50 inches.
7. A pocket comprising:
- a garment having a waistline and a terminal edge;
- a pocket fixedly secured to the garment;
- the pocket comprising at least a front wall and a back wall;
- the front wall having at least one structural element;
- the front wall secured to the back wall to form a three-dimensional compartment;
- the three-dimensional compartment having a depth;
- the compartment comprising a closed perimeter and an opening;
- the compartment oriented on the garment such that the closed perimeter is oriented toward the waistline and the opening is oriented toward the terminal edge;
- the opening further oriented to align with the terminal edge such that the opening is within about 0 to about 0.5 inches from the terminal edge.
8. The detachable pocket of claim 7 the opening assembled with an access means.
9. The detachable pocket of claim 8, the access means comprising a zipper.
10. The detachable pocket of claim 9, the zipper comprising a convex zipper.
11. The detachable pocket of claim 1, the structural element comprising a pleat.
12. The detachable pocket of claim 1, the depth being about 0.15 to about 1.50 inches.
13. A method of carrying items comprising:
- providing a detachable pocket and a garment; the garment having a waistline and a terminal edge; the pocket comprising at least a front wall and a back wall; the front wall having at least one structural element; the front wall secured to the back wall to form a three-dimensional compartment; the three-dimensional compartment having a depth; the compartment comprising a closed perimeter and an opening; the compartment oriented on the garment such that the closed perimeter is oriented toward the waistline and the opening is oriented toward the terminal edge; the opening comprising an access means; the opening also oriented to align with the terminal edge such that the access means is within about 0 to about 0.5 inches from the terminal edge;
- attaching the pocket to the garment with an attachment means;
- accessing the compartment by engaging the access means to create an opening;
- inserting a personal item into the compartment through the opening;
- engaging the access means to close the compartment.
14. The method of claim 13, the access means comprising a zipper.
15. The method of claim 14, the zipper comprising a convex zipper.
16. The method of claim 13, the structural element comprising a pleat.
17. The method of claim 13, the depth being about 0.15 to about 1.50 inches.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 1, 2014
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2014
Inventor: FIONA SIEVWRIGHT (CHICAGO, IL)
Application Number: 14/170,602
International Classification: A41D 27/20 (20060101);