CLOTHING POCKET INSERT FOR HOLDING COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
A clothing pocket insert includes: an anchoring portion defining a longitudinal axis and configured to reside within a pocket of a torso garment; an arm extending from the anchoring portion transversely relative to the longitudinal axis; and a connecting portion connected to the arm and configured to couple with an electrical device.
The present invention relates to clothing pocket inserts, and, more particularly, to clothing pocket inserts for holding equipment in place.
2. Description of the Related ArtFor many occupations, such as law enforcement officers, communication equipment is as much a part of the uniform as a vest and badge. Communication equipment allows law enforcement officers to stay in contact with other law enforcement officers to, for example, report a situation or call for back-up. In this sense, communication equipment plays an important role in keeping law enforcement officers safe while on patrol.
One particular problem that many law enforcement officers encounter while on patrol is keeping their communication equipment, such as a microphone for a radio, at a location where the microphone can reliably pick up and transmit the officer's voice. The officer may elect to hold the microphone in hand in order to raise the microphone close the officer's mouth, but this only leaves the officer with one free hand. In physically demanding situations, such as physical detainment of suspects, having only one free hand both encumbers the officer's ability to perform physically demanding tasks and is potentially dangerous.
One solution that has been explored in the art is to tie the microphone, which is usually a part of a handset, to one of the buttons of the vest worn by the officer. Such a solution places the microphone close to the officer's mouth, allowing the microphone to pick up the officer's voice, and allows the officer to keep both hands free. A well-known drawback to this solution is that movement of the handset in physical situations pulls and otherwise stresses the sewing holding the buttons to the vest. This not only makes the buttons more prone to popping off during cleaning and other situations, requiring replacement of the button, but also more likely to pop off during physical situations, leaving the handset dangling freely and possibly presenting a safety risk to the officer.
What is needed in the art is a convenient way to hold an electrical device that does not require a user to hold the electrical device in hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides an insert which can be anchored to a pocket of a torso garment and has a connecting portion which can couple to an electrical device.
The invention in one form is directed to a clothing pocket insert including: an anchoring portion defining a longitudinal axis and configured to reside within a pocket of a torso garment; an arm extending from the anchoring portion transversely relative to the longitudinal axis; and a connecting portion connected to the arm and configured to couple with an electrical device.
The invention in another form is directed to a uniform including a torso garment including a pocket defined between at least two pocket seams; and an insert anchored to the pocket. The insert includes: an anchoring portion residing within the pocket; an arm extending from the anchoring portion; and a connecting portion connected to the arm and configured to couple with an electrical device, the connecting portion residing outside the pocket.
The invention in yet another form is directed to a method of attaching electrical equipment to a torso garment including a pocket, including: anchoring an insert to the pocket such that an anchoring portion of the insert resides within the pocket and a connecting portion connected to the anchoring portion by an arm resides outside of the pocket; and coupling an electrical device to the connecting portion.
An advantage of the present invention is the insert can partially reside within an existing pocket formed in a torso garment to securely attach the electrical device to the garment.
Another advantage is that seams of a pocket are generally more robust than sewing of a button, reducing the risk of the electrical device causing damage to the garment and being removed during physically demanding tasks.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONReferring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
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The torso garment 102 can also include a flap 112 which is connected to the torso garment 102 along a flap seam 114 which extends parallel to the pocket opening 108. The flap 112 can be placed in close proximity to the pocket 104 so pulling the flap 112 down, as shown in
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While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A clothing pocket insert, comprising:
- an anchoring portion defining a longitudinal axis and configured to reside within a pocket of a torso garment;
- an arm extending from said anchoring portion transversely relative to said longitudinal axis; and
- a connecting portion connected to said arm and configured to couple with an electrical device.
2. The insert according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said anchoring portion and said arm has a thickness of less than 0.5 inches.
3. The insert according to claim 1, wherein said anchoring portion, said arm, and said connecting portion are substantially planar.
4. The insert according to claim 1, wherein said anchoring portion has an arm edge and said arm extends laterally from said arm edge.
5. The insert according to claim 4, wherein said arm is integrally formed with said anchoring portion.
6. The insert according to claim 5, wherein said arm extends perpendicularly relative to said longitudinal axis.
7. The insert according to claim 6, wherein said connecting portion defines a connector axis, said connector axis and said longitudinal axis forming an acute angle.
8. The insert according to claim 1, wherein said connecting portion includes at least one of a loop opening, a clip, and a snap button.
9. The insert according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said anchoring portion, said arm, and said connecting portion comprises a metal.
10. A uniform, comprising:
- a torso garment including a pocket defined between at least two pocket seams; and
- an insert anchored to said pocket, said insert including: an anchoring portion residing within said pocket; an arm extending from said anchoring portion; and a connecting portion connected to said arm and configured to couple with an electrical device, said connecting portion residing outside said pocket.
11. The uniform according to claim 10, wherein said arm extends past at least one of said pocket seams outside of said pocket.
12. The uniform according to claim 11, wherein said anchoring portion defines a longitudinal axis which is parallel to a pocket axis defined by at least one of said pocket seams.
13. The uniform according to claim 12, wherein said arm extends perpendicularly relative to said longitudinal axis.
14. The uniform according to claim 10, wherein said pocket is defined between three pocket seams and a pocket opening is formed between two pocket seams.
15. The uniform according to claim 14, further comprising a flap connected to said torso garment which reversibly covers at least a portion of said pocket opening.
16. The uniform according to claim 15, wherein said flap is connected to said torso garment along a flap seam, said flap seam having a seam opening at least partially occupied by said anchoring portion of said anchoring portion.
17. The uniform according to claim 10, wherein said torso garment includes a second pocket defined between at least two second pocket seams, said second pocket being located between said at least two pocket seams and said anchoring portion residing within said second pocket.
18. The uniform according to claim 10, further comprising an electrical device coupled to said connecting portion.
19. A method of attaching electrical equipment to a torso garment including a pocket, comprising:
- anchoring an insert to said pocket such that an anchoring portion of said insert resides within said pocket and a connecting portion connected to said anchoring portion by an arm resides outside of said pocket; and
- coupling an electrical device to said connecting portion.
20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said anchoring portion, said arm, and said connecting portion are integrally formed together.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 27, 2016
Publication Date: May 3, 2018
Inventor: Mark Raymond (La Porte, IN)
Application Number: 15/336,217