Selective jackets and bands for customized assembly

Abstract

A product and process involve providing customized jackets, units of which are characterized by a selection from an inventory of body construction units of a type having a zippered front from neck to waist and a selection from an inventory of decorative band construction units of a type having distinguishable color and design. The customized jackets are assembled by joining mating fasteners on the upper and lower edges of band constructions and corresponding upper and lower points on selected body construction sections. Extending from an appropriate body construction section is an elongated flap that overlaps the upper edge of the band construction to conceal the mating fasteners. The process comprises acquiring a relatively small inventory of body construction units of different sizes, acquiring a relatively large inventory of band construction units of different colors or designs, receiving orders for the customized combinations of body constructions and band constructions, assembling customized jackets as indicated by the orders, and delivering the jackets to the customer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The applicant wishes to claim the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/294,939, dated May 31, 2001 for CUSTOMIZED SPLIT FRONT JACKET WITH DECORATIVE BANDS AND ASSOCIATED INVENTORY PROCESS in the names of Barry Lipsett and Stina Shaw.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

[0003] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates to casual, split-front jackets or the like, which may be adorned with decorative bands that are intended to provide a visual flourish that is appropriate for sports, parades, and like events.

[0006] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0007] A casual zip-front jacket typically is characterized by a clothing construction that, when unzipped, may be slipped on and off readily. Such jackets often are provided with decorative bands or the like, which are chosen by individuals or organizations as a matter of personal preference or as an emblem of group identity. In view of the many different colors and designs that often are ordered for immediate delivery, sales organizations that carry such casual zip-front jackets have had to maintain unduly large and costly inventories in order to accommodate a diversity of customers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The primary object of the present invention is to provide, for convenient assembly as a customized jacket unit: (1) a body construction having a full front zipper configuration and (2) decorative band constructions having distinguishable color and design for ready affixation to the body construction. These band constructions include: (a) a pair of aligned band constructions on the front of the body construction at opposite sides of the front zipper configuration and (b) optionally, a single band construction across the back of the body construction. To enable such assembly, each body construction, which accounts for the major component of unit cost, is completely fabricated except for the decorative band constructions. Available for attachment to the body construction are any of a great variety of band constructions of different colors and designs, each of which individually accounts for a minor component of unit cost. As a practical matter, such an inventory includes a relatively small number of body constructions in a range of sizes, and a relatively large number of band constructions in a variety of colors and designs. By virtue of the foregoing assembly system, keeping an economical inventory is feasible.

[0009] It is desired that the assembly of each body construction and band construction appears to be a unitary original manufacture. Because of the acute sensitivity of the human eye to even a minor misalignment or discontinuity, the present invention provides the following interconnections. At the upper and lower edges of each band construction and at corresponding upper and lower points on the body construction are mating fasteners. Extending from the body construction are elongated flaps that overlap the upper edges of the band constructions. Since, ordinarily, the human eye looks downwardly at the band constructions, the flaps mask the fasteners and any visual discontinuities at their upper edges. Also, since, ordinarily, the human eye looks downwardly at the band construction, the fasteners and the shadows, which might constitute a visual discontinuity at the band's lower edge, are not casually noticeable. Furthermore, since the mating fasteners are precisely located on the band and body constructions, misalignment is precluded during assembly. Preferably, the mating fasteners at the upper edges of the band constructions are constituted by the continuous fasteners, such as zippers, which extend continuously throughout the upper edges of the band constructions for the purpose of preventing noticeable wrinkles.

[0010] Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view of a front-zip jacket embodying the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a back view of the jacket of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the construction of the jacket of FIG. 1 taken along the line 3-3; and

[0015] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the inventory process of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] 1. The Jacket of FIG. 1 through 3

[0017] FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention as a body construction 20 and a plurality of band constructions 22, 24, 26. The body construction 20 comprises a yoke 28 that extends over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, a midriff 30 that surrounds the medial body, an optional pair of sleeves 32 and 34 that extend from the yoke 28 and midriff 30, and an optional hood 36 that extends upwardly from the yoke 28. The band constructions 22, 24, 26 blend with the body construction 20 to provide a smoothly integrated appearance.

[0018] Midriff 30 includes a lower edge 57, a front midriff section 38, and a back midriff section 40. Front midriff section 38 is split into a right front midriff panel 42 and a left front midriff panel 44. Yoke 28 includes an upper edge 55, a front yoke section 46, and a back yoke section 48. Front yoke section 46 is split into a right front yoke panel 50 and a left front yoke panel 52. A vertical fastener 54, such as a zipper, microhook/microloop fastener, series of snaps, series of buttons, or the like, 54 extends from the yoke upper edge 55, between the right front yoke panel 46 and left front yoke panel 48, between the right front midriff panel 42 and left front midriff panel 44, to the bottom edge 57 of midriff 30. Seams along lines 56 and 58 join the side edges of the front midriff section 38 and back midriff section 40. Seams along lines 60 and 62 join the lower edge of yoke 28 to the upper edge of midriff 30.

[0019] Sleeves 32 and 34 are formed by loops having longitudinal seams 64 and 66 which extend from the armpits to the wrists. The inner extremities of the sleeves are joined to yoke 28 and midriff 30 by seams 65 and 67. The outer extremities of the sleeves have cuffs 68 and 70, which can be constricted tightly about the wrists by microhook/microloop straps 72 and 74. Front midriff section 38 has pockets 76 and 78, which are provided with zippered closures.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there are three band constructions, a right band construction 22, a left band construction 24, and a back band construction 26. The right band construction 22 and left band construction 24 are horizontally aligned on opposite sides of the vertical fastener 54. Since it is preferred that all three band constructions are attached in the same manner, the following description relative to the right band construction 22 applies to all of the band constructions.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the band construction 22 is affixed to the midriff 30 by continuous fasteners 80, such as zippers or microhook/microloop fasteners, at the upper edges of the band constructions 22, and by a pair of discrete fasteners 82, such as snaps or buttons, at the lower corners of the band constructions 22. In FIG. 3, one such continuous fastener is shown as a zipper and one such discrete fastener is shown as a snap. The zipper has mated lengths of articulations, one length of articulation 84 extending along the upper edge of the band construction 22 and the other length of articulation 86 extending along the midriff 30. Each snap has a female component 88 at the lower corners of each band construction 22 and a male component 90 at corresponding location on midriff 30. The lower peripheries of yoke 28 provide flaps 92 for concealing the upper edge 96 of band construction 22 and the continuous fastener 80 extending there along. In an alternative embodiment, the continuous fastener 80 is replaced by a series of discrete fasteners.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, jacket construction 20 includes a shell and a lining 94. The shell includes the aforementioned midriff 30, yoke 28, sleeves 32, 34, and hood 36. The lining 94 backs the shell and is fastened to it by stitching at peripheral locations. In various forms, the shell preferably is composed of one of the following: a taffeta-type fabric such as 210T taffeta nylon, a high spun nylon taslon-like or Tactel fabric, and a brushed fleece knit. Preferably, the lining 94 is composed of a flannel-type fabric, which is characterized by a napped, soft surface.

[0023] 2. The System and Process of FIG. 4

[0024] The present invention contemplates the acquisition by a distributor or retailer, as at 110 and 112, of inventories of body constructions of different sizes, as at 114, and inventories of band constructions of different colors and designs, as at 116. For example, the body constructions cover the following selections of sizes: Small/Medium, Large/X-Large, and XX-Large/XXX-Large. The selections of the lengths, i.e., the horizontal dimensions, of the bands are commensurate with the selections of the body construction sizes. Preferably the bands range in height, i.e., in vertical dimension, from 2 to 6 inches. Thus, the continuous fasteners and flaps for larger sizes are longer than the continuous fasteners for smaller sizes. Also, the discrete fasteners at the lower corners of the bands for larger sizes are farther apart than the snaps at the lower corners of the bands for smaller sizes. When an order is received, as at 118, the seller assembles the customized jackets, as at 120, and ships or otherwise delivers them, as at 122, to the customer.

OPERATION

[0025] Each customized unit comprises (1) a casual body construction; and (2) a band construction having distinguishable color and design for affixation to the body construction. The inventory of body constructions, which accounts for the major component of unit cost, is completely fabricated except for the decorative band or bands. Available for attachment to the body construction are any of a great variety of bands of different colors and designs, each of which individually accounts for a minor component of unit cost. By virtue of the foregoing assembly arrangement, an economical inventory arrangement is feasible. Such an inventory includes a relatively small number of body constructions in a range of sizes, and a relatively large number of band constructions in a variety of colors and designs. At the upper and lower edges of the band construction and at corresponding upper and lower points on the jacket construction are mating fasteners. Extending from the jacket construction is an elongated flap that overlaps the upper edge of the band construction. Since, ordinarily, the human eye looks downwardly at the band construction, the flap masks the fasteners and any visual discontinuity at its upper edge. Also, since, ordinarily, the human eye looks downwardly at the band construction, the fasteners and the shadows, which constitute the visual discontinuity at its lower edge, are not casually noticeable. Furthermore, since the mating fasteners are precisely located on the body and band constructions, misalignment is precluded during assembly. Preferably, the mating fasteners at the upper edge of the band construction are constituted by continuous fastener, which extends across the upper edge of the band construction for the purpose of preventing noticeable wrinkles.

[0026] Thus it has been shown and described a jacket and inventory process which satisfies the objects set forth above.

[0027] Since certain changes may be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A jacket comprising:

(a) a body construction including a yoke and a midriff, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel;

(b) a vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;

(c) a right band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel;

(d) a left band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel;

(e) said right band construction and said left band construction being horizontally aligned on opposite sides of said vertical fastener;

(f) a right flap extending from said right front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener; and

(g) a left flap extending from left right front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener.

2. The jacket of claim 1 wherein said body construction includes a lining.

3. The jacket of claim 1 wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.

4. The jacket of claim 1 wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.

5. The jacket of claim 1 wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.

6. A jacket comprising:

(a) a body construction including a yoke and a midriff, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel;

(b) a vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;

(c) a right band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel;

(d) a left band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel;

(e) a back band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said back midriff section by a back elongated fastener and a back pair of discrete fasteners, said back elongated fastener having a component on said back band construction upper edge and a mating component on said back midriff section, said back pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said back band construction lower corners and mating components on said back midriff section;

(f) said right band construction and said left band construction being horizontally aligned on opposite sides of said vertical fastener;

(g) a right flap extending from said right front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener;

(h) a left flap extending from said left front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener; and

(i) a back flap extending from said back yoke section lower edge adapted to conceal said back band construction upper edge and said back elongated fastener.

7. The jacket of claim 6 wherein said body construction includes a lining.

8. The jacket of claim 6 wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.

9. The jacket of claim 6 wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.

10. The jacket of claim 6 wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.

11. An inventory method comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring an inventory of body constructions of different sizes, each of said body constructions including a yoke, a midriff, and a vertical fastener, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel, said vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;

(b) acquiring an inventory of band constructions of different colors and designs, said band constructions having upper edges and lower corners;

(c) receiving orders from customers for customized combinations of selections of said body constructions and selections of said band constructions;

(d) assembling said selections of said body constructions and said selections of said band constructions to provide customized jackets pursuant to said orders wherein a right band construction is affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel, said right front yoke panel lower edge having a right flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener, and a left band construction is affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel, said left front yoke panel lower edge having a left flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener; and

(e) shipping said customized jackets to said customers.

12. The inventory method of claim 11 wherein said body construction includes a lining.

13. The inventory method of claim 11 wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.

14. The inventory method of claim 11 wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.

15. The inventory method of claim 11 wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.

16. An inventory method comprising the steps of:

(a) acquiring an inventory of body constructions of different sizes, each of said body constructions including a yoke, a midriff, and a vertical fastener, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel, said vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;

(b) acquiring an inventory of band constructions of different colors and designs, said band constructions having upper edges and lower corners;

(c) receiving orders from customers for customized combinations of selections of said body constructions and selections of said band constructions;

(d) assembling said selections of said body constructions and said selections of said band constructions to provide customized jackets pursuant to said orders wherein a right band construction is affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel, said right front yoke panel lower edge having a right flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener, and a left band construction is affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel, said left front yoke panel lower edge having a left flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener, and a back band construction is affixed to said back midriff section by a back elongated fastener and a back pair of discrete fasteners, said back elongated fastener having a component on said back band construction upper edge and a mating component on said back midriff section, said back pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said back band construction lower corners and mating components on said back midriff section, said back yoke section lower edge having a back flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said back band construction upper edge and said back elongated fastener; and

(e) shipping said customized jackets to said customers.

17. The inventory method of claim 16 wherein said body construction includes a lining.

18. The inventory method of claim 16 wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.

19. The inventory method of claim 16 wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.

20. The inventory method of claim 16 wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.