Shirt with inside pockets

Abstract

The invention relates to one or more sets of pockets designed for the inside of a shirt, a shirt including such pocket sets, and a method of making such a shirt. Each pocket set includes at least one fabric divider, effectively enabling the wearer to separate and organize small items into two easily accessible sections. Each pocket set is contemplated as an inner “invisible” reflection of a conventional outer (visible) pocket, and further is contemplated as utilizing the same stitching as the conventional pocket for attachment. A same set of pockets can be duplicated on both left and right inner sides of the shirt, thereby creating four sections, two on each side, for containing and organizing any number of personal items.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Provisional Application No. 60/598,544, filed Aug. 4, 2004 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Over the years, it has been common for shirts to be designed with a single left-side outer pocket. For awhile, left and right-side pockets were fashionable, and recently there has been a trend toward no pockets at all.

Where shirt pockets once were functional, holding pens, pencils, pads, keys, eyeglasses, and any number of smaller items, in many cases pockets now are concerned with fashion rather than function. The bulging shirt pockets of the 1950's era are no longer in vogue. The shirt pocket of today presents a smooth visual surface, and items once stored there have been relegated to coat, jacket, or pants pockets, and backpacks.

With the recent proliferation of small high-tech devices (cell phones, beepers, palm pilots, cameras, CDs etc.) there is now an even greater need for useful pocket space. However, in a seated position, it is difficult to access pants pockets. Likewise, the contents of coat and jacket pockets may be less available once the garment is removed. The same can be said of backpacks.

As such, there remains a need for storage pockets that are easily and comfortably accessible while the garment wearer is in either standing and sitting positions, and that contain the contents thereof in non-obvious and/or non-obtrusive manners. The present invention fulfills this need by providing one or more pockets, and preferably two or more sets of pockets, inside of a shirt to contain the numerous small items now carried by the typical person.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide a shirt comprising at least one pocket set attached inside of the shirt. The pocket set includes an inner layer and an outer layer of fabric with the inner layer being located closer to the body when the shirt is worn. Preferably, the inner layer is shorter than the outer layer.

Another embodiment of the present invention concerns a method of attaching a pocket set to an inside of a shirt. The method includes attaching a first fabric layer to a second fabric layer to form an inside pocket set. Thereafter, the pocket set is attached to the inside of the shirt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a shirt incorporating an embodiment of the invention represented on the inside of the shirt by dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a front isolated view of a two pocket set according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the two pocket set of FIG. 2 along with other portions of the shirt of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a pocket, preferably a multiple set, and more preferably a dual set of pockets designed for the inside of the typical shirt. Preferably, the pocket set includes a fabric divider between each pocket of the pocket set, effectively enabling the wearer to separate and organize the contents into two or more easily accessible sections. The pocket set is designed as an inner “invisible” reflection of a corresponding outer visible pocket and utilizes the same stitching to attach it. A same pocket set can be duplicated on both left and right inner sides of the shirt, thereby creating four or more sections (e.g. two on each side) to contain and organize any number of personal items.

The present invention is applicable to all styles of shirt. FIG. 1 shows a shirt 10 in accordance with the present invention with an outer pocket 11a, 11b on either side of the front of the shirt. Two pocket sets 12, 13, also in accordance with the present invention, are shown in broken lines, also on the front of shirt 10. Each pocket set 12, 13 is located on the inside of shirt 10, substantially behind a corresponding front pocket. FIG. 1 shows each set of pockets 12, 13 as including two pockets 12a, 12b, and 13a, 13b, respectively. The shirt 10 and pockets 11a, 11b, 12, and 13 can be made of any known material that can be used for constructing such items. For example, the shirt 10 and pockets 11a, 11b, 12, and 13 can be made of cotton, polyester, rayon, silk, or combinations thereof, or any other material known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, while shirt 10, as shown, is a button-down type having short sleeves, any other shirt such as T-shirts, dress shirts and long-sleeved shirts can be fitted with pocket sets according to the invention.

For ease of explanation, the two pocket set 12 shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 now will be described. (Set 12 also is shown in FIG. 1.) It further is to be understood, however, that the same disclosure is applicable to a pocket set having more than two pockets. The embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 has inside pocket set 12 including the two separate pockets 12a, 12b. The inside pocket set 12 has two layers of fabric 15a, 15b. The inner layer closer to the wearer's body 15a vertically is shorter, allowing a lower access section 21a. The outer layer 15b, closer to the shirt material is relatively longer, thus creating an upper access section 21b when the pocket is attached to the inside of the shirt 10. The shirt fabric 40 itself serves as the back of this inside pocket 12, while simultaneously providing the foundation over which the original outside pocket 11a of the shirt 10 is stitched.

Preferably, the inside pocket set 12 has the same doubled-over-and-stitched edge 14a, 14b as outside pocket 11a, giving the pockets of set 12a substance and form similar to that of a conventional pocket. Moreover, as seen in FIG. 3, the upper edge 17 of the inside pocket set 12 preferably is constructed slightly above the upper edge 18 of outside pocket 11a. This arrangement provides for even more convenient access to the two inner pockets 12a, 12b, when the wearer reaches inside the shirt. In addition, the outer fabric layer 15b of the inside pocket set 12 preferably shares the stitching 30 with the outer pocket 11a, thereby better concealing the inside pocket set. In tailoring a preferred embodiment, the inner fabric layer 15a first is stitched or sewn to the outer fabric layer 15b, and then both pocket set 12 and outer pocket 11a simultaneously are stitched or sewn to the shirt 10. The inside pocket set 12 fabric 15a, 15b may be the same as the shirt 10 itself, or a non-descript fabric or other material unable to be seen through the front of the shirt.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely possible examples of implementations and are merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the disclosure and the present invention, and are protected by the following claims.

Claims

1. A shirt comprising:

at least one pocket set attached inside of the shirt,

wherein the pocket set includes at least one inner layer and an outer layer of fabric with the inner layer being located closer to the body when the shirt is worn, and

wherein the inner layer is shorter than the outer layer.

2. The shirt according to claim 1, further comprising an outer pocket and stitching attaching both the outer pocket and the pocket set to the shirt.

3. The shirt according to claim 1, wherein the inner layer is attached to the outer layer and the outer layer is attached to the shirt.

4. The shirt according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of each of the inner layer and the outer layer has a doubled-over-and-stitched edge.

5. A method of attaching a pocket set to an inside of a shirt comprising:

attaching a first fabric layer to a second fabric layer to form an inside pocket set; and then

attaching the pocket set to the inside of said shirt.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising simultaneously stitching an outer pocket to an outside of said shirt while attaching said pocket set to said inside of said shirt.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a same stitching attaches both said outside pocket and said pocket set.

8. The method according to claim 5, further comprising folding over an upper portion of each of said first fabric layer and said second fabric layer and stitching said folded over portion.

9. The method according to claim 5, comprising obtaining said first fabric layer so as to be shorter than said second fabric layer.

10. A pocket set for attachment inside a shirt, said pocket set comprising:

at least one inner layer and an outer layer of fabric, wherein

the inner layer is shorter than the outer layer, and

an upper portion of each of the inner layer and the outer layer has a doubled-over-and-stitched edge.