Women's undergarment with security pockets

Abstract

A woman's undergarment with a security pocket placed below the waist band of the garment in the area below the navel. An undergarment with a security pocket adapted to hold a passport, with another pocket within the main pocket adapted to hold credit cards. An undergarment with a security pocket adapted to hold a credit card. An undergarment with a removable security pocket, which can be used with one or more other undergarments.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention related generally to the field of undergarments, and more specifically to a woman's undergarment with security pockets.

2. Description of Related Art

All too often it is difficult for women to safeguard their purses or shoulder bags, especially when traveling in high crime areas in which tourists are targeted. In addition, credit cards are frequently carried which, if stolen, may involve more loss in today's electronic world than the theft of cash. Although men certainly face risks with regard to theft, women may be targeted because of their greater likelihood of carrying a purse, which can be “snatched”, and also because typically women are not as physically strong as men and may be less able to fend off a thief.

In today's security conscious travel environment, however, a passport may be needed during one's daily travel outing as identification. The theft of a passport may render one unable to prove one's identity and nationality, with much greater inconvenience and repercussion than perhaps would have occurred in earlier times. In order to balance the need for the carrying of a passport and credit cards with the risk of theft and the inconvenience of their loss, a need may develop for a more secure, or hidden, method of carrying these items.

Pouch or purse-type article holders have been provided in the prior art for wearing on various parts of the body, such as the wrist, ankle, or thigh.. These holders have been limited in where the purse can be worn. Obviously, if it is not covered by clothing, its advantage will have been lost. Thus, the types of fashion that can be used with such items is restricted.

Some travelers may utilize a pair of pants with an inner pocket, with the hope that a pickpocket will not be able to penetrate into the inner pocket. While this approach may have benefit, it again restricts the user to limited items of clothing to wear while traveling. Another option may be a money belt, which is a separate belt worn under the outer clothes with a pouch or purse attached. A drawback of this approach is that many of today's fashions, especially summer fashions, involve a bare midriff, which may make it difficult if not impossible to hide the inner belt portion of the money belt. In addition, the sheer or tight nature of some fashions may make the inner belt, if worn below the belt line of the outwear, visible to observers, thus negating the stealth aspect of such a device. Further, such an item can be uncomfortable, may move around, and typically has a dangling elastic band.

What is called for is a system for the secure carrying and hiding of important items like a passport and credit cards that can be used with a variety of fashions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A woman's undergarment with a security pocket placed below the waist band of the garment in the area below the navel. An undergarment with a security pocket adapted to hold a passport, with another pocket within the main pocket adapted to hold credit cards. An undergarment with a security pocket adapted to hold a credit card. An undergarment with a removable security pocket which can be used with one or more other undergarments or carried separately.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sketch of a woman's undergarment with a security pocket according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sketch of a woman's undergarment with a detachable security pocket according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view sketch of a woman's undergarment with a security pocket illustrating an inner pocket according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sketch of a detachable security pocket with an inner pocket according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sketch of a women's bikini style undergarment with a detachable security pocket according to some embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an undergarment 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention. A body portion 101 of the undergarment 100 is adapted to be worn predominantly below the waist of the wearer. The body portion 101 is adapted to be worn around the trunk, with a torso opening 103 defining the upper boundary 108 of the undergarment 100. The upper boundary 108 typically will have an elastic material around its circumference to help secure the undergarment in a proper and comfortable position when worn. A first leg opening 104 and a second leg opening 105 are adapted to go around the upper area of the legs of the wearer when worn. The body portion 101 may be constructed from a variety of appropriate material and fabrics.

A pocket 102 is attached to the body portion 101 of the undergarment 100. In some embodiments, the pocket is substantially rectangular, with a greater width than height. The pocket 102 has an opening 106 across its top. The sides and bottom of the pocket 102 are attached to the front of the body portion 101. A pocket sealing portion 107 seals the opening 106 in an easily opened and reclosed fashion such that materials placed within the pocket 102 are restricted from leaving the pocket when the pocket sealing portion 107 has sealed the pocket 102. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion 107 is a line of hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion 107 is a zipper. The opening 106 of the pocket 102 is adjacent to and substantially parallel to the waistband defined by the upper boundary 108 of the body portion 101. In some embodiments, the pocket 102 will utilize a front piece to construct the pocket while utilizing the front of the main body portion 101 as the back surface of the pocket.

The use of a pocketed undergarment according to embodiments of this invention allows a female wearer to secure and conceal valuable items, such as a passport and a credit card, into a secure pocket of the worn clothing while greatly reducing the risk associate with pickpockets, which may access pockets of the outer garments. As opposed to an inner pocket in an outer garment, the undergarment with a security pocket allows for continuity of advantage if the wearer decided to change from long pants to short pants during the course of the warming of the day. Also, this advantage is realized without any telltale belts showing through the rear of the clothing, which may alert a thief to look further than the wearer's outer garments or purse or handbag. The undergarment with the security pocket allows the wearer to carry a passport, and credit cards or cash, which may be necessary in some environments, with reduced risk of theft. In addition, items can be removed from this pocket discreetly by the wearer swinging her handbag in front of her waist, a manner often used to retrieve items from the handbag, but instead discreetly reaching just inside her waistband to remove an item from the undergarment with the security pocket.

FIG. 2 illustrates an undergarment 200 with a removable pocket 202 according to some embodiments of the present invention. A body portion 210 of the undergarment 200 is adapted to be worn predominantly below the waist of the wearer. The body portion 210 is adapted to be worn around the trunk, with a torso opening 203 defining the upper boundary of the undergarment 200. The upper boundary typically will have an elastic material around its circumference to help secure the undergarment in a proper and comfortable position when worn. A first leg opening 204 and a second leg opening 205 are adapted to go around the upper area of the legs of the wearer when worn. The body portion 210 may be constructed from a variety of appropriate material and fabrics.

A removable pocket 202 is adapted to be attached to, and removed from, the body portion 210 of the undergarment 200. The removable pocket 202 may be defined by a front and rear panel, which are continuous, or sewn together, along a bottom edge and along the two side edges. The removable pocket 202 has an opening 206 approximately along it top edge. The opening 206 may be sealed with a pocket sealing portion 209. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion 209 is a line of hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion 209 is a zipper.

The removable pocket 202 is adapted to be attached to the main body 210 of the undergarment 200 along the front center of the main body 210 at or just below the upper boundary of the main body 210, as seen in dashed outline 207. The upper edge of the removable pocket 202 is substantially parallel to the upper boundary of the main body 210 when attached in some embodiments. An attachment portion 208 is adapted for the attachment of the removable pocket 202 to the undergarment 200. In some embodiments, the attachment portion will be hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, the removable pocket 202 may be attached with button snaps. The placement of a button snap at each upper corner of the removable pocket 202 and the placement of the mating snap pieces into the main body 210 of the undergarment 200 will allow for the snapping in and out of the removable pocket 202 from the main body 210. Snaps may be swaged into an already made undergarment, allowing the easy retrofit of the garment to be used with the security pocket. Additionally, this method may allow a user to adapt a number of undergarments to be used with a single removable pocket, which may be very advantageous on a multi-day excursion. In some embodiments, the attachment portion may be buttons. The buttons may be used in a similar fashion as the snaps as described above.

FIG. 3 illustrates the geometry of the security pocket according to some embodiments of the present invention. A main pocket 302 is seen on the front of the main body 301. The main pocket 302 is substantially rectangular. The main pocket 302 has an opening 307 along its top surface. The top surface of the main pocket 302 is substantially parallel to the waist band of the main body 301. The side edges 304 of the main pocket and the bottom edge 303 of the main pocket 302 allow for the relatively snug insertion of a passport. This pocket size has as an interior dimension approximately 5 inches horizontally by 3.5 inches vertically. The pocket is substantially centered across the front of the main body 301.

An inner pocket 308 is seen in hidden line format. The inner pocket is adapted for the snug holding of a credit card or similar sized item. In some embodiments, the inner pocket 308 is within the main pocket 302 and has an opening facing upwards toward the top of the main pocket 302. The inner pocket may be substantially rectangular with an interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches.

FIG. 4 illustrates a removable pocket 400 according to some embodiments of the present invention. The main pocket 401 has an opening 403 into which items may be placed. In some embodiments, the main pocket 401 is sized to snugly hold a passport. Within the opening 403 of the main pocket 401 is seen the inner pocket 404. The relative size of the inner pocket 404 is seen in outline 407. An opening 405 allows access to the inner pocket 404 within the opening 403 of the main pocket 401. A pocket sealing portion 406 is adapted to seal the opening 403 of the main pocket 401, and, in turn, seal the opening 405 of the inner pocket 404 from the region outside the main pocket 401. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion 406 may be a zipper. In some embodiments, the inner pocket 404 may also have its own sealing portion. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion may be hook and loop fasteners. An attachment portion 402 is seen at the upper rear surface of the pocket 400. This may half of a hook and loop fastener device, with the mating half attached to the front upper area of the main body of the undergarment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a bikini style undergarment 500 with a pocket 502 according to some embodiments of the present invention. In some embodiments, the pocket 502 is a removable pocket. A body portion 510 of the undergarment 500 is adapted to be worn predominantly below the waist of the wearer. The body portion 510 is adapted to be worn around the trunk, with a torso opening 503 defining the upper boundary of the undergarment 500. The upper boundary typically will have an elastic material around its circumference to help secure the undergarment in a proper and comfortable position when worn. A first leg opening 504 and a second leg opening 505 are adapted to go around the upper area of the legs of the wearer when worn. The body portion 510 may be constructed from a variety of appropriate material and fabrics.

In the case of bikini style underwear for women, the size of the front panel of the undergarment may be quite small. In such a case, there may not be enough space for a pocket adapted to carry a passport. In such a case, a pocket adapted for a credit card may be appropriate. Folded cash may also be carried in a pocket of this size. In some embodiments, the pocket 502 is adapted to be attached to, and removed from, the body portion 510 of the undergarment 500. The removable pocket may be defined by a front and rear panel, which are continuous, or sewn together, along a bottom edge and along the two side edges. The pocket 502 has an opening 506 approximately along it top edge. The opening 506 may be sealed with a pocket sealing portion. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion is a line of hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, the pocket sealing portion is a zipper.

The removable pocket is adapted to be attached to the main body 510 of the undergarment 500 along the front center of the main body 510 at or just below the upper boundary of the main body 510. The upper edge of the removable pocket is substantially parallel to the upper boundary of the main body 510 when attached in some embodiments. An attachment portion is adapted for the attachment of the removable pocket to the undergarment. In some embodiments, the attachment portion will be hook and loop fasteners. In some embodiments, the removable pocket may be attached with button snaps. The placement of a button snap at each upper corner of the removable pocket and the placement of the mating snap pieces into the main body 510 of the undergarment 500 will allow for the snapping in and out of the removable pocket from the main body 510. Snaps may be swaged into an already made undergarment, allowing the easy retrofit of the garment to be used with the security pocket. Additionally, this method may allow a user to adapt a number of undergarments to be used with a single removable pocket, which may be very advantageous on a multi-day excursion. In some embodiments, the attachment portion may be buttons. The buttons may be used in a similar fashion as the snaps as described above.

As evident from the above description, a wide variety of embodiments may be configured from the description given herein and additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the applicant's general invention.

Claims

1. An undergarment comprising: wherein said front panel is attached to said body portion along two sides of said front panel and along the bottom of said front panel, and wherein said front panel is attached to the front of said body portion, said front panel sides extend upwards adjacent to the waistband of said body portion; and

a body portion to be worn about the trunk predominantly below the waist of the wearer; said body portion having an elastic material defining its waistband;

a pocket attached to said body portion, said pocket comprising; a front panel as its front boundary, and said body portion as its rear boundary,

a pocket sealing portion, said pocket sealing portion adapted to seal the top of said pocket.

2. The undergarment of claim 1 wherein said pocket comprises a second, inner pocket within said pocket.

3. The undergarment of claim 1 wherein said pocket is adapted to snugly hold a passport sized document and wherein said pocket has a horizontal interior dimension of approximately 5 inches and a vertical interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches.

4. (canceled)

5. The undergarment of claim 2 wherein said pocket has a horizontal interior dimension of approximately 5 inches and a vertical interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches.

6. The undergarment of claim 5 wherein said inner pocket is adapted to hold a credit card, and wherein said inner pocket has an interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches.

7. (canceled)

8. The undergarment of claim 2 wherein said pocket sealing portion comprises hook and loop fasteners.

9. A bikini style undergarment comprising: wherein said front panel is attached to said body portion along two sides of said front panel and along the bottom of said front panel, and wherein said front panel is attached to the front of said body portion, said front panel sides extending upwards adjacent to the waistband of said body portion; and

a bikini style body portion to worn about the trunk predominantly below the waist of the wearer; said body portion having an elastic material defining its waistband;

a pocket attached to said body portion, said pocket comprising: a front panel as its front boundary; and said body portion as its back boundary.

a pocket sealing portion, said pocket sealing portion adapted to seal the top of said pocket.

10. The undergarment of claim 9 wherein said pocket is adapted to snugly hold a credit card sized item, and wherein said inner pocket has an interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches.

11. (canceled)

12. An undergarment comprising:

a body portion to worn about the trunk predominantly below the waist of the wearer; said body portion having an elastic material defining its waistband;

a removable pocket attached to said body portion, said removable pocket attached to the front of said body portion, the upper boundary of said removable pocket portion adjacent to and predominantly parallel to the waistband of said body portion when attached; and

an attachment portion, said attachment portion adapted to attach said removable pocket to said body portion.

13. The undergarment of claim 12 wherein said removable pocket comprises:

a first main pocket; and

a second pocket.

14. The undergarment of claim 13 wherein said first main pocket is sized to snugly hold a passport, wherein said first main pocket has a horizontal interior dimension of approximately 5 inches and a vertical interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches.

15. The undergarment of claim 14 wherein said second pocket is sized to snugly hold a credit card, and wherein said second pocket has an interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches.

16. The undergarment of claim 15 wherein said second pocket is positioned within said first main pocket.

17. The undergarment of claim 12 wherein said removable pocket is sized to snugly hold a credit card, and wherein said removable pocket has an interior dimension of approximately 3.5 inches by 2.25 inches.

18. (canceled)