Pocketed bicep cuff

Abstract

The pocketed bicep cuff has retention on a bicep at a bulge area. The bulge area is designed to bulge with a human bicep. The bulging constricts the lower side and the upper side against the bicep so that articles in a pocket section do not move when the arm is moved. A zipper provides access to the pocket section. At the upper side, hook and loop tape secure the upper periphery against the muscle area where the bicep and tricep begin and are attached at the tendons to the bone. Preferably, a looped tape sleeve with a buttonhole provides adherence to hook tape which secures the upper side to the bicep. The upper opening is substantially circular when in use conforming to a bicep upper portion. The bulge area also bulges downward at the tricep so that articles are held against the bicep.

Description

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

During exercise and workouts many people opt to use audio players for enjoyment and thus need a product to safely and comfortably attach the device to their body or clothing. People also have keys and loose articles that they need to stow. There are various products on the market ranging from waistband attachment clips to armband audio player holders. Most of the bands are advertised as lightweight with an open face to provide easy access to the audio player's controls. Some products are made of stretchable fabric such as neoprene, while others are made of leather. The actual size of these bands may vary since they are often customized for specific audio player models. Often the bands are adjustable in size so that consumers can adjust the product according to their needs. Some bands have zippered pocket enclosures to store the audio player securely, however this does not allow the user to access the audio player controls easily. In some cases, the audio player holder contains additional accessory pockets for storage of such things as keys and batteries, etc. The more common types of band closures are adjustable fasteners or hook and loop closures.

Currently, many people use a variety of workout style clothing for keeping articles. However the clothes frequently have drawbacks. Being able to use a cheap pair of shorts and an old T-shirt is commonly preferred. Using old clothes during workouts typically is not compatible with having secure storage of articles. Especially for exercises such as aerobics or active sports, storage of articles during aerobic motions becomes difficult.

A variety of cuff structures for retaining articles or clothing are described in the prior art. The Sleevelet-purse by T. D. Cimino U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,992 shows a sleevelet-purse designed for wear on one's forearm with the pockets to hold coins, cosmetics, etc., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The sleevelet has a zipper and button for removal and closure. In Effle's powder cuff U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,112; the cuff is designed as protective clothing for cold temperatures and also has a lengthwise zipper for removal and closure along with a pocket for storage, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,590 B1 Kulik's Arm sheath for use with a stringed instrument is a tube shaped elastic cuff for guitar players, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The cuff extends from the wrist area to below the elbow of the user and functions to hold guitar picks. Many of these sleeve devices have been fashioned in the past for specific purposes, but have not been widely adopted because of their cumbersome nature or inefficient design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The pocketed bicep cuff has retention on a bicep at a bulge area. The bulge area is designed to bulge with a human bicep. The bulging constricts the lower side and the upper side against the bicep so that articles in a pocket section do not move when the arm is moved. A zipper provides access to the pocket section. At the upper side, hook and loop tape secure the upper periphery against the muscle area where the bicep and tricep begin and are attached at the tendons to the bone. Preferably, a looped tape sleeve with a buttonhole provides adherence to hook tape which secures the upper side to the bicep. The upper opening is substantially circular when in use conforming to a bicep upper portion. The bulge area also bulges downward at the tricep so that articles are held against the bicep.

Articles are placed in the pocket section. The pocket section has an opening which is a zipper. The zipper travels downward from a closed position to an open position. The lower opening also has a constriction where the constriction secures to the lower portion of a bicep. The lower stitch on the lower side provides a secure connection to the bicep. The pocketed bicep cuff is made of a pair of layers, a lower layer and an upper layer. The lower layer and the upper layer form a hollow area for retaining articles within. When stretched, a portion of the bulge area can be stretched outward.

The material is preferably a thin nylon expandable material that has sufficient elasticity to be worn tight against the skin. The thin nylon expandable material can also be of a microfiber or other type of stretch fiber fabric. The stretch fabric panel material provides skintight securing of articles against the skin, preventing shifting of articles. Thus, it is the present object of this invention to provide a cuff device that has minimal interference with arm motion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pattern view of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a closed view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an expanded view of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a stretched view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an environmental diagram of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 provides a pattern view of the present invention. In the pattern, the main body of the pocketed bicep cuff is made as a trapezoidal piece of fabric with a bicep upper side 40 and a lower side 140. The fabric best mode is about 81% polyester and 19% elastane. A bulge area 88 receives the bulge of a bicep or tricep. The upper side 40 has a strip of hook tape 42 meeting with a strip of loop tape 44. The hook and loop tape is secured and bounded by an upper stitch 48. The orientation of the hook and loop tape can be reversed so that disclosed and drawn loop tape sections could also be hook tape sections that receive loop tape sections.

A zipper 52 zips downward to open a secure articles in pocket section 50. The upper pocket stitch 53 defines the top edge of the pocket section 50. The lower edge of the pocket section 50 is defined by the lower stitch 148. The upper stitch 40 defines the upper edge of the pocket section 50. The pocket section 50 is formed between a pair of layers. A top layer and a bottom layer are stitched together at the upper stitch 48, lower stitch 40, upper pocket stitch 53 and bottom pocket stitch 51. Opening the zipper 52 provides access to the hollow area of the pocket section 50. Thus, as shown in the first figure, the pocket section 50 is defined as a trapezoidal area which is approximately half of the total pattern. During construction, the top part of the pattern is stitched to the bottom portion of the pattern.

The elastic band 146 is permanently disposed in a lower side 140 area that has a sleeve for receiving the elastic band. On the upper side, the bicep upper side 40 area may receive an elastic band also, but only running half of the template, with the hook tape 42 formed as a strap taking up the top half of the template. The loop tape 44 formed as a strap would protrude from the top half of the template. The loop tape 44 may also be placed within the sleeve. The hook tape and loop tape are preferably formed as a pair of straps that connect together so that a user may adjust tension between the pair of straps.

Upon assembly FIG. 2, the pocketed bicep cuff shows a bulge area 88 at the pocket section 50 and elastic band 146 at a lower side 140. Furthermore, the bicep upper side 40 has elastic on a portion of the sleeve 47. The loop tape 44 formed as a strap can also comprised a bottom portion of the cuff. In the neutral position, the pocketed bicep cuff defines a trapezoid shape with the bicep upper side being larger than the bicep lower side. Additionally, the hook tape and the loop tape have an elastic band disposed between. The elastic band is the upper side elastic band at FIG. 1, at the area denoted by callout 40.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention FIG. 3, a buttonhole 46 allows the loop tape to protrude from the loop tape sleeve 47. The loop tape in the lower portion of the loop tape sleeve 47 can also be made elastic. Alternatively, elastic can be put in the lower portion of the loop tape sleeve 47. A user pulls the loop tape out of the buttonhole 46 extending it over the hook tape 42 which is disposed on a top surface of the bicep upper side 40. The preferred embodiment further includes an upper opening 22 opposing a lower opening 21, wherein the upper opening 22 is larger than the lower opening 21. The bulge area 88 receives a bicep upon wearing, and the pocket section 50 receives articles when the zipper 52 is open. The lower side 140 preferably has an elastic band 146 in circumferential disposition around lower opening 21.

The preferred embodiment may also have a shorter hook tape section 42 that is less than a quarter of the total circumference of the upper opening 22. The loop tape 44 as usual protrudes from buttonhole 46, and the loop tape 44 has a free end that adjustably attaches to hook tape 42. The hook tape 42 is preferably placed at an apex of the bicep facing up during normal wear. The zipper area is preferably to the right of the apex of the bicep. The buttonhole is preferably rectangular in shape for accommodating the elongated loop strap. The other end of loop tape 44 can be attached to upper pocket stitch 53, FIG. 1 at the area near where the zipper is located. Alternatively, the other end of loop tape 44 can be attached to loop tape sleeve 47 at the bottom pocket stitch 51. In the neutral position shown in FIG. 4, the pocketed bicep cuff as laid flat provides a substantial trapezoidal profile.

In the stretched configuration FIG. 5, such as when a bicep these placed in the cuff, or when there are articles placed in the cuff such the audio player, a bulge area 88 protrudes from the ordinarily substantially trapezoidal profile. FIG. 5 shows the cuff on the arm of a person such that the lower section 20 and upper more tight section 288 defines a midpoint that is approximately halfway between the lower side elastic band 146 and the upper side 40. The arm of FIG. 5 is extended in this situation with the bulge area 88 bulge substantially due to articles placed within the pocket area 50. The zipper 52 further includes an area above defining an opening which is a wire opening 188. A wire for an audio player can protrude from a wire opening 188. The wire opening is for an electrical wire such as headphone or power wire. Preferably, the zipper pulls up to close and pulls down to open with the zipper upper end having the wire opening 188. A tighter area 288 above the midsection further retains articles and keeps them from slipping down the arm in normal usage. The zipper is to the side of the bulge area 88. The bulge area 88 bulges upward and the zipper is to the side of the bulge area. The arm of FIG. 5 shows a bulge on the right side of the zipper, however the bulge can also be on the left side of the zipper so that the pocket area 50 is on the left side of the zipper.

When a user makes a bicep muscle as seen in the pose of FIG. 6, the bicep bulges upward adding to the bulge area 88 and still providing a pocket area 50 located within easy reach. The upper side 40 retains tightly against the skin and the lower side 140 also retains tightly against the skin. The upper side and lower side both are wrapped around the tendons of the bicep muscle. The articles placed within the pocket area 50 and the bicep or tricep all contribute to bulging in the middle which provide for relative construction at the upper side 40 and lower side 140 which increases article retention against the skin. The articles are pulled down from an upper layer onto the lower layer and the upper layer and the lower layer are both stretched skin tight against the skin. The elastic skintight pocket 50 and bulge area 88 are substantially improved over the prior art.

Claims

1. A pocketed bicep cuff comprising:

a. a pocket section defined between a pair of stretch fabric layers, namely an upper stretch fabric layer and a lower stretch fabric layer, wherein the upper stretch fabric and the lower stretch fabric layer are substantially made of polyester fabric with a smaller amount of elastane;

b. a lower side having a sleeve receiving an elastic band, wherein the elastic band passes substantially around a lower side circumference;

c. an upper side opposite the lower side, wherein an upper side circumference is larger than the lower side circumference at a neutral position;

d. a zipper opening for user access to the pocket section, whereby the pocket section can retain articles between the pair of stretch fabric layers; and

e. a bulge area between the lower side and the upper side, wherein stretching of the bulge area creates a profile retaining the pocket section of the bicep cuff against the skin of a user.

2. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, further comprising an upper side elastic band disposed between the hook tape strap and the loop tape strap.

3. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, further comprising a tighter area which is above a midpoint on the pocketed bicep cuff.

4. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, further comprising a wire opening for an electrical wire which is at a zipper upper end, wherein the zipper pulls up to close and pulls down to open.

5. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, wherein the buttonhole is rectangular shaped.

6. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, wherein the zipper is located near the upper pocket stitch, wherein the hook tape strap is fixed to the upper side so that the hook tape strap faces upward to receive the loop tape strap, wherein the zipper is to the side of the bulge area, wherein the bulge area is configured so that during normal use it bulges upward.

7. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 6, further comprising an upper loop tape sleeve partially retaining a loop tape strap within, and a buttonhole opening from which the loop tape strap protrudes, further comprising a hook tape strap disposed on the upper side for receiving the loop tape strap which is elongated, whereby a user may adjust tension of the loop tape against the hook tape for optimal fit.

8. A pocketed bicep cuff comprising:

a. a pocket section defined between a pair of stretch fabric layers, namely an upper stretch fabric layer and a lower stretch fabric layer;

b. a lower side having a sleeve receiving an elastic band, wherein the elastic band passes substantially around a lower side circumference;

c. an upper side opposite the lower side, wherein an upper side circumference is larger than the lower side circumference at a neutral position;

d. a zipper opening for user access to the pocket section, whereby the pocket section can retain articles between the pair of stretch fabric layers; and

e. a bulge area between the lower side and the upper side, wherein stretching of the bulge area creates a profile retaining the pocket section of the bicep cuff against the skin of a user;

f. an upper loop tape sleeve partially retaining a loop tape strap within, and a buttonhole opening from which the loop tape strap protrudes, further comprising a hook tape strap disposed on the upper side for receiving the loop tape strap which is elongated, whereby a user may adjust tension of the loop tape against the hook tape for optimal fit.

9. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 8, further comprising a tighter area which is above a midpoint on the pocketed bicep cuff.

10. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 8, further comprising a wire opening for an electrical wire which is at a zipper upper end, wherein the zipper pulls up to close and pulls down to open.

11. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 10, further comprising an upper side elastic band disposed between the hook tape strap and the loop tape strap.

12. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 8, wherein the buttonhole is rectangular shaped.

13. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 8, wherein the zipper is located near the upper pocket stitch, wherein the hook tape strap is fixed to the upper side so that the hook tape strap faces upward to receive the loop tape strap, wherein the zipper is to the side of the bulge area, wherein the bulge area is configured so that during normal use it bulges upward.

14. A pocketed bicep cuff comprising:

a. a pocket section defined between a pair of stretch fabric layers, namely an upper stretch fabric layer and a lower stretch fabric layer;

b. a lower side having a sleeve receiving an elastic band, wherein the elastic band passes substantially around a lower side circumference;

c. an upper side opposite the lower side, wherein an upper side circumference is larger than the lower side circumference at a neutral position;

d. a zipper opening for user access to the pocket section, whereby the pocket section can retain articles between the pair of stretch fabric layers; and

e. a bulge area between the lower side and the upper side, wherein stretching of the bulge area creates a profile retaining the pocket section of the bicep cuff against the skin of a user;

f. an upper loop tape sleeve partially retaining a loop tape strap within, and a buttonhole opening from which the loop tape strap protrudes, further comprising a hook tape strap disposed on the upper side for receiving the loop tape strap which is elongated, whereby a user may adjust tension of the loop tape against the hook tape for optimal fit; and

g. an upper side elastic band disposed between the hook tape strap and the loop tape strap.

15. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, further comprising a tighter area which is above a midpoint on the pocketed bicep cuff.

16. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, further comprising a wire opening for an electrical wire which is at a zipper upper end, wherein the zipper pulls up to close and pulls down to open.

17. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, wherein the buttonhole is rectangular shaped.

18. The pocketed bicep cuff of claim 1, wherein the zipper is located near the upper pocket stitch, wherein the hook tape strap is fixed to the upper side so that the hook tape strap faces upward to receive the loop tape strap, wherein the zipper is to the side of the bulge area, wherein the bulge area is configured so that during normal use it bulges upward.