EXTRA-LENGTH JACKET WITH PANTS PORTION HAVING AT LEAST ONE FULL LENGTH ZIPPER

Abstract

A garment suitable for cold-weather use including an upper torso portion and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion includes a right leg opening and a left leg opening. A first zipper half extends along the front length of the garment from an upper end to a lower end of the garment and is displaced from the centerline of the front of the garment. A second zipper half extends along a side edge of the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion is adapted to extend from between a user's legs up along the front of the garment and is zippered to the zipper half on the garment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a garment incorporating a jacket, and more particularly to a garment incorporating a jacket and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion that is suitable for cold weather.

2. Description of Related Art

Outdoor jackets and coats, particularly those designed for cold weather, typically cover the wearer's arms and upper torso from the neck to the abdomen, but are open at the bottom of the jacket. In order to permit movement, a jacket fitted around the torso may only extend down as far as the wearer's hips; a coat covering the legs must be open at the bottom. Some garments are known to provide warmth, but they either cover an insufficient area of the wearer or they are difficult to put on over clothing, and difficult to take off. Some garments which have leg portions require the wearer to step into each leg, which can be made difficult by the wearer's boots and warm, bulky clothing. There is a need for a cold-weather jacket that can keep the lower part of the torso warm, is convenient to wear, and can prevent cold air from entering around the bottom of the garment.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure provides a garment suitable for cold-weather use, including an upper torso portion and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion includes a right leg opening and a left leg opening. Two full-length zippers extend along the length of the garment at the front from its upper end to its lower end. The zippers are displaced from the centerline of the front of the garment and attach the side edges of the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion to the torso portion.

In another embodiment there is disclosed a garment suitable for cold-weather use including an upper torso portion, a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof, and a pants portion. The pants portion includes a right leg and a left leg where the pants portion extends below a wearer's hip to cover the upper portion of each of the wearer's legs. Full-length zippers extend along the length of the garment at the front of the garment from its upper end to the bottom of the pants. The zippers are displaced from the centerline of the front of the garment.

The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals.

FIG. 1 shows a jacket with an upper torso portion and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion includes a right leg opening and a left leg opening in accordance with the principles of the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of a jacket with an upper torso portion and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion includes a right pants leg and a left pants leg in place of the right and left leg openings in accordance with the principles of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a jacket with an upper torso portion and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof in accordance with the principles of the invention. The jacket includes an upper torso portion 12, sleeves 31, 32, and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 integral with the torso portion at a lower end 91 thereof. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion includes a right leg opening 92 and a left leg opening 94. The bottom-to-front wrap-around portion is integral with the torso portion at the lower end 91 thereof. In use, the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which includes a right leg opening and a left leg opening is adapted to be brought forward from the back of the jacket, between the user's legs, and up along the front of the jacket until the end 96 of the bottom-to-front portion is located at the top of the jacket. At this time zipper half 100 of zipper 108 on the right half of the jacket is located next to the other half 102 of zipper 108; and zipper half 106 of zipper 110 on the left half of the jacket is located next to the other half 107 of zipper 110. Depending on where the two way zipper pulls are located, the user inserts either the top or bottom end of zipper half 102 into the two way zipper pull on zipper half 100 and closes the zipper by pulling the zipper pull either up or down. After closing the zipper on the right side of the jacket, the user repeats the process on the left side of the jacket.

At this time the jacket is fully closed with cutouts 92, 94 being fitted around the inside surfaces of the user's thighs. In use, as the zipper pull is a two way pull, the user can now partially or fully open either zipper from the top or bottom of the jacket. Since the cutouts 92, 94 are only around the wearer's thighs, the wearer's movements are not restricted.

In this embodiment, the jacket has two full length zippers 108, 110 at the front of the jacket, to the right and left of the center line of the garment. The zippers thus define the central panel as the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 and side panels 21, 22 at the front of the jacket. The zippers allow the user to don and remove the jacket easily. For example, when only one zipper such as zipper 108 is completely open and zipper 110 is either fully or partially closed, the wearer may step into leg opening 94 with his/her left foot, insert his/her arms through the sleeves, grasp the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 and position its zipper side 102 next to zipper side 100, and then close zipper 108 to close the jacket.

When the two zippers 108, 110 are completely open, the wearer inserts his/her arms through the sleeves, grasps the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 and positions half zippers 102, 107 on the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion next to zipper sides 100, 106 on the garment, and then closes zippers 108, 110 to close the jacket. Two zippers are provided so that the jacket may be donned by first inserting the wearer's arm into the sleeves and then grasping the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 and positioning zipper side 102 next to zipper side 100 and zipper side 107 next to zipper side 106, and then closing zippers 108, 110 to close the jacket. Each zipper 108, 110 preferably has zipper pulls 55 at both the top and bottom of the zippers, so that the zippers may be opened or closed in either direction.

In another embodiment one side edge of the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 may be permanently attached to one side panel at the front of the jacket. In this embodiment, the edge along the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 where the zipper 107 is located is permanently attached to the edge of the side panel where the zipper 106 is located. In use, the wearer dons the jacket in the same way as described above when one zipper is partially or fully closed.

The jacket may be provided with a standing collar, not shown, to protect the wearer's neck. Elastic banding 7 may be provided around the waist and/or sleeve cuffs to ensure a snug but comfortable fit.

In cold weather use, cold air is prevented from entering from below and the lower part of the torso is kept warm.

The wearer may gain access to his/her inner garments (trousers, belt, etc.) by unzipping one of zippers 108, 110 from the bottom thereof a short distance (about 6 inches more or less), so as to open a side panel of the jacket.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown another embodiment of the invention where a jacket with an upper torso portion and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which is integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof includes a pants portion in accordance with the principles of the invention. The jacket includes an upper torso portion 12, sleeves 31, 32, and a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 integral with the torso portion at a lower end thereof and a right pants leg 14 and left pants leg 16 in place of the right leg opening 92 and a left leg opening 94 of FIG. 1. Except for the pants legs 14 and 16, the embodiment of FIG. 2 is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

Continuing with FIG. 2, the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion is integral with the torso portion at the lower end thereof. In use, the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion which includes a right pants leg and a left pants leg is adapted to be brought forward from the back of the jacket, between the user's legs, and up along the front of the jacket until the end 96 of the bottom-to-front portion is located at the top of the jacket. At this time the two hafts of zipper 108 on the right half of the jacket are located next to each other; and two hafts of zipper 110 on the left half of the jacket are located next to each other. Depending on where the two way zipper pulls are located, the user closes the zippers by pulling the zipper pulls either up or down. After closing the zipper on the right side of the jacket, the user repeats the process and closes the zipper on the left side of the jacket.

At this time the jacket is fully closed with pant legs 14, 16 being fitted around the user's thighs. In use, as the zipper pull is a two way pull, the user can now partially or fully open either zipper from the top of the jacket or bottom of the pant legs. Since the pant legs are around the user's thighs and not around the wearer's legs, the wearer's movements are not restricted.

In this embodiment, the jacket has two full length zippers 108, 110 at the front of the jacket, to the left and right of the center line of the garment. The zippers thus define the central panel 90 as the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 and side panels 21, 22 at the front of the jacket. The zippers allow the user to don and remove the jacket easily. For example, when only one zipper such as zipper 108 is completely open and zipper 110 is either fully or partially closed, the wearer may step into pants leg 16 with his/her left foot, insert his/her arms through the sleeves, grasp the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 and position the two sides of zipper 108 next to each other and close zipper 108 to close the leg and the jacket.

When the two zippers 108, 110 are completely open, the wearer inserts his/her arms through the sleeves, brings the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 forward from between the user's legs, and up along the front of the jacket until the end 96 of the bottom-to-front portion is located at the top of the jacket. At this time the hafts of zippers 108, 110 on the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion are positioned next to each other and are zippered closed to close the pants and the jacket. Each zipper 108, 110 preferably have a zipper pull 55 at the top and bottom of the zipper, so that the zipper may be opened or closed in either direction.

In another embodiment one side edge of the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion 90 may be permanently attached to a side panel at the front of the jacket. In this embodiment, zipper 108 or 110 is removed and the two edges are permanently stitched to each other. In use, the wearer dons the jacket in the same way as described above when one zipper is partially or fully closed.

The jacket may be provided with a standing collar, not shown, to protect the wearer's neck. Elastic banding 7 may be provided around the waist and/or sleeve cuffs to ensure a snug but comfortable fit.

In cold weather use, cold air is prevented from entering from below and the lower part of the torso is kept warm.

The wearer may gain access to his/her inner garments (trousers, belt, etc.) by unzipping one of zippers 108, 110 from the bottom thereof a short distance (about 6 inches more or less), so as to open a side panel of the pants and jacket.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled.

Claims

1. A garment comprising:

an upper torso portion;

a bottom-to-front wrap-around portion coupled to the upper torso portion at a lower end thereof; and

two zippers extending along the length of the garment at the front of the garment from an upper end of the garment to a lower end of the garment for connecting the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion to the upper torso portion.

2. The garment according to claim 1 further including openings at the bottom of the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion.

3. The garment according to claim 2, wherein the openings at the bottom of the bottom-to-front wrap-around opening are for a right leg and a left leg of a user.

4. The garment according to claim 1 wherein the zippers are located on each side of the centerline of the front of the garment.

5. The garment according to claim 2, further including a collar at the upper end of the garment.

6. The garment according to claim 2, further comprising a hood attached to the torso portion.

7. The garment according to claim 6, wherein the hood is detachable.

8. The garment according to claim 4 wherein the zippers extend to the top of the collar.

9. The garment according to claim 4 wherein said zippers have a pull at each end of the zipper.

10. A garment according to claim 1, further comprising:

pants portion integral with the torso portion and the bottom-to-front wrap-around portion at a lower end thereof, the pants portion including a right leg and a left leg.

11. The garment according to claim 10 wherein said zippers are located on opposite sides of the centerline on the front of the garment.

12. The garment according to claim 10, further including a collar at the upper end of the garment.

13. The garment according to claim 11, further comprising a hood attached to the torso portion.

14. The garment according to claim 13, wherein the hood is detachable.

15. The garment according to claim 11 wherein the zippers extend from the top of the collar to the bottom of the pants legs.

16. The garment according to claim 4 wherein said zippers have a pull at each end of the zipper.

17. A garment according to claim 10, wherein the pants portion extends below a wearer's hip to cover the upper portion of each of the wearer's legs.