FOLDABLE GARMENT

Abstract

The present invention is related to the field of foldable or collapsible garments, and, in particular, foldable or collapsible garments, such as jackets or coats that can be folded into a bag containing straps so that when the garment is folded into the bag, the bag may be carried on a person's shoulders or held in the person's hand. In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to a foldable garment comprising: (a) a body having an interior surface; and (b) a bag coupled to the interior surface of the body, such that the foldable garment may be folded into the bag, wherein the bag comprises straps. Such a foldable garment may be useful by providing an easy way to carry the garment when a person would like to take it off and it may also provide a convenient way to store the garment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of foldable or collapsible garments, and, in particular, foldable or collapsible garments, such as jackets or coats that can be folded into a bag containing straps so that when the garment is folded into the bag, the bag may be conveniently carried.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People often wear jackets, coats, fleeces, sweatshirts and the like for warmth in cold weather. However, often times there is a need to remove the garment, such as, if the weather changes throughout the day or when the person arrives at his or her destination. When that need arises, people generally do not have an easy way to carry the garment or a convenient place to store the garment. Thus, a need remains for a foldable or collapsible garment that can be folded into a bag comprising straps for easy carrying and convenient storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to a foldable or collapsible garment that can be folded into a knapsack or bag that contains straps for easy carrying. The garment may be, but is not limited to, a jacket, coat, sweatshirt, fleece, parka, rain coat, or any other type of outerwear or article of clothing. The bag may be any type of bag or knapsack suitable for attachment to the garment, without limiting the present invention. The bag preferably comprises drawstrings for closing the top of the bag, as is commonly known in the art.

In other embodiments, the present invention is directed to a foldable garment comprising:

(a) a body having an interior surface; and

(b) a bag coupled to the interior surface of the body, such that the foldable garment may be folded into the bag,

wherein the bag comprises straps.

In other embodiments, the present invention is directed to a foldable garment comprising:

(a) a body having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

(b) a pocket coupled to the interior surface of the body, the pocket is configured such that the foldable garment may be folded into the pocket,

wherein the pocket comprises straps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the inside of a jacket, illustrating the bag coupled to the interior of the jacket, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the inside of the jacket of FIG. 1, with the bag removed from the interior surface of the jacket, illustrating five strips of loops used to couple the bag to the interior surface of the jacket, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows the interior surface of the bag of FIG. 1, which is the surface that is coupled to the interior surface of the jacket, illustrating five strips of hooks used to couple to the five corresponding strips of loops provided on the interior surface of the jacket of FIG. 2, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows the bag of FIGS. 1 and 3, illustrating the straps or drawstrings of the bag, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows the bag of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, after the jacket of FIGS. 1 and 2 has been folded into the bag, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the inside of a jacket, illustrating a pocket coupled to the interior surface of the jacket, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The foldable garment of the present invention comprises a bag coupled to the interior of the body of the garment for folding or collapsing the garment into the bag. The foldable garment may be any type of garment, including but not limited to a jacket, coat, sweatshirt, fleece, parka, rain coat, or any other article of clothing. Moreover, the bag may be sewn onto the interior of the body of the garment or may be coupled to the interior of the body of the garment via loops and hooks (i.e., via Velcro®), such that the bag may be removable from the garment.

An example of a foldable garment comprising a bag of the present invention can be seen in FIG. 1, which shows certain embodiments of the present invention wherein a bag or drawstring bag, also known as a cinch bag, is attached to the interior of the garment. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the foldable or collapsible garment 100 is a traditional jacket used for keeping warm in cold weather. In the embodiment depicted, foldable garment 100 generally includes a body 102. As with most commonly known and used outerwear, body 102 of foldable garment 100 comprises two sleeves (not shown), a hood 104, and a zipper, buttons or other means for keeping the jacket closed when in use (not shown). It should be appreciated that garment 100 may contain additional or fewer components as just described, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the embodiment depicted, body 102 of foldable garment 100 comprises an interior surface 106 and a bag 108 that is coupled to interior surface 106 of body 102. As will be discussed in further detail below, bag 108 is configured to receive foldable garment 100.

FIG. 2 shows a close up of the interior surface 106 of body 102 in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention. As can be seen in the embodiment shown, the interior surface 106 includes five strips of loops 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 arranged in a somewhat rectangular pattern. These five strips of loops 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 are preferably attached to interior surface 106 of body 102 via an adhesive or by being sewn on, though, any means may be used for attaching the strips to interior surface 106 without limiting the scope of the present invention. Moreover, while a certain pattern and number of strips are depicted in FIG. 2, any pattern or number of strips may be implemented without limiting the scope of the present invention. These five strips of loops 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 are used to couple bag 108 to the interior surface 106 of body 102. The strips of loops may be any type of loops commonly known in the art, such as loops manufactured by Velcro®, without limiting the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows the interior surface 310 of bag 108. In particular, bag 108 is depicted inside-out or having its interior surface 310 turned outward. As can be seen in the embodiment shown, interior surface 310 of bag 108 comprises five strips of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 arranged around the perimeter of interior surface 310. The position of each of the five strips of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 correspond to or matchup with the position of each of the respective five strips of loops 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 so that bag 108 may be releasably coupled to the interior surface 106 of body 102. These five strips of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 are preferably attached to interior surface 310 of bag 108 via an adhesive or by being sewn on, though, any means may be used for attaching the strips to interior surface 310 without limiting the scope of the present invention. Moreover, while a certain pattern and number of strips are depicted in FIG. 3, any pattern or number of strips may be implemented without limiting the scope of the present invention.

The five strips of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 are used to couple bag 108 to the body 102 of garment 100. For example, bag 108 may be coupled to the interior surface 106 of body 102 by first turning the bag inside out to reveal the five strips of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 provided on the interior surface 310 of bag 108; then aligning each strip of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 with each respective strip of loops 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208; then placing each strip of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 in contact with each respective strip of loops 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208; and finally applying pressure to each of the strips of hooks 300, 302, 304, 306 and 308 so that each strip of hooks is securely coupled to each respective strip of loops. It should be noted that the strips of hooks may be any type of hooks commonly known in the art, such as hooks manufactured by Velcro®, without limiting the scope of the present invention. Thus, as depicted in FIGS. 1-3, bag 108 is attached to garment 100 by means of Velcro®. While one method of coupling bag 108 to the interior surface 106 of body 102 is depicted and discussed, any known method of coupling the bag 108 to the interior surface 106 of body 102 may be employed without limiting the scope of the present invention. It is also contemplated that bag 108 may be sewn onto the interior surface of garment 100 or coupled to garment 100 by any other means known in the art, without limiting the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts bag 108 of FIGS. 1 and 3 detached from garment 100. As can be seen in the embodiment shown, bag 108 is a traditional drawstring bag also known as a cinch bag, which is commonly known and used in the art. That is, bag 108 comprises straps or drawstrings 402 and 404, both of which are coupled near the top of bag 108 and near the bottom of bag 108, as shown in FIG. 4. Bag 108 may be closed tight by simply pulling drawstrings 402 and 404. Because drawstring bags or cinch bags are well known in the art, no further details will be provided on them. Moreover, it should be appreciated that any type of bag may be implemented with the present invention, without limiting the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows the bag 108 of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, after the garment 100 of FIGS. 1 and 2 has been folded into bag 108, in accordance with certain embodiments of the present invention. As can be seen in the embodiment shown, bag 108, after being filled with garment 100 and drawstrings 402 and 404 pulled tight, may be worn around a user's shoulders. That is, it is contemplated that drawstrings 402 and 404 may be used as shoulder straps. It should also be appreciated that bag 108 may be carried in any manner, without limiting the scope of the present invention. Thus, after folding garment 100 into bag 108 and pulling drawstrings to close bag 108, what is provided is a bag containing garment 100 that is easy to carry and store.

In operation, assuming bag 108 is already coupled to garment 100, a user may fold or collapse garment 100 into bag 108 by (1) inverting bag 108 so that it is no longer inside-out; (2) folding or collapsing garment 100 into bag 108; and (3) pulling drawstrings 402 and 404 to at least partially close the opening at the top of bag 108. Again, it should be appreciated that any type of bag may be used, without limiting the scope of the present invention.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, bag 108 (of FIG. 1) of foldable garment 100 of the present invention may be a pocket or pouch 600 sewn onto the interior surface 106 of body 102, such that one side of the pocket is part of the interior surface 106. It is contemplated that such a design provides a smaller and thinner bag, thereby making it less bulky when attached to garment 100. It is also contemplated that the rest of the features of bag 108, as discussed above, such as the drawstrings 402 and 404, would remain the same with respect to this pocket design. It is further contemplated that pocket 600 may be formed by sewing a drawstring or cinch bag directly onto the interior surface 106 of body 102. Moreover, to fold garment 100 into pocket 600, the user would perform the same or similar steps as discussed above with respect to bag 108. It should be appreciated that pocket 600 may be coupled to interior surface 106 by any means known in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

All embodiments described herein are illustrative and in no way limit the scope of the invention, and the invention may be embodied in other forms not explicitly described here, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A foldable garment comprising:

(a) a body having an interior surface; and

(b) a bag coupled to the interior surface of the body, such that the foldable garment may be folded into the bag,

wherein the bag comprises straps.

2. The foldable garment of claim 1, wherein the foldable garment is selected from the group comprising a jacket, a coat, a sweatshirt, a fleece, a parka and a rain coat.

3. The foldable garment of claim 1, wherein the bag is a drawstring bag.

4. The foldable garment of claim 3, wherein the straps comprise a first drawstring and a second drawstring.

5. The foldable garment of claim 1, wherein the bag is a knapsack.

6. The foldable garment of claim 1, wherein the bag is sewn onto the interior surface of the body.

7. The foldable garment of claim 1, wherein the bag is coupled to the interior surface of the body by at least one hook and loop fastener, such that it is removable from the foldable garment.

8. The foldable garment of claim 1, wherein the bag is removable from the body of the foldable garment.

9. A foldable garment comprising:

(a) a body having an interior surface and an exterior surface; and

(b) a pocket coupled to the interior surface of the body, the pocket is configured such that the foldable garment may be folded into the pocket,

wherein the pocket comprises straps.

10. The foldable garment of claim 9, wherein the foldable garment is selected from the group comprising a jacket, a coat, a sweatshirt, a fleece, a parka and a rain coat.

11. The foldable garment of claim 9, wherein the pocket is a drawstring bag.

12. The foldable garment of claim 12, wherein the straps comprise a first drawstring and a second drawstring.

13. The foldable garment of claim 9, wherein the pocket is a knapsack.

14. The foldable garment of claim 9, wherein the pocket is sewn onto the interior surface of the body.

15. The foldable garment of claim 9, wherein the pocket is coupled to the interior surface of the body by at least one hook and loop fastener, such that it is removable from the foldable garment.

16. The foldable garment of claim 9, wherein the pocket is removable from the body of the foldable garment.