GARMENT WITH ACCESS POCKET

Abstract

A hand-worn garment is described and includes at least one pocket portion, on the back and/or palm sides of the garment. The pocket portion defines a pocket space that can be sized and configured to house a facial wipe or other item that the wearer wishes to carry with them. The hand-worn garment can be a glove, fingerless glove, or mitten. Also described is a garment, such as a shirt or jacket, having such that a pocket portion that is a component of a sleeve of the garment.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/720,236, filed Aug. 21, 2018 and titled GARMENT WITH ACCESS POCKET.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to garments for runners, and more particularly, garments with pockets.

BACKGROUND

Running can be an elegant sport, requiring minimal equipment. Running attire can be elegantly simple, unadorned with extra features, which can benefit both performance and aesthetic appeal. However, in some instances, the simplicity of running attire can pose challenges for runners, who may desire, for example, some accommodations for carrying personal items along for their runs. The present disclosure provides solutions for such desires.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates to garments for runners, and more particularly, garments with pockets. In an illustrative but non-limiting example, the garment is a hand-worn garment for substantially encircling a wearer's hand and that includes a major garment portion having a pocket portion. The pocket portion may be part of the back and/or palm side of the hand-worn garment. The pocket portion may be sized and configured to house a facial wipe or any other item that the wearer wishes to carry.

Also described is a garment, such as a shirt or jacket, having a pocket portion, such as the one described above, that is a component of a sleeve of the garment.

The above summary is not intended to describe each and every example or every implementation of the disclosure. The Description that follows more particularly exemplifies various illustrative embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description in connection with the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, from the back side, of a hand-worn garment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, from the palm side, of the hand-worn garment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, from the back side, of another hand-worn garment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, from the palm side, of the hand-worn garment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, from the back side, of yet another hand-worn garment; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, from the palm side, of the hand-worn garment of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates to garments for runners, and more particularly, garments with pockets. Examples of construction, dimensions, and materials may be illustrated for various garments, and those skilled in the art will recognize that suitable alternatives may be utilized. It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Traditional running attire can be elegantly minimalist in design, which can be consistent with performance goals and appealing aesthetically. However, in some circumstances, the sparseness of design of some running clothing can pose practical challenges. Lack of pockets, for example, can pose a problem for a runner with a runny nose who may wish to carry along a handkerchief, tissue, or some other form of facial wipe. The present disclosure provides garments with novel pocket configurations that runners can easily add to their wardrobes.

FIGS. 1-6 are perspective views of exemplary hand-worn garments with FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 providing a view of the back side of the garment, and FIGS. 2, 4, and 6 providing a view of the palm side. Hand worn garment 100 is illustrated as a glove in FIGS. 1-4 and a mitten in FIGS. 5-6, with separate extensions for each of the fingers 102 (including the thumb). Hand-worn garment 100 includes main garment portion 104 that substantially encircles a wearer's hand. In some cases, main garment portion 104 includes one or more extensions 102 such that the hand-worn garment comprises, for example, a glove, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, or a mitten, as illustrated in FIGS. 5-6. In some cases, main garment portion does not include extensions 102 such that the hand-worn garment comprises, for example, a fingerless glove.

Hand-worn garment 100 can include back pocket portion 106 attached to the main garment portion on the back side of the main garment portion. The back pocket portion can define, at least in part, back pocket space 108, indicated in phantom outline in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5. Back pocket space 108 may be located between two fabric layers and can be accessed via back pocket opening 110 defined, at least in part, by portions of back pocket portion 106 and main garment portion 104. Back pocket opening 110 can be anywhere on the back side of the hand-garment, as long as it allows access to back pocket space 108. For example, back pocket opening 110 can be along a top edge of back pocket space 108 (i.e., an edge nearest to a user's fingers, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5), along a bottom edge of back pocket space (i.e., an edge nearest to a user's wrist, as illustrated in FIG. 3), or along any one or more of the four edges shown by phantom lines in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5. For another example, back pocket opening 110 can be within an area defined by a back pocket space as opposed to along one or more edges.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, hand-worn garment 100 can include palm pocket portion 112 attached to main garment portion 104 on the palm side of the main garment portion. The palm pocket portion can define, at least in part, palm pocket space 114, indicated in phantom outline in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6. Palm pocket space 114 may be located between two fabric layers, and can be accessed via palm pocket opening 116 defined, at least in part, by portions of palm pocket portion 112 and main garment portion 104. Palm pocket opening 116 can be anywhere on the palm side of the hand-garment, as long as it allows access to palm pocket space 114. For example, palm pocket opening 116 can be along a top edge of palm pocket space 116 (i.e., an edge nearest to a user's fingers, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6), along a bottom edge of palm pocket space (i.e., an edge nearest to a user's wrist, as illustrated in FIG. 4), or along any one or more of the four edges shown by phantom lines in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6. For another example, palm pocket opening 116 can be within an area defined by a palm pocket space as opposed to along one or more edges.

The phantom outlines shown in FIGS. 1-6 are merely schematic and should not be considered limiting with regard to the precise structure, geometry, extent, etc., of their respective pocket spaces. For example, one pocket may be sized and configured to hold one or more keys or identification cards. Another pocket may be sized and configured to hold one or more facial wipes as described below.

In some embodiments, the back and palm pocket spaces can be sized and configured to hold one or more facial wipes such as those suitable for blowing a nose. For example, hand-worn garment 100 can be provided with a facial wipe or wipes. In some cases, the facial wipe is reusable and can be attached to the hand-worn garment such that it can be stored substantially within a pocket space, such as by having an edge of the wipe attached just inside the pocket opening. Such an attachment could be permanent, such as via stitching, wherein some portion of the wipe is stitched to some portion of the hand-worn garment; for example, some portion of the wipe can be stitched to back pocket portion 108 of hand-worn garment 100. In some cases, the attachment can allow the facial wipe to be easily detached from the garment. For example, such a removable attachment could comprise a hook-and-loop fastener or a snap attachment.

For embodiments in which the hand-worn garment has more than one pocket, e.g., hand-worn garment 100, one can use facial wipes that are not attached to garment, and the wearer may use one pocket for unused wipes and the other for used wipes.

A pocket opening of the hand-worn garment, such as back pocket opening 110 or palm pocket opening 116, can include a manual closure device or devices for keeping the pocket closed to help retain any items within the pockets. The manual closure device can comprise a zipper, snap, hook-and-loop assembly, or even a flap which simply overlaps and shields the opening.

A pocket opening of the hand-worn garment can be devoid of a manual closure device. In these cases, the garment can be structured and configured such that friction is sufficient to retain a facial in a pocket space. For example, the pocket space can comprise textiles with structured surfaces or made from fibrous materials which can provide friction. The omission of manual closure devices can advantageously simplify access to the contents for garment users/wearers, and it can simplify manufacture of the article.

The pocket space of the hand-worn garment can comprise a water-resistant barrier to prevent external moisture (such as from precipitation or perspiration) from entering or exiting the space.

In an example of a hand-worn garment, the pocket portion can generally overlay main garment portion such that the pockets they help define can be characterized as exterior pockets. In some configurations, a hand-worn garment can be structured with one or more pocket portions that can generally be disposed inside the main garment portions, such that one or more interior pockets are defined.

Novel pocket configurations for garments other than hand-worn garments are contemplated in the present disclosure. For example, pockets similar to those described in relation to hand-worn garment 100 can be incorporated near the wrists of sleeves of tops such as long-sleeve shirts or jackets.

Persons of ordinary skill in arts relevant to this disclosure and subject matter hereof will recognize that embodiments may comprise fewer features than illustrated in any individual embodiment described by example or otherwise contemplated herein. Embodiments described herein are not meant to be an exhaustive presentation of ways in which various features may be combined and/or arranged. Accordingly, the embodiments are not mutually exclusive combinations of features; rather, embodiments can comprise a combination of different individual features selected from different individual embodiments, as understood by persons of ordinary skill in the relevant arts. Moreover, elements described with respect to one embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments even when not described in such embodiments unless otherwise noted. Although a dependent claim may refer in the claims to a specific combination with one or more other claims, other embodiments can also include a combination of the dependent claim with the subject matter of each other dependent claim or a combination of one or more features with other dependent or independent claims. Such combinations are proposed herein unless it is stated that a specific combination is not intended. Furthermore, it is intended also to include features of a claim in any other independent claim even if this claim is not directly made dependent to the independent claim.

Claims

1. A hand-worn garment, comprising:

a main garment portion for substantially encircling a wearer's hand and defining a back side and a palm side;

a back pocket space attached to the back side; and

a palm pocket space attached to the palm side.

2. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, the back pocket space defined by a plurality of sides and a back pocket opening, the palm pocket space defined by a plurality of sides and a palm pocket opening, wherein at least one of the back pocket opening and the palm pocket opening is closer to the wearer's fingers than it is to the wrist.

3. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, the back pocket space defined by a plurality of sides and a back pocket opening, the palm pocket space defined by a plurality of sides and a palm pocket opening, wherein at least one of the back pocket opening and the palm pocket opening is closer to the wearer's wrist than it is to the fingers.

4. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pocket space and the second pocket space is sized to house a facial wipe.

5. The hand-worn garment of claim 4, wherein the facial wipe is permanently attached to the garment.

6. The hand-worn garment of claim 4, wherein the facial wipe is removably attached to the garment.

7. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is devoid of a manual closure device for at least one of the first pocket space and the second pocket space.

8. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the back pocket space and the palm pocket space comprises a water-resistant barrier.

9. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pocket space and the second pocket space comprises an exterior pocket relative to the major garment portion.

10. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pocket space and the second pocket space is defined as an interior pocket relative to the major garment portion.

11. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a mitten.

12. The hand-worn garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a fingerless glove.

13. A hand-worn garment, comprising:

a main garment portion for substantially encircling a wearer's hand and defining a back side and a palm side;

a pocket space attached to the back side or the palm side; and

a facial wipe attached to the pocket space.

14. The hand-worn garment of claim 13, wherein the pocket space is devoid of a manual closure.

15. The hand-worn garment of claim 13, wherein the pocket space comprises a water-resistant barrier.

16. A garment, comprising:

a main garment portion for substantially encircling a wearer's torso;

one or more sleeves;

a pocket space attached to at least one of the sleeves; and

a facial wipe attached to the pocket space.

17. The garment of claim 16, wherein the pocket space is devoid of a manual closure.

18. The garment of claim 16, wherein the pocket space comprises a water-resistant barrier.