CLOTHING WITH AN INTEGRATED SENSORY OBJECT
At least one pocket may be integrated into, coupled to, or otherwise provided by any suitable article of clothing, where the pocket may include any suitable sensory object coupled to the pocket to enable the wearer of the clothing to discreetly and/or securely interact with the object while wearing the clothing.
This application claims the benefit of prior filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/991,828, filed Mar. 19, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure relates to an article of clothing with an integrated sensory object and, more particularly, to outerwear with a pocketed sensory object that enables the wearer of the outerwear to interact discreetly and securely with the sensory toy while wearing the outerwear.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREOftentimes, a person uses a sensory toy to learn and concentrate. However, such use can prove cumbersome to the user and/or distracting to others.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREThis document describes clothing with an integrated sensory toy and methods for creating and using the same.
For example, an article of clothing may include a body structure, a pocket coupled to the body structure, and a sensory object coupled to an interior of the pocket.
As another example, an article of clothing operative to be worn by a user may include a pocket and a sensory toy sewn to an interior surface of the pocket, wherein the sensory toy is operative to be discreetly touched by the user within the pocket when the article of clothing is worn by the user.
As yet another example, an article of clothing operative to be worn by a user may include a pocket and a fidget integrated into the interior of the pocket, wherein the fidget is at least partially hidden within the pocket when the article of clothing is worn by the user.
This Summary is provided merely to summarize some example embodiments, so as to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the subject matter described in this document. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the features described in this Summary are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter described herein in any way. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter described herein will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.
The discussion below makes reference to the following drawings, in which like reference characters may refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
At least one pocket may be integrated into, coupled to, or otherwise provided by any suitable article of clothing, where the pocket may enable any suitable sensory toy to be integrated into, coupled to, or otherwise provided by such a pocket, which may enable the wearer of the clothing to interact with the sensory toy discreetly and securely while wearing the clothing. The clothing may be any suitable article of clothing that may be worn on any suitable portion of a user, including, but not limited to, lower torso, upper torso, full torso, neck, head, shoulder, arm, wrist, thigh, shin, ankle, foot, upper leg, and/or lower leg of a user, such as a sock, boot, shoe, sandal, slipper, moccasin, athletic footwear, leg warmer, pants, shorts, bathing suit, pajamas, underwear, t-shirt, sweatshirt, sweater, hat, headband, headset, scarf, arm warmer, wrist band, watch, and/or the like. The clothing may include one pocket or any suitable number of pockets greater than one for holding any suitable sensory object or collection of sensory objects (e.g., a fidget spinner, fidget cube, magnetic set, finger fling, buttons, knotted string, etc.). Such a pocket or pouch may include an opening accessible to a user from the outside of the clothing (e.g., exterior exposed to the clothing's and wearer's environment) and/or from the inside of the clothing (e.g., interior facing one or more body parts of the wearer) when the clothing is being worn by the user.
In some embodiments, the clothing may be configured to conceal or otherwise hide at least a portion of the opening of the pocket, the entirety of the opening of the pocket, and/or the entirety of the pocket. For example, when worn by a user, a top portion of the clothing (e.g., a portion configured to extend away from the pocket) may include an auxiliary cuff (e.g., a portion of the material forming the remainder of the article or a separate band of material sewn or attached (e.g., by buttons) to the remainder of the article). In some embodiments, that auxiliary cuff may be turned down or otherwise folded over another portion of the clothing (e.g., a portion further down the user) that may include the opening of the pocket or that may include any other portion or the entirety of the pocket. Such a folded configuration of an auxiliary cuff portion of the clothing may at least partially hide the existence of the pocket and/or may at least partially cover the opening of the pocket to prevent an object within the pocket from being damaged or potentially escaping the pocket or otherwise being visible in the environment.
The clothing may include any suitable adjustable mechanism for altering the size of a portion of the pocket (e.g., the size of the opening of the pocket, the diameter, cross-sectional area, tightness, or any other suitable characteristic of the pocket, etc.). For example, a length of a string (e.g., draw string) or a lace may be fed through a channel that may run within the clothing about a particular portion of the clothing (e.g., about the clothing portion that may surround a portion of a user when the clothing is worn by the user). The length of the string within the channel may be shortened or lengthened to decrease or increase the cross-sectional area that may be surrounded by the channel, such as by tying a knot with the two exposed ends of the string exiting the two ends of the channel. The channel may run about a portion of a side of the pocket adjacent the exterior of the clothing, such that shortening the length of the string within the channel (e.g., tightening the size of the channel) may reduce a cross-sectional area of a portion of the pocket (e.g., to exert a force on any object in the pocket to reduce the likelihood of the object falling out of or otherwise escaping from the pocket and/or for securing a user's hand or finger(s) therein). In other embodiments, such an adjustable mechanism may be included in the above-described cuff and may be adjusted once the cuff has been folded over a portion of the pocket.
The clothing may be made of any suitable material or combination of materials including, but not limited to, leather, plastic, rubber, textiles (e.g., polyester and/or acrylic yarn), wood, jute, metal, and the like. The clothing may be made in any suitable size, shape, color, or style for any suitable user of any suitable age and/or size and/or type. In some embodiments, the material and/or color of the article of clothing may hide or otherwise conceal or otherwise make the pocket difficult to discern by a human eye. For example, the material about the pocket opening may be fuzzy or otherwise capable of blending to hide the opening, at least when no object is protruding through the opening.
Any suitable article of clothing may be referred to herein as “Figiwear,” which may be a clothing line designed to provide discrete or “invisible” fidgets or other suitable sensory toys or sensory objects to allow for individuals to use or attend without disturbing others around them. Fidgets and sensory toys can promote improved attention, a means of calming, improved self-regulation, and/or assist with reducing anxiety and stress. Sensory objects may be sewn or otherwise integrated into or otherwise coupled to any suitable pocket or lining of any suitable article of clothing, such as into the pockets of shorts, shirts, or pants (or any variety of clothing or accessory of clothing) and may be configured such that they may be unable to be removed from the pocket(s). For example, a sensory object may be either sewn directly into a pocket so the individual may be able to touch the sensory object directly, or may be sewn into a double pocket so the individual may be able to manipulate the object over or through the material of the pocket. A sensory object may be configured with respect to the clothing such that the sensory object may not be removable from the clothing and may remain on the clothing even during washing. The sensory object may provide a means of movement to facilitate attention to individuals who may require movement to learn and concentrate. Depending on the type of sensory object that may be used (e.g., inserted into a pocket of clothing), the individual can either rub the sensory object with its hand and/or fingers, which may provide tactile feedback, or the individual can manipulate the object with its hand and/or fingers. The sensory object may be sewn into either a double pocket with no opening so a user may be unable to take the sensory object out of the pocket, or at times sewn directly into the pocket depending on the type of sensory stimulating product placed therein. The sensory object may not be removable from the clothing in order to reduce distraction among others around them. Some sensory objects may be configured to provide movement, tactile experience, or both.
Any such clothing and/or sensory object may be designed for a wide audience including, but not limited to, children, adults, individuals with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”), attention deficit disorder (“ADD”), sensory integration dysfunction, obsessive compulsive disorder (“OCD”), learning disabilities (“LDs”), anxiety disorder, and/or typically developing individuals. While some sensory objects may be prefabricated and then inserted into a pocket of an existing article of clothing or into a pocket fabricated in a previously existing article of clothing, other sensory objects may be fabricated along with the article of clothing. Any suitable materials may be utilized for the clothing article, pocket, and/or sensory object to address sensory sensitivities, such as seamless and tagless garments and soft materials/fabrics, such as a combination of cotton and spandex that may not produce a noxious response. Fabrics may be used that have a low bunching quality, may be reversible, may lack stiffness and/or scratchy qualities and/or may not have fasteners. In some embodiments, the clothing may include features configured to assist a user with clothing orientation to assist children or individuals with developmental delays or cognitive deficits to independently don the clothing. For example, there may be a consistent logo on the back of a shirt to indicate the back of the shirt for directionality and orientation of the shirt. Clothing with sensory objects may be intended to assist individuals to blend in society and allow for individuals to achieve independence. Some products may not be washer and drier safe due to the nature of the sensory object and/or nature of the article of clothing. Some items may be hand wash only. Some products may be configured such that it may be machine washable and drier safe without the removal of the sensory object.
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While there has been described articles of clothing with integrated sensory objects, it is to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein in any way. Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.
Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the previous description of the disclosed examples can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation.
Claims
1. An article of clothing comprising:
- a body structure;
- a pocket coupled to the body structure; and
- a sensory object coupled to an interior of the pocket.
2. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object is at least partially hidden within the pocket.
3. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object is completely hidden within the pocket.
4. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a fidget.
5. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a fidget spinner.
6. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a fidget cube.
7. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a stretchy string fidget.
8. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a finger fling.
9. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a squishy toy.
10. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a pad with a plurality of arms extending from the pad.
11. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a first ring coupled to a second ring.
12. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a flippy bike chain fidget.
13. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object comprises a marble within a tube.
14. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the body structure comprises a front of a shirt.
15. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the body structure comprises a front of a pair of pants.
16. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sensory object is coupled to the pocket by sewn thread.
17. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sensory object is coupled to the pocket by glue.
18. The article of clothing of claim 1, wherein the sensory object is loosely contained within a pouch that is coupled to the pocket.
19. An article of clothing operative to be worn by a user comprising:
- a pocket; and
- a sensory toy sewn to an interior surface of the pocket, wherein the sensory toy is operative to be discreetly touched by the user within the pocket when the article of clothing is worn by the user.
20. An article of clothing operative to be worn by a user comprising:
- a pocket; and
- a fidget integrated into the interior of the pocket, wherein the fidget is at least partially hidden within the pocket when the article of clothing is worn by the user.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 18, 2021
Publication Date: Sep 23, 2021
Inventor: Jaime Obletz (New York, NY)
Application Number: 17/205,353