GARMENT WITH CHALK DISPENSING POCKET

Abstract

A garment with a chalk dispensing pocket is disclosed. The garment includes an external pocket having a mesh panel, preferably applied on pants/leggings/shorts. The chalk dispensing pocket is dimensioned to contain a porous container/bag/ball of a gripping chalk to chalk the user's hands. When applied to pants, the chalk dispensing pocket is disposed on a frontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of one or more legs of the pants. The garment with chalk dispensing pocket is particularly suited for rock climbers providing a convenient unobtrusive chalking pocket that is readily accessible within arms reach and facilitates the climber's freedom of movement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 63/246,557 filed Sep. 21, 2021, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to athletic chalk dispensers, and more particularly to individual chalk dispensers applied to an athletic garment.

Athletes and participants in climbing/ninja/gymnastics/weightlifting/CrossFit and similar endeavors often have to pause or stop exercising, training, competing to apply chalk to their hands from a bucket or bag before continuing the activity in order to reduce sweat, increase friction and improve their grip. The chalk is applied so the athlete's hands won't slip, causing either a fall/drop when suspended from an apparatus/equipment/holds/bar or, when lifting a weighted object, some slippage resulting in a loss of control or release of the object, thusly failing the lift or dropping the weighted object potentially resulting in an injury.

Additionally, the bucket or bag of chalk can sometimes be located away from the individual needing to quickly chalk. If it is not readily accessible, or they have to search or locate and move a certain distance or even look/shift/lean to access the chalk, this could cause considerable distraction or an unfocused moment contributing to an unsuccessful/subpar performance of the activity.

Although climbing chalk bags can be strapped around the waist, they are often bulky/heavy/bouncy and inconveniently/awkwardly located behind the wearer's lower back. When not strapped behind the lower back, a chalk bag is often tossed/thrown around a gym creating a cluttered training environment.

Community chalk buckets or pots are rather unsanitary with many hands repeatedly reaching in.

As can be seen, there is a need for improved chalk dispenser that is positioned on the athlete's person and readily available during performance of an athletic task.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a chalk dispensing athletic garment is disclosed. The chalk dispensing athletic garment includes a garment dimensioned to be worn by a user. A chalk dispensing pocket is disposed on the garment within reach of a user's hands, when worn. The chalk dispensing pocket including a mesh panel having a peripheral side edge secured to the garment defining an interior cavity between the mesh panel and an outer surface of the garment. A top opening opens to the interior cavity. A fastener provides a closure for the top opening.

In some embodiments, the garment is a pair of pants having a waist opening and a pair of extending legs.

In some embodiments, the chalk dispensing pocket is attached to a frontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of at least one of the pair of extending legs.

In some embodiments, the chalk dispensing pocket is attached to a frontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of each of the pair of extending legs.

In some embodiments, a binding is disposed about the peripheral side edge of the mesh panel.

In some embodiments, the pair of pants is selected from the group consisting of long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.

In other embodiments, a quantity of a gripping chalk is contained within the chalk dispensing pocket. The quantity of the gripping chalk may be contained within a dispenser bag.

In other aspects of the invention, a chalk dispensing athletic pant is disclosed. The chalk dispensing athletic pant includes a pair of pants having a waist region and a pair of legs extending from the waist region. A chalk dispensing pocket is disposed on a frontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of at least one of the pair of legs within reach of a user's hands, when worn in an upright standing position. The chalk dispensing pocket has a mesh panel with a peripheral side edge secured to an outer surface of at least one of the pair of legs to define an interior cavity between the mesh panel and the outer surface of the at least one of the pair of legs. A top opening opens to the interior cavity and a fastener provides a closure for the top opening.

In some embodiments, a binding is disposed about the peripheral side edge of the mesh panel.

In some embodiments, the pair of pants is selected from the group consisting of long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.

In some embodiments, a quantity of a gripping chalk is contained within the chalk dispensing pocket. The quantity of the gripping chalk may be contained within a dispenser bag.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 4 is a section view of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of an first alternate embodiment of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 6. is a section view of the first alternate embodiment of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of an second alternate embodiment of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

FIG. 8 is a section view of the second alternate embodiment of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket, taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front view of an third alternate embodiment of the garment with chalk dispensing pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention provide a chalk dispensing pocket for an athletic garment. The chalk dispensing pocket for a garment is provided as an attached slim-profile, mesh pocket that is applied to a readily accessible location on the garment. Securing a porous chalk dispensing pouch of the individual's garment eliminates the bulky, bouncing hassle.

Non-limiting embodiments of the garment with a chalk dispensing pocket are shown in the drawings of FIGS. 1-9. In a first embodiment, the garment is a pair of pants 10. A chalk dispensing pocket 12 is applied to a frontal aspect of at least one leg of the pants 10. A top end of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 is positioned below the joining of an inseam of the pants 10. The chalk dispensing pocket 12 is positioned so that it is accessible with a user's 26 hands or fingertips when in an upright standing position with the arms extended downwardly in a relaxed state.

The chalk dispensing pocket 12 is formed of a mesh panel 14 that is secured around a peripheral edge to the garment 10. The mesh panel 14 may also have a binding around the peripheral edge. The chalk dispensing pocket 12 may be of any desired shape, such as rectangular, rounded, or other desired shape.

The chalk dispensing pocket 12 includes a top opening and a closure flap. The closure flap may be secured between an open and a closed position by a fastener. The fastener may include a zipper 16, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, a cooperating hook and pile fastener 20, such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and a cooperating snap 22 or button, such as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

An interior compartment of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 is dimensioned to contain a quantity of a gripping chalk. The quantity of gripping chalk may be contained in a dispensing bag 18.

Because the mesh chalk pockets are conveniently located within reach of the users hands 26 for quick access on the outside of the garment 10, which may include pants/leggings/shorts, an athlete/participant does not need to look away from their athletic task/objective to apply chalk to their hands. This allows the user 26 to maintain focus and smoothly continue their athletic task with minimal interruption.

The present invention allows the athletes/individuals training to have a chalk dispensing pocket 12 conveniently located within ready reach of their hands. The chalk dispensing pocket 12 readily accessible and does not interfere with the users 26 movements. Because the athlete just needs to tap on the mesh 14 of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 to apply the gripping chalk 18, it reduces the excessive amount of chalk that falls or spills out from a chalk bag or bucket when reaching in.

As will be appreciated, the mesh 14 of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 may be attached firmly on the bottom and two sides with a fabric border sewn approximately at arm's length to the front, side, or back of the pants/shorts/leggings. The opening at the top side of the mesh 14 may or may not have a fabric border but is not sewn shut, rather it has some kind of opening, allowing the gripping chalk, such as the chalk bag 18 to be inserted and then secured with the fasteners 16, 20, 22.

In the embodiment shown, the mesh 14 is measured and cut to about the size of an average palm. The border fabric trim secures the mesh 14 on the bottom and two sides to the outside of the garment 10, such as pants, shorts, or leggings. As will be appreciated, the garment 10 may alternatively be a shirt, jacket, or other garment worn about the torso. The resulting opening at the top of the chalk dispensing pocket 12 may located within arm's length on the front, side, or back of the pants, shorts, or leggings. Preferably, for use in rock climbing, the chalk dispensing pocket 12 is located on a frontal, lateral, or posterior aspect of the user's 26 thighs so that they are readily available when suspended from a rock structure. The mesh 14 retains the chalk bag 18 firmly to the leg/hip/posterior and allows the gripping chalk to pass through to the hands with a pat/tap/rub or slap of the palms or fingers. The fastener closures 16, 20, 22 secure the top of chalk dispensing pocket 12 and allow the chalk bag/pouch to be inserted when using and removed when not in use or for cleaning. The closures 16, 20, 22 reduce the chance of the chalk bag 18 dislodging or falling out under more extreme movements.

In use, the athlete or individual training, exercising, or competing, first retracts the opening at the top of the chalk dispensing pocket and inserts the quantity of gripping chalk, preferably contained in the bag 18, into the chalk dispensing pocket 12. The user 26 would then secure the closure 16, 20, 22. Then, the user 26 may begin training, exercising or competing. When in need to chalk his/her hands prior to doing an exercise or movement that requires a secure, dry grip, the user 26 can simply tap, pat, slap, rub, touch, poke, or grab the chalk dispensing pocket 12 to obtain a desired amount of chalk on his/her hands, palms, fingers or fingertips.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A chalk dispensing athletic garment, comprising:

a garment worn by a user; and

a chalk dispensing pocket disposed on the garment within reach of a user's hands, when worn, the chalk dispensing pocket comprising a mesh panel having a peripheral side edge secured to the garment defining an interior cavity between the mesh panel and an outer surface of the garment, a top opening to the interior cavity, and a fastener providing a closure for the top opening.

2. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a pair of pants having a waist opening and a pair of extending legs.

3. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 2, wherein the chalk dispensing pocket is attached to a frontal, a lateral, or a posterior aspect of at least one of the pair of extending legs.

4. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 2, wherein the chalk dispensing pocket is attached to a frontal, a lateral, or a posterior aspect of each of the pair of extending legs.

5. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 2, further comprising:

a binding disposed about the peripheral side edge of the mesh panel.

6. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 2, wherein the pair of pants is selected from the group consisting of long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.

7. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 2, further comprising:

a quantity of a gripping chalk contained within the chalk dispensing pocket.

8. The chalk dispensing athletic garment of claim 7, wherein the quantity of the gripping chalk is contained within a dispenser bag.

9. A chalk dispensing athletic pant, comprising:

a pair of pants having a waist region and a pair of legs extending from the waist region; and

a chalk dispensing pocket disposed on a frontal, a lateral, or a posterior aspect of at least one of the pair of legs within reach of a user's hands, when worn in an upright standing position, the chalk dispensing pocket having a mesh panel with a peripheral side edge secured to an outer surface of the at least one of the pair of legs defining an interior cavity between the mesh panel and the outer surface of the at least one of the pair of legs, a top opening to the interior cavity, and a fastener providing a closure for the top opening.

10. The chalk dispensing athletic pant of claim 9, further comprising:

a binding disposed about the peripheral side edge of the mesh panel.

11. The chalk dispensing athletic pant of claim 9, wherein the pair of pants is selected from the group consisting of long leg pants, leggings, and shorts.

12. The chalk dispensing athletic pant of claim 9, further comprising:

a quantity of a gripping chalk contained within the chalk dispensing pocket.

13. The chalk dispensing athletic pant of claim 12, wherein the quantity of the gripping chalk is contained within a dispenser bag.