EYEGLASS SECURING MECHANISM FOR APPAREL AND OTHER ITEMS

Abstract

An eyeglass securing mechanism for a garment configured to be worn by a user, the eyeglass securing mechanism including an elongated piece of material having first and second long sides attached to the garment and forming an elongated channel with a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the elongated channel extends vertically when the garment is worn by a user in an upright posture, and the top opening is larger than the bottom opening and the elongated channel tapers along at least a portion of its length from the top opening to the bottom opening.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/314,057 filed on Feb. 25, 2022. The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to an eyeglass securing mechanism that can be included in articles of clothing, such as shirts, pants, dresses, skirts and the like, or in other personal articles, such as backpacks, bags, etc.

INTRODUCTION

Hanging sunglasses or eyeglasses (hereinafter referred to as “eyeglasses” or “glasses” interchangeably) on an article of clothing often leads to the glasses falling off when a user moves around or bends over. All of the current solutions suffer from the same vulnerability which is that there is no system for anchoring the eyeglasses in place. Conventionally, the glasses are essentially hanging over an edge of a garment, but they are not secured to the garment and are not prevented from detachment. As a result, when a wearer of the garment moves around or bends down, the glasses can easily slip off, thus risking scratching or otherwise damaging the glasses or in some cases, losing the glasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved eyeglass securing mechanism which includes a channel with a predetermined minimum length and a width that tapers from top to bottom and is configured to prevent the glasses from slipping off and detaching from the securing mechanism. As described in more detail below, the present invention creates a longer channel that narrows from a top opening toward a bottom opening so that pressure is created along the length of the temple of the glasses, increasing the surface area that is being held tightly and preventing the glasses from moving laterally as well as up and down. Moreover, the present invention allows the angled temple tip of the glasses to pass through the narrow bottom opening and holds the glasses in a vertical position so that the glasses are less likely to fall back through the channel and detach from the garment. The angled temple tip of the eyeglasses creates counter pressure to the vertical movement necessary for the glasses to fall and makes them much more secure on the garment.

The objectives of the present invention are achieved by an eyeglass securing mechanism for a garment configured to be worn by a user, the eyeglass securing mechanism comprising an elongated piece of material having first and second long sides attached to the garment and forming an elongated channel with a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the elongated channel extends vertically when the garment is worn by a user in an upright posture, and

• • wherein the top opening is larger than the bottom opening and the elongated channel tapers along at least a portion of its length from the top opening to the bottom opening. In certain embodiments, the first long side of the elongated piece of material extends vertically when the garment is worn by a user in an upright posture and the second long side of the elongated piece is angled relative to the first long side. In some embodiments, the first long side of the elongated piece of material is attached to the garment at a first position and the second long side is attached to the garment at a second position different from the first position. The first and second long sides may be attached non-releasably to the garment or may be removable. The length of the channel between the top and bottom openings is at least 3 times longer than a width of the top opening.

The objectives of the present invention are further achieved by a garment configured to be worn by a user that includes a pocket with at least one vertical side or a front placket having a vertical side edge, and the eyeglass securing mechanism attached to one of the pocket or the front placket. When the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to the pocket, the first long side is aligned with the vertical side of the pocket and the length of the elongated channel extends along a portion of a height of the pocket. In some embodiments, the top opening of the elongated channel is aligned with a top edge of the pocket. The eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to one of an external surface of the pocket and an internal surface of the pocket. When the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to the front placket, the first long side of the eyeglass securing mechanism is aligned with a side edge of the front placket or extends adjacent to the side edge of the front placket, and the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to an external surface or an internal surface of the front placket.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the garment configured to be worn by a user has at least one length of material for covering at least a portion of the user's body and the eyeglass securing mechanism attached to a predetermined location on the at least one length of material, with the location being selected so as to be easily accessible to the user when the garment is worn. In some embodiments, the garment comprises an outer shell formed by at least one length of material, a lining forming at least a portion of an interior surface of the garment and the eyeglass securing mechanism attached to the lining. In certain embodiments, the top opening of the elongated channel of the mechanism is provided in the lining of the garment, and the elongated channel extends between the lining and the outer shell of the garment such that the bottom opening of the elongated channel opens into a space formed between the outer shell and the lining of the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-3 shows a first embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism of the present invention provided on or in a chest pocket of a shirt;

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism attached to a front placket of a shirt;

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of the eyeglass securing mechanism of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the eyeglass securing mechanism of FIGS. 1-3;

FIGS. 7-9 show a third embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism provided on a chest area of a shirt;

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged view of the eyeglass securing mechanism of FIGS. 7-9;

FIGS. 11-13 show a variation of the second embodiment of FIGS. 4-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As mentioned above, hanging sunglasses or eyeglasses on an article of clothing often leads to the glasses falling off while moving or bending over. The present invention described below solves this problem by providing the eyeglass securing mechanism described below.

In accordance with the present invention, the eyeglass securing mechanism is built into an article of clothing or into a personal article of a user, such as a bag or a backpack, and includes a narrowing or tapered channel into which a temple of the eyeglasses can be inserted so that an angled temple tip emerges on the other side of the channel. When inserted into the eyeglass securing mechanism, the eyeglasses sit vertically in the channel and the angled temple tip creates an impediment to the glasses falling out. However, the eyeglass securing mechanism also allows the glasses to be easily removed by the user when needed.

The claimed invention differs from what currently exists. Solutions to this problem currently consist of a) a loop sewn or otherwise attached to a garment through which the temple is threaded so that the glasses dangle loosely orb) a regular pocket in the garment that doesn't narrow and doesn't securely retain the temple of the eyeglasses, or c) an inlet or hole, i.e., through opening, in a pocket flap on the garment that is provided for a button to fasten but can be used to place the temple therethrough and into the pocket. None of these current solutions result in a reliable securement of the eyeglasses to the garment, allowing the eyeglasses to easily slip off. One major issue is that eyeglasses often open while hanging from a garment and the weight of the eyeglasses results in them sliding and falling off the garment. Because most glasses will open as the owner moves around, they will eventually fall off the garment.

The eyeglass securing mechanism of the present invention creates a longer or an elongated channel that narrows from a top opening toward a bottom opening so that pressure is created along the length of the temple of the eyeglasses, increasing the surface area that is being held tightly and preventing the eyeglasses from moving. In addition, the eyeglass securing mechanism of the present invention allows the angled temple tip of the eyeglasses to pass through the narrow bottom opening and holds the eyeglasses in a vertical position so that the eyeglasses are less likely to fall back through the channel and detach from the garment. The angled temple tip of the eyeglasses creates counter pressure to the vertical movement necessary for the glasses to fall, and thus makes them much more secure on the garment.

As discussed in more detail with respect to FIGS. 1-10, the elongated channel of the eyeglass securing mechanism includes a wider open end at the top and a narrower open end at the bottom thereof. When in use with eyeglasses, the narrowing or tapering of the channel guides the temple of the eyeglasses through a tightening sleeve formed by the channel, which holds the eyeglasses tighter toward the temple tip. In addition, in certain embodiments, one side of the channel preferably remains substantially vertical when the garment or article is worn or carried, while the other, opposing side narrows or tapers from the top to the bottom. In this way, the eyeglasses remain vertical and create leverage at the angled temple tip to prevent the eyeglasses from slipping out. Both the narrowing or tapering of the channel and vertical side of the channel work together to accomplish increased security for the eyeglasses and prevent the temple of the eyeglasses from disengaging and slipping out.

During use, the eyeglass temple tip is placed through the wider open top end of the channel and the entire temple slides through the channel until the temple tip emerges through the narrower open end at the bottom. As mentioned above, since one side of the channel is substantially vertical when the user and the garment/article are in an upright position or posture, while the other side of the channel narrows or tapers toward the bottom, the the temple of the eyeglasses is guided by the vertical side edge and sits in a vertical orientation.

FIGS. 1-3 of the drawings show a first embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 of the present invention implemented in a garment 1 worn by a user. FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 of FIGS. 1-3. In this illustrative embodiment, the garment 1 is a shirt, such as a button-down dress shirt, with a chest pocket. However, it is understood that the type of garment with which the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 may be used may be varied, and a similar eyeglass securing mechanism can be used with other garments, whether tops, bottoms or full garments, and including, but not limited to, polo shirts, t-shirts, tank-tops, jackets, blazers, coats, pants, jeans, skirts, dresses, sweaters, etc., or with personal articles, including, but not limited to, bags, handbags, backpacks, luggage, briefcases, etc.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 6, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 is provided on or incorporated into the chest pocket 2 of the garment adjacent to one of the vertical sidewalls of the chest pocket. Due to the positioning of the chest pocket 2 in the garment 1 of FIGS. 1-3, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 extends along the vertical sidewall of the chest pocket closer to the placket 3 of the garment. However, in some embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 may be aligned along the opposing vertical sidewall of the chest pocket provided that access to the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 is comfortable to the user, particularly in light of the positioning of the chest pocket on the garment and its dimensions.

In the illustrative example of FIGS. 1-3, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 comprises an elongated piece of material, which may be woven or knit fabric, flexible or semi-flexible plastic or polymer, or other flexible or semi-flexible material. In some embodiments, the elongated piece of material is formed from the same material as the garment to which it is attached in order to provide continuity in appearance. However, in other embodiments, the elongated piece of material may be made from other materials, e.g., clear plastic, contrasting material or distinct material, in order to create a specific appearance or to hide its appearance relative to the garment.

The elongated piece of material includes first and second opposing long sides 12a, 12b, each of which is attached to the chest pocket using suitable means, such as stitching, adhesive, etc., to form a channel between the opposing long sides 12a, 12b and between the elongated piece of material and an overlapping portion of the chest pocket. In the illustrative example of FIGS. 1-3, the first long side 12a is substantially aligned with a vertical side wall of the chest pocket 2, while the second long side 12b is attached to an inner surface of the chest pocket 2, or an outer surface of the chest pocket 2. As can be seen, the second long side 12b is not parallel to the first long side 12b and is angled relative to the first long side 12a so that the elongated piece of material narrows or tapers from its top edge 12c in a direction of its bottom edge 12d. In the illustrative example of FIGS. 1-3, the top edge 12c of the elongated piece of material is aligned with a top edge of the chest pocket 2 and the length of the elongated piece of material extends partially along the height (or depth) of the chest pocket, leaving some space between the bottom edge 12d of the elongated piece of material and a bottom edge of the chest pocket. The top and bottom edges 12c, 12d of the elongated piece of material are not attached to the shirt pocket and form top and bottom openings to access the channel extending between the first and second long sides 12a, 12b. As discussed above, the top opening formed at the top edge 12c has a greater width than the bottom opening formed at the bottom edge 12d, and the channel formed between the first and second long sides 12a, 12b narrows or tapers from the top opening at the top edge 12c to the bottom opening at the bottom edge 12d. The tapering of the channel in FIGS. 1-3 is gradual. However, in some embodiments, the shape of the long sides 12a, 12b may be varied so that the tapering may only extend along a portion of the length of the channel.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1-2, when a user wishes to store their eyeglasses 4, the user takes one of the eyeglass temples and inserts a tip of the temple into the top opening at the top edge 12c of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10. The user then passes the temple through the channel formed by the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 until the tip of the temple extends out from the bottom opening at the bottom edge 10d of the eyeglass securing mechanism. As can be seen in FIGS. 2-3, after the temple is inserted into the channel of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10, a corresponding hinge of the eyeglasses rests on the top edge of the pocket 2, in a case where the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to the inside surface of the pocket 2, and/or the temple tip rests on the bottom of the chest pocket 2. Alternatively, in a case where the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to the outer surface of the pocket 2, the corresponding hinge of the eyeglasses will rest on the top edge 12c of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10. As discussed above, the narrowing or tapering of the channel toward the bottom edge holds the temple tighter near the bottom of the eyeglass securing mechanism so that the angled temple tip is prevented from slipping out. At the same time, the vertical edge of the first long side 12a keeps the temple and the eyeglasses substantially vertical. These features securely hold the eyeglasses attached to the garment and prevent slipping out of the temple from the eyeglass securing mechanism.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 6, the elongated piece of material of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 is sized so that the eyeglass temple can be inserted and passed through the channel and has sufficient length to provide securing of the eyeglasses to the garment. In addition, the widths of the top and bottom edges 12c, 12d are such that the temple is prevented from increased movement, either vertically or laterally. In one illustrative embodiment, the length of the channel formed by the elongated piece of material is at least three times greater than a width of the opening formed at the top edge 12c, and in some embodiments, the length of the channel is at least four times greater than the width of the opening at the top edge 12c, or at least five times greater than the width of the opening at the top edge 12c. The width of the opening formed by the top edge 12c is at least ⅓ inch, and in some embodiments, at least ½ inch and preferably, at least ¾ inch, or in some cases, around 1 inch. The width of the opening formed by the bottom edge 12d is at least ⅓ inch and in some embodiments, at least ½ inch, and preferably, around ⅔ inch, and in any case, the width is smaller than the width of the opening formed by the top edge 12c. For example, the length/height of the elongated piece of material may be 3.5 inches, the width of the top edge 12c may be 1 inch and the width of the bottom edge 12c may be 11/16 inches, with a variation of about ±10% in these values, and in some cases, the variation is ±5%.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 and 6, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 can be attached visibly to the outer surface of the chest pocket, or the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 may be concealed within the chest pocket by attaching the elongated piece of material to the inside surface of the pocket. In some embodiments, the elongated piece of material of the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 is attached to one of the inner surfaces of the chest pocket, i.e., an inner surface facing the user's body and into the pocket or an inner surface facing away from the user's body and into the pocket. For example, in certain embodiments, the first long side 12a of the elongated piece of material is attached to the vertical side of the chest pocket, e.g., sewn into the vertical side of the chest pocket, or adjacent to the vertical side of the chest pocket, while the second long side 12b is attached to the fabric that forms the outer wall of the chest pocket. In this way, the channel of the eyeglass securing mechanism is formed on the inner surface of the fabric forming the outer wall outer wall of the chest pocket. In other embodiments, the first long side 12a is attached to or adjacent to the vertical side of the chest pocket, while the second long side 12b is attached to the body of the garment inside the chest pocket 2.

In yet other embodiments, the first long side 12a of the elongated piece of material is attached to the inside surface of the outer wall of the chest pocket near the vertical side of the chest pocket, while the second long side 12b is attached to the body of the garment within the chest pocket also near the vertical side of the chest pocket. In further embodiments, both first and second long sides 12a, 12b of the elongated piece of material may be attached to or adjacent to the vertical side of the chest pocket at substantially the same location, either inside or outside of the chest pocket, so that the elongated piece of material forms the entire circumference of the channel for passing the temple of the eyeglasses, i.e., the elongated piece of material forms an elongated loop. Furthermore, although positioning of the eyeglass securing mechanism adjacent a vertical side of the pocket creates convenience for the user and a more secure attachment between the eyeglasses and the garment, in some embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism may be shifted away from the vertical side of the chest pocket and may be positioned more centrally along the width of the chest pocket.

FIGS. 4-5 show a second embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 of the present invention, which is provided along the front placket 3 of the garment 1. FIGS. 11-13 show a variation of the second embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 in which the mechanism 20 is concealed from view and is provided on the inside surface of the placket rather than the outside. As in the first embodiment, the garment is a button-down shirt with a front button placket. However, it is understood that the same or similar configuration of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 may be used with other types of garments or personal articles. Furthermore, the specific positioning of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 along the front placket 3 of the garment, near the top portion of the placket, as shown in FIGS. 4-5 and FIGS. 11-13, is convenient for the user when accessing the channel of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20. However, in other embodiments, this positioning may be changed, particularly when used with other types of garments or with garments or articles that do not have front plackets.

As shown in FIGS. 4-5 and FIGS. 11-13, the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 comprises an elongated piece of material, similar to the eyeglass securing mechanism 10 of FIGS. 1-3. The elongated piece of material of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 may be woven or knit fabric, flexible or semi-flexible plastic or polymer, or other flexible or semi-flexible material. The elongated piece of material may be formed from the same material as the garment to which it is attached or from other materials, e.g., clear plastic, depending on the desired appearance.

As in FIGS. 1-3, the elongated piece of material of the mechanism 20 of FIGS. 4-5 and 11-13 includes first and second opposing long sides 22a, 22b which are attached to the front placket 3 by sewing, stitching, adhesive, or other suitable methods so as to form an elongated channel therebetween. In FIGS. 4-5 and 11-13, the first long side 22a is substantially aligned with an edge of the front placket 3 while the second long side 22b is attached to an outer surface of the front placket 3. Similar to the first embodiment, the first and second long sides 22a, 22b are not parallel to one another and one of the first and the second long sides 22a, 22b is angled relative to the other of the first and second long sides 22a, 22b. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-5 and 11-13, the first long side 22a extends vertically along the edge of the front placket 3, while the second long side 22b is angled relative to the first long side 22b so that the channel in the eyeglass securing mechanism narrows or tapers from a top edge 22c to a bottom edge 22d thereof. The tapering of the channel may be gradual, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 12, or in some embodiments, the tapering may be provided along a portion of the channel length rather than the entire length. As in the first embodiment, the top and bottom edges 22c, 22d are not attached or secured to the front placket 3 so as to form openings for accessing the channel, and the width of the top edge 22c is greater than the width of the bottom edge 22d.

As in the first embodiment, the elongated piece of material of the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 of FIGS. 4-5 and 11-13 is sized so that the eyeglass temple can be inserted and passed through the channel therein and has sufficient length to securely hold the eyeglasses and to prevent the temple from slipping out. As in the first embodiment, the length of the channel formed by the elongated piece of material is at least three times greater than a width of the opening formed at the top edge 22c, and in some embodiments, the length of the channel is at least four times greater than the width of the opening at the top edge 22c, or at least five times greater than the width of the opening at the top edge 22c. The exemplary dimensions of the elongated piece of the securing mechanism 20 of FIGS. 4-5 and 11-13 are similar to those of the mechanism 10 of FIGS. 1-3.

Although the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 of FIGS. 4-5 is attached visibly to the outer surface of the front placket 3 which faces outwardly when the shirt is buttoned up, in other embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 may be similarly attached to the opposing surface of the front placket 3 so as to be hidden from view, as shown in FIGS. 11-13. In this way, the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 does not create a distraction to third parties and to the user and does not affect the appearance of the garment.

In yet other embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 may be attached at or along another edge 5 of the shirt, which underlies the front placket when the shirt is buttoned up, either on the outer surface or the inner surface. Although the mechanism 20 has its first long side 22a attached along the edge of the front placket, in other embodiments, the position of the mechanism may be shifted away from the edge so that the first long side 22a is not aligned with the edge of the placket.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-5 and 11-13, the first and second long sides 22a, 22b of the elongated piece of material are attached to the placket 3 at different places so that the elongated piece of material forms a portion of the channel and the underlying placket forms another portion of the channel. In other embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism 20 may be modified so that the long sides 22a, 22b of the elongated piece of material are attached to the placket in the same or substantially the same location so that the elongated piece of material forms the entire circumference of the channel or most of the circumference of the channel (if the first and second long sides 22a, 22b are attached at locations spaced from one another). In such embodiments, the dimensions of the elongated piece of material, particularly the width of the elongated piece of material, will be different from those discussed above so that the resulting channel formed by the mechanism 20 has a similar width/circumference. In either case, the width of the top opening at the top edge 22c is larger than the width of the bottom opening at the bottom edge 22d so as to form a narrowing or tapering channel of the mechanism 20.

FIGS. 7-10 show a third embodiment of the eyeglass securing mechanism 30 which is provided on a shirt garment that does not have a chest pocket. The construction of the eyeglass securing mechanism 30 is substantially the same as the construction of the mechanisms 10, 20 of FIGS. 1-6 and 11-13, and thus, detailed description thereof is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 7-10, the eyeglass securing mechanism 30 includes an elongated piece of material with first and second long sides 33a, 33b, each of which is attached to the outer surface of the garment at or near the chest area of a wearer. Top and bottom edges 33c, 33d of the elongated piece of material are not attached to the garment, creating a through channel for inserting the temple of the eyeglasses. As in the other embodiments described above, the width of the top edge 33c is greater than the width of the bottom edge 33d and the width of the channel narrows or tapers from top to bottom of the mechanism. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-10, the first long side 33a is substantially vertical when the garment is worn by a user in an upright posture, while the second long side 33b is angled relative to the first long side 33b. In other variations, the second long side 33b may be substantially vertical while the first long side 33a is angled relative thereto, or both the first and second long sides 33a, 33b may be angled relative to one another so as to create a funnel-shaped channel.

As in the other embodiments, the mechanism 30 may be formed as an elongated loop structure, wherein the first and second long sides 33a, 33b are attached at the same location on the garment or adjacent to one another, so that the entire or most of the channel circumference is formed by the elongated piece of material of the mechanism 30.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7-10, the mechanism 30 is provided on the outer surface of the garment. In other embodiments, the elongated piece of material of the mechanism 30 may be attached to the inner surface of the garment and a through opening may be provided in the garment at a position corresponding to the top edge 33c of the channel, while the bottom opening corresponding to the bottom edge 33d of the channel opens inside the garment. In this way, a user can insert the temple through the opening in the garment and into the channel formed by the mechanism 30, with the temple tip extending through the bottom opening formed by the bottom edge 33d of the channel.

In still other embodiments, such as where the garment comprises outerwear (e.g., blazer, coat, jacket, vest, sweater coat, etc.), the mechanism 30 may be provided on the inner surface of the garment with access from inside the garment. In such embodiments, the elongated piece of material may be attached to the inner surface of the garment, without requiring a through opening in the garment. In some embodiments, the mechanism 30 may be constructed as an elongated narrowing/tapered pocket-like channel that is incorporated into an outer surface, an inner surface or a lining of the garment with a top opening accessible to the wearer for inserting the temple, and a bottom opening at the bottom edge of the channel that is not accessible or visible from the surface where the top opening is located.

Other Embodiments

In the above-described embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10, 20, 30 is attached to a garment worn on a top of a user, e.g., a shirt, jacket, t-shirt, sweater, blazer, etc. As mentioned above, the mechanism may also be implemented in other types of garments, such as dresses, pants, skirts, etc., or in personal articles, such as bags, backpacks, etc., as well as in other locations of the garments discussed above. For example, when the mechanism 10, 20, 30 is implemented in pants, jeans or skirts, the mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be attached to a waist portion of the garment, preferably in the front and offset to the side or on the side of the waist portion. In another example, the mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be provided on an arm of a shirt or other type of top, or on a pant leg, such as along an outer side seam of the pant leg.

The mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be provided as a standalone structure, similar to FIGS. 4-5 and 7-13, or incorporated into an existing pocket, similar to FIGS. 1-3 and 6. For example, the mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be incorporated into a front or a back pocket of jeans, pants, a skirt or a dress and may be provided on the outside or inside of the pocket, and in some embodiments may be fully overlapping with the pocket structure or only partially overlapping with the pocket structure, e.g., with a top portion of the channel extending above the pocket.

The mechanism 10, 20, 30 may also be incorporated into a personal article, such as a bag or a backpack. Similar to the embodiments described above, the mechanism may be provided on the exterior of the article or on the interior, and may be part of a pocket or standalone.

As mentioned above, the mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be incorporated into lining of a garment, such as a coat, jacket, blazer, etc., and may be formed as an elongated narrowing/tapered pocket-like channel. Similarly, the mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be incorporated into a lining of a personal article, such as into a lining of a handbag or a beach bag. In such embodiments, the pocket-like channel is formed from one or more pieces of material so that the channel has a user-accessible, wider top opening in the lining for inserting the temple of the eyeglasses, and an internal, narrower, bottom opening of the channel within or under the lining of the garment or article for passing the temple tip therethrough. The pocket-like channel has a similar structure to the channel described above wherein the channel extends substantially vertically with the garment or article being in an upright position/posture and the channel narrows or tapers from top to bottom. Also, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-13, a first long side of the channel extends substantially vertically when the garment or article is upright, while a second long side of the channel is angled relative to the first long side. In yet other embodiments, both first and second long sides of the channel are angled relative to one another, so as to create a funnel-like configuration with a narrowing or tapering channel from top to bottom.

In the embodiments described in FIGS. 1-13, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10, 20, 30 is securely and non-detachably attached to the garment or article. However, in other embodiments, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be removable from the garment or article. For example, the eyeglass securing mechanism 10, 20, 30 may be attached to the surface of the garment using fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners (Velcro®), snap fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, zippers, or other suitable fasteners. In a case where the first and second long sides of the piece of material are attached at offset locations on the garment or article, each of the first and second long sides are detachably/removably attached to corresponding portions of the garment or article. In a case where the first and second long sides of the piece of material are attached at the same location on the garment or article, the first and second long sides may be secured to one another, such as by sewing, adhesive, etc., and then one of the first and second long sides is detachably/removably attached to a corresponding portion of the garment or article using suitable fasteners.

In all cases it is understood that the above-described arrangements are merely illustrative of the many possible specific embodiments which represent applications of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with the principles of the present invention without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An eyeglass securing mechanism for a garment configured to be worn by a user, the eyeglass securing mechanism comprising:

an elongated piece of material having first and second long sides attached to the garment and forming an elongated channel with a top opening and a bottom opening,

wherein the elongated channel extends vertically when the garment is worn by a user in an upright posture, and

wherein the top opening is larger than the bottom opening and the elongated channel tapers along at least a portion of its length from the top opening to the bottom opening.

2. The eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first long side of the elongated piece of material extends vertically when the garment is worn by a user in an upright posture and the second long side of the elongated piece is angled relative to the first long side.

3. The eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first long side of the elongated piece of material is attached to the garment at a first position and the second long side is attached to the garment at a second position different from the first position.

4. The eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second long sides of the elongated piece of material are non-releasably attached to the garment.

5. The eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1, wherein a length of the channel between the top and bottom openings is at least 3 times longer than a width of the top opening.

6. A garment configured to be worn by a user comprising:

a pocket including at least a first vertical side; and

the eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1 attached to the pocket,

wherein the first long side of the eyeglass securing mechanism is aligned with the first vertical side of the pocket and the length of the elongated channel extends along a portion of a height of the pocket.

7. The garment in accordance with claim 6, wherein the pocket includes a top edge and wherein the top opening of the channel is aligned with the top edge of the pocket.

8. The garment in accordance with claim 6, wherein the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to one of an external surface of the pocket and an internal surface of the pocket.

9. The garment in accordance with claim 6, wherein the pocket of the garment and the eyeglass securing mechanism are formed from the same type of fabric.

10. The garment in accordance with claim 6, wherein the eyeglass securing mechanism is removably attached to the pocket.

11. A garment configured to be worn by a user comprising:

a front placket having a side edge; and

the eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1 attached to the front placket, wherein the first long side of the eyeglass securing mechanism is one of aligned with and extending adjacent to the side edge of the front placket and the length of the elongated channel extends along a portion of a length of the front placket.

12. The garment in accordance with claim 11, wherein the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to one of an external surface of the front placket and an internal surface of the front placket.

13. The garment configured to be worn by a user comprising:

at least one length material for covering at least a portion of the user's body; and

the eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1 attached to a predetermined location on the at least one length of material,

wherein the predetermined location is easily accessible to the user when the garment is worn.

14. The garment in accordance with claim 13, wherein the garment has an internal surface facing a user's body when the garment is worn and an opposing external surface, and wherein the eyeglass securing mechanism is attached to the external surface of the garment.

15. The garment in accordance with claim 13, wherein the garment comprises one of a shirt, a t-shirt, a polo shirt, a tank top, a jacket, a coat, a blazer, pants, jeans, a dress and a skirt.

16. The garment in accordance with claim 13, wherein the garment further comprises a pocket and the eyeglass securing mechanism is incorporated into the pocket.

17. The garment in accordance with claim 13, wherein the eyeglass securing mechanism is concealed from view when the garment is worn by a user.

18. The garment configured to be worn by a user comprising:

an outer shell formed by at least one length of material;

a lining forming at least a portion of an interior surface of the garment; and

the eyeglass securing mechanism in accordance with claim 1 attached to the lining.

19. The garment in accordance with claim 18, wherein the top opening of the elongated channel is provided in the lining of the garment and the elongated channel extends between the lining and the outer shell of the garment such that the bottom opening of the elongated channel opens into a space formed between the outer shell and the lining of the garment.