Abstract:
The invention provides a hooded sweatshirt with an elongated collar for improved cold protection. The elongated collar resides within the interior of the hood of the sweatshirt and provides a close fit at the neck region.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/691,130 filed Aug. 20, 2012, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Sweatshirts are important protective garments during the cool seasons. Sweatshirts are among the most popular garments in the sporting world, worn by athletes at all levels of competition in practice and off the field during cold, windy weather. Many sweatshirts are hooded sweatshirts, where a hood is sewn to the collar of the sweatshirt to provide additional head warming. 
         [0003]    However, one disadvantage of sweatshirts is that they feature loose-fitting collars, and cold air can readily enter through these openings. While hoods ameliorate this problem to some extent, they do not solve it as hood openings are also broad and loose-fitting. Sweatshirt hoods are generally constructed from large, thick pieces of material. Although existing solutions such as drawstrings or cords allow sweatshirt hoods to be tightened, these solutions still do not achieve ideal fits. Thus, existing sweatshirts, including hooded sweatshirts, are generally limited as casual wear as they do not provide thorough protection against cold weather and winds, especially in outdoor sporting settings. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The invention provides a hooded sweatshirt with an elongated protective collar situated within the hood. The elongated collar can be attached to the hooded sweatshirt at the neck circumference of the hooded sweatshirt inside the hood or attached to the neck circumference of the hooded sweatshirt through a yoke disposed between the elongated collar and the neck circumference of the sweatshirt. 
         [0005]    In one aspect, the invention provides a hooded sweatshirt that includes a hood seamed to the sweatshirt at a neck circumference of the sweatshirt and an elongated collar seamed to the sweatshirt at the neck circumference interior to the hood. In some embodiment, the hooded sweatshirt has an elongated collar that is seamed to the neck circumference at both circumferential edges of the elongated collar. In some embodiment, the elongated collar is seamed to the neck circumference at one circumferential edge of the elongated collar. In some embodiments, the hooded sweatshirt is made of a material that includes a knitted fabric. In some embodiments, the hooded sweatshirt is made of a material that includes cotton, cotton and polyester, fleece, wool or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the hooded sweatshirt includes a front muff pocket and/or a drawstring enclosed in a casing at the opening of the hood. 
         [0006]    In some embodiment, the elongated collar of the hooded sweatshirt is seamed to the neck circumference through a circular strip of material, the circular strip of material having a first circumferential edge to which the elongated collar is seemed and a second circumferential edge which is seemed to the neck circumference. In some embodiment, the circular strip of material is a ribbing band or a knit-ribbed band. In some embodiment, the circular strip of material is an elastic band. In some embodiment, the elongated collar is seamed to the circular strip of material at both circumferential edges of the elongated collar. In some embodiment, the elongated collar is seamed to the circular strip of material at one circumferential edge of the elongated collar. In some embodiment, the hooded sweatshirt is made of material that includes a knitted fabric. In some embodiment, the hooded sweatshirt is made of material that includes cotton, cotton and polyester, fleece or wool. In some embodiment, the hooded sweatshirt includes a front muff pocket. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, the invention provides a hooded sweatshirt comprising: a sweatshirt; a hood seamed to the sweatshirt at a neck circumference of the sweatshirt; and an elongated collar seamed to the sweatshirt at the neck circumference interior to the hood. In some embodiments, the elongated collar is seamed to the neck circumference at a first circumferential edge of a circular band of material, and the circular band of material is seamed at a second circumferential edge to the neck circumference. In some embodiments, the circular strip of material is a ribbing band or a knit-ribbed band. In some embodiments, the circular strip of material is an elastic band. In some embodiments, the elongated collar is seamed to the neck circumference at both circumferential edges of the elongated collar. In some embodiments, the elongated collar is seamed to the neck circumference at one circumferential edge of the elongated collar. In some embodiments, the elongated collar is seamed to the circular band of material at both circumferential edges of the elongated collar. In some embodiments, the elongated collar is seamed to the circular band of material at one circumferential edge of the elongated collar. 
         [0008]    One or more of the embodiments of the present invention provide a hooded sweatshirt with an elongated protective collar. While the hood of the sweatshirt provides one layer of cold protection, the elongated collar, situated within the hood, further buffers cold air from the body, especially the neck. The elongated collar is connected to the circumference of the neck of the sweatshirt by a yoke. The yoke is a circular band of material seamed to the circumference of the neck and the circumference of the elongated collar. The yoke may be an elastic band serving to draw in the circumference of the neck. The elongated collar may be a ribbing band or knit-ribbed band, and may be a mock turtleneck collar or a turtleneck collar. 
         [0009]    Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0010]    Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice the invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. 
         [0011]    All patents and publications referenced or mentioned herein are indicative of the levels of skill of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and each such referenced patent or publication is hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if it had been incorporated by reference in its entirety individually or set forth herein in its entirety. Applicants reserve the right to physically incorporate into this specification any and all materials and information from any such cited patents or publications. 
         [0012]    Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are front and rear views, respectively, of sweatshirt  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the neck area of sweatshirt  100  showing elongated collar  140  attached to yoke  130  and disposed in the neck area of sweatshirt  100  inside hood  120  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are top perspective views of the neck area of sweatshirt  100  showing elongated collar  140  attached to yoke  130  as viewed from the outside of sweatshirt  100  ( 3 A, hood and sweatshirt shown in dotted lines) and as viewed when sweatshirt  100  is turned inside out ( 3 B). 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The invention provides a hooded sweatshirt with an elongated protective collar situated within the hood. The elongated collar can be attached to the hooded sweatshirt at the neck circumference of the hooded sweatshirt inside the hood or attached to the neck circumference of the hooded sweatshirt through a yoke disposed between the elongated collar and the neck circumference of the sweatshirt. 
         [0017]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrates a sweatshirt  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The sweatshirt  100  has a neck circumference  110  ( FIG. 1A ,  2 ). Hood  120  is seamed to neck circumference  110  at neck seam  111  at the circumferential edge of neck circumference  110  ( FIG. 1A ,  2 ,  3 A). Yoke  130  is further seamed, at its bottom circumferential edge, to neck circumference  110  at neck seam  111  ( FIG. 2 ,  3 A- 3 B). Yoke  130  is a circular band of material, which may be formed from a ribbing band or knit-ribbed band, which is a flexible and stretchable strip of material knitted in a rib pattern. Yoke  130  may furthermore be an elastic band, which is a band of fabric knitted or woven from a core stretchable substance, such as rubber or synthetic fiber strands, as well as one or more other fibers such as cotton, polyester, silk, yarn, synthetic fibers, or any combination thereof. Yoke  130  is cut to a predetermined length, which, in embodiments of the present invention, may be between  26  and  40  inches. Yoke  130  is established at neck seam  111  to draw in the edge of neck circumference  110  to the predetermined length of yoke  130 . Elongated collar  140  is seamed to the yoke  130  at the top circumferential edge of the yoke  130  at seam  113  ( FIG. 2 ,  3 A- 3 B). 
         [0018]    Sweatshirt  100  may be formed from a knitted, woven, or napped fabric structure, such as fleece or any other fabric structure suitable for warmth retention and wind protection. The fabric structure may be formed from natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic fibers such as cotton, polyester, wool, nylon, rayon, acrylic, or any other fiber suitable for knitted, woven, or napped fabric structures, as well as any combinations of the foregoing fibers. Sweatshirt  100  may further include a piece of material seamed to its front to form muff pocket  160 . 
         [0019]    Elongated collar  140  is a circular collar ( FIG. 1-3 ). Elongated collar  140  may be formed from a ribbing band or knit-ribbed band. The ribbing band or knit-ribbed band may have a height of at least 2 ½ inches and may have a circumference between  12  and  18  inches. Elongated collar  140  may be a mock turtleneck collar, where an elongated, circular collar is folded over once and seamed to yoke  130  at both ends. Elongated collar  140  may also be a turtleneck collar, where an elongated, circular collar is seamed to the yoke  130  at one end but is free at the other end. 
         [0020]    Hood  120  may be any hood suitable for wearing with a sweatshirt. Hood  120  may have a drawstring or cord  150  for controlling the circumference of hood  120 , enclosed by casing  155  established at the opening of hood  120 . The base of hood  120  is seamed to neck circumference  110  at neck seam  111  so as to coincide with the base of yoke  130 . 
         [0021]    In embodiments of the present invention, all seaming at an edge of any material seamed may provide a seam allowance from the edge of the material seamed. For example, a seam allowance may be ⅜ of an inch from the edge of the material seamed. 
         [0022]    The present invention provides a cold protection garment that provides a loose layer of warming material, along with an inner close-fitting collar that protects against cold air and winds. While providing comfortable casual wear appropriate for athletic settings, it also secures a major area of heat loss, the neck, from cold weather. The practicality of this invention makes it suitable as work clothing for a variety of professions involving outdoor work during fall, winter, and spring. 
         [0023]    Summary of items shown in the drawings: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Item No. 
                 Description 
                 FIG. No. 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 100 
                 Sweatshirt 
                 1A-1B 
               
               
                 110 
                 Neck circumference 
                 1A, 2 
               
               
                 111 
                 Neck seam 
                 1A, 2, 3A-3B 
               
               
                 113 
                 Collar-yoke seem 
                 2, 3A-3B 
               
               
                 120 
                 Hood 
                 1A, 1B, 2 
               
               
                 130 
                 Yoke 
                 2, 3A-3B 
               
               
                 140 
                 Elongated collar 
                 1A, 2, 3A-3B 
               
               
                 150 
                 Drawstring 
                 1A, 2 
               
               
                 155 
                 Drawstring casing 
                 1A 
               
               
                 160 
                 Muff pocket 
                 1A 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0024]    The specific embodiments of the invention described above do not limit the scope of the invention described in the claims. 
       OTHER EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    While the invention has been described in conjunction with the detailed description, the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. The specific elements, embodiments and applications described herein are exemplary and not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Other objects, aspects, and embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of this specification, and are encompassed within the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the claims. Varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, or limitation or limitations, which is not specifically disclosed herein as essential. As the terms and expressions that have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intent in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalent of the features shown and described or portions thereof. Thus, it will be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Under no circumstances may the patent application be interpreted to be limited to the specific examples or embodiments or methods specifically disclosed herein. In addition, the invention has been described broadly and generically herein. Each of the narrower species and subgeneric groupings falling within the generic disclosure also form part of the invention. Further, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.