Abstract:
Trousers containing an integral lap-mounted bowl, plate, or cupholder, or fastenings for a removable bowl, plate, or drinking vessel to be temporarily affixed to the lap area.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/838,257 having filing date Jun. 22, 2013. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]    The invention relates generally to clothing and dinnerware, and particularly to the integration of dinnerware with garments. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]    The invention provides a novel and enjoyable convenience for serving food and eating in locations and/or situations lacking a table, such as movie theatres, campfires, cars, and when lounging on the couch. The invention provides a bowl built into the lap of the wearer&#39;s clothing. Such a bowl can hold food conveniently on the wearer&#39;s lap in an enjoyable way. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a garment in the general form of trousers, which includes a bowl, plate, drinking vessel, or other container (hereinafter “vessel”), located on the front of the garment at the junction of the trouser legs, so that its concavity will open upwards when the wearer is sitting or reclining. 
         [0005]    In another aspect, the vessel may be of rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible construction, In another aspect, the vessel may be suitable for use with food, permitting the wearer to eat and/or drink therefrom. 
         [0006]    In another aspect, the vessel may be permanently affixed to the trousers, or may be temporarily or semi-permanently affixed to the trousers by means of suitable fasteners including, but not limited to, snap fasteners, zippers, hook-and-loop pads, laces, and adhesive tape. In another aspect, the vessel may be separate from the trousers, the trousers having a pocket for containing the vessel. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, the vessel may be a commonly-available bowl, plate, or drinking vessel, or a commercial food or beverage package. In another aspect, the vessel may be a special-purpose item designed to fit the trousers. In another aspect, such a special-purpose vessel may be an inflatable bowl, which in another aspect may have an inflator unit for inflating the bowl. 
         [0008]    In another aspect, the trousers may include a flap for closing the concavity of the vessel. In another aspect, the trousers may include fastenings for temporarily closing the flap. In another aspect, the flap may include a liquid-impermeable membrane and/or an apparatus for sealing the vessel. 
         [0009]    With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a general anterior view of the invention in the standing position, illustrating the general configuration and features thereof, according to an embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a general view of the invention in the sitting position, showing the general configuration and features thereof, according to an embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention, illustrating the general configuration and the movable and separable components thereof. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  depicts the anterior aspect of an embodiment of the invention, indicated generally by reference number  100 . A lower-torso covering  112 , continuous with leg coverings  114  of arbitrary length  107 , form trousers  105  of arbitrary length  108 . A concave bowl of rigid or flexible construction  120 , is affixed to the trousers  105  proximate to the junction  117  of the leg coverings  114  and lower-torso covering  112 . 
         [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts a general view of an embodiment of the invention, indicated generally by reference number  200 , in a sitting position. Trousers  205  cover the lower torso and legs of the wearer  201 . A bowl  220 , having a flexible bottom  221 , a semi-rigid cylindrical wall  222 , and a flexible rim  223 , is affixed to the trousers  205 . The location of the bowl  220  on the trousers  205  causes the bowl  220  to sit concave-up on the wearer&#39;s ( 201 ) lap when the wearer  201  is sitting or reclining A flexible cover flap  230 , affixed to the trousers  205  proximate to the bowl  220 , may be manually raised to the illustrated configuration to expose the bowl  220 . The cover flap  230  may be manually positioned to cover the bowl  220 , and temporarily affixed using hook-and-loop pads  235 . 
         [0015]      FIG. 3  depicts an exploded general view of an embodiment of the invention, indicated generally by reference number  300 , in a sitting position. Trousers  305  cover the lower torso and upper legs of the wearer  301 . The trousers  305  incorporate at least one pocket  309 , and a bowl pocket  325 , consisting of a bottom  326  and a cylindrical wall  327 , an opening  328 , and hook-and-loop pads  329 . 
         [0016]    An inflatable bowl  320  has a bottom  321 , a cylindrical inflatable wall  322 , a rim  323 , and an inflator unit  340 . Hook-and-loop pads  324  affixed to the underside of the rim  323  permit temporary fixation of the bowl in the bowl pocket  325 . A flexible tube  341  conducts pressurized air from the inflator unit  340  to the cylindrical inflatable wall  322 , permitting inflation of the cylindrical inflatable wall  322  by operation of the inflator unit  340 . 
         [0017]    The bowl pocket  325  and the inflatable bowl  320  have approximately equal depth and diameter, permitting insertion of the bowl  320  into the bowl pocket  325 , with temporary fixation by means of the hook-and-loop pads  324 ,  329 . 
         [0018]    An opening  328  in the bowl pocket  325  permits insertion of the inflator unit  340  and flexible tube  341  through the trousers, and storage of the inflator unit  340  in the trouser pocket  309 . 
         [0019]    Although the inventions have been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, including embodiments that do not include all of the features and benefits set forth herein. Accordingly, the invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
         [0020]    Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.