Abstract:
A clothing item for retaining, displaying, and allowing operation of a portable electronic device. The clothing item includes an article of clothing, such as a shirt, formed of a material. A generally rectangular clear plastic front is permanently affixed along two sides edges and a bottom edge to the material of the article of clothing by permanent means, such as by stitch lines, to form a pocket, the clear plastic front having a front facing surface and a rear facing surface, wherein at least one of the rear facing surface of the clear plastic front and the material of the shirt in the vicinity of the pocket have an anti-slip surface texture or property. Indicia, such as images and/or text are preferably located on the article of clothing in the vicinity of the pocket, which indicia is at least partially viewable through the clear plastic front.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/380,086, filed Sep. 3, 2010, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to clothing items, and more particularly a shirt or other piece of clothing that has a clear pocket sized to fit a portable electronic device with audio and/or video playback features, such as a device with a touch screen, control panel, and/or control buttons, which allows the touch screen, control panel, and/or control buttons to be accessed and activated while the device is in the pocket, and which further allows the device, and any image on the device, to be seen while retained in the pocket. 
         [0003]    The use of portable audio and/or video players, such as the popular line of Apple® brand of iPod®, iPod Touch®, and even iPad® devices, etc., and like compressed file (e.g., MP3 (audio) and MP4 (video), etc.) players, and cellular phones, e.g., iPhone® with touch screens and audio and video playback and live playback and streaming features have grown dramatically in recent years. There are currently numerous holders for these device. Some of these holders include a strap which is wrapped around a user&#39;s arm for holding these electronic devices. Other holders have clips or straps for holding the device to belt, etc. Some users simply place the device in a pocket of their clothing, and if they wish to access the device, e.g., to control the device or show the device to others, they must first remove the device from his/her pocket. Other users will simply opt to hold the device in their hands so that they can readily access the device&#39;s controls and show the device (e.g., to share photos or a video) to others. This is inconvenient since the hands are occupied, and device can be dropped or lost. 
         [0004]    There accordingly remains a need for a holder that allows a portable electronic device to be readily accessed and also seen by third parties. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The invention is a shirt or other clothing item to be worn that has a clear pocket sized to fit a portable electronic device with audio and/or video playback features, such as a device with a touch screen, control panel, and/or control buttons, which allows the touch screen, control panel, and/or control buttons to be accessed and activated while the device is in the pocket, and which further allows the device, and any image on the device, to be seen while retained in the pocket. 
         [0006]    The clear pocket comprises a section of clear plastic material that is attached to the shirt or other clothing item to be worn with stitching or is otherwise permanently attached, e.g., with adhesive, sonic welding, rivets, etc. The clear pocket may be completely open at its top, or can include a snap or other closure to prevent the portable electronic device from inadvertently falling out of the clear pocket 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a first exemplary embodiment of a detail of a shirt with a clear pocket of the invention for holding a portable electronic device. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a photograph of a exemplary embodiment of a detail of a shirt with a clear pocket of the invention for holding a portable electronic devices. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a detail showing a snap for retaining an open top of the pocket closed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    Turning first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a first exemplary embodiment of a clothing item  10  of the invention. In  FIG. 1 , it is in the form of an article of clothing, such as a shirt  12  with a clear pocket front  14  for holding a portable electronic device  20 . The clear pocket front  14  is preferably formed of a clear or at least partially transparent plastic material that is safe in a clothes washer and dryer and will not harden, curl, yellow, discolor, or rip. The clear pocket front will preferably be generally rectangular in shape to accommodate the portable electronic device  20 , but could have other shapes. Pocket materials such as heat resistant vinyl will function well. The clear pocket front  14  will allow a screen and touchpad of the portable electronic device to be seen and operated, and will allow the electronic device, as well as any image appearing thereon, e.g., photographs, videos, etc., to be seen through the clear pocket front  14 . The clear pocket front  14  is attached to the article of clothing  12  by stitch lines at two sides  16   a  and  16   b  and a bottom edge  16   c  attaching the pocket front  14  to the front of the article of clothing  12 . Alternately, other attachments means can be used to affixed the clear pocket front  14  to the front of the shirt, such as adhesive, sonic welding, rivets, and the like. The material of the article of clothing  12  behind the clear pocket front  14  in combination with the clear pocket front  14  form an open pocket  24  for holding the portable electronic device  20 . The clear pocket front  14  is open at a top edge  18  to allow the electronic device  20  to be deposited in the pocket  24 . In order to help prevent the electronic device  20  from inadvertently falling out of the pocket  24 , e.g., when a wears bends over, the material of the clear pocket front  14  preferably has an anti-slip surface texture or property, at least on its inside surface. In addition to or alternatively, the front of the shirt that is behind the clear pocket face  14  can also have an anti-slip surface texture or property. Also, the clear pocket  14  may preferably be sized to snuggly receive the electronic device to further prevent the electronic device from fall out of the pocket  24 . The cables of earphones  26  exit the open pocket  24 . If desired, a detachable attachment  50 , such as snaps, clips, zippers, hook and loop materials, etc., (a snap  50  being shown in the detail of  FIG. 3 ) may optionally be placed near the open top edge  18  of the pocket  24  to further help prevent the electronic device  20  from inadvertently falling out. As shown, the clothing item  10  preferably has indicia (words and/or images), and in  FIG. 1 , an image of a fire alarm box  22 A with the words “BREAK IN CASE OF EMERGENCY appearing thereon, with the image of the alarm box  22 A extending outside of the region of the pocket  24  and with the words “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY” appearing as indicia  22 B located on the front of the shirt behind the clear pocket  14 , which indicia  22 B can be seen through and in the vicinity of the clear pocket front  14 . The indicia  22 A and  22 B can comprise printing on the surface of the article of clothing  12 , decals, embroidery, separate items attached thereto, and the like. Thus, whether or not a user has an electronic device  20  in the pocket  24 , the indicia  22 B and/or the portable electronic device  20  can be seen through the clear pocket front  14 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the pocket  24  is shown located in approximately a mid-line of the front of the article of clothing (a shirt)  12  just below the shirt&#39;s collar  28 , but the pocket  24  can be located at any location on the article of clothing  12 , although preferably on a front of the article of clothing  12 . It is also possible for the pocket  14  to be placed on a sleeve of the shirt  12  if desired. 
         [0011]    Turning next to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a second exemplary embodiment of a clothing item  100  of the invention, being in the form of a shirt  12  with a clear pocket front  14  for holding a portable electronic device  20 . The clothing item  100  is similar to the clothing item of  FIG. 1 , and the same reference numerals are used as in  FIG. 1  where applicable. The clear pocket front  14  is preferably formed of a clear or at least partially transparent plastic material that is safe in a clothes washer and dryer and will not harden, curl, yellow, discolor, or rip. The clear pocket front will preferably be generally rectangular in shape to accommodate the portable electronic device  20 , but could have other shapes. Pocket materials such as heat resistant vinyl will function well. The clear pocket front  14  will allow a touchpad and/or screen and/or controls of the electronic device  20  to be seen and operated, and will allow the image of the electronic device, as well as any image appearing thereon, e.g., photographs, videos, etc., to be seen through the clear pocket front  14 . The clear pocket front  14  may be attached to the shirt  12  by stitch lines at two sides  16   a  and  16   b  and a bottom edge  16   c  attaching the pocket front  14  to the front of the shirt  12 . Alternately, other attachments means can be used to affixed the clear pocket front  14  to the front of the shirt, such as adhesive, sonic welding, rivets, and the like. The pocket front  14  is not stitched at a top edge  18  to allow the electronic device  20  to be deposited in the pocket  24  formed by the pocket front  14  and the material of the shirt  12  behind the pocket front  14 . In order to help prevent the electronic device  20  from inadvertently falling out of the pocket  14 , e.g., when a wears leans over, the material of the pocket front  14  preferably has an anti-slip surface texture or property, at least on its inside surface thereof. In addition to or alternatively, the front of the shirt that is behind the clear pocket face  14  can also have an anti-slip surface texture or property. Also, the pocket  24  may preferably be sized to snuggly receive the electronic device to further prevent the electronic device from fall out of the pocket  24 . If desired, snaps, clips, zippers, hook and loop materials, etc., (not shown) can be placed at the open top edge  18  of the pocket  24  to further help prevent the electronic device  20  from inadvertently falling out. As shown, in this embodiment, the clothing item  100  preferably has indicia (words and images, in this case, an image of headphones  30  that will straddle an image of an electronic device  32 , with the image of the electronic device  32  being behind the clear pocket front  14  and the image of the headphones  30  partially extends outside of the area of the pocket  24 . The indicia behind the pocket front  14  can be seen through the clear pocket front  14 . The indicia  30  and  32  can comprise printing on the surface of the shirt  12 , decals, embroidery, separate items attached thereto, and the like. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the image of an electronic device  32  will clearly visible through the clear pocket  14 , giving the impression that an actual electronic device is being carried in the pocket  24  and headphones  30  are supported on the front of the shirt. However, when a user inserts an actual electronic device into the pocket  24  of the clothing item  100 , the user can share any actual images being displayed on the electronic device  20  with other while the electronic device is securely held in the pocket  24 . 
         [0012]    Turning to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a detail view of an optional attachment for holding the open top  18  of the pocket  24  closed. Here, a snap  50  with one component fixed to the clear plastic front and another (not shown) affixed to the article of clothing  12 . When the snap  50  is closed, the portable electronic will be prevented from falling out of the pocket  24 . 
         [0013]    With either exemplary embodiments of clothing items  10  or  100 , if desired, the clear pocket front  14  can have printing thereon, which printing can be part of the design or indicia in areas behind or surrounding the pocket front  14 , or can be independent indicia formed in the area around the pocket  24 . Such printing on the pocket front  14  will preferably not cover much of the surface area of the pocket front  14 , and if it does, be preferably be transparent or translucent so that a view of the electronic device in the pocket  24  is will not be substantially impeded. Also, while the article of clothing is shown as being a T-shirt  12 , the invention will work with any kind of article of clothing, including a shirt, such as long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, button up shirts, or other articles of clothing, including dresses, coats, jackets, jumpsuits, and other clothing items as may be desired. 
         [0014]    Having thus described the exemplary embodiments of the clothing items of the present invention, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the above disclosures are exemplary only and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.