FOLDABLE WEARING APPAREL

Abstract: Article of wearing apparel (10) provided with cooperating and complementary attaching members (34), (36) to be secured to one another after the article is formed into a compact unit (80).

Description: FOLDABLE WEARING APPAREL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the Invention This invention relates to an article of clothing which can be folded into a cushion or rolled into an easy- to-carry garment. (b) Discussion of the Prior Art Spectators at sporting events often have to contend with hard seats and bleachers as well as changes in weather conditions which often necessitate the unexpected use of outerwear. The problem is not confined to spectators but is shared by people who engage in outdoor sporting activities such as boating, fishing, hunting, camping, et cetera, who seldom have anything comfortable to sit on while resting and often face changes in weather conditions requiring either the use of outerwear or the removal and carrying of outerwear which is being worn. The problem is not confined to outdoor activities but is shared by anyone who desires an article of clothing which can be utilized as a cushion or an easy-to-carry garment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The garment which is the subject matter of the present invention is provided with cooperating and complementary attaching or fastening members which are secured so that the article of wearing apparel is formed into a compact unit as referred to above. As a solution to this and other problems, I have invented a unique garment which can be folded into a cushion, pocketboo , briefcase or easy-to-carry garment. When folded as pocketbook or briefcase, the compartments of the pocketbook or briefcase may also be pockets of the garment. This allows easy access to the items stored in the compart¬ ments when they are being used as a pocketbook or briefcase. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects obtained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 3 Fig. 1 is a front view of coat 10 fully extended; Fig. 1A is a view taken along line 1A-1A of Figure 1; Fig. 2 is a rear view of coat 10 fully extended; Fig. 3 is a view of coat 10 after the sleeves and sides of the coat have been secured between the front and back panels of the coat; Fig. 4 is an illustration of how the coat can be further folded to form a more compact unit which can be utilized as a cushion; Fig. 5 shows the bottom of coat 10 being folded over the collar area; Fig. 6 is a view of the coat completely folded; Figs. 7-9 show the sequence of another garment being rolled into a more compact shape (coat 40) ; Fig. 10 shows a front view of coat 10, fully extended; Figs. 11 and 12 show an alternative method of securing a garment into a compact rolled shape; Figs. 13 to 14 show how the drawstring of a garment can be utilized as a fastening device when the garment is in the rolled form; Fig. 15 is a front view of coat 100; Fig. 16 is a side view of one of the pockets of coat 100; Figs. 17-21 illustrate how the coat is folded to form a pocketbook or briefcase; Fig. 22 is a front view of coat 150 which also can be folded into a pocketbook or briefcase; Fig. 23 shows a front view of a garment which can be formed into numerous compacted units; Fig. 24 shows a rear view of the garment of Fig. 23; and Fig. 25 shows a front view of the garment of Fig. 23 but in an opened position to reveal the inside thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a front view of the coat 10 as worn by user. It should be emphasized that the garment is illustrative and the invention is not limited to coats but embraces capes, jackets, parkas, et cetera. The materials from which the garment is to be made are also not intended to be limited and may include all natural and man-made fibers or combinations thereof. The garment may also be waterproof. It should also be noted that for the sake of clarity several garments have been used to illustrate the invention; however, the invention encompasses a single garment which contains any or all of the described features (particularly a garment with a "removable" or "zip-out" lining) which will be subsequently described. Referring now to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a coat 10, including a lining (not shown) to give it bulk and softness. As shown in Fig. 1, the coat 10 includes strips of material 12 and 14 running from the shoulder seams 11 and 13 to the bottom of the coat. The strip 12 is located on the border line separating the front panel 15 of the coat 10 from its right side panel 17 and strip 14 is located on the border line separating the front of the coat 15 from its left side panel 19. The strips 12 and 14 are attached to the coat 10 along edges 16 and 18, respectively, thereof. The coat also includes such conventional items as collar 20, pockets 22, shoulder region 33 and sleeves 21 and 23. Fig. 2 shows the back of coat 10 and reveals strips of material 24 and 26 which cooperate with strips 12 and 14, respectively, and located along the borders separating the back panel 27 of coat 10 from its left and right side panels, 17 and 19, respectively. The strips 24 and 26 are attached to the coat along edges 28 and 30 respectively, thereof. There is also a strip of material 32 running across the back of coat 10. Preferably, strip 32 is positioned to extend from strips 24 to 26 at the uppermost sections thereof. As exemplified and illustrated in Fig. 1A, behind each of the strips of material 12, 14, 24 and 26, there is provided cooperating pressure sensitive adhesive material 12', 14', 24' and 26'. Referring now to Fig. 3, the sleeves 21 and 23 and the side panels 17 and 19 of coat 10 are pushed between the front and back panels of the coat 10 and secured there by means of joining the cooperating strips of pressure sensitive adhesive material located behind strips 12, 14, 24 and 26. It should be emphasized that the use of a looped pile and mating strip arrangement is merely illustrative and the invention is not limited to such devices. By way of example, Velcro (a registrered trademark) pressure sensitive strips may be employed. As used in this description and in the appended claims the phrase "securable apparel side panel" refers to any side panel of any garment in which the side panel of said article of clothing can be secured between the front and back panels of said garment by fastening means located anywhere below the collar region of said garment. Once the sides are secured between the front and back of the garment, the resulting shape can be utilized as a cushion. The coat may be further folded as illustrated in Fig. 4, with collar 20 and shoulder region 33 folded down to meet the front waist area. Behind strip of material 32 is pressure sensitive adhesive material 34. A complementary strip of adhesive material 36 for adhesive 34 is located on the inside of the base of the back of coat 10 in a centered location. Referring to Fig. 5, the bottom of the coat is then folded over the should region 33 and collar 20 until meeting strip 34 which is located beneath strip 32. Material strip 32 is then inserted over the front and side panels of coat 10 and the fastening means 34 and 36 are attached together, Fig. 6 illustrates the completed process and the resulting shape to be utilized as a cushion or other resting or support device. Fig. 7 illustrates a garment, generally indicated as 40, without a lining which would be utilized for giving bulk and softness to the folded garment. The securable apparel side panel 41 can also be utilized in a garment of this nature to create an extremely compact and easy to carry garment. Strips of material 42, 44, 46 and 48, which are similar to strips 12, 14, 24 and 26 of coat 10, cover adhesive strips 42', 44', 46' and 48' (not shown), respectively, and are used to secure the side panels and sleeves between the front and back panels of the garment to form apparel side panel 41. Collar 52 has been turned up. Material flap 50 is attached to collar 52. A strip of pressure sensitive adhesive 54 is positioned on the flap facing with the front of the coat. A complementary strip of pressure sensitive adhesive material 56 is located on the back of collar 52 facing with the back of the coat. The strips of adhesive material 54 and 56 are positioned at distances from each approximately equal to the circumference of the rolled garment. As illustrated by Fig. 7, the bottom of the coat is being rolled toward collar 52 and flap 50 to produce the compacted item. Fig. 8 is a view of the back of the coat 40 illustrating the flap 50 and collar 52. It will be noted that in this embodiment, strips 54 and 56 are oppositely displaced. However, as will be subsequently discussed, such opposite orientation is not necessary for the invention. Fig. 9 illustrates the garment after it has been entirely rolled and strips of adhesive 54 and 56 have been secured. Flap 50 can be concealed when the garment is being worn by folding it under the collar and securing the strips of adhesive material 54 and 56 to each other without causing the slightest discomfort to one wearing the garment. An ordinary garment which has been secured in a rolled position will have many rough edges which are subject to ripping, tearing or fraying. By rolling the garment as illustrated above, the garment is surrounded by flat fabric which is more suitable for sporting uses, traveling, et cetera. This flap technique need not be used in combination with a securable apparel side panel as any process of folding which will allow the rolled garment to be surrounded by the flap and collar area will significantly reduce the number of jagged edges. Fig. 10 illustrates coat 60, also without a bulky lining, but which has an elongated flap 62 capable of co - pletely surrounding the rolled garment. Here both fastening devices 65 and 66 which will secure the coat in the rolled position are located on the flap 62, again being spaced from each other approximately the circumference of the anticipated rolled or compacted garment. The flap conveniently hangs down the inside back of the coat when it is being worn without causing discomfort to the wearer. Fig. 11 shows flap 62 extended out of the coat 60 and exposing material adhesive 65 which faces the front of the coat. Material strip 66 is located on the reverse side of flap 62 and faces the back of the coat and is shown here by dotted lines. Fig. 11 also shows the sides of the coat folded in toward the middle creating a narrower bodyline which is approximately equal to the width of the flap 62. The bottom of the coat can now be rolled to the top fo the flap 62 in a similar manner as that illustrated in Fig. 7. It should also be noted that the resultant sides 73 and 74 could again be folded toward the center of the coat creating a more narrow bodyline, which could be used with a more narrow flap 62. It will be appreciated that the invention encompasses the positioning of the flap on any part of the coat which will allow the folded or rolled coat to be surrounded by flap area. Fig. 12 illustrates that the more narrow bodyline of coat 60 can be folded in half before rolling the bottom 75 of the coat toward the flap 62. As illustrated, the bottom has been folded to meet the base of the collar. Folding the coat in this fashion will reduce the wrinkling of the front of the coat when the bottom is rolled toward flap 62. This is because the front of the coat is otherwise on the inside of the roll and traveling a shorter distance than the back of the coat and therefore becoming more winkled. The bottom of the coat could also be folded several times toward the top of the coat before it is rolled and secured to produce the same result. Fig. 13 shows coat 80 which is similar to coat 60, but including a drawstring 87 around the bottom 83 of the coat. Coat 80 also has collar 81, flap 82 and material adhesives 85 and 86 located on flap 82. Fig. 13 illustrates that the tightly pulled drawstring 87 causes most of the length of the string to be outside the more narrow bodyline. As illustrated by Fig. 14, when the garment is rolled to the top of flap 82, the string will extend from the side of the rolled garment and provide the user with a means of securing the compact shape to himself (such as tying it around his waist) . Fig. 15 illustrates coat 100, also without bulking lining. The sleeves have been folded inside the securable OMPI _ apparel side panel 102. Coat 100 includes collar 104 and zipper 106. Strips of material 108 and 110, similar to strips of material 12 and 14 illustrated on Fig. 1, run down the front of the coat and cooperate with strips of material (Fig. 16) which run down the back of the coat. Coat 100 also includes pockets 112 and 114. The entrance to the pocket flaps 116 and 118, repsectively. Flaps 116 and 118 are folded back onto themselves. Flap 118 is permanently secured in position along edge 123 by complementary strips of pressure sensitive adhesive located between the folded portions as described above. Fig. 16 is a view of pocket 114 and shows zipper 122 located in the opening 124. Pocket 112 also has a zipper in its entrance (not shown) . Fig. 17 shows the unfolded pocket flap 118 revealing the pressure sensitive adhesive strips 130 and 132 which secure the flap 118 in the folded position. The collar of coat 100 has been folded to the pocket region. Fig. 18 shows that the new top of coat 100 has been folded to the bottom of the pocket region. Fig. 20 shows that the bottom of the coat has been folded to meet the top of the pocket region. Referring to Fig. 21, the resulting shape is folded in half so that the entrance to each pocket may be attached to each other via flaps 116 and 118. The pockets may be secured to one another by a flap positioned elsewhere on the compacted unit. Behind flap 116 is a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive complementary to that located between flap 118. The adhesive 126 behind flap 116 attaches to the adhesive located on the outer edge of flap 118 when it is opened. Fig. 21 illsutrates the resulting shape when the pcoket flaps are secured to one another. The- resulting shape can be utilized with a strap so that it can be carried over the user's shoulder. Fig. 22 illustrates coat 150 which does not have a securable apparel side-body. Pockets 156 and 157 extend to the side seams of the coat. At the entrance to the pockets are pocket flaps 154 and 155 similar to pocket flaps 116 and 118 illustrated in Fig. 15. The coat 150 can also be folded by the process illustrated in Figs. 17-21 to form a pocketbook or a briefcase. Also visible in Fig. 22 are collar 151, zipper 153, sleeves 152-152 and adhesive strips 158 and 159. Referring to Figure 23, garment 200 illustrates a single garment which incorporates features by which it may be compacted into a roll, a pocketbook or cushion. This garment may be provided with a removeable lining. As previously discribed, garment 200 is fashioned with a front panel 202 which is bounded by flaps 204 and 206 and which cover fastening means 204* and 206' (not shown). The fastening means may be a pressure sensitive looped pile- strip arrangement or may be a zipper structure. Further, strips 204 and 206 may cover snap-type fasteners or any other conventional type of fastening means. Strips 204 and 206 delinate the bounds of front panel 202 and right and left side panels 208 and 210 repsectively. The main fastening of the coat may be by a loop pile-strip, zipper or snap buttons as referred to at 212. Sleeves 214 and 216 extend from the uppermost area of side panels 208 and 210 respectively and further extend into shoulder regions 218 and 220 respectively. Crowning the shoulder region is collar 222, a portion of which is integral with the uppermost section of the front panel 202. Roll flap 224 depends from a lower area of the inside of collar 222 but may be attached in that general area. Front panel 202 is constructed with pockets 226 and 228. Pockets 226 and 228 may be constructed so that the outer face thereof is a continuation of the front panel or layer over the front panel, which, in the latter instance, would be the inside of the pocket. Each of the pockets 226 and 228 is provided with fastening means 230 and 232 respectively which are necessarily placed on the pockets so that the garment can be folded between the strips (see Fig. 20) . As such, the strips 230 and 232 may be placed near the outermost edge of a conventional pocket as illustrated in Figure 23. Figure 24 depicts a rear view of garment 200 shown in Figure 23 and clearly illustrates rear panel 234 which is bounded by fastening strips 236 and 238. The latter strips are complementary to the fastening strips 204 and 206, i.e. if a looped pile and mating strip arrangement is used, the looped pile may be in fastening strip 236' while the mating strip may be in strip 204' or vice versa. An addi- tional fastening strip 241, covered by flap 240, bridges strips 236 and 238 and is preferably positioned at an uppermost section thereof. Figure 25 shows garment 200 with the front panel 202 opened to reveal the inside 242 of the garment. It will be noted that garment 200 has provisions for an inner lining (not shown) in the form of an additional fastening means 244. This latter fastening device may be a conven¬ tional zipper or snap button arrangement. A bulky lining will be included when the user desires to compact the garment to a cushion type structure. However, the bulky lining is not included when one wishes to compact the garment to a roll or pocketbook. However, a thin lining may be included when forming the latter two structures. Figure 25 more clearly illustrates the construction of roll flap 224 which may be sewn or otherwise firmly affixed to inside 242 of garment 200. Likewise, roll flap 224 may be detachably affixed to the inside of the garment by a snap button, zipper or pile-strip arrangement. Roll flap 224 is produced to have at least two complementary fastening strips 246 and 248 thereon which preferably are on opposite faces of the roll flat. The distance between any pair of complementary fastening strips on the roll flap is the approximate circumference of the rolled up unit. As such, multiple pairs of complementary fastening strips allow one to adjust the diameter of the compacted rolled up unit. Further, inside 242 of garment 200 is fashioned with a strip 250 which mates with strip 241 (Fig. 24) when the unit is compacted to the cushion form. When one desires to form the compacted unit as a roll or a pocketbook or a cushion, strips 204' and 206' will mate with strip 236' and 238'. One may form the roll by mating the strips on the opposite faces of roll flap 224. Likewise, the roll may be formed as depicted by Fig. 7 and explained above. Another procedure whereby the cushion may be formed relates to folding sleeves 214 and 216 into the front panel 202 and folding the lower section of the garment towards the collar area and attaching complementary fastening strips 241 to 250. Of course, the cushion may also be formed as depicted in Figs. 1 to 6 and explained above. The pocketbook compacted unit can be formed from garment 200 as depicted by Figs. 15 to 21 and explained above. Further, as an alternate means of fashioning a single garment which may be compacted in to a cushion or pocketbook or roll, the embodiment as illustrated in Fig. 7 may be modified by adding pockets such as 226 and 228 (Fig. 23) and complementary fastening strips 241 and 250 as described with reference to Figs. 24 and 25. The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof,, it being recognized that OMPI various modifications are possible within the scope of the inventio .

Claims: CLAIMS 1 7 1. An article of wearing apparel capable of being formed into a secured compact unit, which comprises: an article of wearing apparel; a first attaching member positioned on said wearing apparel; and a second attaching memberpositioned on said wearing apparel to secure to said first attaching member after forming said article into said compact unit to maintain the compact unit in such configuration. 2. The article of wearing apparel according to claim 1 wherein said article. of wearing apparel has said first and second attaching members positioned on a back section of the article and said article is a coat. 3. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second attaching members are positioned on a flap of said article. 4. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 2 wherein said first and second attaching members are substantially horizontally positioned on said back section and said coat is provided with vertically disposed sets of securing members on either side thereof for attaching after insertion of respective sleeve portions therein. OMP 5- The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 2 wherein said first attaching member is disposed on a flap mounted to an upper portion of said back section and said second member is disposed on the lower inside portion of said back section. 6. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 1 wherein said article of wearing apparel is a coat and includes a collar and flap mounted to said collar and wherein said first attaching member is positioned on said collar and said second attaching member is positioned on said flap. 7. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 1 wherein said attaching members are located on opposite sides of said collar and said flap. 8. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second attaching members are cooperating strips of pressure sensitive adhesive material. 9. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 8 wherein one of said attaching members is a loop pile and another is of a hooked substrate. 10. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 1 wherein said article is of a waterproof material. OMPI 11. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 1 and including securable apparel side panels. 12. An article of wearing apparel having securable apparel side panels and capable of being formed into a compact unit. 13. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 12 wherein said wearing apparel is a coat. 14. The article of wearing apparel as defined in claim 12 wherein said securable apparel side panels have vertically disposed sets of securing members on either side thereof for attachment after insertion of respective sleeve portions therein. 15. An article of wearing apparel with vertically disposed fasteners so that the article can be formed in a narrower shape. 16. An article of wearing apparel comprising: a garment with one or more pockets, said garment capable of being folded or rolled; and means to secure the folded or rolled garment to said one or more pockets to form a carrying case. OMPI _ 17. The article of wearing apparel according to claim 16 further comprising a flap bridging adjacent pocket areas of the formed carrying case. 18. An article of wearing apparel capable of being formed into a plurality of different secured compact units comprising: an article of wearing apparel; and a plurality of complementary attaching members positioned on said wearing apparel so that attachment of the respective complementary members secures the formed compact unit. 19. An article of wearing apparel as in claim 18 wherein the plurality of compact units includes a cushion and a roll. 20. An article of wearing apparel as in claim 18 wherein the article further comprises one or more pockets and means to secure the compacted article to said one or more pockets. 21. An article of wearing apparel as in claim 20 wherein the means to secure the compacted garment to said one or more pockets is a pocket flap attacher. 22. The article of wearing apparel as in Claim 20 wherein said plurality of complementary attaching members comprise at least two pairs of substantially vertically oriented attaching members disposed on opposite sides of said article and a pair of substantially horizontal attaching members positioned on said article.

Inventors: DEGENNARO A
Applicants: DEGENNARO A
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A41B3
IPC codes: A41D3, A41D15