Abstract:
An article of clothing includes a body portion and a limb portion (e.g. a sleeve or pant leg) coupled to the body portion. The limb portion includes an expandable portion and a zipper assembly configured such that the zipper may be adjusted to extend and retract the limb portion between a standard length, and an elongated length. Closing the zipper assembly adjusts the limb portion to the standard length, opening the zipper adjusts the limb portion to the elongated length. The elongated length is particularly well suited for use during activities where the wearer&#39;s arms or legs may be outstretched, such as motorcycling.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to garments, and more particularly to garments that are adjustable in size.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Through the years, motorcycles have taken on a variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations. While motorcycles began simply as an improvement in personal transportation, they have evolved into the sportbikes, touring bikes, cruisers, and off-road bikes seen today. Driven both by function and form, the riding posture of the motorcycle operator varies greatly throughout the classes of motorcycles. For example, a sportbike is typically configured to place a rider in a crouched position. The seat is usually relatively high and the footpegs are often positioned directly below or slightly behind the seat. Sportbike handlebars are typically low and forward, forcing the rider to lean forward and fully extend his arms in order to reach the handlebars. Touring bikes on the other hand typically have lower seat heights and handlebars that are higher and closer to the motorcycle seat. This configuration provides a comfortable upright posture with the arms only partially outstretched. Cruisers typically have extremely low seats and footpegs that are positioned well forward. The handlebars on cruisers range from “pulled-back” bars where the rider&#39;s arms are relatively close to his chest, to “ape-hangers” where the rider&#39;s arms may be forwardly and upwardly extended to a position well above his head.  
           [0003]    A result of the variety of riding positions encountered in the motorcycle world is that traditionally configured jackets and pants do not work well because the sleeves and pant legs are generally too short when the wearer is in a riding position. The prior solution to this problem has been to make motorcycle jackets and pants with extra long sleeves and legs. This solution has limited effectiveness however because the required additional lengths vary between the different riding positions encountered, and the extra long sleeves and pant legs are often cumbersome and annoying to the wearer when not riding.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention provides a garment that has variable length limb portions (e.g. sleeves or pant legs) to accommodate a variety of riding positions and rider statures. For example a rider may extend the sleeves of a jacket for riding a sportbike or a cruiser, and then retract the sleeves during touring riding or when not riding at all. A pair of pants may be similarly adjusted. The result is universal garments that function equally well in a variety of riding and non-riding situations.  
           [0005]    More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention provides an article of clothing having a body portion that is adapted to at least partially surround a human torso and at least one sleeve joined to the body portion. The sleeve joins the body portion along a sleeve edge and includes a cuff area with a cuff opening that is surrounded by a cuff edge. A first sleeve length extends between the cuff edge and the sleeve edge. An expandable portion is also formed in the sleeve such that the expandable portion may be adjusted to extend the sleeve to a second sleeve length, the second sleeve length being longer than the first sleeve length.  
           [0006]    Preferably, the expandable portion of the article of clothing is located between the cuff edge and the sleeve edge. The expandable portion may also include an upper edge that extends circumferentially around the sleeve and a lower edge that also extends circumferentially around the sleeve. Preferably, a fabric portion extends between the upper and lower edges. To facilitate adjustment of the sleeve length, the upper and lower edges may be joined, thereby adjusting the sleeve to the first sleeve length. Alternatively, the upper and lower edges may be separated, thereby adjusting the sleeve to the second sleeve length. Preferably, the upper edge includes an upper row of zipper teeth, and the lower edge includes a lower row of zipper teeth such that the rows of zipper teeth are joined and separated to adjust the sleeve between the first and second sleeve lengths respectively. The article of clothing is also preferably configured such that the expandable portion is hidden from view when the sleeve is adjusted to the first sleeve length.  
           [0007]    Another embodiment of the invention includes adjustable length pant legs of a pair of pants. The specific construction and operation of the invention is substantially the same for both the jacket sleeve and the pant leg, the pant leg similarly including upper and lower portions joined by an expandable portion.  
           [0008]    Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of a jacket including an expandable sleeve embodying the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a front view of the expandable sleeve in a first, shortened configuration.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a front view of the expandable sleeve in a second, extended configuration.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a rear view of the expandable sleeve in the second, extended configuration.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the expandable portion of the sleeve.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the expandable portion in the second, extended configuration.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the expandable portion in an intermediate configuration.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the expandable portion in the first, shortened configuration.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a section view taken along line  9 - 9  of FIG. 6.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a front view of a pair of pants including adjustable pant legs embodying the present invention. 
     
    
       [0019]    Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 illustrates an article of clothing embodying the present invention in the form of a motorcycle jacket  10 . The jacket  10  includes a body portion  14  of known construction adapted to surround the torso area of a wearer. Coupled to each side of the body portion  14  is a sleeve  18 . The sleeve  18  includes an upper sleeve portion  22  and a lower sleeve portion  26 . The upper portion  22  and lower portion  26  are movable with respect to each other such that the sleeve  18  is adjustable between a first, retracted position (illustrated in solid in FIG. 1), and a second, extended position (illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1) as described below.  
         [0021]    While not limited as to the specific construction, the jacket  10  is preferably configured to be abrasion resistant and may also be waterproof The jacket  10  may be fabricated from materials such as leather, CORDURA™, nylon, and the like, and may also include additional padded and abrasion resistant sections often referred to as armor. It should be appreciated that the apparatus and method described herein are applicable to a variety of clothing types. As such, the following description outlining the invention as embodied in a jacket sleeve should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 illustrates the sleeve  18  in the first, retracted position. The sleeve  18  joins the body portion  14  along a sleeve edge  30 . In the present embodiment, the sleeve edge  30  is defined by a double-stitched seam extending circumferentially around the upper portion  22 . The seam effectively secures the upper portion  22  to the body portion  14 . Other types of constructions are possible however and the sleeve edge  30  may be defined in a different manner or with alternative structure than illustrated and described above. The distal end of the sleeve  18  includes a cuff portion  34  and a cuff edge  38 . The cuff portion  34  preferably includes a resilient material such as elastic and/or straps that may include hook and loop style closures to provide a snug fit around a wearer&#39;s wrist. Intermediate the sleeve edge  30  and the cuff edge  38 , the upper sleeve portion  22  is joined to the lower sleeve portion  26  by an expandable portion  42 . In the retracted position (illustrated in FIG. 2), an upper edge  46  of the expandable portion  42  is positioned adjacent to a lower edge  50  of the expandable portion  42  as further described below. Both the upper edge  46  and lower edge  50  extend circumferentially around the entire sleeve  18 . When configured as illustrated in FIG. 2, the sleeve  18  includes a first length L1 that extends from the sleeve edge  30  to the cuff edge  38 .  
         [0023]    [0023]FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the sleeve  18  in the second, extended position. When in the extended position, the upper edge  46  is separated from the lower edge  50  by a distance D. As a result, a second sleeve length L2 extends from the sleeve edge  30  to the cuff edge  38  and is approximately equal to the sum of the first sleeve length L1 and the distance D. A fabric portion  54  of the expandable portion  42  extends between the upper edge  46  and the lower edge  50 . Referring back to FIG. 2 it can be seen that the fabric portion  54  is hidden from view when the sleeve  18  is adjusted to the first position. To facilitate adjustment of the sleeve  18  between the first and second positions, the sleeve  18  also includes a zipper assembly  56  including an upper row of zipper teeth  58 , a lower row of zipper teeth  62 , and a zipper pull  64 .  
         [0024]    Referring specifically to FIG. 5, the fabric portion  54  includes a first angled edge  66  and a second angled edge  70  that define a V-shaped cutout  72  in the fabric portion  54 . The fabric portion  54  also includes a first edge  74  and a second edge  76 , the edges  74 ,  76  being substantially parallel to each other. The first and second angled edges  66 ,  70  extend away from the first and second edges  74 ,  76  respectively and converge to a point  78  approximately midway between the first and second edges  74 ,  76 . The V-shaped cutout  72  of the fabric portion  54  is then positioned in an overlapping manner with respect to an opposite end  80  of the fabric portion  54  forming a continuous loop of fabric. A transverse stitch  82  (See FIG. 6) secures the fabric portion  54  in the looped configuration. A portion of the upper row of zipper teeth  58  is stitched to the first angled edge  66 , and a portion of the lower row of zipper teeth  62  is stitched to the second angled edge  70 , thereby forming a divergent portion  84  of the zipper assembly  56 . The remainder of the upper row  58  is stitched to both the first edge  74  and the upper edge  46 , and the remainder of the lower row  62  is stitched to the second edge  76  and the lower edge  50 , thereby forming a parallel section  86  of the zipper assembly  56 . Securing the upper and lower rows  58 ,  62  in this manner also secures the first and upper edges  74 ,  46  to each other and the second and lower edges  76 ,  50  to each other, thereby securing the lower sleeve portion  26  to the fabric portion  54 , and the fabric portion  54  to the upper sleeve portion  22 . The zipper pull  64  selectively joins and separates the individual teeth of the upper and lower rows  58 ,  62  as the zipper pull  64  is moved circumferentially around the sleeve  18 .  
         [0025]    Referencing FIGS.  6 - 9 , the zipper pull  64  is positioned against a first zipper stop  88  when the sleeve  18  is in the extended position (FIG. 6). Also, the upper and lower rows of zipper teeth  58 ,  62  as well as the upper and lower edges  46 ,  50 , are separated from each other. A small number of zipper teeth of the upper row  58  remain joined to corresponding teeth of the lower row  62  near the first zipper stop  88 . To adjust the sleeve  18  to the retracted position, a wearer grasps the zipper pull  64  and moves it circumferentially around the sleeve  18  in a first direction (See arrows in FIG. 9). Initially, the first and second angled edges  66 ,  70  are drawn together, until an intermediate stage of adjustment is reached as shown in FIG. 7. At this stage, the zipper pull  64  has been moved to a position such that the first and second angled edges  66 ,  70  have been completely joined to each other and the upper and lower edges  46 ,  50  are partially adjacent to each other. Continuing to move the zipper pull  64  in the first direction joins additional zipper teeth of the upper and lower rows  58 ,  62 , thereby drawing the upper edge  46  toward the lower edge  50 . As the zipper pull  64  is moved around the sleeve  18 , the fabric portion  54  is gathered together and becomes hidden by the upper sleeve portion  22  and the lower sleeve portion  26  (See FIG. 8). When the zipper pull  64  abuts a second zipper stop  90 , the adjustment to the retracted position is complete. In this configuration, the upper and lower rows of zipper teeth  58 ,  62  are completely joined and the upper and lower edges  46 ,  50  are adjacent to each other about the entire circumference of the sleeve  18 . Adjusting the sleeve  18  back to the extended position comprises moving the zipper pull  64  in a second direction, opposite the first direction, from the second zipper stop  90 , circumferentially around the sleeve  18 , and back to the first zipper stop  88 , thereby separating the upper and lower rows of zipper teeth  58 ,  62  and allowing the upper and lower edges  46 ,  50  to be once again spaced from each other.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 illustrates the invention embodied in pant legs  92  of a pair of pants  94 . It should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the previous description of the invention embodied in a sleeve  18  is also applicable to the invention embodied in a pant leg  92 . Similar to the sleeve  18 , the pant legs  92  each include an upper leg portion  96 , a lower leg portion  98 , and an expandable portion  100  between the upper and lower portions  96 ,  98 . As used herein, “pant leg” refers to the leg covering portions of pants, shorts, chaps, or any other lower extremity garment. It should be appreciated that the structure, components, configuration, and method of length adjustment of the pant legs  92  is substantially the same as that of the previously described jacket sleeve  18 .  
         [0027]    Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.