Abstract:
A tactical pair of pants for police, military or other weapon-carrying personnel has a cargo pocket system that functions to store items in several pocket compartments in a normal cargo pocket configuration, or to carry a thigh rig holster for a pistol, in a dedicated position between cargo pocket compartments without blocking access to the pocket compartments.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention is concerned with tactical clothing and gear for police, security personnel or other weapon-carrying persons. Specifically the invention relates to pants with cargo pockets providing space to accommodate a thigh rig holster without blocking access to pockets. 
         [0002]    Thigh rigs are used by many police and other security or military personnel, to place a pistol at a convenient location for easy access. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,066 showing a thigh rig of one configuration. These thigh rigs, however, interfere with any cargo pockets that might be located at the outside of the thigh area of the pant leg, or prevent the inclusion of such pockets. Typically a pair of upper and lower straps extend from the holster portion or extending rigging of the thigh rig to encircle and engage around the thigh, over the outside of the pant leg. This eliminates valuable storage space for the wearer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The invention provides a solution to this problem, with a novel cargo pocket system positioned at the outer side of the pant leg at the location where a thigh rig holster is to be located. In a preferred embodiment the cargo pocket system has a main pocket directly against the pant leg, to be used when no thigh rig is present. This top-opening pocket can hold large, generally flat items, for example, and may have a top closure flap. In addition to the large main pocket the system includes two outer or front cargo pockets that are connected to the outer surface of the main pocket. These outer cargo pockets are accessed by opening the flap of the main pocket, which normally would cover them, or the main pocket flap can be tucked into the main pocket so that the top openings of the cargo pockets are accessible. Additional closure straps with VELCRO or with snap fasteners can be provided individually for the outer or front pockets. 
         [0004]    Some important features of this preferred configuration are that the front pockets, or outer pockets, are separated by a space within which can be positioned a thigh rig holster without blocking access to these front pockets, and that the front pockets are secured to the main pocket in such a way as to “float” over the main pocket, being connected near top and bottom and leaving a clearance space or slot between the back side of the front pocket and the outer panel of the main pocket. This clearance allows the base and straps of a thigh rig to be positioned behind the front pockets, so that, even with the main pocket no longer accessible, the two outer or front pockets are accessible for carrying various items. 
         [0005]    The invention encompasses variations, including the elimination of the main pocket, with outer pockets connected to a fabric panel behind them (which could optimally be the fabric of the pants themselves). Also, whether or not a main pocket is included, one outer pocket, rather than two, can be provided. 
         [0006]    Another preferred aspect of the invention is that the outer or front pockets, which are long and relatively narrow, vertically oriented, can have interior VELCRO patches so that each pocket can be used in its long state or in a shortened state. 
         [0007]    It is among the objects to solve the problem of maintaining cargo pocket space in tactical pants which can receive a thigh rig holster for a weapon. These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a thigh rig holster retained on prior art tactical pants. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view, showing, from the side, a cargo pocket system of the invention on a pair of pants. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a feature of the cargo pocket system of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a thigh rig holster being worn by a user, in connection with the cargo pocket system of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a flat view showing the pocket system of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  are views similar to  FIG. 5  and indicating use of the pocket system. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 9 ,  10  and  11  are views similar to  FIG. 6  but showing modes of use of the pocket system of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    In  FIG. 1  is shown a thigh rig  10  of typical conventional design, including a holster  12 , a hanging strap  14  for hanging the rig from a belt  16  of a wearer  20 , to position the rig  10  against the outside of the thigh  22  as shown, and webs or rigs  24  that extend in opposed directions from the holster  12  itself, as shown. The laterally extending webs or rigs  24  are secured to thigh straps  26  and  28  for extending around the thigh  22 , with provision for cinching the straps as tightly as desired by the user for stability and security of the thigh rig. 
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows, in a side view similar to  FIG. 1 , a tactical pocket system or cargo pocket system  30  according to the invention, on a pair of pants  32 . The pocket system  30 , in a preferred embodiment, include two front or outer pockets  34  and  35 , with a space  36  between them. Preferably, the pocket system also includes a main pocket  38 , over which the front pockets  34  and  35  “float”, this main pocket not being seen in  FIG. 2  but partially revealed in  FIG. 3 . The main pocket  38  can be closed by a cover flap  40  that also preferably covers both the outer pockets  34  and  35 , which can be via VELCRO hook and loop fasteners indicated at  42  and  43  on the flap&#39;s underside and on the outer pocket  34 , respectively. A top opening  44  of the main pocket is partially seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0017]    The main pocket  44  can be used for storage of large and relatively flat articles, particularly those which are flexible and somewhat conformable against the thigh, such as papers, soft booklets, etc. The outer pockets or front pockets  34  and  35  can be used for holding portable telephones, radios, ammunition or other items of various shapes. As further explained below, the outer pockets in a preferred embodiment include a closure device  46  (which may be hook and loop fasteners, snaps or other easily releasable closure devices), for limiting the front pocket  34 ,  35  to a short mode, such as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , or for using the pocket in a long mode to retain longer items or simply to retain more volume of items. When a relatively small device such as a mobile telephone is stored, it is usually preferable to use the short mode as shown, to make the telephone (or a radio) more readily accessible. 
         [0018]      FIG. 4  shows the tactical or cargo pocket system  30  of the invention in use on the pants  32  in combination with a thigh rig  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The pocket system accommodates the thigh rig by positioning the holster  12  itself between the two front or outer pockets  34 ,  35 . The holster lies against the space  36  defined between the two outer pockets  34 ,  35 . In this way, access to the outer pockets still is possible and convenient. The thigh rig is situated such that the webs  24  or lateral rigging that extends from the holster portion  12 , extend under and are covered by the outer pockets  34  and  35 . As noted above, these pockets “float” over the main pocket to permit these webs of the rigging to slide under. The thigh straps  26  and  28 , not seen in  FIG. 4 , extend from the ends of the thigh rigging and around the thigh. For this mode the cover flap  40  described above is tucked down into the main pocket  38 , and thus is not seen in  FIG. 4 . The main pocket is not used in this mode for storing items that need to be accessible while the holster is worn. 
         [0019]    In addition to accommodating a thigh rig holster at the appropriate location and height at the side of a wearer&#39;s pants, without covering or blocking access to pockets, the arrangement of the invention also helps secure the thigh rig in place. By closely retaining the webs or rigging at both sides of the holster between layers of fabric, the thigh rig holster is more securely held in place and in fact, users need not draw the thigh rig straps ( 26 ,  28  in  FIG. 1 ) as tightly as would be the case when the thigh rig is worn in a conventional way as in  FIG. 1 . Moreover, the outer pockets  34  and  35  cover much of the rigging of the thigh rig and provide a cleaner and less obtrusive appearance, as can be seen from  FIG. 4 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 5  shows the pocket system  30  in flattened plan view. The stitching is indicated in dashed lines, for a preferred embodiment. The flap  40  is illustrated in the closed position, secured by VELCRO  42 , thus closing both the main pocket and the outer or front pockets  34 ,  35 . The main pocket includes an outer fabric panel  50  that serves as the outer surface of the main pocket, a portion of this panel  50  being visible at the space  36  between the two outer or front pockets  34 ,  35 . This panel  50  serves as one side of the slots that receive the webs or rigging extensions of the thigh rig, the other side of each slot being formed by the back panel of the front pocket  34  or  35 . The outer fabric panel  50  could even comprise the surface of the pants themselves, in an embodiment wherein the main pocket is not included. In that case, each outer or front pocket  34  or  35  is formed of front and back pieces of fabric material, and in the case of no main pocket, they can be stitched directly to the pants but in a way to define the slots for the thigh rigging as described above. Alternatively, the outer fabric panel  50  can be a discrete fabric piece that is connected to the outer pockets  34 ,  35 . The cover flap  40  will ordinarily be eliminated if there is no main pocket, since it should be tucked out of the way when the thigh rig holster is present. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 6 through 8  indicate use of the pocket system of the invention. 
         [0022]      FIG. 6  shows the pocket system  30  with the cover flap  40  opened, and indicates tucking of the flap  40  into the main pocket, with the arrow  52 . The pocket system is then in the configuration shown in  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 7  indicates that closure straps  54  can be provided for retaining items in the front pockets  34  and  35 . These two straps, normally tucked down into the front pockets  34  and  35 , can be deployed when needed in absence of the main pocket cover flap. As seen in the drawings, the closure straps  54  can connect to the same VELCRO patches  43 , on the exterior of the front pockets, that are engaged by the VELCRO patches  42  on the main pocket cover flap when it is deployed. The main cover flap  40  closes all three pockets when the main pocket is available, and thus the separate closure straps  54  are not used in that case. 
         [0023]      FIG. 8  indicates, with arrows  56 , the threading of the holster straps  26  and  28  (see  FIG. 1 ) through the slots between the front or outer pockets  34 ,  35  and the outer fabric panel  50 . This pulls webs or rigging flanges  24 , which are of relatively stiff plastic material, into these slots such that the holster resides in the position shown in  FIG. 4 . Note that the front or outer pockets  34  and  35  preferably are attached to the panel  50  beneath along stitch lines shown at  58  at the top and  60  at the bottom, leaving the space between these stitch lines open for the holster rigging. Additional attachment can be made via stitching indicated at  62  in  FIG. 8 , although this is not necessary. The attachment at  62  better holds the pockets  34  and  35  down against the outer fabric panel  50 , especially when no holster is present, and these attachment points will lie between the upper and lower thigh straps  26  and  28  when the thigh rig holster is present. See  FIG. 11  for a general indication of the position of the thigh rig holster  10  and rigging extensions  24 , with the straps  26  and  28  extending out from the pocket system. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 9 and 10  indicate use of the front or outer pockets  34  and  35 , in the two different modes as noted above. In  FIG. 9  these pockets are used in the long mode, with relatively long items  64  indicated in the pockets. In  FIG. 10  the pockets are used in the short mode with VELCRO patches  46  secured together to limit the useable depth of each pocket; shorter items  66  are indicated in the pockets. Clearly the two pockets could be used in different modes at any given time. Note also that the long and short modes are useful whether or not the main pocket is available or is included in the pocket system. 
         [0025]    The invention also encompasses the use of only one front or outer pocket  34  or  35 . The principal feature of the invention is to allow the use of thigh rig holster while still preserving cargo pocket space on the thigh of the user&#39;s pants, at generally the same level as the holster will be located, by providing an open slot behind the pocket, so that a portion of the thigh rig can extend through the resulting slot. Preferably two outer pockets and a main pocket are included but as noted above, it is possible to eliminate the main pocket, and only a single pocket could be included (whether or not the main pocket is provided), so long as a space is provided adjacent to that pocket for the holster and a slot is provided behind the pocket for sliding in of the rigging extension. The outer fabric panel, sometimes referred to simply as a fabric panel, on which the outer pocket(s) are secured, may be simply a piece of fabric if the main pocket is not included; it may even be the fabric of the pants themselves, eliminating the extra layer, if desired. 
         [0026]    The above described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit its scope. Other embodiments and variations to these preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.