Abstract:
A convertible sport wrap garment is disclosed that may convert to a purse/pack and vice versa. The garment may be formed of a composite fabric structure having an inner sheet and an outer sheet attached together to form a generally tubular shaped body. The garment may comprise an elastic fabric such that it fits snugly around the torso of the wearer. The garment may be worn around the waist and over one shoulder or both shoulders. A selectively closable pocket may be sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets, wherein the pocket may be accessible along one edge joining the inner and outer sheets, and wherein the garment may be folded into the pocket to convert the garment into a purse/pack.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/670,364, filed Jul. 11, 2012, entitled Convertible Sport Wrap-Bandolier, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,634,031 and D505,787 disclose typical over-the-shoulder pocket bandoliers. People, particularly women, often select their purses and/or scarves in a manner to complement their clothing. However, over the shoulder pocket bandoliers such as shown in these patents, are not constructed or designed as a garment to complement a wearer&#39;s outfit or make a complementary fashion statement. During exercise, women have a need to carry cash, cell phone, keys and other objects. Often a waist pack or backpack is used for this purpose. However, these packs tend to bounce around and are thus often uncomfortable during exercise. Therefore there is a need for a form fitting product that can carry normal purse items so as to circumvent such problems, and still look like part of the person&#39;s collective exercise outfit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A convertible garment in accordance with a first embodiment of the present disclosure provides an elastic fabric tubular body adapted to fit snugly around a person&#39;s torso. The garment can be worn as a one-shoulder wrap type garment. The garment includes a pocket accessable from an opening through which a person passes her head. The garment is preferably formed of an inner sheet and an outer sheet, with the pocket therebetween. In one embodiment, there is a single first upper opening for one of a person&#39;s arms and a second upper opening for the person&#39;s head and other arm. Optionally there may be another first upper opening spaced from the first upper opening for the person&#39;s other arm. When the pocket is turned inside out, the garment can be stuffed into this pocket to convert it into a clutch purse or waist pack. The pocket may be of sufficient size to carry the typical contents of a purse in addition to the wrap material. 
     One embodiment is a convertible garment that includes a fabric tubular body adapted to fit snugly around a person&#39;s torso, wherein the tubular body is formed of an inner tubular sheet and an outer tubular sheet fastened together to define the tubular body. The tubular body has at least one first upper opening, a second upper opening, and a bottom opening. The at least one first upper opening in the tubular body is adapted to allow one of the person&#39;s arms to pass therethrough. The second upper opening in the tubular body is adapted to allow at least the person&#39;s head to pass therethrough, and the bottom opening in the tubular body, opposite the at least one first upper opening and the second upper opening, is adapted to fit snugly around the person&#39;s waist. A pocket is formed in the tubular body between the inner and outer sheets. This pocket is preferably accessible along one edge of the second upper opening, such that the tubular body of the garment may be stuffed into the pocket to convert the garment into a purse or pack. The garment further may include a second first upper opening in the tubular body spaced from the second upper opening adapted to allow another of the person&#39;s arms to pass therethrough. 
     Another embodiment may further include two mating pairs of belt openings. One of each pair of belt openings may be located on the edges of the pocket and one of each pair of opening may be located on the tubular body adjacent the pocket. When the garment is converted to a purse/pack, the mating pairs of openings may align to allow a belt to pass through the openings. 
     In another embodiment, mating portions of a belt may be fastened to the side seams of the pocket, thus eliminating the need for the belt openings. 
     In still further embodiments, the garment may include a hydration bladder holder, a gun holster, or a cell phone holder. 
     Further features, advantages and characteristics of the embodiments of this disclosure will be apparent from reading the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective rear view of a person wearing a convertible sport wrap garment in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a separate left perspective view of the garment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a separate right perspective view of the garment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the garment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  converted into a waist pack in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective front view of a person wearing an alternative embodiment of the garment including a concealed carry holster for a pistol. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the garment shown in  FIG. 5  converted into a purse/pack in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7  is an alternative embodiment of the garment shown in  FIGS. 1-3  with straps and clips to attach an accessory such as a pair of binoculars. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A perspective view of a convertible sport wrap garment  100  worn by a person  102  in accordance with one embodiment is shown in  FIG. 1 . The garment  100  is a tubular body formed from an inner sheet  103  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) and an outer sheet  105 , preferably sewn together. The inner sheet  103  may be sewn or otherwise fastened along its outer edges to the outer sheet  105 . The garment  100  may have a first upper opening  106  through which one of the person&#39;s arms passes. The garment  100  may also have a second upper opening  108  through which the person&#39;s head and opposite arm pass. The garment  100  may further have a bottom opening  110  sized to fit snugly around the person&#39;s waist. 
     The inner sheet  103  may comprise a stretchable or elastic fabric such that the garment  100  fits snugly around the person&#39;s torso during exercise. The outer sheet  105  may similarly comprise a stretchable or elastic fabric. A smooth elastic fabric such as spandex may be preferred so as to ride comfortably against the wearer&#39;s clothing or skin. The garment  100  may comprise stretchable or elastic mesh fabric to facilitate sweat evaporation during exercise. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the garment  100  may include a hydration bladder holder  112 . The garment  100  also may include a tube retainer or fastener  114  for holding a hydration bladder tube  116  adjacent the head of the person  102  wearing the garment  100 . The tube retainer  114  may be attached to the outer sheet  105  adjacent to the first upper opening  106 . When the garment  100  is worn over a left shoulder of the person  102 , the hydration bladder holder  112  in this embodiment is on the outside surface of the garment  100 . If the garment  100  is worn over a right shoulder of the person  102 , it is simply turned inside out, and the hydration bladder holder  112  is between the garment outer sheet  105  and the person&#39;s back. 
     In one embodiment, the tube retainer  114  comprises a soft fabric so that when the garment  100  is worn inside out, the tube retainer  114  does not cause discomfort to the wearer. Further, a second soft fabric tube retainer (not pictured) may be attached to the inner sheet adjacent to the first upper opening  106  so that when the garment  100  is worn inside out, the second tube retainer is on the outside of the garment  100 . In a another embodiment, the tube retainer  114  may comprise a first and a second slit (not pictured) in the tubular body adjacent to the first upper opening  106  such that the hydration bladder tube  116  may be passed into the first slit and out of the second slit. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a separate perspective view of one embodiment of the garment  100  is shown.  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the same garment  100  turned inside out, i.e., reversed, such that it can be worn over a person&#39;s right shoulder. Along a portion of one edge of the second upper opening  108  an internal fabric pocket  122  may be sewn or otherwise attached. The pocket  122  may be sandwiched between the inner and outer sheets. In the preferred embodiment, a zipper closure  120  is sewn along the top of the pocket  122  at the edge of the second upper opening  108  such that the pocket may be zipped shut. Adjacent the first upper opening  106  is preferably a cell phone holder  118  which may optionally include a zipper closure. In one embodiment, the garment  100  may include a slit (not pictured) adjacent the top of the cell phone pocket such that when the garment  100  is worn inside out, the cell phone holder  118  may be accessed through the slit. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 2, 3 , along the edge of the second upper opening  108 , adjacent top corners of the pocket  122 , are belt openings  123  and  124 . Also adjacent opening  124  is a bladder tube opening  126 . Along the one side edge of the pocket  122  are belt opening  132  and bladder tube opening  125 . Along the opposite side edge of the pocket is belt opening  134 . Openings  123 ,  124 ,  125 ,  126 ,  132 , and  134  will be explained in further detail below. 
     On opposite sides of the bottom opening  110  of the garment  100  are belt loops  128 . Not shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  is the hydration bladder holder  112 , which is omitted for clarity of explanation. The hydration bladder holder  112  may be sewn onto the garment  100  or alternatively may be removably fastened to its outer sheet via a hook and loop fabric patch or other suitable attachment method. 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the garment  100  after being stuffed into the internal fabric pocket  122 . This may be done by simply pulling the internal pocket  122  inside out and stuffing the garment  100  into the pocket. When the garment  100  is stuffed into the pocket  122 , bladder tube openings  125  and  126  may align together. Hydration bladder tube  116  may then be passed through the aligned bladder tube openings  125  and  126 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Belt openings  134  and  123  may also align together as a pair, and belt openings  132  and  124  may align together as a pair. A belt  130  that may be conveniently stored in the pocket  122  may then be passed through aligned openings  124 ,  132  and through aligned openings  123 ,  134 , so that the garment  100  may be worn as a pack. In an alternative embodiment, mating portions of the belt  130  may be fastened into and become a part of the pocket  122 , thus eliminating a need for openings  123 ,  134  and  124 ,  132 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an alternative embodiment of the garment  100  in which a concealed carry holster  300  for a weapon, such as a pistol  302 , is attached to or integrated into the tubular body of the garment  100 . The garment  100  may be worn underneath clothing such that the pistol  302  is concealed. As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the garment  100  is converted into a pack by stuffing it into the pocket  122 , the pistol  302  may be carried in the pack formed by the pocket  122 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a double shoulder alternative embodiment  200  of the garment in which the internal pocket  122  holds a pair of strap ends  140  with quick connect clips  142  for attaching an accessory such as binoculars. In this embodiment the garment  200  has two opposite upper arm openings, so that it is worn much like a shirt, and an internal pocket  122  in the front. Embodiment  200  may be converted into a pack by pulling the pocket  122  inside out and stuffing the garment material into the pocket  122 . 
     There are many alternatives and modifications that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the garment  100  may be configured with additional pockets and holders. The garment  100  may also be configured with a shoulder strap extending from the tubular body such that when the garment is worn over the right shoulder, the shoulder strap may be worn over the left shoulder, and vice versa. The garment  100  may also include a short sleeve portion for the upper arm of the person such that it will not slip down off the person&#39;s shoulder when worn during exercise. All such changes, alternatives and equivalents in accordance with the features and benefits described herein, are within the scope of the present disclosure. Such changes and alternatives may be introduced without departing from the spirit and broad scope of my invention as defined by the claims below and their equivalents.