Abstract:
A detachable lining for outerwear comprises a bodice, which includes an inner substantially full layer composed of a relatively rough fabric, an outer substantially full layer composed of a relatively smooth fabric, and an overlay partial layer composed of a relatively smooth fabric. The partial layer is superposed on the inner layer at an upper region of the bodice. The inner layer and outer layer are quilted together for enhancing dimensional stability and preventing bunching. The overlay partial layer has a relatively low coefficient of friction for encouraging sliding and preventing catching.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/040,563, filed Jan. 6, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,734 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/707,098, filed 6 Nov. 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,221. 

   GOVERNMENT FUNDING 
   Not Applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to clothing and, more particularly, to linings for jackets, coats and the like, for example, removable linings for waterproof and windproof jackets of the type used in inclement environments by personnel involved in law enforcement, emergency medicine, fire and safety service, general work service, and the like. 
   2. The Prior Art 
   Since linings generally are designed for warmth, they often incorporate a fleece or other fleece-like fabric, which both (1) comfortably drapes about contours of the body, and (2) snugly clings incrementally to the body and to surfaces of clothing being worn on the body. From a scientific standpoint, draping may trap warm air between the body and the lining, and clinging may present an insulating stratum of relatively low heat transmissivity in contiguity with the body. Conventional linings composed of such a fleece-like fabric, however, often tend to crumple, i.e. to bunch and/or catch, inconveniently when being fitted into a jacket before wearing, as well as when the jacket and lining assemblage is being put on or taken off by a wearer. In effect: bunching may occur because the fleece-like fabric tends to have a critically low dimensional stability; and catching may occur because the fleece-like fabric tends to have a critically high coefficient of friction. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lining for outerwear having a combination of: strategic regions of high dimensional stability; and strategic regions of low coefficient of friction. This combination enhances the convenience of assembling a removable lining into the outerwear, and eases putting on and taking off the outerwear when assembled with the lining. 
   Pursuant to the present invention more specifically, the lining comprises particular relationships among the fabric strata of the bodice and the sleeves of the lining. The bodice includes a front fleece-like fabric, a back low-friction fabric, and an intermediate filler there between. A low friction fabric overlay, is strategically superposed on an upper region of the bodice, and spans the bodice substantially from sleeve to sleeve. Quilting the front, intermediate, and back layers permits conformation with the contours of the body, yet establishes sufficient dimensional stability to inhibit bunching. The low friction overlay is strategically positioned where most of the mechanical stress occurs to inhibit catching of the lining on contiguous sections of the body and/or clothing that it contacts when the jacket or the like is put on or taken off by a wearer. 
   A further object of the present invention is to incorporate the aforementioned lining into inclement-environment-resistant outerwear, particularly waterproof, windproof and breathable jackets. Such jackets often have incorporated combinations and sequences of different layers, such as a micro-porous membrane layer for vapor permeability, and/or a hydrophobic layer for truly effective waterproofing and wind proofing. The lining of the present invention is particularly useful in connection with such jackets, when expedition is imperative. 
   Other objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the interior of an unfastened, open jacket and lining, which incorporate features of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a fastened jacket of conventional appearance, incorporating a removable lining in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a back view of the jacket of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the lining as shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating details of its construction; 
       FIG. 5  is a back view of the lining as shown in  FIG. 4 , illustrating details of its construction; 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view, greatly exaggerated, of a mid-section of the bodice of the lining of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , taken along the line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view, greatly exaggerated, of an upper section of the bodice of the lining of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , taken along the line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view, greatly exaggerated, of a section of a sleeve of the lining of  FIGS. 4 and 5 , taken along the line − 8 - 8  of FIG.  1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention as including a lining  28  and a jacket shell  30 , which incorporate the present invention. 
   The Jacket Shell of FIGS.  1 - 3   
   Shell  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , includes left and right body sections  32 ,  34 , a back body section  36 , a pair of sleeves  38 ,  40 , a collar section  42 , a yoke section  44  that extends across a wearers shoulders from sleeve to sleeve and about collar section  42 , and a waist section  46  that encompasses a wearers torso at the lower edges of the left, right and back body sections. Body sections  32 ,  34 ,  36  extend between yoke section  44  and waist section  46 . Front body sections  32 ,  34  have lower left and right patch pockets  48 ,  50 , and an upper patch pocket  52 . A center fly  53  hides a zipper  55 , which extends from collar section  42  to waist section  46 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , a pair of opposed lengths of zipper  57 ,  59  serve to fasten and unfasten the front of the jacket. 
   Sleeve  38  is formed from an upper section  56  and a lower section  58 . Upper section  56  extends from the upper arm downwardly from yoke section  44  to lower section  58 . Lower section  58  envelops and lower arm and wrist. Similarly, sleeve  40  is formed from an upper section  60  and a lower section  62 . Upper section  60  extends downwardly from yoke section  44  to lower section  62 . Lower section  62  envelops the lower arm and wrist. Inner arm sections  64  and  66  are composed of the same materials as are the lower sections  69 ,  71  and  73  of the bodice. 
   In one preferred embodiment, the jacket is composed of a waterproof, windproof, breathable laminate of the type sold under the trade designation CROSSTECH by W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc., of Elkton, Md., USA. In one form, this laminate comprises an outer facing fabric layer, a medial membrane layer, and an inner backing fabric layer. In an alternative embodiment, the jacket is composed of a waterproof, windproof, breathable laminate, which is sold under the trade designation GORETEX by W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc., of Elkton, Md., USA. This laminate comprises facing, medial and backing layers, of the type mentioned above, except that the oleophobic polymer is omitted from the medial layer. In still another alternative embodiment, the jacket is composed of an alternative waterproof, windproof, breathable laminate that comprises an outer facing fabric layer, a medial membrane layer, and an inner backing or liner fabric layer. The facing and backing layers are analogous to their counterparts as described above. However, the medial fabric layer is a film composed of a monolithic, hydrophilic polyurethane of a type sold under the trade designation XALT by Burlington Industries, Inc., Greensboro, N.C., USA. 
   The Lining of FIGS.  4 - 8   
   The lining, as illustrated at  28  in  FIGS. 4  to  8 , comprises: a bodice  78  that extends downwardly from a collar region  80  to a waist region  82 ; a continuous zipper  84 ,  86 ,  88  (or other extended fastener or line of fasteners) that detachably connects the border regions of bodice  78  to border regions at the sides and collar of the shell; and sleeves  90 , 92  that are insertable into and removable from the corresponding sleeves of the shell. 
   As indicated earlier, bodice  78  and sleeves  90 , 92  of the lining are characterized by a combination of strategically located high dimensional stability and strategically located low coefficient of friction. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the lower region  102  of bodice  78  includes an inner or front fleece-like fabric  96 , an outer or back low-friction fabric  98 , and an intermediate filler  100  there between. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the upper region  104  of the bodice includes, as in the lower region  102  discussed above, inner or front front fleece-like fabric  96 , outer or back low-friction fabric  98 , intermediate filler  100  there between, and, additionally, a low friction fabric overlay  106 , which is superposed on the bodice and which spans the bodice from sleeve to sleeve. 
   As shown in FIGS.  4 , 6  and  7 , front, intermediate and back fabric layers  96 ,  98  and  100  are quilted, i.e. are joined by staggered intersecting lines of stitching  108 ,  110 , which divide the bodice into geometrical sections that provide greater dimensional stability than would be the case without quilting. This quilting permits conformation with the contours of the body, yet inhibits bunching. The strategic position of low friction overlay  106  inhibits catching of the lining on contiguous sections of clothing that are contacted when the jacket or the like is put on or taken off by a wearer. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8 , each of the sleeves has inner and outer low-friction layers  112 ,  114 , which are separated by intermediate filler layer  116 . Here again, the three layers are quilted, i.e. joined by staggered intersecting lines of stitching  118 ,  120 . The quilting provides sufficient dimensional stability to inhibit bunching. The low-frictional surfaces inhibit catching within the sleeves of the jacket. 
   Preferably, the low-friction fabrics of the bodice and sleeves of the lining, as shown at  98 ,  112  and  114 , are selected from one or a combination of members of the class consisting of taffeta, satin, silk, rayon and cotton sateen. Preferably, the intermediate filler layer is composed of polyester batting or another non-woven fiber, such as that sold by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Corporation under the trade designation, THINSULATE. 
   Operation 
   The detachable lining of the present invention has a combination of sufficiently high dimensional stability throughout the bodice and sleeves, and sufficiently low coefficient of friction at the upper region of the bodice and at the sleeves to enhance the convenience of assembling the lining into the outerwear, and easing donning and doffing the outerwear when assembled with the lining. A major part of the bodice nevertheless includes a front layer composed of a fleece-like fabric for warmth and comfort. 
   Since certain changes may be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.