Abstract:
A convertible garment, such as a jacket, tunic, sweater or vest, capable of being folded and converted into a carry-on bag and adapted for carrying articles normally carried in a handbag, briefcase, carry-on bag or suitcase, with pockets on the outside and in the lining portion of the garment, arranged so that the garment is not distorted by items carried within said pockets. The garment also has a back panel accessible from inside of the garment for carrying articles such as socks, underwear, shirts and trousers, with special compartments for such clothes. Zippers and hook and loop fasteners are used as closures for some of the pockets. A method for folding the garment and converting it into a conventional carry-on bag is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention relates to the fields of garments and bags. More specifically, it relates to a type of carry-on bag or shoulder bag, transformable into a non-bag device, with separate closure elements and means to facilitate opening closure, with means to securely maintain elements in closed configuration, formed by folding bag walls on common fold line and joining them together, intended to be used also for something other than holding contents and capable of being worn as an outer garment. 
         [0005]    The utility and practicality of garments that are convertible into carrying bags, purses, totes, shoulder bags or the like have been well appreciated in the prior art. Examples of such convertible garments are disclosed in the following U.S. Patent Documents: 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 1,520,963 
                 December 1924 
                 Nyilas 
               
               
                 2,428,795 
                 October 1947 
                 Frazee 
               
               
                 2,959,789 
                 November 1960 
                 Mills et al. 
               
               
                 2,970,316 
                 February 1961 
                 J. Silin 
               
               
                 4,347,629 
                 September 1982 
                 Itoi 
               
               
                 4,475,251 
                 October 1984 
                 Hopkins 
               
               
                 4,476,587 
                 October 1984 
                 Itoi 
               
               
                 4,637,076 
                 January 1987 
                 Evangeline Tartt &amp; Sandra Weber 
               
               
                 4,700,409 
                 October 1987 
                 De Lott 
               
               
                 5,075,900 
                 December 1991 
                 Chittenden 
               
               
                 5,165,111 
                 November 1992 
                 Lieberman 
               
               
                 5,278,998 
                 January 1994 
                 Book 
               
               
                 5,860,164 
                 January 1999 
                 Johnson 
               
               
                 6,405,377 
                 June 2002 
                 Davis 
               
               
                 20080134408 
                 June 2008 
                 Kantor 
               
               
                 20130081195 
                 April 2013 
                 Faridoon 
               
               
                 20160157535 
                 June 2016 
                 Tirro; Grace; et al. 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0006]    However, none of the foregoing patents disclose a combination garment and carry-on bag as set forth herein, which is provided with a compartment for carrying clothes, which can be used even if the garment is wear, and that at the same time can be folded in such an easily and quickly way that the garment can be used as a carry-on bag and back again, rapidly, without loosing any of its functions, and without detaching or adding any part of the garment. Some of the prior art bags or pouches functioned as tote bags while in the folded state, but the disadvantage of these is that when converted back to an outerwear garment there is no convenient storage area for items that were placed in the tote bag. Some of the bags are comprised of a portion of the outerwear garment. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an attractive garment especially adapted to provide a dual purpose, namely, that functions both as a garment and as a carry-on bag when desired, maintaining its aesthetic qualities at all times, and manufactured out of a variety of natural and synthetic fabric or other kinds of materials, such as leather. This garment provides sufficient space for the storage of personal articles of the user such as trousers, shirts, socks, underwear, and the articles that a person usually carries in a carry-on bag or shoulder bag. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved combination garment and carry-on bag that is worn by a person as an article of clothing and adapted for carrying a wide variety of clothes and articles normally carried in a separate handbag, suitcase, tote or carry-on bag. 
         [0009]    Another object of this invention is to provide an attractive means for carrying clothes and articles while wearing the garment without the overall appearance of the garment being distorted by the presence of the articles. 
         [0010]    Another object of this invention is that when the garment is folded the articles that are inside the pockets won&#39;t fall or get loose inside such pockets. 
         [0011]    Yet another object of the invention is that the garment can be used as a carry-on bag in which the clothes that are carried maintain their position inside the compartments. 
         [0012]    The garment has fashion appeal for both men and women, children and adults, meaning that it is attractive in appearance, simple in construction and manageability, easily manufactured, and rugged and durable in use. 
         [0013]    Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from consideration of the drawings and ensuing description thereof, and there is still a largely unmet need for a convertible garment/carry-on bag that fulfills the criteria set forth above, and that can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the external surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the external surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration, similar to  FIG. 1  but with a detachable shoulder portion. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view of the external surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the internal surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration showing the location of the concealed compartment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the internal surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration showing the location of the concealed compartment after the shoulder portion was detached. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the internal surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration showing the concealed compartment open and its conformation. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of the internal surface of the convertible garment/bag in its garment configuration showing the concealed compartment open and its conformation after the shoulder portion was detached. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of the convertible garment/bag after its conversion into its bag configuration. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of the convertible garment/bag after its conversion into its bag configuration, but showing the side opposite to that shown in  FIG. 8 , more particularly the side on which the means for fastening one wall of the bag to the other are used. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of the convertible garment/bag after its conversion into its bag configuration viewed without the flap  66 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a fragmentary frontal elevational view of a flapped zippered and fastened pocket  20  with its flap raised. 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a fragmentary frontal elevational view of a flapped fastened pocket  22  with its flap raised. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    Referring now more particularly to the drawings, therein is illustrated an embodiment of a new garment/bag device (hereinafter simply referred to as a “garment”) denoted to by the reference numeral  10 , with the features of the present invention and constructed accordingly. In the present example the garment  10  is shown as a sleeveless, vest-like garment, but it is to be understood that the present invention may also take the form of other articles of clothing such as a jacket, tunic, sweater, shirt, coat, etc. In the vest configuration the garment  10  is made of flexible materials, such as fabric, leather, leatherette, etc. in an outline as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 10 . 
         [0027]    Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  the garment  10  includes a pair of opposed front panels  12 , each joined or sewed along its side to the lower part of the back portion  28  just below the arm holes  14  and up to about five inches before the lower extreme of the front panels  12  as can be appreciated in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7  reference numeral  42 . The two front panels  12  join together or separate, in the opposite sides of the ones joined to the back portion  28 , through a fastening device  16  such as a zipper, hook-and-loop fasteners or similar. In the present example the fastening device  16  shown is a zipper. 
         [0028]    A reinforcing strip  18  is attached to each front panel  12  right at half his height in a horizontal position, this reinforcing strip  18  is made of a flexible yet strong ribbon made of leather, leatherette, nylon, etc. The reinforcing strip  18  will be used as a base when the garment  10  converts into its bag configuration  62  as seen in  FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 . 
         [0029]    The garment  10  is configured with two flapped zippered and fastened patch pockets  20 , with a fastening device (e.g. hook and loop fastener)  58  and a zipper  60  under the flap  24  that serves to close the pocket  20  mouth, and a plurality of flapped fastened patch pockets  22 , with a fastening device (e.g. hook and loop fastener)  58  under the flap  24  that serves to close the pocket  22  mouth. Such pockets  20  and  22  are made with a similar material to the one used in the front panels  12 .  FIG. 11  shows a flapped zippered and fastened pocket  20  in a view with the flap  24  raised where the fastening device (e.g. hook and loop fastener)  58  and the zipper  60  can be seen.  FIG. 12  shows a flapped fastened pocket  22  with the flap  24  raised where the fastening device (e.g. hook and loop fastener)  58  can be seen. The reason for the flapped zippered and fastened pockets  20  is that when the garment  10  becomes a bag  62  the articles inside said pockets  20  wont fall down. It will be appreciated that alternative embodiments can be devised that will be configured as other types of vests or garments, such as might be preferred by different users. 
         [0030]    The garment  10  has a reinforcement bias  26  on the upper part of the back portion  28  of the garment  10  (collar) made of a wide, soft and flexible material and sewn to the back portion  28  of the garment  10 , being possible to have this bias prolonged into the front panels  12  as seen in numeral  30  of  FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 . The material of this reinforcement biases  26  and  30  can be similar to the material used for the front panels  12 . 
         [0031]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the garment  10  has a flap  32  in each shoulder that is fastening the back portion  28  to the upper part of the front panel  12 , thus, when the flap  32  is detached from the front panel  12 , the liner that is serving as cover  40  to cover the concealed compartment  44  of the garment  10  is more easily reachable. The flaps  32  have a fastening device  56  to attach into the front panels  12  as can be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . 
         [0032]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the outer back portion  28  of the garment  10  is assembled from two back panels  34  of the same or similar material as the front panels  12  sewn together along its sides down to at least five inches before the end of the garment  10  as can be seen in  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 7  numeral  42 . A reinforcing strip  36  is attached to the outer back portion  28  of the garment  10  in a horizontal position, right at half his height, this reinforcing strip  36  can be made of the same material as the reinforcing strips  18  of the front panels  12  in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The reinforcing strip  36  will be used as a base when the garment  10  converts into its bag configuration  62  as seen in  FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 . 
         [0033]    The outer back portion  28  of the garment  10  has two loops  38  of about fifteen inches each and preferably made from the same material as the reinforcing strips  18  and  34 , sewn in both its ends (about one inch in each side) in a position parallel to the extremes and each end distant from the other about seven inches, at about two inches from the edges, of both the upper and lower parts of the outer back portion of the garment  10 , and being the center of each loop  38  in exactly the center of the outer back portion of the garment  10 . This loops  38  are attached to the outer back portion  28  of the garment  10  with a fastening device  68 , such as a hook-and-loop fastener or a button in each side of each loop  38 , in order to be hidden as decorative ornaments when not in use at its bag configuration  62 . In  FIG. 3  the loops  38  are fastened with a snap-on type fastener  68 . 
         [0034]    The outer back portion  28  of the garment  10  has two flaps  66  located in its lower part and sewn to the outer parts of each back panel  34  one side and the other side attached to the corresponding back panel  34  with three double sided snap buttons  64  each flap  66  or other kind of fasteners. The flaps  66  are made of the same or similar material as the front panels  12  and have about two and a half inches wide. The middle snap button  64   a  is located in the exact half of the lower outer back portion  28  of the garment  10 , and the lower and upper buttons  64   a  are located at about two inches from each of the flap  66  extremes. In the upper part of the outer back portion  28  of the garment  10  are located the other part of each of the double sided snap buttons  64   b  proportionally located as to being able to attach the flaps  66  when the garment  10  is converted into its bag configuration  62 , maintaining the position of each middle button  64   b  in the exact half of the upper outer back portion  28  of the garment  10 . 
         [0035]    The interior of the garment  10  is shown in  FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 . The garment  10  is made of a double layer of material, so that the interior surfaces of the front panels  12  define a contiguous interior surface or liner that serves as a lining to the front panels  12  and can be made of a similar or different flexible material as the front panels  12 . The liner of the back portion of the garment  10  has a backing cover (the “cover”)  40  that covers the concealed compartment  44 , this cover  40  serves both as a liner and as protective and concealer cover for the compartment  44  as can be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5  and  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The cover  40  can be made of a similar or different flexible material as the front panels  12  and is attached to the liner through a fastening device  46  such as a hook-and-loop fastener or a zipper. In this example the fastening device  46  used is a zipper. 
         [0036]    When the cover is opened, as seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the concealed compartment  44  appears, this concealed compartment  44  is comprised of specially designed divisions  48  and  50  for carrying shirts, undergarment and other articles, this divisions  48  and  50  can be made from a flexible mesh and elastic  52  the present example is made as follows: the division  48  is made from a piece of mesh of about eight inches of height, sewn in its lateral sides to the back portion  28  and sewn in the horizontal direction in the exact middle of its height with a double or triple seam. The parts that are not sewn have attached a piece of elastic  52  in the whole horizontal length, without the elastic  52  being too tight as to crinkle the division  48 . The intention of this elastic  52  is to be able to maintain the placed articles in its place. The lower division  50  is made from a piece of mesh of about four inches of height, sewn in its lateral sides and in its bottom to the back portion  28 . The part that is not sewn has attached a piece of elastic  52  in the whole horizontal length, without the elastic  52  being too tight as to crinkle the division  50 . 
         [0037]    In the uppermost part of the concealed compartment  44  is a hanger  54  made of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as wood, plastic or plastic-covered wire. This hanger  54  serves to hang pants, skirts or similar garments. This hanger  54  is attached or sewn into the sides or top of the uppermost part of the concealed compartment  44 , and has to have a space from the top of the concealed compartment  44  to the part that will be used to hang the garments. In case this hanger  54  is made from a rigid material, such hanger  54  must have a slight curvature in order not to distort the garment  10 . 
         [0038]    When the garment  10  is converted into its bag configuration  62  the flaps  66  are released from their position in the buttons  64   a , the cover  40  is properly closed as to conceal the compartment  44  and then the garment  10  is folded following the line formed by the reinforcing strips  18  and  36 , being the reinforcing strip  18  the inner part of the bag  62  and the reinforcing strip  36  the outer part. The flaps  66  are then snapped into the buttons  64   b  of its corresponding side, the loops  38  are released from its fastening devices  68  to serve as handles for the bag  62  configuration, thus converting the garment  10  into a handbag.