Abstract:
A combination of a vest and a versatile, adaptable bag allows a person to comfortably carry articles, even while physically active. The vest is contoured to the shape of a person&#39;s body, limiting the jostling of the vest and integrally attached bag as the person moves. One advantageous feature of the convertible bag is that its size can adapt to the desired contents: the upper portion of the bag acts either as a flap for the lower portion, or as a vertical extension of the lower portion when the bag contents are more voluminous. Further, the vest portion sits high on the chest of the person wearing the vest. This increases comfort to the person by distributing the weight better, and reduces sweating, particularly during physical activity such as riding a bicycle.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosed embodiments relate generally to garments with packs capable of carrying articles, and more particularly to garments comprising a bag with an integrally attached vest. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    One way for a person to carry articles is in a handbag or satchel, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,609 and U.S. Pat. No. D464,197. One disadvantage of a handbag or satchel is that the hand holding the bag is fully occupied. This disadvantage is particularly pronounced when the user is engaged in an activity, such as riding a bicycle or hiking. In addition, if the articles in the handbag or satchel are heavy, the bag places a significant strain on the user&#39;s hand and arm. 
         [0003]    Another way for a person to carry articles is in a backpack, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,103. A backpack does not occupy the hands of a user, and does not strain the user&#39;s hand or arm. However, a typical backpack design places significant strain on the two shoulder straps. In addition, a bulky fix-sized backpack creates a center of gravity away from a user&#39;s back. To compensate, a user will frequently have to lean forward in an awkward posture. Further, even with two shoulder straps and a belt strap, a backpack is typically unstable, with articles jostling around as the user moves. 
         [0004]    There have been some proposals to combine a pack and a garment. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,707, U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,998, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,644. These designs, however, have several drawbacks. First, the garments typically cover the entire torso, which is undesirable for a user engaged in active movement such as bicycling. In addition, the designs have fixed-size pack area, which is either not as useful because it is small, or awkward because it is large. 
         [0005]    An object of the present invention is to provide a garment with both a bag and a vest that overcomes the foregoing disadvantages and drawbacks. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    According to one embodiment, a garment comprises a bag portion and a vest portion. The back panel of the vest integrates with the back panel of the bag, and the vest portion can be worn by a person. The bag has a lower portion and an upper portion, and the lower portion of the bag is the part that integrates with the vest. When the upper portion of the bag is empty, the upper portion forms a flap that folds over the lower portion. When the contents of the bag exceed the capacity of the lower portion of the bag, the upper portion extends the compartment formed by the lower portion of the bag, extending upward from the lower portion. When the upper portion is thus extended, there is a single compartment formed by the lower and upper portions. The ability of the upper portion to function as a flap or as an extension of the bag is one way in which embodiments of the invention are adaptable to various loads that may be carried in the bag. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments the vest is configured so that it covers only the upper portion of the wearer&#39;s chest. In some embodiments, the lowest portion of the vest in the middle of the wearer&#39;s chest is above the wearer&#39;s sternum. The vest distributes the weight broadly so that the wearer is able to bear a heavy load more comfortably. The vest may comprise two sides that are fastened together in front with snaps. In some embodiments there are two or more sets of snaps to accommodate various thicknesses of clothing. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments the bag has zippered gussets along at least a portion of the side panels. The zippers may be one-way or two-way. When the zippered gussets are fully zipped up, the horizontal depth of the bag is smaller, keeping the articles in the bag closer to the wearer&#39;s back. This provides a better center of gravity for the bag, and reduces jostling of articles in the bag as the wearer moves. When the zippers are fully open, the gussets expand the compartment to the largest horizontal depth, allowing the compartment to hold more or larger articles. In some embodiments the zippers extend from the center top of the upper portion of the bag down the side panels to the lower portion of the bag. In some embodiments the zippers extend only part of the way down the side panels of the lower portion of the bag. Zippered gussets are another way of making embodiments of the invention adaptable to various loads that may be carried in the bag. 
         [0009]    In some embodiments portions of the vest are padded. Padding in general increases the wearer&#39;s comfort while bearing the weight of the bag and its contents. Padding on the back panel of the vest reduces the likelihood that articles in the bag will poke, prod, injure, or otherwise irritate the back of the wearer. The padding can comprise many different materials, including flannel, felt, batting, or polyester fill. 
         [0010]    In some embodiments, portions of the vest or bag are composed of waxed cotton. Waxed cotton is a natural fiber that feels particularly comfortable against the skin of the wearer. In addition, waxed cotton helps to repel water, making the garment more suitable for wet weather. 
         [0011]    In some embodiments, the front of the bag has a pocket and a strap that are suitable for holding a U-shaped lock. Many embodiments are well-suited for bicycle riders, and many bicycle riders use U-shaped locks for their bicycles. The pocket and strap provide a convenient place to hold a U-shaped lock while a bicyclist is riding. In some embodiments the pocket is below the strap, and the strap is permanently attached to the bag at both ends. In some embodiments the “U” portion of the U-shaped lock is “upside-down,” with the rounded portion of the “U” at the top. The middle of the strap attaches to the bag, effectively providing two straps that hold the long bars of the U-shaped lock. In some embodiments the middle of the strap attaches to the bag with a hook and loop fastener. For example, Velcro® is one such brand of fastener. An alternative means of connecting the middle of the strap to the bag is a snap fastener. In some alternative embodiments, the middle of the strap is permanently attached to the bag, and the outer ends of the strap detachably connect to the bag. 
         [0012]    To make some embodiments, a sequence of manufacturing steps is preferred. In particular, the vest and “bag” portions of some embodiments are integrated together before the “bag” is a complete bag. After the vest and back panel of the “bag” are attached together, the remainder of the bag is constructed. In some cases, attaching the vest to the back portion of the bag simplifies the manufacturing process; it would be more difficult to attach the vest to the bag after the bag was fully constructed. The order of manufacturing operations may differ from one embodiment to another. 
         [0013]    In some embodiments the vest is contoured to fit the body of the wearer. This stabilizes the bag, and thus it does not move much, even when the wearer is active. In some embodiments, the vest has a lower arc or curved portion that snugly fits a person&#39;s body. This lower curved portion of the vest is not attached directly to the back panel of the bag, acting primarily to stabilize the vest and bag by wrapping around the wearer&#39;s lower back and upper chest. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments there are pockets on the front part of the vest. These front pockets allow the wearer to access small items without taking the garment off. In some embodiments the front pockets are pleated to allow for great capacity. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments there are one or more side pockets on the side panels of the bag. The side pockets may be zippered, elasticized, or closed using a snap or hook and loop fasteners. 
         [0016]    In some embodiments the bottom of the bag comprises leather, or is lined with leather. The bottom of the bag must support the weight of the articles in the bag, and may be poked or prodded with sharp points, so a sturdy material for the bottom is advantageous. Many other sturdy materials may be used for the bottom of the bag, including Kevlar®. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments there is a handle attached to the vest or bag portion to allow the garment to be carried by hand. In some embodiments such handles are padded. 
         [0018]    Embodiments of the present application are generally configured so that the bag does not interfere with sitting or riding a bicycle. To accommodate riding, the bag portion of an embodiment is positioned high enough on the vest so that the bag would not reach the bicycle seat upon which a user is sitting. Similarly, the bag portion would not reach a chair (or other object) upon which a user is seated. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a garment having a vest and a bag, with the bag shown fully extended upward. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an embodiment in which the upper portion is folded over to form a flap. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the bag portion, showing an exemplary side pocket and a zippered gusset, with the upper portion fully extended upward. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of a garment having a vest and a bag, showing an exemplary side pocket and a zippered gusset, with the upper portion folded over to form a flap. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a vest and an exploded view of an embodiment of a bag. This exploded view does not show the individual components of the vest portion. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  illustrates how the garment is worn by a person. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment. The embodiment is similar to the one in  FIG. 1 , but cut away to show only the left half. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a close-up drawing of a pocket and strap that can hold a U-shaped lock. 
       
    
    
       [0027]    Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a garment having both a vest and a bag. The vest and bag portions may comprise any suitably sturdy material, such as tightly woven natural or petroleum based fiber poplin, canvas, rip-stop, or the like. Padded portions would typically comprise flannel, felt, batting, or polyester fill. In a preferred embodiment, portions of the bag and vest comprise waxed cotton. 
         [0029]    The vest portion in the embodiment of  FIG. 1  has back panel  105  that is integrally attached to the lower back panel  255 B of the bag. The upper right vest strap  125 R and lower right vest strap  130 R may comprise one or more pieces of material. Together with back panel  105 , vest straps  125 R and  130 R form right arm opening  120 R. The left side of the vest has similar vest straps  125 L and  130 L, and together with back panel  105  form left arm opening  120 L. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  also shows front vest panels  135 R and  135 L that attach together in the middle of the vest. In this embodiment the left and right front vest panels attach to each other with one or more sets of snaps  137 . Although not shown in  FIG. 1 , there can be two or more sets or snaps so that front vest panels  135 R and  135 L can fit appropriately regardless of the wearer&#39;s underlying clothing. Together with back panel  105 , upper vest straps  125 R and  125 L and front vest panels  135 R and  135 L form head opening  115 . 
         [0031]    The embodiment in  FIG. 1  also shows front pockets  150 R and  150 L, with pocket flaps  155 R and  155 L. Pocket flaps  155 R and  155 L protect the pocket contents from water and other weather conditions, and also reduce the likelihood that the contents of the pockets will spill or fly off when the wearer is engaged in physical activity. In some embodiments, pocket flaps  155 R and  155 L attach to the top of the pockets  150 R and  150 L with hook and loop fasteners or snap fasteners. 
         [0032]    The embodiment in  FIG. 1  also shows a carrying handle  110 . The carrying handle  110  is optionally padded, and allows a user to carry the convertible bag and vest combination by hand. When carried this way, the upper portion  210  of the bag is typically folded over the bottom portion  205 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . 
         [0033]    As further shown in  FIG. 1 , the embodiment has a bag, which comprises an upper portion  210  and a lower portion  205 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bag has a right side  215 R, and a top  220 . (The left side of the bag is shown in  FIG. 4 .) The back side of the bag has an upper back panel  260 B and a lower back panel  255 B. As noted above, the lower back panel  255 B of the back is integrally attached to the back panel  105  of the vest. The front of the bag is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , and described below. 
         [0034]    The embodiment in  FIG. 1  also shows closure strap  250  attached to the upper back panel  260 B of the bag. The closure strap  250  may have a snap or other connector means, which can detachably connect to the front of the bag (see  FIG. 5  and description below). 
         [0035]    The embodiment in  FIG. 1  has right side pocket  235 R, which is more fully depicted and described in reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The embodiment in  FIG. 1  also shows lower vest body arc  140 , which is more fully depicted and described in reference to  FIG. 7 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 2  is a side view of an embodiment similar to the one in  FIG. 1 . In this view, upper and lower right vest straps  125 R and  130 R are visible, and together with vest back panel  105 , form right arm opening  120 R. The right front vest panel  135 R is located where the upper right vest strap  125 R meets the lower right vest strap  130 R. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the right front vest panel may have a right pocket  15 OR with right pocket flap  155 R. These are described above with respect to  FIG. 1 . The left side of the vest (which is not visible in  FIG. 2 ) is generally symmetric to the visible right side of the vest, and described more fully below with reference to  FIG. 4 . Lower vest body arc  140  wraps around from the vest back panel  105  to the lower right vest strap  130 R and right front vest panel  135 R. The lower vest body arc  140  is more fully shown and described in references to  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 2  also shows carrying handle  110 , which may be attached to the vest, the bag, or both. 
         [0037]    The embodiment in  FIG. 2  shows the upper portion  210  of the bag folded over the lower portion  205  of the bag. As shown, lower back panel  255 B of lower bag portion  205  is attached to the back panel  105  of the vest. The side view in  FIG. 2  shows the right side  215 R of the bag, which extends all the way from the bottom to the top.  FIG. 2  also shows right side pocket  235 R. Right side pocket  235 R may be zippered.  FIG. 2  also shows right gusset zipper  225 R, which extends from the upper portion  210  of the bag down into the lower portion  205  of the bag. As shown, a gusset zipper typically does not extend all the way to the bottom of the lower portion  205  of the bag. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  provides a more detailed side view of the bag portion of an embodiment. A complete embodiment would show the back panel  105  of the vest attached to lower back panel  255 B of the bag.  FIG. 3  shows the right side view of an embodiment with the bag fully extended upwards. In this orientation, the upper portion  210  of the bag is above the lower portion  205  of the bag. The front of the bag comprises upper front panel  260 F and lower front panel  255 F. The right side  215 R of the bag has zippered right pocket  235 R and right side gusset zipper  225 R. The back of the bag comprises upper back panel  260 B and lower back panel  255 B. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  shows the left side view of an embodiment with the top portion  210  of the bag folded over as a flap. In this view, upper and lower left vest straps  125 L and  130 L are visible, and together with vest back panel  105 , form left arm opening  120 L. The left front vest panel  135 L is located where the upper left vest strap  125 L meets the lower left vest strap  130 L. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the left front vest panel may have a left pocket  150 L with left pocket flap  155 L. These are described above with respect to  FIG. 1 . Lower vest body arc  140  wraps around from the vest back panel  105  to the lower left vest strap  130 L and left front vest panel  135 L. The lower vest body arc  140  is more fully shown and described in reference to  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 4  also shows carrying handle  110 , which may be attached to the vest, the bag, or both. The back panel  105  of the vest is attached to lower back panel  255 B of the bag, which is below upper back panel  260 B of the bag. 
         [0040]    When the upper portion  210  of the bag is extended vertically as in  FIG. 3 , upper front panel  260 F is above lower front panel  255 F. However, when the upper portion  210  is folded over as in  FIG. 4 , upper front panel  260 F falls next to lower front panel  255 F.  FIG. 4  shows an optional closure strap  250 , which is permanently attached to the top of upper back panel  260 B. In  FIG. 4 , closure strap  250  is detachably connected to upper front panel  260 F, looping across the top of the bag. A user may also detachably connect the closure strap  250  to lower front panel  255 F, which would prevent the upper portion of the bag from flapping around. 
         [0041]    The embodiments in  FIGS. 3 and 4  show side pockets. The right side pocket  235 R in  FIG. 3  is an exemplary zippered pocket. The left side pocket  235 L in  FIG. 4  is an exemplary pocket that is covered with a left side pocket flap  240 L. The top of left side pocket flap  240 L is permanently attached to the left side  215 L of the bag, and a portion of left side pocket flap  240 L may detachably connect to the left side  215 L of the bag or the left side pocket  235 L using hook and loop fasteners or snap fasteners. Left side pocket flap  240 L operates similar to pocket flaps  155 R and  155 L described above with reference to  FIG. 1 . One of skill in the art would recognize that zippered pockets or pockets with flaps could be used on either side of the bag, and that each side of the bag could have zero or more such pockets. 
         [0042]    The embodiments in  FIGS. 3 and 4  show zippered gussets. The right side gusset zipper  225 R is shown zipped open, and the left side gusset zipper  225 L is shown zipped closed. Right and left side gusset zippers  225 R and  225 L may be one way or preferably two-way.  FIG. 3  shows that when the right side gusset zipper  225 R is open, it exposes an upper inner right side wall  230 R of the bag. Thus, even with the gusset fully or partially opened, the upper inner right side wall  230 R holds articles inside the bag. The upper inner right side wall  230 R extends only to the top of the bag, and not over the top of the bag. In this embodiment, the right side gusset zipper  225 R functions as an ordinary zipper along the top to open the top of the bag. The left side gusset zipper  225 L shown in  FIG. 4  functions in the same way as right side gusset zipper  225 R. One of skill in the art would recognize that other configurations of zippers are possible that fall within the teachings provided herein. For example, the gusset zippers along the sides could be distinct from the zipper or zippers that open the top of the bag. 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  shows a vest and an exploded view of a bag that attaches to the vest. This view shows carrying handle  110  attached to the top of vest back panel  105 . Lower vest body arc  140  is connected to the bottom of the vest back panel  105 . The lower vest body arc  140  wraps around the body of a person and stabilizes the vest and bag. The back panel of the bag comprises lower back panel  255 B and upper back panel  260 B. Attached at the top of the back panel is closure strap  250 . In some embodiments, lower back panel  255 B is attached to vest back panel  105  before the back panel of the back is attached to the other pieces of the bag. 
         [0044]    Attached to the upper and lower back panels  255 B and  260 B are left and right side panels  215 L and  215 R. The left and right side panels  215 L and  215 R may incorporate one or more pockets. The exploded view of  FIG. 5  shows a zippered pocket  235 R that will attach to the right side panel  215 R and a left pocket  235 L with a left side pocket flap  240 L. The bag optionally includes an internal pocket or sleeve  280  that attaches to lower back panel  255 B. The internal pocket  280  may be used to hold a laptop computer or any other articles. 
         [0045]    The exploded view in  FIG. 5  shows the front panel of the bag comprising lower front panel  255 F and upper front panel  260 F. Roughly in the middle is a horizontal zippered opening  285 . This horizontal zippered opening allows access to the interior of the bag without requiring a user to open the bag at the top. In particular, the zippered opening is generally near the height of internal pocket  280 , so a user can access the contents of the internal pocket  280  easily. 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , lower front panel  255 F may have a lock pocket  310  and lock holding strap  320 . The lock pocket  310  and lock holding strap  320  are suitable for holding a U-shaped lock, as more full described in reference to  FIG. 8 . The locking portion  360  of a U-shaped lock fits into the lock pocket  310 . 
         [0047]    The closure strap  250  shown in  FIG. 5  may detachably connect either to the upper front panel  260 F (when the bag is extended upwards as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ) or to the lower front panel  255 F (when the upper portion of the bag is folded over as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ). 
         [0048]      FIG. 6  shows how an embodiment of the garment may be worn by a person. As shown in  FIG. 1 , vest back panel  105  together with right vest straps  125 R and  130 R forming right arm opening  120 R. In  FIG. 6 , the person&#39;s right arm  410 R is sticking through right arm opening  120 R, making right arm opening  120 R not visible in the figure. Similarly, vest back panel  105  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) together with left vest straps  125 L and  130 L (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ) form left arm opening  120 L. In  FIG. 6 , the person&#39;s left arm  410 L protrudes through left arm opening  120 L, making left arm opening  120 L not visible in the figure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , vest back panel  105 , together with upper vest straps  125 R and  125 L and vest front panels  135 R and  135 L form head opening  115 . In  FIG. 6  the person&#39;s neck  420  is protruding through the head opening  115 , making the head opening  115  not visible. 
         [0049]    As seen in  FIG. 6 , the left and right front vest panels  135 R and  135 L attach together high on the chest of the person wearing the vest. The person&#39;s sternum  430  is below the bottom of the vest in this embodiment. 
         [0050]    The embodiment of a garment shown in  FIG. 6  also shows that front pockets  15 OR and  150 L (together with pocket flaps  155 R and  155 L) are located high on the chest of the person wearing the vest. The right front pocket  15 OR and right pocket flap  155 R are located on the right front vest panel  135 R. Similarly, left front pocket  150 L and left pocket flap  155 L are located on the left front vest panel  135 L. The right and front vest panels are held together with snaps  137 . Although  FIG. 6  shows only one set of two snaps, alternative embodiments may have two or more sets of snaps, or a set of snaps could comprise three or more snaps  137  aligned in some pattern. In  FIG. 6 , the snaps  137  are aligned vertically. 
         [0051]    When the vest is worn by a person, carrying handle  110  is located behind the neck  420  of that person. 
         [0052]      FIG. 7  is a cutaway view showing the left half of an embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment in  FIG. 1 , but the view allows some additional features to be visible. The embodiment in  FIG. 7  shows two sets of snaps  137  at the end of left vest front panel  135 L. Here, a set of snaps is a vertical pair, and there are two such sets shown. The two sets of snaps  137  allow a user to adjust the tightness of the vest, typically based on the thickness of the user&#39;s underlying clothing. 
         [0053]      FIG. 7  also shows lower vest body arc  140 . Lower vest body arc  140  is curved to fit the contour of a person, which stabilizes the bag even during active physical activity. In addition, the fitted contour is more comfortable for the wearer than the straps of backpacks. 
         [0054]    The cutaway view in  FIG. 7  shows an embodiment with an internal pocket or pouch  280 . This internal pocket  280  can be useful to segregate items inside the bag, or keep all of the items near the back of the wearer when there are few items in the bag. In the latter case, by keeping items in the pocket the center of gravity is kept closer to the wearer&#39;s back, resulting in less strain on the wearer. The view in  FIG. 7  also shows zippered opening  285 . The zippered opening  285  allows a user to access the contents of the bag or internal pocket  280  without opening the top of the bag. In this embodiment, even if gusset zippers  225 R and  225 L are fully zipped closed, zippered opening  285  allows a user access to the contents of the bag. 
         [0055]      FIG. 8  shows a lock pocket  310  and lock holding strap  320  that are used in some embodiments to hold a U-shaped lock. The lock pocket  310  is secured to the lower front panel  255 F (see  FIGS. 3 and 5 ) of the bag. Lock pocket  310  is typically secured on both the bottom and both sides. Lock pocket  310  is large enough to hold the locking portion  360  of a U-shaped lock. Lock holding strap  320  is typically above the lock pocket  310 , and configured to form two loops. In one embodiment, the left strap end  340  and right strap end  350  are permanently attached to the lower front panel  255 F of the bag. In this configuration, the middle  330  of the strap is detachably connected to the lower front panel  255 F of the bag. The detachable connection at the middle  330  may use hook and loop fasteners, snaps, or the like. In an alternative embodiment, the middle  330  is permanently attached to the lower front panel  255 F, and the left and right strap ends  340  and  350  are detachably connected to the lower front panel  255 F. The detachable connections may use hook and loop fasteners, snaps, or the like. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other configurations are possible that fall within the scope of the teaching herein, such as using two independent straps rather than a single contiguous strap. When the middle  330  and ends  340  and  350  of the strap are attached to the lower front panel  255 F, there are two loops formed that hold the long bars  375  of a U-shaped lock. The U-shaped portion  370  of a U-shaped lock is the highest part of a U-shaped lock when held by lock holding strap  320  and lock pocket  310 . One of ordinary skill in the art would also recognize that lock pocket  310  and lock holding strap  360  could hold locks that are not “U-shaped.” Although many bicycle locks are currently U-shaped as described here and shown in  FIG. 8 , a U-shape is not required. For example, any lock with a locking portion  360  and one or two long bars  375  could be held by the lock pocket  310  and lock holding strap  320 . 
         [0056]    The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.