Abstract:
A pocket on or in a piece of apparel for carrying and storing a mobile phone or similar battery powered electronic device in cold temperatures is disclosed. An exothermic device is placed in proximity either within the same pocket compartment or in a separate pocket in close proximity. The heat generated by the exothermic device prevents battery degradation at these temperatures.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to apparel and, more specifically, to an apparel pocket for securing an exothermic device and mobile electronic device together such that the exothermic device provides heat to prevent both damage to sensitive electronic components and to extend battery life by mitigating collapse of the battery chemical process due to use in extreme cold. 
       Description of the Prior Art 
       [0002]    There are other devices which provide for warming mobile devices. While these devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
         [0003]    It is thus desirable to provide articles with closeable pocket receptacle for a mobile device and an exothermic product. 
         [0004]    It is further desirable to provide re-closeable pocket receptacle having one compartment for mobile device and another compartment for an exothermic device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0005]    A primary object of the present invention is to provide articles of clothing or the like with a latchable and re-closeable pocket for the placement therein of an electronic device, such as a mobile phone, with the pocket potentially having another associated receptacle for the placement therein of an exothermic device that when activated will heat both the pockets. 
         [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a latchable pocket incorporated into articles selected from the group of apparel and backpack for storing a user provided mobile device and user provided exothermic device. 
         [0007]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a latchable pocket having an interior and exterior layer wherein said exterior layer may be of the same material as the article of clothing (or backpack) that the pocket is attached to and where the interior layer may be manufactured from a heat reflective material. 
         [0008]    Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a latchable pocket having a mobile device compartment and an exothermic product compartment with the compartments sharing a common wall manufactured from a heat retentive material. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide said latchable pocket wherein said latching is selected from zipper and Velcro®. 
         [0010]    Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
         [0011]    The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing articles of clothing or the like with a pocket for securing a user provided exothermic device and user provided mobile electronic device therein and where the exothermic device provides heat to prevent damage to sensitive electronic components and extend battery life by mitigating collapse of the battery chemical process due to environmental extreme cold, such as when the user is snowboarding, skiing, ice climbing, etc. 
         [0012]    The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
         [0013]    The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
       [0014]    Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the use of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
   U user     10  skiing     12  outdoor events     14  snowmobiling     16  hunting     18  outdoor work     20  present invention     22  mobile (electronic) device     24  exothermic device (warmer)     26  peelable cover over adhesive surface     28  winter apparel     30  thermal pocket     32  electronic device and warmer     34  hook and loop fasteners     36  phone compartment     38  warmer compartment     40  zippered side pocket     42  zipper closure     44  second embodiment thermal pocket     46  second embodiment mobile device compartment     48  second embodiment warmer compartment     50  extra warmer compartment     52  releasable closure     54  top zipper closure     56  inner dividing compartment wall     58  parka pocket     60  breast phone pocket     62  breast warmer pocket     64  snap closure     66  vertically oriented phone pocket     68  horizontally oriented warmer pocket     70  parka zipper closures     72  snow pants     74  vertically oriented pant pocket     76  horizontally oriented pant pocket     78  pant zipper closures     80  snow pant pockets     82  backpack     84  backpack phone compartment     86  backpack warmer compartment     88  backpack zipper closures     90  backpack thermal pocket   
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0057]    In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
           [0058]      FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the present invention in use. 
           [0059]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of mobile device with an attachable exothermic device. 
           [0060]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of mobile device having attached exothermic device. 
           [0061]      FIG. 4  is an illustrative view of an enablement of the present invention in use. 
           [0062]      FIG. 5  is an illustrative view of a thermal pocket for heating mobile device. 
           [0063]      FIG. 6  is an illustrative view of an enablement of the present invention in use. 
           [0064]      FIG. 7  is an illustrative view of the thermal pocket having a storage pocket for additional exothermic devices. 
           [0065]      FIG. 8  is an illustrative view of the present invention in use. 
           [0066]      FIG. 9  is an illustrative view of an enablement of the present invention in use. 
           [0067]      FIG. 10  is an illustrative view of an enablement of the present invention in use. 
           [0068]      FIG. 11  is an illustrative view of other winter apparel incorporating thermal pocket for mobile device. 
           [0069]      FIG. 12  is an illustrative view of an additional element of the present invention in use. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0070]    The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment). This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
         [0071]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , shown is an illustrative view of the present invention in use. The present invention is a thermal pocket either attached to or integral with articles of clothing or the like for storing a user provided mobile device (or other battery operated electronics) and an exothermic device. The method of heating a cell or smart phone with an exothermic device may include packaging incorporating an adhesive layer with a peelably removable cover that once removed enables the exothermic device to be adhesively attached to the user provided mobile device. The present invention further envisions that the thermal pocket provides latchable closure sealing the heat and mobile device therein. These details will be explained further below. In the Figure, the user U is shown undertaking various activities. The activities shown include skiing  10 , various outdoor events, such as sporting events, attended as either a participant or a spectator  12 , snowmobiling  14 , hunting  16 , or merely being outdoors at work, construction work for example. It is well known that extreme cold, or merely long exposure to cold, shortens the battery life of a cell phone or the like. The present invention, indicated at  20 , seeks to address this problem. 
         [0072]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , shown is a perspective view of a mobile device  22  with an attachable exothermic device  24 . Shown is an exothermic device  24  removed from its packaging and ready for use, the device  24  incorporating a peelably removable cover  26  that is located over an adhesive surface on the exothermic device  24 . This allows the user to attach the exothermic device  24  to the battery powered electronic device  22  to prevent the failure or degradation of battery power due to cold. 
         [0073]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , shown is a perspective view of the present invention in use at  20 . Shown is a mobile device  22  having with an attached exothermic device  24 . The peelable cover  26  (seen in  FIG. 2 ) has been removed and the warming unit (exothermic device)  24  has been adhesively attached to the battery powered device  22 . The exothermic device could generate heat in a number of ways. It could, for example, be a combustion-based warmer, with fuel and a combustion chamber. It is contemplated, though, that a chemical mixture that when exposed to air produces heat could also be used. These types of devices are commonly known as “hand warmers”. 
         [0074]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , shown is an illustrative view of one enablement of the present invention. In this Figure the present invention  20  provides a thermal pocket  30  with an inner area  32  and having a closure element  34  for winter apparel  28  where a cell phone or smart phone (or other type of battery-powered electronic device)  22  is placed therein having an exothermic device adhesively attached to the mobile device as seen in the previous Figure. A compartment for storing extra exothermic devices may be provided, which may also serve as an additional compartment for an activated thermal device  24  (not seen in this Figure) so that the mobile device and working exothermic device are in separate compartments. 
         [0075]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , shown is an illustrative view of a thermal pocket for providing supplemental heat for a mobile device or the like. A critical aspect of mobile device functionality is ambient temperature. Batteries and sensitive electronics are adversely affected by cold through the chemical process within batteries slowing as temperature drops resulting in insufficient current to power the device. Interestingly, in some cases, taking that same device which appear to have a dead battery and putting it in a warm environment may resuscitate the battery. The present invention envisions incorporating a thermal pocket for mobile devices into apparel or a bag, such as a backpack so that the ambient temperature of the phone (or other battery powered device) is kept above freezing (or to a desired temperature). The pocket seen in this Figure incorporates a mobile device receiving compartment indicated in this Figure at  36  and an exothermic device receiving pocket indicated at  38  as discussed above. The partition between the two pocket compartments may be manufactured from the same material as the pocket, from a thermally reflective material, or from a heat-retaining material. 
         [0076]      FIG. 6  shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the thermal pocket  30  includes a zippered side pocket  40  along with the main releasable closure  34 , which could be hook and loop type fasteners, buttons, or another zipper. The securing zipper  42  for the zippered side pocket  40  is seen while the mobile device  22  or the like is placed within the thermal pocket  30 . It should be noted that the zippered side pocket  40  could be modified to store additional warmers as needed. 
         [0077]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , shown is an illustrative view of another thermal pocket embodiment indicated at  44 . In this embodiment, the pocket  44  includes a mobile device compartment  46 , a warmer compartment  48 , and an additional spare warmer compartment  50  for additional exothermic devices. Also seen in the Figure is a releasable closure  52 . As above, this could be hook and loop type fasteners, buttons, zippers, or the like. The material that makes up the inner walls or compartment walls could be uniform, or parts could be either heat reflective or heat retaining material. 
         [0078]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , shown is another illustrative view of the present invention in use. Shown is the thermal pocket  44  (similar to that shown in  FIG. 7 ) for winter apparel having a closure element, in this case a top zipper type closure indicated at  54  and two divided chambers  46 ,  48  for securely holding a cell or smart phone ( 46 ) and exothermic device ( 48 ) therein. An additional pocket  50  is provided for the storage of extra exothermic devices. The inner dividing compartment wall  56  is shown as perforated to allow heat to flow between the two compartments  46 ,  48 . AS mentioned above, the material making up this inner compartment wall  56  could be heat retaining, heat reflective, or a combination of the two. 
         [0079]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , shown is an illustrative view of another enablement of the present invention in use in a winter coat or parka  28 . In this embodiment the cell phone or the like  22  is placed in a breast pocket compartment  60  while the exothermic device  24  is placed in the warmer pocket as indicated at  62 . In this embodiment the device  22  is secured in the compartment  60  by a snap closure at  64 . 
         [0080]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , shown is an illustrative view of an enablement of the present invention in use with another arrangement of the pockets  66 ,  68 . The first phone pocket  66  is vertically oriented as shown and is secured by a parka zipper closure  70 . Likewise closed by another parka zipper  70  is the horizontally oriented warmer pocket indicated at  68 . 
         [0081]    Referring to  FIG. 11  an embodiment of the present invention is shown using snow pants or the like. The pants are indicated at  72  and they include a pair of snow pant pockets  80 , each having a vertically oriented pant pocket for a phone or other electronic device  74 , and a horizontally oriented pant pocket to contain the warmer indicated at  76 . Both these pockets  74 ,  76  are secured by pant zipper closures  78 . The proximity of the warmer pocket  76  and the electronic device pocket  74  allows the former to keep the latter warm as discussed above. 
         [0082]    Referring to  FIG. 12 , shown is an illustrative view of an additional element of the present invention in use. Shown is a thermal backpack pocket  90  of the present invention incorporated into a back pack indicated at  82 . The thermal backpack pocket includes a backpack phone compartment  84  and a backpack warmer compartment  86 . Both of these are secured with backpack zipper closures as indicated at  88 . As above, the proximity of the two compartments  84 ,  86  ensure that the battery in the electronic device stays warm. 
         [0083]    It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
         [0084]    While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.