Patent Publication Number: US-11638449-B2

Title: Glove and garment system

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     When weather turns cool or inclement, wearing gloves or mittens with outerwear garments, such as jackets or coats, is essential. Because gloves or mittens are separate from the outerwear garments, oftentimes gloves or mittens are misplaced or lost when taken off, especially for young children in daycare, pre-school and school settings. 
     The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     SUMMARY 
     A glove and garment system including a garment adapted to be worn on a body of a wearer including a first sleeve adapted to be worn on a first arm of the wearer and a second sleeve adapted to be worn on a second arm of the wearer. The first sleeve has a first male buckle portion mounted thereon and the second sleeve has a second female buckle portion mounted thereon. The glove and garment system also includes a first glove adapted to be worn on the wearer&#39;s first hand and having a first female buckle portion mounted thereon and a second glove adapted to be worn on the wearer&#39;s second hand and having a second male buckle portion is mounted thereon. In a first configuration of the glove and garment system, the first male buckle portion is secured to the first female buckle portion to fix the first glove adjacent to a distal end of the first sleeve and the second male buckle portion is secured to the second female buckle portion to fix the second glove adjacent to a distal end of the second sleeve. In a second configuration of the glove and garment system, the first female buckle portion is unbuckled from the first male buckle portion to separate the first glove from the distal end of the first sleeve, the second female buckle portion is unbuckled from the second male buckle portion to separate the second glove from the distal end of the second sleeve and the first female buckle portion is secured to the second male buckle portion to buckle the first glove to the second glove. 
     A glove and garment system includes a garment adapted to be worn on a body of a wearer and having a first sleeve adapted to be worn on a first arm of the wearer and a second sleeve adapted to be worn on a second arm of the wearer, a use configuration and a storage configuration. The use configuration includes a first female buckle portion mounted to a first glove adapted to worn on a first hand of the wearer and being secured to a first male buckle portion mounted to the first sleeve so that the first glove is fixed adjacent to a distal end of the first sleeve. The use configuration also includes a second male buckle portion mounted to a second glove adapted to be worn on a second hand of the wearer and being secured to a second female buckle portion mounted to the second sleeve so that the second glove is fixed adjacent to a distal end of the second sleeve. The storage configuration includes the first female buckle portion being separated from the first male buckle portion, the second male buckle portion being separated from the second female buckle portion and the first female buckle portion being buckled to the second male buckle portion to fix the first glove to the second glove. 
     A method is provided and includes placing a glove and garment system into a use configuration and placing the glove and garment system into a storage configuration. In the use configuration, a first female buckle portion mounted to a first glove is buckled to a first male buckle portion mounted to a first sleeve of a garment to fix the first glove adjacent to the first sleeve. Also in the use configuration, a second male buckle portion mounted to a second glove is buckled to a second female buckle portion mounted to a second sleeve of the garment to fix the second glove adjacent to the second sleeve. In the storage configuration of the glove and garment system the first female buckle portion mounted to the first glove is buckled to the second male buckle portion mounted to the second glove so that the first glove and the second glove are fixed together. 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the background. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a front view of a glove and garment system according to an embodiment, the glove and garment system of  FIG.  1    being in a first or use configuration with gloves buckled to the garment, fixed adjacent to sleeves of the garment and being worn on a wearer&#39;s hands. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a right side view of the glove and garment system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a left side view of the glove and garment system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a front view of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment, the glove and garment system of  FIG.  4    being in first or use configuration with gloves buckled to the garment as in  FIG.  1    and fixed adjacent to sleeve of the garment, but not being worn by a wearer&#39;s hands. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a perspective view of the glove and garment system according an embodiment, the glove and garment system being in a second or storage configuration with the pair of gloves buckled together using the portions of the buckles for buckling the gloves to the garment. 
         FIG.  6    is an enlarged view of a dorsal end portion of a first sleeve of the garment of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is an enlarged view of a dorsal end portion of a second sleeve of the garment of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a front view of a male buckle portion of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a side view of  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  10    is a bottom view of  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  11    is a top view of  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  12    is a front view of a female portion of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  13    is a back view of  FIG.  12   . 
         FIG.  14    is a bottom view of  FIG.  12   . 
         FIG.  15    is a top view of  FIG.  12   . 
         FIG.  16    is a side view of  FIG.  12   . 
         FIG.  17    is a dorsal view of a first glove configured for a wearer&#39;s hand of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  18    is a dorsal view of a second glove configured for a wearer&#39;s hand of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  19    is a dorsal view of the first glove of  FIG.  17    attached to the first sleeve of  FIG.  6    of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  20    is a dorsal view of the second glove of  FIG.  18    attached to the second sleeve of  FIG.  7    of the glove and garment system according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  21    is a front view of an embodiment of a buckle of the glove and garment system. 
         FIG.  22    is a back view of  FIG.  21   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     To prevent a wearer&#39;s gloves from being lost or misplaced, a glove and garment system is configurable into two different configurations. In a first or use configuration, the gloves are buckled to sleeves of a garment so the gloves cannot be individually lost from the garment and in such a way that the wearer may wear them while buckled or not wear them while buckled. In the second or storage configuration, the gloves are detached or unbuckled from the garment and are buckled to each other so that the gloves cannot be individually lost from each other. These alternative configurations are made possible by one of the gloves having a male or female buckle portion and the other of the gloves having the other of a male or female buckle portion. In addition, one of the two sleeves has a male or female buckle portion and the other of the two sleeves has the other of the male or female buckle portion. In this way each glove is capable of mating to one of the sleeves in the first or use configuration, while also being capable of mating to each other in the second or stored configuration. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates a front view of a glove and garment system  100  according to an embodiment. As illustrated in  FIG.  1   , glove and garment system  100  is in a first or use configuration with gloves  102  and  104  being buckled to a garment  106 , fixed adjacent to sleeves  112  and  114  of garment  106  and being worn on a wearer&#39;s hands.  FIG.  2    is a right side view of  FIG.  1   , but with a different embodiment of glove, and  FIG.  3    is a left side view of  FIG.  1    and with the different embodiment of glove illustrated in  FIG.  2   .  FIG.  4    is a front view of glove and garment system  100  in the first or use configuration illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 3    with gloves  102  and  104  buckled to garment  106 , but not being worn by a wearer&#39;s hands.  FIG.  5    illustrates a second or storage configuration of glove and garment system  100  with the pair of gloves  102  and  104  unbuckled or detached from garment  106  and buckled to each other using the female and male portions of the buckles for buckling the gloves to garment  106 . 
     In the first or use configuration, glove and garment system  100  includes at least one glove, for example, a pair of gloves or hand coverings  102  and  104 , a garment  106  and a pair of buckles  108  and  110 . While buckles  108  and  110  are illustrated as being quick release buckles having center release buttons, buckles  108  and  110  may be other types of quick release buckles including squeeze release buckles. Garment  106  includes a first sleeve  112  and a second sleeve  114  each attached to a torso portion  116  of garment  106 . Each of gloves  102  and  104  cover the entirety of a wearer&#39;s hand or fist and may have separate sheaths for each finger as illustrated in  FIGS.  2 ,  3  and  5   . However, gloves  102  and  104  may not have separate sheaths for all fingers and in that embodiment are called mittens as illustrated in  FIGS.  1  and  4   . As illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 4   , first glove  102  is adapted to be worn on a wearer&#39;s first hand and adjacent to first sleeve  112  of garment  106 , while second glove  104  is adapted to be worn on a wearer&#39;s second hand and adjacent to second sleeve  114  of garment  106 . 
     As described in detail below, glove and garment system  100  include sleeves  112  and  114  and gloves  102  and  104  and those portions are described in relation to the area to which the sleeves or the gloves cover a wearer. For example, a sleeve of a garment covers at least a wearer&#39;s arm and an arm includes a dorsal or posterior side and an opposing ventral or anterior side. Therefore, first sleeve  112  of garment  106  includes a dorsal or posterior side  109  and a ventral or anterior side  111 . Dorsal side  109  is coupled to ventral side  111  by a seam  113  ( FIGS.  1  and  4   ). Likewise, second sleeve  114  includes a dorsal or posterior side  115  and a ventral or anterior side  117 . Dorsal side  115  is coupled to ventral side  117  by a seam  119  ( FIGS.  1  and  4   ).  FIG.  2    is not only a right side view of  FIG.  1   , but is a view that illustrates dorsal side  115  of sleeve  114 .  FIG.  3    is not only a left side view of  FIG.  1   , but is a view that illustrates dorsal side  109  of sleeve  114 . 
     In another example, a glove covers at least a wearer&#39;s hand and a hand includes a dorsal or posterior side and an opposing palmer or anterior side. Therefore, first glove  102  includes a dorsal or posterior side  101  and a palmer or anterior side  103 . Dorsal side  101  is coupled to palmer side  103  by a seam  105  ( FIGS.  1  and  4   ). Second glove  104  includes a dorsal or posterior side  107  and a palmer or anterior side  131 . Dorsal side  107  is coupled to palmer side  131  by a seam  133  ( FIGS.  1  and  4   ).  FIG.  2    is not only a right side view of  FIG.  1    and a view that illustrates dorsal side  115  of sleeve  114 , but  FIG.  2    also is a view that illustrates dorsal side  107  of glove  104 .  FIG.  3    is not only a left side view of  FIG.  1    and a view that illustrates dorsal side  109  of sleeve  112 , but  FIG.  3    also is a view that illustrates dorsal side  101  of glove  102 . 
       FIG.  6    illustrates an enlarged view of a distal end of dorsal side  109  of first sleeve  112 . First sleeve  112  includes a distal edge  124 .  FIG.  7    illustrates an enlarged view of a distal end of dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114 . Second sleeve  114  includes a distal edge  126 . Distal edges  124  and  126  of sleeves  112  and  114  are positioned generally where a wearer&#39;s wrist ends and the hand begins. 
     With reference to  FIGS.  1 - 4    and  FIGS.  6  and  7   , first sleeve  112 , second sleeve  114  and torso  116  all have an exterior surface  118 . On exterior surface  118  of dorsal side  109  of first sleeve  112  is mounted a buckle portion  128   a  of first buckle  108 . Buckle portion  128   a  is a male portion of first buckle  108 . In the illustrated embodiment in  FIG.  6   , male buckle portion  128   a  is mounted to exterior surface  118  of dorsal side  109  of first sleeve  112  with a first fabric loop  130 . In particular, male buckle portion  128   a  is mounted to a central location of dorsal side  109  of first sleeve  112  proximal to distal edge  124 . 
     On the exterior surface  118  of dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114  is mounted a buckle portion  142   b  of second buckle  110 . Buckle portion  142   b  is a female portion of second buckle  110 . In the illustrated embodiment in  FIG.  7   , female buckle portion  142   b  is mounted to exterior surface  118  of dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114  with a second fabric loop  144 . In particular, female buckle portion  142   b  is mounted to a central location of dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114  proximal to distal edge  126 . 
       FIGS.  8 - 11    illustrate elevational views of an exemplary male buckle portion  128  that may be used for the buckles described including a  FIG.  8    front view, the back view being a mirror image, a  FIG.  9    side view, a  FIG.  10    top view and a  FIG.  11    bottom view. Male buckle portion  128  includes an attachment bar  136  having an attachment bar proximal end  135 , a central body  139  and a fastening body  134  with a fastening distal end  132  that opposes attachment bar proximal end  135 . Fastening body  134  includes a pair of prongs  138  and  140  having a space therebetween for receiving a center release button on a corresponding female buckle portion. Attachment bar  136  includes a through slot  137 . In addition to male buckle portion  128  being male buckle portion  128   a  of a portion of first buckle  108 , male buckle portion  128  may be a male buckle portion  128   b  ( FIG.  18   ) of second buckle  110 , which will be discussed in detail below. 
       FIGS.  12 - 16    illustrate elevational views of an exemplary female buckle portion  142  that may be used for the buckles described including a  FIG.  12    front view, a  FIG.  13    back view, a  FIG.  14    bottom view, a  FIG.  15    top view and a  FIG.  16    side view. Female buckle portion  142  includes an attachment bar  148  having an attachment bar proximal end  145  and a fastening body  146 . Fastening body  146  has a hollow interior with a distal open end  147  configured to receive fastening body  134  of male buckle portion  128 . Inside the hollow interior is a center release button  150  that is accessible through a central aperture  152  illustrated in  FIG.  13   . Attachment bar  148  includes a through slot  149 . In addition, to female buckle portion  142  being female buckle portion  142   b  of a portion of second buckle  110 , female buckle portion  142  may be a female buckle portion  142   a  ( FIG.  19   ) of first buckle  108 , which will be discussed in detail below. 
     With reference back to  FIG.  6   , first fabric loop  130  is threaded through slot  137   a  in attachment bar  136   a  of male buckle portion  128   a  and ends of first fabric loop  130  are stitched to first sleeve  112  at seam  131  so that first fabric loop  130  and therefore fastening body  134   a  of male buckle portion  128   a  extend from exterior surface  118  of dorsal side  109  of first sleeve  112 . In particular, the mounting of male buckle portion  128   a  to first sleeve  112  in this manner orients fastening distal end  132   a  to point towards distal edge  124  of first sleeve  112 . As indicated in  FIG.  6   , the ends of first fabric loop  130  are stitched to first sleeve  112  a distance  154  from distal edge  124  of first sleeve  112 . Distance  154  is great enough so that fastening distal end  132   a  are spaced apart a distance  156  from distal edge  124  of first sleeve  112 . In one embodiment, distance  156  is less than an inch. More specifically, in one embodiment, distance  156  is about 0.5 inches. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  1 ,  3 ,  4  and  6   , a first pocket  120  is mounted on exterior surface  118  of first sleeve  112  that comprises a patch of material that matches the material of first sleeve  112 . First pocket  120  is stitched to exterior surface  118  of first sleeve  112  and positioned so as to cover most of male buckle portion  128   a . In  FIG.  6   , first pocket  120  is illustrated in phantom so that its positioning relative to male buckle portion  128   a  is clearly illustrated. First pocket  120  includes an enclosed proximal end  121  and an open distal end  123 . In one embodiment, first pocket  120  includes a height  190  that is approximately 1.75 inches and a width  191  that is approximately 1.75 inches. First pocket  120  is wide enough to accommodate the width of male buckle portion  128   a  and has a long enough height to accommodate most of the height of male buckle portion  128   a  so as to generally conceal male buckle portion  128   a  when not in use. In one embodiment, open distal end  123  of first pocket  120  is spaced from distal edge  124  of first sleeve  112  a distance  192  that is approximately 0.5 inches. 
     With reference back to  FIG.  7   , fabric loop  144  is threaded through slot  149   b  in attachment bar  148   b  of female buckle portion  142   b  and ends of second fabric loop  144  are stitched to exterior surface  118  of second sleeve  114  at seam  145  so that second fabric loop  144  and therefore fastening body  146   b  of female buckle portion  142   b  extend from exterior surface  118  of dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114 . In particular, the mounting of female buckle portion  142   b  to second sleeve  114  in this manner orients open end  147   b  of fastening body  146   b  to point towards distal edge  126  of second sleeve  114 . As indicated in  FIG.  7   , the ends of second fabric loop  144  are stitched to dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114  a distance  158  from distal edge  126  of cuff  122 . Distance  158  is great enough so that open end  147   b  of female buckle portion  142   b  is spaced apart a distance  160  from distal end  126  of cuff  122 . In one embodiment, distance  160  is less than an inch. More specifically, in one embodiment, distance  160  is equal to or less than 0.5 inches. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  4  and  7   , a second pocket  125  is mounted to exterior surface  118  of second sleeve  114  that comprises a patch of material that matches the material of second sleeve  112 . Second pocket  125  is stitched to exterior surface  118  of second sleeve  114  and positioned so as to cover a portion of female buckle portion  142   b . In  FIG.  7   , second pocket  125  is illustrated in phantom so that its positioning relative to female buckle portion  142   b  is clearly illustrated. Second pocket  125  includes an enclosed proximal end  127  and an open distal end  129 . In one embodiment, second pocket  125  includes a height  193  that is approximately 1.75 inches and a width  194  that is approximately 1.75 inches. First pocket  120  is wide enough to accommodate the width of female buckle portion  142   b  and has a long enough height to accommodate most of the height of female buckle portion  142   b  so as to generally conceal female buckle portion  142   b  when not in use. In one embodiment, open distal end  129  of second pocket  125  is spaced from distal edge  126  of second sleeve  114  a distance  195  that is approximately 0.5 inches. 
       FIG.  17    illustrates a dorsal view of dorsal side  101  of first glove  102 , and  FIG.  18    illustrates a dorsal view of dorsal side  107  of second glove  104 . First and second gloves  102  and  104  may be left and right gloves made to fit left and right hands of a wearer. First glove  102  includes an exterior surface  135  having a hand section  162 , a wrist section  164  including a proximal edge  165  and a cuff section  166 . Second glove  104  includes an exterior surface  137  having a hand section  168 , a wrist section  170  including a proximal edge  171  and a cuff section  172 . In addition, each of first glove  102  and second glove  104  include a strap  174  and  175  for tightening to the wearer&#39;s wrists. 
     While different embodiments of gloves have features that vary as described above, each glove, in general, includes a hand section, whether it includes a thumb sheath and four finger sheathes for receiving each of the four fingers or if it is a mitten where there is a thumb sheath and a single sheath for all four fingers to occupy. Gloves also generally have a wrist section to cover the wearer&#39;s wrist. Gloves, however, may or may not have cuffs. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS.  17  and  18   , cuff sections  166  and  172  include snug fits to cover the wrists and portions of a wearer&#39;s forearm. Snug fitting cuffs keep weather and debris out. In some embodiments, gloves do not have cuffs. In other embodiments, gloves may have gauntlet cuffs to provide extra forearm protection. 
     On the exterior surface  135  of first glove  102  is mounted a female buckle portion  142   a  of a first buckle  108 . In the illustrated embodiment, female buckle portion  142   a  is mounted to exterior surface  135  of wrist section  164  of first glove  102  with a third fabric loop  176 . Third fabric loop  176  is threaded through slot  149   a  in attachment bar  148   a  of female buckle portion  142   a  and ends of third fabric loop  176  are stitched to first glove  102  at seam  178  so that third fabric loop  176  and therefore female buckle portion  142   a  extend from exterior surface  135  of first glove  102 . In particular, the mounting of female buckle portion  142   a  to first glove  102  in this manner orients open end  147   a  of fastening body  146   a  to point towards proximal edge  165  of wrist section  164 . As indicated in  FIG.  17   , the ends of third fabric loop  176  are stitched to exterior surface  135  of wrist section  164  of first glove  102  a distance  180  from proximal edge  165  wrist section  164 . 
     On the exterior surface  137  of second glove  104  is mounted a male buckle portion  128   b  of second buckle  110 . In the illustrated embodiment, male buckle portion  128   b  is mounted to exterior surface  137  of wrist section  170  of second glove  104  with a fourth fabric loop  182 . Fourth fabric loop  176  is threaded through slot  137   b  in attachment bar  136   b  of male buckle portion  128   b  and ends of fourth fabric loop  182  are stitched to exterior surface  137  of wrist section  170  of second glove  104  at seam  184  so that fourth fabric loop  176  and therefore male buckle portion  128   b  extend from exterior surface  137  of second glove  104 . In particular, the mounting of male buckle portion  128   b  to second glove  104  in this manner orients hook end  132   b  of fastening body  134   b  to point towards proximal edge  171  of wrist portion  170  and to cuff section  172 . As indicated in  FIG.  18   , the ends of fourth fabric loop  176  are stitched to exterior surface  137  of wrist section  170  of second glove  104  a distance  186  from proximal edge  171  of wrist section  170 . 
       FIG.  19    illustrates a dorsal view of dorsal side  101  of first glove  102  and dorsal side  109  of first sleeve  112  in the first of use configuration of the glove and garment system  100 .  FIG.  20    illustrates a dorsal view of dorsal side  107  of second glove  104  and dorsal side  115  of second sleeve  114  also in the first or use configuration of the glove and garment system  100 . In  FIG.  19   , first female buckle portion  142   a  mounted to first glove  102  and first male buckle portion  128   a  mounted to first sleeve  112  (hidden from view) are secured or buckled together to form buckle  108 . In this way, whether a wearer&#39;s left hand is inside first glove  102  or not, first glove  102  is fixed to first sleeve  112  and will not be lost. In  FIG.  20   , second male buckle portion  128   b  mounted to second glove  104  and second female buckle portion  142   b  mounted to second sleeve  114  (hidden from view) are secured or buckled together to form buckle  110 . In this way, whether a wearer&#39;s right hand is inside second glove  104  or not, second glove  104  is fixed to second sleeve  114  and will not be lost. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  19  and  20   , first pocket  120  covers a majority of buckle  108  and second pocket  125  covers a majority of buckle  110 . While first and second pockets  120  and  125  operate to hide buckles  108  and  110 , the main purpose of first and second pockets  120  and  125  is so that first pocket  120  conceals first male buckle portion  128   a  so that first male buckle portion  128   a  is not unattractive to the wearer in the event the wearer does not have first glove  102  attached and second pocket  125  conceals second female buckle portion  142   b  so that second female buckle portion  142   b  is not unattractive to the wearer in the event the wearer does not have second glove  104  attached. 
       FIG.  21    is a top view of an exemplary buckle of the glove and garment system  100 .  FIG.  22    is a bottom view of  FIG.  21   . The exemplary buckle may be for use as buckle  108  that attaches first glove  102  to first sleeve  112 , may be for use as buckle  110  that attaches second glove  104  to second sleeve  114  or may be for use as the buckle formed using the portions mounted to the each glove  102  and  104  as illustrated in n  FIG.  5   . The exemplary buckle includes female buckle portion  142  and male buckle portion  128 , which are securely mated together by simply pushing fastening body  134  of male buckle portion  128  into fastening body  146  of female buckle portion  142  so that the interior facing surfaces of prongs  138  and  140  lock around center release button  150 . To release male buckle portion  128  from female buckle portion  142 , center release button  150  is pushed and prongs  138  and  140  unlock from center release button  150 . As illustrated in  FIGS.  21  and  22   , the resulting exemplary buckle components that are visible after male and female buckle portions are secured together are attachment bar  148  and fastening body  146  of female buckle portion  142  and attachment bar  136  and central body  149  of male buckle portion  128 . 
     With reference back to  FIG.  5   , when male buckle portion  128   a  is detached from female buckle portion  142   a  and male buckle portion  128   b  is detached from female buckle portion  142   b , a new buckle  190  ( FIG.  5   ) is capable of being formed and when formed puts glove and garment system  100  in the second or storage configuration. Buckle  190  includes female buckle portion  142   a  coupled to male buckle portion to fixedly attach first glove  102  to second glove  104 . 
     Although elements have been shown or described as separate embodiments above, portions of each embodiment may be combined with all or part of other embodiments described above. 
     Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms for implementing the claims.