Patent Publication Number: US-6341378-B1

Title: Raincoat

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to raincoats and more particularly pertains to a new raincoat for fitting over the outside surface of a floating fishing device. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of raincoats is known in the prior art. More specifically, raincoats heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 1,802,807; U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,579; U.S. Des. Pat. No. 294,535; U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,910; U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,983; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,031. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new raincoat. The inventive device includes a garment. The garment comprises a torso portion, and two arm portions integrally coupled to the torso portion. The garment has a neck opening therein. The garment has a skirt portion integrally coupled to and extending away from the torso portion. The skirt portion has a circumference at least one and half times the circumference of the torso portion. The garment comprising a substantially water impermeable material. The skirt portion may be placed over the outside surface of a fishing floatation device. 
     In these respects, the raincoat according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of fitting over the outside surface of a floating fishing device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of raincoats now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new raincoat construction wherein the same can be utilized for fitting over the outside surface of a floating fishing device. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new raincoat apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the raincoats mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new raincoat which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art raincoats, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a garment. The garment comprises a torso portion, and two arm portions integrally coupled to the torso portion. The garment has a neck opening therein. The garment has a skirt portion integrally coupled to and extending away from the torso portion. The skirt portion has a circumference at least one and half times the circumference of the torso portion. The garment comprising a substantially water impermeable material. The skirt portion may be placed over the outside surface of a fishing floatation device. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new raincoat apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the raincoats mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new raincoat which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art raincoats, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new raincoat which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new raincoat which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new raincoat which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such raincoat economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new raincoat which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new raincoat for fitting over the outside surface of a floating fishing device. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new raincoat which includes a garment. The garment comprises a torso portion and two arm portions integrally coupled to the torso portion. The garment has a neck opening therein. The garment has a skirt portion integrally coupled to and extending away from the torso portion. The skirt portion has a circumference at least one and half times the circumference of the torso portion. The garment comprising a substantially water impermeable material. The skirt portion may be placed over the outside surface of a fishing floatation device. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new raincoat that that can be used as a standard raincoat but which also prevents water from entering a tube-type floatation device used for fishing. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new raincoat that has openings therein for access to compartments in the floatation device. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new raincoat according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic exploded view of the aperture and a corresponding panel of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new raincoat embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the raincoat  10  is made for a person using a conventional floating fishing device  12 . The typical floating fishing device generally comprises an inner-tube  14  having compartments  16  therein and a pair of waders  18  integrally coupled to the inner-tube  14 . Other embodiments incorporate a chair suspended across the inner-tube for seating of the user. 
     The raincoat comprises a garment having a torso portion  20  and a skirt portion  22  integrally coupled together. Two arm portions  24  are integrally coupled to the torso portion  20 , and a hood portion  26  is also preferably integrally coupled to the torso portion  20 . Each of the arm portions  24  has a free end  25 . The garment has a neck opening  28  therein. The skirt portion  22  has a circumference substantially equal to a circumference of the floating fisting device  12  which is preferably at least one and half times greater than the circumference of the torso portion  20 . The skirt portion  22  has a bottom edge  30 . The garment comprises a substantially water impermeable material such as plastic or an elastomeric material. 
     The garment has an elongate slit  32 . The elongate slit  32  is generally positioned in a chest portion of the torso portion  20 . The elongate slit  32  extends from the skirt portion  22  to and through the neck opening  28 . A closing means selectively closes the elongate slit  32 . The closing means comprises a zipper but may be a hook and loop fastening means. The garment has a plurality of apertures  34  therein. The apertures  34  are positioned in the chest portion. The apertures  34  allow for breathing of the garment to cool down the user. A plurality of panels  36  covers the apertures  34 . Each of the panels  36  has an edge fixedly coupled to the garment and each is positioned to cover one of the apertures  34 . A plurality of coupling means  38  removably couples the panels  36  in a closed position over the apertures  34 . The coupling means  38  preferably comprises a plurality of buttons. The panels  36  may be placed in an open position to allow air to enter the apertures. 
     The skirt  22  has a plurality of openings  40  therein. The openings  40  are positioned to allow access to the compartments  16  in the floating fishing device  12 . Each of the openings  40  has a flap  42  for selectively covering the openings  40 . 
     A visor member  44  is preferably coupled to and extends away from the hood portion  26 . The visor member  44  is positioned generally adjacent to a top part of the hood portion  26  and ideally comprises a resiliently flexible material. 
     Each of a pair of cuff members  46  is fixedly coupled to one of the free ends  25  of the arm portions  24 . Each of the cuff members  46  comprises an elastic material. 
     A securing means removably secures the skirt portion  22  to an outside surface of the floating fishing device  12 . The securing means comprises an elastic band  48 . The elastic band  48  is fixedly coupled to the skirt  22  and is positioned generally adjacent to the bottom edge  30  of the skirt  22 . The skirt  22  is placed over the floating fishing device  12  as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 such that a seal is substantially made between the elastic band  48  and the floating fishing device  12  and the skirt  22  remains around the floating fishing device. The securing means may not be needed if materials are used which create a large enough coefficient of friction between the skirt  22  and the device  12 . 
     Each of a plurality of pockets  50  is coupled to the chest portion of the garment. 
     A fastening means removably fastens articles, such as fishing poles, to the skirt  22 . The fastening means comprises at least one pair of elongate members  52 ,  54 . Each of the elongate members  52 ,  54  is substantially flexible. Each of the elongate members has a first end  56  fixedly coupled to the skirt  22  such that the elongate members are substantially adjacent to each other. A hook portion  58  of a hook and loop fastening means is fixedly coupled to a first  52  of the elongate members and a loop portion  60  is fixedly coupled to a second  54  of the elongate members. Wherein, the first  52  and second  54  elongate members may be releasably fastened to each other. 
     In use, the user places the raincoat  10  on their body and steps into the floating fishing device. The skirt  22  is then placed around the floatation device  12  so that rain may not enter the floatation device  12 . The skirt  22  is positioned such that the openings  40  in the skirt  22  correspond with any compartments  18  in the device. The apertures  34  and elongate slit  32  may be used to cool down a wearer of the raincoat and the elongate slit  32  also aids in removing and putting on the raincoat  10 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.