Patent Publication Number: US-2011056001-A1

Title: Pocket flap

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention pertains generally to decorative and ornamental embellishments for articles of clothing. More particularly, the present invention pertains to embellishments for apparel that can be selectively attached to or detached from the apparel as desired. The present invention is particularly, but not exclusively, useful as an embellishment that is formed as a flap and is selectively engaged with a pocket on an article of clothing to create a decorative and ornamental pocket flap for the article of clothing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For many clothes designs, pockets are located on the article of clothing and made with primarily utilitarian purposes in mind. Pocket utility, however, is not always required and may often be a lesser interest. Instead, it may be more important for a person to be attractive by wearing an article of clothing, such as a shirt, a jacket or a pair of pants, that is embellished with ornamental or decorative design on its pockets. Pockets in particular, even when utilitarian purposes are otherwise intended, provide an opportunity to incorporate appropriate eye-catching ornamentation and designs for the particular article of clothing. It may also happen that a person is simply tired of basic design for an article of clothing and wants to experience a change by adding an embellishment (a.k.a. “Bling”). 
     From a more practical standpoint, whenever the basic design of an article of clothing is to be changed, it is important for the device or element that manifests the change to appear as though it was an original aspect of the article, rather than being merely an add-on. Further, it is important that the device or element be functionally and easily incorporated into the design of the article of clothing. Moreover, the device or element that is being added to an article of clothing needs to be effectively and firmly attached, in order to minimize the possibility it will become dislodged or detached from the article of clothing. In any event, if an embellishment is incorporated as an attachment to a pocket, it may be desirable for the functionality of the pocket to be maintained. 
     In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pocket flap that can be selectively attached to a pocket of an article of clothing in a manner that will provide an appropriately decorative and ornamental embellishment for the clothing. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket flap for an article of clothing that can be effectively and firmly attached to a pocket in order to minimize the possibility it will become dislodged or detached from the article of clothing. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pocket flap for selective attachment to the pocket of an article of clothing that is simple to use, is easy to manufacture, and is comparatively cost effective. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pocket flap (device) that can be selectively engaged/disengaged with the pocket of an article of clothing is provided by the present invention. Functionally, the device can be attached to the pocket panel that creates a pocket on the article of clothing. As intended for the present invention, the pocket flap (device) can be adorned with ornamentations (“Bling”) that will contribute to or enhance the attractive aspects of the article of clothing. 
     Structurally, the pocket flap of the present invention essentially includes a base member and a flap member. A wire can also be included, as disclosed below. In detail, the base member is essentially a rectangular shaped layer that is made of a stiff material. Typically, this stiff material will be enclosed in a fabric material that is the same as, or is compatible with, that of the article of clothing on which the pocket flap is to be used. Importantly, the base member will be dimensioned so it can be inserted into the pocket of the article of clothing. On the other hand, the flap member need not be stiff. Instead, the flap member will provide the desired embellishment to the article of clothing that is the intended purpose of the pocket flap. Accordingly, the nature of the material (e.g. fabric) that is used for the flap member, as well as the decorative ornaments that may be made part of the flap member, will depend on the whims and preferences of the designer. 
     Both the base member and the flap member of the pocket flap have a substantially straight edge. For the present invention, these edges are joined together to establish a hinge line. Typically, this will be done by sewing the fabric material of the base member to the fabric material of the flap member. Thus, the base member and the flap member can rotate, relative to each other, about the hinge line to create a potential space between them. As mentioned above, a wire can also be included in the pocket flap. If so, the wire will be sewn into the pocket flap (device) at the juncture between the base member and the flap member to help mold the structure to the body shape. For this purpose, the wire is flexible so it can be bent and thereby configured to conform the hinge line of the device to a body surface of a user of the device. 
     An important aspect of the present invention is that the pocket flap (device) be firmly engaged with the pocket panel of a pocket when in use. This is necessary so it (the device) will not become dislodged or detached from the article of clothing during use. Preferably, this is accomplished with magnets. Specifically, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first magnet, or plurality of magnets, is(are) mounted on the base member. Also, a second magnet, or plurality of magnets, is(are) mounted on the flap member. For this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first and second magnets generate an attractive force between them that will hold the device on the pocket panel of a pocket. Alternatively, an attachment means can be provided wherein a first part of the attachment means is affixed to the pocket panel. A second part of the attachment means will then be affixed to the flap member. For this embodiment, the first and second parts of the attachment means will interact with each other to engage the pocket flap with the pocket panel. As envisioned for the present invention, the attachment means may be either a hook and loop type fastener (e.g. Velcro®) or a well-known snap type fastener. 
     In use, the base member of the pocket flap of the present invention is inserted into a pocket that is established by a pocket panel on an article of clothing. Thus, the pocket panel is positioned in the potential space between the base and flap members. The flap member is then rotated about the hinge line, toward the base member, to position the pocket panel between the base member and the flap member. For the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this rotation of the flap member also brings the first magnet on the base member into active engagement with the second magnet on the flap member to hold the pocket flap on the article of clothing. 
     For an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the base member can be modified to function as a clip or it can be effectively replaced by a clip. For instance, in place of the base member, a fabric strip can be attached to the back of the flap member. Clips, of a type well known in the pertinent art, can then be affixed to the fabric strip and used to engage the flap member with the pocket panel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the pocket flap of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the pocket flap with portions shown in phantom for clarity; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the pocket flap shown with ornamental and decorative embellishments that can be provided for all embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a view of a pocket on pants being worn by a user; and 
         FIG. 4B  is a view of the user as seen in  FIG. 4A  with a pocket flap of the present invention being worn on the pants pocket. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1  a pocket flap in accordance with the present invention is shown and is generally designated  10 . As shown, the pocket flap  10  includes a flap member  12  and a base member  14  that are joined together at a juncture that defines a hinge line  16 . For the present invention, the flap member  12  and the base member  14  can rotate about the hinge line  16  relative to each other, to thereby create a potential space  18  between them. As envisioned for the present invention, both the flap member  12  and the base member  14  will be, primarily, a fabric type material chosen by the manufacturer of the pocket flap  10 . Further, the base member  14  will also incorporate a stiff material, such as cardboard, that will give the base member  14  a degree of rigidity. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , it will be seen that the flap member  12  is also formed with a substantially straight edge  20 , and that the base member  14  is formed with a substantially straight edge  22 . It will be appreciated by cross referencing  FIG. 2  back to  FIG. 1  that the hinge line  16  is established when the edge  20  of flap member  12  is joined with the edge  22  of base member  14 , such as by sewing.  FIG. 2  also shows that the pocket flap  10  may include a wire  24  that can be sewn into the hinge line  16  as the flap member  12  is joined to the base member  14 . When incorporated into the pocket flap  10  of the present invention, the wire  24  is preferably bendable so it can be appropriately configured as disclosed below in greater detail. 
       FIG. 3  shows that the flap member  12  can be adorned with ornamentations  26 . Specifically, if used, the additional ornamentations  26  can be of any type desired by the designer. The purpose here is that the pocket flap  10  be used to distinctively influence one&#39;s personal appearance. For example, a comparison of  FIG. 4A  with  FIG. 4B  shows a use without the pocket flap  10  ( FIG. 4A ), and a use with the pocket flap  10  ( FIG. 4B ). In this example,  FIG. 4A  shows how a typical pocket  28  looks, without a pocket flap  10 , when it is created by a pocket panel  30  on a pair of pants  32  and is worn by a user  34 .  FIG. 4B  then shows the same user  34 , wearing the same pants  32 , when the pants  32  have been embellished by a pocket flap  10 . 
     Returning to  FIG. 2 , a preferred embodiment of the pocket flap  10  of the present invention is shown. In this preferred embodiment, pair of first magnets  36   a  and  36   b  are shown mounted on the base member  14 . Also, a pair of second magnets  38   a  and  38   b  are shown mounted on the flap member  12 . In a manner well known by almost everyone, when the magnets  36   a  and  36   b  are proximate the magnets  38   a  and  38   b  an attractive force between them will hold the flap member  12  against the base member  14  and thereby substantially eliminate the potential space  18 . As intended for the present invention, when the pocket flap  10  is in use, the pocket panel  30  on pants  32  will be held between the flap member  12  and the base member  14  within what was formerly the potential space  18 . 
     In an alternate embodiment of the pocket flap  10  that is best appreciated by cross referencing  FIG. 3  with  FIG. 4A , an attachment  40   a  (shown in phantom) can be affixed to the flap member  12 . This is done in a manner well known in the art, such as by sewing or gluing the attachment  40   a  onto the flap member  12 . Likewise, an attachment  40   b  can be affixed to the pocket panel  30  as shown in  FIG. 4A . With this arrangement, the present invention envisions the attachment  40   a  on the flap member  12  can be connected with the attachment  40   b  to hold the flap member  12  against the pocket panel  30 . As envisioned by the present invention, the attachments  40   a,b  can either be a loop and hook type fastener (e.g. Velcro®) or a standard snap type fastener. It is to be appreciated that the present invention envisions other types of alternate arrangements for various fasteners. Further, in place of the attachments  40   a  and  40   b , a clip (not shown) can be used to hold the flap member  12  against the pocket panel  30 . The important thing for any embodiment is that the pocket panel  30  somehow be firmly held between the flap member  12  and the base member  14  or, stated differently, that the flap member  12  be effectively engaged with the pocket panel  30 . 
     In use, the base member  14  of the pocket flap  10  is inserted into the pocket  28  of an article of clothing (e.g. pants  32 ). This places the pocket panel  30  in the potential space  18  between the flap member  12  and the base member  14 . Once the base member  14  is properly positioned, the flap member  12  is then rotated about the hinge line  16 . This rotation will effectively eliminate the potential space  18  and, thus, position the pocket panel  30  directly between the base member  14  and the flap member  12 . For the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this rotation of the flap member  12  will also engage the magnets  36   a,b  on the base member  14  with the magnets  38   a,b  on the flap member  12  to firmly hold the pocket flap  10  on the pocket  28 . Similarly, alternate type fasteners (e.g. attachments  40   a,b  or a clip) will accomplish the same function. 
     While the particular Pocket Flap as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.