Patent Publication Number: US-10765154-B2

Title: Upper wear

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a National Stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2017/043591, filed Dec. 5, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an upper wear having a front panel openable and closable to left and right. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The upper wear is convenient when it can be variously coordinated for wearing. For example, when a down jacket or a down vest for an outerwear can also be used as innerwear, the upper wear finds wider variations of wear coordination. 
     SUMMARY 
     Technical Problem 
     However, the so-called neckline around the neck of an upper wear has various shapes such as a round shape (crew neck) and a V shape (V neck). The shape of the neckline may restrict the wear coordination of the upper wear. For example, when a crew-neck down vest used as an outerwear is tried to be used as an innerwear of a coat, the down vest may be hesitated to be coordinated therewith because the neckline part of the down vest is largely seen around the neck of the coat. 
     The present application was completed in view of such circumstances, and it is an object thereof to provide an upper wear allowing an increase in variations of wear coordination of the upper wear. 
     Solution to Problem 
     An upper wear in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a front panel having front panel pieces at left and right, and is configured such that upper parts of the respective left and right front panel pieces folded back to the back surface sides of the front panel pieces can be held on the back surface sides, respectively. 
     In accordance with the present aspect, respective upper parts of the left and right front panel pieces can be inwardly folded back to be held at the back surfaces of respective front panel pieces, respectively. For this reason, if required, the shape of the neckline of the upper wear can be changed. This can increase the variations in wear coordination of the upper wear. 
     The upper wear may include: an interlocked member provided at the upper part of each of the front panel pieces; and an interlocking member provided at the back surface of each of the front panel pieces, and for interlocking with the interlocked member. In accordance with such an aspect, respective upper parts of the front panel pieces can be preferably locked to respective back surfaces of the front panel pieces, respectively. 
     It is also acceptable that a string-like member is attached to the back surface of each of the front panel pieces, and the interlocking member is attached to the string-like member. In accordance with such an aspect, the interlocking member can move by the string-like member. This can suppress, for example, wrinkling of the front panel due to stiffening of the folded-back portion of the upper part of each front panel piece. 
     It is also acceptable that the string-like member is located to face, in a longitudinal direction, obliquely upward to an upper part side of the front panel piece, and has a lower end fixed to the back surface of the front panel piece, and also has an upper end attached with the interlocking member. 
     The upper wear may further include an engaging mechanism making the left and right front panel pieces engageable with each other. It is also acceptable that a member of the engaging mechanism situated at the upper part of the front panel piece is used for the interlocked member. 
     It is also acceptable that the engaging mechanism is a snap button, the interlocked member is either a male snap or a female snap of the snap button situated at the upper part of each of the front panel pieces, and the interlocking member is either a female snap or a male snap of a snap button capable of interlocking with the male snap or the female snap of the snap button at the upper part of the front panel piece. 
     It is also acceptable that the back surface of each of the front panel pieces is provided with a pocket for insertion and holding of the upper part of each of the front panel pieces therein. 
     The upper wear may be configured such that the upper part of each of the front panel pieces is held at the back surface of each of the front panel pieces, thereby rendering a neckline of the front panel into a V shape. 
     The upper wear may be a down jacket, a down vest, or a down coat. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     The present invention can provide an upper wear allowing an increase in variations of wear coordination of the upper wear. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an upper wear. 
         FIG. 2  is an explanatory view showing snap buttons of the upper wear. 
         FIG. 3  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of a right front panel piece. 
         FIG. 4  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of the right front panel piece with the upper part of the right front panel piece fixed at the back surface. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the upper wear with the neckline in a V shape. 
         FIG. 6  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of a left front panel piece. 
         FIG. 7  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of the left front panel piece. 
         FIG. 8  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of the left front panel piece with the upper part of the left front panel piece fixed at the back surface. 
         FIG. 9  is a view showing one example using the upper wear as an outerwear. 
         FIG. 10  is a view showing one example using the upper wear as an innerwear. 
         FIG. 11  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of the left front panel piece when a male snap or a female snap is provided at the back surface of the upper part of the left front panel piece. 
         FIG. 12  is an explanatory view showing the back surface of the left front panel piece when a pocket is provided at the back surface of the front panel piece. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Below, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described by reference to the accompanying drawings. Incidentally, the same elements are given the same reference number and sign, and an overlapping description thereof is omitted. Further, the vertical and horizontal positional relationship, and other positional relationships are assumed to be based on the positional relationships shown in the drawings unless otherwise specified. Further, the dimensional ratio of the drawing is not limited to the ratio shown in the drawing. Further, the following embodiments are examples for describing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view showing one example of an upper wear  1  in accordance with the present embodiment. The upper wear  1  is, for example, a down vest, and has a front panel  10  openable/closable to left and right and a back panel  11 . The upper wear  1  has, for example, a collarless circular (crew-necked) neckline  20 . The front panel  10  is divided into left and right at the center of the front surface by a dividing line  21  vertically extending from the center of the neckline  20  to the lower end of the front panel  10 . The front panel  10  includes snap buttons  30  as engaging mechanisms for putting the left and right front panel pieces  50  and  51  into engagement with each other. A plurality of snap buttons  30  are vertically arranged. 
     Each snap button  30  includes a pair of concave female snap  40  and convex male snap  41  engageable with and disengageable from each other as shown in  FIG. 2 . At the back surface of one front pane piece (right front panel piece as seen from a wearer)  50 , the female snap  40  is located. The male snap  41  is located at the front surface of the other front panel piece (left front panel piece as seen from a wearer)  51 . The female snaps  40  are arranged vertically along the side edge  60  on the dividing line  21  side (center side) of the back surface of the front panel piece  50 . The male snaps  41  are arranged vertically along the side edge  61  on the center side of the front surface of the front panel piece  51 . The side edge  60  of the front panel piece  50  is superposed on the side edge  61  of the front panel piece  51 , and the female snaps  40  and the male snaps  41  are locked to each other, respectively. As a result, the center of the front surface of the front panel  10  can be closed. Incidentally, the uppermost female snap  40  ( 40 T) of the plurality of female snaps  40 , and the uppermost male snap  41  ( 41 T) of the plurality of male snaps  41  are located in the vicinity of the point of intersection of the neckline  20  and the dividing line  21 , and form an interlocked member to be locked to an interlocking member described later. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a male snap  80  of a snap button as an interlocking member capable of locking the uppermost female snap  40 T is provided at the back surface of the front panel piece  50 . A string-like member (tag)  90  for fixing the male snap  80  is attached to the back surface of the front panel piece  50 . The string-like member  90  is, for example, formed of the same material as that for the fabric of the front panel piece  50 , and has an elongated rectangular shape. The string-like member  90  is sewn at its one end  90   a  to the back surface of the front panel piece  50 , and is attached with the male snap  80  at the other end thereof. The male snap  80  is attached to the front surface side (the front surface side of the string-like member  90  when the front panel piece  50  is seen from the back surface side) of the string-like member  90 . 
     The string-like member  90  is located to face, in the longitudinal direction, obliquely upward to the upper part side of the front panel piece  50 . The string-like member  90  is fixed at the position lower than the uppermost female snap  40 T, and extends therefrom obliquely in an upward direction to the female snap  40 T side. The string-like member  90  is, for example, allowed to face toward the position slightly higher than the uppermost female snap  40 T. Namely, with respect to an imaginary line L 1  passing through the fixed one end  90   a  (lower end) of the string-like member  90  and the uppermost female snap  40 T, an imaginary line L 2  passing through the fixed one end  90   a  and the other end including the male snap  80  present thereat is shifted upward by about 3° to 45° (an angle α 1  shown in  FIG. 3 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the upper part of the front panel piece  50  is folded inwardly, so that the uppermost female snap  40 T is locked to the male snap  80 . As a result, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the neckline  20  of the front panel piece  50  becomes a part of a V neck. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , a female snap  110  of a snap button as an interlocking member capable of locking the uppermost male snap  41 T is provided at the back surface of the front panel piece  51 . A string-like member  120  for fixing the female snap  110  is provided at the back surface of the front panel piece  51 . The string-like member  120  is formed of, for example, the same material as that for the fabric of the front panel piece  51 , and has an elongated rectangular shape. The string-like member  120  is sewn at its one end  120   a  to the back surface of the front panel piece  51 , and the female snap  110  is attached to the other end thereof. The female snap  110  is attached to the back surface side (the back surface side of the string-like member  120  when the front panel piece  51  is seen from the back surface side) of the string-like member  120 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the string-like member  120  is located so that the longitudinal direction faces obliquely upward of the upper part side of the front panel piece  51 . The string-like member  120  is fixed at the position lower than the uppermost male snap  41 T, and extends therefrom in the obliquely upward direction of the male snap  41 T side. The string-like member  120  is, for example, allowed to face toward the position slightly higher than the uppermost male snap  41 T. Namely, with respect to an imaginary line L 3  passing through the fixed one end  120   a  (lower end) of the string-like member  120  and the uppermost male snap  41 T, an imaginary line L 4  passing through the fixed one end  120   a  and the other end including the female snap  110  present thereat is shifted upward by about 3° to 45° (an angle α 2  shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , the upper part of the front panel piece  51  is folded inwardly, so that the uppermost male snap  41 T is locked to the female snap  110 . As a result, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the neckline  20  of the front panel piece  51  becomes a part of a V neck. 
     The upper wear  1  may be manufactured, for example, by the following procedure so as to prevent the seams of the string-like members  90  and  120  from appearing at the outer fabrics of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 . First, the outer fabrics and the lining fabrics of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , and the string-like members  90  and  120  are formed, respectively. Then, the string-like members  90  and  120  are sewn to the lining fabrics. Then, the outer fabrics and the lining fabrics are sewn into the shapes of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 . Then, feathers are put therein. With the present method, the seams are not seen from the outer side of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , resulting in a beautiful external appearance. Further, the amount of the seams is suppressed to the requisite minimum, which can prevent the feathers from coming out. 
     Then, one example of wear coordination of the upper wear  1  will be described. For example, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the upper wear  1  is used as an outerwear. At this step, for example, when the female snaps  40  and the male snaps  41  of the snap buttons  30  of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  are locked with each other, respectively, the neckline  20  is in the shape of a crew neck. Then, for example, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the upper wear  1  is used as an innerwear of a coat  130 . At this step, the upper part of the front panel piece  50  is folded back inwardly, and the uppermost female snap  40 T of the front panel piece  50  is locked to the male snap  80  at the back surface of the front panel piece  50  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). Whereas, the upper part of the front panel piece  51  is folded back inwardly, and the uppermost male snap  41 T of the front panel piece  51  is locked to the female snap  110  at the back surface of the front panel piece  51  (shown in  FIG. 8 ). The residual female snaps  40  and male snaps  41  of the snap buttons  30  are locked with each other, respectively. As a result, the neckline  20  of the upper wear  1  is in the shape of a V neck. This eliminates a sense of incongruity even when the upper wear  1  is used as an innerwear of the coat  130  such as a Chester coat with a large neckline. Further, when the front opening of the coat  130  is closed, the upper wear  1  is prevented from being exposed from the neck of the coat  130 . 
     In accordance with the present embodiment, the upper wear  1  is configured such that respective upper parts of the left and right front panel pieces  50  and  51  can be folded back inwardly to be held at respective back surfaces of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. For this reason, the upper wear  1  can be used in a so-called 2 WAY in which the shape of the neckline  20  of the upper wear  1  is varied between, for example, a crew neck and a V neck, if required. As a result, the variations of wear coordination of the upper wear  1  can be increased. 
     The upper wear  1  includes the female snap  40  and the male snap  41  of the snap button  30  provided at the upper part of respective front panel pieces  50  and  51 , and the male snap  80  and the female snap  110  of the snap button provided at the back surfaces of respective front panel pieces  50  and  51 . The female snap  40  can be locked to the male snap  80 , and the male snap  41  can be locked to the female snap  110 . As a result, respective upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  can be preferably locked to respective back surfaces of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. 
     The string-like members  90  and  120  are attached to respective back surfaces of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. The male snap  80  of the snap button is attached to the string-like member  90 , and the female snap  110  of the snap button is attached to the string-like member  120 . In accordance with such an aspect, the male snap  80  and the female snap  110  can move. This can suppress, for example, wrinkling of the front panel  10  due to stiffening of the folded-back portions of respective upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 . Further, the operation of locking the upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  to respective back surfaces can be performed with ease even while the upper wear  1  is being worn. 
     The string-like members  90  and  120  are located so that the longitudinal direction faces obliquely upward of the upper part side of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. The lower ends  90   a  and  120   a  are fixed to the back surfaces of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. The male snap  80  and the female snap  110  are attached to the upper ends, respectively. As a result, the operation of locking the upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  to respective back surfaces can be performed with more ease even while the upper wear  1  is being worn. 
     The upper wear  1  has snap buttons  30  for making the left and right front panel pieces  50  and  51  engageable with each other, and locks the front panel pieces  50  and  51  at their respective back surfaces using the female snap  40 T and the male snap  41 T of the snap button  30  situated at the upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. This eliminates the necessity of providing buttons exclusively for locking the upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 . 
     The uppermost female snap  40 T of the snap buttons  30  of the front panel piece  50  can be locked to the male snap  80  at the back surface thereof, and the uppermost male snap  41 T of the snap buttons  30  of the front panel piece  51  can be locked to the female snap  110  at the back surface thereof. As a result, respective upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  can be locked to respective back surfaces of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , respectively. 
     The upper wear  1  is configured such that respective upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  are locked to respective back surfaces of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , resulting in a V-shaped neckline  20  of the front panel  10 . This can suppress the neckline  20  of the upper wear  1  from being exposed from the neck of an outerwear when the upper wear  1  is used as an innerwear. 
     The upper wear  1  is a down vest, and hence the down vest becomes more likely to be used as an innerwear. Accordingly, a proper precaution against the cold can be taken. 
     Up to this point, the preferred embodiments of the present invention were described by reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is apparent that those skilled in the art can achieve various changed examples or modified examples within the scope of the concept described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that these belong to the technical scope of the present invention. 
     For example, in the embodiment, the following is also acceptable: as shown in  FIG. 11 , to the back surface of the upper part of the front panel piece  51 , namely, the back surface of the uppermost male snap  41 T, a male snap  150  or a female snap  150  of a snap button is attached; and to the string-like member  120 , a female snap  110  or a male snap  110  for locking it is attached. In such a case, as with the front panel piece  50 , the upper part of the front panel piece  51  can be folded back to the back surface side, thereby to lock the male snap  150  or the female snap  150  at the back surface of the front panel piece  51  to the female snap  110  or the male snap  110  of the string-like member  120 . For this reason, the upper part of the front panel piece  51  can be locked with more ease. 
     Further, the interlocking member and the interlocked member were snap buttons, but, not limited thereto, may be a button and a button hole, a hook and loop fastener, or the like so long as they are engageable with or disengageable from each other. Similarly, the engaging mechanisms for mutually engaging the front panel pieces  50  and  51  were the snap buttons  30 , but may be buttons and button holes, a hook and loop fastener, a zip fastener, or the like. The number of the interlocking members and the interlocked members was one for each of the front panel pieces  50  and  51 , but may be a plural number for each. Further, the positions of the interlocking member and the interlocked member may be appropriately changed according to the size of the upper wear  1 , and the like. The button of the interlocking member may be set as that of a rotary type, which enables a change in angle (depth of the V shape) of the V-shaped neckline. The string-like member was fixed by sewing to the front panel piece, but may be fixed by bonding, a magnet, a hook and loose fastener, or the like. 
     The configuration for holding respective upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  folded back to the back surface sides are not limited to the interlocking member and the interlocked member, and may be other configurations. For example, the following configuration is also acceptable: a pocket is provided at each back surface of respective front panel pieces  50  and  51 , so that each upper part of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  is inserted and held in the pocket. For example, as shown in  FIG. 12 , a lining fabric is further added to the back surface of the front panel piece  51 , and the lining fabric is provided with a pocket  160  opening toward the upper part side of the front panel piece  51 . The pocket  160  is, for example, sewn to the back surface of the front panel piece  51 . The same pocket  160  is also attached to the front panel piece  50 . In such a case, the upper parts of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  are not required to be locked by a button or the like, and can be readily held in a folded-back state. 
     Further, other than these, the following configuration is also acceptable: each upper part of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  is allowed to include a wire such as a resin wire for storing the shape; and each upper part of the front panel pieces  50  and  51  is folded back to the back surface side, and is held in the state. 
     In the embodiments up to this point, the initial neckline of the upper wear  1  was in the shape of a crew neck, and the neckline after folding back and locking respective front panel pieces  50  and  51  was in a V shape. However, the shape of the neckline is not limited thereto. The upper wear  1  was a down vest, but is not limited thereto. The present invention is also applicable to other upper wears  1  such as a down jacket, a cardigan, and an underwear. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention is useful for providing an upper wear allowing an increase in variations of wear coordination of the upper wear. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       1  Upper wear 
       10  Front panel 
       20  Neckline 
       50 ,  51  Front panel piece 
       30  Snap button 
       40  Female snap 
       40 T Uppermost female snap 
       41  Male snap 
       41 T Uppermost male snap 
       90  String-like member 
       80  Male snap 
       110  Female snap 
       120  String-like member