Patent Publication Number: US-2021161230-A1

Title: Item of clothing with a plurality of pockets with differentiated access, fitted with opening/closing means of zipper type

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102019000022779 filed on Dec. 3, 2019, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an item of clothing with a plurality of pockets, with differentiated access, fitted with respective opening/closing means of zipper type. The present invention has several applications in the clothing sector. As better described below, a particular and advantageous application relates to high mountain clothing, especially in case an avalanche beacon (an apparatus for locating avalanche victims) is worn in the event of an avalanche. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As is known, items of clothing provided with a plurality of pockets allow different inner access compartments (delimited by the pockets themselves) being separated from each other. Pockets are usually provided with opening/closing means, conventionally, but not exclusively, of the zipper type, with press-studs and the like. 
     Access to the inner pockets, becomes a slow and complicated operation, since wearers have to open a first pocket to be able to insert a hand, reach the opening/closing means of the second pocket and open them. 
     This operation is even more inconvenient when the first pocket is not empty, but full of objects which may hinder wearers from reaching the opening/closing means of the second pocket. 
     In the specific case of mountain clothing, the item of clothing itself is an impediment to reaching the avalanche beacon which, as is known, to be worn correctly, must be:
         a) fastened with the supplied harness thereof,   b) positioned just below the heart. and   c) positioned in contact with the skin or just above the first layer of clothing.       

     In the event of an avalanche accident, the survival curve ( FIG. 1 ) shows that 18 min is the targeted time to reach victims and have 90% probability of survival. All rescue operations must be performed in the shortest possible time. 
     The first operation consists in switching off the avalanche beacon. 
     In the presence of large groups (10/15 people) and beginners, even such a “simple operation” may require a few minutes (1-2 min). 
     Every minute is precious and each minute that passes drastically reduces the chances of survival of the victims, who must be identified and extracted as soon as possible. 
     Operations for reaching and subsequently switching off the avalanche beacon by survivors are complicated by the fact that they must undo various layers of clothing to reach the avalanche beacon which, as seen, is positioned at heart height, in direct contact with the skin. This operation, in addition to being slow, also considering the fact that the individuals are wearing gloves, is also dangerous, since survivors, to reach the avalanche beacon, are often forced to undress, taking off various layers of clothing while being in an open environment with adverse weather conditions, often at very low temperatures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, a need is felt to overcome the drawbacks and limitations mentioned above with reference to the prior art. 
     Said need is met by an item of clothing as described and claimed herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more comprehensible from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given by way of non-limiting examples, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a diagram of the survival curve of the victims of an avalanche; 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view of an item of clothing according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a front view of an item of clothing according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in a first operative condition; 
         FIG. 4  shows a front view of an item of clothing according to the second embodiment of the present invention, in a second operative condition; and 
         FIGS. 5-6  show enlarged details of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Elements or parts in common to the embodiments described will be indicated hereinafter using the same reference numerals. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the Figures,  4  generally indicates an item of clothing according to the present invention. 
     It should be noted that the concept of clothing item must be understood in a broad and non-limiting sense, as it may comprise not only jackets, but also pouches, purses, bags and similar items. The aforementioned applications of the present invention must however be considered in purely exemplary, not restrictive or exhaustive, terms. 
     The item of clothing  4  comprises a first pocket  8  provided with first opening/closing means  12  to respectively allow and inhibit access to the first pocket  8  itself. The first pocket  8  is preferably a closed pocket; it is also possible, in case of a jacket with several layers, for such first pocket  8  to be open, i.e., to include one or more open sides. 
     The item of clothing  4  further comprises a second pocket  16  provided with second opening/closing means  20  to respectively allow and inhibit access to the second pocket  16  itself. 
     The second pocket  16  is preferably a closed pocket; it is also possible, in case of a jacket with several layers, for such second pocket  16  to be open, i.e., to include one or more open sides. 
     It should be noted that the concept of pocket must be understood in a broad sense. In other words, pocket may comprise both a ‘closed’ pocket, i.e., provided with an access opening, with respective opening/closing means, and a closed bottom, and a pocket having an access opening, with respective opening/closing means and an at least partially open bottom. In any case, the bottom may be closed, at least partially open, and it may also be equipped with additional opening/closing means which may be used if necessary. 
     The first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  are aligned and at least partially overlapped so as to allow the simultaneous insertion of a hand through the first opening/closing  12  means and the second opening/closing means  20 , when opened to access the second pocket  16  through the first pocket  8 . 
     In other words, the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  are mutually positioned so as to allow wearers to easily access the contents of the second pocket  16  passing through the first pocket  8 , thereby they are mutually aligned. Alignment and overlapping may be total in case the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  are equal to each other in terms of extension and size and perfectly overlapped. Alternatively, the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing  20  means may be only partially overlapped. 
     Preferably, the first opening/closing means and the second opening/closing means  16 ,  20  are zippers respectively equipped with a first slider  24  and a second slider  28  with respective first pull  32  and second pull  36 . 
     Each slider  24 ,  28  slides on a respective first chain  40  and second chain  44  provided with teeth, in a known manner. For the purposes of the present invention, the specific type, material or geometry of the teeth are not relevant. 
     According to a possible embodiment of the present invention, the first slider  24  and the second slider  28  are mechanically separate and independent of each other. In such embodiment, opening/closing, therefore actuation, of the two sliders  24 ,  28  is completely independent. Therefore, a user, after having opened the first opening/closing means  12  by the first slider  24 , will have access to the second opening/closing means  20  and, if these are closed, the user will have to open them during a second step to have access to the inside of the second pocket  16 . 
     According to a possible embodiment of the present invention, the first slider  24  of the first opening/closing means  12  is mechanically connected to the second slider  28  of the second opening/closing means  20 , so that the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  may be opened and closed simultaneously by exclusively acting on the first slider  24 . In other words, by virtue of the mechanical connection between the first slider  24  and the second slider  28 , by acting on the first slider  24  it is also possible to simultaneously act on the second slider  28 . Therefore, it is possible, with a single manual operation on the first slider  24 , to simultaneously open both the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  to directly access the contents of the second pocket  16  from the outside. 
     The aforementioned mechanical connection between the first slider  24  and the second slider  28  may be achieved in various manners. 
     For example, an embodiment is provided in which the first pull  32  of the first slider  24  is mechanically connected to the second pull  36  of the second slider  28 . 
     Said mechanical connection may comprise a cord, a small chain or a lace and similar connection means  70 . In fact, such connection means  70  act on the second slider  28  as a pull. 
     According to a further embodiment, the first slider  24  is at least partially counter-shaped with respect to the second slider  28  in order to achieve a shape coupling that mechanically connects said first and second sliders  24 ,  28 . 
     According to a further possible embodiment, the first slider  24  and the second slider  28  are operatively connected to each other by ferromagnetic means (or a magnet, in general) so as to slide in unison even without a mechanical connection or a direct contact. 
     According to an embodiment, the first pocket  8  is equipped with an auxiliary slider  48 , mechanically separate and independent of the first slider  24  and the second slider  28 . 
     Preferably, said auxiliary slider  48  is associated with the first chain  40  of the first opening/closing means  12 , on the opposite side with respect to the first slider  24 . In other words, the first opening/closing means  12  comprise a first chain  40  with teeth with which the first slider  24  and the auxiliary slider  48  are associated, on axially opposite sides, configured to open and close the first chain  40 . This means that the user may indistinctly act on the first slider  24  and on the auxiliary slider  48  from the outside to obtain distinct effects. In fact, by acting on the first slider  24  by opening it, the user has the possibility of simultaneously moving also the second slider  28 , connected to the first slider  24 , so as to also open the second opening/closing means  20  and have access to the second pocket  16 . Instead, by acting on the auxiliary slider  48 , the user is limited to opening or closing the first opening/closing means  12 , so as to have access exclusively to the first pocket  8 . 
     Further embodiments of the opening/closing means are also provided. 
     The first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  may comprise edges fitted with fabric fitted with Velcro or press-stud opening/closing means (not shown). 
     In such embodiment, a first edge of the first opening/closing means  12  is mechanically connected to a second edge of the second opening/closing means  20 , so that the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  can be opened and closed simultaneously by acting on said first edge. 
     Preferably, in such ‘pull-open’ embodiment, the second opening/closing means  20  must be calibrated so as to be more yielding with respect to the first opening/closing means  12 . Consequently, by acting on the first opening/closing means  12  by pulling them open, it will be ensured that also the second opening/closing means  20  will automatically be pulled open, so as to directly access inside the second pocket  16 . 
     As mentioned above, the present invention relates to the clothing sector in a broad sense. 
     According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, in terms of safety, said item of clothing is a jacket comprising a first layer or outer covering  52 , provided with the first pocket,  8  and a second layer or inner covering  56 , provided with the second pocket  16 . 
     Advantageously, in such embodiment, the first opening/closing means  12  and the second opening/closing means  20  are positioned at the front of the jacket at chest height. Therefore, if users wear an avalanche beacon at chest height and in direct contact with the skin, in case of need, by acting on the first slider, they may open both the first opening/closing means and the second opening/closing means  20  with a single manual operation, and thus have direct access to the second pocket  16  to take the avalanche beacon, without having to undress. 
     Obviously the number of layers, and therefore of pockets and respective opening/closing means, may be increased as desired. Three opening/closing means may be used, each equipped with a slider, with a respective pull. 
     Moreover, the first slider  24  may be operatively connected to the second slider  28  and to a third slider  68 , all aligned and at least partially overlapped. 
     Furthermore the first slider, the second slider  28  and the third slider  68  may be operatively connected to each other; thereby, by acting on the first pull  32  of the first slider  24  it is possible to open and close both the second opening/closing means  20  and the third opening/closing means  60  which regulate the access to a respective third pocket  64  by the third slider  68  with a respective third pull  72 . 
     As it may be appreciated from the above description, the item of clothing of the present invention allows to overcome the drawbacks introduced in the prior art. 
     In particular, the item of clothing of the present invention allows to facilitate and significantly reduce time to reach the avalanche beacon, when worn in a high mountain jacket. 
     In addition, the item of clothing of the present invention allows rescuers to be left dressed appropriately so as to perform rescue operations more efficiently. 
     Also in case of use of a different item of clothing, including a bag or a pouch, the item of the present invention allows accessing the pockets independently (by accessing the first pocket and subsequently the second pocket or a third pocket) or by means of a direct access to the second or third pocket, by acting on the first slider operatively connected to the second slider and/or to the third slider. 
     Those skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent and specific needs, may make several modifications and variations to the items of clothing described above, without departing from the scope of protection, as described and claimed herein.