Patent Abstract:
A garment protective system includes a protective member and an adjustable member. In another aspect of the present invention, body armor inside a jacket is repositionable due to adjustment of a coupled adjustment strap. A further aspect of the present invention provides a waist belt adjustably coupled to a shoulder area and/or a back area of a jacket.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a garment protective system and more particularly to a jacket including a protective member and an adjustable member. 
     It is known to provide motorcycle jackets with protective body armor. Exemplary motorcycle jackets are shown in: U.S. Patent Application No. 2008/0040832 entitled “Ventilated Garment” invented by Bay and published on Feb. 21, 2008; U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,282 entitled “Hybrid Ventilated Garment” which issued to Bay on Oct. 23, 2007; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,510 entitled “Ventilating Garment” which issued to Bay et al. on Jul. 24, 2001; all of which are incorporated by reference herein. While these ventilated garments are significant improvements in the industry, additional opportunities to improve user comfort and protection exists. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a garment protective system includes a protective member and an adjustable member. In another aspect of the present invention, body armor inside a jacket is repositionable due to adjustment of a coupled adjustment strap. A further aspect of the present invention provides a waist belt adjustably coupled to a shoulder area and/or a back area of a jacket. A method of manufacturing a garment is also provided. 
     The garment of the present invention is advantageous over prior devices in that the present invention garment allows for adjustable repositioning of the body armor and/or protective pads within a jacket. This system advantageously improves wearer comfort and improves protective placement of the armor over the desired, targeted areas of the user. Since the wearers&#39; sizes vary even within a given jacket size, such adjustability of the body armor is advantageous. Furthermore, user positioning on a racing-type motorcycle versus a cruiser-type motorcycle, for example, will often necessitate different body armor positioning within a jacket to maximize comfort and protection. Moreover, user preferences also vary. The adjustable strap system of the present application secures a predetermined armor pad position set by the user while also snugging the protective armor pads to the user&#39;s body. This is contrasted to traditional garments which only secure pads to the jacket but not the user, resulting in a loose fitting jacket and, thus, loose fitting armor. It is further advantageous to interchange removable armor within the system. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view showing the preferred embodiment of a garment protective system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view showing the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view showing the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view showing the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear elevational view showing the garment protective system in an open position with a jacket removed; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of a waist belt employed in the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 3 , showing the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmentary perspective view, taken within circle  8  of  FIG. 7 , showing a portion of the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded, front perspective view, showing the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 10  is a fragmentary and partially exploded, perspective view showing a spine pad and pocket employed in the garment protective system; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view, taken along line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 , showing the garment protective system; and 
         FIG. 12  is a fragmentary perspective view, taken in the direction of arrows  12 - 12  of  FIG. 9 , showing a shoulder pad and pocket employed in the garment protective system, in an open condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the preferred embodiment of a garment protective system  15  includes a garment, preferably a jacket  17 , and an adjustable protective system  19 . It should be appreciated that the terms garment and jacket include a stand-alone jacket, such as that shown, in addition to a combined jacket/pant racing suit, or any other article of clothing for covering at least a torso of a wearer. Garment protective system  15  is preferably worn by a person riding a motorsport vehicle, such as a motorcycle or other motorized vehicle such as all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile. Alternately, garment protective system  15  is used for skiing, snowboarding or other sporting endeavors, although various advantages of the present invention may not be fully used. 
     Jacket  17  includes two major portions, a body  25  and a removable shell or cover  27 . Body  25  has a mesh inner liner  29 , an outer wind resistant layer  31  and an outer mesh material  33 . The outer mesh material  33  is only exposed when shell  27  is optionally removed during warm weather use. Air vents  35  are provided on sleeves  37  and a back torso portion to allow air through the jacket when the vents are unzipped even if a vertical and main zipper closure  39  is in a closed condition. Outer layer  31  may be a textile or leather material. 
       FIGS. 2-12  illustrates protective system  19  in greater detail. The protective system includes a pair of body armor shoulder pads  51  and their associated shoulder pockets  53 , a body armor spine pad  55  and its associated back pocket  57 , a waist belt  59 , and adjustable straps. A vertically (as viewed in a user standing orientation such as that shown in  FIGS. 2-4 ) elongated strap  71  has a lower end sewn to an inside of waist belt  59  and an upper end sewn to an inside surface of shoulder pocket  53 . Similarly, another vertically extending strap  73  is sewn between waist belt  59  and the opposite shoulder pocket  53 . A transversely elongated strap  75  spans between shoulder pocket  53  and back pocket  57 , essentially adjacent to a transverse line  76 , with each end sewn thereto. Similarly, an oppositely extending strap  77  extends from the other side of back pocket  57  to the opposite shoulder pocket  53 . A slide ring  81  and a slide adjuster  83  provide for length adjustment of adjustable straps  71 ,  73 ,  75  and  77 . The slide adjuster has a generally polygonal B-like shape. A tab  91  is sewn to each shoulder pocket  53  and a slide ring  93  is secured to a looped end of tab  91 . This allows for strap  75  to slide through ring  93  when being adjusted. A similar tab and ring arrangement are employed with the opposite strap  77  and shoulder pocket  53 . 
     These straps, slide rings and slide adjusters advantageously allow the wearer to predetermine the pad spacing within the jacket, which is thereafter maintained in the desired set position during jacket use and for each subsequent jacket use, until the spacing is manually changed by the user. The adjustment strap construction preferably described and shown herein allows at least the shoulder armor, back armor and belt to be interconnected and work as an interdependent unit, while also somewhat bunching up the jacket liner to correspond to the armor and belt positioning. When the jacket is taken off and put back on by the user, the relative system positioning and adjustments will remain the same each time, until intentionally readjusted by the user. 
     Each pocket  53  and  57  is defined by one or more inner pocket layers  101  peripherally sewn to inner liner  29  of the jacket. A Velcro® hook and loop type fastener  103  allow for opening and closing of an opening  105  through which the respective shoulder pads  51  and spine pad  55  are inserted and removed. This advantageously allows for easy replacement of the body armor with alternately configured body armor of different characteristics, such as having different sizes or different materials depending on user preference, body sizes and motorcycle uses (for example, racing versus casual long distance riding). By way of example, spine pad  55  of  FIG. 11  is preferably a dual density, EVA back pad with the outside portion more rigid than an inside portion. Nevertheless a replacement spine pad or shoulder pad may consist of a single density polyurethane foam pad, a dual density polyethylene foam pad, or the like. As another example,  FIG. 9  shows the original three-dimensionally molded, dual density shoulder pads  51 , however, a replacement shoulder pad  51 ′ may include a substantially rigid, injection molded and polymeric outer shell, a non-preformed die cut and fibrous pad, a larger sized foam pad having a greater inside radius, or the like. Such interchangeability further enhances the adjustability and customized nature of the garment protective system. Removal of the pads also allows for easy washing of the pads and/or jacket. 
     FIGS.  2  and  6 - 8  show waist belt  59  attached to an internal surface of outer jacket material  31  by way of multiple vertically elongated belt loops  141 . Ends of each belt loop are sewn to jacket outer  31  or alternately to the inner liner of the jacket, while waist belt  59  is allowed to freely slide within loops  141 . Waist belt  59  further has a pair of elastic segments  143  and multiple spaced apart sets of snaps  145  to allow for user adjustment of the belt. It is alternately envisioned that hook and loop type fasteners or an adjustable buckle can be substituted in place of snaps  145 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates two layers  101  defining pocket  57  which secure spine pad  55 . Layers  101  of the back pocket are peripherally sewn to waist belt  59  adjacent a lower section of spine pad  55 . Alternately, however, an adjustable strap can interconnect the bottom of the back pocket to the waist belt. 
     The body armor pockets are preferably made from an open nylon mesh material such as the type used for the inner jacket liner. Furthermore, the adjustable straps are preferably made from a non-stretchable polypropylene webbing to prevent body armor movement after the adjustment is set by the user. The slide adjusters and rings are preferably made from a rigid and molded polymeric material. 
     While various constructions of the garment protective system have been disclosed, it should be appreciated that other modifications may be made which fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, other body armor and/or pad members may be employed with an adjustable positioning arrangement such as that disclosed. Furthermore, the garment protective system can be employed with or without a spine pad and/or a waist belt, although, many of the benefits of the present invention system may not be achieved. Moreover, it is alternately envisioned that other adjustment members and/or adjustable strap geometries can be provided as long as the advantageous functional features of the presently disclosed garment protective system are employed, however, such other configurations and geometries may not fully utilize the benefits and advantages disclosed herein. 
     Various materials have been disclosed in an exemplary fashion, but other materials may of course be employed, although some of the advantages of the present invention may not be realized. It is intended by the following claims to cover these and any other departures from the disclosed embodiment which fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0