Abstract:
The present invention involves a reversible jacket that converts into a tote bag. The back portion of the jacket consist of an oversized pocket which when turned inside out, the entire jacket is received into the pocket thus converting garment into a tote bag. If desired, the jacket can be worn in the reversible mode at which the pocket on the said back portion is then completely concealed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    All references pertaining to the present invention should be applied to the provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/253,001 filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Nov. 27, 2000. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable.  
         REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
         [0003]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0005]    The present invention relates to a combination garment used as both a reversible jacket and tote bag. It is designed to be a convenient and practical jacket, which could be quickly turned into a tote bag by executing maneuvers that are basic and simple. The jacket has an enlarged pocket located at the upper rear portion of the garment, of which can be turned inside out to insert the jacket into itself, thus forming the tote bag structure. The jacket is also reversible and can be worn inside out. The overall appearance of the present invention is such that the multiple functions are not obvious to the human eye. Furthermore, the present invention was created as casual outerwear or the like or as a carrying tote bag of which either function can be used for general purposes.  
           [0006]    2. Description of Prior Art  
           [0007]    To date we have seen combinations of garment used as both jacket and bag and various attempts have been made in prior art to produce garments that have multiple uses. The drawbacks are that the multiple functions are actually limited or the maneuvers used to convert the item from one function to another are oftentimes tedious and laborious.  
           [0008]    United States Patent Des. 277,049 describes a jacket and carrier bag combination in which the major drawback is that the carrier bag can only hold one item, the jacket itself and nothing more. The limited use of the combination beach towel and tote bag found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,912 is severely obvious in that the tote bag is so large it would be more of a chore to carry the item anywhere other than to the beach. The combination garment used as a jacket and bag found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,629 and the combination coat with a built in sleeping bag found in U.S Pat. No. 4,158,892 require elaborate adjustments to produce the desired effects or functions. Both items offer a rather unpleasant appearance when worn as a clothing item due to the multiple fastener tracks and sliders, pockets and buttons needed to transform the item from jacket or coat to the respective bag function.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention overcomes the problems of the other prior art by the simplicity of its multiple functions as a reversible jacket that converts into a tote bag. It only requires two maneuvers in that the wearer of the jacket takes off the jacket and then turns the pocket, located at the upper rear portion of the jacket, inside out, inserting the jacket into itself and converting it into a tote bag. When the garment is worn as a jacket, its function as a tote bag is not obvious to the human eye. Nor does the function as a tote bag give way to the indication that the tote bag is a jacket as well. The simplicity of the invention makes the item versatile, comfortable and useful and presents the garment to look more like fashionable outerwear while concealing its multiple functions. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Description of the Preferred Embodiment  
         [0011]    The features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiment of the invention:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the garment used both as a jacket and tote bag in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the front.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the outerwear garment of FIG. 1 seen from the rear.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a view of the conversion from jacket to tote bag as the pocket is turned inside out.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the outerwear garment converted into a tote bag and ready for use.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the outerwear garment of FIG. 1 in its reversible mode as seen from the front.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the outerwear garment of FIG. 1 in its reversible mode as seen from the rear. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    Referring to FIG. 1, this view is a perspective view of outerwear garment in its mode of operation as a casual jacket or the like. Mouth  1  is the head and neck opening of the outerwear garment. Buttonhole track  2  along with button  3  is the fastening device used to keep the garment closed when being worn as a jacket. Sleeve  4  is used to receive the arms into the outerwear garment and trunk portion  5  is for the upper part of the body. FIG. 2 shows the rear view of the outerwear garment. A double layer of material is sewn together to form the back piece of the trunk portion  5  of the outerwear garment seen in FIG. 1. The top layer of material has a mouth opening identified by  20  that leads to sack portion  30 , previously referred to as pocket, and of which is the result of the double layers of material being attached. Straps  21  are the drawstrings that are used to carry the combination garment used as jacket and tote bag when the said garment is being used in the tote bag function. The straps  21  are threaded through loop hole  22 . Trunk portion base  6  is the lower trunk portion of sack portion  30 . Sleeve  4  is used to receive arms as identified in FIG. 1.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a view of the outerwear garment as it is being converted into the tote bag mode. The article can be used as a tote bag in the following manner. First turn the outerwear garment over to reveal the mouth opening identified by  20  in FIG. 2. Place your hand through the opening until you reach the seam identified by trunk portion base  6  as viewed in FIG. 2. Grab hold of material at trunk portion base  6  and pull upward, turning the sack portion  30  inside out. The sleeves  4 , truck portion  5 , button hole track  2  and button  3  along with mouth opening  1  are all received down into sack portion  30  through mouth opening  20 . Straps  21  which are threaded through loophole  22  are used to carry tote bag and are adjusted to be use as handles. Trunk portion base  6  is the lower trunk portion of sack portion  30  also viewed in FIG. 2, FIG. 4, and FIG. 6.  
         [0020]    The results of this maneuver is seen in FIG. 4 as this is the perspective view of the outerwear garment convert into the tote bag function and ready for use. Mouth opening  20  received sleeves  4 , truck portion  5 , button hole track  2  and button  3  along with mouth opening  1  and are all tucked down into sack portion  30 . Sack portion  30  can receive other items such as keys, eye wear and money pouches. Mouth  1  is the head and neck opening of the outerwear garment when being worn as a jacket. Straps  21  which are threaded through loophole  22  are used to carry tote bag and are adjusted to be use as handles as seen in FIG. 3. Trunk portion base  6  is the lower portion of sack portion  30 .  
         [0021]    To convert the tote bag back into a jacket, simply reach inside the tote bag and pull out the sleeves  4  and the entire trunk portion  5 , button hole track  2  and button  3  will unfold to reveal itself once again as an outerwear garment. You could then place drawstrings  21  inside the mouth opening  20  identified in FIG. 2. The jacket is again now ready to be worn.  
         [0022]    Because the outerwear garment is reversible, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the outerwear garment turned inside out and worn in reversible mode. By simply turning the jacket inside out, you achieve and new look in that interlock-stitching  50  is along sleeves  4   a  and the entire boarder of the outerwear garment. Trunk portion  5   a  is for the upper part of the body. A fastening track  51  with slider  52  is used to close the garment when said garment is being worn as an outerwear jacket. The inside back panel of the outerwear garment reveals mouth  20  identified in FIG. 2 that leads to sack portion  30  also identified in FIG. 2. The inside back panel of the outerwear garment also reveals loop hole  22  and the straps  21  which are threaded through loop hole  22  and are used to carry the garment when said garment is converted to tote bag function.  
         [0023]    The present invention used as an outerwear garment in reversible mode more particularly relates to the view in FIG. 6 which is a plain view of the rear of the jacket with interlock stitching  50  visible as the border design and sleeves  4   a  are used to receive arms into the garment. In this view, trunk portion base  6  now functions as the lower trunk portion of trunk portion  60 . Trunk portion  60  covers the rear of the upper body and presents a clean, smooth surface as mouth opening  20 , Straps  21 , loop hole  22  and sack portion  30  from FIG. 2 are now completely concealed.