Abstract:
A garment includes a garment body adapted for covering at least the torso of a person, said garment body having an outer surface and an inner surface; at least one sleeve detachably connected to said garment body; at least one sleeve pocket adapted for storing said two sleeves when detached from said garment body; a collar detachably connected along an upper periphery of said garment body, said collar having an associated inflatable cushion; a lumbar support positioned along a back portion of said garment body, said lumbar support including an inflatable cushion; and a plurality of pockets including at least one pocket having an outlet opening along the inner surface of said garment.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority from now abandoned provisional application Ser. No. 60/635,742, which was filed on Dec. 14, 2004, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to garments and, more specifically, to a convertible travel garment. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Travelers typically require protective garments adaptable to various environmental conditions that might be encountered. In addition, the modern traveler often carries a cellular telephone or other wireless communication equipment such as personal digital assistant (PDA) devices. 
   Moreover, the traveler often experiences some degree of lack of comfort while seated in airplanes, trains, or other conveyances. There is, therefore, the need for a travel garment which can be adapted to changing environmental temperatures, that provides ample storage and carrying capacity for electronic equipment, and that additionally includes sufficient cushioning for the traveler to aid in reducing muscle aches brought on by long periods of sitting. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   With the foregoing in mind, the present invention advantageously provides a garment suitable for travelers. The garment comprises a garment body adapted for covering at least the torso of a person, the garment body having an outer surface and an inner surface. At least one sleeve and preferably two are detachably connected to the garment body. A sleeve pocket adapted for storing the two sleeves when detached from the garment body. A collar is detachably connected along an upper periphery of the garment body, the collar having an associated inflatable cushion. A lumbar support is positioned along a back portion of the garment body, the lumbar support including an inflatable cushion. A plurality of pockets on the garment includes at least one pocket having an outlet opening along the inner surface of the garment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Some of the features, advantages, and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, presented solely for exemplary purposes and not with intent to limit the invention thereto, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an overall front view of the convertible vest as worn by a user according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the convertible vest of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  shows a back elevation view of the vest of  FIG. 1 , wherein  FIG. 1A  shows a closeup detail of the vest&#39;s back with its inflatable cushion; 
       FIG. 4  shows detail of the convertible vest&#39;s removable inflatable collar, wherein  FIG. 4A  shows the collar in its deflated state and  FIG. 4B  shows the collar inflated but still attached to the convertible vest; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view showing detail of the vest&#39;s removable sleeves and sleeve-storage pockets; and 
       FIG. 6  shows an interior view of the back of the convertible vest, where in a preferred embodiment of same there is a pocket containing an inflatable cushion for providing the traveler with lumbar support. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. Unless otherwise defined, technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In addition, the materials, methods and examples given are illustrative in nature only and not intended to be limiting. Accordingly, this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these illustrated embodiments are provided solely for exemplary purposes so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the claims. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , the presently described convertible travel garment  10  or vest includes a number of novel structural features.  FIG. 1  provides a front view of the presently described convertible garment  10 . It should be understood that the term “convertible” is used herein to indicate that the vest includes changeable structural features, for example, the removable sleeves  12  which may be self-stored in sleeve storage pockets  14  provided in the vest, as best shown in  FIG. 5 . Similarly, the term “vest” likewise describes the present convertible travel garment, particularly when the detachable sleeves  12  are taken off. Additionally, the term “closure” preferably indicates a zipper type of closure, but it is intended to also cover any other closure, such as Velcro®, buttons, toggles, etc. 
   Other changeable structural features in the convertible vest include a removable, inflatable collar  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The collar itself may be inflatable and may be entirely detachable from the garment body  18 . Alternatively, the collar  16  may be a sleeve or pocket which houses an inflatable cushion. This cushion may be removable in the sense that it may be taken out of the collar for use by the traveler otherwise. 
   Yet an additional changeable structural feature of the convertible vest  10  includes an inflatable lumbar support  20 . Like the collar  16 , the lumbar support  20  may include a pocket  22  positioned along the back of the garment, the pocket having a cushion  24  positioned therein for providing lumbar support to the traveler when inflated. The pocket  22  located along the back of the vest is preferably an internal pocket, that is, having a closure and a pocket opening along an inner surface of the vest as shown in  FIG. 6 . Alternatively, this pocket could open along an external surface of the vest&#39;s back, as seen in  FIG. 3 . 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the present convertible garment  10  additionally includes multiple pockets  26  along outer surfaces of the vest. At least one of these pockets  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , preferably includes an opening  20  which communicates from the pocket to the inside surface of the vest. Adjacent this opening and positioned along the inside surface of the vest may be a plurality of loops or adjustable tabs  32  wherein a wire may be secured and led to a second opening  34  communicating from the inside surface of the vest to the outside. This second opening  34  is preferably located along the shoulder of the garment  10  adjacent the collar  16 . The user may carry an electronic device such as a cell phone in this pocket  28 , pass the wire for an earpiece through the first opening  30 , securing the wire along the inside of the vest by means of the loops or tabs  32 , so that the wire passes to the outside through the second opening  34 . The user may then freely position the earpiece in his/her ear for use of the device. It should be apparent that this arrangement is usable with any type of electronic device which includes a wire and earpiece for private listening. 
   Additional structural features which promote the comfort of the traveler include, as noted above, an inflatable cushion  24  positioned along the back of the convertible vest to provide lumbar support, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , and a removable inflatable collar  16 , best shown in detail in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . As described and seen in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the inflatable cushion  24  is housed in a pocket  22  along the back of the vest. This pocket  22  may open either along the outside surface of the vest or along the inside surface, but preferably opens along the back inside surface, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The cushion  24  may include a blow tube so as to be inflatable by the user, or in one embodiment of the invention, may be self-inflatable by a mechanism as known to the skilled. For example, the cushion  24  may include a small, hand-operable inflating air pump which may be part of the cushion itself or which may be connectable to an air inlet/outlet valve on the cushion. Alternatively, the convertible garment  10  may be disposed with one or more compressed gas cylinders which will provide sufficient pneumatic pressure for inflating the collar  16  cushion, the lumbar cushion  24 , or both. 
   In an embodiment of the present invention the vest&#39;s collar  16  is removable by manually actuating a closure, preferably a zipper type of closure, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . Similarly to the lumbar cushion  24 , the collar  16  may be inflated, as seen in  FIG. 4B , to provide neck support for the traveler. The inflatable collar  16 , therefore, obviates the need for the traveler to carry a separate neck support pillow when traveling. At the traveler&#39;s option, the inflated collar  16  may remain attached to the vest or may be detached for separate use. 
   Yet a further structural feature of the presently disclosed convertible vest includes the detachable sleeves  12  and a pocket  14  for storing the detached sleeves. The pocket  14  is preferably, but not necessarily, one which is internal in the vest. That is, the sleeve storage pocket  14  is accessible from the inside of the vest  10  and opens along an inside surface thereof. These features are best shown in  FIG. 5 . Any closure functional for this purpose is intended to be part of the invention, but preferably a zipper closure would be used for attaching and detaching the sleeves  12 . 
   The present vest  10  also includes a drawstring around the waist for adjusting the vest to the wearer. The drawstring could be elastic and preferably includes one or more cylinder clamps, also known as barrel clamps, for securing the drawstring tightened in place. Elastic material may also be employed at the waist of the garment, instead of the drawstring or in addition thereto. Similarly, the sleeve cuffs may include an elastic material, or another type of closure for keeping the cuff secure around the user&#39;s wrist, for example, Velcro® tabs. Additionally, reinforcement material may be added, perhaps overlaid onto the sleeves at flexure points such as the elbows, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
   Suitable materials for fabricating the disclosed garment are those known in the art for typical outerwear. For example, it would be preferred if the outer surface of the vest were made of a relatively water and wear resistant material, to provide protection for the wearer from rain and to extend the life of the garment. Further, portions of the garment could be made of fleece or another material which provides a degree of temperature insulation for the wearer. As readily recognized by the skilled, the garment may comprise insulation for protection against the cold, the insulation preferably positioned between the outer and inner surfaces of the garment and/or in the sleeves. 
   Accordingly, in the drawings and specification there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, the terms are used in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. The invention has been described in considerable detail with specific reference to these illustrated embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that various modifications and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the foregoing specification and as recited in the appended claims.