U.S. patent application number 13/481358 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-27 for removable jacket sleeves for body armor.
Invention is credited to Martin L. Flora, Joshua Howell, Melborn Howerton, Michael Edwin Munter.
Application Number | 20120324612 13/481358 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47360391 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-27 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20120324612 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Howell; Joshua ; et
al. |
December 27, 2012 |
Removable Jacket Sleeves For Body Armor
Abstract
A separating garment system has two sleeves and a chest piece
and collar that can be opened. The chest piece having a front and a
back and having a length in the front and the back such that the
chest piece extends downward on a wearer so as to cover no more
than a chest of a wearer. The chest piece also may not extend under
the arms of the wearer.
Inventors: |
Howell; Joshua; (Puyallup,
WA) ; Howerton; Melborn; (Bonney Lake, WA) ;
Flora; Martin L.; (Portland, OR) ; Munter; Michael
Edwin; (Ashland, OR) |
Family ID: |
47360391 |
Appl. No.: |
13/481358 |
Filed: |
May 25, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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61489971 |
May 25, 2011 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
2/2.5 ; 2/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 27/10 20130101;
F41H 1/02 20130101; A41D 2400/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
2/2.5 ; 2/69 |
International
Class: |
F41H 1/02 20060101
F41H001/02; A41D 1/04 20060101 A41D001/04; A41D 1/00 20060101
A41D001/00 |
Claims
1. A garment comprising: a first sleeve; a second sleeve; and a
chest piece joined to the first sleeve and to the second sleeve,
the chest piece including a front and a back, the front of the
chest piece extending downward on a wearer so as to cover no more
than a chest of a wearer.
2. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the front of the chest
piece also extends upwardly to form a raised collar and cover at
least a portion of a neck of a wearer.
3. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the chest piece is
split down the front by a seam.
4. A garment as defined in claim 2, wherein the chest piece and the
raised collar are split down the front by a seam.
5. A garment as defined in claim 3, wherein the seam is fastenable
by a zipper.
6. A garment as defined in claim 3, wherein the seam is fastenable
by a hook and loop material.
7. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one sleeve
includes a pocket.
8. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein each sleeve includes an
elastic cuff.
9. A garment as defined in claim 8, wherein each elastic cuff
includes a thumb hole.
10. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the garment is made
from a thermal insulating material.
11. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sleeve, the
second sleeve, and the chest piece are water-repellent.
12. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sleeve is
permanently attached to the chest piece, the second sleeve being
removably attached to the chest piece by an attachment device.
13. A garment as defined in claim 12, wherein the attachment device
comprises a zipper or hook and loop material.
14. A garment as defined in claim 1, further including body armor,
the body armor being worn over the chest piece, the body armor
comprising a vest.
15. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the chest piece does
not extend and attach below the sleeves.
16. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the chest piece
includes a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion
comprising an outer shell material attached to a thermal insulating
material, the bottom portion comprising only the outer shell
material.
17. A protective system comprising the garment as defined in claim
1 in combination with body armor.
18. The protective system as defined in claim 17, wherein the body
armor includes modular lightweight load-carrying equipment, the
chest piece having a length that does not extend over the
equipment.
19. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein both the first sleeve
and the second sleeve are removably attached to the chest
piece.
20. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the first sleeve and
the second sleeve are thermally insulated.
21. A garment as defined in claim 1, wherein the garment includes
an exterior surface that defines a camouflage pattern.
22. A method for disrobing a garment without removing body armor,
the garment comprising a first sleeve, a second sleeve, and a chest
piece joined to the first sleeve and the second sleeve, the method
comprising: separating the first sleeve from the chest piece and
sliding the first sleeve off of an arm of a wearer; splitting a
seam located on the chest piece to open the chest piece; sliding
the chest piece out from under the body armor; and removing the
chest piece and the second sleeve by sliding the second sleeve off
of an arm of a wearer.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based upon and claims priority to
U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/489,971, which is also
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Prior designs for garments require that a user wear a
traditional jacket, or several layers of conventional garments
under body armor in order to stay warm. Once donned, and covered
with body armor, load bearing equipment, weapons slings, and other
layers, the garments cannot be easily removed. U.S. Pat. No.
7,636,948, issued Dec. 29, 2009, is for a "combat shirt and armor
system," but the garment is not designed to be insulating or worn
for warmth, nor can it be removed without first removing the body
armor. U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,376, issued Jul. 17, 2007, is for a "cut
away vest" that does separate into pieces but only covers the
torso, without long sleeves. Additionally, this patent specifies
the use of several lanyards, grommets, loops, and other devices
that would be difficult to re-assemble while walking or in the
dark, and is not designed to be worn for insulation or warmth.
Traditional jackets are too bulky to be worn under a tight-fitting
ballistic armor vest. While body armor is typically quite thick and
heavy, it leaves the neck and arms of the wearer exposed to the
elements.
SUMMARY
[0003] The present invention is a garment that can be worn in
conjunction with ballistic protective apparel to provide the user
with comfortable and relatively comprehensive protection from the
elements, and which can be easily donned and removed without
requiring removal of the body armor or other equipment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention
are described in detail below with reference to the following
drawings:
[0005] FIG. 1 is a frontal perspective view of the jacket sleeves
for body armor of the present invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the back of the jacket
sleeves for body armor of the present invention;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a frontal perspective view of the back of the
jacket sleeves for body armor of the present invention shown worn
with body armor;
[0008] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the back of the jacket
sleeves for body armor of the present invention shown worn with
body armor;
[0009] FIG. 5 shows the first step of removing the jacket sleeves
for body armor of the present invention when worn with body
armor;
[0010] FIG. 6 shows the second step of removing the jacket sleeves
for body armor of the present invention when worn with body
armor;
[0011] FIG. 7 shows the second step of removing the jacket sleeves
for body armor of the present invention when worn with body
armor;
[0012] FIG. 8 is a frontal perspective of an alternate design of
the jacket sleeves for body armor of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 9 is a frontal perspective of an alternate design of
the jacket sleeves for body armor of the present invention, shown
worn with body armor;
[0014] FIGS. 10-15 are different views of an ornamental design for
a garment made in accordance with the present disclosure; and
[0015] FIGS. 16-21 are directed to an alternative embodiment of a
garment made in accordance with the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIGS. 1
and 2, where like numbers refer to similar parts, there is shown a
garment that includes of two sleeves 19 and 20, joined by a chest
piece 21. One sleeve 19 is permanently attached to the chest piece
21, while the other sleeve 20 is attached by an attachment device
22, such as a zipper, snaps, or hook and loop material (i.e.
Velcro.RTM..
[0017] In one embodiment, the sleeves 19 and 20 include pockets 25
sewn to the external surface of the upper arm area, or other
features as desired by the wearer. Such other features may include
elastic cuffs around the wrists, with or without thumb-holes, and
other features not pictured here for clarity.
[0018] The chest piece 21 includes a raised collar 23, which
extends upwardly to cover at least a portion of the neck of the
wearer. Both the chest piece 21 and collar 23 are split down the
front by a fastened seam 24, such as a zipper, snaps, hook and loop
material (i.e. Velcro.RTM.) or other similar device.
[0019] The sleeves 19 and 20 and the chest piece 21 may be
constructed of any cloth or flexible material as suitable to the
specific thermal insulating, water-repellent or breathable
specifications based on the use for the garment. Further, the
various components of the garment can be made of different
materials as necessary to suit the desired properties of the
garment as a whole.
[0020] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the garment of FIGS. 1 and 2 worn over
body armor 30. The body armor 30, the sleeves 19 and 20 and the
chest piece 21 with the collar 23 combine to provide the user with
nearly complete protection from the elements, in much the same
manner as a traditional jacket, covering the arms, torso, and
neck.
[0021] FIGS. 5-7 show what a user can do when the garment of FIGS.
1 and 2 is worn under the body armor 30 and the user decides to
disrobe the garment without removing the body armor 30. Referring
now to FIG. 5, the garment can be split at the attachment device 22
(Velcro.RTM., zipper, or other). This may separate the sleeve 20
from the chest piece 21 of the garment. The separated sleeve 20 can
be slid down the arm, and removed.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 6, the remaining portions worn subsist
of the chest piece 21 with collar 23, and the permanently attached
sleeve 19. The wearer is then able to split the fastened seam 24
(Velcro.RTM., zipper, or other), to fully open the chest piece 21
and the collar 23.
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 7, the wearer can slide the chest
piece 21 with the collar 23 out from under the body armor 30, or
any other backpack, rucksack, rifle sling, or other more outwardly
worn layer. The wearer can remove the remaining pieces of the
garment by sliding the sleeve 19 and the chest piece 21 with the
collar 23 down the arm. The pieces are ready to be rejoined at the
attachment device 22 with the removable sleeve 20, and are again
ready for wear. The wearer may choose to don the garment again over
other layers, or remove the others and again don the removable
garment before replacing the more outwardly layers such as the body
armor 30.
[0024] Referring now to the invention shown in FIG. 8, an alternate
design for a pair of jacket sleeves 41 for body armor that includes
fasteners (e.g., clips, snaps, Velcro.RTM., or buttons) 40 for
fastening the garment to body armor is shown. The sleeves 41
includes extra material 42 located at a user's armpit. The extra
material 42 may include fasteners or can be tucked inside the body
armor 30 when worn.
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 9, the pair of jacket sleeves 41 with
the fasteners 40 is shown with the fasteners 40 attached to a
comparable device located on the body armor 30. The extra material
42 is shown tucked inside the body armor 30 to close any gap
between the front and back plates of the body armor. The extra
material 42 may also be fastened to the interior or exterior
surface of the body armor 30.
[0026] The advantages of the present invention include, without
limitation, that when worn with body armor, it provides the wearer
with additional protection from the elements of wind, rain, and
cold, and that it is easy to don, and exceedingly easy to remove
even after more outwardly layers have been donned, such as
rucksacks, body armor, load bearing equipment, and weapons slings.
Removing any manner of prior art warm clothing worn in conjunction
with body armor usually requires first removing the other layers, a
task not easily accomplished when patrolling with tools or weapons
in hand, or while on the move. The wearer may then easily don the
garment again when needed, without necessitating removal of the
aforementioned obstacles of other more outwardly worn layers of
equipment.
[0027] In one embodiment, the present invention is an accessory for
body armor, that provides protection against the elements of wind,
rain, snow, and cold in the areas of the upper body that the body
armor does not cover. The garment is also designed to be easily
removed without being forced to first remove layers that were
donned after it.
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 10-15, one embodiment of an ornamental
design of a garment in accordance with the present disclosure is
shown.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 16-21, another embodiment of a garment
made in accordance with the present disclosure is illustrated. FIG.
16 is a front perspective view of the garment, while FIG. 17 is a
back view of the garment. As shown, the garment includes two
sleeves 119 and 120 joined by a chest piece 121. The sleeves can be
permanently attached to the chest piece or removably attached to
the chest piece using an attachment device, such as a zipper or
hook and loop material. In another embodiment, one sleeve may be
permanently joined to the chest piece, while the other sleeve may
be removably attached to the chest piece.
[0030] The chest piece 121 includes a raised collar 123 which
extends upwardly to cover at least a portion of the neck of a
wearer. Both the chest piece 121 and the collar 123 are split down
the front by a fastenable seam 124. The fastenable seam 124, for
instance, may include any suitable attachment device such as a
zipper or hook and loop material.
[0031] The sleeves 119 and 120 can include pockets and other
surface features, In the embodiment illustrated, the cuffs of each
sleeve include hook and loop material for fitting the sleeves
snugly around the wrist of a wearer. More particularly, each sleeve
includes a tab that may have hook material for attaching to loop
material on the sleeve.
[0032] The garment may include various reinforcement portions for
high wear areas. For instance, as shown in FIG. 17, reinforcement
portions 125 may be attached to the sleeves where the elbows are
located. The collar 123 can similarly include a reinforcement
portion 126.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the chest piece 121 is designed
to cover only a portion of a wearer's torso. In particular, the
chest piece is intended to cover no more than the chest of a
wearer. In one embodiment, the chest piece does not include any
underarm support so that the chest piece can be easily removed when
the sleeves are slid off the arms. In an alternative embodiment,
the chest piece may extend around the chest of the wearer to the
back of the wearer below the sleeves.
[0034] The garment of the present disclosure and particularly the
chest piece 121 can also be designed so that a wearer can easily
access modular lightweight load-carrying equipment (MOLLE) that are
typically integrated into body armor and/or placed around the
waist. In one embodiment, for instance, the chest piece can have a
length such that when the chest piece is worn with body armor, the
chest piece does not extend past a MOLLE system incorporated into
the body armor. Thus, the chest piece can be worn under or over the
body armor without interfering with the MOLLE system.
[0035] In one embodiment, the garment can be made from a thermal
insulating material. For example, in one embodiment, the garment
may include an outer shell made from synthetic fibers, such as
nylon yarns and/or polyester yarns. The garment may also include a
lining made from a fleece for providing thermal insulating
properties. The thermal insulating layer, for instance, may have a
basis weight of from about 1.5 osy to about 2.5 osy.
[0036] In one embodiment as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the chest
piece 121 may include an upper portion 130 and a lower portion 132.
In one embodiment, the upper portion 130 may comprise a multi-layer
section including an outer shell and a thermal insulating layer.
The lower portion 132, for instance, may not include the thermal
insulating layer and be made solely from the outer shell material.
In this manner, the garment may better integrate with body
armor.
[0037] For instance, by constructing the lower portion 132 from a
lightweight material, such as a nylon and/or polyester fabric, the
garment can be easily maneuvered especially when the wearer wants
to access a MOLLE system. In particular, the wearer can access the
MOLLE system without having to remove the garment.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 16, the garment can further include a draw
cord 134 that can be made from an elastic material. The draw cord
134 can include tightening devices 136 that allow for the draw cord
134 to be tightened against the body of the wearer. In this manner,
the garment can fit snugly about the chest of a wearer for
non-interfering with the body armor and also for preventing wind or
air from entering the garment while the garment is being worn.
[0039] The garment can further include attachment structures 138
that may comprise clips that attach the garment to body armor. For
instance, the attachment structures may comprise clamps that can
attach to the body armor or to a MOLLE system on the body armor.
Any suitable clip, clamp or other attachment structure may be
used.
[0040] In one embodiment, the garment can be made from a fabric
that is fire-resistant. For instance, the outer shell fabric may
comprise inherently non-flammable fibers, such as meta-aramid or
para-aramid fibers. Alternatively, the fabric can include FR
treated fibers, such as FR cellulose, FR nylon, or FR polyester. In
an alternative embodiment, the outer shell fabric may comprise a
fabric that has been treated with a flame retardant
composition.
[0041] When used by the military or by hunters, the outer shell
fabric may also include a camouflage pattern. The camouflage
pattern may be printed onto the outer shell fabric.
[0042] The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16-21 can further
include all of the features present in the garments illustrated in
FIGS. 1-9.
[0043] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the
disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention
should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that
follow.
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