U.S. patent application number 16/576125 was filed with the patent office on 2020-01-09 for overgarment with an elevated marsupial pocket.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cozy Comport Company LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Cozy Comport Company LLC. Invention is credited to Brian Speciale, Michael Speciale.
Application Number | 20200008500 16/576125 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 69102474 |
Filed Date | 2020-01-09 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200008500 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Speciale; Brian ; et
al. |
January 9, 2020 |
Overgarment With An Elevated Marsupial Pocket
Abstract
An overgarment includes a single body constructed from a soft
fabric having a torso in the body. Opposed sleeves are attached to
the torso at sleeve openings, and the sleeves each have a top, an
opposed bottom, and a length. A marsupial pocket on a front of the
torso has a top and opposed bottom, the top of the marsupial pocket
is proximate the bottom of each sleeve, and the bottom of the
marsupial pocket is below the bottom of each sleeve.
Inventors: |
Speciale; Brian; (Cave
Creek, AZ) ; Speciale; Michael; (Cave Creek,
AZ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cozy Comport Company LLC |
Cave Creek |
AZ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Cozy Comport Company LLC
Cave Creek
AZ
|
Family ID: |
69102474 |
Appl. No.: |
16/576125 |
Filed: |
September 19, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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16130502 |
Sep 13, 2018 |
10420431 |
|
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16576125 |
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62558136 |
Sep 13, 2017 |
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62671417 |
May 14, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 27/10 20130101;
A41D 15/04 20130101; A41D 3/005 20130101; A41D 27/20 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41D 15/04 20060101
A41D015/04; A41D 27/20 20060101 A41D027/20; A41D 27/10 20060101
A41D027/10; A41D 3/00 20060101 A41D003/00 |
Claims
1. An overgarment comprising: a body constructed from a soft
fabric; a torso in the body, the torso having a neck opening, a
bottom edge, and a torso height between the neck opening and the
bottom edge; opposed sleeves attached to the torso at sleeve
openings, the sleeves each having a top, an opposed bottom, and a
length; and a marsupial pocket having a top and opposed bottom,
wherein the top of the marsupial pocket is proximate the bottom of
each sleeve at the respective sleeve opening, and the bottom of the
marsupial pocket is below the bottom of each sleeve at the
respective sleeve opening; wherein the marsupial pocket has a
height between its top and bottom which is approximately one-third
the torso height.
2. The overgarment of claim 1, further comprising: the torso has a
width measured between the sleeve openings at the bottoms of the
opposed sleeves; and the height of the marsupial pocket is
approximately three-tenths the width of the torso.
3. The overgarment of claim 1, wherein each opposed sleeve
terminates in a cuff having a length of approximately two and a
half inches.
4. The overgarment of claim 1, further comprising: the torso has a
front and an opposed back, each having a bottom edge; the marsupial
pocket is attached to the front of the torso; and the bottom edge
of the back of the torso is a convex extension below the bottom
edge of the front of the torso.
5. The overgarment of claim 1, wherein the height of the marsupial
pocket is approximately 1.1 times a diameter of the neck
opening.
6. The overgarment of claim 1, wherein: the body is constructed
from two fabric plies defining inner and outer plies; the outer ply
is constructed from a low-pile knit; the inner ply is constructed
from a high-pile knit; and the two fabric plies of the body are
elastic, and an edge along a bottom of the body is inelastic.
7. An overgarment comprising: a body constructed from a soft
fabric; a torso in the body, the torso having a neck opening, a
bottom edge, and a width of the torso measured between the sleeve
openings at the bottoms of the opposed sleeves; opposed sleeves
attached to the torso at sleeve openings, the sleeves each having a
top, an opposed bottom, and a length; and a marsupial pocket having
a top and opposed bottom, wherein the top of the marsupial pocket
is proximate the bottom of each sleeve at the respective sleeve
opening, and the bottom of the marsupial pocket is below the bottom
of each sleeve at the respective sleeve opening; wherein the
marsupial pocket has a height between its top and bottom which is
approximately one-third the width of the torso.
8. The overgarment of claim 7, wherein the marsupial pocket has a
height between its top and bottom which is approximately one-third
a height of the torso between the neck opening and the bottom
edge.
9. The overgarment of claim 7, wherein each opposed sleeve
terminates in a cuff having a length of approximately two
inches.
10. The overgarment of claim 7, further comprising: the torso has a
front and an opposed back, each having a bottom edge; the marsupial
pocket is attached to the front of the torso; and the bottom edge
of the back of the torso is convex extension below the bottom edge
of the front of the torso.
11. The overgarment of claim 7, wherein the height of the marsupial
pocket is approximately 1.1 times a diameter of the neck
opening.
12. The overgarment of claim 7, wherein: the body is constructed
from two fabric plies defining inner and outer plies; the outer ply
is constructed from a low-pile knit; the inner ply is constructed
from a high-pile knit; and the two fabric plies of the body are
elastic, and an edge along a bottom of the body is inelastic.
13. An overgarment comprising: a body constructed from a soft
fabric; a torso in the body, the torso having a neck opening, a
bottom edge, and a torso height between the neck opening and the
bottom edge; opposed sleeves attached to the torso at sleeve
openings, the sleeves each having a top, an opposed bottom, and a
length; and a marsupial pocket having a top and opposed bottom,
wherein the top of the marsupial pocket is proximate the bottom of
each sleeve at the respective sleeve opening, and the bottom of the
marsupial pocket is below the bottom of each sleeve at the
respective sleeve opening; wherein the marsupial pocket has a
height between its top and bottom which is approximately 1.1 times
a diameter of the neck opening.
14. The overgarment of claim 13, further comprising: the torso has
a width measured between the sleeve openings at the bottoms of the
opposed sleeves; and the height of the marsupial pocket is
approximately three-tenths the width of the torso.
15. The overgarment of claim 13, wherein each opposed sleeve
terminates in a cuff having a length of approximately two
inches.
16. The overgarment of claim 13, wherein each opposed sleeve
terminates in a cuff having a length of approximately two and a
half inches.
17. The overgarment of claim 13, further comprising: the torso has
a front and an opposed back, each having a bottom edge; the
marsupial pocket is attached to the front of the torso; and the
bottom edge of the back of the torso is a convex extension below
the bottom edge of the front of the torso.
18. The overgarment of claim 13, wherein: the body is constructed
from two fabric plies defining inner and outer plies; the outer ply
is constructed from a low-pile knit; the inner ply is constructed
from a high-pile knit; and the two fabric plies of the body are
elastic, and an edge along a bottom of the body is inelastic.
19. The overgarment of claim 13, wherein the height of the
marsupial pocket is approximately 0.9 times a distance between the
bottom of the marsupial pocket and the bottom edge of the
torso.
20. The overgarment of claim 13, wherein the torso height is
approximately three times the diameter of the neck opening.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/130,502, filed Sep. 13, 2018, which claims
the benefit of each of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/558,136,
filed Sep. 13, 2017 and U.S. Provisional Application No.
62/671,417, filed May 14, 2018, all of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to blankets, and
more particularly to large, wearable blankets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Throw blankets are great at keeping a person warm and
comfortable on the couch. Light blankets keep one comfortable on
cool nights, and heavy blankets are wonderful for warming oneself
on especially cold nights. But sadly, eventually, one must get up
from the couch, whether to grab a hot chocolate, adjust the fire,
or go to bed. When one gets up, they must leave the warm blanket
behind and venture through their home a little colder.
[0004] Layering is often the answer when the question is how to
stay warm inside a cool building. Layering is the process of
wearing many layers of clothing on top of each other. One might
wear a thin pair of polyester socks and a thick pair of wool socks,
or an undershirt, a t-shirt, and a sweater, or even long underwear
and jeans. But, layering is not always the most comfortable.
Layering clothes can be constrictive in feeling and restrictive in
movement. Children especially dislike layering, their response
being to just "turn up the heat!"
[0005] However, turning up the heat is not always the answer.
Sometimes, it feels good to be warmed by a blanket when the house
is a little cold. But blankets simply are not practically portable
when worn on the body. An improved, cozy, comfortable blanket is
needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] An overgarment includes a single body constructed from a
soft fabric having a torso in the body. Opposed sleeves are
attached to the torso at sleeve openings, and the sleeves each have
a top, an opposed bottom, and a length. A marsupial pocket on a
front of the torso has a top and opposed bottom, the top of the
marsupial pocket is proximate the bottom of each sleeve, and the
bottom of the marsupial pocket is below the bottom of each
sleeve.
[0007] The above provides the reader with a very brief summary of
some embodiments discussed below. Simplifications and omissions are
made, and the summary is not intended to limit or define in any way
the scope of the invention or key aspects thereof. Rather, this
brief summary merely introduces the reader to some aspects of the
invention in preparation for the detailed description that
follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Referring to the drawings:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an over-garment with an
elevated marsupial pocket, as worn by a person shown in broken line
in a standing position;
[0010] FIGS. 2 and 3 are top and bottom perspective views,
respectively, of the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket
shown in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIGS. 4 and 5 are front and rear elevation views,
respectively, of the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket
shown in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIGS. 6 and 7 are left and right side elevation views,
respectively, of the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket
shown in FIG. 1;
[0013] FIGS. 8 and 9 are top and bottom plan views, respectively,
of the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket shown in FIG.
1;
[0014] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of the over-garment with
an elevated marsupial pocket shown in FIG. 1 as worn by a person,
partially hidden, shown in broken line in a sitting fetal
position;
[0015] FIG. 11 is a front elevation view of another embodiment of
an over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket, as worn by a
person shown in broken line in a standing position;
[0016] FIGS. 12 and 13 are front and rear perspective views,
respectively, of the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket
shown in FIG. 11;
[0017] FIGS. 14 and 15 are front and rear elevation views of the
over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket shown in FIG.
11;
[0018] FIGS. 16 and 17 are left and right side elevation views of
the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket shown in FIG.
11;
[0019] FIGS. 18 and 19 are top and bottom plan views, respectively,
of the over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket shown in FIG.
11; and
[0020] FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of the over-garment with
an elevated marsupial pocket shown in FIG. 11 as worn by a person,
partially hidden, shown in broken line in a sitting fetal
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Reference now is made to the drawings, in which the same
reference characters are used throughout the different figures to
designate the same elements. FIG. 1 illustrates an enlarged
over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket (hereinafter, the
"garment 10"), as worn by a person 11, shown in broken line, in a
standing position. As can be seen clearly, the garment 10 is quite
large, and its lengths, widths, proportions, and material
construction are sufficiently different from conventional garments,
thereby enabling the garment 10 to be used in different and
unexpected ways. Indeed, the product shown in the drawings has
experienced tremendous sales volume and copying by competitors
since the year that the first provisional application disclosing
the garment 10 was filed. The garment 10 uniquely provides a cozy,
comfortable, warm, and spacious covering which can be worn in a
reclining position, in a sitting position, in a fetal position, in
a standing position, and even while walking.
[0022] The garment 10 includes a single body 12 generally having a
front 13 and an opposed back 14, a top 15 and an opposed bottom 16,
as well as left and right sides 20 and 21 extending from the top 15
to the bottom 16. The body 12 has a torso 22 to which opposed left
and right sleeves 23 and 24 are attached at the left and right
sides 20 and 21, respectively. A hood 25 is attached to the torso
22 at the top 15, and a marsupial pocket 26 is attached to the
front 13 of the garment 10. For perspective, the person 11 is
approximately six feet in height and one hundred sixty pounds in
weight.
[0023] The body 12 of the garment 10 is preferably constructed from
two plies of a soft, woven, flexible fabric material, defining an
inner ply and an outer ply. An outer ply 30 is on the outside of
the body 12. The outer ply 30 is constructed from a soft yet tough
and slightly elastic material with a low-pile knit, such as fleece
or microfiber. The finish on the outer ply 30 is smooth. An inner
ply 31 of the material is also constructed from a soft yet tough
material, but has a rougher, high-pile knit, which produces a large
and fuzzy fur-like finish.
[0024] The torso 22 is formed by the outer and inner plies 30 and
31 sewn together at various points or along seams. The torso 22
generally extends between shoulder seams 32 proximate the top 15 of
the garment 10 and a bottom hem or edge 33 of both the front 13 and
back 14 of the garment 10. The outer and inner plies 30 and 31 form
a front panel at the front 13 of the torso 22 and a back panel at
the back 14 of the torso 22. The front panel is a single and
continuous sheet extending from the shoulder seams 32 to the bottom
edge 33 and between the left and right sides 20 and 21, at the
front 13 of the body 12. Similarly, the back panel is a single and
continuous sheet extending from the shoulder seams 32 to the bottom
edge 33 and between the left and right sides 20 and 21, at the back
14 of the body 12. The front and back panels are sewn to each other
to form the body 12 and are held loosely near each other but not
necessarily bonded, fastened, or attached to either continuously or
intermittently between the left and right sides 20 and 21 or
between the top 15 and bottom 16. The outer and inner plies 30 and
31 are sewn to each other along the shoulder seams 32, which extend
from the hood 25 to each of the left and right sleeves 23 and 24.
They are sewn to each other along two side seams, which extend
vertically down the left and side sides 20 and 21 between the left
and right sleeves 23 and 24 to the bottom edge 33. Although the
word "sewn" is used to describe the manner of fastening the front
and back panels herein, it should be understood that the outer and
inner plies 30 and 31 are not necessarily attached by stitching or
sewing; they may be fixed or attached to each by fabric welding,
adhesive, buttons, slide fasteners, or other similar fastening
means and methods. Indeed, all structures of the garment 10 which
are attached to each other may be fastened in one of these ways,
unless this description specifically states otherwise.
[0025] The bottom edge 33 is open. The bottom edge 33 is a roughly
annular or oval-shaped hem piece (as shown in FIG. 9) attached to
the torso 22 with stitching through the outer and inner plies 30
and 31 so that the front and back panels do not fray or develop
loose ends. The bottom edge 33 is constructed from a soft and
flexible--yet inelastic--fabric material, so that while the
material of the torso 22 may elastically stretch, the bottom edge
33 does not.
[0026] Shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, opposite the bottom edge 33 is the
hood 25 attached to the top 15 of the garment 10. The hood 25 is
formed from two generally rectangular sheets of material which are
also constructed from the outer and inner plies 30 and 31. The two
sheets are sewn together along two edges to form the hood 25, which
is then sewn onto a neck opening 50 in the body 12. The neck
opening 50 is circular, having a semi-circular seam extending
across the front 13 between the shoulder seams 32 and a
semi-circular seam extending across the back 14 between the
shoulder seams 32. Thus, nearly defining a circular hole, the neck
opening 50 has a neck diameter D between the opposed shoulder seams
32 of approximately ten inches, and preferably between
approximately nine and approximately eleven inches. The forward
free edges of the hood 25 are hemmed. In some embodiments, a
drawstring cord is inserted and threaded through the hem so that
the person 11 may adjust the size of the opening of the hood 25.
The cord is shown in broken line in FIG. 1, but in most
embodiments, the hood 25 does not have a drawstring.
[0027] With the combination of the shoulder seams 32, the sewn left
and right sides 20 and 21 from the left and right sleeves 23 and 24
down, and the inelastic bottom edge 33, the torso 22 is defined
roughly as an inverted "pocket" with a lower opening at the bottom
edge 33. This inverted pocket is quite large, and is capable of
receiving and covering an entire person when that person is sitting
in a fetal position. For smaller children, such as under ten years
old, the large torso 22 will completely cover them even when
standing. The torso 22 has a width T between the left and right
sides 20 and 21 at the bottoms 41 and 41' of the opposed left and
right sleeves 23 and 24 which is approximately thirty-seven inches,
and preferably between approximately thirty and approximately
forty-four inches. The width T is approximately 3.7 times the neck
diameter D of the neck opening 50. The torso 22 has a height A
between the neck opening 50 and the bottom edge 33 of the torso 22,
wherein the height A is approximately thirty-three inches, and
preferably between approximately twenty-seven and approximately
thirty-nine inches. The torso also measures approximately forty-one
inches (and preferably between approximately thirty-one and
approximately fifty-one inches) between the neck opening 50 and the
bottom edge 33 of the back 14 of the torso 22, as represented by
the line in FIG. 5 marked with the reference character E.
[0028] To ensure that the torso 22 covers a person when sitting in
the fetal position, the bottom edge 33 extends further downward at
the back 14 of the garment 10 than it does on the front 13. In
other words, the back 14 of the garment 10 is longer than the front
13. As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the bottom edge 33 at the back 14 of the
garment has a tail 34. The tail 34 is located centrally between the
opposed left and right sides 20 and 21 and is an arcuate projection
downward. It is a convex extension of the back 14; the bottom edge
33 slopes in a convex fashion between the left and right sides 20
and 21 to form the tail on the back 14. In contrast, the bottom
edge 33 is nearly straight across between the left and right sides
20 and 21 at the front 13 of the garment 10.
[0029] This unique construction allows the garment 10 to be pulled
over a person's knees when the person 11 is in a sitting or fetal
position, as in FIG. 10, without exposing the person's front or
back. The left and right sleeves 23 and 24 further allow a person
to cocoon or maximize their comfort within the garment. Referring
to FIG. 1, the left and right sleeves 23 and 24 are opposite and
identical. As such, description herein will be limited to the left
sleeve 23, with the understanding that the description applies
equally to the right sleeve 24. Nevertheless, throughout this
description and the drawings, the same reference characters are
used for identical structural elements and features of the left and
right sleeves 23 and 24, but those of the right sleeve 24 are
marked with a prime ("'") symbol to distinguish them from those of
the left sleeve 23. The left sleeve 23 is fashioned from a single
sheet of two-ply material, which, like the body 12, is also
constructed from the outer and inner plies 30 and 31. The left
sleeve 23 has a top 40 and an opposed underside bottom 41. A sewn
seam extends along the bottom 41 of the left sleeve 23, forming the
sheet into the conical sleeve shape seen in the drawings. The left
sleeve 23 has a length L (shown in FIG. 2) which terminates
distally from the torso 22 at a highly-elastic cuff 42. In FIG. 1,
the left sleeve 23 is bunched up, such that the full length L is
not shown relative to the length of the arm of the person 11.
However, FIG. 2 shows the extended (but not stretched) length L.
This length L is greater than the arm length of the person 11.
Indeed, the length L is quite large; it is approximately
twenty-five inches (and preferably between approximately nineteen
and approximately thirty-one inches), and is approximately 2.5
times the neck diameter D. The cuff 42 constricts to tightly
conform to the wrist of the person 11. The cuff 42 has a length C
which is approximately two inches, and is preferably between
approximately one-and-a-half inches and approximately
two-and-a-half inches. The length C of the cuff 42 is approximately
0.2 times the neck diameter D.
[0030] The left sleeve 23 is sewn to the body 12 at a sleeve hole
or opening 43 which is extremely large. The sleeve opening 43 is
disproportionately large with respect to the person 11, which
causes the left sleeve 23 to be disproportionately large as well.
The sleeve opening 43 has a height H (shown in FIG. 2) between the
top 40 and bottom 41 of the left sleeve 23 which is approximately
fifteen inches and preferably between approximately twelve and
approximately eighteen inches. The neck diameter D of the neck
opening 50 is approximately two-thirds of the height H of the
sleeve opening 43. This allows the person 11 to move his or her arm
into and out of the left sleeve 23 easily and to bend, fold, or
hide his or her arm within the left sleeve 23 without getting
caught by or even stretching the left sleeve 23. This also allows
the person 11 to extend his or her arms through the left sleeve 23,
pull them in through the left sleeve 23, or even fold them inside
the left sleeve 23 comfortably. The sleeve opening 43 extends
vertically from its top 40 at the shoulder seam 32 to its bottom
41. The bottom 41 of the sleeve opening 43 is approximately level
with a middle of the marsupial pocket 26, as is explained more
below.
[0031] The marsupial pocket 26 is carried on the outer ply 30 of
the garment 10, at the front 13 thereof. The pocket 26 has a top
60, opposed diagonal sides 61 and 62, opposed short sides 63 and
64, and a bottom 65. The top 60, short sides 63 and 64, and the
bottom 65 are sewn to the outer ply 30 of the garment 10, leaving
the diagonal sides 61 and 62 free and open. This allows the
marsupial pocket 26 to carry items therein or to receive the hands
for warmth.
[0032] The marsupial pocket 26 is disposed in a relatively high
position on the garment 10 relative to the top 15 and bottom 16. As
seen in FIG. 1, the top 60 of the marsupial pocket 26 is well above
halfway between the neck opening 50 and the bottom edge 33 at the
bottom 16 of the garment 10. And the bottom 65 of the marsupial
pocket 26 is spaced approximately one-quarter the height of the
garment 10 from the bottom 16. Further, the top 60 of the marsupial
pocket 26 is above the bottom 41 of each of the left and right
sleeves 23 and 24, and the bottom 65 of the marsupial pocket 26 is
below the bottom 41 of each of the left and right sleeves 23 and
24. This is a raised position of the marsupial pocket 26 with
respect to conventional "hoodie"-style sweatshirts and provides
unique features as described later. The top 60 of the marsupial
pocket 26 is approximately nine inches from the bottom of the neck
opening 50, as represented by the line marked with reference
character M, and the bottom 65 of the marsupial pocket 26 is
approximately thirteen inches from the bottom edge 33 of the front
13 of the garment 10, as represented by the line marked with
reference character N, and the marsupial pocket 26 has a height P
which is approximately eleven inches and is preferably between
approximately nine and approximately thirteen inches. This height P
is approximately 1.2 times the distance between the neck opening 50
and the top 60 of the marsupial pocket 26. Further, the height A
between the neck opening 50 and the bottom edge 33 is approximately
three times the height P of the marsupial pocket 26, and a distance
between the neck opening 50 and the bottom edge 33 of the back 14
of the torso 22 is approximately 3.7 times the height P of the
marsupial pocket 26.
[0033] As should now be clear, the garment 10 is quite large, and
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 10 is useful both as an over-garment
similar to a jacket and as a blanket, under which the body can be
curled up for warmth and coziness. The disproportionate sizes of
the various parts of the garment 10 allow it to be worn, placed, or
draped over one's whole body for full-body comfort and coziness.
The garment 10 is worn on the body of the person 11 like an article
of clothing: the torso 22 is placed over the person's torso, their
left arm is extended through the left sleeve 23, their right arm is
extended through the right sleeve 24, and the hood 25 is placed
over the person's head.
[0034] Even though the garment 10 is worn like a typical article of
clothing, it is much different. The body 12 is considerably wider
than a conventional article of clothing, being approximately three
to four times wider and approximately one-and-a-half times longer.
The sleeve openings 43 and 43' are at least twice as large as those
on a typical article of clothing. This, in part, allows the person
11 to drape the garment 10 like a blanket when worn, and to even
cover the person 11 when in a fetal position, as shown in FIG. 10,
or to bring his or her arms into and out of the left and right
sleeves 23 and 24 easily and without stretching the left and right
sleeves 23 and 24.
[0035] The person 11 can also bunch up the left and right sleeves
23 and 24 and place his or her hands into the marsupial pocket 26
for warmth without stretching his or her arms far down, since the
marsupial pocket 26 is disposed at an elevated position with
respect to the bottom edge 33 of the garment 10. And, when the
person 11 is crouched in the fetal position as in FIG. 10, the
marsupial pocket 26 is disposed in front of the person's knees,
rather than at his or her shins or feet, so that the person 11 can
easily reach around the knees and place his or her hands within the
marsupial pocket 26, even holding the knees at the same time. In
other words, when the garment 10 is worn and the person 11 is in a
fetal position, the marsupial pocket 26 is disposed in front of the
knees of the person 11. Further, the tail 34 of the garment 10,
because it is elongated and extends further down than the bottom
edge 33 does at the front 13, does not expose the buttocks or back
of the person 11, but rather covers the rear of the person 11
fully. As such, when the person 11 is in the fetal position, the
bottom edge 33 extends fully to cover the person 11 entirely
around. It is the particular sizes, arrangements, and proportions
of the garment 10 and its constituent structural elements and
features, as described above, which create these features and
advantages that are not available in the prior art. Indeed, because
of the differences in structural elements and features described in
the many paragraphs above, the product disclosed here has
experienced tremendous first-year global sales and has been copied
across the world. Consumers and the competition have adopted this
garment 10 as one which is different, which is different in unique
ways, and which offers unique features not available in other
garments or blankets.
[0036] FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of an enlarged
over-garment with an elevated marsupial pocket (hereinafter, the
"garment 110"), as worn by a person 111, shown in broken line, in a
standing position. This garment 110 is also quite large, and its
lengths, widths, proportions, and material construction are
sufficiently different from conventional garments, enabling the
garment 110 to be used in different and unexpected ways, as
described below. The garment 110 uniquely provides a cozy,
comfortable, warm, and spacious covering which can be worn in a
reclining position, in a sitting position, in a fetal position, in
a standing position, and even while walking.
[0037] The garment 110 includes a single body 112 generally having
a front 113 and an opposed back 114, a top 115 and an opposed
bottom 116, as well as left and right sides 120 and 121 extending
from the top 115 to the bottom 116. The body 112 has a torso 122 to
which opposed left and right sleeves 123 and 124 are attached at
the left and right sides 120 and 121, respectively. A hood 125 is
attached to the torso 122 at the top 115, and a marsupial pocket
126 is attached to the front 113 of the garment 110. For
perspective, the person 111 is approximately six feet in height and
one hundred sixty pounds in weight.
[0038] The body 112 of the garment 110 is preferably constructed
from two plies of a soft, woven, flexible fabric material, defining
an inner and an outer layer. An outer ply 130 is on the outside of
the body 112. The outer ply 130 is constructed from a soft yet
tough and slightly elastic material with a low-pile knit, such as
fleece or microfiber. The finish on the outer ply 130 is smooth. An
inner ply 131 of the material is also constructed from a soft yet
tough material, but has a rougher, high-pile knit, which produces a
large and fuzzy fur-like finish.
[0039] The torso 122 is formed by the outer and inner plies 130 and
131 sewn together at various points or along seams. The torso 122
generally extends between shoulder seams 132 proximate the top 115
of the garment 110 and a bottom hem or edge 133 of both the front
113 and back 114 of the garment 110. The outer and inner plies 130
and 131 form a front panel at the front 113 of the torso 122 and a
back panel at the back 114 of the torso 122. The front panel is a
single and continuous sheet extending from the shoulder seams 132
to the bottom edge 133 and between the left and right sides 120 and
121, at the front 113 of the body 112. Similarly, the back panel is
a single and continuous sheet extending from the shoulder seams 132
to the bottom edge 133 and between the left and right sides 120 and
121, at the back 114 of the body 112. The front and back panels are
sewn to each other to form the body 112 and are held loosely near
each other but not necessarily bonded, fastened, or attached to
either continuously or intermittently between the left and right
sides 120 and 121 or between the top 115 and bottom 116. The outer
and inner plies 130 and 131 are sewn to each other along the
shoulder seams 132, which extend from the hood 125 to each of the
left and right sleeves 123 and 124. They are sewn to each other
along two side seams, which extend vertically down the left and
side sides 120 and 121 between the left and right sleeves 123 and
124 to the bottom edge 133. Although the word "sewn" is used to
describe the manner of fastening the front and back panels herein,
it should be understood that the outer and inner plies 130 and 131
are not necessarily attached by stitching; they may be fixed or
attached to each by fabric welding, adhesive, buttons, slide
fasteners, or other similar fastening means and methods. Indeed,
all structures of the garment 10 which are attached to each other
may be fastened in one of these ways, unless this description
specifically states otherwise.
[0040] The bottom edge 133 is open. The bottom edge 133 is a
roughly annular or oval-shaped hem piece (as shown in FIG. 19)
attached to the torso 122 with stitching through the outer and
inner plies 130 and 131 so that the front and back panels do not
fray or develop loose ends. The bottom edge 133 is constructed from
a soft and flexible--yet inelastic--fabric material, so that while
the material of the torso 122 may elastically stretch, the bottom
edge 133 does not.
[0041] Opposite the bottom edge 133 is the hood 125 attached to the
top 115 of the garment 110. The hood 125 is formed from two
generally rectangular sheets of material which are also constructed
from the outer and inner plies 130 and 131. The two sheets are sewn
together along two edges to form the hood 125, which is then sewn
onto a neck opening 150 in the body 112. The neck opening 150 is
circular, having a semi-circular seam extending across the front
113 between the shoulder seams 132 and a semi-circular seam
extending across the back 114 between the shoulder seams 132. Thus,
nearly defining a circular hole, the neck opening 150 has a neck
diameter D between the opposed shoulder seams 132 which is
approximately ten inches, and preferably between approximately nine
and approximately eleven inches. The forward free edges of the hood
125 are hemmed. In some embodiments, a drawstring cord is inserted
and threaded through the hem so that the person 111 may adjust the
size of the opening of the hood 125, but in most embodiments, the
hood 125 does not have a drawstring.
[0042] With the combination of the shoulder seams 132, the sewn
left and right sides 120 and 121 from the left and right sleeves
123 and 124 down, and the inelastic bottom edge 133, the torso 122
is defined roughly as an inverted "pocket" with a lower opening at
the bottom edge 133. This inverted pocket is quite large, and is
capable of receiving and covering an entire person when that person
is sitting in a fetal position, and is nearly capable of receiving
and entirely covering a six-foot man in a standing position. For
smaller children, such as under ten years old, the large torso 122
will easily completely cover them even when standing. The torso 122
has a width T between the bottoms 141 and 141' of the opposed left
and right sleeves 123 and 124 which is approximately thirty-seven
inches, and preferably between approximately thirty and
approximately forty-four inches. The width T is approximately 3.7
times the neck diameter D of the neck opening 150. The torso 122
has a height B between the neck opening 150 and the bottom edge 133
of the torso 122, wherein the height B is fifty-one inches and
preferably between approximately forty-five and approximately
fifty-seven inches. The torso also measures approximately
fifty-nine inches (and preferably between approximately forty-nine
inches and approximately sixty-nine inches) between the neck
opening 150 and the bottom edge 133 of the back 114 of the torso
122.
[0043] To ensure that the torso 122 covers a person when sitting in
the fetal position, the bottom edge 133 extends further downward at
the back 114 of the garment 110 than it does on the front 113. In
other words, the back 114 of the garment 110 is longer than the
front 113. As shown in FIGS. 11-17, the bottom edge 133 at the back
114 of the garment has a tail 134. The tail 134 is located
centrally between the opposed left and right sides 120 and 121 and
is an arcuate projection downward. The bottom edge 133 slopes in a
convex fashion between the left and right sides 120 and 121 to form
the tail on the back 114. In contrast, the bottom edge 133 is
nearly straight across between the left and right sides 120 and 121
at the front 113 of the garment 110.
[0044] This unique construction allows the garment 110 to be pulled
over a person's knees when the person 111 is in a sitting or fetal
position, as in FIG. 20, without exposing the person's front or
back. The left and right sleeves 123 and 124 further allow a person
to cocoon or maximize their comfort within the garment. The left
and right sleeves 123 and 124 are opposite and identical. As such,
description herein will be limited to the left sleeve 123, with the
understanding that the description applies equally to the right
sleeve 124. Nevertheless, throughout this description and the
drawings, the same reference characters are used for identical
structural elements and features of the left and right sleeves 123
and 124, but those of the right sleeve 124 are marked with a prime
("'") symbol to distinguish them from those of the left sleeve 123.
Referring to FIG. 11, the left sleeve 123 is fashioned from a
single sheet of two-ply material, which, like the body 112, is also
constructed from the outer and inner plies 130 and 131. The left
sleeve 123 has a top 140 and an opposed underside bottom 141. A
sewn seam extends along the bottom 141 of the left sleeve 123,
forming the sheet into the conical sleeve shape seen in the
drawings. The left sleeve 123 has a length L (shown in FIG. 12)
which terminates distally from the torso 122 at a highly-elastic
cuff 142. In FIG. 11, the left sleeve 123 is bunched up, such that
the full length L is not shown relative to the length of the arm of
the person 111. However, FIG. 12 shows the extended (but not
stretched) length L. This length L is greater than the arm length
of the person 111. Indeed, the length L is quite large; it is
approximately twenty-five inches (and preferably between
approximately nineteen and approximately thirty-one inches), and is
approximately 2.5 times the neck diameter D. The cuff 142
constricts to tightly conform to the wrist of the person 111. The
cuff 142 has a length C which is approximately two inches, and is
preferably between approximately one-and-a-half inches and
approximately two-and-a-half inches. The length C of the cuff 142
is approximately 0.2 times the neck diameter D.
[0045] The left sleeve 123 is sewn to the body 112 at a sleeve hole
or opening 143 which is extremely large. The sleeve opening 143 is
disproportionately large with respect to the person 111, which
causes the left sleeve 123 to be disproportionately large as well.
The sleeve opening 143 has a height H (shown in FIG. 12) between
the top 140 and bottom 141 of the left sleeve 123 which is
approximately fifteen inches and preferably between approximately
twelve and approximately eighteen inches. The diameter D of the
neck opening 150 is approximately one-third of the height H of the
sleeve opening 143. This allows the person 111 to move his or her
arm into and out of the left sleeve 123 easily and to bend, fold,
or hide his or her arm within the left sleeve 123 without getting
caught by or even stretching the left sleeve 123. This also allows
the person 111 to extend his or her arms through the left sleeve
123, pull them in through the left sleeve 123, or even fold them
inside the left sleeve 123 comfortably. The sleeve opening 143
extends vertically from its top 140 at the shoulder seam 132 to its
bottom 141. The bottom 141 of the sleeve opening 143 is
approximately level with a middle of the marsupial pocket 126, as
is explained more below.
[0046] The marsupial pocket 126 is carried on the outer ply 130 of
the garment 110, at the front 113 thereof. The pocket 126 has a top
160, opposed diagonal sides 161 and 162, opposed short sides 163
and 164, and a bottom 165. The top 160, short sides 163 and 164,
and the bottom 165 are sewn to the outer ply 130 of the garment
110, leaving the diagonal sides 161 and 162 free and open. This
allows the marsupial pocket 126 to carry items therein or to
receive the hands for warmth.
[0047] The marsupial pocket 126 is disposed in a relatively high
position on the garment 110 relative to the top 115 and bottom 116.
As seen in FIG. 11, the top 160 of the marsupial pocket 126 is well
above halfway between the neck opening 150 and the bottom edge 133
at the bottom 116 of the garment 110. And the bottom 165 of the
marsupial pocket 126 is spaced approximately one-quarter the height
of the garment 110 from the bottom 116. Further, the top 160 of the
marsupial pocket 126 is above the bottom 141 of each of the left
and right sleeves 123 and 124, and the bottom 165 of the marsupial
pocket 126 is below the bottom 141 of each of the left and right
sleeves 123 and 124. This is a raised position of the marsupial
pocket 126 with respect to conventional "hoodie"-style sweatshirts
and provides unique features as described later. The top 160 of the
marsupial pocket 126 is approximately nine inches from the bottom
of the neck opening 150, and the bottom 165 of the marsupial pocket
126 is approximately thirty-one inches from the bottom edge 133 of
the front 113 of the garment 110, and the marsupial pocket 126 has
a height P which is approximately eleven inches and is preferably
between approximately nine and approximately thirteen inches. This
height P is approximately 1.2 times the distance between the neck
opening 150 and the top 160 of the marsupial pocket 126. Further,
the height B between the neck opening 150 and the bottom edge 133
is approximately 4.6 times the height P of the marsupial pocket
126, and a distance between the neck opening 150 and the bottom
edge 133 of the back 114 of the torso 122 is approximately 5.4
times the height P of the marsupial pocket 126.
[0048] As should now be clear, the garment 110 is quite large, and
as shown in FIGS. 11 and 20 is useful both as an over-garment
similar to a jacket and as a blanket, under which the body can be
curled up for warmth and coziness. The disproportionate sizes of
the various parts of the garment 110 allow it to be worn, placed,
or draped over one's whole body for full-body comfort and coziness.
The garment 110 is worn on the body of the person 111 like an
article of clothing: the torso 22 is placed over the person's
torso, their left arm is extended through the left sleeve 123,
their right arm is extended through the right sleeve 124, and the
hood 125 is placed over the person's head.
[0049] Even though the garment 110 is worn like a typical article
of clothing, it is much different. The body 112 is considerably
wider than a conventional article of clothing, being approximately
three to four times wider and approximately two to three times
longer. The sleeve openings 143 and 143' are at least twice as
large as those on a typical article of clothing. This, in part,
allows the person 111 to drape the garment 110 like a blanket when
worn, and to even cover the person 111 when in a fetal position, as
shown in FIG. 20, or to bring his or her arms into and out of the
left and right sleeves 123 and 124 easily and without stretching
the left and right sleeves 123 and 124.
[0050] The person 111 can also bunch up the left and right sleeves
123 and 124 and place his or her hands into the marsupial pocket
126 for warmth without stretching his or her arms far down, since
the marsupial pocket 126 is disposed at an elevated position with
respect to the bottom edge 133 of the garment 110. And, when the
person 111 is crouched in the fetal position as in FIG. 20, the
marsupial pocket 126 is disposed in front of the person's knees,
rather than at his or her shins or feet, so that the person 111 can
easily reach around the knees and place his or her hands within the
marsupial pocket 126, even holding the knees at the same time. In
other words, when the garment 110 is worn and the person 111 is in
a fetal position, the marsupial pocket 126 is disposed in front of
the knees of the person 111. Further, the tail 134 of the garment
110, because it is elongated and extends further down than the
bottom edge 133 at the front 113, does not expose the buttocks or
back of the person 111, but rather covers the rear of the person
111 fully. As such, when the person 111 is in the fetal position,
the bottom edge 133 does extend fully to cover the person 111
entirely around. It is the particular sizes, arrangements, and
proportions of the garment 110 and its constituent structural
elements and features, as described above, which create these
features and advantages that are not available in the prior art.
Indeed, because of the differences in structural elements and
features described in the many paragraphs above, the product
disclosed here has experienced tremendous first-year global sales
and has been copied across the world. Consumers and the competition
have adopted this garment 110 as one which is different, which is
different in unique ways, and which offers unique features not
available in other garments or blankets.
[0051] In some embodiments of the garment 110, an interior pocket
170 is attached to the inner ply 131. As seen in FIG. 20, the
pocket 170 has a top 171, an opposed bottom 172, and opposed sides
173 and 174. The bottom 172 is sewn along and into the bottom edge
133 between the sides 173 and 174. The sides 173 and 174 are sewn
in parallel fashion, extending upwardly from the bottom edge 133 to
the top 171. In this way, the bottom 172 and the sides 173 and 174
define closed edges of the interior pocket 170. The top 171 is not
sewn onto the inner ply 131, so that the top 171 defines an opening
into the interior pocket 170. The opening at the top 171 receives
the feet of the person 11, as shown in FIG. 20, when the person is
in a fetal or crouched position. This keeps his or her feet extra
warm.
[0052] A preferred embodiment is fully and clearly described above
so as to enable one having skill in the art to understand, make,
and use the same. Those skilled in the art will recognize that
modifications may be made to the description above without
departing from the spirit of the invention, and that some
embodiments include only those elements and features described, or
a subset thereof, and no other elements or features. To the extent
that modifications do not depart from the spirit of the invention,
they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.
* * * * *