US20160374415A1

US20160374415A1 - Garment

Info

Publication number: US20160374415A1
Application number: US14/748,029
Authority: US
Inventors: Teng-Yao Chang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-06-23
Filing date: 2015-06-23
Publication date: 2016-12-29

Abstract

A garment includes a main body, an appendant member, and at least one elastic fabric. The appendant member is connected to the main body. The elastic fabric has a first edge and a second edge at two opposite sides thereof, and a third edge and a fourth edge at two opposite sides thereof. The first edge and the second edge are connected to a surface of the appendant member; the third edge is located near where the main body and the appendant member are connected. The third edge and the fourth edge are not connected to the appendant member. Whereby, in addition to cover body parts above a neck of a wearer by the appendant member, the garment can further be used to cover a head, a face, or the neck of the wearer with the at least one elastic fabric, which enhances the protection function.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a garment, and more particularly to a garment with multiple protection functions.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a garment does not cover the head and neck of a wearer, and therefore if a wearer wants his/her head or neck to be protected, an additional headgear, scarf, mouth mask, or facial mask would be required. However, it is always less convenient to carry even one more additional accessory around.
Some garments, such as hoodies or clothes with collars, have specific design to simply cover body parts above the neck. Take a hoodie for example, in order to keep warm or to prevent sunburn, a wearer can optionally put on the hood of a hoodie to block the wind, sunlight, or any unwanted substances. However, even when the hood is put on, some spaces are still left between the hood and the head, for the inner surface of the hood does not perfectly fit the head of a wearer. In this sense, the protective effect is limited. The cold winter wind can still get into the spaces or in the face, which certainly makes a wearer feel uncomfortable.
As for clothes with collars, a collar can only roughly cover two lateral and rear sides of the neck of a wearer, which means the head and the face are not under protection, and a wearer still needs additional accessories to better protect body parts above the neck.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a garment with multiple protection functions.
The present invention provides a garment, which includes a main body, an appendant member, and at least one elastic fabric. The main body at least overs an upper body of a wearer when the wearer is in the garment. The appendant member is connected to the main body, wherein the appendant member at least partially covers body parts above a neck of the wearer when the wearer is in the garment; the appendant member has a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other; when the wearer is in the garment, the first surface is closer to a skin of the wearer than the second surface is. Each of the at least one elastic fabric has a first edge and a second edge which are at two opposite sides thereof, and a third edge located near where the main body and the appendant member are connected; each of the at least one elastic fabric is connected to the first surface of the appendant member with the first edge and the second edge, which forms a first opening between the third edge and the first surface.
In an embodiment, each of the at least one elastic fabric has a fourth edge located at an opposite side of the third edge; a second opening is formed between the fourth edge and the first surface; the second opening communicates with the first opening.
By applying the elastic fabric on the surface of the appendant member, the garment can not only cover body parts of a wearer as a conventional garment does, but also enhances the protection function with the elastic fabric which covers the head, the face, or the neck. In addition, since the elastic fabric is applied on the appendant member, the elastic fabric can be effortlessly carried around, and is impossible to be unintentionally left behind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of some illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a front view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the first surface of the hood of the first preferred embodiment, showing the elastic fabric is applied on the first surface of the hood;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram, showing the elastic fabric is used as a headgear;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram, showing the elastic fabric is used as a mouth mask;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram, showing the elastic fabric is used as a scarf;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram, showing the elastic fabric is used as a scarf of another form;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the first surface of the hood of a second preferred embodiment, showing two layers of elastic fabrics are applied on the first surface of the hood;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram, showing the elastic fabrics are used as a camouflage mask; and

FIG. 9 is a front view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a garment 1 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention is a hoodie, which includes a main body 10, an appendant member, and an elastic fabric 30, wherein the appendant member is a hood 20 in the first preferred embodiment.
The main body 10 has an opening between a chest part and a neckline thereof, wherein the main body 10 has a zip 102 around the opening, and the opening can be closed with the zip 102. The main body 10 at least covers the upper body of a wearer when the wearer is in the garment 1.
The hood 20 is connected to a top edge of a rear cloth of the main body 10, wherein the hood 20 at least partially covers body parts above the neck of a wearer when the wearer is in the garment 1. The hood 20 has a first surface 202 and a second surface 204 which are opposite to each other, and the first surface 202 is defined herein to be closer to the skin of a wearer than the second surface 204 to be when the wearer is in the garment 1. In other words, when the hood 20 covers the head, the first surface 202 is the surface facing the head and the neck, while the second surface 204 is the other surface exposed outside. The hood 20 includes a left half 20 a and a right half 20 b, wherein the left half 20 a is located near a left shoulder of the main body 10, and the right half 20 b is located near a right shoulder of the main body 10. In practice, the hood 20 may be detachably connected to the main body 10 through a zip or buttons.
The elastic fabric 30 may be used to partially cover body parts above the neck of a wearer. In the first preferred embodiment, the elastic fabric 30 is a long rectangle, which is not a limitation of the present invention; the elastic fabric 30 may be square, round, half round, oval, or in other shapes similar to the aforementioned shapes in other embodiments. Two opposite short edges of the elastic fabric 30 are respectively defined as a first edge 302 and a second edge 304; two opposite long edges of the elastic fabric 30 are respectively defined as a third edge 306 and a fourth edge 308. The elastic fabric 30 is connected to the first surface 202 of the hood 20 merely by the first edge 302 and the second edge 304. In the first preferred embodiment, the first edge 302 is connected to the first surface 202 at the left half 20 a of the hood 20 by sewing, and the second edge 304 is connected to the first surface 202 at the right half 20 b of the hood 20 in the same way. The third edge 306 is located near where the main body 10 and the hood 20 are connected, and the third edge 306 and the fourth edge 308 are not connected to the hood 20, Whereby, the third edge 306 and the first surface 202 form a first opening, while the fourth edge 306 and the first surface 202 form a second opening. The first and the second openings communicate with each other. Instead of sewing, the elastic fabric 30 may be connected to the hood 20 by buttons or Velcro strips in practice.
When the elastic fabric 30 is not stretched, a length L1 between the first edge 302 and the second edge 304 is equal to a length L2 between where the hood 20 is connected to the first edge 302 and where the hood 20 is connected to the second edge 304. In other words, when the elastic fabric 30 is not stretched, an inner surface of the elastic fabric 30 is attached on the first surface 202 of the hood 20. Whereby, the elastic fabric 30 is completely maintained inside the hood 20 when the elastic fabric 30 is not stretched.
Different usages of the garment 1 of the first preferred embodiment are shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the elastic fabric 30 is pulled forward from the third edge 306 to fit around the head of a wearer, and since the elastic fabric 30 is elastic, the head of the wearer can be covered as by a headgear with his/her face being exposed. At the same time, the hood 20 is brought forward by the elastic fabric 30 to cover the rear head of the wearer.
As shown in FIG. 4, the wearer may keep pulling the elastic fabric 30 downward to make the elastic fabric 30 cover the body parts between the nose and the neck as a mouth mask, with the rear head still covered by the hood 20.
As shown in FIG. 5, the wearer may keep pulling the elastic fabric 30 downward to make the elastic fabric 30 cover the body parts between the chin and the neck as a scarf. As shown in FIG. 6, the elastic fabric 30 may be further pulled downward to make the elastic fabric 30 only surround the neck. By pulling down the zip 102, the wearer may have different look from FIG. 5.
In summary, after being applied on the first surface 202 of the hood 20, the elastic fabric 30 may be used as a headgear, a mouth mask, and a scarf to cover every body part above the neck, which makes the garment 1 have multiple protective functions. In practice, the fourth edge of the elastic fabric 30 can be connected to the first surface 202 of the hood 20. Whereby, when the elastic fabric 30 is used as a headgear, the rear head of the wearer can be perfectly covered.
As shown in FIG. 7, a garment 2 of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 10 and a hood 20 as mentioned in the first preferred embodiment. The difference between the first and the second preferred embodiments is that the garment 2 of the second preferred embodiment includes two layers of elastic fabrics, which are a first elastic fabric 40 and a second elastic fabric 50, respectively. Each of the elastic fabrics 40, 50 has the same structure and connection relation with the hood 20 as mentioned in the first preferred embodiment; the first elastic fabric 40 is located between the second elastic fabric 50 and the first surface 202 of the hood 20, and the second elastic fabric 50 completely covers the first elastic fabric 40. When not stretched, an inner surface of the second elastic fabric 50 is attached on an outer surface of the first elastic fabric 40. Therefore, only the second elastic fabric 50 can be seen to be on the first surface 202 of the hood 20.
As shown in FIG. 8, by pulling the second elastic fabric 50 to cover the nose, the mouth, the chin, and the neck, and pulling the first elastic fabric 40 to cover the head at the same time, the first elastic fabric 40 and the second elastic fabric 50 together form a camouflage mask with eyes left uncovered. What is shown in FIG. 8 is merely an example; in practice, the head can be alternatively covered by the second elastic fabric 50, while the nose, the mouth, the chin, and the neck are covered by the first elastic fabric 40. Of course, the elastic fabrics 40, 50 can be pulled altogether in the ways illustrated in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 to form a double-layered headgear, a double-layered mouth mask, or a double-layered scarf. A fourth edge 402, 502 of one of the first elastic fabric 40 and the second elastic fabric 50 may be designed to connect the first surface 202 of the hood 20. Whereby, when one of the first and the second elastic fabrics 40, 50 is used as a headgear, the read head of the wearer can be perfectly covered.
As shown in FIG. 9, a garment 3 of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention has similar structure with that of the first preferred embodiment, except that an appendant member of the third preferred embodiment is a collar 60. The collar 60 is connected to a top edge of a main body 70, and can be used to cover the neck of a wearer. A surface of the collar 60 which faces the skin of a wearer when the wearer is in the garment 3 is defined as a first surface 602 herein, and an opposite surface of the collar 60 is defined as a second surface (not shown). The same with the first preferred embodiment, an elastic fabric 80 of the third preferred embodiment has a first edge 802 and a second edge 804 respectively connected to a first surface 602 at a left half 60 a and a right half 60 b of the collar 60, and has a third edge 806 and a fourth edge 808 which are not connected to the first surface 602. Whereby, when a wearer is in the garment 3, the elastic fabric 80 can be used as a headgear, a mouth mask, or a scarf as illustrated in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6. In practice, there can be two layers of elastic fabrics connected to the collar 60 as mentioned in the second preferred embodiment. Similarly, the two layers of elastic fabrics can be used as a camouflage mask, or a double-layered headgear, mouth mask, or scarf.
The elastic fabrics in the aforementioned preferred embodiments may be made of a warm cloth including heat generating fibers to provide the function of keeping warm, or may be made of an elastic activated carbon filter fabric, which is able to filter out hazardous substances in the air when used to cover the mouth and the nose of a wearer. Of course, for those elastic fabrics of two layers, one of the layers can be made of a warm cloth, while the other layer can be made of an activated carbon filter fabric. Furthermore, a garment of other embodiments may include elastic fabrics of more than two layers.
In summary, the elastic fabrics provided in the present invention are applied on the first surface of the appendant member of the garment, and therefore it is impossible to be unintentionally left behind. In addition to the function of partially covering body parts above the neck as a conventional garment does, the elastic fabrics provided in the present invention further have the function of a headgear, a mouth mask, and a scarf, which makes a garment have multiple protection functions and various usages.
It must be pointed out that the embodiments described above are only some preferred embodiments of the present invention. All equivalent structures which employ the concepts disclosed in this specification and the appended claims should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A garment, comprising:

a main body, which at least covers an upper body of a wearer when the wearer is in the garment;

an appendant member connected to the main body, wherein the appendant member at least partially covers body parts above a neck of the wearer when the wearer is in the garment; the appendant member has a first surface and a second surface which are opposite to each other; when the wearer is in the garment, the first surface is closer to a skin of the wearer than the second surface is; and

at least one elastic fabric, wherein each of the at least one elastic fabric has a first edge and a second edge which are at two opposite sides thereof, and a third edge located near where the main body and the appendant member are connected; each of the at least one elastic fabric is connected to the first surface of the appendant member with the first edge and the second edge, which forms a first opening between the third edge and the first surface.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one elastic fabric has a fourth edge located at an opposite side of the third edge; a second opening is formed between the fourth edge and the first surface; the second opening communicates with the first opening.

3. The garment of claim 2, wherein the at least one elastic fabric comprises a first elastic fabric and a second elastic fabric; the first elastic fabric is located between the second elastic fabric and the first surface of the appendant member.

4. The garment of claim 3, wherein the second elastic fabric completely covers the first elastic fabric.

5. The garment of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one elastic fabric has an inner surface, and when each of the at least one elastic fabric is not stretched, the inner surface is attached on the first surface of the appendant member.

6. The garment of claim 1, wherein when each of the at least one elastic fabric is not stretched, a length between the first edge and the second edge of each of the at least one elastic fabric is equal to a length between where the appendant member is connected to the first edge and where the appendant member is connected to the second edge.

7. The garment of claim 1, wherein the appendant member comprises a left half and a right half; the at least one elastic fabric is rectangular, and the first edge is connected to the first surface at the left half of the appendant member, while the second edge is connected to the first surface at the right half of the appendant member.

8. The garment of claim 1 wherein the at least one elastic fabric is made of an activated carbon filter fabric.

9. The garment of claim 1, wherein the at least one elastic fabric includes heat generating fibers.