CN108135293B

CN108135293B - Freely movable jacket/coat

Info

Publication number: CN108135293B
Application number: CN201680058714.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 丹尼尔·E·费伦; 林德赛·V·J·马丁
Original assignee: Nike Inc
Current assignee: Nike Inc
Priority date: 2015-09-10
Filing date: 2016-09-09
Publication date: 2021-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2036-09-09
Also published as: WO2017044778A1; EP3346860B1; CN108135293A; EP3346860A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a jacket/coat designed to provide an enhanced range of motion. This is achieved by having a laminated construction comprising different fabric/textile materials where an enhanced range of motion is required. The jacket/coat according to the invention provides an enhanced range of motion for the wearer, particularly around the shoulders and arms. This enhanced range of motion may be particularly beneficial when the wearer is engaged in physical demanding activities or any activity that benefits from a wide range of motion of the wearer's arms and shoulders.

Description

Freely movable jacket/coat

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a jacket and/or garment having an enhanced range of motion. The present invention provides several practical applications in the technical field, not limited to sports garments, leisure garments and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to outerwear garments that provide freedom of movement about the wearer's shoulders and arms, particularly when engaging in physical demanding activities or any activity that benefits from the wearer's wide range of movement of the arms and shoulders.

Background

When outdoors, the weather often requires a person to wear an additional layer of clothing. These additional layers of clothing may be restrictive, particularly when engaged in athletic activities or any other type of physical activity. For example, golf is a sport that: a considerable range of motion is required in order to swing the club correctly, but rainy or cold weather may require additional clothing that reduces the required range of motion. The jacket/coat is a popular pull-on garment because it is multifunctional and typically has a loose fit, has a closable opening that enables the garment to be easily put on or taken off, and is typically made of a material that provides protection against environmental factors such as rain, wind, snow, temperature changes, and the like. Disadvantages of using materials such as leather or using synthetic textiles treated with materials that make them hydrophobic and/or impermeable to wind can be: these materials may not have sufficient stretch and/or breathability, or if they do, the stretch and/or breathability may be minimal. Such limited stretchability may render the garment unsuitable for use in sports requiring a degree of flexibility higher than that to which the garment is adapted. Furthermore, for sports such as golf, the potential fabrics for such garments may be limited by considerations such as the desire to limit the noise generated by the garment during the sport.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a comfortable jacket/coat that protects against environmental factors such as rain, wind, etc. A jacket/garment according to the present invention may have a laminated construction in which different types of fabrics and/or materials may be used in different layers of the jacket/garment to achieve comfortable wear for the wearer without compromising the level of protection provided by the jacket/garment.

In a first example, a jacket/coat may include a first incomplete gown-like portion (front panel without a covering chest) having a central portion (core) and sleeves attached thereto. The sleeves may be long sleeves, short sleeves, three-quarters sleeves, or any other length required for the particular style and use of the jacket. The first partial gown portion may be constructed of an elastic type material and/or a partially elastic type material. The incomplete gown portion and sleeves may be made from a continuous piece of material, or the sleeves may be sewn to the incomplete gown portion at a given location below the shoulder to avoid having a shoulder seam that can cause tension.

The incomplete shell garment may optionally have a strain-relieving cut on its back portion. The opening may be triangular, for example, and may optionally have a resilient stabilizer (stabilizer) to stabilize the opening. For example, the opening may be in the shape of a downwardly directed triangle with the stabilizing elastic band spanning the wide end of the triangle closer to the collar of the jacket/coat.

Further, the jacket/coat may comprise a longer vest portion than the incomplete gown portion laminated on top of the incomplete gown portion. The incomplete gown-like portion may then be attached to the vest portion at a seam located at the bottom edge of the gown-like portion, at the collar seam of the incomplete gown-like portion and the vest portion, and at the front edge of each armhole to the corresponding front region of each respective sleeve, in other words, there may be no seam attaching the incomplete gown-like portion and the vest portion on the back side of the jacket, so that the sleeves may be substantially free to move so that when the wearer needs to stretch his/her back to pull his/her arm forward or in any other direction, the movement may be free to take place.

The vest portion may be constructed of the same material as the incomplete gown portion, or alternatively, may be constructed of a different material which may be elastic and/or stretchable. The stretchable material may be a four-way stretchable textile, a two-way stretchable textile, a composite, a sheet type material, or the like. Both the incomplete gown portion and the vest portion may be inherently or waterproofed. Alternatively, if waterproofing is desired, the elastic and waterproof layer of polymeric material may be applied to the inner face of such material prior to making the jacket/coat.

Conceivably, in the event of rain or other environmental precipitation or other sources of water, water could potentially enter through the gaps created on the back where the sleeves are moving freely, and could accumulate between the incomplete gown-like portion and the vest portion. Thus, the jacket/coat according to the invention may be provided with a plurality of perforations in the vest portion slightly above the bottom edge seam between the incomplete shell-like portion and the vest portion to allow water to drain without actually accumulating. Furthermore, the bottom edge of the incomplete gown-like portion forming the seam, which is not completely horizontal, may be slightly inclined to more effectively direct any water present to the plurality of perforations during the draining process. For aesthetic and/or functional reasons, the seam angle may be adjusted accordingly, depending on where the plurality of perforations are to be placed. For example, if the perforations are in the middle of the back of the jacket/coat, the seam may form a slightly semicircular or slightly flat "V" shape that is sloped just enough to direct water toward the center, where gravity may act to direct the water and drain it out of the jacket. If such a structure is used, a strap, mesh insert, rigid or semi-rigid edge, or the like may be used to maintain the "V" shape.

In different examples of jackets/garments according to the invention, the jacket/garment may comprise a gown-like portion made of a strong and flexible mesh-type material or any other desired breathable material. The material forming the gown-like portion may be made of synthetic fibers and/or natural fibers, and in addition, elastic fibers may be included to add elasticity to the material. The sleeves of the jacket/coat may be attached to the gown-like portion at armholes of the gown-like portion. The sleeves may be any length required for a jacket/coat, such as short sleeves, three-quarter sleeves, long sleeves, etc., and may be spliced together from different types of materials having different properties, such as elasticity, resilience, etc.

The jacket/coat may also include a stiffer and longer vest portion over the gown portion. The gown portion is free to move within the vest portion except for the seam at the collar, the bottom edge and the front edge of the gown portion. Since in this jacket/coat construction the sleeves are free to move at the shoulders relative to the stiffer vest portions, this configuration can provide ventilation and enhanced range of motion, particularly when the wearer pulls his/her arms forward or when the wearer lifts his/her arms above the shoulders.

In further examples according to the invention, a garment formed of a gown component and a partial vest component may be provided. According to the present example, the gown component may include at least one front panel, at least one rear panel, a right sleeve, and a left sleeve. The vest components may comprise at least one front panel and at least one rear panel, wherein the front and rear panels may be attached or attached to each other at left and right side seams to partially form a right and left sleeve opening or armhole. Alternatively, the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel may be formed from a single piece of material. As used throughout this disclosure, the term attached or attached means permanently connected to one another using attachment techniques known in the art, such as stitching, bonding, welding, and the like. Continuously, the shoulder seams of the vest components may not be attached to each other, but rather, these shoulder seams may be attached/sewn to the front and rear shoulders of the right and left sleeves of the gown component when the vest and gown components are assembled together to form the garment. Additional attachment points between the gown component and the vest component may include the garment collar, the bottom edge of the gown component, and (in the case where the garment is a front opening garment) the front edge of the garment where a releasable closure mechanism for the garment may be provided. However, the gown and vest components may not be attached to each other at portions where the right and left sleeves of the gown component meet the armhole edges of the vest component.

However, in a different example of a jacket/coat according to the invention, a thick winter jacket/coat may be provided. As winter coats tend to be bulky for insulation purposes, inevitably these winter coats can have limited breathability and can be restrictive and not allow the full range of motion of the user. Thus, in a jacket/coat according to the present invention, composite sleeves may be provided that may provide breathability and/or enhanced range of motion without compromising insulation from cold weather. In other words, the sleeve may comprise three distinct portions: a lower sleeve, an upper sleeve and a cover sleeve. The lower sleeve may be constructed in the same manner and made of the same material as the rest of the jacket/coat, including the insulating fibers, and may cover the arm in all places from the wrist up to the elbow. The upper sleeve, which comprises a flexible and resilient mesh-type material or any other breathable type of material, may then be attached to the lower sleeve by seams and may cover the arms up to the shoulders and be attached to the coat/coat at seams around the armholes. Finally, the cover sleeve may also be constructed of the same material as the rest of the jacket/coat including the insulating fibers and may be attached to the jacket/coat by a seam connecting the cover sleeve to the armhole of the jacket as the upper sleeve. The cover sleeves may extend from the shoulders to slightly below the upper sleeves so as to completely conceal the upper sleeves when the wearer's arms are in a resting position parallel to the wearer's body. It can be appreciated that the length ratio of the upper and lower sleeves may be other than the above-described length ratio, and the length of the cover sleeve may vary accordingly.

A jacket/coat with composite sleeves according to the present invention may allow for improved airflow between the interior and exterior of the jacket/coat and may provide increased flexibility to the user due to the flexibility provided by the upper sleeve material, thereby maintaining greater comfort to the wearer. In other words, a composite sleeve structure according to the present invention may provide enhanced temperature regulation and enhanced range of motion for the user by stretching (lengthening) the sleeve as needed for the motion performed by the wearer.

The present application relates to, but is not limited to, the following:

1) a jacket, comprising: a gown component including at least a back panel, a first sleeve, and a second sleeve; and a vest component extending over the gown component, the vest component having first and second armholes, wherein the first sleeve of the gown component extends through the first armhole and the second sleeve of the gown component extends through the second armhole, wherein the vest component is attached to the gown component at front and back shoulder portions of the first sleeve and front and back shoulder portions of the second sleeve, and wherein the vest component is not attached to the gown component at bottom portions of the first sleeve and the second sleeve.

2) The jacket of 1), wherein the gown component comprises a first material and a second material, and the vest component comprises the second material.

3) The jacket of 2), wherein the first material is more elastic than the second material.

4) The jacket of 2), wherein the second material is a water resistant material.

5) The jacket of claim 2), wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve comprise a first portion formed from the first material and a second portion formed from the second material.

6) The jacket of 1), wherein the vest components further comprise a right front panel and a left front panel.

7) The jacket of claim 6), wherein a bottom edge of the gown member is attached to the right front panel, the rear panel, and the left front panel of the vest member at a first distance from a collar of the jacket.

8) The jacket of claim 7), wherein the gown component is further attached to the vest component at the collar of the jacket.

9) The jacket of claim 8), wherein the jacket comprises a closure mechanism extending from the collar to a bottom edge of the vest component to releasably attach the right front panel of the vest component to the left front panel of the vest component.

10) The jacket of claim 9), wherein the closure mechanism comprises a zipper.

11) A method for manufacturing a garment, comprising: providing a gown component comprising at least one front panel, at least one rear panel, a first sleeve, and a second sleeve; providing a vest component comprising at least one front panel and at least one rear panel; extending the vest component over the gown component; attaching the vest component to the gown component such that the at least one front panel and the at least one rear panel of the vest component are attached to the first sleeve and the second sleeve of the gown component at a front shoulder portion and a rear shoulder portion of the first sleeve and the second sleeve, respectively; and leaving a lower portion of each of the first sleeve and the second sleeve of the gown component unattached to the vest component.

12) The method of 11), further comprising the steps of: further attaching the vest component to the gown component at a bottom edge of the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel of the gown component.

13) The method of 12), wherein the bottom edges of the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel of the gown component are bonded to the vest component.

14) The method of 12), wherein the bottom edges of the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel of the gown assembly are heat pressed to the vest assembly.

15) The method of 11), wherein the gown component is further attached to the vest component at a collar area of both the vest component and the gown component.

16) A garment, comprising: an over-garment component comprising at least one back panel, a right sleeve and a left sleeve, wherein the right sleeve and the left sleeve comprise an upper portion and a lower portion; and a sleeveless vest component extending partially over the gown component, the sleeveless vest component comprising at least one front panel and at least one rear panel, wherein the at least one front panel and the at least one rear panel of the sleeveless vest component cooperate to form a pair of incomplete U-shaped armholes when the at least one front panel and the at least one rear panel of the sleeveless vest component are attached to each other; wherein said right and left sleeves of said gown component extend through respective incomplete U-shaped armholes of said sleeveless vest component; wherein the sleeveless vest component is attached to the gown component at respective upper portions of the right and left sleeves of the gown component at a shoulder region; and wherein the sleeveless vest component is not attached to the gown component at respective lower portions of the right and left sleeves.

17) The garment of 16), wherein a bottom margin of the gown component extends a first distance from a collar of the garment and a bottom margin of the sleeveless vest component extends a second distance from the collar of the garment.

18) The garment of claim 17), wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.

19) The garment of claim 17), wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

20) The garment of 17), wherein the bottom edge of the gown component is attached to the sleeveless vest component.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention.

Brief Description of Drawings

The invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an exemplary jacket/coat in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the stack-up of the exemplary jacket/coat shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the exemplary jacket/coat stack-up shown in FIG. 1;

figures 4-6 are different views of the exemplary jacket/coat shown in figure 1 as worn by an individual;

FIG. 7 is a front view of an exemplary jacket/coat according to a different configuration of the present invention;

figures 8A and 8B are exploded views of the exemplary jacket/coat of figure 7;

figures 9 and 10 are different views of the exemplary jacket/coat shown in figure 7 as worn by an individual;

figure 11 is a view of a different jacket/coat according to the present invention showing the configuration of the sleeves including a lower sleeve and an upper sleeve;

figures 12 and 13 are different views of the exemplary jacket/coat shown in figure 11 as worn by an individual;

figures 14 and 15 show examples of alternative tension relief openings for a jacket/coat according to the present invention;

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of an exemplary garment according to the present invention;

FIG. 17 is an open view of the assembled garment shown in FIG. 16 in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a close-up view of the assembled garment shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, according to the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the garment shown in FIG. 18 along line 19-19 in accordance with the present invention; and

fig. 20 is a flow chart of an exemplary method of manufacturing the garment shown in fig. 16-19.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention provides a jacket/coat with enhanced range of motion around the shoulder and arm. In addition to the enhanced range of motion, a further advantage of the jacket/coat according to the invention is that it provides ventilation without compromising protection against environmental factors.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a disassembled jacket/coat 100 according to the present invention. As shown in figure 1, the jacket/coat 100 comprises two main components, namely an incomplete shell-like portion (covering only the back) 120 comprising the sleeves 126 and a full length vest portion 110 comprising the jacket/coat 100.

The incomplete shell garment portion 120 may comprise a more elastic material than the vest portion 110. In addition, the incomplete gown portion 120 can include a tension relief opening 130, the tension relief opening 130 extending, for example, about 0.5 inches to 5 inches above the lower arc edge 122 of the incomplete gown portion 120 up to the collar edge 124 of the incomplete gown portion 120 and including the collar edge 124 of the incomplete gown portion 120. The tension relief opening 130 may be stabilized by an elastic stabilizer 132 located about 0.5 inches to 5 inches below the opening collar edge 124, which would otherwise be the location of the neck seam (collar seam). The strain relief opening 130 may be shaped as a "V" as shown, or any other shape suitable for its intended purpose. The elastic stabilizer 132 may be omitted or replaced by a net, for example. Examples of some alternative strain relief openings are depicted in fig. 14 and 15. Fig. 14 shows a V-shaped strain relief opening 1430 with edges 1424 that is stabilized with a mesh insert 1432, which may be stretchable. Fig. 15 shows a V-shaped tension relief opening 1530 having a reinforcing edge 1524 that maintains the shape of the V-shaped tension relief opening 1530 during use. The reinforcing edge 1524 may be formed using a layered structure, a laminate, a plastic insert, a metal insert, a hem strip (seam tape), an elastomer, or the like. Although an example of a tension relief opening suitable for use in a jacket/coat according to the present invention has been described with a V-shape, other shapes such as a U-shape may be used.

Sleeves 126 of a jacket/coat according to the present invention may optionally be a continuous component of the partial gown portion 120. Sleeves 126 may comprise the same elastomeric material as the incomplete gown portion, and at least the area of sleeves 126 covering the upper arm above the elbow and the elbow area (as shown) may comprise the same elastomeric material as the incomplete gown portion. In various examples, the sleeves 126 may include the same elastic material as the incomplete gown-like portion up to the wrist portion. In a further different example of the invention, the sleeves 126 are divided into upper and lower sleeves just above the elbow, for example by a zipper with a zipper flap covering the zipper, the sleeves 126 being convertible between short and long sleeves. For the convenience of the user, zippers may be used to attach and detach the lower sleeve portion from the upper sleeve portion of the jacket/coat 100.

Turning now to the construction of the jacket/garment 100 according to the present invention, the full length vest portion 110 comprising the jacket/garment 100 may be placed over the incomplete gown portion 120 and may be attached to the incomplete gown portion 120 at the bottom circular arc edge 122 and side edges 123 of the incomplete gown portion 120. Only the front edges 127 of the sleeves 126 may be attached to the front edges 113 of the armholes 112 in the vest portion 110. In other words, there may be no seams on the back and shoulders of the jacket/coat 100 according to the invention. Thus, in essence, since a "pocket" is formed between the incomplete gown portion 120 and the vest portion 110, the aperture 114 is provided on the vest portion 110 slightly above the seam joining the bottom radiused edge 122 of the incomplete gown portion 120. In the case of a jacket/coat worn during rainy weather, the eyelet 114 may serve as a drainage mechanism as water slides into the "pocket".

The jacket/coat 100 according to the present invention may be made from a combination of water resistant fabrics, which may have additional different properties, such as added elasticity. The elasticity in such fabrics may be generally multi-directional or may be effective in only some directions. For example, one or more materials used in constructing garments according to the present invention may include a four-way stretch textile, a two-way stretch textile, or other material having desired properties. The textiles used may provide desirable stretch properties based on material selection (such as spandex and/or spandex blends) and/or structural properties (such as knits that provide a degree of mechanical stretch). If a single axis biaxially oriented textile fabric having predominance is selected, the axis may be oriented generally horizontally when the garment is worn, as indicated at 160, or at any bias relative to horizontal, as indicated at 162 and 164. Optionally, different textile portions used to construct the garment according to the invention may have different tensile properties and/or different orientations. In addition, the fabric may include an elastomeric waterproof coating material, optionally having at least the same elastic properties as the fabric itself. The various seams used to construct the jacket/garment 100 according to the present invention may be formed by sewing, welding (using an adhesive material), or a combination of both.

Figures 2 and 3 show front and rear views, respectively, of a jacket/coat 100 constructed in accordance with the present invention. Figure 3 shows in particular how the incomplete gown portion 120 and the vest portion 110 are aligned with each other in a jacket/coat according to the invention. In addition, figures 4-6 show a jacket/coat 100 according to the present invention when worn by a user. As can be seen from fig. 4-6, a jacket/coat 100 according to the present invention provides an enhanced range of motion for the user's arms and back by providing an elastic incomplete shell-like portion 120 with tension relief openings 130 and by removing shoulder seams and sleeve seams. Thus, the jacket/coat construction according to the invention may allow the back of the garment to expand and contract as desired upon any type of movement by the user.

Since the vest portion 110 of a jacket/garment according to the present invention determines the length of the jacket/garment, the vest portion may have any length required for the particular style of jacket/garment desired. For example, the vest 110 may have any desired length, such as long and waist, long and hip, long and thigh, or any other length or longer therebetween.

Referring to figure 7, there is shown a jacket/coat 200 according to another example of the present invention. As shown in fig. 7, the jacket/coat 200 may have a vest portion 210 above a vest gown portion 220 (not shown), with sleeves 226 attached to the vest gown portion 220. The jacket/coat 200 may be thinly quilted with thermal fibers (synthetic fibers or fluff) to provide some insulation in cold weather. In addition, the outer cover of the jacket/coat 200 may be constructed from a combination of water resistant or waterproof fabrics and elastic fabrics that may or may not be waterproof.

The vest gown portion 220 is shown in figure 8A. The vest gown portion 220 can comprise a resilient yet flexible mesh-type material. The vest cover garment-like portion 220 has two armholes 240 with sleeves 226 attached at the armholes 240. Further, the vest cover garment-like portion 220 comprises a bottom edge 221, a collar edge 222 and two front edges 223, the bottom edge 221, the collar edge 222 and the two front edges 223 representing the points of attachment to the outer vest portion 210 when the jacket/garment 200 is constructed. In fig. 8B, the vest gown-like portion 220 with attached sleeves 226 is shown. As can be clearly seen in fig. 8B, the sleeves 226 have the same configuration of a thin batting core as the vest portion 210 and thus provide the same level of thermal insulation as the vest portion 210. Additionally, sleeves 226 may include a fabric material having flexibility and stretchability that extends under the arm to the elbow region to provide enhanced flexibility in that region, particularly when raising the arm and bending the elbow.

In addition, as can be seen in fig. 9 and 10, when a user is wearing a jacket/coat 200 according to the present invention, the jacket/coat 200 not only protects the wearer from cold weather, but also does not impede the user's range of motion because there is no seam between the vest shell garment-like portion 220 and the vest portion 210 at the sleeves and shoulders. In addition, due to the flexible mesh-like configuration of the vest cover garment-like portion 220, temperature regulation due to possible air flow between the interior and exterior of the jacket/coat 200 is enhanced.

As with the jacket/garment 100 shown in figure 1, the length of the jacket/garment 200 in figure 7 is determined by the length of the vest portion 210. Thus, the vest portion 210 may be any length required for a particular style or any length required for a jacket. For example, the vest portion 210 may be long and lumbar, long and hip, long and thigh, long and knee, or any length or greater therebetween.

In another example of a jacket/coat in accordance with the present invention, a thick winter jacket/coat 300 is shown in fig. 11-13. Since winter coats tend to be bulky in order to insulate from cold weather, inevitably these winter coats can have limited breathability and can be restrictive and not allow the full range of motion of the user's arms and shoulders. Thus, in a jacket/coat 300 according to the present invention, a composite sleeve 330 is provided, the composite sleeve 330 providing breathability and enhancing range of motion without compromising insulation against cold weather. In other words, sleeve 330 may include three distinct portions: lower sleeve 332, upper sleeve 334, and cover sleeve 336. The lower sleeve 332 may be constructed in the same manner as the rest of the jacket/coat 300 using the same materials including insulating fibers and may cover the arm from the wrist up to the elbow (including the elbow). An upper sleeve 334 comprising a flexible and resilient mesh-type material may then be attached to the lower sleeve 332 by a seam over the elbow and may cover the arm up to the shoulder and be attached to the jacket/coat 300 at a seam around the armhole 320.

Finally, the sleeve 336 may also be constructed of the same material as the rest of the jacket/coat 300 including the insulating fibers. Sleeve 336 may be attached to the rest of coat/garment 300 by seam 320 connecting it to the armhole of coat/garment 300. Sleeve 336 may extend from the shoulder to slightly below upper sleeve 334 to completely conceal upper sleeve 334 when the user's arms are in a resting position parallel to the user's body. It can be appreciated that the ratio of the lengths of the upper sleeve 334 and the lower sleeve 332 can be other than the ratios described above. In addition, the length of the sleeve 336 may be varied accordingly to conceal the upper sleeve 334.

Figure 12 shows a jacket 300 worn by a person with their arms in a resting position. As can be seen, upper sleeve 334 of sleeve 330 is completely hidden by cover sleeve 336. Fig. 13 shows how the mesh-type material that makes up the upper sleeve 334 can stretch when the wearer bends his/her arm, thereby relieving tension on the garment.

A jacket/coat 300 with composite sleeves 330 according to the present invention may allow for improved airflow between the interior and exterior of jacket/coat 300 and may provide increased flexibility to the user due to the flexibility provided by the mesh material comprising upper sleeve 334, thereby maintaining greater comfort to the user. In other words, a composite sleeve structure according to the present invention may provide enhanced temperature regulation and enhanced range of motion for a user.

Furthermore, as with the jacket mentioned above, the jacket/coat 300 according to the present invention may have different lengths depending on the desired style and coverage. For example, the jacket/coat 300 may be long and lumbar, long and hip, long and thigh, long and knee, or any length or greater therebetween.

In yet a different example according to the present invention, an exploded view of a garment 1600 is shown in fig. 16. The garment 1600 includes a gown component 1610 and a vest component 1620, where the vest component 1620 is configured to extend over or cover the gown component 1610. Gown assembly 1610 includes one or more front panels 1611/1613, one or more back panels 1614, and two

sleeves

1616 and 1618, where sleeve 1616/1618 may be a long sleeve (as shown), a three quarter sleeve, or a short sleeve. Vest component 1620 comprises one or more front panels 1621/1623 and one or more back panels 1624. As shown in fig. 17, one or more front panels 1621/1623 may be attached to one or more back panels 1624 at

side seams

1740 and 1750 to partially form two armholes or to form incomplete

U-shaped armholes

1626 and 1628 having

armhole peripheries

1634 and 1636, respectively. Alternatively, the vest component 1620 may be formed from a single piece of textile material cut into the corresponding shape required to seamlessly form the vest component 1620. When the gown component 1610 and the vest component 1620 are assembled together to form the garment 1600, the right sleeve 1616 extends through the right armhole 1626 and the left sleeve 1618 extends through the left armhole 1628.

Garment 1600 is assembled by: attaching a front shoulder portion 1681 of vest component 1620 to a front shoulder portion 1671 of gown component 1610, attaching a rear shoulder portion 1682 of vest component 1620 to a rear shoulder portion 1672 of gown component 1610, attaching a front shoulder portion 1683 of vest component 1620 to a front shoulder portion 1673 of gown component 1610, and attaching a rear shoulder portion 1684 of vest component 1620 to a rear shoulder portion 1674 of gown component 1610. In accordance with the present invention, front and

back shoulder portions

1681, 1682, 1683, and 1684 of vest component 1620 may be attached to front and

back shoulder portions

1671, 1672, 1673, and 1674 of gown component 1610 by stitching, heat pressing, adhesive bonding, or any other suitable means or combination of means to form a permanent bond.

Further, the garment 1600 may be assembled by attaching the gown component 1610 to the vest component 1620 at the collar portion 1640 of the gown component 1610 and the

collar portions

1690a, 1690b, and 1690c of the vest component 1620. The gown component 1610 may be further attached to the vest component 1620 by: the bottom edge/rim 1670 of the gown component 1610 is attached to the inner surfaces of the front and

rear panels

1621, 1623, and 1624 of the vest component 1620 at a distance above the bottom edge/rim 1680 of the vest component 1620. In other words, the distance 1650 from the collar 1640 to the bottom edge/margin 1670 of the gown component 1610 may be less than the distance 1660 between the

collar portions

1690a, 1690b and 1690c and the bottom edge 1680 of the vest component 1610. The bottom edge 1670 of the gown component 1610 may be attached to the vest component 1620 by stitching, heat pressing, adhesive bonding, or any other suitable means or combination of means for forming a permanent bond according to the present invention.

However, according to the present invention, bottom/lower sleeve portions (bottom/interior sleeve portions)1630 and 1632 of the gown component 1610 are not attached to the

armhole perimeters

1634 and 1636 of the vest component 1620. This allows the wearer of garment 1610 to have full mobility when, for example, the wearer extends his/her arms forward, backward, and/or upward. In other words, by not attaching the bottom/

lower sleeve portions

1630 and 1632 of the gown component 1610 to the

armhole perimeters

1634 and 1636 of the vest component 1620, the vest component 1620 does not impede or restrict movement of the sleeves 1616/1618 of the gown component 1610 when the garment 1600 is worn.

In embodiments according to the invention in which the garment 1600 is a front opening garment (as shown in fig. 16-18), the gown component 1610 may be further attached to a vest component 1620 at a location that provides a closure mechanism that extends from the collar 1640/1690 to the bottom edge 1680 of the vest component 1620 or the garment bottom edge 1691. As shown in fig. 17, the closure mechanism 1710 may be used to releasably attach the right front panel 1730 of the garment 1600 to the left front panel 1720 of the garment 1600. Closure mechanism 1710 may include, for example, a zipper, buttons, a hook-and-loop type mechanism, or any other suitable device for providing easy opening and closing functionality to garment 1600.

In an exemplary aspect, the gown component 1610 may include a first textile material that is more elastic than a second textile material that makes up the vest component 1620. For example, the gown component 1610 may include spandex, in accordance with the present invention,

Elastic polyester, elastic nylon, or any other suitable textile material. The vest component 1620 may comprise a less elastic material than the gown component 1610. The vest components may comprise natural and/or synthetic fibers such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, polyester, nylon, plastic, thermoplastic polyurethane, or any other suitable material. The material of the vest components may be a material that is treated to be or is otherwise waterproof, water resistant and/or hydrophobic. Additionally, sleeves 1616/1618 of a gown component 1610 may include the same textile as the gown component 1610The sleeve 1616/1618 may include a sleeve portion formed from a first textile material of the gown component 1610 (where higher elasticity would be advantageous for better comfort and higher range of movement) and other sleeve portions formed from a second textile material of the vest component 1620 (where the nature of the textile material of the vest component 1620 would be more desirable, such as the forearm portion of the sleeve in a long sleeve embodiment, as shown). For example, the upper sleeve portion 1631/1633 of the gown component 1610 may include the second textile material of the vest component 1620 and the lower sleeve portion 1630/1632 of the gown component 1610 may include the first textile material of the gown component 1610. Additionally, sleeves 1616/1618 may include additional structural, functional, and/or decorative features to complement garment 1600.

In various aspects according to garment 1600, gown component 1610 may include a first material having a first color and a first elasticity. The first color of the first material may be a single color, a combination of colors, a patterned textile material, a textile material having a different design (e.g., team logo, favorite character, landscape), etc. The vest component 1620 may comprise a second material having a second color, the second material having a second elasticity. The second color of the second material may be a single color, a combination of colors, a patterned textile material, a textile material having a different design, or the like. The second textile material may or may not be transparent or see-through. If see-through, the design/pattern on the vest component 1620 can be configured to complement the design/pattern on the gown component 1610.

The garment 1600 can be a long garment (extending substantially below the waist circumference of the wearer when worn), a short garment (extending above the waist circumference of the wearer when worn), or a waist length garment (extending near the waist circumference of the wearer when worn), as shown. Garment 1600 may also include

cuffs

1617 and 1619 and a waistband 1627 formed from a third material that includes an elasticity greater than or equal to the elasticity of the first material forming the gown component 1610. The cuff 1617/1619 and the waist belt 1627 can help provide a comfortable fit for the garment 1600 when the garment is worn. For example, the cuff 1617/1619 and the waist belt 1627 can help to hold the garment in place as desired by the wearer when the garment is worn.

Fig. 17 shows an open configuration of a garment 1600 according to the present invention. As described above, upper sleeve portions 1631/1633 of sleeves 1616/1618 of gown component 1610 may include a material that is the same as or similar to the material of vest component 1620, and lower sleeve portions 1630/1632 may include a material that is the same as or similar to the material of gown component 1610, where the material of gown component 1610 is more elastic than the material of vest component 1620.

Fig. 18 shows a closed configuration 1800 of a garment 1600 according to the invention. As seen in fig. 18, the vest component 1620 and the gown component 1610 are attached at the front and rear shoulder portions 1671/1681, 1672/1682 of the vest component 1620 and the gown component 1610 (not shown), but the lower sleeve portion 1630/1632 of the gown component 1610 is not attached to the armhole peripheral portion 1634/1636 of the vest component. This feature of the present invention is described in more detail below in conjunction with fig. 19.

Fig. 19 is a cross-section along line 19-19 in fig. 18, in accordance with aspects hereof. As seen in more detail in fig. 19, right sleeve 1616 of gown component 1610 includes an upper sleeve portion 1631 and a lower sleeve portion 1630. As described above, the vest component 1620 is fixedly or permanently attached at the front and rear shoulder portions 1671/1681, 1673/1683 of the gown component 1610 and the vest component 1620. Attachment points or areas on front shoulder portion 1671/1681 and rear shoulder portion 1673/1683 may be defined by rear seam 1910 and front seam 1920. Further, according to the present invention, it can be seen in fig. 19 that the upper sleeve portion 1631 is depicted as a single layer of material and the vest component 1620 forms an incomplete armhole 1626, the incomplete armhole 1626 having a U-shaped armhole perimeter 1634 defined by the front and

rear panels

1621, 1624 of the vest component 1620, wherein the lower sleeve portion 1630 of the gown component 1610 is not attached to the U-shaped perimeter 1634 of the armhole 1626 of the vest component 1620. However, when the garment 1600 is assembled, the upper sleeve portions 1631 of the gown component 1610 are shared by the vest component 1620. Similarly, as described above, the left sleeve 1618 may be configured in the same manner as the right sleeve, forming a U-shaped armhole perimeter 1636 defined by the front and

rear panels

1623, 1624 of the vest component 1620, with the lower sleeve portion 1632 of the gown component 1610 unattached to the U-shaped perimeter 1636. In a different embodiment (not shown) according to the invention, the vest component may comprise a full armhole defined by a closed perimeter, wherein the gown component and the vest component may be attached along a top shoulder seam of both the vest component and the gown component, and separated at the armhole perimeter of the vest component and the remainder of the sleeve portion of the gown component.

Although garment 1600 is depicted in fig. 16-19 as an openable garment with a front zipper, garment 1600 may be a pullover, cap blouse, T-shirt, shirt-type garment with a round collar, V-collar, or zipper collar, or any other type of garment that would benefit from the improved range of motion provided by the configuration of garment 1600 described herein.

Fig. 20 depicts a flowchart outlining a method 2000 for manufacturing a garment, such as garment 1600 shown in fig. 16-19 in accordance with aspects herein. The method 2000 begins with a step 2010 of providing a gown component formed of a first material, which may include one or more front panels, one or more rear panels, right sleeves, and left sleeves, depending on the configuration of the garment. The sleeves may be formed continuously with one or more front and rear panels, or may be formed from separate panels that are attached to the gown component by seams. The seams used to form the gown components may be formed by sewing, adhesive bonding, heat pressing, or any other suitable method for forming seams in a garment. The sleeves of the gown component may include the same material as the gown component, or alternatively, may include two or more materials having different physical properties. Next, the method includes a step 2020 of providing a vest component formed of a second material, which may include one or more front panels and one or more rear panels partially forming right and left armholes, depending on the configuration of the garment. The method then proceeds to step 2030, where the vest component is extended over the gown component such that the right sleeve of the gown component extends through the right armhole of the vest component and the left sleeve of the gown component extends through the left armhole of the gown component. The method then continues with step 2040, which assembles the garment by attaching the vest component to discrete portions of the gown component without attaching the gown component to the vest component at the lower sleeve portion of the gown component. And, the construction of the garment is completed in step 2050 by providing the final finishing operations (e.g., cuffs, waistband, and zipper) to the garment.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects set forth above, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many different garment styles can be made with the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A jacket, comprising: a gown component including at least a back panel, a first sleeve, and a second sleeve; and a vest component extending over the gown component, the vest component having a first U-shaped armhole and a second U-shaped armhole, wherein the first sleeve of the gown component extends through the first U-shaped armhole and the second sleeve of the gown component extends through the second U-shaped armhole, wherein the vest component is attached to the gown component at front and back shoulder portions of the first sleeve and front and back shoulder portions of the second sleeve, and wherein a perimeter of the first U-shaped armhole and a perimeter of the second U-shaped armhole are separate from the gown component.

2. The jacket of claim 1, wherein the gown component comprises a first material and a second material, and the vest component comprises the second material.

3. The jacket of claim 2, wherein the first material is more elastic than the second material.

4. The jacket of claim 2, wherein the second material is a water resistant material.

5. The jacket of claim 2, wherein the first sleeve and the second sleeve comprise a first portion formed from the first material and a second portion formed from the second material.

6. The jacket of claim 1, wherein said vest components further comprise a right front panel and a left front panel.

7. The jacket of claim 6, wherein a bottom edge of the gown member is attached to the right front panel, the rear panel, and the left front panel of the vest member at a first distance from a collar of the jacket.

8. The jacket of claim 7, wherein the gown component is further attached to the vest component at the collar of the jacket.

9. The jacket of claim 8, wherein the jacket includes a closure mechanism extending from the collar to a bottom edge of the vest component to releasably attach the right front panel of the vest component to the left front panel of the vest component.

10. The jacket of claim 9, wherein said closure mechanism comprises a zipper.

11. A method for manufacturing a garment, comprising: providing a gown component comprising at least one front panel, at least one rear panel, a first sleeve, and a second sleeve; providing a vest component comprising at least one front panel and at least one rear panel, the vest component having a first U-shaped armhole and a second U-shaped armhole; extending the vest component over the gown component; attaching the vest component to the gown component such that the at least one front panel and the at least one rear panel of the vest component are attached to the first sleeve and the second sleeve of the gown component at front and rear shoulder portions of the first sleeve and the second sleeve, respectively, with a perimeter of the first U-shaped armhole and a perimeter of the second U-shaped armhole being separate from the gown component.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: further attaching the vest component to the gown component at a bottom edge of the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel of the gown component.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the bottom edges of the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel of the gown component are bonded to the vest component.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the bottom edges of the at least one front panel and the at least one back panel of the gown component are heat pressed to the vest component.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the gown component is further attached to the vest component at a collar area of both the vest component and the gown component.

16. A garment, comprising: an over-garment component comprising at least one back panel, a right sleeve and a left sleeve, wherein the right sleeve and the left sleeve comprise an upper portion and a lower portion; and a sleeveless vest component extending partially over the gown component, the sleeveless vest component comprising at least one front panel and at least one rear panel, wherein the at least one front panel and the at least one rear panel of the sleeveless vest component cooperate to form a pair of U-shaped armholes when the at least one front panel and the at least one rear panel of the sleeveless vest component are attached to each other; wherein the right and left sleeves of the gown component extend through respective U-shaped armholes of the sleeveless vest component; wherein the sleeveless vest component is attached to the gown component at respective upper portions of the right and left sleeves of the gown component at a shoulder region; and wherein the peripheries of the pair of U-shaped armholes are separated from the gown member.

17. The garment of claim 16, wherein a bottom margin of the gown component extends a first distance from a collar of the garment and a bottom margin of the sleeveless vest component extends a second distance from the collar of the garment.

18. The garment of claim 17, wherein the first distance is different than the second distance.

19. The garment of claim 17, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

20. The garment of claim 17, wherein the bottom edge of the gown component is attached to the sleeveless vest component.