AU757837B2 - Pocket for article of clothing - Google Patents

Description

POCKET FOR ARTICLE OF CLOTHING The present application is a divisional application from Australian patent application number 70679/96, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates to a pocket suitable for use in holding and restraining an article and in particular a mobile telephone.

The invention has particular application for use with articles of clothing such as workmen's overalls and the invention shall hereinafter be described with reference to such an article of clothing. However, persons in the art will appreciate that the invention has broader application to other similar styles of clothing.

:*With the advent of mobile telecommunications it has become an essential p. art of a tradesman's inventory of equipment to carry with him a mobile S. telephone. For the tradesman, it is most important that he have the ability to quickly and easily communication with his clients and suppliers and it is often the 15 case that there are no connected telephone facilities at work sites.

Thus it has become conventional for work persons to carry with them mobile telephones. However, the mobile telephone is of less utility if it cannot be retained close to the person whilst he is working. Conventional garments do not adequately provide a location for safely housing a mobile telephone and the positioning of the pockets is usually such that the telephone might be damaged whilst the workman is carrying out other activities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pocket attached to an article of clothing which enables the wearer of the clothing to safely and conveniently carry with him an article such as a mobile telephone.

It is a further object of the present invention to overcome deficiencies in the pocketing arrangements of prior garments so to safely and conveniently house an article such as a mobile phone.

I.

2a Thus, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an article of clothing which includes a pocket which is shaped and dimensioned so to securely retain within it a mobile telephone in which the surface area of the outer layer of the pocket is greater than the surface area of that portion of the article of clothing over which the outer layer of the pocket is attached and wherein the top third of the pocket includes an elasticised section for securely retaining the mobile telephone once inserted, within the said pocket.

Preferably, the pocket is configured to be of such depth that the mobile phone will not be completely encased within the pocket but so that at least a top portion of the mobile phone protrudes out of the top of the pocket.

t:N I \2Zf/UV bUeOT[Catio -3- The pocket is attached to a garment in such manner that the surface area of the outer layer of the pocket is greater than the surface area of that portion of the garment over which it is attached. This feature ensures that the material of the pocket may expand to comfortably receive the mobile phone. One preferred method of achieving this desired configuration is for the outer material portion of the pocket to include at least one pleat so that when a mobile phone is inserted within the pocket there is sufficient material in the outer part of the pocket to comfortably accommodate the mobile phone. Alternatively, the pocket may be made from a material which is of greater elasticity than the underlying surface of the article of clothing to which it is attached.

In articles of clothing made in accordance with the invention there is included within the top third of the pocket (hereinafter called "the top portion of the pocket") an elasticised section to securely retain the inserted mobile telephone within the pocket. The top portion of the pocket assists in safely securing the mobile phone within the pocket.

Preferably, the size of the pocket is slightly larger than the size of a conventional mobile phone. Most preferably the pocket size is between 160 to 200 mm long and between 90 to 110 mm wide.

.i 20 The location of the pocket on the garment is also considered by the applicant to be of importance and most preferably the pocket is located on a side :of the garment rather than on the front or rear of the garment. It is considered that in such a location the mobile phone is less likely to be exposed to damage S:I. which might be occasioned by articles coming into contact with the front or rear of a worker. Most preferably, the pocket is located on the side of the article of clothing at or proximate to that level which would correspond to the hips of the l S wearer.

In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an article of clothing comprising a pocket in combination with a mobile telephone housed W'\MEusSSA\gMC\P TENTq\2277-O SP Uaf within said pocket in which at least a portion of the mobile telephone protrudes out of the top of the said pocket. In the said combination it is envisaged that the pocket would include as preferments those features previously described.

The invention is hereinafter described with reference to a preferred embodiment in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of overalls to which a pocket of the invention is attached to the side of the overalls; Figure 2 is a representation of the pair of overalls shown in Figure 1 in which a mobile phone has been inserted and is retained within the pocket shown 10 in Figure 1.

With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a pair of overalls 1 to which S• there is attached on one side a pocket 2 in accordance with the present invention.

The pocket is conveniently located on the side of the article of clothing so that when a mobile phone is inserted within the pocket it will not be inadvertently damaged such as when the wearer sits down. The pocket is attached to the main fabric of the article of clothing by seams along edges 3, 4 and 5. Pocket 2 is approximately 100 mm wide and 180 mm long. The outer material 6 of pocket 2 is of greater surface area than the surface area of the fabric of the article of clothing to which it is attached and may be expanded to form a cavity between the outer fabric 6 and the inner fabric 7 of the article of clothing. This is by virtue of pleats 8 and 9 sewn into the bottom of the pocket. The top portion of pocket 2 includes an elasticised section 10 adapted to firmly retain a mobile phone within the pocket once it is placed there.

Turning to Figure 2, there is illustrated a combination of the article of clothing shown in Figure 1 with a mobile phone located within pocket 2 such that at least the top portion of the mobile phone 11 protrudes out of the top of the pocket. This enables the user to easily and conveniently remove the mobile phone from the pocket when it is required for use.

Various modifications and additions may be made to the pocket as hereinbefore described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

It will be particularly noted that the pocket may incorporate any suitable retaining WC A:A432358.00C.O DISK#4 means at its top portion and may be located on any appropriate garment without departing from the spirit and ambit of the present invention.

9* 9 9* a 9* *a WC AM~32386.OOC- DISK"4

Claims (9)

1. An article of clothing which includes a pocket which is shaped and dimensioned so to securely retain within it a mobile telephone in which the surface area of the outer layer of the pocket is greater than the surface area of that portion of the article of clothing over which the outer layer of the pocket is attached and wherein the top third of the pocket includes an elasticised section for securely retaining the mobile telephone once inserted, within the said pocket.

2. An article of clothing as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pocket is configured to be of such depth that a mobile phone placed therein will not be completely encased within the pocket and at least a top portion of the mobile phone will protrude out of the top of the said pocket.

3. An article of clothing which includes a pocket in combination with a mobile telephone housed therein in which at least a portion of the mobile telephone protrudes out of the top of said pocket.

4. An article of clothing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the oooo outer layer of the pocket includes at least one pleat, such that when a mobile phone is inserted therein there is sufficient material in the outer layer of the pocket to accommodate the mobile phone. 20

5. An article of clothing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the outer layer of the pocket is of greater elasticity than the underlying surface of the :article of clothing to which it is attached. S.

6. An article of clothing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the pocket is between 160 to 200 mm long and between 90 to 110 mm wide.

7. An article of clothing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said pocket is located on a side of the article of clothing at or proximate to that level which corresponds to the hips of a wearer.

8. A pair of overalls to which there is attached a pocket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to what is shown in Figure 1.

9. A pair of overalls to which there is attached a pocket in combination with a mobile telephone housed therein substantially as hereinbefore described with S T reference to what is shown in Figure 2. W\MELISSA\GMCXPATENT\22277-OO Specification .do c WAMEILS4 'ca -7- Dated: 19 April 2002 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent Attorneys for: YAKKA PTY LTD WA-MELISSiA\G MCPATENTR22277-OO Speafication dqWW