GB2509968A

GB2509968A - Garment with a flexible transparent pouch

Info

Publication number: GB2509968A
Application number: GB201301013A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Thain; Christina Thain
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-01-21
Filing date: 2013-01-21
Publication date: 2014-07-23
Also published as: GB201301013D0

Abstract

An article of clothing or garment such as a sports shirt comprises a pouch suitable to receive an object such as a race number card. The pouch comprises a flexible transparent and waterproof front sheet bonded to a rear sheet, and may be permanently or in some embodiments removably attached to the article of clothing. The pouch may be mounted to the garment by stitching, heat bonding adhesive or hook and loop tape. The pouch may have a closure means in the form of a flap with a releasable fastening. The use of such a pouch enables the displaying of an article on a garment without damage to the article of clothing.

Description

Intellectual Property Office Applicalion Nc,. (lB 1301013.7 RTM Dale:25 Noverriher 2013 The following terms are registered trade marks and should he rcad as such wherever they occur in this document: Velcro Inlelleclual Property Office is an operaling name of the Pateni Office www.ipo.gov.uk Clothing with a pouch for temporary display of an obiect

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to clothing or other wearable items having means for containment and display of an object, in particular a printed object having an image or text, for example a race number.

Background -

In a variety of situations it is advantageous to carry or contain an object giving visible information display while being carried. For example, in an athletics race or at a convention it is necessary for a badge or number to be visible while being carried or worn While plastic pockets or holders are known that contain removable badges or images and that can be carried or pinned to clothing, these have disadvantages, in particular in situations in which they may be torn off, dropped, or damaged by contact with other persons, obstacles or moisture, for example rain or perspiration, or when splashed or immersed, for example in cross country running or swimming. Improved means for containment and carrying of an image-bearing object while clearly displaying it will have commercial and practical utility.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided an article of clothing comprising a plastic pouch provided on the outside of the clothing comprising a front sheet of flexible transparent non-porous plastic material sealed to a rear sheet of flexible material at the edges of the sheets, the sheets lying in a separable, substantially parallel arrangement having a space between the sealed edges and comprising a slot-like opening giving access to the space.

Preferably the opening is at or adjacent to the perimeter of the front sheet.

In an alternative embodiment the opening is in the front sheet at a distance from the perimeter.

Preferably the rear sheet comprises a flexible plastic material welded to the front sheet using a method chosen from heat. RF or ultrasonic welding.

Preferably the article of clothing is one of a shirt, a singlet, a tracksuit top, a tunic, a swimsuit, a triathlon suit, a jacket or a coat and the pouch is provided on one of the front and the rear panels of the article. For example, in a preferred embodiment the article of clothing is a running or cycling shirt.

In this way an object to be displayed may be placed within the pouch and be visible through the front sheet while the article of clothing is being worn, so providing a robust means of displaying the object in which the object can be readily seen but can not be dropped, torn off or damaged.

Preferably the front and rear sheets are joined to form two sides that are substantially parallel and the opening extends between the two sides, all or part of the distance between them. In this way an object such as a flat sheet, for example a race number card as used in running or cycle races, may be inserted into the pouch and carried easily.

In a preferred embodiment the front sheet and the rear sheet each comprise a single component of flexible plastic sheet material, at east the front sheet being transparent, sealed around a seam at their edges and having an extended opening between them in a region where they are not sealed together.

In preferred embodiments the pouch is substantially rectangular in shape, though may have different shapes such as a square or a pentagon with two parallel sides and the point facing downwards in use.

Preferably the pouch is adapted to stay closed when the article is worn. In a preferred embodiment the front and rear sheets are sealed such that they are tightly parallel, such that they do not present.a puckered or gaping opening when placed fIat. In a preferred embodiment the sealing process comprises a heat sealing process that tensions one or both of the front and the rear sheets during sealing.

Preferably the pouch comprises a closure means to close the opening.

Preferably the pouch comprises a flap over the opening. In a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises a flap formed from the rear sheet folded over the front sheet and bonded at a region of the sides adjacent to the opening, as known in the prior art of plastic bag closure formation. In this way the flap remains covering the opening when the article is worn, and in order to place an object to be displayed in the pouch the pouch needs to be folded to cause the sides to come together and the object to be inserted under the flap.

In an alternative embodiment the pouch comprises closure means adapted to hold the opening closed. In preferred embodiments the closure means comprises a flap having a press stud or Velcro closure device that holds the flap to the front sheet. In alternative embodiments the closure means is provided at the edges of the opening, for example in the form of a zip or holes plus cord to close the opening.

In some embodiments the closure means is water resistant. In a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises an upper region near the opening that is not bonded to the article of clothing and is adapted to be rolled or folded up, so acting in use to resist water entry. Retaining means is preferably provided to holgl the folded or rolled portion tightly rolled.

Preferably the pouch is mounted permanently on the article. In preferred embodiments the pouch is stitched to a fabric forming part of the article. Preferably the pouch comprises one or more regions of material adapted to accept stitching. In a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises one or more holes adapted to receive a needle and thread. In a preferred embodiment the rear sheet comprises at least a region of woven material. In one embodiment the rear sheet is formed entirely from a woven material. In an alternative embodiment the rear sheet may comprise a region of woven material at one or more edges of the rear sheet bonded to a non-woven material forming the remainder of the rear sheet. In this way the rear sheet may be stitched to the article of clothing while the front sheet formed from a different material may be transparent.

In preferred embodiments the pouch is bonded to the article by one or more of adhesives, heat sealing and heat staking of the plastic pouch material through the weave of the material of the article. In a preferred embodiment the rear sheet comprises a plastic material chosen to allow heat bonding of the pouch to the fabric of the article. Preferably the melting point of the material of the rear sheet is lower than the melting or heat damage temperature of the fabric of the article.

In a further embodiment the pouch further comprises one or more regions of heat bonding material provided on the rear sheet and adapted to melt into the fabric of the article on heating in order to bond the pouch to the article.

In preferred embodiments one or more regions on the rear sheet of the pouch may comprise components or materials that in assembly of the pouch onto the article may be melted or heat formed in such a way at to impregnate the weave of the fabric in order to bond the pouch to the fabric.

In further preferred embodiments the pouch may comprise reversible attachment means to attach it to the article, the article comprising matching attachment features permanently attached to or formed as part of the article. In a preferred embodiment one or more regions of Velcro are provided on the rear sheet and one or more regions of complementary Velcro are provided on the article so alJowing the pouch to be attached to the article. In a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises one or more projecting features that in use engage with recessed features on the article. In a preferred embodiment the projecting features comprise clips that engage reversibly with the recessed features In alternative embodiments the clips engage permanently, thereby acting as a means of assembly of the article with a pouch.

The pouch may be any suitable size to fit on the chosen area of the article of clothing and to house the chosen object. In a preferred embodiment adapted to hold a race number to be worn on the front panel of a shirt or tunic the pouch is preferably rectilinear and has a dimension of a side in the range 5cm to 10cm, more preferably in the range 10 cm to.20 cm. Preferably the opening is in the range 5 cm to 10cm, more preferably in the range 10cm to 20 cm.

According to a further aspect the invention provides a pouch adapted to be mounted on an article of clothing comprising a front sheet of flexible transparent non-porous plastic material sealed to a rear sheet of flexible material at the edges of the sheets, the sheets lying in a separable, substantially parallel arrangement having a space between the sealed edges and comprising a slot-like opening giving access to the space.

In preferred embodiments ihe pouch has one or more features described herein.

In a preferred embodiment the pouch is adapted to be stitched to the article. In a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises a rear sheet having at least a region formed from a woven material.

In a preferred embodiment the pouch comprises a heat meltable material mounted on the rear sheet and adapted to be heat melted into the weave of the clothing.

In a preferred embodiment the pouch is adapted to be mounted on the article of clothing by a domestic user, the melting point of the heat meltable material being below approximately 200 degrees centigrade.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the, optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the prinàiples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows an embodiment in which the article of clothing is a running shirt, having a pouch bonded to its front surface, the pouch being formed from a rear sheet and a front sheet, in this embodiment both being formed from a transparent plastic material, bonded together at their edges and with an opening at the upper edge. The opening is shown as being reinforced with a double thickness of plastic material in the vicinity of the opening. The race number is visible through the front sheet. The pouch is bonded to the shirt for example by an adhesive, for example a hot melt adhesive. Preferably the pouch is formed from a moisture impermeable material to prevent damage to the card by perspiration through the rear sheet or rain through the front sheet. The pouch may be formed from any bondable plastic material, for example polythene or polypropylene film The pouch may be assembled by bonding techniques as known in the art, according to the material, for example heat, RF or ultrasonic welding. Alternatively in this embodiment the pouch may be stitched to the shirt, and may in some versions be both stitched and bonded.

In a variant of this embodiment, a flap is provided over the opening, being formed from a portion of the rear sheet, sized to extend beyond the front sheet, being folded down over the upper edge of the front sheet and bonded at the seams to each side of the opening. In this way the folded over portion of the rear sheet forms a flap that when the pouch is flat covers the opening and when the pouch is bent slightly, loosens to allow a flat sheet, for example a race number card, to be inserted into the pouch.