US20160150847A1

US20160150847A1 - Garment having a vented hood and integrated hand coverings

Info

Publication number: US20160150847A1
Application number: US14/955,727
Authority: US
Inventors: Lance Johnson
Original assignee: Exxel Outdoors LLC
Current assignee: Exxel Outdoors LLC
Priority date: 2014-12-01
Filing date: 2015-12-01
Publication date: 2016-06-02
Also published as: WO2016089763A1

Abstract

A garment has a hood including a shell for covering a wearer's head. The shell includes a solid portion, a vented portion, an interior surface, and an exterior surface. The hood further includes a cover connected to the exterior surface to overlap the vented portion and define a channel for air to flow past a wearer's head. The channel includes an air intake configured to direct air into the channel and an air outlet configured to discharge the air out of the channel.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non-provisional application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/085,693, filed on Dec. 1, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The field of this disclosure relates generally to garments and more particularly, a garment having a vented hood and a pair of integrated hand coverings.

BACKGROUND

Garments, e.g., vests, ponchos, jackets, coats, are used to cover portions of wearers' bodies for protecting the wearer against inclement weather, such as, cold, precipitation, and wind. Some known garments include hoods for covering the wearers' heads. However, many known garment hoods are bulky and ill-fitting. Further, most conventional hoods are designed to trap heat from the wearers' heads and, thereby, inhibit the body's natural dissipation of heat. As a result, most known hoods may contribute to overheating the wearers. Wearers may also wear separate articles, such as gloves or mittens, to protect their hands. However, these articles can be bulky making them problematic to store when not used.
Individuals who participate in outdoor activities (e.g., runners, hikers, cyclists) will often wear garments having a hood to protect them from the weather while exercising outdoors. The individuals may also wear hand coverings to protect their hands. As the individuals exercise or otherwise participate in the activity, his or her body will often generate heat. As mentioned above, most known garments trap this heat around the individual's head, which causes the individual's body to heat up. This heat may not be desired by the individual (e.g., in mild or moderate temperatures). As a result, the individual may have to decide between exposing his or her head to the environment or coping with undesired body heat.
Additionally, many individuals participating in outdoor activities often choose to not wear or carry hand covers (e.g., mittens or gloves) because of their bulk. In addition, if the individual does not wish to use the hand covers, which are most often separate from the garment, the individual must carry the hand covers. The hand covers can be carried in the hands of the individual or stowed in a pocket of the garment or other article worn by the individual. Placing the hand covers in the garment or other article (e.g., pants pocket, shorts pocket, waist belt, backpack) may make the hand covers difficult to access and put on while participating in the activity. For example, a runner may find it difficult to remove a pair of gloves from a waist belt and don the gloves while running.
Accordingly, a need exists for a garment with a hood that allows natural dissipation of body heat and hand coverings that are integrated into the garment for easy donning and storage. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a close-fitting hood that will protect the wearer's head from the weather and also facilitate natural dissipation of heat from the head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In one aspect, a hood for use with a garment that includes a shell for covering a wearer's head is provided. The shell includes a solid portion, a vented portion, an interior surface, and an exterior surface. The hood further comprises a cover connected to the exterior surface to overlap the vented portion and define a channel for air to flow past a wearer's head. The channel includes an air intake configured to direct air into the channel and an air outlet configured to discharge the air out of the channel.
In another aspect, a garment that includes a pair of sleeves for covering a wearer's arms and a pair of hand coverings is provided. Each of the sleeves comprises a sleeve inner surface, a sleeve outer surface, and a wrist portion. Each of the hand coverings is connected to the wrist portion of a respective one of the sleeves. Each of the hand coverings comprises a first panel having a first surface and a second surface. A second panel is connected to the first panel to form a pouch. The hand coverings are positionable between a first position where the first surface is in face-to-face engagement with the sleeve outer surface and a second position where at least a portion of the wearer's hand can be inserted inside the respective hand covering such that the first surface contacts the wearer's hand.
In a further aspect, a garment is provided. The garment includes a hood for covering a wearer's head, the hood including a vented portion. A cover is connected to the hood to overlap the vented portion and define a channel for air to flow past the wearer's head, wherein the channel includes an air intake configured to direct air into the channel and an air outlet configured to discharge the air out of the channel. The garment further includes a pair of sleeves connected to the hood for covering a wearer's arms, each of the sleeves comprising a sleeve surface and a wrist portion. A pair of hand coverings is connected to the wrist portion of a respective sleeve of the pair of sleeves. Each of the hand coverings includes a first panel having a first surface and a second surface. A second panel is connected to the first panel to form a pouch. The hand coverings are positionable between a first position where the first surface is in face-to-face engagement with the sleeve surface and a second position where at least a portion of the wearer's hand can be inserted inside the respective hand covering such that the first surface contacts the wearer's hand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of one suitable embodiment of a garment having a vented hood and a pair of integrated hand coverings.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the garment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of one sleeve of the garment illustrating one of the hand coverings in a stowed position.

FIG. 4 is another enlarged view of a portion of one sleeve of the garment illustrating one of the hand coverings in a stowed position.

FIG. 5 is another enlarged view of a portion of one sleeve of the garment illustrating one of the hand coverings in a stowed position.

FIG. 6 is a series of enlarged views illustrating various positions of the hand covering.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view illustrating a wearer's hand in the hand covering, the hand covering being in one of the various positions shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view illustrating one suitable embodiment of a hood for use with the garment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustrating air flowing through an air channel disposed in a vented portion of the hood of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustrating the vented portions of the hood.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged top view of the hood of FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustrating another suitable embodiment of a hood for use with the garment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a schematic illustrating a vented portion of the hood of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the hood of FIG. 12 in a loosened, venting position.

FIG. 15 is a top view of the hood in a tightened position thereby inhibiting the venting of the hood.

FIG. 16 is an interior view of the hood of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Described below is a garment including a vented hood and a pair of integrated, selectively positionable hand coverings. The vented hood protects a wearer's head from the elements (i.e., sun, cold, precipitation, wind) while facilitating the natural dissipation of body heat from the wearer's head. The positionable hand coverings selectively provide protection for a wearer's hands. The hand coverings are easily positionable between a first position where they are stowed against a respective sleeve and a second position where they cover at least a portion of the wearer's hands. In some embodiments, the hand coverings form an easily accessible pocket in the first, stowed position for storage of small items, such as keys. The hand coverings, in an embodiment, are integrated into the garment for easy donning and storage.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1-2, one suitable embodiment of a garment of the present disclosure is designated in its entirety by the number 100. The garment 100 includes an inner surface 102, an outer surface 104, a body portion 106, a head portion 108, and a pair of sleeves 110 extending from the body portion. The inner surface 102 faces the wearer when the garment 100 is donned and defines the interior of the garment 100. The outer surface 104, which is opposed to the inner surface 102, faces away from the wearer when the garment 100 is donned and defines the exterior of the garment 100.
In one suitable embodiment, the garment 100 is substantially water and/or wind resistant. That is, the garment 100 impedes water (e.g., precipitation) and wind from penetrating the garment 100 and contacting the portions of the wearer's body covered by the garment 100. It is understood that the inner surface 102 and the outer surface 104 may be any suitable material, e.g., without limitation, nylon, cotton, polyester, rayon, and combinations thereof. It is also understood that the inner surface 102 and the outer surface 104 can be disposed on separate layers (not shown), which may be made from different materials. In some embodiments, insulation (not shown) may be disposed between the layers (not shown) to provide warmth and softness to the garment 100.
The body portion 106 of the garment 100 covers at least a portion of the wearers' torso. In the illustrated embodiment, the body portion 106 extends from a neck portion 112 configured to fit around the wearer's neck to a waist portion 114 configured to fit around the wearer's waist (not shown). The neck portion 112 defines an opening 116 for the wearer's neck (not shown) to extend through. The body portion 106 defines a front side 118 and a back side 120 of the garment 100. On the front side 118, the body portion 106 covers the wearer's chest and stomach (neither shown). On the back side 120, the body portion 106 covers the wearer's back (not shown).
The body portion 106 defines a longitudinal opening 122 extending from the neck portion 112 to the waist portion 114 on the front side 118. In other suitable embodiments, the longitudinal opening 122 can extend along only a portion of the body portion 106 or can be entirely omitted, e.g., the garment 100 may be a pullover. A closure 124 closes the longitudinal opening 122 such that the body portion 106 enwraps the wearer's torso. While the closure 124 may be any suitable fastener, e.g., without limitation, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, and/or ties, the closure 124 is a zipper in the illustrated embodiment.
The body portion 106 may include any number of pockets or alternately, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, be substantially free of pockets to provide a streamlined appearance and better fit. As will be discussed in more detail below, each of the sleeves 110 of the garment 100 provide storage, which facilitates the body portion 106 being free from pockets. The body portion 106 further includes seams 126 that facilitate a proper fit of the garment 100 for the wearer. Overall, the body portion 106 provides a covering for the wearer's torso while enabling movement. Therefore, the garment 100 is suitable for wearing while a wearer engages in activities, such as exercising (running, cycling), in any environment.
Each of the sleeves 110 extends from the body portion 106 of the garment 100 for covering a respective one of the wearer's arms (not shown) during donning of the garment by the wearer. Each of the sleeves 110 comprises elongate tubes having a sleeve inner surface 128 and a sleeve outer surface 130. The sleeve inner surface 128 faces the wearer's arm and the sleeve outer surface 130 faces the exterior, i.e., away from the wearer's arm. The sleeves 110 can be made of any material or materials, and are suitably made of the same material(s) as the body portion 106. Suitably, the sleeves 110 are made of flexible materials that allow the wearer full range of motion for his or her arms.
In the illustrated embodiment, each of the sleeves 110 extends from a shoulder portion 132 to a wrist portion 134 for covering substantially the full length of the wearer's arms during use of the garment 100. The shoulder portion 132 of each sleeve 110 is connected to the body portion 106. The body portion 106 defines armholes 136, one on each of the left and right sides of the garment 100 (as viewed in FIG. 1), that are operatively connected to the sleeves 110. More specifically, the sleeves 110 are connected to the body portion 106 such that the shoulder portion 132 of the sleeves 110 encircles the armholes 136. Thus, the wearer can extend their arms through the armholes 136 in the body portion 106 and into the sleeves 110.
FIGS. 3-7 show views of the wrist portion 134 of one of the sleeves 110 of the garment 100. It is understood that both sleeves 110 of the garment 100 are identical. Thus, the sleeve 110 not shown in FIGS. 3-7 is the same as the sleeve that is illustrated. The wrist portion 134 includes an elastic member 138 and an outer cuff 140. The elastic member 138 gathers the wrist portion 134 around the wearer's wrist to facilitate the wrist portion remaining aligned with the wearer's wrist during movement of the arms and sleeves 110. The outer cuff 140 defines an opening 142 for the wearer's hand to be inserted through. Additionally, the outer cuff 140 provides a finished appearance to the sleeve 110.
A hand covering 144 is connected to the wrist portion 134. The hand covering 144 includes a first panel 146 and a second panel 148 connected to the first panel 146 to form a pouch 150. The first panel 146 has a first surface 158 and a second surface 159. The first panel 146 and the second panel 148 may be made of any material, e.g., without limitation, nylon, cotton, polyester, rayon, and combinations thereof. It is understood the first panel 146 and the second panel 148 may be made of the same material and may be formed together. In one suitable embodiment, the first and second panels 146, 148 are made from a suitable elastic material or a material that was rendered elastic (e.g., by adding elastic strands). It is understood, however, that in other suitable embodiments the first and second panels 146, 148 can be inelastic.
As shown in FIG. 6, the illustrated hand covering 144 is positionable between a first position 152, a second position 154, and a third position 156. In the first position 152, the hand covering 144 is folded back over the sleeve 110 such that the first surface 158 is in face-to-face engagement with the sleeve outer surface 130 and the second surface 159 is in face-to-face engagement with the second panel 148. Thus, the pouch 150 is formed between the first panel 146 and the second panel 148 for storing items in an easily accessible manner.
In the first position 152, the outer cuff 140 and the elastic member 138 are folded with the hand covering 144 over the sleeve 110. The elastic member 138 holds the hand covering 144 and the outer cuff 140 in the first position 152 until the user manually unfolds the hand covering 144 into the second position 154. Therefore, a fastener to hold the hand covering 144 in the first position 152 and to secure the pouch 150 or compartment is unnecessary. Due to the hand covering 144 being free from fasteners, the wearer can easily position the hand covering 144 and access items stowed in the pouch 150. It is understood, however, in other suitable embodiments, the hand covering 144 may include any number of fasteners of any type. In the illustrated embodiment, the wearer may also tuck the hand covering 144 while in the first position 152 into the outer cuff 140.
In the second position 154, the second surface 159 remains in face-to-face engagement with the second panel 148 and the hand covering 144 is extended away from the sleeve 110. In an embodiment, the hand covering 144 rotates or folds away from the sleeve 110 and toward the wearer's hands. In this position, the back of the wearers' hand, i.e., the side of the hand opposite the palm, is in direct contact with the second panel 148. The second panel 148 and the back of the wearer's hand may remain in direct contact in the third position 156. Thus, the second position 154, which is an intermediate position between the first and third positions 152, 156, is essentially a “ready” position for transitioning between the first position 152 and the third position 156.
In the third position 156, the first panel 146 is rotated or folded over the second panel 148 such that at least a portion of the first surface 158 is in face-to-face engagement with the second panel 148. The pouch 150 is aligned with the opening 142 such that the wearer can insert at least a portion of the wearer's hand through the opening 142 and into the hand covering 144. When the wearer's hand is inside the hand covering 144, the first surface 158 contacts the wearer's hand. In the illustrated embodiment, a portion of the first panel 146 overlaps the outer cuff 140 to better cover the wearers' hand. The wearer can keep their palm inside the wrist portion 134 and insert a portion of their fingers in the pouch 150. The overlapping portion of the hand covering 144 at least partially closes the opening 142 and protects the wearers' hands from the environment. The wearer can also place a portion of their hand in the hand covering 144 and keep another portion of the hand exposed, e.g., the thumb.
Referring to FIG. 7, while in the illustrated embodiment, the pouch 150 of each hand covering 144 is sized to receive a portion of the wearer's hands, the pouch 150 may be sized to receive an entire hand in other embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the wearer can position any number of fingers inside pouch 150 including the thumb. In other suitable embodiments, the wrist portion 134 and/or the hand covering 144 can include a thumbhole. It is understood the hand covering 144 may include a mitt for covering a plurality of fingers, as illustrated, and/or may include individual compartments for one or more of the fingers (i.e., a glove).
It is understood that the hand covering 144 may have any number of panels and surfaces and be connected to the wrist portion 134 in any location in any manner suitable for the hand covering 144 to function as described herein. One or more inner cuffs may be included on the interior of the wrist portion 134 and/or on the hand covering 144 to provide a finished appearance and prevent fraying as the hand covering 144 is selectively positioned. Additionally, it is understood that the hand covering 144 does not necessarily need to fold and may be positionable in any manner between a plurality of positions where the hand covering 144 covers at least a portion of the wearer's hand in at least one of the positions. The hand covering 144 may be positionable between any numbers of positions, including two and four positions. For example, in one embodiment, the pouch 150 is open on the outside of the hand covering 144 in the stowed position and, therefore, the hand covering 144 can move directly from the stowed position to a position for covering at least a portion of the wearers' hands.
The hand covering 144 can be any suitable material, e.g., without limitation, nylon, cotton, polyester, rayon, and combinations thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the second panel 148 is the same material as the sleeve 110 and the first panel 146 is an elastic material to facilitate positioning the first panel 146 over a wearer's hand. It is contemplated, however, that the first and second panels 146, 148 can be made from the same material, which may or may not be the same as the respective sleeve 110.
With reference now to FIGS. 8-11, the head portion 108 of the garment 100 includes a hood 160 having a shell 162 for covering a wearer's head. The hood 160 is connected to the neck portion 112 partially around the opening 116 and can be extended over the wearer's head or positioned behind the head. The hood 160 is substantially dome shaped and contoured to match the shape of a typical head. The shell 162 includes a solid portion 164, a vented portion 166, a cover 168, an interior surface 170, an exterior surface 172, a front portion 174, and a back portion 176. The front portion 174 defines an opening 178 for the wearer's face and the back portion 176 covers the back of the wearer's head. The interior surface 170 faces the wearer's head. The solid portion 164 is an air and/or water resistant material that forms a majority of the shell 162. In the illustrated embodiment, the solid portion 164 is made of the same material as the body portion 106.
The vented portion 166 is disposed along a center region of the shell 162 extending from the front portion 174 to the back portion 176. The vented portion 166 faces the wearer's head and, therefore, partially defines the interior surface 170 of the hood 160. Parts of the vented portion 166 may contact the wearers' head and parts of the vented portion 166 may be spaced from the wearers' head. The vented portion 166 is an air permeable surface that facilitates air flow “AF” towards the wearers' head. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the vented portion 166 is a mesh. However, in other suitable embodiments, the vented portion 166 may be any suitable air permeable surface or material.
As shown in FIG. 11, the vented portion 166 is elongate and has a width 180 that tapers from a greater width in the front portion 174 to a lesser width in the back portion 176. The position and configuration of the vented portion 166 facilitates air flowing over the crown of the wearer's head to dissipate heat “H” therefrom. Additionally, the elongate shape of the vented portion 166 provides a channel 184 or pathway for air to flow along the wearer's head while minimizing the area of the shell 162 that needs to be covered to prevent leaks. It is understood that the vented portion 166 may have any shape and be disposed in any portion of the shell 162 in other suitable embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the vented portion 166 defines substantially the entire interior surface 170. Additionally, the hood 160 may have any suitable number of the vented portions 166 and the vented portion 166 can have any suitable configuration.
In the illustrated embodiment, a cover 182 is connected to the solid portion 164 such that the cover substantially overlaps the entire vented portion 166. It is understood, however, that the cover 182 may overlap any portion of the vented portion 166 in other suitable embodiments. In one suitable embodiment, the cover 182 and the solid portion 164 define the exterior surface 172. The interior surface 170 faces the wearers' head and defines the interior of the hood 160. The exterior surface 172 is opposite the interior surface 170 and faces away from the wearer's head during use of the hood 160. Suitably, the exterior surface 172 is substantially free from holes and is formed from a water and/or wind resistant material. In one embodiment, the cover 182 is the same material as the solid portion 164, and, therefore, the cover 182 and the solid portion 164 resemble a continuous hood member. It is understood that the cover 182 and the vented portion 166 may be formed as a single, one-piece structure. Alternatively, the cover 182 may be removably connected to the vented portion 166 such that the vented portion 166 can be exposed to the environment.
Together the cover 182 and the vented portion 166 define a channel (or pathway) 184 for air to flow past and in directed contact with the wearer's head. An air intake 186 allows air to flow into the channel 184 on the front side of the garment 100 and an air outlet 188 allows air to flow out of the channel 184. In the illustrated embodiment, the air intake 186 is positioned in the front portion 174 of the hood 160 and the air outlet 188 is positioned in the back portion 176. The positioning of the air intake 186 and air outlet 188 facilitates air flowing into and through the channel 184 as the wearer moves in a forward direction. The vented portion 166 is configured to direct the air flow AF from the wearer's head, through the air permeable surface, and into the channel 184. The air outlet 188 directs the air flow AF from the channel 184 and into the environment. The air intake 186 and air outlet 188 may be positioned anywhere on the hood 160 and the hood 160 may have any number of air intakes 186, air outlets 188, and channels 184 in other embodiments.
As shown in FIG. 9, air will flow into the channel 184 through the air intake 186, through the channel 184 for direct contact with the wearer's head, and to the air outlet 188 for exiting the hood 160. The air contacting the wearer's head will remove heat H and moisture to facilitate the body's cooling process. The channel 184 follows the tapered shape of the vented portion 166 having an increased width near the air intake 186 and a lesser width near the air outlet 188. The greater width near the air intake 186 facilitates the air intake 186 drawing air into the channel 184. Additionally, the cover 182 is oversized to increase airflow through the channel 184. The oversized portions of the cover 182 billow away from the vented portion 166 to increase the free space in channel 184 for flowing air.
The shell 162 includes a plurality of cords 190 for adjusting the fit of the hood 160. While the cords 190 may be any material, in the exemplary embodiment, the cords 190 are elastic. The cords 190 extend through a cord sleeve 192 in the hood 160 and can be adjusted by the wearer to tighten the shell 162 against the wearer's head. Cord locks 194 selectively secure the cords 190 in tightened or loosened positions. Each cord lock 194 is a clamp device including holes for portions of the cords 190 to extend through. The cord lock 194 has an inner member biased to clamp against the portion of the cords 190 extending through the holes. To adjust the cords 190, the wearer compresses a protruding portion of the biasing member to release the compression on the cords 190 and allow the cord lock 194 to slide along the cords 190. When the cord lock 194 slides along the cords 190, it adjusts the slack in the cords, and, thereby, the tightness of the shell 162. The tight fit provided by tightening the cords 190 allows the hood 160 to move with the head of the wearer and stay in place as air flows against and through the hood 160. Additionally, the cords 190 cause the cover 182 to gather in areas and create open spaces for air to flow under the cover 182. It is understood the hood 160 may include any components for adjusting and maintaining the fit of the hood 160 on the wearer's head.
In FIGS. 12-16, another suitable embodiment of a hood for use with the garment 100 is shown and referenced in its entirety by the number 1160. The hood 1160 has a shell 1162 including a solid portion 1164, a vented portion 1166, a cover 1168, an interior surface 1170, an exterior surface 1172, a front portion 1174, and a back portion 1176. The vented portion 1166 and the cover 1168 define a channel 1184 to direct air along the wearers' head as previously described. The front portion 1174 includes a brim 1196 that extends away from the wearer's head and defines at least a portion of an air intake 1186. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, portions of the cover 1168 and the vented portion 1166 form part of the brim 1196. The brim 1196 includes a stiffener 1198 for spacing the cover 1168 from the wearer's head. Therefore, the brim 1196 facilitates air flowing under the cover 1168 and into the channel 1184. The stiffener 1198 is an arch-shaped, semi-rigid rod extending along the edge of the brim 1196. However, the stiffener 1198 may be any shape, size, and material that enables the hood 1160 to function as described herein.
FIG. 14 shows the cord 1200 in a loosened position and FIGS. 15-16 show the cord 1200 in the tightened position. A cord 1200 runs through the shell 1162 for adjusting the fit of the hood 1160. The cord 1200 is an elastic cord extending through a sleeve 1202 on the interior of the shell 1162. The cord 1200 extends around the inner circumference of the shell 1162. The circular shape of the cord 1200 facilitates the cord 1200 fitting around the wearer's head. The wearer may draw the cord 1200 tight to create a tight fit of the hood 1160 on the wearer's head. The tightened hood 1160 will be resistant to displacement by wind or other forces. Additionally, the tightened hood 1160 will move with the wearer's head. The cord 1200 includes a cord lock 1204 for securing the cord 1200, and thus the hood 1160, in the tightened position. The cord 1200 facilitates adjusting the hood 1160 to increase or decrease the flow of air through the channel 1184.
Additionally, as shown in FIG. 13, the hood 1160 includes side cords 1206 running from the brim 1196 down the sides of an opening 1178 in the front portion 1174 of the hood 1160. The side cords 1206 facilitate the wearer adjusting the fit of the hood 1160 around the wearer's face. The side cords 1206 include cord locks 1208 for holding the side cords 1206 in a tightened position. It is understood the hood 1160 may include any number of components of any type that facilitate adjusting the fit of the hood 1160 and the flow of air through the channel 1184.
When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
The references to “top”, “bottom”, “upper” and “lower”, and “right side” and “left side” are used for convenience in describing relative position of parts, and apply when the hooded garment is in ordinary use as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. However, these and other positional terms used herein do not require the hooded garment to be maintained in any particular orientation to fall within the scope of the invention.
Exemplary embodiments of a garment are described herein. The methods and assemblies are not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, but rather, components of assemblies and/or steps of the methods may be utilized independently and separately from other components and/or steps described herein. For example, the methods may also be used in combination with other assemblies and methods, and are not limited to practice with only the assemblies and methods described herein. Rather, the exemplary embodiments may be implemented and utilized in connection with many other garments such as, for example only, coats and pull overs.
Although specific features of various embodiments of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. In accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature of a drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using devices or assemblies or systems and performing any incorporated method. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A hood for use with a garment that is wearable by a wearer, the hood comprising:

a shell configured to cover a wearer's head, the shell including a solid portion, a vented portion, an interior surface, and an exterior surface; and

a cover connected to the exterior surface to overlap the vented portion and define a channel for air to flow past the wearer's head, wherein the channel includes an air intake configured to direct the air into the channel and an air outlet configured to discharge the air out of the channel.

2. The hood of claim 1, wherein the front portion further comprises a brim to at least partially define the channel, the brim including a stiffener configured to maintain a shape of the channel.

3. The hood of claim 2, wherein the brim at least partially defines the air intake.

4. The hood of claim 1, wherein the shell has a front portion defining an opening for a wearer's face and a back portion, wherein the air intake is located in the front portion and the air outlet is located in the back portion.

5. The hood of claim 1, further comprising a cord that extends around an inner circumference of the shell.

6. The hood of claim 1, wherein the vented portion is disposed along a center region of the shell.

7. The hood of claim 1, wherein the vented portion partially defines the interior surface.

8. The hood of claim 1, wherein the vented portion comprises an air permeable surface.

9. The hood of claim 1, wherein the cover is oversized to increase flow of the air through the channel.

10. The hood of claim 1, wherein the vented portion is elongate having a width, the vented portion tapering from a greater width near a front portion of the shell to a lesser width near a back portion of the shell.

11. A garment comprising:

a pair of sleeves for covering a wearer's arms, each of the sleeves comprising a sleeve inner surface, a sleeve outer surface, and a wrist portion; and

a pair of hand coverings, each of the hand coverings being connected to the wrist portion of a respective sleeve of the pair of sleeves, each of the hand coverings comprising:

a first panel having a first surface and a second surface; and

a second panel connected to the first panel to form a pouch, the hand coverings being positionable between a first position where the first surface is in face-to-face engagement with the sleeve outer surface and a second position where at least a portion of the wearer's hand can be inserted inside the respective hand covering such that the first surface contacts the wearer's hand.

12. The garment of claim 11, wherein each of the hand coverings further comprise an elastic portion that maintains the wrist portion over the wearer's wrist, the elastic portion folding back over the sleeve outer surface in the first position to maintain the hand covering in the first position.

13. The garment of claim 11, wherein the garment is free of any fasteners for holding the hand coverings in the first position.

14. The garment of claim 11, wherein the first panel and the second panel are made of different material, the first panel at least partially formed from an elastic material to allow the first panel to stretch over the wearer's hand.

15. The garment of claim 11, wherein each of the hand coverings forms a pocket for storing items in the first position.

16. The garment of claim 11, wherein each of the hand coverings is folded back against the sleeve outer surface in the first position and extends away from the sleeve in the second position.

17. The garment of claim 11, wherein in the first position, the second surface is in a face-to-face engagement with the second panel.

18. The garment of claim 11, wherein each of the hand coverings is positionable in a third position which is different than the first position and the second position.

19. The garment of claim 11, wherein, in the third position, the first panel is folded over the second panel such that at least a portion of the first surface is in face-to-face engagement with the second panel.

20. A garment comprising:

a hood for covering a wearer's head, the hood including a vented portion;

a cover connected to the hood to overlap the vented portion and define a channel for air to flow past the wearer's head, wherein the channel includes an air intake configured to direct air into the channel and an air outlet configured to discharge the air out of the channel;

a pair of sleeves connected to the hood for covering a wearer's arms, each of the sleeves comprising a sleeve surface and a wrist portion; and

a first panel having a first surface and a second surface; and

a second panel connected to the first panel to form a pouch, the hand coverings being positionable between a first position where the first surface is in face-to-face engagement with the sleeve surface and a second position where at least a portion of the wearer's hand can be inserted inside the respective hand covering such that the first surface contacts the wearer's hand.