US20170042263A1

US20170042263A1 - Wearable action sports audio system

Info

Publication number: US20170042263A1
Application number: US14/821,863
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglas J. Dallier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-08-10
Filing date: 2015-08-10
Publication date: 2017-02-16

Abstract

A garment may be built with a compartment in or adjacent to the neck collar to mount and immobilize a personal audio device, and provide for the routing of audio transducers and wires. The configuration of the mounting provides for an unobtrusive listening experience for the user, is readily removable to allow for garment cleansing and personal audio player maintenance, maximizes the potential for freedom-of-motion required in various sports-related activities, and addresses safety issues not accounted for in the prior art. The garment may also be equipped with a mechanism (such as a hook and loop closure) to capture and immobilize audio transducers and wires when not in use.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of clothing that incorporates a personal audio player and provides for the routing of audio transducers and wires. Personal audio player includes MP3 players, CD players, Bluetooth devices, cell phones, smartwatches, action cams, and the like.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides for a wearable and removable personal audio system integrated into a garment in a manner that is designed to maximize range-of-motion for the wearer, while also providing safety advantages over the prior art. The invention is comprised of a specially constructed garment containing a compartment to house a personal audio player and provide for the routing of transducer audio wires, a personal audio player, ‘earbuds’ or ‘headphones’ (hereafter referred to as “audio transducers”) with conductive wire (hereafter referred to as “transducer wire”). The personal audio player is detachably affixed within a compartment constructed within or adjacent to the posterior neck collar of the garment, held in place by the fabric of the compartment and an overlapping flap that secures its location, such that it does not interfere with freedom-of-motion on the part of the user. Said personal audio player compartment includes an exit point for the transducer wire in the event one is employed, and may also contain one or more holes or passages to allow for the drainage of fluids in water-based applications.
The construction of the mounting for the personal audio player presents numerous functional and safety advantages over the preexisting art for the action sports enthusiast. By locating the personal audio player more proximal to a user's cranium, the potential for entanglement or dislodgement on the part of the audio transducers and transducer wires is minimized. Locating the player on the posterior of the user's body assists in making said player unobtrusive, maximizing freedom-of-motion with regard to the lower and upper portions of a user's body. In addition, the posterior mounting of the personal audio player assists in minimizing a user's proclivity to actively manage said audio player, freeing a user to focus on more intensive sports related activities.
The transducer wire includes a length of wire leading from a personal audio player to at least one transducer for emitting audio into a user's ear. The transducer wire exits a compartment containing and immobilizing a personal audio player, proceeds through the interior of the garment through fabric, loops, holes or slits within or affixed to the collar of the garment, where it may or may not be held in place with a lanyard, loop, or piece of fabric (or series of such), whereupon it exits the interior of the garment through fabric, loops, holes or slits within or affixed to the collar of the garment. This construction proves for free movement of the transducer wire so as not to inhibit range-of-motion on the part of the user. To prevent loss when not in use (and to keep them from swinging about), audio transducers can be captured within an immobilizer, made of fabric, cord, or hook and lop enclosure, and located near the chest and/or anterior shoulders of the garment.

BACKGROUND

Wearable electromechanical technology has been in existence for well more than a century, with some of the earliest inventions of this sort being used to gain a surreptitious advantage in gambling. While the incorporation of electromechanical audio devices into garments dates back to at least the mid-twentieth century, the miniaturization of personal audio players has facilitated the inclusion of these devices into a widening spectrum of garments and attendant applications. The prior art related to the fusion of garments with personal audio players can be classified to fall within two broad categorizations. First, garments that embed the conductive wiring and electrical connections within the seams or interior components of the garment, rendering them a permanent fixture of the garment. Second, garments that locate the aforementioned audio player and conductive wiring external to the garment, allowing for said wiring and connectors to be more easily removed by the user. The current invention bridges the divide between these two broad classifications in allowing for the personal audio player to be mounted within the garment and routing the conductive wiring through the garment in a readily removable configuration, providing a number of advantages for the user.
Action sports (sometimes referred to as ‘extreme sports’) often involve a high level of physical exertion, speed, height, and/or highly specialized gear. These activities also demand a high range-of-motion on the part of participants. Said sports include (but are not limited to) snowboarding, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, hydro foiling (‘foiling’), stand-up paddle boarding (‘SUP’), skiing, surfing, waterskiing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, etc. While not action sports per se, activities like SUP yoga, swimming, personal watercraft use, and fly-fishing also require said increased range-of-motion on the part of participants. Additionally, and analogous to the act of driving an automobile, participation in these activities can become monotonous and psychologically tedious over an extended period of time. In light of this tendency, participation can be made much more exhilarating with the incorporation of music, and there exists several examples of approaches to address this consideration in the prior art.
As used herein, “audio transducers” refers to any electromechanical device, wired or otherwise, that is placed on or near the human ear with the intent of reproducing sounds (encompassing, for example, “headphones”, or “earbuds”, as they are sometimes colloquially referred to). As used herein, “personal audio player” refers to any form of audio player, MP3 player, Bluetooth connected device, computer, smartphone, compact disc player, tape player, or any other device that is intended to store, transmit, and/or replay music for consumption on the part of the user, waterproof or otherwise,. As used herein, “garment” refers to a rash guard, t-shirt, long sleeved shirt, collared shirt, paddling jacket, swimsuit, drysuit, wetsuit, jumpsuit, spring suit, or any other form or combination of clothing regardless of cut, form, material, or style that can reasonably be thought to encapsulate the spirit of this invention.

BACKGROUND ART

The prior art reveals a number of differing approaches to incorporating personal audio players and their conductive wiring into garments. Many of those approaches involve permanently embedding conductive wiring within the lining or interior of the garment; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,553,919 to James Wolfe (Venice, Calif.). A similar example with regard to embedding conductive wiring within the interior of the garment is found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,411,891 to Antonio Del Prete (Beverly Hills, Calif.). One of the problematic aspects of prior art that embeds the conductive wiring within the internal structure of the garment involves the difficulties presented to the user in the instance where one wishes to clean said garment. This shortcoming presents less of an encumbrance to those who participate in winter sports, since garments become less readily soiled in a cool, dry environment. In contrast, action sports that are water-based often entail participants engaging during periods of warmer weather, resulting in a greater soiling of garments and an attendant increase in frequency of washing. This makes the ability to launder a garment used in warm weather action sports even more critical, a consideration accounted for in the present invention. In addition, the personal audio player, conductive wiring, and transducers may be subject to increased corrosion were they permanently affixed or left attached to a wet garment prior to use in a marine or freshwater environment. These considerations demand that the personal audio player, transducer wires, and transducers be readily removable, considerations accounted for in the current art.
Prior art also discloses methods for the routing of audio transducers and attendant transducer wiring. Several variations on the internal routing of transducer wiring is found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,519,192 to Logan Laycock, et al. (Alpine, Utah). Said prior art is representative of some of the problematic aspects of prior art with regard to use in action sports, encumbrances that are accounted for in the current invention. Specifically, prior art that embeds transducer wires within a garment in a non-removable manner poses the potential for problems related to decreased range-of-motion of the part of the user. The mounting of the transducer wires can subtly bind and restrict the full range of motion on the part of a user, decreasing one's ability to fully participate in the action sports under consideration. Independent of the potential problems related to internal routing of conductive wiring, the Laycock et al. art relates to either a hat or hooded garment in the preferred embodiments. With regard to the latter, a hooded garment has a far too restrictive impact on user range-of-motion to be of utility to those involved in the aforementioned action sports.
The importance of few limitations on range-of-motion on the part of a user becomes even more important when considering the many water-based action sports. The recent development of waterproof personal audio players has facilitated their use in an expanding range of differing settings and activities. Existing waterproof personal audio systems are sufficient for use in light to moderately engaging activities. However the nature of water-based action sports (and other water-based activities requiring a full range-of-motion) makes the prior art significantly less useful because of the constricting nature of their designs. In some cases, the restrictive nature of the prior art presents a potential hindrance to full participation in the activity give the extent to which it limits a participants full range-of-motion. This is evident in many of the preferred embodiments depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 6,792,124 to Nancy Tilbury et al. wherein the transducer wiring is married to the garment in an inflexible mounting (particularly evident in FIG. 3). The above art is particularly problematic for the action sports enthusiast, in that the embedded conductive wiring can subtly bind, preventing free and unrestricted freedom-of-motion on the part of a user. Another example of the problematic aspects of the prior art for the action sports enthusiast lies in U.S. Pat. No. 8,687,834 to James Wolfe (Venice, Calif.), wherein wires are passed through lanyards that are crimped to inhibit the relative movement of both wires and lanyard. This restricts the extent to which the wiring can extend, retract, flex, and stretch with a user. Similarly, the potential for binding exists in U.S. Pat. No. 7,673,348 to Herman Williams (Loveland, Ohio) wherein the conductive wiring is routed down the back of the garment, potentially restricting freedom-of-motion when a participant in action sports bends forward at the waist. This motion is common in the many variations of board related action sports (for example, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, snowboarding, etc.). An additional example of prior art that presents a potential shortcoming for the action sports participant in terms of restricting full range-of-motion resides in U.S. Pat. No. 8,625,835 to Lawrence Mark Gotlieb (Encino, Calif.), that locates conductive wiring along the lateral seam of the garment. This mounting of the transducer wiring could potentially bind when the user engages in motions that entail an extreme rotation or lateral bending of the body, motions that are commonly employed in the aforementioned action sports. Prior art that locates a waterproof player in the pocket of a wetsuit (U.S. application Ser. No. 20130279729) is problematic in terms of restricting freedom-of-motion on the part of the wearer. Wetsuits in general have limitations with regard to their usability in many action sports, due largely to the somewhat constrictive nature of the materials typically employed in manufacture. These limitations have prompted the development of cost prohibitive “full stretch” wetsuits in an attempt to make them more manageable for the user. The current invention seeks to maximize the flexibility and motion of both conductive wires and lanyard, so as to maximize freedom-of-motion on the part of action sports participants, without introducing costly countermeasures.
In other instances, the prior art presents a safety hazard with regard to participation in said activities due to the location and construction of the personal audio player mount, audio transducers, and/or wiring. Prior art also reveals an approach to locating the personal audio player in the unobtrusive location identified in the present invention. However, where this has been evident, prior art is problematic in that it holds the potential for constituting a safety hazard to the action sports participant. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 7,848,512 to Kurt Eldracher (Andover, Mass.) that discloses a posterior mounting of a personal audio player behind a user's neck, and embodies a rigid mounting system that would present a potential hazard to the neck and spine of participants in action sports in the event of an unexpected fall, by introducing a vector for such injury. The current invention obviates this safety hazard by flexibly mounting the personal audio player within the neck collar of the garment itself, eliminating the potentially hazardous rigid mounting system, and minimizing the introduction of materials that potentially serve as vectors for traumatic injury. Other prior art affixes a waterproof player using a strap and plastic closure that presents a potential choking hazard given the sometimes unpredictable nature of action sports. For example, U.S. application Ser. No. 20130279729 introduces a waterproof audio system in the form of an external collar that is worn around the neck, which is differentiated from the current invention in that it is not integral to the user's garment. This configuration presents a potential for choking in an event where a sudden and unexpected fall should occur within an environment allowing an object to hook or ensnare the external collar.
The above problems are obviated by the current invention, in that the current art maximizes flexibility, unobtrusiveness, and safety for the action sports enthusiast without the introduction of costly materials or countermeasures. The consumer is benefitted greatly in allowing for the aforementioned benefits derived from the current invention, as prior art patents do not disclose the structure, design, configuration, or manufacturing protocol embodied in the present invention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The following invention is related to clothing integrated with a personal audio player, conductive wiring and audio transducers in an unobtrusive manner that maximizes freedom-of-motion and allows for easy removability, while minimizing potential safety hazards for the action sports enthusiast. Garments that incorporate personal audio players have been disclosed in the prior art. However, prior art does not disclose or inform of the incorporation of a personal audio player within a compartment located within or adjacent to the posterior neck collar of a garment such that said player is unobtrusive to the wearer, the movement of said player is restricted, yet allows for movement of both the mounting and transducer wiring. Prior art also provides for the routing of transducer wires, however much of the prior art does so in a manner that may hinder the participant in action sports. For example, the routing of transducer wires along the lateral edge of a garment may be problematic for the reason that the wires may bind when the action sport participant engages in movements that entail a lateral bending of the body. For action sports that require the wearing of a harness (as in, for example, kiteboarding or windsurfing) the routing of the transducer wires may result in an increased likelihood of said wire dislodgement from the audio jack of a personal audio player, presenting a potentially lethal distraction.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide for a mounting between personal audio player and garment that addresses these shortcomings in the prior art, and therefore presents greater utility and enhanced safety to the user. The construction of the personal audio player compartment in the current invention provides a significant advancement over the prior art for those involved in action sports, since its presence is rendered relatively unobtrusive to the user, allowing them to focus more intently on the activity at hand. Furthermore, the location and positioning of transducer wires minimizes the likelihood of wire entanglement and dislodgement, while simultaneously being easily removable to allow for garment cleansing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an exemplary type of mounting of a personal audio player within a personal audio player compartment located on the posterior neck collar of said garment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the neck mounting of the personal audio player depicted in FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garment showing an exemplary routing of transducer wires

FIG. 4 is a three dimensional view of the garment showing an exemplary routing of transducer wires and transducer immobilizer

FIG. 5 is a lateral view of the left side of the garment showing an exemplary routing of transducer wires on, through and within the neck collar of said garment and lanyards

FIG. 6 is a lateral view of the right side of the garment showing an exemplary routing of transducer wires on, through and within the neck collar of said garment and lanyards

FIG. 7 is a close-up anterior view of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 depicting an exemplary type of routing of transducer wires on, through and within the neck collar of said garment and lanyards.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the present invention, a personal audio player is mounted within a compartment on or within the posterior neck collar of a garment, and the transducer wiring is routed around and through said compartment, lanyards, and collar. Loose transducers are immobilized within a hook and loop or similar device on the external anterior of the garment. Where they are used, “left side” and “right side” refers to the wearer's left and right side.
An exemplary illustration of the posterior mounting 4 of the personal audio player to a garment 1 a on or within the neck collar 1 b is depicted in FIG. 1 including a compartment cover 7 to isolate the movement of the personal audio player (as depicted in 15 FIG. 2) within the personal audio player compartment 4, an illustration of a space 6 within the collar of the garment to allow for ingress and egress of the personal audio player, a grommet 5 surrounding a hole 8 to allow for ingress and egress of the transducer wire 3 and transducer wire male connector 2. Transducer wire 3 is shown to proceed from transducer wire male connector 2 to the interior of garment 1 a by going up and over the neck collar 1 b. The routing of the transducer wire 3 in and around the neck collar 1 b of the garment 1 a is depicted in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
In other exemplary forms, space 6 may be minimized, or be flush with the exterior of personal audio player compartment 4. In other embodiments, grommet 5 may be substituted for a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings in the fabric of personal audio player compartment 4, or may be located differently so as to allow transducer wire 3 to pass into the interior of garment 1 a by means of a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings in neck collar 1 b. In other embodiments, transducer wire 3 may proceed from the transducer wire male connector 2 to the internal section of the garment by means of a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings. In embodiments where the transducer wires 3 have been eliminated, hole 8 and grommet 5 may be eliminated. In the exemplary form depicted in FIG. 1, the shape of the personal audio compartment 4 is tubular. This is illustrative only, as the shape of personal audio compartment 4 may encumber any number of differing forms, shapes and materials so long as it contains and limits the egress of the personal audio player. In other embodiments, personal audio compartment 4 is square, circular, or any other shape. In other embodiments, the personal audio player compartment 4 is made of a stretchable fabric, neoprene, waterproof breathable, or any other type of material and/or fabric, and may contain any configuration of holes, panels, transparent materials or otherwise to facilitate the drainage of liquid, visibility of personal audio player status, or operation of personal audio player.
An exploded view of the posterior mounting depicted in FIG. 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2, showing the personal audio player 15, passage 13 allowing access to the personal audio player compartment 4, retaining stitches 16, and other details not evident in FIG. 1. Said personal audio player 15 can be mounted and dismounted within a compartment 4 created within the posterior neck collar 1 b of the garment 1 a by means of a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings 13. Movement of the personal audio player 15 is minimized vis-à-vis retaining stitches 16 and a compartment cover 7 (shown attached in FIG. 1). The compartment cover 7 is affixed to partially or wholly cover the slit 13 through which the personal audio player 15 is mounted and dismounted. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a hole 8, surrounded by a grommet 5, through which the transducer wire male jack 2 and transducer wires 3 exit the compartment 4 housing the personal audio player 15. When the personal audio player 15 is mounted within the compartment 4, the male transducer jack 2 is inserted into the female transducer jack 14 on the personal audio player 15. The transducer wires 3 are routed through and within the interior space of the garment 1 a as depicted in the exemplary illustrations in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and are held in place by way of one or more lanyards 9. The transducer wires 3 then terminate in one or more audio transducers (10, as depicted in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6). In other embodiments, the lanyards 9 may be positioned differently or eliminated, resulting in a loose draping of the transducer wires 3.
In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, a personal audio player 15 is mounted within a compartment 4 built into the collar. In other embodiments, a personal audio player 15 may be mounted to the collar 1 b within a compartment adjacent to (as opposed to within) said collar of the garment. Additionally, personal audio player 15 may not require the use of transducer wires 3 in an embodiment where wirelessly paired streaming audio transducers are employed. In other embodiments, the retaining stitches 16 may take the form of staples, seams, or other materials. In other embodiments of the current art, retaining stitches 16 may be unnecessary to limit the motion of the personal audio player 15, and thusly removed. The shape of the personal audio compartment cover 7 is similarly illustrative in nature only, and may be constructed and positioned differently depending upon the shape and location of the personal audio player 15 and personal audio player compartment 4. The shape and positioning of the slit, passage or hole 13 in the personal audio player compartment 4 may be shaped or positioned differently depending upon the shape of both personal audio player 15 and compartment 4. Instead of residing within the collar 1 b of the garment 1 a, the personal audio player compartment 4 may be attached to the exterior or interior of said neck collar 1 b.
An exemplary depiction of the anterior of a garment 1 a is depicted in FIG. 3, illustrating interior and exterior routing of transducer wires 3 in, around, and through the neck collar 1 b of a garment 1 a. In the embodiment depicted, the transducer wires 3 pass through the interior of said garment 1 a, are routed through one or more lanyards 9, and then emerge through one or more holes, button holes, slits, passages, grommets, channels, or any other type of opening or combination of openings 12 in the neck collar lb. In the embodiment depicted, lanyards 9 are located on the lateral left side and anterior portions of the neck collar 1 b. In other embodiments, lanyards 9 may be positioned differently, constructed differently, or eliminated altogether. Also depicted is an immobilizer 11 used to secure audio transducers 10 and transducer wires 3 when not in use. The immobilizer 11 in the embodiment depicted is a hook and loop type enclosure, and is sewn on one side to allow for easy opening and closing by means of a tab affixed to or cut out of the unsecured side of the immobilizer. Said immobilizer 11 may encompass any number of different forms and materials to restrain and secure audio transducers 10 when not in use. In other embodiments, immobilizer 11 may consist of a pocket, strap, clip or other means of securing wireles sly paired audio transducers 10.
FIG. 4 depicts a three dimensional rendering of said garment 1 a as worn by a user. The exterior routing of the transducer wires 3 is illustrated, along with the placement of the right side slit 12 in neck collar 1 b, through which a transducer wire 3 passes. Also depicted are audio transducers 10 being contained within the immobilizer 11 when not in use by the wearer. The style of the garment 1 a depicted in FIG. 4 is a long sleeved t shirt, although this is illustrative only for the purpose of making clear the present invention. As such, the garment depicted in the current invention may embody any number of different forms, styles, and materials, and is not stylistically confined to a long sleeved t-shirt.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 depict left and right side views of the garment 1 a, illustrating exemplary embodiments of the interior and exterior routing of transducer wires 3 in, around, and through the neck collar 1 b. FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the routing of the transducer wires 3 on the left side of the garment 1 a. The transducer wire 3 exits the personal audio player compartment 4, and then passes over the neck collar 1 b, proceeding through the interior of the garment 1 a in the space between user and collar. In other embodiments, the transducer wire 3 may pass into the interior of the garment 1 a by means of a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings. After passing through the interior of the garment 1 a and a lanyard 9 located on the interior left side of the garment neck collar 1 b, the transducer wire exits the interior through a slit 12 located on the left side of said neck collar 1 b, and then terminates in an audio transducer 10. Also depicted is a lanyard 9 located on the interior anterior position of the neck collar 1 b. The position of the compartment 4 affixing the personal audio player is also depicted on the anterior neck collar 1 b. In the embodiment depicted, slit 12 is illustrated as a button hole. In other embodiments, slit 12 may comprise a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings.
The location and existence of the lanyards 9 depicted in this figure are for illustration purposes only. Their use and positioning may be changed in future embodiments of the present art. Alternatively, lanyards 9 may be eliminated altogether in future embodiments. The locations and shape of the personal audio player compartment 4 may be altered in other embodiments of the current invention. The routing of the transducer wires 3 is merely representative of the routing as depicted in this embodiment. In other embodiments, the transducer wires 3 may pass through any configuration of holes, button holes, slits, passages, grommets, channels or openings. It is the nature of the current invention to maximize the flexibility of the mounting of the transducer wires 3, which inhibits their ability to be placed in or fall within a specific location on or within the garment 1 a. In other embodiments, transducer wires 3 may be eliminated.
FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the interior and exterior routing of the transducer wire 3 on the right side of the garment 1 a in, around, and through the neck collar 1 b. The transducer wire 3 proceeds through the interior of the garment 1 a, then exits the interior of the garment 1 a through a slit 12 in the right side of the garment neck collar 1 b before terminating in an audio transducer 10. Also shown is the location of the personal audio player compartment 4 on the anterior neck collar 1 b, and an example of the placement of the transducer immobilizer 11. The location and shape of the immobilizer 11 may be different in other embodiments. The location of the transducer wires 3, and transducer immobilizer 11 may be positioned differently in other embodiments, the current diagrams being only illustrative in nature. The location and shape of the personal audio player compartment 4 may be altered in other embodiments of the current invention. The routing of transducer wires 3 is merely representative of the routing as depicted in this illustration. It is the nature of the current invention to maximize the flexibility of the mounting of the transducer wires 3, which inhibits their ability to be placed in or fall within a specific location on or within the garment 1 a. In other embodiments, and in practical use, the location of the transducer wires 3 may vary, or be eliminated altogether in the case where wireless audio transducers are employed.
A close-up view of the anterior routing of transducer wires 3 in, around, and through the neck collar 1 b is depicted in FIG. 7. The transducer wires exit the personal audio player compartment 4 and then proceed up and over the neck collar 1 b, travelling through the interior space of the garment 1 a and one or more lanyards 9 before exiting the interior of the garment 1 a through one or more holes, button holes, slits, passages, grommets, channels or openings 12 in said collar 1 b. In other embodiments, transducer wire 3 may proceed from the transducer wire male connector (2, in FIG. 1) to the internal section of the garment by means of a hole, button hole, slit, passage, grommet, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings. The lanyards 9 depicted in this diagram are illustrative in nature only, and other embodiments of the current art may have lanyards positioned differently, located differently, or removed altogether. The positioning of transducer wires 3 is also illustrative in nature, and it is the intent of the current art to allow for flexibility and movement in transducer wires 3 to facilitate greater freedom-of-motion on the part of the user. In other embodiments, and in practical use, the location of the transducer wires 3 may vary, or be eliminated altogether in the case where wireless audio transducers are employed. Also depicted is the positioning of the personal audio player compartment 4 on the anterior portion of the neck collar 1 b.
The personal audio player 15 depicted in the foregoing diagrams and descriptions was tubular in shape. This is merely for illustrative purposes to inform those skilled in the art of the nature of this invention. As such, other shapes, styles, and types of personal audio players mounted within or adjacent to the neck collar (1 b in FIG. 1) are covered under the intent of this patent. Likewise, the transducer wires 3 depicted in the foregoing art may be eliminated and replaced by other types of audio transducers, including those that do not require the use of transducer wires. In the exemplary form depicted in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6, garment 1 a is a t-shirt. In other embodiments and/or applications, the garment may encompass a long sleeved shirt, rash guard, wetsuit, drysuit, jacket, spring suit, jumpsuit, or any other form or cut of cloth and any combination of materials so long as the personal audio compartment housing the personal audio player is mounted on or within the anterior or lateral neck collar 1 b of the garment 1 a.
In the foregoing diagrams and detailed description of the diagrams, the depictions are illustrative only, and neither intended to constitute an exhaustive description of embodiments of the present invention nor to limit the ways in which the current invention can be constructed or the form it may assume. Those skilled in the art will unquestionably recognize that the current invention is capable of being modified significantly, and therefore is capable of assuming a multitude of varying forms. An exhaustive compendium of the myriad forms the present invention could take is beyond the scope of the legal requirements which this document is intended to fulfill. The disclosing of the current embodiments is representative of the current state of the art, and also makes reference to future modifications and enhancements that may transcend the embodiments thus depicted.

FIELD OF CLASSIFICATION SEARCH

USPC . . . 2/69, 88, 102, 170, 215, 220, 227, 243, 247, 250, 251, 252, 265, 905; 224/181, 222, 231, 267, 576, 676; 455/66, 90; 38¹/₇ 4, 301, 304, 333, 338, 375, 388;

CITATION LIST

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Non Patent Literature

- 1. Raglan rashguard swim top with mp3 pocket https://www.flickr.com/photos/hydrochic/4769729220/2.
- 2. Rusty Introduces ‘Wired Series’ Collection With HB3 Technology http://surf.transworld.net/1000093604/press-releases/rusty-introduces-wired-series-collection-with-hb3-technology/
- 3. What is HB3 Technology? http://shopithoodies.com/blog/hb3-technology
- 4. Sony NWZ-W273S 4GB Waterproof All-in-One MP3 Player http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-NWZ-W273S-Waterproof-All-Player/dp/B00ICI7FIM/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A garment of any material, cut, or style comprising:

A compartment comprising an elongated passageway constructed from, embedded within, affixed to, or located adjacent to the neck collar of the garment that contains and limits the motion of an electronic device such as a personal audio player, and

An aperture, hole, grommet, slit, button hole, passage, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings or other passage in said compartment to allow for ingress and egress of transducer wire leading to an audio transducer, and

A loop, tube, hook and loop enclosure, section of fabric, hollow lanyard, or series of such attached to or around the neck collar wherein the transducer wire leading to an audio transducer threads through, and

One or more apertures, holes, grommets, slits, button holes, passages, channels, or any other type of opening or combination of openings or passageways through the neck collar to allow for transducer wire to thread through from the interior of the garment to the exterior

2. The combined garment, personal audio player, transducer wire and audio transducer, or any set of such, as specified in claim one, wherein a separable fastener is attached to said garment to contain and immobilize an audio transducer (or set of such) when not in use

3. The garment of claim 1 wherein legs are attached to the garment, as in a wetsuit or shorty wetsuit, famer john, spring suit, drysuit or any other cut of cloth or combination of materials regardless of style or fashion.

4. The garment of claim 1 wherein a hood is attached or integrated, or any other cut of cloth or combination of materials regardless of style or fashion.

5. The garment of claim 1 wherein the aperture, hole, grommet, slit, button hole, passage, channel, or any other type of opening or combination of openings or passageways that allows for ingress and ingress of transducer wire to and from the personal audio player compartment is eliminated

6. The garment of claim 1 wherein the loop, tube, hook and loop enclosure, section of fabric, hollow lanyard, or series of such attached to or around the neck collar to contain and direct transducer wires is eliminated

7. The garment of claim 1 wherein one or more apertures, holes, grommets, slits, or passageways through the neck collar to allow for the conductive wire to thread through from the interior of the personal audio player compartment to the interior of the garment is eliminated

8. The garment of claim 1 wherein audio transducers are paired to a personal audio player via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, A2DP, AirPlay, DLNA, NFC or any other form of audio streaming protocol.

9. The garment of claim 1 wherein the personal audio player is controlled by Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, A2DP, AirPlay, DLNA, NFC or any other electronic signal or streaming protocol through a paired button, switch, bracelet, or any other form of electromechanical device

10. The garment of claim 1 wherein audio from the personal audio player is transmitted to another electronic or electromechanical device (for example, but not limited to, a camera, video recorder, action cam, cellphone or memory storage device) via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, A2DP, AirPlay, DLNA, NFC or any other form of audio and/or video streaming protocol.