ARTICLE OF CLOTHING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates to the general art of wearing apparel, and to the particular field of jackets and outer wear.
2. Discussion of the Related Art.
Many sports are conducted out of doors. Some of the sports are conducted during foul weather when a person is exposed to rain, snow, or the like. In such situations, the person generally likes to wear outer clothing that will repel water and also will keep them warm. However, the clothing should not unduly restrict the movements of the wearer or the clothing will not be worn. Therefore, there is a need for an article of wearing apparel that will be comfortable yet will protect a wearer against inclement weather.
Often, outdoor sports include water sports where a person is in a boat or the like. Winter fishing is but one example of such activities. When on a boat, a person should always wear a life jacket. However, in many instances, life jacket wear is inhibited by the need to wear heavy jackets to protect against the elements. If both a life jacket and an outer coat are worn, the wearer is often severely restricted. Other activities include
activities around frozen, partially frozen or unfrozen lakes, rivers or streams or the like.
Therefore, there is a need for an article of clothing that will be comfortable even when a life jacket is required.
Still further, many situations require marking a person in a manner that makes a rescue easier. That is, for example, if a person is in the water, it is helpful if there is some means for making that person easily identified by a rescue plane.
Therefore, there is a need for an article of clothing that includes markings that can be used to help a rescue operation spot the person wearing the article of clothing. In some situations, wearing a life jacket alone is sufficient. That is, if the weather is warm enough, an outer coat may not be necessary. In such situations, it would be helpful if the wearer could remove the outer jacket and simply wear the life jacket: Therefore, there is a need for an1 article of clothing that is adaptable to a wide variety of environmental conditions.
PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is a main object of the present invention to provide an article of wearing apparel that will be
comfortable yet will protect a wearer against inclement weather.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an article of clothing that will be comfortable even when a life jacket is required.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an article of clothing that includes markings that can be used to help a rescue operation spot the person wearing the article of clothing. It is another object of the present invention to provide an article of clothing that is versatile and is adaptable to a wide variety of situations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These, and other, objects are achieved by an article of clothing that includes an outer jacket having reflective patches thereon and a life jacket that is adapted to be worn beneath the outer jacket and which acts as a liner when worn in combination with the outer jacket. The life jacket includes straps that can be formed of reflective material.
The article of clothing embodying the present invention makes wearing a life jacket in combination with an outer wear jacket easy and comfortable, yet will permit the overall article of clothing to be versatile and adapted to be easily modified as weather conditions
permit. The markings on the article of clothing will make it easier for a rescuer to spot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES Figure 1 is a perspective view of an outer wear jacket embodying the present invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of a life vest that is part of the jacket embodying the present invention.
Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of a portion of the jacket shown in Figure 1 illustrating a reflective patch on an elbow portion of the jacket.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings .
Referring to the Figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in an article of clothing 10 that can be comfortably worn while engaging in various outdoor activities.
Article of clothing 10 comprises an outer jacket 12 that includes a torso section 14. Torso section 14 includes a first side 16 that is a front side when outer jacket 12 is worn, and a shoulder section 18 that is
located adjacent to a wearer's shoulders when outer jacket 12 is worn. A second side 20 is a rear side when outer jacket 12 is worn and a neck section 22 is located adjacent to a wearer's neck when outer jacket 12 is worn. A first sleeve section 30 is adapted to accommodate a wearer's arm when outer jacket 12 is worn. First sleeve section 30 includes a cuff section 32 and an elbow section 34. A second sleeve section 40 is adapted to accommodate a wearer's arm when outer jacket 12 is worn. Second sleeve section 40 includes a cuff section 42 and an elbow section 44.
A patch 50 of reflective material is located on elbow section 34 of the first sleeve section 30, and a patch 52 of reflective material is located on elbow section 44 of second sleeve section 40.
Reflective material 60 is located on first sleeve section 30 adjacent to cuff section 32 of the first sleeve section 30 and reflective material 62 is located on second sleeve section 40 adjacent to cuff section 42 of second sleeve section 40. Insulation material 70 is located on the inside of outer jacket 12, and outer jacket 12 is formed of waterproof material.
A life jacket 80 is worn by the wearer and is adapted to be comfortable even when worn in conjunction with outer jacket 12. Life jacket 80 includes a torso section 82 that fits over the wearer's torso and which
has a first side 84 that is a front side when life jacket 80 is worn, a shoulder section 86 that is located adjacent to a wearer's shoulders when life jacket 80 is worn, a second side 88 that is a rear side when life jacket 80 is worn, and a neck section 89 that is located adjacent to a wearer's neck when life jacket 80 is worn. A first strap 90 of reflective material is attached to torso section 82 of life jacket 80 and a second strap 92 of reflective material is also attached to torso section 82 of life jacket 80 adjacent to first strap 90. Life jacket 80 is adapted to be worn beneath outer jacket 12. The life jacket 80 includes a battery-powered rescue light 94 contained in an inner pocket 96. The rescue light 94 includes a sensor 98 situated on the surface thereof wherein the sensor 98 activates the rescue light 94 when the sensor 98 contacts salt or fresh water. Preferably, the rescue light 94 produces a high intensity beam having a visibility of approximately one mile. Such lights are presently available and, therefore, is not described herein in detail.
It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be' limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.