WO2008050959A1

WO2008050959A1 - Freely size-controllable outerwear

Info

Publication number: WO2008050959A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/004872
Authority: WO
Inventors: Uk Kim
Original assignee: Techwarm Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2006-10-23
Filing date: 2007-10-05
Publication date: 2008-05-02
Also published as: KR100710422B1

Abstract

The present invention provides a size-adjustable outerwear. The outerwear of the present invention includes a front part (10), a rear part (20), overlapping flaps (12a) and (12b), which are provided between the front part and the rear part, and Velcro tapes (P), which are provided on the overlapping flaps and overlapping portions (22a) and (22b) of the front part or the rear part. In the Velcro tapes, in the case of each overlapping flap, a hook part is disposed at a side adjacent to an end of the overlapping flap, and a loop part is disposed at a side adjacent to the front part or the rear part, and, in the case of each overlapping portion, a loop part is disposed at a side adjacent to an end of the overlapping portion, and a hook part is disposed at a side adjacent to the center of the front part or the rear part.

Description

Description FREELY SIZE-CONTROLLABLE OUTERWEAR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates, in general, to size-adjustable outerwear and, more particularly, to size-adjustable outerwear which can be adjusted in size to correspond to the body size of a user, and is constructed such that portions of a garment of the user that contact parts of the outerwear are prevented from being damaged, and such that superior wearing comfort is ensured.

[2] Generally, vests are representative examples of supplemental outerwear to be used to keep user's temperature at normal levels in response to an increase or reduction in atmospheric temperature depending on a change in surroundings when the user is outdoors in the summer or winter. Typically, such a vest is used in a manner in which the user puts on the vest over other clothing. According to the age or sex of the user, vests are classified into vests for children and for teenagers, or vests for men and for women. Vests have been sold as a type of ready-made clothes, which were made in preset shoulder and waist sizes appropriate for the target groups.

[3] However, in the case of outerwear for children and teenagers, because a user grows very quickly, that is, because the body of the user changes quickly, after several months have passed from the time of purchase of supplemental outerwear, the outerwear may not suit the user because of the growth and change of the user's body, with the result that the user must purchase new outerwear, thereby increasing an economic burden.

[4] Furthermore, in the case of outerwear for men and for women, although the outerwear is manufactured in various sizes, because the outerwear has only standardized dimensions, it cannot satisfactorily respond to differences in the bodies of users according to physical characteristics, for example, the shoulder of the user may be wide or narrow, or the waist may be slender or big. Therefore, the outerwear may be too loose or tight for the body of the user, so that it is inconvenient and burdensome for the user to wear the outerwear and to move after wearing it. Due to these problems, the intended purpose of the supplemental outerwear may be damaged, or the user may dislike wearing the supplemental outerwear. Background Art

[5] To solve the above-mentioned problems, techniques that pertain to outerwear which is adjustable in size using slide fasteners and Velcro tapes have been proposed.

[6] A representative example of such techniques was proposed in Korean Utility Model

Laid-Open Publication No. 1999-33536 (Utility Model Owner: Jaekyu Park, Publication Date: Aug. 5, 1999), which is entitled 'SAFETY VEST'.

[7] As shown in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned Utility Model relates to a safety vest, which is used for ensuring the safety of a worker who works on a road at night. In the safety vest, shoulder bands 7 of a front part 2, which are parallel to each other, are crossed on a rear part 3 to form an X-shape. A reflective fabric is sewn onto the front part. The safety vest is opened or closed using a slide fastener 11 or a Velcro tape fastener 6, which is provided in the front part 2. The shoulder bands 7 of the front part 2 are separable from respective portions of the vest that correspond to the shoulders of the user. For this, a Velcro tape fastener 8 for adjustment in length is provided on the inner surface of each shoulder band 7 such that the shoulder band 7 is adjustable in length when attached to the rear part.

[8] However, in this Utility Model, when the Velcro tape fastener 6 or the slide fastener

11 is brought into contact with a garment of the user, because a hook part of the Velcro tape fastener 6 comes into contact with the garment of the user, the garment may be damaged. Furthermore, this technique is configured such that, when the Velcro tape fastener 6 is locked, a flap, which is provided on the rear part, is attached to the front surface of the front part. Therefore, there are disadvantages in that the external appearance is deteriorated, and the fit may be easily loosened when the user touches the locking parts while working. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[9] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide size-adjustable outerwear in which Velcro tapes are provided on overlapping flaps and overlapping portions to fit the body size of a user, so that, when wearing the outerwear, the user can easily adjust the size of the outerwear to correspond to his/her body size.

[10] Another object of the present invention is to provide size-adjustable outerwear which is constructed such that, when wearing the outerwear, loop parts, which are soft, come into contact with a garment of the user, thus preventing the garment, which contact the outerwear, from being damaged, and ensuring superior wearing comfort.

[11] A further object of the present invention is to provide size-adjustable outerwear which is constructed such that it is easy to adjust the size thereof, and to wear it using the Velcro tapes and a slide fastener, so that anyone can easily wear the outerwear. Technical Solution

[12] In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a size- adjustable outerwear, including: a front part; a rear part; an overlapping flap provided between the front part and the rear part; and Velcro tapes provided on the overlapping flap and an overlapping portion of the front part or the rear part which is disposed inside the overlapping flap or is provided on the overlapping flap and the overlapping portions of the front and rear parts, wherein, [13] in the Velcro tapes,

[14] based on a boundary of the overlapping flap, within which the size of the outerwear is adjustable, [15] a hook part is disposed at a side adjacent to an end of the overlapping flap, and a loop part is disposed at a side adjacent to the front part or the rear part, and, [16] based on a boundary of the overlapping portion within which the size of the outerwear is adjustable, [17] a loop part is disposed at a side adjacent to an end of the overlapping portion, and a hook part is disposed at a side adjacent to a center of the front part or the rear part. [18] Preferably, the overlapping flap is coupled to the front part to ensure the superior external appearance.

[19] Furthermore, the size-adjustable outerwear may comprise a vest. The size- adjustable outerwear may further include a heating element that is powered by a portable battery. In addition, the size-adjustable outerwear may further include a slide fastener provided in the front part. [20] To set the direction in the drawings for description of the size-adjustable outerwear according to the present invention, [21] in a state in which the outerwear is assembled using the overlapping flaps 12a and

12b, [22] a part having a slide fastener 30 will be indicated as a front part, and a part, opposite the front part, will be indicated as a rear part.

Advantageous Effects

[23] In the size-adjustable outerwear according to the present invention, Velcro tapes are provided on overlapping flaps and overlapping portions to respond to various body sizes of users, so that, when wearing the outerwear, a user can easily adjust the size of the outerwear to correspond to his/her body size. Therefore, after purchasing the outerwear, it is unnecessary to repurchase a new outerwear when the body size of the user is changed. Furthermore, the size-adjustable outerwear is constructed such that, when wearing the outerwear, loop parts, which are soft, come into contact with a garment of the user, thus preventing portions of the garment that contact the outerwear from being damaged, and ensuring superior wearing comfort. In addition, because it is convenient to wear the outwear, anyone can easily wear the outerwear without distinction as to age or sex. As well, the outerwear of the present invention has a heating element, which is operated using a portable battery, so that it can keep the user's temperature at normal levels even when the user is outdoors in the winter. Brief Description of the Drawings

[24] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional technique;

[25] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of size-adjustable outerwear according to an embodiment of the present invention; [26] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the size-adjustable outerwear according to the embodiment of the present invention; and [27] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the size-adjustable outerwear according to the embodiment of the present invention. [28] <Description of the elements in the drawings>

[29] 10: front part 12a, 12b: overlapping flap

[30] 20: rear part 22a, 22b: overlapping portion

[31] 30: slide fastener P: Velcro tape

[32] Pa: hook part Pb: loop part

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [33] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. [34] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the size-adjustable outerwear according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a front part 10 and a rear part 20, which are physically separable from each other. [35] The front part 10 and the rear part 20 are coupled to each other using Velcro tapes

P, which are provided both on overlapping flaps 12a and 12b, which integrally extend from the front part, and on the overlapping portions 22a and 22b, which are provided on the rear part such that, when the front and rear parts 10 and 20 are coupled to each other, the overlapping portions are disposed inside the corresponding overlapping flaps. [36] The gist of the present invention is the facts that, in a state in which a user wears the front and rear parts 10 and 20, adjusts the degree to which the overlapping flaps 12a and 12b and the overlapping portions 22a and 22b overlap, such that the outwear fits the upper body of the user, and fastens the Velcro tapes P of the overlapping flaps 12a and 12b and the overlapping portions 22a and 22b to each other, [37] first, hook parts, which are rougher than loop parts and are easily stuck to other fabric or cloth, are prevented from being exposed outside, and [38] second, the loop part and the hook part are provided together on each of the overlapping flaps 12a and 12b and the overlapping portions 22a and 22b, so that the coupling force between the front and rear parts is increased. [39] To achieve the above-mentioned purposes, in each overlapping flap 12a, 12b, which extends from the front part, based on the boundary within which the size of the outerwear is adjustable to respond to the body size of the user, a hook part Pa is disposed at a side adjacent to the end of the overlapping flap, and a loop part Pb is disposed at a side adjacent to the front part 10.

[40] Furthermore, in each overlapping portion 22a, 22b of the rear part 20, based on a boundary within which the size of the outerwear is adjustable, a loop part Pb is disposed at the side adjacent to the end of the overlapping portion, and a hook part Pa is disposed at the side adjacent to the center of the corresponding front part 10 or the rear part 20.

[41] Therefore, when the front and rear parts 10 and 20 are coupled to each other, the hook parts are always disposed between, that is, inside, the overlapping flaps and the corresponding overlapping portions.

[42] As such, because the hook parts Pa are in the covered state when the front and rear parts are coupled to each other, the hook parts are prevented from contacting other garments of the user, thus preventing the garments from being damaged.

[43] The overlapping flaps may have various size and be provided in various arrangements depending on the kind of outerwear or the intended purpose thereof.

[44] Unlike the drawings, the overlapping flaps may be integrated with the rear part or may be separably coupled to the front and rear parts.

[45] Furthermore, in the case where the overlapping flaps are integrally coupled to the rear part, overlapping portions, which have thereon Velcro tapes corresponding to Velcro tapes that are provided on the inner surfaces of the respective overlapping flaps, are provided on the front part. A hook part and a loop part are appropriately arranged on each Velcro tape in the same manner as that of the above description.

[46] As shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, of the overlapping flaps 12a and 12b, the overlapping flaps 12a, which are disposed at upper positions, are integrally coupled to the front part 10 to surround the shoulders of the user. The upper overlapping flaps of the front part are coupled to the rear part at appropriate positions depending on the size of the shoulders of the user. The lower overlapping flaps 12b of the front part surround the waist and the lower abdomen of the user and are coupled to the rear part at appropriate positions to correspond to the size of the user.

[47] In addition, a heating element (not shown), which is operated using a portable battery, may be provided in each of the front and rear parts 10 and 20 to keep the user's temperature at a normal level when the outerwear is used outdoors in the winter. In the case where it is desired to continuously put on and take off the outerwear after the lengths of the overlapping flaps 12a and 12b have been adjusted to correspond to the sizes of the shoulders and the waist of the user and are coupled to the respective overlapping portions 22a and 22b, a slide fastener 30, which is provided in the front part 10, can be used to conveniently put on and take off the outerwear without conducting the processes of attaching and detaching the Velcro tapes to and from each other.

[48] As shown in FIG. 4, each overlapping portion 22b, which is provided on the rear part 20, is continuous in a longitudinal direction such that the lengths of the overlapping flaps can be adjusted to fit the size of the waist of the user. Furthermore, because the several overlapping portions 22b are provided, each overlapping flap can be adjusted in length in response to each of the waist and lower abdomen of the user.

[49] To wear the outerwear of the present invention, having the above-mentioned construction, the overlapping flaps 12a and 12b are detached from the overlapping portions 22a and 22b, and the slide fastener 30 is opened. Thereafter, the hook parts Pa, which are disposed on the overlapping portions 22b, are attached to the corresponding loop parts Pb of the front part 10.

[50] In this state, the user wears the front part 10 and the rear part 20. Subsequently, the hook parts Pa of the overlapping flaps 12a are attached to the corresponding loop parts Pb of the overlapping portions 22a of the rear part 20 at appropriate positions such that the lengths thereof are suitable for the size of the shoulders of the user.

[51] Thereafter, the hook parts Pa, which are provided on the overlapping portions 12b, are attached to the corresponding loop parts Pb of the overlapping portions 22b at appropriate positions such that the lengths thereof are suitable for the sizes of the waist and lower abdomen of the user. The slide fastener 30 of the front part 10 is thereafter closed.

[52] Here, the heating elements, which are powered by the portable battery, may be provided in insertion spaces (not shown), which are formed in the front part 10 and the rear part 20, in order to maintain the user's temperature in the winter.

[53] In the present invention, when the outerwear is stored, the front part 10 and the rear part 20 can be separated from each other and are independently stored after each is folded, so that there are advantages in that the volume thereof can be reduced, and it is convenient to carry.

[54] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed for illustrative purposes, the bounds of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiment, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. For example, each element of the present invention may have a shape and structure different from that of the above embodiment.

Claims

[1] A size-adjustable outerwear, comprising: a front part; a rear part; an overlapping flap provided between the front part and the rear part; and

Velcro tapes, provided on the overlapping flap and an overlapping portion of the front part or the rear part, which is disposed inside the overlapping flap, or provided on the overlapping flap and the overlapping portions of the front and rear parts, wherein, in the Velcro tapes, based on a boundary of the overlapping flap, within which the size of the outerwear is adjustable, a hook part is disposed at a side adjacent to an end of the overlapping flap, and a loop part is disposed at a side adjacent to the front part or the rear part, and, based on a boundary of the overlapping portion within which the size of the outerwear is adjustable, a loop part is disposed at a side adjacent to an end of the overlapping portion, and a hook part is disposed at a side adjacent to a center of the front part or the rear part.

[2] The size-adjustable outerwear according to claim 1, wherein the overlapping flap is coupled to the front part.

[3] The size-adjustable outerwear according to claim 1, comprising a vest.

[4] The size-adjustable outerwear according to any one of claims 1 through 3, further comprising: a heating element that is powered by a portable battery. [5] The size-adjustable outerwear according to any one of claims 1 through 3, further comprising: a slide fastener provided in the front part.