FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein relate generally to an article of apparel, and more specifically to an article of apparel in which a retractable extension from a body portion can be selectively utilized to cover the wearer's face, head, arms, or legs.

The present invention relates generally to headwear, and more particularly to an article of headwear such as a cap, hat, hood or helmet, and an accessory, such as a goggle or bandanna, stored in the headwear and selectively moved into a position over the wearer's face.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is typical, that when wearing outerwear, the user would prefer to have the choice of removing portions of his clothing, or adding portions, depending on the weather or the time or day. For example, in the early morning, he may leave the house with a full jacket, where the sleeves are present. As the day goes on, and the sun shines brighter and the heat rises, he may prefer to not have sleeves. In typical designs, it is common practice to un-zip or unbutton the sleeves from a main body portion. The wearer then has to store the sleeves somewhere not on the main body, making it quite common for the wearer to lose the sleeves. As the day goes on, he may begin to get cold again. He therefore has to find where he put the sleeves, and reattach the sleeves to the main body portion. It is typical that the reattaching of the sleeves by buttoning or zipping them to the body can be difficult, time consuming, and frustrating. The zippers or the button snaps have to line up exactly, taking more than a few minutes. The same scenario is relevant to the use of pants with removable legs, jackets with removable hoods, or hoods with removable bandannas.

It is an object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein to provide a jacket or shirt that has retractable sleeves, which, when retracted, remain in a storage region within the main body of the article of apparel.

It is also an object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein to provide an item of headwear that has a retractable face covering, which, when retracted, remains in a storage region within the main body of the headwear.

It is further an object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein to provide a jacket that has a retractable hood, which, when retracted, also remains in a storage region within the main jacket.

It is yet a further object of the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein, to provide shorts that have a retractable pant leg, which, when retracted, remain in a storage region within the main body of the shorts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To these ends, the methods, apparatus, and systems described herein are directed to items of apparel in which an extension of material from a main body is stored in a first position where it remains in a storage region. It is then placed in a second open position, where the excess material of the main article is used as an extension of the main body. A retention mechanism is attached to the extension of material and then is passed through a region in the main body portion, so that when the retention mechanism is pulled through the area of the main body portion, the extended material moves from its second open position back to its first stored position within the storage region.

The main body portion may consist of a hood or a hat with an extended face covering. It may consist of shorts and extended material in the form of pant legs. It may also be in the form of a jacket or shirt, wherein the extension extends from the neck area up and over one's head to form a hood. In another aspect of the articles of apparel described herein, the main body portion may be a vest, wherein the extended material is present in the form of sleeves that extend from the storage region and cover one's arms, forming a full jacket.

In some embodiments, an article of apparel is provided that includes a body portion having a storage region and an extension normally positioned in a first, open position and a retention means operably secured to said extension and being effective when manually pulled to move said extension from its said first position to a second, storage position within said storage region. The article of apparel may include embodiments in which the body portion is an article of headwear. Additionally, or alternatively, the article of apparel may include embodiments in which the retention means include a string.

In a related aspect, an article of apparel is provided in some embodiments that may include a body portion having a storage region formed therein and an extension normally positioned in a first, open position, and a retention means operably secured to said extension and passing through a region of said body portion, said retention means being effective when manually pulled to move said extension from its said first position to a second position within said storage region.

The following features may be present in the article of apparel in any suitable combination. The body portion may be an article of headwear, and said extension is a face covering in some embodiments. In such embodiments, the headwear may be a hood. The retention means may include a string attached to an end of said extension. Alternatively, or additionally, the retention means may include a band that can be transformed into a string. In some embodiments, the article may be a jacket, and said extension is a sleeve. In some other embodiments, the article may be a pair of shorts, and said extension is a pant leg.

In some embodiments, the invention may comprise headwear having a storage region and extension normally stored in a first stored position within said storage region, and a retention means operably secured to said extension for moving, when manually engaged, said extension from its said first position to a second, engaged position across the wearer's face, and a means provided for separably attaching said extension at a location on an alternate side of the headwear may be provided.

Further, in some embodiments, a jacket having a storage region, a hood normally stored in said storage region, and means operably secured to said hood to move, when manually engaged, said hood from its said first position to a second position over the wearer's head, and means provided for separably attaching said hood at a position on an alternate location on the jacket may be provided.

In another related aspect, an article of apparel may be provided in some embodiments having a storage region and an extension normally in a first, exposed position, with the said extension having a normally secured opening through which an appendage passes, and manually operable means operably secured to said extension for moving said extension from its said first position to a second, stored position within said storage region. In such embodiments, the extension may include a sleeve of a jacket or shirt. Conversely, or additionally, the extension may be a pant leg of a pair of shorts.

Another related aspect may be provided in some embodiments in which an article of apparel may have a body, a storage region formed in said body, and an extension normally positioned in a first, exposed position and a normally secured opening that allows an appendage of said wearer to pass through said opening, and a manually operable retention means operably secured to said appendage for moving said extension from its said first position to a second storage position within said storage region, said retention means passing through a second opening in said body. In such embodiments, the extension may include a sleeve of a jacket or shirt. Conversely, or additionally, the extension may be a pant leg of a pair of shorts. The extension may be a mask extending from an item of headwear in some such embodiments. Alternatively, or additionally, the extension may be a hood extending from a jacket.

In some embodiments, an article of apparel may be provided that has a storage region and an extension stored in a first position within said storage region, and means operably secured to said extension for moving said extension to a second exposed external to the article and for then returning said extension to its said first position by manually grabbing said extension from inside the article. In such embodiments, the extension may include a sleeve of a jacket or shirt. Conversely, or additionally, the extension may be a pant leg of a pair of shorts.

Provided in some embodiments may be a self-storing pocket on an article of clothing having a main body portion, said pocket being formed when a retention mechanism operably secured to an extension of material extending from said main body portion is moved through an area on said main body portion, thereby causing said extension to fold into itself. In such embodiments, the extension may be a mask extending from an item of headwear. The extension may be a hood extending from a jacket; the extension may be a sleeve extending from a jacket. In some embodiments, the extension may be a pant leg extending from a pair of shorts.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an item of headwear and an associated accessory in which the accessory can be readily placed in position for use when desired and returned to its original, stored position after its use.

It is another object of the invention to provide an item of headwear as described, in which the accessory may be easily adjusted over the wearer's face so as to achieve an improved fit and snugness.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an item of headwear as described in which the accessory is securely retained in the headwear when not in use in a manner that does not materially change the overall appearance of the headwear.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an item of headwear in which fogging of an eyewear lens or goggle during use is substantially prevented.

To these ends, the present invention is directed to an item of headwear and an accessory in which an accessory-storage area or pocket is provided on one side of the hat and in which the accessory is stored when it is not in use. When it is desired to deploy the accessory for use in protecting the wearer's face, the wearer grasps the free end of the accessory, pulls it out and away from its stored position and across his face, and then detachably secures the free end of the accessory to the opposite side of the hat. The wearer may adjust the tightness and fit of the accessory to optimally conform it to the size and shape of his face.

The accessory used with the headwear of the invention may be a goggle band, ski goggle, or bandanna. The accessory may be used, for example, in conjunction with the hood of a hooded sweatshirt, the hood of a jacket, a hat, a cap or a helmet.

In another aspect of the present invention, the headwear may include a non-permeable layer to prevent heat and moisture from the wearer from passing onto the lens of the adjacent goggle when it is in its rest or stored position, so that the lens is not fogged and the wearer's vision is not impaired when the goggle is in place over the wearer's eyes.

