PREGNANCY JACKET

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM/INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This application claims priority to the U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/471,511 filed on Jun. 7, 2023 and entitled “Pregnancy Jacket,” the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to adjustable apparel designed to assist women experiencing different stages of pregnancy.

Many maternity garments have been developed over the years to address various problems associated with providing appropriate clothing and support to women during pregnancy. There are various garments in the market that aim to assist people experiencing pregnancy and during post-partum stages. Pregnant individuals generally look for clothing that can accommodate their growing stomach bump as pregnancy progresses. They also seek comfortable and adjustable clothing postpartum, during which their bodies continue to experience changes in size and shape. It can be uncomfortable for pregnant people to wear certain clothing that does not provide them with an adequate amount of room for their pregnancy bump. Furthermore, jackets are not commonly designed for people experiencing pregnancy and postpartum stages. Jackets are essential to provide protection in the wind, rain, snow, and freezing weather. People who experience pregnancy should have the luxury of having jackets that provide such type of protection while also conforming to their body's growing size as their pregnancy progresses. With this, there is also a lack of athletic jacket wear that can accommodate pregnant individuals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an expandable maternity jacket that can accommodate the changing size of a pregnant or postpartum wearer's torso. The jacket comprises a jacket portion designed to cover the upper and torso portions of the wearer's body. A multi-zipper system is positioned on the front and side portions of the jacket, configured to expand or contract the fabric to accommodate the wearer's changing torso size. The jacket further comprises at least one removable front panel fabric that can be attached to the multi-zipper system on the front portion of the jacket, expanding the garment. The jacket further comprises at least two side panel fabrics in which at least one is located on each side of the jacket portion, with the side portions of the multi-zipper system enabling the side panel fabric to expand or contract, accommodating the wearer's changing torso size. The removable front panel fabric and side panel fabric may be made of waterproof, windproof, or some other similar material.

In one embodiment, the front fabric panel further includes zippers on both sides to provide a means for attaching to the zippers on the front portion of the jacket. The multi-zipper system positioned on the front portion of the jacket enables the removable front panel fabric to attach to the front portion of the jacket, expanding the jacket laterally by about three inches. Each side panel enables the jacket to expand laterally by about six inches. The zippers on the front portion of the jacket unzip to detach the removable front panel fabric from the front portion of the jacket, enabling the jacket to reduce in size. Both side panel zippers on each side of the jacket zip closed, enabling the jacket to reduce in size.

The zippers on the right and left sides of the front panel fabric attach to the zippers on the front portion of the jacket, and side panel zippers zip open to expose the under-layer of the side panel fabric, enabling expansion of the garment. In one embodiment, the zippers on the front portion of the jacket unzip to detach the removable 3-inch front fabric panel from the front portion of the jacket, enabling the jacket to reduce in size. The 3-inch removable front panel fabric can be detached and the side panels with 6-inch fabric can be completely zipped on both sides of the jacket, constricting the jack by approximately 15 inches to its original size. The 3-inch removable front panel fabric can be attached to the front of the jacket while both the side panels with 6-inch fabric can be completely unzipped on both sides of the jacket, expanding the jacket by approximately 15 inches from its original size.

In another embodiment, the jacket comprises of a jacket portion that is configured to substantially cover the upper portion and torso of a wearer's body, featuring a multi-zipper system positioned on the front and side portions of the jacket thereby allowing the maternity jacket to expand or constrict to accommodate the wearer's changing torso size. This embodiment also sees the jacket comprise of at least one 3-inch removable front panel fabric, enabling attachment to the front portion of the jacket to expand the garment, as well as at least two 6-inch side panel fabrics substantially located on the jacket portion on both sides of the wearer's torso having side portions of the multi-zipper system enabling the side panel fabric to expand or constrict said side portions of the jacket. This embodiment also comprises a puffer jacket with removable front panel fabric and side panel fabric that is made of insulated material, and a shell jacket with removable front panel fabric and side panel fabric that is made of a thermally insulated material, including polyester or other similar material on the puffer jacket, or of a waterproof material, including nylon or other similar material on the shell jacket. The puffer jacket and shell jacket can be worn together as a single unit or exclusively.

The zippers on the sides of the jacket unzip to expand it by about 6 inches on each side of the puffer jacket and the shell jacket, expanding it by about 12 inches. The 3-inch removable front panel fabric can be attached, and the side panels with 6-inch fabric can be unzipped entirely on both sides of the jacket, expanding the jacket by 15 inches from its original size. In one embodiment, the 3-inch removable front panel fabric can be detached and the side panels with 6-inch fabric can be completely zipped on both sides of the jacket, constricting the jacket by approximately 15 inches to its original size.

In yet another embodiment, the jacket system comprises an insulated puffer jacket, a waterproof shell jacket, a front bib, side panels on the left and right portion of both the puffer jacket and the shell jacket that unzips to expand each jacket on both right and left sides, and expandable stretch fabric within each of the zippers. The side panels expand each jacket on both the right side and left side of the jacket by approximately six inches. The front bib or otherwise frontal portion of the garment unzips to expand six inches of expendable stretch fabric in the front of the jacket. The puffer jacket and outer shell can be worn together as a single unit. Alternatively, the outer shell layer can be worn by itself exclusively, or the puffer jacket exclusively. Which layer or layers the wearer wears would depend on the weather conditions and the wearer's needs.

In yet another contemplated embodiment, the front of the jacket is configured to include up to two pieces of optional excess fabrics, including one fixed piece of fabric about three inches in width and permanently attached to the jacket, running vertically from the bottom to the top of the jacket. The permanent fabric includes zipper teeth on the unattached side of the fabric, designed to zip to the front of the jacket when the wearer desires, resulting in a three-inch expansion of the lateral size of the jacket. In this embodiment, the wearer may add a fully removable fabric, also about three inches in width but with zipper teeth running vertically on both sides of the fully removable fabric, designed to be attached to the permanent excess fabric on one vertical side, and to the front of the jacket on the other side.

In this embodiment, the jacket can be zipped closed without use of any excess fabric, and the permanently attached excess fabric may be stored away into a lapel located in the front of the jacket or elsewhere for safekeeping. If the wearer so desires, they may use neither the permanent excess fabric nor the fully removable excess fabric and wear the jacket at its original size. Alternatively, the wearer may only use the permanently attached excess fabric, by zipping the excess fabric to the front of the jacket, resulting in about a three-inch expansion from the original size of the jacket. Alternatively, the wearer may decide to use both the permanent excess fabric and the fully removable excess fabric, resulting in about a six-inch lateral expansion of the jacket. The wearer may do this by zipping the fully removable excess fabric to the permanent excess fabric on one side and to the jacket itself on the other side. Whether to use any excess fabrics, one, both, or neither, is determined by the wearer after considering the wearer's body size at the time and other considerations.

One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a maternity jacket comprising: a jacket portion designed to cover the upper and torso portions of a wearer's body; a multi-zipper system positioned on the front and side portions of the jacket, configured to expand or contract the fabric to accommodate the wearer's changing torso size; at least one removable front panel fabric that can be attached to the multi-zipper system on the front portion of the jacket, expanding the garment; and at least two side panel fabrics with at least one located on each side of the jacket portion, with the side portions of the multi-zipper system enabling the side panel fabric to expand or contract, accommodating the wearer's changing torso size.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a maternity jacket comprising: a jacket portion configured to substantially cover the upper portion and torso of a wearer's body; a multi-zipper system positioned on the front and side portions of the jacket, allowing the maternity jacket to expand or constrict to accommodate the wearer's changing torso size; at least one 3-inch removable front panel fabric, enabling attachment to the front portion of the jacket to expand the garment; at least two 6-inch side panel fabrics with at least one located on each side of the jacket portion on both sides of the wearer's torso having side portions of the multi-zipper system enable the side panel fabric to expand or contract said side portions of the jacket; a puffer jacket with removable front panel fabric and side panel fabric are made of insulated material; and a shell jacket with removable front panel fabric and side panel fabric made of waterproof material.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a jacket system for pregnant and postpartum wearers, comprising: an insulated puffer jacket; a waterproof shell jacket; a front bib; side panels on the left and right portion of the puffer jacket and the shell jacket that unzip to expand each jacket on both right and left sides; and an expandable stretch fabric within each of the zippers.

It is thus among the objects of the invention to provide an improved jacket garment for accommodating the changes in a person's shape during pregnancy. This and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following descriptions, and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the various embodiments described herein and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings which show at least one exemplary embodiment, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one preferred embodiment of a garment embodying the invention with the front central removal insert with zipper teeth on either side secured to the front left and front panel of the garment, but the left-side and right-side zippers partially open, exposing part of the expandable left-side and right-side panel fabric.

FIG. 2 is a left-side view of the garment illustrated in FIG. 1 with the left-side zipper chain fully open, exposing the expandable left-side panel fabric.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the garment interior illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the left-side and right-side zipper chains fully open, fully exposing the fully expanded left-side and right-side panel fabrics, along with the central removable front panel fabric secured to the zipper teeth of the front-right panel of the garment.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the garment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 with a view of the hood and face guard.

FIG. 5 is a left-side view of the garment illustrated in FIG. 4 with the left-side zipper chain fully open, exposing the expandable left-side panel fabric.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the garment interior illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the left-side and right-side zipper chains fully open, exposing the fully expanded left-side and right-side panel fabrics, along with the central removable front panel fabric secured to the zipper teeth of the front-right panel of the garment.

FIG. 7 is a left-side exterior view of the garment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 with the left-side panel zipper chain fully closed.

FIG. 8 is a left side interior view of the garment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 and 7 with the left-side panel zipper chain fully closed and the left-side panel expandable fabric compressed.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the garment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, 7 and 8 with the left-side and right-side panel zipper chains fully closed, the left-side and right-side expandable panel fabrics fully compressed, and the central removable front panel fabric secured to the zipper teeth of the front-right panel of the garment.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the jacket open without the central removable front panel fabric, where the removable front panel fabric is separate from the jacket system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A garment that expands by the use of a combination of zippers and fabric in both the front and sides of jackets would be of great benefit to pregnant people. Thus, an apparatus that allows for expandable maternity apparel would be well received in the art. For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein would be contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting.

The term “some” as used herein is to be understood as “none or one or more than one or all.” Accordingly, the terms, “none,” “one” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to all embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching, and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features. It does not in any way limit, restrict, or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents. More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do not specify an exact limitation or restriction, and certainly do not exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must not be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “must comprise” or “need to include.”

Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element” do not preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there needs to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more elements is required.”

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skills in the art.

Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfill the requirements of uniqueness, utility and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms including, but not limited to “a first embodiment,” a further embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” further embodiment” or variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

Any particular, and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should not necessarily be taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As regarding nomenclature used in describing the invention, when using the terms “left” and “right”, reference should be made to the garment as illustrated in FIG. 1. The “right” side of the garment is the right side of the garment as worn. Consequently, the “right” side of the garment appears on the left in FIG. 1, and the “left” side of the garment appears on the right in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an adjustable maternity jacket system with a neck collar 10, front panel 12, central removable front panel fabric 14 attached to the jacket with zippers 16, and side panel zippers 20 with side panel fabric 22 that is the same material as the jacket. The central removable front panel fabric 14 is the same material as the front panel of the jacket 12, and is approximately three inches wide. The central removable front panel fabric 14 and the side panel fabrics 22 are the same material as the jacket. In some embodiments like FIGS. 1 through 3, the central removable front panel fabric 14 and side panel fabrics 22 has polyester for the puffer jacket, which is depicted in FIGS. 1 through 3. In other embodiments like FIGS. 4 through 6, the front central removable front panel fabric 14 and side panel fabrics 22 has nylon for the shell jacket, which is depicted in FIGS. 4 through 6. The central removable front panel fabric 14 may include a plurality of zipper teeth on either side that zip 16 to attach to the front panels of the jacket. The central removable front panel fabric 14 and corresponding zippers 16 run approximately twenty-six inches in length each, from the bottom hem of the jacket to the top of the neck collar 10. The zipper pull on the central removable front panel fabric 14 may be permanently affixed to the front right exterior zipper 16 of the insert 14 and may attach to the front right panel of the jacket 12. The permanent zipper pull on the jacket that is used when the central removable front panel fabric is detached 14, may be permanently affixed to the front left panel of the jacket, and may attach directly to the front right panel of the jacket when the central removable front panel fabric 14 is detached.

FIG. 2 illustrates the left side panel of the puffer jacket with an open side panel zipper 20 and side panel fabric 22. The side panel fabric 22 is approximately six inches wide from the bottom hem of the jacket. The side panel zippers 20 on the left and right-side panels of the jacket may run approximately twelve and a half inches in length, from the bottom hems of the side panels of the jacket to below the arm holes of the jacket. The left side panel of the jacket is a mirror image of the right-side panel.

FIG. 3 illustrates the jacket system in a fully expanded state. The front central removable front panel fabric 14 is attached to the front right panel of the puffer jacket 12 and both side panel zippers 20 are fully open with both side panel fabrics 22 expanded. The puffer jacket may expand approximately fifteen inches wide at the base when the front central three-inch-wide removable insert 14 is attached and the two six-inch-wide side panel fabrics 22 on the left and right-side panels of the jacket are fully unzipped. In some embodiments, the jacket may be expanded by unzipping the left and right-side panel zippers 20 and detaching the central removable front panel fabric 14, for approximately twelve inches of expansion at the base of the jacket. In another embodiment, the central removable front panel fabric 14 may be attached with the left and right-side panel zippers 20 fully zipped, for approximately three inches of expansion in the front of the jacket. In other embodiments, the front central removable front panel fabric 14 may be attached or detached with variations in partially or fully zipping the left and right-side panel zippers 20 to adjust the level of expansion required during pregnancy and post-partum.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the adjustable jacket system in FIG. 1 with a supplemental hood 32 and face guard 34. The material of the hood 32 of the jacket is nylon to match the material of the shell jacket which is also nylon. The front central removable front panel fabric 14 and two side panel fabrics 22 on the shell jacket illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6 include nylon material.

FIG. 5 is a view of the side panel fabric 22 in nylon with the side panel zipper 20.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of FIG. 3 with the shell jacket and the hood 32. The shell jacket may be fully expanded with the front central removable front panel fabric 14 attached and two side panel fabrics 22 fully expanded for a total of approximately fifteen inches of expansion at the base of the jacket.

In some embodiments, FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a left side interior view of the mirror-image side panels of the jacket system with the side panel zippers 20 fully zipped. The side panel fabric 22 may be compressed or folded into the interior of the jacket when the side panel zippers 20 are fully zipped.

In another embodiment, FIG. 9 illustrates the jacket expanded with the front central removable front panel fabric 14 attached to the front right panel 12 of the jacket, and the two side panel zippers 20 fully zipped, and the two six-inch side panel fabrics 22 fully compressed.

In another embodiment, FIG. 10 illustrates the jacket without the front central removable front panel fabric 14 attached to the front of the jacket zippers 16. The three-inch front central removable front panel fabric 14 is detached from the jacket and the two six-inch side panel fabrics 22 are partially unzipped.

In some embodiments, the jacket system may be an insulated puffer material. In another embodiment, the jacket system may be a waterproof or water-resistant shell. In other embodiments, the jacket system as viewed in FIG. 1 may be worn underneath the jacket system as viewed in FIG. 4. The two jacket systems may be worn and utilized separately or together and may be interchangeably or simultaneously expanded.

In one embodiment the polyester puffer jacket as viewed in FIG. 1 may partially expand, for example, with the front central removable front panel fabric 14 attached, and worn underneath a partially expanded nylon shell jacket as viewed in FIG. 4 with the central removable front panel fabric 14 attached or detached, depending on the adjustments of zipping or unzipping the side panel zippers 20.

The description of the present invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.