SKIRT POCKET SYSTEM

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to skirt-related apparel and, more particularly, to a zipper on a skirt that opens access to a pocket attached to a lower garment worn underneath the skirt.

Individuals who like to wear a skirt, or dress comprising a bodice portion and a skirt portion, are sometimes disappointed that they must forego having a secure, hidden, modest, and controlled access to one or more pockets on the skirt since typically skirts do not provide pockets. This is because a pocket on a skirt is impractical due to the flowy nature of skirts, which would result in the skirt pocket not being secure and being too visible and bulky.

Thus, such individuals settle for having pockets on a lower garment, such as shorts, leggings, and the like, they are wearing underneath the skirt. These concealed lower garment pockets, however, are problematic because the wearer's only way of reaching the pocket would be to hike up the skirt, which only gets more problematic as the skirt gets longer. Therefore, if someone wearing a skirt were to engage in exercise, do chores, or go to work, utilizing conventional lower garment pockets underneath their skirt, such pockets would not be secure and not modestly reachable, making them troublesome and inconvenient.

As can be seen, there is a need for a zipper on a skirt that opens access to a pocket attached to a lower garment being worn underneath the skirt.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a secure skirt pocket system having a pocket on a concealed lower garment and not the skirt itself, wherein a discreet skirt zipper allows direct access from and through the skirt to the lower undergarment pocket. The concealed lower undergarment pocket allows a wearer of the present invention to securely keep their possessions on them, while the discrete skirt zipper allows for modest access to the concealed lower undergarment pocket.

In one aspect of the present invention, a skirt apparel system provides a zipper on a skirt portion of the skirt apparel system, wherein the zipper opens access, via a skirt aperture, to a pocket attached to a lower undergarment worn underneath the skirt.

In another aspect of the present invention, a skirt pocket system provides a skirt portion; a lower garment portion subjacent the skirt portion when the skirt pocket system is worn, wherein the lower garment portion provides at least one pocket; wherein for each pocket, an aperture in the skirt portion is above an opening of the pocket; and a detachable fastener configured to move the aperture between a closed condition and a plurality of open conditions enabling access through the skirt portion.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, the skirt pocket system further provides, wherein the skirt portion and the lower garment portion are joined, wherein the skirt portion and the lower garment portion are joined along a shared waistline, or wherein the skirt portion and the lower garment portion are removably joined; and further providing wherein the aperture is vertically oriented when the skirt pocket system is worn and wherein the opening of the pocket is horizontally oriented when the skirt pocket system is worn, or wherein the aperture is horizontally oriented when the skirt pocket system is worn; and wherein the detachable fastener is a zipper.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a detailed side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the motion involved in a wearer 20 moving the skirt aperture 15 to an open condition from a closed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out or implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a zipper on a skirt that opens access to a pocket attached to a lower garment worn underneath the skirt.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, the present invention may include a skirt apparel system 100 having a skirt portion 10 and a lower garment portion 12 that is worn underneath the skirt portion 10. The term skirt portion 10 is understood to encompass any garment that hangs down around the legs of the wearer, either fastened around the waist or unfastened around the waist as it is part of a dress; for example, the skirt could be used a flare skirt, an A-line skirt, a straight skirt, etc., or even the skirt portion of a dress or gown, or any outer garment providing a skirt portion. The term lower garment portion 12 is understood to encompass any piece of clothing that covers the human body below the navel, including but is not limited to leggings, shorts, etc., and is worn underneath the skirt 10. The present invention contemplates the skirt portion 10 and lower garment portion 12 being connected, as a one-piece, such as but not limited to being joined along a waistline of each. The present invention also contemplates the skirt portion 10 be disconnected from the lower garment portion 12. In yet other embodiments, the skirt portion 10 and the lower garment portion 12 may be removable connected so the present invention is configurable between a one-piece article of clothing or a two separate articles of clothing.

The skirt portion 10 provides at least one aperture 15 that communicates between an exterior surface of the skirt portion 10 with an interior surface of the skirt portion 10. Each aperture 15 is movable between a closed condition and one or more partial or fully open conditions, as illustrated in FIG. 4. A fastening device 14 engages a periphery of the aperture 15 to facilitate the movement between the one or more partial or fully open conditions and the closed condition, forming a secure engagement in the closed condition. The fastening device 14 may be a zipper or any other device that provides two flexible strips of metal or plastic with interlocking projections closed or opened by pulling a slide 18 along them. The present invention contemplates the aperture 15 being oriented in innumerable orientations, not just the vertical one shown in the appended Figures. In other words, the aperture 15 shown in the drawings could be rotated, about a midpoint, between zero and three hundred and sixty degrees and still be contemplated by the present invention. Likewise, the location of the aperture 15 would be anywhere along the skirt portion 10.

The lower garment portion 12 one or more pockets 16. At least one of these pockets 16 aligns with one of the at least one aperture 15 when both the skirt portion 10 and lower undergarment 12 is worn by a wearer 20. Accordingly, the wearer 20 can access a pocket 16 of the lower undergarment 12 through the aperture 15. In other words, there is access to pocket 16 of the lower garment portion 12 from the external environment, whereby the wearer of the skirt portion 10 is afforded discrete, modest and secure pockets.

A method of using the present invention could involve treating the skirt apparel system 100 as a two-layered pocket on a two-layered skirt with the lower garment portion 12 concealed under the skirt portion 10. There are no new pieces that are being added to the skirt portion 10, but there's a new way of using known parts of clothing. The zipper 14 does not lead to its own pocket, but rather opens the skirt 10 along its aperture 15 instead. Once this is done, someone can access a secure pocket that is attached to the lower garment portion 12—i.e., shorts/leggings—that are built into, separate from, and separable from the skirt portion 10.

As used in this application, the term “about” or “approximately” refers to a range of values within plus or minus 10% of the specified number. And the term “substantially” refers to up to 80% or more of an entirety. Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “aligned” means parallel, substantially parallel, or forming an angle of less than 35.0 degrees. For purposes of this disclosure, the term “transverse” means perpendicular, substantially perpendicular, or forming an angle between 55.0 and 125.0 degrees. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “length” means the longest dimension of an object. Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “width” means the dimension of an object from side to side. For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “above” generally means superjacent, substantially superjacent, or higher than another object although not necessarily directly overlying the object as long as a wearer 20 could pass their hand through the aperture 15 in the open condition and access the underlying pocket 16 of the lower garment portion 12. Further, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “mechanical communication” generally refers to components being in direct physical contact with each other or being in indirect physical contact with each other where movement of one component affect the position of the other.

The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,” or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments or the claims. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosed embodiments.

In the following description, it is understood that terms such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” “up,” “down,” and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms unless specifically stated to the contrary.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.