CULINARY GARMENT

Description

BACKGROUND

The field of disclosure relates generally to protective garments, and more particularly, to culinary garments for protecting the front and back of torso area.

Culinary users (e.g., chefs and cooks) typically wear a protective garment over their torso area when cooking, particularly with hot liquids or materials that risk staining the clothes of the wearer. One option is a coat or jacket, typically worn by chefs or cooks working in the culinary service industry, that covers the front and back of the torso area and includes sleeves for arm protection. Culinary coats can be made of a heat insulating clothing material, such as heavy cotton or polyester, that restricts movement of the wearer, particularly in the arms. Another option is an apron, that is sleeveless but also less protective of the wearer’s torso area, particularly in the back.

A need exists in the culinary field for a garment that provides sufficient protection for the wearer while also enabling more convenient movement for the wearer.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a sleeveless culinary garment, also referred to as a coat, a jacket, or a vest, that protects the torso of the wearer while also enabling convenient movement of the wearer’s arms. The culinary garment can be worn by culinary users in the culinary industry, such as chefs or cooks in the food services and restaurant industry, and by domestic culinary users such as those cooking at home and/or cooking for personal consumption. The garment may be double breasted with a front protective flap that creates an additional barrier between the wearer and any spills (e.g., for hot liquid or stain protection). In some embodiments, the double breasted flap can include one or more fasteners, which enable the wearer to quickly and conveniently don and doff the garment. The garment may additionally or alternatively include a belt (e.g., ties, straps, drawstrings, etc.) that can be tied and/or tightened proximate the wearer’s waist to achieve a more tailored look and/or provide a more comfortable fit for the wearer. The belt may additionally or alternatively enable the wearer to quickly and conveniently don and doff the garment. In some embodiments, the belt can be used to don and doff the garment in addition to or alternative to the double breasted flap. In some embodiments, the garment includes one or more vent areas (e.g., a mesh or perforated material patch) for relieving heat from within the garment during use. The vent areas can be strategically positioned (e.g., on the back of the garment) to lower the risk of spills seeping therethrough.

The following description and the appended figures set forth certain features for purposes of illustration. Advantages will become more apparent when reading the present disclosure in its entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

So that the manner where the above recited features may be understood in detail, a more particular description, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to example aspects, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front of a sleeveless culinary garment, incorporating aspects of the present disclosure, shown in an untied configuration.

FIG. 2 is the front of the sleeveless culinary garment of FIG. 1, shown in a tied configuration.

FIG. 3 is a back of the sleeveless culinary garment of FIG. 1, shown in the untied configuration.

FIG. 4 is the back of the sleeveless culinary garment of FIG. 1, shown in the tied configuration.

Corresponding reference numbers in the drawings indicate corresponding parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described herein. These described embodiments are only examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers’ specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a culinary garment 100 that can protect the skin and/or underlying clothing of a wearer when cooking. The garment 100 can be worn by culinary users in the culinary industry, such as chefs or cooks in the food services and restaurant industry, and/or by domestic culinary users such as those cooking at home and/or cooking for personal consumption. In some embodiments, the garment 100 can alternatively be used as protective wear and/or workwear for other applications, such an industrial, manufacturing, construction, installation and repair services (e.g., for plumbing, electrical work, etc.), among other applications.

The garment 100 can be donned by the wearer to cover the front and back of the torso, waist and, optionally, hip and rear areas of the wearer. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may be sleeveless which allows for convenient movement of the arms of the wearer. The garment 100 can also be referred to as a coat, jacket, vest, an upper body garment, and the like.

The garment 100 has a front (FIGS. 1 and 2) that covers a front of the wearer and a back (FIGS. 3 and 4) that covers a back of the wearer. The front and the back of the garment 100 may include an upper portion 102 that covers the torso of the wearer and includes a collar 104 defining an opening for the head and neck of the wearer. The front and the back of the garment 100 may also include a middle portion 106 that covers the waist of the wearer and a bottom portion or skirt 108 that at least partially covers the hips, rear, and upper thighs of the wearer.

The garment 100 may be made of any suitable material for its intended application. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may be made of heavy cotton, polyester, a cotton-polyester blend, or another material. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may include a lightweight and/or moisture-wicking fabric. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may include a heat insulating and/or fire resistant fabric or material. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may include a fabric or material that is corrosion resistant.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the front of the garment 100 may be double breasted and may include a protective flap 110 extending between the collar 104 and the skirt 108. The garment 100 may be secured or fastened at the front via the flap 110. The flap 110 may provide an additional layer of protection for the wearer’s skin and/or underlying clothing at the location where the garment 100 is fastened. The flap 110 can extend the entire length of the garment 100 between the collar 104 and the skirt 108, or may extend only a portion of the garment 100. The flap 110 may be included at least on the upper portion 102 of the garment 100. For example, the flap 110 may be included on the upper portion 102 only, or alternatively on the upper portion 102 and the middle portion 106 but not the skirt 108, or alternatively on each of the upper portion 102, the middle portion 106, and the skirt 108.

The flap 110 may be secured to an underlying layer of the front of the garment 100 by one or more fasteners 112. The fasteners 112 in the illustrated example may include rows (e.g., pairs of two) of buttons 112a arranged along the length of the flap 110. Each pair of fasteners 112 may be spaced apart laterally proximate sides of the flap 110. In other examples, the fasteners 112 may be arranged in rows of more than two fasteners 112 on the flap 110, or there may be one column of fasteners 112 on the flap 110. Any number and arrangement of fasteners 112 (e.g., buttons) can be included to enable securing the flap 110. Securing the flap 110 via the fasteners 112 may also secure or fasten the garment 100 on the wearer. In other embodiments, additional or different fasteners can be included. For example, the garment 100 can additionally or alternatively include a zipper, snap fasteners, ties, hook-and-loop, or another fastener type or combination of fastener types, that can secure the flap 110 and/or the garment 100 on the wearer. For example, the fasteners 112 may include at least one row of (e.g., at least one pair of two) snap fasteners 112b, or snaps, that provide quick and easy buttoning and unbuttoning of the garment 100. The snaps 112b may be positioned between the flap 110 and the underlying layer of the front of the garment 100, such that the snaps 112b may be covered by the flap 110 when fastened. The snaps 112b may be the bottommost row of fasteners 112 and/or another row of the fasteners 112. In alternative embodiments, the garment 100 may not include the flap 110 and/or the fasteners 112, and instead the wearer may be able to slip on the garment 100 without any additional fastening of the garment 100.

The garment 100 may also include a belt 114 (e.g., ties, straps, draw strings, etc.) that can be secured (e.g., tied, tightened, cinched, buckled, etc.) proximate the wearer’s waist to achieve a more tailored look of the garment 100 and/or provide a more comfortable fit for the wearer. The belt 114 may include two or more segments (e.g., strands or straps) 116a, 116b that can be tied together to secure the belt 114 proximate the wearer’s waist. The segments 116a, 116b may be part of a unitary strap that is removably housed within a sleeve 122 attached (e.g., stitched) to the garment 100 (e.g., on the back of the garment 100). Alternatively, the segments 116a, 116b may each be stitched or otherwise attached to the garment 100 (e.g., on the back of the garment 100). The segments 116a, 116b, and/or the sleeve 122 housing the segments 116a, 116b, may be attached to the garment 100 on or proximate the middle portion 106. The segments 116a, 116b may be tied to move the garment 100 between an untied configuration (FIGS. 1 and 3) and a tied configuration (FIGS. 2 and 4). Alternatively, the belt 114 may be tied and/or tightened using any suitable mechanism (e.g., a buckle, a cord cinch or cord lock, etc.).

In some embodiments, one or more belts 114 (e.g., one belt 114, two belts 114, three belts 114, etc.) can be included in the garment 100. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may include multiple belts 114, which can be independently or separately attached (e.g., stitched) to the garment 100, such as on the back of the garment 100, the front of the garment 100, or one or both sides of the garment 100. In some embodiments, multiple belts 114 may be included and can be housed in one sleeve 122 or independently in separate, respective sleeves 122. In some embodiments, the multiple belts 114 can be located on the sides of the garment 100, e.g., proximate the wearer’s hips.

In some embodiments, the belt(s) 114 may tighten or cinch the garment 100 proximate the wearer’s waist without the belt 114 extending entirely, or nearly entirely, around the garment 100. For example, the belt(s) 114 can be secured (e.g., tied, tightened, cinched, buckled, etc.) along a discrete portion of the garment 100, such as along a discrete portion on the back, along a discrete portion on the front, along a discrete portion on one or both sides, or a combination thereof, to tighten or cinch the garment 100 proximate the wearer’s waist without the wearer having to wrap the belt entirely, or nearly entirely, around their waist.

The belt 114 may additionally or alternatively enable the wearer to quickly and conveniently don and doff the garment. In some embodiments, the belt 114 can be used to don and doff the garment 100 in addition to or alternative to the double breasted flap 110. For example, in some embodiments, the belt 114 may be included to enable the wearer to don the garment 100 without fastening the flap 110. In some embodiments, the wearer may don the garment 100 by fastening the flap 110 and securing the belt 114. In some embodiments, the belt 114 may be included and the flap 110 may be omitted. In some embodiments, the flap 110 may be included to enable the wearer to don the garment 100 and the belt 114 may be omitted.

Although the belt 114 in the illustrated embodiment may be attached (e.g., stitched) to the back of the garment 100 and is preferably secured (e.g., tied, tightened, cinched, buckled, etc.) by the wearer at the front of the garment 100, in other embodiments, the belt 114 may be secured at the back or one or both sides of the garment 100. The belt 114 can also be attached (e.g., stitched) at any location of the garment 100. Additionally, or alternatively, the sleeve 122 can be attached (e.g., stitched) at any location of the garment 100.

The garment 100 may also include one or more pockets 118 positioned on the front and/or back of the garment 100 for storing items (e.g., tools, ingredients, recipes, personal items, etc.). The pockets 118 can be strategically positioned for ready and easy access to the items stored therein. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more pockets 118 can be located on the front of the garment 100 in the upper portion 102 (e.g., proximate a breast region of the wearer) and/or in the skirt 108 (e.g., proximate an upper leg region of the wearer). Additionally or alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, one or more pockets 118 can be located on the back of the garment 100 in the bottom portion 108 (e.g., proximate a rear region of the wearer). The pockets 118 may be excluded from the middle portion 106 of the garment 100 such that access to the pockets 118 is not interfered when the belt 114 is tied (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4). Alternatively, one or more pockets 118 may be included in the middle portion 106 on the front and/or back of the garment 100.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in some embodiments, the garment 100 may include one or more vent areas 120 (e.g., a mesh or perforated material patch) for relieving heat from within the garment 100 during use. The vent area 120 may be a patch of mesh, perforated, and/or lightweight material. The vent area 120 may be located on the back of the garment 100, to reduce or limit the risk of spills seeping through the vent area 120. In some examples, one or more vent areas 120 may be located on the front of the garment 100. The vent area(s) 120 may also be located on the garment 100 proximate regions of the wearer that may be susceptible to generating a relatively large amount of heat between the garment 100 and the wearer. For example, one, some, or all the vent area(s) 120 may be located in the upper portion 102 of the garment 100. In the illustrated example, the vent area 120 may be located in the upper portion 102 of back of the garment 100 and positioned between and proximate the back shoulder regions of the wearer. Additionally, or alternatively, one, some, or all the vent area(s) 120 may be located in the middle portion 106, the skirt 108, and/or proximate additional or other areas of the wearer that may be susceptible to generating a relatively large amount of heat between the garment 100 and the wearer.

The sleeveless culinary garment 100 of this disclosure may enable more convenient movement of the wearer’s arms, a more comfortable and/or tailored fit via the belt 114, a more protective and secure front attachment area via the flap 110, quick and easy buttoning and unbuttoning via the snap fasteners 112b, quick and convenient donning and doffing the garment 100 via the flap 110, quick and convenient donning and doffing the garment 100 via the belt 114, ready access to items via the pockets 118, and/or relief of heat generated between the garment 100 and the wearer via the vent area(s) 120. In some embodiments, the garment 100 may be made of suitable material (e.g., heavy cotton and/or polyester material) that protects the wearer from hot liquids, stains, and the like.

The phrases, unless otherwise specified, “consists essentially of” and “consisting essentially of” do not exclude the presence of other steps, elements, or materials, whether or not, specifically mentioned in this specification, so long as such steps, elements, or materials, do not affect the basic and novel characteristics of the present disclosure, additionally, they do not exclude impurities and variances normally associated with the elements and materials used.

For the sake of brevity, only some ranges are explicitly disclosed herein. However, ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited, as well as, ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any other lower limit to recite a range not explicitly recited, in the same way, ranges from any upper limit may be combined with any other upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. Additionally, within a range includes every point or individual value between its end points even though not explicitly recited. Thus, every point or individual value may serve as its own lower or upper limit combined with any other point or individual value or any other lower or upper limit, to recite a range not explicitly recited.

All numerical values within the detailed description herein are modified by “about” the indicated value, and take into account experimental error and variations that would be expected by a person having ordinary skill in the art.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.

All documents described herein are incorporated by reference herein, including any priority documents and or testing procedures to the extent they are not inconsistent with this text. As is apparent from the foregoing general description and the specific embodiments, while forms of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is not intended that the present disclosure be limited thereby. Likewise, the term “comprising” is considered synonymous with the term “including” for purposes of United States law. Likewise whenever a composition, an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase “comprising,” it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition or group of elements with transitional phrases “consisting essentially of,” “consisting of,” “selected from the group of consisting of,” or “is” preceding the recitation of the composition, element, or elements and vice versa.

The specific embodiments described herein have been illustrated by way of example, and it should be understood that these embodiments may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. It should be further understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed, but rather to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for (perform)ing (a function)…” or “step for (perform)ing (a function)…”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

While the present disclosure has been described with respect to a number of embodiments and examples, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.