Apparel – Garment protectors
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-14
2001-01-23
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Garment protectors
C002S069000, C002S455000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175959
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to seat or pant insulating and waterproofing devices and, more particularly, to a convenient wrap-around and waterproof article of apparel which can be quickly applied over the user's conventional outdoor clothing and which provides a measured degree of both waterproof resistance when the user is in a seated position during the outdoor activity, as well as a degree of insulating warmth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of insulating and, to some extent, waterproofing, seat materials are known in the art and for use in outdoor activities. A first example of such a device is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,895, issued to Sovereign, and which discloses a garment for protecting the buttocks of a wearer when seated.
Sovereign includes a waist band with a rectangular pad depending downwardly from a rear of the waist band and having a width which extends around the rear of the wearer and downwardly beyond the wearer's crotch. A utility pocket is provided on an inner or front surface of the pad and so that the pocket is arranged forwardly and between the legs of the user when the user is seated. On the outside of the pad is provided a transparent plastic cover defining a pocket for receiving printed information such as a sports logo and the pocket is closable by pulling the waist band around the waist of the user.
While providing an interesting disclosure, it is noted that the device of Sovereign likely has certain limitations to the size of individual to which it can be applied by virtue of its construction. Furthermore, the incorporation of multiple layers of material, including the inner fleece layer, the layer of foam material, and the outer waterproof layer, tend to add bulkiness to the article. It has been also found that, once the outer waterproof layer inevitably becomes ripped, torn or snagged due to persistent outdoor use, the inner layers of a device such as Sovereign will quickly become waterlogged and compromised, thus rendering them ineffective for their intended tasks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,634, issued to Brinkman, teaches a belt type garment with foldable seat cover and having straps projecting from opposing ends of a pouch secured about a user's waist. An elongate opening formed in the pouch is positioned above the user's seat and is releasably closed by two separate (inner and outer) zippers. An elongate panel or sheet of flexible, waterproof material is secured at one end of one edge of the pouch opening to extend downwardly out of one (outer) zipper into an operative position beneath one's seat. The panel or sheet may then be secured in place by two other straps which fasten around the legs of the user. The inner zipper may be closed to retain personal items in the pouch. When not in use, the waterproof panel is rolled up and stored in the pouch.
While providing an effective article, Brinkman includes a substantially rectangular and uniform cover section with only a first and second strap extending from opposite edges of the cover section. The further fact that the straps extend from proximately the outer opposite edges, rather than from more central locations of the panel of material, causes to provide a lesser degree of support to the user. Accordingly, the device of Brinkman tends to become very cumbersome and bulky when worn by a user, in that it restricts the freedom of motion of the user's legs and due to the tendency of the user to want to be able to move about with the upper portion of one leg in varying differing positions relative to the other leg, such usually being the case when climbing or scaling upon outdoor obstacles (trees, shrubs, hills, etc.). Accordingly, Brinkman would in reality be fairly limiting in actual applications.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is a wrap around article capable of being donned by a user engaged in outdoor pursuits and including an ergonomically configured main body having top, side and bottom edges and which is constructed of a durable and waterproof material such as neoprene with an interior cushioning foam material. The bottom edge of the article is further defined, in a first preferred embodiment, by first and second downwardly extending legging portions and which are separated by a central arcuately recessed and split crotch portion.
A main belt is secured in proximity to the top edge of the article and first and second secondary straps are secured, respectively, to locations proximate the bottom edges of each of the first and second legging portions. Both the main belt and secondary straps each further include interengaging means, such typically provided as snap fit members forming terminating portions of an adjustable main belt and releasably interengaging Velcro® attachment portions for comfortably securing the article to the buttocks and upper legs of the user. Additional features of the instant invention include the modification and removal of the lower split crotch recess and the employment of rivets to reinforce the integrity of the article.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 392089 (1998-03-01), Draper
patent: D. 415335 (1999-10-01), Castiglione
patent: 4689829 (1987-09-01), Kaplan
patent: 4735423 (1988-04-01), Foss
patent: 4837859 (1989-06-01), Hamberg
patent: 4993077 (1991-02-01), Robison
patent: 5003634 (1991-04-01), Brinkman
patent: 5068920 (1991-12-01), Bray
patent: 5241706 (1993-09-01), Netz
patent: 5282277 (1994-02-01), Onozawa
patent: 5359731 (1994-11-01), Cavalier
patent: 5386603 (1995-02-01), Drust
patent: 5414881 (1995-05-01), Terrazas
patent: 5625895 (1997-05-01), Sovereign
patent: 5740566 (1998-04-01), Stacy
patent: 5740567 (1998-04-01), Mitchell
patent: 5787502 (1998-08-01), Middleton
patent: 5871132 (1999-02-01), Hargreaves
patent: 5896582 (1999-04-01), Baacke et al.
Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
Hale Gloria M.
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