Apparel – Body garments
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-12
2003-05-27
Hale, Gloria M. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Body garments
C002S227000, C002S211000, C002S079000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06567989
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a protective garment for clothing, and more particularly, is directed to a protective garment to be worn over clothing to prevent stains and/or entanglement of the person's clothing.
While performing certain activities, there is often a problem of staining or damaging the clothes of a wearer. This can take various forms, for example, grease and oil on a person's clothes while working on automotive vehicles, paint while painting, entanglement of clothing in machinery, etc.
Various solutions have been proposed for this problem. In one solution, the person removes his or her own clothing and dons special work clothing. This, however, may not be practical in all circumstances. Another solution is to wear protective clothing over the person's clothing. This can take the form of an apron, overalls, etc.
However, a problem with conventional protective clothing is that it is not very versatile. For example, aprons which hang down in front of a person are known and protective garments which wrap around the legs of a person are known, but this requires two separate garments. In the case of protective garments which wrap around the legs, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 945,345 to Richards, the leg portions in the non-used state hang down in an apron fashion. However, in this state, there is no arrangement for securing the leg portions together to form a continuous apron-like state in use. Rather, the leg portions remain separated and can flap about and be easily caught in machinery. Thus, Richards only envisions use in the state where the leg portions are wrapped around the individual legs of the person. See also U.S. Pat. No. 717,854 to Holston; U.S. Pat. No. 849,268 to Rutenbeck and U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,394 to Robinson for similar problems.
In addition, it is desirable at different times to provide a protective garment only for the torso such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,727,240 to Marshall and U.S. Pat. No. 3,514,788 to Miller, a protective garment only for the legs such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,394 to Robinson, or a protective garment for both the torso and the legs. This would normally require three different protective garments, making this cost prohibitive. Most protective garments are therefore provided for both the torso and the legs. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 717,854 to Holston; U.S. Pat. No. 849,268 to Rutenbeck; U.S. Pat. No. 945,345 to Richards; U.S. Pat. No. 1,690,138 to Sladek; U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,252 to Cansler; and U.S. Design Pat. No. 208,527 to Grengg.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a protective garment that overcomes the problems with the aforementioned prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a protective garment that is sufficiently versatile to be used to cover only the torso, only the legs, or both the torso and legs.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a protective garment having leg portions that can selectively be wrapped and secured about the individual legs or secured together in front of the person in an apron-like manner.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a protective garment includes a torso portion adapted to cover a torso of a person; a lower portion adapted to cover legs of a person, the lower portion including left and right leg portions, each of the left and right leg portions including an inner edge and an outer edge; a first fastening arrangement at the inner edges of, the left and right leg portions for securing the inner edges together to form an apron-like arrangement of the lower portion; a second fastening arrangement at the inner and outer edges of the left leg portion for securing the left leg portion around a left leg of the person; and a third fastening arrangement at the inner and outer edges of the right leg portion for securing the right leg portion around a right leg of the person.
The fastening arrangements can be any of the following: zippers, loops and buttons, hook and loop fastening arrangements (VELCRO®), snaps, clasps, brooches and hooks.
The lower portion further includes an abdominal portion connected with upper ends of the leg portions, and substantially horizontal slits extending outwardly from upper ends of the inner edges of the leg portions to enable the leg portions to be wrapped about a person's legs.
Preferably, the first fastening arrangement forms part of the second and third fastening arrangements.
In addition, the torso portion includes a slit extending down from a neckline thereof, and a further fastening arrangement for selectively opening and closing the slit.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a protective garment includes a torso portion adapted to cover a torso of a person; a lower portion adapted to cover legs of a person; and a fastening arrangement at a waist area of the protective garment for connecting and disconnecting the torso portion and the lower portion relative to each other.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a protective garment includes a torso portion adapted to cover a torso of a person; a lower portion adapted to cover legs of a person, the lower portion including a left and right leg portions, each of the left and right leg portions including an inner edge and an outer edge; a first fastening arrangement at the inner edges of the left and right leg portions for securing the inner edges together to form an apron-like arrangement of the lower portion; a second fastening arrangement at the inner and outer edges of the left leg portion for securing the left leg portion around a left leg of the person; a third fastening arrangement at the inner and outer edges of the right leg portion for securing the right leg portion around a right leg of the person; and a fourth fastening arrangement at a waist area of the protective garment for connecting and disconnecting the torso portion and the lower portion relative to each other.
REFERENCES:
patent: 717854 (1903-01-01), Holston
patent: 849268 (1907-04-01), Rutenbeck
patent: 945345 (1910-01-01), Richards
patent: 1690138 (1928-11-01), Sladek
patent: 1783572 (1930-12-01), Johnson
patent: 2727240 (1955-12-01), Marshall
patent: 2744252 (1956-05-01), Cansler
patent: D208527 (1967-09-01), Grengg
patent: 3514788 (1970-06-01), Miller
patent: 3517394 (1970-06-01), Robinson
patent: D249906 (1978-10-01), Kohutis et al.
patent: 4390996 (1983-07-01), Read
patent: 4718122 (1988-01-01), Steverson
patent: 5331685 (1994-07-01), Belgard
patent: 3339221 (1984-05-01), None
Goldberg Richard M.
Hale Gloria M.
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