Garment with tension closure pocket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12465101-B2
Application number	US-202418597155-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2024
Priority date	Feb 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A garment or article of clothing made of a resilient/elastomeric material includes at least a waist portion, a first leg portion, and a second leg portion. The waist portion further includes a pocket on the rear of the garment, where the pocket is defined by a backing panel, a first flap, and a second flap. The first flap is at least partially disposed over the second flap to secure contents between the backing panel and the second panel, and thus, within the pocket. When the waist portion is stretched, the tensile forces imparted onto the waist portion by the resilient/elastomeric material causes the first flap to at least partially overlie the second flap. The pocket is sized and shaped to receive smartphones and other small personal items, such as keys, money, credit cards, identifications, etc.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An article of clothing comprising:
a waist panel; an intermediate panel coupled to the waist panel such that the waist panel and the intermediate panel form a pocket with an opening to the pocket defined along a free edge of the intermediate panel; and an access panel positioned adjacent to the intermediate panel such that the intermediate panel is positioned between the waist panel and the access panel, the access panel covering the free edge of the intermediate panel and occluding the opening to the pocket, the access panel including a lower edge that extends across the intermediate panel and is non-linear relative to the free edge of the intermediate panel; wherein the free edge of the intermediate panel is moveable between a first position when the pocket is empty and closed and a second position wherein the pocket is open and filled, wherein the lower edge of the access panel remains non-linear relative to the free edge of the intermediate panel when the intermediate panel is in the first position and in the second position.

2 . The article of clothing of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate panel and the access panel are repositionable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the access panel is at least partially disposed over the intermediate panel in the closed position, and wherein the access panel is at least partially spaced from the intermediate panel in the open position in order to provide access to the pocket.

3 . The article of clothing of claim 2 , wherein stretching the waist panel in a lateral direction that opposes a lengthwise direction of the article of clothing creates tensile forces that retain the intermediate panel and the access panel in the closed position.

4 . The article of clothing of claim 1 , further comprising an inner pocket disposed within the pocket.

5 . The article of clothing of claim 1 , wherein the waist panel includes a top edge and a bottom edge, and wherein the intermediate panel further includes a bottom edge opposite the free edge.

6 . The article of clothing of claim 5 , wherein the bottom edge of the intermediate panel is coupled to a bottom edge of the waist panel, wherein the free edge of the intermediate panel is a top edge disposed proximate to the top edge of the waist panel, and wherein a first edge of the access panel is coupled to the top edge of the waist panel while an arcuate bottom edge of the access panel is disposed over the intermediate panel so that the arcuate bottom edge of the access panel is disposed between the top edge and the bottom edge of the intermediate panel.

7 . An article of clothing comprising:
a pocket coupled to a waistband of the article of clothing, the pocket comprising:
a first flap having an exterior surface and an interior pocket surface, wherein the exterior surface includes a covered portion and an exposed portion; and
a second flap having an exposed exterior surface, an interior surface, a first edge and a second edge, the second edge opposite the first edge and moveable between a first position wherein the second edge abuts the first flap and an second position wherein the second edge is removed from the first flap, wherein the second edge is non-linear relative to the first edge when the second edge is in the first position, and wherein the interior surface of the second flap covers the covered portion of the exterior surface of the first flap when the second edge is in the first position.

8 . The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the waistband and the first flap collectively define the pocket.

9 . The article of clothing of claim 7 , wherein the second edge of the second flap is opposite a bottom edge of the first flap.

10 . The article of clothing of claim 9 , wherein the first flap and the second flap are repositionable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the interior surface of the second flap abuts the exterior surface of the first flap when in the closed position, and wherein the interior surface of the second flap is at least partially spaced from the exterior surface of the first flap when in the open position in order to provide access to the pocket.

11 . The article of clothing of claim 10 , wherein stretching the upper portion in a lateral direction that opposes a lengthwise direction of the article of clothing creates tensile forces that retain the first flap and the second flap in the closed position.

12 . The article of clothing of claim 7 , further comprising:
a lower portion coupled to the waist band, the lower portion comprising a first leg portion and a second leg portion, the first leg portion configured to receive a first leg of the person wearing the article of clothing, and the second leg portion configured to receive a second leg of the person wearing the article of clothing.

13 . The article of clothing of claim 12 , wherein the first leg portion and the second leg portion are constructed from fabrics that include an elastomeric material.

14 . An article of clothing comprising:
a lower portion configured to be positioned around legs of a person wearing the article of clothing; an upper portion coupled to the lower portion and configured to be oriented around a waist of the person wearing the article of clothing; and a pocket comprising:
a first flap coupled to the upper portion, the first flap having a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, and top edge providing an opening to the pocket; and
a second flap having a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a top edge and a bottom edge that is non-linear relative to the top edge of the second flap, wherein the second flap at least partially covers the first flap, wherein the top edge of the second flap is connected to the upper portion, and wherein the bottom edge of the second flap is moveable relative to the upper portion;
wherein the second flap is configurable between a closed position and an open position, wherein the second flap at least partially covers a portion of the first flap and occludes the pocket in the closed position, wherein the second flap is spaced apart from the first flap to provide access to the pocket in the open position, and wherein the bottom edge of the second flap remains non-linear relative to the top edge of the second flap when the pocket is in the open position and in the closed position.

15 . The article of clothing of claim 14 , further comprising an inner pocket disposed within the pocket.

16 . The article of clothing of claim 14 , wherein the article of clothing, the first flap and the second flap collectively define the pocket.

17 . The article of clothing of claim 14 wherein:
when the upper portion is oriented around the waist of the person wearing the article of clothing, the waist stretches the upper portion outwardly, creating tensile forces that retain the first flap and the second flap in the closed position.

18 . The article of clothing of claim 14 , wherein:
the upper portion of the article of clothing includes a top edge and a bottom edge, a bottom edge of the first flap is coupled to the upper portion, and the top edge of the first flap is covered by the second flap and the bottom edge of the first flap is exposed on the article of clothing.

19 . The article of clothing of claim 18 , wherein:
the upper edge of the first flap is disposed proximate to the top edge of the upper portion, the upper edge of the second flap is coupled to the top edge of the upper portion, and the bottom edge of the second fl

Assignees

• Under Armour Inc

Inventors

• Berns Jason
• Miller Merida

Classifications

• A41F9/00

  Belts, girdles, or waistbands for trousers or skirts · CPC title

• A41D27/207

  with drop-proof features · CPC title

• A41D1/08

  specially adapted for sporting purposes · CPC title

• A41B9/026

  characterized by the opening · CPC title

• A41B9/023

  with separate spaces for genitals · CPC title