US20150359273A1

US20150359273A1 - Apparel Having Either One or Multiple Receptacles

Info

Publication number: US20150359273A1
Application number: US14/738,418
Authority: US
Inventors: Gregg Olson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-06-12
Filing date: 2015-06-12
Publication date: 2015-12-17

Abstract

The invention provides an undergarment for carrying a concealed weapon such as a handgun. The undergarment includes one or more built-in pockets. The openings of the pockets are aligned with the waistband of the undergarment so that the waistband securely holds the weapon against the wearer's body while the weapon is in the pocket. The pockets are positioned along the waistband in convenient locations for concealing a weapon, such as the lower back, the left or right hip, or the left or right front groin area.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/011,200, filed Jun. 12, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Personal defense is a major concern in the United States. In 2012, for example, there were nearly 15,000 murders nationwide. Many people therefore desire to carry a weapon on their person for self-defense or other purposes. “Concealed carry” is the practice of carrying a weapon on one's person in a concealed manner. Most states require a permit to carry a concealed weapon such as a handgun. But over the past three decades, it has become increasingly easy to obtain concealed carry permits. Today the vast majority of states have “shall-issue” laws, meaning that if a person meets the minimum qualifications for a concealed carry permit, the state has little to no discretion as to whether to issue the permit. That shift in law has created a large increase in demand for personal protection devices such as handguns.
Despite the increased availability of concealed carry permits, many people still find it difficult or uncomfortable to carry a weapon on their person. That is because most holsters available today have significant shortcomings. The main concerns in holster design are security, access, and concealment. Security means tightly holding the handgun in place so that it is not at risk of falling out while the wearer is running or making a sudden movement. Access means the ease with which the wearer can remove (or “draw”) the handgun. Concealment means hiding the weapon from view and ensuring that it does not bulge through clothing.
Many holsters that emphasize security have significant drawbacks in access, because the weapon is difficult to remove from the holster. Likewise, holsters that emphasize access may be less secure and also less concealed. A holster that emphasizes concealment may be difficult to access when an emergency arises. Additionally, bulky holsters can be uncomfortable or cumbersome for the user. Due to these complications in holster design, many potential users of personal protection devices are currently thwarted in their desire to carry a concealed weapon.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides an improved undergarment for comfortably and securely carrying a concealed weapon such as a handgun. The invention provides fitted pants, shorts, or Capri-style undergarment that has one or more built-in holster pockets. The openings of the pockets are aligned with the waistband of the undergarment so that the waistband securely holds the weapon against the wearer's body while the weapon is in the pocket. The pockets are positioned along the waistband in convenient locations for concealing a weapon, such as the lower back, the left or right hip, or the left or right front groin area. The undergarment may include several pockets so that a wearer can choose which pocket is most convenient at a given time. The undergarment can be made of a stretchy or form-fitting material to provide support for the wearer and for the weapon.
The invention makes carrying a concealed weapon more comfortable and convenient. The pockets are designed to securely hold the weapon in place, while also providing improved access for the user. The positioning of the pockets provide enhanced concealment of a weapon, and because the user can choose from among the several available pockets, the user can select the pocket that is most concealed or most useful for his or her particular purpose. For example, the user may choose to carry his or her weapon in a different pocket based on the outer-garments he or she is wearing at the time. The user can also switch pockets throughout the day for comfort reasons, as desired. The multiple pockets of the invention make it possible to carry more than one concealed weapons at the same time.
In certain aspects, the invention provides an undergarment for carrying a concealed weapon. The undergarment includes a layer of fabric defining shorts having a waist opening and two leg openings. The undergarment also includes a waistband connected to the layer of fabric circumferentially around the waist opening, wherein the waistband is configured to fasten the layer of fabric around the waist of a wearer. Also included is at least a first holster panel connected to an inside portion of the waistband to form a pocket, the pocket configured to support a handgun in a position wherein a grip of the handgun extends above the waistband to allow the wearer to manually grasp and withdraw the handgun from the pocket. The undergarment further includes a second holster panel connected to the inside portion of the waistband to form a second pocket substantially similar to the first pocket. The first and second pockets are located on different parts of the waistband such that each can support a handgun without the two handguns physically contacting each other.
In embodiments, the first pocket is located adjacent to a dorsal side of the shorts, such that the first pocket is configured to support the handgun against the wearer's back. In other embodiments, the second pocket is located adjacent to a left or right side of the shorts, such that the second pocket is configured to support the handgun against the wearer's hip. The undergarment may comprise a third pocket substantially similar to the first and second pockets except located on a different part of the waistband than the other pockets. The third pocket may be located adjacent to a front side of the shorts, such that the third pocket is configured to support the handgun adjacent to the wearer's groin. In certain embodiments, the undergarment includes more than three pockets, such as four, five, or more pockets.
In some embodiments, the pockets are configured to support a handgun at an angle of inclination allowing the wearer to rapidly remove the handgun from the pocket. In some embodiments, the holster panels comprise a material configured to shield electronic signals from passing therethrough, such as a Faraday cage.
In certain embodiments the undergarment comprises an elastic or other similar form-fitting material to provide support to the pockets.
In related aspects, the invention provides a method for carrying and concealing a weapon. The method involves providing an undergarment, including any of the undergarments described herein. The undergarment comprises at least a layer of fabric defining shorts having a waist opening and two leg openings. A waistband is connected to the layer of fabric circumferentially around the waist opening and configured to fasten the layer of fabric around the waist of a wearer. The undergarment further includes a first holster panel connected to an inside portion of the waistband to form a pocket, the pocket configured to support a handgun in a position wherein a grip of the handgun extends above the waistband to allow the wearer to manually grasp and withdraw the handgun from the pocket. The undergarment also includes a second holster panel connected to the inside portion of the waistband to form a second pocket substantially similar to the first pocket, wherein the first and second pockets are located on different parts of the waistband such that each can support a handgun without the two handguns physically contacting each other. The method further comprises wearing or donning the undergarment. The method further involves inserting a weapon into one of the pockets.
In certain embodiments the method further involves inserting a second weapon into another pocket of the undergarment. The method may involve wearing other clothing over the undergarment to more fully conceal the weapon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an undergarment including pockets.

FIG. 2 shows a close up view of one of the pockets.

FIG. 3 shows an undergarment configured to hold a weapon against the user's hip.

FIG. 4 shows an undergarment configured to hold a weapon against the user's back.

FIG. 5 shows a method for carrying and concealing a weapon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides improved garments for carrying and concealing one or more weapons. The invention provides an undergarment configured with one or more pockets situated near the waistband. The pockets are designed to hold a weapon such as a handgun, and the waistband secures the weapon against the body of the user. The invention is particularly useful for law enforcement or military personnel who may require access to multiple concealed weapons. It is further useful for civilians who desire to comfortably and reliably carry a concealed weapon on their person for personal security.
FIG. 1 shows a front view of an undergarment 101 of the present invention. The undergarment 101 includes a layer of fabric 31 sewn or otherwise shaped into a pants (or shorts) shape. The fabric 31 defines a waist opening 41 and leg openings 43 and 45. A waistband 65 disposed circumferentially about the waist opening 41. The waistband 65 can comprise any stretchy resilient material known in the art, including nylon, lycra, rayon, polyester, and the like. The waistband 65 can be about 1 inch in height, up to 6 or more inches in height. Different height waistbands may accommodate different size weapons to be secured in the pockets, described in greater detail below. The waistband 65 is configured to tightly grip the body of the wearer to keep the undergarment 101 in place. Due to the stretchiness of the waistband material, the waistband 65 is further configured to tightly secure a weapon such as a handgun against the body of the wearer.
The undergarment includes several pockets 71, 73, 75, 77, and 79 for holding one or more concealed weapons. Pocket 79 is located on the back portion of the undergarment 101, where it is configured to hold a weapon against the lower back, adjacent to the sacrum. The pocket 79 comprises a panel of fabric sewn or otherwise secured to the layer of fabric 31. The pocket 79 is disposed on the inside of the undergarment, with an opening 81 adjacent to the waistband 65. In the embodiment shown, the pocket 79 includes a length of material 69 along the opening 81, which may be the same material as the waistband 65, and which helps to secure a weapon in place within pocket 79. The pocket 79 can be any shape. It can be substantially square, rectangular, triangular, etc. The pocket 79 can be oblong to accommodate the barrel of a gun. In certain embodiments it can be holster-shaped to accommodate the barrel and trigger guard of a gun. The pocket 79 can take the shape of any holster or holster-shaped pocket known in the art, including those described in greater detail in the following U.S. Patents and Publications: US 2013/0269086; US 2007/0250980; U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,834; U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,671; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,858; each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The other pockets 71, 73, 75, and 77 are substantially similar to pocket 79, except that they are located in different parts of the garment 101. Pockets 71 and 77 are located in the right and left hip area of the wearer. And pockets 73 and 75 are located in the right and left groin area of the wearer. As with pocket 79, they can have any shape convenient for containing a concealed weapon. The invention includes undergarments containing one pocket, multiple pockets, or all of the pockets shown, and all combinations thereof. In embodiments of the undergarment 101 that comprise more than one pocket, the pockets may have the same shape to be configured to secure the same type of weapon, or they may be differently shaped to allow multiple different weapons to be contained at once.
In all embodiments, the pockets are configured to contain and secure a weapon such as a gun. When the undergarment is in use (i.e., when it is being worn by a user), a weapon may be inserted into one of the pockets, for example pocket 79.
In some embodiments, one or more pockets can be shaped and sized to hold a weapon that is not a gun, such as a knife. The pockets can be alternatively configured for common law-enforcement weapons such as a baton, nightstick, taser, mace, or pepper spray.
FIG. 2 shows a close up view of pocket 79 in containing a fun 44. In the embodiment shown, pocket 79 is holster-shaped to accommodate the shape of gun 44. The holster-shaped configuration is shown as an example and is not meant to be limiting in any way. In some embodiments where it is preferable for the gun 44 to sit higher on the waistband 65, the pocket may be shaped to only accept the barrel 97 of the gun 44, such that the trigger guard 95 is exposed above the waistband 65. In another configuration, the waistband 65 contacts the gun 44 across the area of the trigger guard 95. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pocket 79 is sized and shaped such that the grip of the gun 44 remains exposed and outside of the undergarment, while the barrel 97 and trigger guard 95 are concealed. A skilled artisan would recognize the innumerable configurations for the pocket 79 to accommodate all different shapes and sizes of guns and other weapons. In all configurations, when the gun 44 is in the pocket 79 the waistband 65 contacts the gun 44 and securely holds it against the body of the wearer (not shown).
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the undergarment 101 in use. In FIG. 3, gun 44 is located in a hip pocket (not visible). The hip pocket may be the equivalent of pocket 77 shown in FIG. 1. Waistband 65 tightly holds gun 44 against the body of the wearer when gun 44 is in the pocket.
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the undergarment 101 in use with a gun 44 secured in a dorsal pocket (not visible). The pocket may be configured similarly to pocket 79 shown in FIGS. 1-2. Once again, waistband 65 secures the gun 44 in place. In all embodiments, the configuration of the pocket allows the weapon to be firmly held in place and also conveniently located so that the user can draw the weapon when desired.
FIG. 5 shows a method for carrying and concealing a weapon, in accordance with the present invention. The method involves providing 505 an undergarment for carrying a concealed weapon. Any of the embodiments of the undergarment described in the present disclosure can be used with the method. The method further involves wearing 509 the undergarment. The method further involves inserting 513 a weapon into a pocket of the undergarment.
While methods, devices, compositions, and the like, have been described in terms of what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understood that the disclosure need not be limited to the disclosed implementations. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures. The present disclosure includes any and all implementations of the following claims. It is understood that the term, present disclosure, in the context of a description of a component, characteristic, or step, of one particular embodiment of the disclosure, does not imply or mean that all embodiments of the disclosure comprise that particular component, characteristic, or step.
It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the disclosure. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that this disclosure is intended to yield a patent covering numerous aspects of the disclosure both independently and as an overall system and in both method and apparatus modes.
Further, each of the various elements of the disclosure and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an implementation of any apparatus implementation, a method or process implementation, or even merely a variation of any element of these.
Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the disclosure, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same.
Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this disclosure is entitled.
It should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action.
Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates.
Any patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated by reference.
Finally, all referenced listed in the Information Disclosure Statement or other information statement filed with the application are hereby appended and hereby incorporated by reference; however, as to each of the above, to the extent that such information or statements incorporated by reference might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of this/these disclosure(s), such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the applicant(s).
In this regard it should be understood that for practical reasons and so as to avoid adding potentially hundreds of claims, the applicant has presented claims with initial dependencies only.
Support should be understood to exist to the degree required under new matter laws—including but not limited to United States Patent Law 35 USC §132 or other such laws—to permit the addition of any of the various dependencies or other elements presented under one independent claim or concept as dependencies or elements under any other independent claim or concept.
To the extent that insubstantial substitutes are made, to the extent that the applicant did not in fact draft any claim so as to literally encompass any particular implementation, and to the extent otherwise applicable, the applicant should not be understood to have in any way intended to or actually relinquished such coverage as the applicant simply may not have been able to anticipate all eventualities; one skilled in the art, should not be reasonably expected to have drafted a claim that would have literally encompassed such alternative implementations.
Further, the use of the transitional phrase “comprising” is used to maintain the “open-end” claims herein, according to traditional claim interpretation. Thus, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the term “compromise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive forms so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An undergarment for carrying a concealed weapon, the undergarment comprising:

a layer of fabric defining shorts having a waist opening and two leg openings;

a waistband connected to the layer of fabric circumferentially around the waist opening and configured to fasten the layer of fabric around the waist of a wearer;

a first holster panel connected to an inside portion of the waistband to form a pocket, the pocket configured to support a handgun in a position wherein a grip of the handgun extends above the waistband to allow the wearer to manually grasp and withdraw the handgun from the pocket; and

a second holster panel connected to the inside portion of the waistband to form a second pocket substantially similar to the first pocket, wherein the first and second pockets are located on different parts of the waistband such that each can support a handgun without the two handguns physically contacting each other.

2. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the first pocket is located adjacent to a dorsal side of the shorts, such that the first pocket is configured to support the handgun against the wearer's back.

3. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the second pocket is located adjacent to a left or right side of the shorts, such that the second pocket is configured to support the handgun against the wearer's hip.

4. The undergarment of claim 1, further comprising a third pocket substantially similar to the first and second pockets except located on a different part of the waistband than the other pockets.

5. The undergarment of claim 4, wherein the third pocket is located adjacent to a front side of the shorts, such that the third pocket is configured to support the handgun adjacent to the wearer's groin.

6. The undergarment of claim 1, further comprising four or more pockets.

7. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the pockets are configured to support the handgun at an angle of inclination allowing the wearer to rapidly remove the handgun from the pocket.

8. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the holster panels comprise a material configured to shield electronic signals from passing therethrough.

9. The undergarment of claim 8, wherein the holster panels comprise a Faraday cage.

10. The undergarment of claim 1, wherein the shorts comprise an elastic form-fitting material to provide support to the pockets.

11. A method for carrying and concealing a weapon, the method comprising:

providing an undergarment comprising a layer of fabric defining shorts having a waist opening and two leg openings; a waistband connected to the layer of fabric circumferentially around the waist opening and configured to fasten the layer of fabric around the waist of a wearer; a first holster panel connected to an inside portion of the waistband to form a pocket, the pocket configured to support a handgun in a position wherein a grip of the handgun extends above the waistband to allow the wearer to manually grasp and withdraw the handgun from the pocket; and a second holster panel connected to the inside portion of the waistband to form a second pocket substantially similar to the first pocket, wherein the first and second pockets are located on different parts of the waistband such that each can support a handgun without the two handguns physically contacting each other;

wearing the undergarment; and

inserting a weapon into one of the pockets.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising inserting a second weapon into the other pocket.