Garment, particularly a protective vest, and zipper arrangement

Abstract

An article of clothing, in particular a protective vest, the size of which can be adjusted. At least one outer zipper with two rows of teeth is provided. The article of clothing has a first size in a closed state of the outer zipper and a second size in an open state of the outer zipper, wherein the first size is smaller than the second size. In the open state of the outer zipper, the rows of teeth are held together at a distance from each other by material which is at least partly covered by the outer zipper in the closed state of the outer zipper. An inner zipper with two rows of teeth is provided, said zipper being at least partly covered by the outer zipper in the closed state of the outer zipper and being exposed in the open state of the outer zipper.

Claims

1. A garment which is adjustable in its size, wherein at least one outer zipper having two rows of teeth is provided, wherein the garment has a first size in a closed state of the at least one outer zipper and a second size in an opened state of the at least one outer zipper, wherein the first size is smaller than the second size, and wherein, in the opened state of the at least one outer zipper, the rows of teeth are held together at a distance by material at least partly covered by the at least one outer zipper in the closed state of the at least one outer zipper, wherein an inner zipper having two rows of teeth is provided which is at least partly covered by the at least one outer zipper in the closed state of the at least one outer zipper and which is exposed in the opened state of the at least one outer zipper, and in that the garment has the second size in a closed state of the inner zipper and a third size in the opened state of the inner zipper, the second size being smaller than the third size, and wherein, in the opened state of the inner zipper, the rows of teeth of the inner zipper are held together at a distance by a material at least partly covered by the inner zipper in the closed state of the inner zipper, and wherein, in the opened state of the zippers the rows of teeth are completely separated from each other.

2. The garment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rows of teeth of the at least one outer zipper is coupled with at least one of the rows of teeth of the inner zipper in the way of a zipper in the opened state of the at least one outer zipper and in the opened state of the inner zipper.

3. The garment according to claim 1, wherein another inner zipper having two rows of teeth is provided or in that a plurality of other inner zippers having two rows of teeth are provided, wherein respectively adjacent inner zippers are interrelated like the at least one outer zipper and the inner zipper directly following the at least one outer zipper.

4. The garment according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional rows of teeth connectable with either the inner zipper or the at least one outer zipper.

5. The garment according to claim 1, wherein a zipper arrangement is formed by the at least one outer zipper and the inner zipper and/or the rows of teeth and in that zipper arrangements are provided in a plurality of positions of the garment.

6. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the garment is configured as a protective vest.

7. A garment which is adjustable in its size, comprising: a first row of teeth, a second row of teeth, a third row of teeth and a fourth row of teeth spaced apart from one another in order and in series along a portion of the garment, wherein the first row of teeth is mateable to form a zipper with the third row of teeth and the fourth row of teeth, wherein the second row of teeth and the third row of teeth are covered when the first row of teeth is mated with the fourth row of teeth, wherein the second row of teeth is covered when the first row of teeth is mated with the third row of teeth, wherein the second row of teeth is mateable to form a zipper with the third row of teeth, wherein the third row of teeth is mateable to form a zipper with the first row of teeth and the second row of teeth, wherein the fourth row of teeth is mateable to form a zipper with the first row of teeth wherein the second row of teeth and third row of teeth are covered when mated, the garment having, a first garment size when all the rows of teeth are not mated, a second garment size, which is smaller than the first garment size, when the second row of teeth is mated with the third row of teeth, a third garment size, which is smaller than the first garment size, when the first row of teeth is mated with the third row of teeth, a fourth garment size, which is smaller than the first garment size, the second garment size and the third garment size, when the first row of teeth is mated with the fourth row of teeth.

8. The garment of claim 7, wherein the garment is configured as a protective vest.

9. The garment of claim 7, wherein the second and the third size are equal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a garment according to the invention in a first state;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a garment according to the invention in a second state;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a garment according to the invention in a third state;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a garment according to the invention in a fourth state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a garment 10 according to the invention in a first state. The garment 10 is a vest. The garment 10 is provided with a zipper arrangement, only an outer zipper 12 being visible in the illustration of FIG. 1. Further components of the zipper arrangement are covered by the zipper 12 or the material of the garment 10 adjacent to the zipper 12. The zipper 12 comprises two rows of teeth 14, 16, an end piece 28 and a slider 30. The zipper extends from an arm opening of the garment 10 to the lower edge of the garment 10. In the closed state, the slider 30 is positioned at the arm opening while the end piece 28 is located at lower edge. It is likewise possible to apply the zipper 12 the other way around so that the end piece 28 is located at the arm opening, and the slider 30 is positioned at the lower edge of the garment.

(6) When the outer zipper 12 is opened by moving the slider 30 toward the end piece 28 the image shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. The rows of teeth 14, 16 of the outer zipper 12 are now spaced apart while being connected or held together at a distance by the material 18. A particularity of the present example is that the material 18 between the rows of teeth 14, 16 includes an inner zipper 20 which in turn comprises two rows of teeth 22, 24, an end piece 32 and a slider 34. The inner zipper 20 is sewn into the garment 10 in the same orientation as the outer zipper 12. This is in no way required. Any orientation and any combination of orientations are within the framework of the present invention.

(7) If the two states of the garment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are compared it becomes obvious that the garment 10 has different sizes in the two states, the garment being smaller in the state according to FIG. 1 in which the outer zipper 12 is closed than in the state according to FIG. 2 in which the outer zipper 12 is opened.

(8) Now, FIG. 3 shows another state of the garment 10. Here, the inner zipper 20 with its rows of teeth 22, 24 is also opened. The rows of teeth 22, 24 of the inner zipper 20 are also held together at a distance by the material 26. With the state illustrated in FIG. 3 now a third size of the garment 10 is realised, in addition to the two sizes illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(9) However, it is also possible to realise further sizes with the present zipper arrangement. This will be explained in connection with FIG. 4. In the state illustrated here, the row of teeth 24 of the inner zipper 20 is coupled with the row of teeth 14 of the outer zipper. This results in an intermediate size ranging between the sizes the garment 10 has according to FIGS. 1 and 2. It would likewise be possible, starting from the state illustrated in FIG. 3, to couple the row of teeth 22 of the inner zipper 20 to the row of teeth 16 of the outer zipper 12.

(10) With the aid of FIG. 2, another aspect of the present invention can be explained. FIG. 2 shows a complete zipper 20 which is exposed when the outer zipper 12 is opened. Likewise, however, it would be possible to, for example, provide only a single row of teeth instead of the complete zipper 20. This single row of teeth may then be coupled with one of the rows of teeth 14, 16 of the outer zipper 12 to realise an intermediate size in this way as well.

(11) Another variant of the present invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 3. Here it is contemplated that the material 26 between the rows of teeth 22, 24 of the inner zipper has no specific particularities. It may simply be the textile fabric of which the remaining garment 10 also fully or partly consists. However, it would, again, also be possible to provide yet another zipper in the area of the material 26 which would then have a functional relationship with the inner zipper 20 comprising the rows of teeth 22, 24 like the inner zipper 20 has with the outer zipper 12. Likewise, of course, also only a single row of teeth or a plurality of independent rows of teeth may be provided between the rows of teeth 22, 24 of the inner zipper 20.

(12) The thus described nesting of zippers or rows of teeth may be continued as desired so that finally a multitude of zippers together form the zipper arrangement.

(13) The described zipper arrangement as a whole may be offered as a textile component. The textile component will then be sewn into a garment like a single zipper.

(14) In the embodiment described above only a single zipper arrangement is shown. Preferably a zipper arrangement which may be identical or different in design as compared to the described zipper arrangement is also present on the other side of the garment, namely below the other arm opening. Likewise, it might be contemplated to provide zipper arrangements between the lower edge of the garment and the head opening, be it in the breast and/or in the back area. Zipper arrangements may also extend horizontally, for example between the two arm openings. In this way, the length of a garment may be varied.

(15) The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings, as well as in the claims may be essential for the implementation of the invention individually as well as in any combination.

LIST OF NUMERALS

(16) 10 garment 12 outer zipper 14 row of teeth 16 row of teeth 18 material 20 inner zipper 22 row of teeth 24 row of teeth 26 material 28 end piece 30 slider 32 end piece 34 slider