FEATURES FOR OUTDOOR AND STORM-PROTECTION CLOTHING

Abstract

A garment hood has flip-up brim that shields and re-directs rain and moisture. The brim is above and distanced from the hood face opening and serves as an eave to redirect the water. Water flows behind the raised brim to a gutter at the connection of the brim to the hood, and then flows to the right and left away from the face opening. Water flows forward and off the front edge of the lowered brim, and also off the right and left eave ends that are farther to the right and left than the right and left extremities of the face opening. The garment may also include an adjustable cuff with an opening larger in diameter than the lower sleeve so that a narrow region is formed between the cuff and the lower sleeve so that minimal or no sleeve forearm fabric folds during cuff closure.

Claims

1. A garment comprising a hood for being worn on a user's head, the hood comprising: a hood body having a front side comprising a face opening defined by an opening edge, wherein the opening edge comprises an upper edge, a lower edge, and left and right edges having right and left extremities; a brim connected to the hood above and distanced from the opening upper edge, the brim being flippable to a lowered position extending forward and to a raised position extending upward; the brim having right and left eave ends that extend horizontally to the right and left beyond said right and left extremities, so that when the brim is in the lowered position, water flows off a front edge of the brim and off the right and left eave ends so that the water does not reach the face opening.

2. The garment as in claim 1, wherein the brim is connected to the hood at a connection that has a center and has right and left end corners, wherein the right and left end corners are lower than the center in both the lowered and the raised positions.

3. The garment as in claim 2, wherein, in the raised position, the brim extends up along a forehead portion of the hood with a space between the brim and the forehead portion, so that water flows down into the space and right and left to exit the space at the right and left end corners of the connection to flow down from the hood to the right and left of said right and left extremities.

4. The garment as in claim 3, wherein the connection comprises no seam.

5. The garment as in claim 3, wherein the connection has a length between said right and left end corners, and the connection is spaced from the upper edge all along the length a distance in the range of 0.75 to 3 inches.

6. The garment as in claim 1, further comprising: a sleeve with a forearm and a cuff attached to the sleeve forearm by a waist connection, wherein the forearm at the waist connection has a waist diameter; the cuff having a cuff opening and being adapted to be in an untightened configuration having an untightened cuff opening diameter that is larger than the waist diameter, and the cuff adapted to be fastened in a tightened configuration having a tightened cuff opening diameter that is smaller than the untightened cuff opening diameter.

7. The garment as in claim 6, wherein the sleeve forearm is tapered in diameter from an upper region diameter of the sleeve forearm to the waist diameter, wherein the waist diameter is smaller than the upper region diameter.

8. The garment of claim 7, wherein the cuff comprises a first fastener on an outer surface of the cuff and a second fastener on an outer surface of the cuff, so that the cuff is adapted to be folded over on itself and held in the tightened configuration by connection of the first fastener to the second fastener.

9. The garment of claim 8, wherein, when the cuff is in the tightened configuration, the cuff is folded over on itself and the forearm of the sleeve is not folded.

10. The garment of claim 8, wherein, wherein, when the cuff is in the tightened configuration, the cuff is folded over on itself, the sleeve forearm is folded over on itself along a length of the forearm in the range of 1-4 inches, and the sleeve above the forearm is not folded.

11. The garment of claim 8, wherein the first fastener is a hook and loop fastener that is more rigid than the cuff, the first fastener having an inner edge forming a boundary along which the cuff folds over on itself for tightening.

12. The garment as in claim 11, wherein the inner edge is positioned at a location on the outer surface of the cuff that places the boundary in alignment with the waist diameter so that folding of the cuff at the boundary reduces the cuff diameter to be the same as the waist diameter and does not fold the forearm of the sleeve or reduce the waist diameter.

13. The garment as in claim 11, wherein the cuff further comprises an extension to which an outer edge of the first fastener is connected.

14. The garment as in claim 13, wherein the extension is formed by adhesive connection of panels of the cuff and does not comprise any sewn seams.

15. The garment as in claim 13, wherein the first fastener and the second fastener are 1-2 inches apart.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of a garment, specifically an embodiment of a jacket, that includes one but not the only embodiment of the invented hood with adjustable, water-directing brim (also brim system) and one but not the only embodiment of the invented cuff and adjustment system (also cuff system). In FIG. 1, the brim is in a lowered position, the right-sleeve cuff (at the left of the figure) is tightened at least to some extent and fastened, and the left-sleeve cuff (at the right of the figure) is unfastened.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a back view of the jacket of FIG. 1, wherein the brim is not visible, the back of the fastened right-sleeve cuff is visible at the right of the figure, and the back of the unfastened left-sleeve cuff is visible at the left of the figure.

Figures Relating Specifically to Adjustable Cuff Embodiments:

[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective back view of a distal end of the right-sleeve of the jacket of FIG. 1, after unfastening the cuff. The bottom side of the right-sleeve in FIG. 1 is at the left in FIG. 3.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective front view of the distal end of the sleeve and unfastened cuff of FIG. 3. The bottom side of the right-sleeve of FIG. 2 is at the right in FIG. 4.

[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective rear view of the distal end of the sleeve and cuff of FIG. 3 after partially-tightening and fastening the cuff, wherein the bottom side of the right-sleeve is at the left of FIG. 5.

[0016] FIG. 6 is perspective front view of the distal end of the sleeve and partially tightened and fastened cuff of FIG. 5. The bottom side of the right-sleeve is at the right of FIG. 6.

[0017] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the circled area of FIG. 5.

[0018] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the circled area of FIG. 6.

[0019] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the circled middle region of the cuff of FIG. 8.

[0020] FIG. 10 is an enlarged rear view of the distal end of the sleeve and fastened cuff, which is similar to the view in FIGS. 5 and 7 except that the cuff has been tightened significantly more than in FIGS. 5 and 7 to further reduce the circumference/diameter of the fastened cuff and its opening.

[0021] FIG. 11 is an enlarged front view of the distal end of the sleeve and the significantly tightened, fastened cuff of FIG. 10.

[0022] FIG. 12 is a perspective rear view of the distal end of an alternative embodiment of sleeve and cuff, partially tightened and fastened, the cuff, wherein the extension of the cuff comprises two parallel layers of fabric extending parallel all the way to the edge of the extension, with neither of the two parallel layers folding over at the edge of the extension.

Figures Relating Specifically to Hood with Brim Embodiments:

[0023] FIG. 13 is a front-left perspective view of the hood and adjustable, water-direction brim of FIG. 1, with the brim moved to its raised position.

[0024] FIG. 14 is a front view of the brim system of FIG. 13.

[0025] FIG. 15 is a left side view of the brim system of FIG. 13.

[0026] FIG. 16 is a right side view of the brim system of FIG. 13.

[0027] FIG. 17 is a left side view of the brim system of FIG. 13, except with the space between the brim and the hood forehead region increased compared to that in FIGS. 13-16, for emphasis of that space, and with arrows added to schematically show water flow down behind the brim and out the left side of the brim, thus avoiding water reaching the face opening of the hood and the user's face.

[0028] FIG. 18 is a front-left perspective view of the hood of FIG. 13, with the brim moved to its lowered position.

[0029] FIG. 19 is a bottom-left perspective view of the hood with lowered brim of FIG. 18.

[0030] FIG. 20 is a left view of the hood with lowered brim of FIG. 18, with arrows added to schematically show water flow down along the brim to the front and left eave edges of the brim, thus avoiding water reaching the face opening of the hood and the user's face.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

General Description of Certain Embodiments Comprising Adjustable Cuff Improvement:

[0031] One or more cuffs according to certain embodiments of the disclosed technology may be provided on any piece of clothing (or garment) having an opening that requires a larger opening to pass an object through before tightening it down, for example, on sleeves, pant legs, gloves, or gauntlets. The disclosed technology provides a low-profile, non-bulky, sleek-in-appearance garment cuff that is easily tightened and fastened on a sleeve that is folded to little or no extent even when the cuff is tightened and fastened. The disclosed technology provides a cuff wherein an adjustable opening utilizes a portion of the circumference of the opening to also operate as the adjustment mechanism. In preferred embodiments, the adjustment mechanism of the cuff is therefore integrated into the circumference of the cuff opening itself, and so material bulk is reduced, producing a cleaner, lower profile opening with less material stacking.

[0032] Adjustable cuffs are particularly important on outdoor garments such as recreational and hunting jackets. In the preferred embodiments, no separate tab is connected to a circular circumference of the cuff, especially no tab is sewn into a seam forming the cuff into a cylinder. Instead, a part of the circumference of the cuff itself is provided with a fastener to connect to a fastener on another portion of the circumference of the cuff for easy adjustment of the circumference and diameter of the cuff. The disclosed construction thus creates a gusset of fabric covered by the flap that is formed by the extension plus a portion of the cuff circumference. The gusset is of different lengths depending on the amount of cuff circumference adjustment. The gusset is thin due to the thinness of the parallel panels making up the gusset, whereby the gusset may be considered hidden and adds very little cuff thickness between the wearer's skin and the outside surface of the cuff. In the Drawings, the disclosed technology has been applied to the wrist cuff of a jacket, but certain embodiments of the concept can be applied to any opening requiring an open circumference large enough to pass an object with a larger initial circumference that then is reduced in circumference to reduce the opening.

[0033] In preferred embodiments, the cuff and sleeve combination is adapted to prevent sleeve fabric above the cuff from being folded over, or to minimize sleeve fabric above the cuff being folded over, when the cuff is folded over on itself for tightening and fastening. This adaptation may comprise: 1) the sleeve being narrow in diameter especially at/near the cuff, and 2) the cuff opening and the cuff extension extending perpendicularly out past the sleeve so that the cuff opening diameter is greater than the diameter of the sleeve at and near the cuff. For example, the sleeve diameter may continuously decrease from the shoulder to the junction where the sleeve joins to the cuff, the junction being called a waist that is the smallest sleeve diameter and that is smaller than the cuff opening diameter (OBD1 in FIGS. 3 and 4) and also smaller than the total width of the cuff (OBD1 plus extension 36, in FIGS. 3 and 4). The waist is large enough for a hand to pass through the waist to the opening, and the cuff opening is more than large enough to allow the hand through the opening. As an example, in certain but not necessarily all embodiments for jacket or sleeve cuffs, the cuff opening diameter may be 0.5-2 inches greater than the diameter of the sleeve at the waist, and the outermost extremity of the adjustment extension may extend another 1-2 inches out past the cuff opening, so that the cuff may be described as extending from approximately 1.5 to 4 inches out past the sleeve diameter at the waist.

[0034] To fasten the cuff, the user folds over the cuff flap and fastens the cuff flap to the outer surface of the cuff, preferably by pressing together the hook-and-loop fasteners on the cuff flap and the outer cuff surface to connect said flap and surface. This keeps the cuff in the desired fastened configuration for ongoing use of the garment. The size of the cuff flap may vary, depending on how tight the user wishes the cuff to be, with a relatively loose cuff corresponding to the cuff flap being the extension (at the first edge of the cuff) plus the cuff circumference portion that extends out perpendicularly beyond the waist. Or, a relatively tight cuff will result from folding the cuff circumference closer to the second edge of the cuff (edge opposite the first edge), whereby the extension and a greater amount of the cuff circumference is folded over (also folded over on itself) and fastened by connection of the hook-and-loop fasteners. Fastening the cuff in the relatively loose cuff configuration typically means that the cuff flap fold is at the waist corner, resulting in very little or no sleeve fabric above the cuff being folded over. Fastening the cuff in the relatively tighter cuff configuration typically means that the cuff flap fold is still close to the waist corner, for example, just 0.5-1 inch inward from the waist corner, resulting in little fabric above the cuff being folded over, for example, just a small fold of fabric extending only a few inches up from the cuff (such as 1-4 inches). In these scenarios, the folded sleeve fabric is zero or minimal, resulting in far less folded fabric and bulk compared to a conventional sleeve and cuff wherein tightly fastening the cuff typically results in fabric up along the entire length of the sleeve or at least up 12 inches from the cuff.

[0035] It should be noted that the larger-than-waist cuff circumference diameter may be especially beneficial for outdoor garments. For example, when a wearer puts on gloves after the garment is donned, the wearer can tuck the cuff or gauntlet of the glove into the cuff opening when the cuff is open. This way, after the glove-cuff/gauntlet extends proximally into and through the cuff opening, the wearer may tighten and fasten the cuff around the glove-cuff-gauntlet. This tightening and fastening the cuff serves to reduce the cuff effective diameter and captures the glove-cuff/gauntlet inside the cuff.

[0036] Additionally, the cuff-and-sleeve adaptation that minimizes sleeve fabric amount near the cuff, and minimizes sleeve fabric fold-over, is particularly beneficial for garments for outdoor activities, for example shooting, archery, bow-hunting, or skiing. The adaptation minimizes sleeve fabric near the cuff for a given length of sleeve, and minimizes sleeve fabric fold-over to improve the accuracy and/or safety of the activity by preventing the sleeve from catching on/in or otherwise interfering with equipment, for example, firearms, bows, ski-poles, etc. In addition to these utilitarian benefits, the cuff and sleeve combination creates a low-profile, non-bulky, sleek-in-appearance garment sleeve and cuff combination.

Referring Specifically to FIGS. 1-12:

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 1-12, there are shown several, but not the only, embodiments of the invented technology. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate jacket 10 that includes an embodiment of the cuff system 22, 122 on the right and left sleeves 24, 28, respectively, wherein the right-sleeve cuff 22 is fastened and the left-sleeve cuff 122 is unfastened. The sleeves 24, 28 are both reduced diameter, reduced-fabric embodiments wherein the sleeve diameter is tapered between the shoulder and the cuff to be smaller diameter near the cuff.

[0038] The invented technology may comprise a garment, such as the illustrated jacket or other jackets or tops with sleeves, pants of other bottoms with legs, a gauntlet or other glove, etc. The invented technology may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, an adjustable cuff with one or more of the cuff features disclosed herein, a combination of the adjustable cuff with a sleeve comprising a reduced-diameter lower sleeve RD, and/or methods of constructing or using the adjustable cuff and/or sleeve. The adjustable cuff and/or sleeve, and methods of construction of the cuff and/or sleeve, may be easily used, comfortable, and sleek in appearance, tending to limit or prevent rain and snow from entering the sleeve interior through the cuff opening, and, as described above, allowing easy insertion and capture of glove-cuffs/gauntlet, and/or limiting sleeve fabric, and/or limiting or eliminating sleeve fabric fold-over upon fastening the cuff, for safety and convenience in outdoor activities.

[0039] Preferably, moisture-resistant or moisture-proof fabric/layers, and the lack of any sewn seam in the preferred cuff serve to limit or prevent moisture from soaking into the cuff. The fabric panels forming the cuff are preferably attached/bonded together at the cuff by adhesive or other non-sewing methods, rather than by sewing cuff panels together at seams.

[0040] The preferred right and left sleeves 24, 28 and right and left cuffs 22, 122 are constructed to be mirror images of each other. Thus, the right and left cuffs 22, 122 in the unfastened configuration and the fastened configurations are mirror images of each other. Therefore, the left-sleeve in FIG. 1, when unfastened, is a mirror image of the unfastened right-sleeve cuff of FIG. 1.

[0041] FIGS. 1-4 shows to best advantage the waist W at the junction between the cuff 30 and the distal end of the lower sleeve 24 28, with both the junction and the diameter of the waist W being represented by the dashed line for the waist diameter WD. It may be noted that the term lower sleeve is used to denote the end of the sleeve that is typically around the forearm and low when the wearer's arms are lowered and generally vertical with the hands pointing to the ground/floor. The waist corner 25 at the edge of the junction of the lower sleeve 24 and the cuff 22, and the dashed line F1, denote the location/line at which the cuff fabric tends to naturally fold, along the edge 42E of the fastener strip 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This folding at fold line F1 forms cuff flap 39 for the loosely-fastened cuff discussed above and shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Note in FIGS. 5 and 6 that the lower sleeve portion 24 is not folded due to the folding of cuff flap 39, thus, maintaining the same sleek profile of the lower sleeve 24 as is seen in FIGS. 1-4 and preventing a bulky fold that may interfere with hunting or sports as discussed above. Therefore, it may be said that the inner edge 42E of the fastener is positioned at a location on the outer surface of the cuff that places the boundary in alignment (see F1 and waist corner 25 in FIGS. 3 and 4) with the waist diameter so that folding of the cuff at the boundary reduces the cuff diameter to be the same as the waist diameter and does not fold the forearm of the sleeve or reduce the waist diameter relative to the waist diameter when the cuff is in its unfastened/open configuration.

[0042] It may be noted that FIGS. 3-12 show the cuff in perspective and with the sleeve somewhat flattened so that the opening is oblong rather than circular. It will be understood that, in use, the flexible fabric sleeve and cuff will be around the arm and wrist of the user and therefore will tend to appear generally cylindrical/circular. In the drawings, however, the somewhat flattened, oblong shape is used to allow the viewer to view more of the cuff front and rear sides.

[0043] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the cuff 22 of the right sleeve 24 in unfastened or open condition, wherein the bottom side 26 of the right sleeve 24 (as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2) is at the left and at the right in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the opening 30 through the cuff 22 into the interior of the sleeve 24, and the circumference of the opening 30 formed by fabric panels 32, 34 that, at the extension 36, lie parallel to and against each other and are substantially or entirely adhesively bonded to each other. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opened cuff may be said to have an opened oblong diameter OBD1, which is the maximum cuff opening due to no folding over or fastening of any portion of the cuff circumference. Extension portion 32 of panel 32 extends to the right in FIG. 3 and is bent 180 degrees at edge 37 to result in portion 32 extending to the left in FIG. 3 to meet the extension portion 34 of panel 34 at junction 38. Portion 32 is adhesively bonded to portion 32 and extension portion 34 is adhesively bonded to another region of portion 32. It may be noted that extension portion 32 is parallel but not co-planar to portion 34, and that portion 32, because it is folded back to meet portion 34, may be described as co-planar with portion 34 but not connected to portion 34 by a seam due to both portion 32 and 34 are adhesively connected to underlying portion 32. Therefore, these parallel portions/extensions of the panels are bonded to form an extension of the circumference, and there is preferably no sewn seam in the extension 36. Further, there is preferably no separate tab/tab-piece connected to the circumference of the cuff, including no tab inserted and sewn at a seam in the cuff. Also, hook fastener 40 and loop fastener 42 are applied at a distance D from each other (FIG. 3), on the extension 36 of the cuff 22 and on panel 34 near the bottom-side 26 of the lower sleeve, respectively. This distance D, for example 1-2 inches, and the resulting Gap G are important for convenient adjustment of the cuff diameter, wherein, as described in more detail below, having the gap G bounded on one end by a relatively rigid fastener strip (42) is also important for convenient adjustment of the cuff diameter, wherein relatively rigid herein means more rigid than the fabric of the cuff.

[0044] In certain embodiments, extension 36, 136 of the cuff 22, 122 comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of two planar panels, one folded at edge 37, 137, and adhesive or adhesive-sheet between the panels. Each planar panel may be of one or preferably more layers of fabric including moisture-resistant or moisture-proof layers, wherein the layers are bonded by non-sewing techniques, known in the highly technical fabric field, to result in a thin unitary panel. Therefore, one may describe the extension 36, 136 as being formed by panel portions that are co-extensive, lying parallel against each other, and being adhesively connected, wherein the extension portion may be easily grasped during folding of the cuff flap to the desired tightness. Therefore, no separate tab needs to be added to the cuff, and no bulky seam is required to connect two folded and abutting panel edges and to anchor a tab into the seam. Certain embodiments may therefore be described as combining highly technical fabrics, few or no seams in the cuff, and few or no stacked materials, to make the cuff water-resistant or waterproof, to be comfortable, and to have a clean and sleek appearance.

[0045] FIGS. 5 and 6, and the enlargements of the distal ends of FIGS. 5 and 6 shown in FIGS. 7-9, show the sleeve 22 tightened to some extent (loosely tightened) to reduce the diameter of the cuff opening 30 and fastened by connecting the two hook-and-loop fasteners. The oblong diameter OBD2 labeled in FIGS. 7 and 8 is the length of the oblong cuff opening 30 in this loosely tightened condition that is reduced relative to cuff opening oblong diameter OBD1 in FIGS. 3 and 4. From this oblong diameter OBD2, the reduced diameter of the generally circular cuff as worn when loosely tightened will be understood. Said tightening is done by pulling the extension 36 slightly away from the wearers arm, and then folding it circumferentially toward fastener 40, wherein, for such moderate tightening, the cuff circumference typically folds over at bend B at or near the end 42E of the fastener strip 42 (the fastener strip 42 also being called herein first fastener and end 42E may be called a boundary along which the cuff tends to fold). This bend B location naturally from the stiffness/rigidity of the fastener relative to panel 34, which forms a boundary (F1) prone to bending/folding. The bending/folding of portions of the thin circumference panels during tightening may be described, as above, as forming cuff flap 39, and, in effect, a gusset GS hidden underneath the flap 39, the gusset representing, for example, about 2.5 inches of cuff opening circumference that disappears from view, entirely or substantially, when the cuff is tightened to this moderately tightened condition and then fastened by pressing fastener 4 against fastener 40 (fastener 40 also being called herein second fastener). Note that no folding of the sleeve's forearm fabric (see 24) occurs due to the folding-over of the cuff flap 39.

[0046] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate sleeve 22 tightened to a greater extent (substantially tightened) than in FIGS. 7-9, to further reduce the diameter of the cuff opening to an oblong diameter OBD3, from which will be understood the further-reduced diameter of the generally circular cuff as-worn when substantially tightened. As FIGS. 7-11 are drawn to scale, one may compare the cuff opening oblong diameters OBD2 of FIGS. 7 and 8 with the cuff opening oblong diameter OBD3 of FIGS. 10 and 11, and see that there is a significant increase in tightening and significant reduction in cuff opening diameter. Said increased tightening is done by first pulling the extension 36 slightly away from the wearer's arm as in the method of tightening the cuff as in FIGS. 7-9, but then pulling the extension 36 circumferentially farther in the direction toward fastener 40. For this increased tightening, the bend B of the cuff circumference, which creates larger cuff flap 39, is desired to be closer to fastener strip 40, rather than at or near the end 42E of the fastener strip 42, resulting in more of fastener 40 being covered by fastener 42 and in a longer gusset GS. The fastener 42 is then pressed against fastener 40 for fastening the cuff in this more-tightened condition. Still, as one may see from FIGS. 10 and 11, the cuff remains low-profile and has a sleek appearance.

[0047] Therefore, across a spectrum of relative tightness from loose (unfastened, FIGS. 3 and 4) to moderately tight (FIGS. 7-9) to increasingly tight (FIGS. 10 and 11), or even tighter than shown (with the extension 36 and fastener 42 even farther to the right relative to fastener 40 in FIG. 10, and consequently even larger cuff flap and gusset), the cuff maintains a low-profile, sleek appearance due to thin, parallel cuff circumference panels forming the extension and underlying bended/folded gusset, and due to the lack of seams and lack of bunched-up and stacked fabric. Note that the thinness of the cuff circumference panels is further enhanced by the bottom hem of the cuff preferably being folded over and glued, rather than stitched as in a conventional hem, thus removing as much extra seam bulk as possible. Further, the cuff and sleeve structure is adapted to have a waist at the wearer's wrist that greatly reduces or eliminates the extra bulk caused by folded sleeve material above the cuff and up along the sleeve length.

[0048] It should be noted that the hook fastener strip 42, or other fastener provided on the extension, preferably has sufficient rigidity that the fastener strip at its inner edge (such as 42E) creates a relatively hard point/line at which the extension naturally tends to bend/fold. This natural point/line of bending makes tightening to a moderate amount a very easy operation of the cuff for a tightness that suits many situations. As described above, increased tightness may be achieved by modifying the amount the extension is pulled relative to the cooperating fastener strip 40 and/or by using finger(s) to hold the strip 40 and its region of the circumference generally in place while the strip is pulled farther relative to the strip 40 for tighter adjustment.

[0049] FIG. 12 is a perspective rear view of the distal end of an alternative embodiment of cuff 22, partially tightened and fastened (loosely fastened), wherein the extension 36 of the cuff comprises two parallel layers 37A and 37B of fabric extending parallel all the way to the edge of the extension 36 and being adhesively connected AD, with neither of the two parallel layers folding over at the edge. In certain alternative embodiments of the cuff for a garment, alternative fasteners may be used, for example, alternative hook and loop strip configurations and arrangements, buttons and buttonholes, snaps, quiet snaps, and/or other fasteners. In certain embodiments, snaps may fasten the cuff generally or substantially as described above in this document but using alternative fastening means.

General Description of Certain Embodiments Comprising Water-Directing Brim Improvement:

[0050] In certain embodiments, the invention comprises a specially adapted hood with brim provided on a piece of clothing (or garment) that is worn on a user's head, for example, the hood of a weather/storm-protection jacket.

[0051] In certain embodiments of the hood, the brim is horizontally elongated and is attached/connected to the hood, preferably by extending integrally from the hood, at generally the forehead level, but above the boundary/edge of the hood that defines the face opening. The brim is curved convexly (in top view) and has an outer edge (also, the front edge when the brim is flipped down, and the top edge when the brim is flipped up) that is curved to be non-circular. In preferred embodiments, the brim comprises right and left ends that are lower than the center CT of the brim connection CB, and that protrude to the right and left beyond the hood opening. Thus, these right and left ends form right and left eaves or right and left eave ends that, in the lowered brim position, protrude outward from the hood to assist in directing and/or shedding water at a distance from the opening and the user's face. These right and left eave ends, in the raised brim position, still protrude right and left beyond the right and left extremities of the opening edge, and they are still lower than the center CT of the brim connection CB, so that they still assist in directing/shedding water to the right and left of the face opening. The brim may be flipped/pivoted between raised and lowered positions and is effective in both positions for directing water from the user's face, while tending not to block the user's vision. The brim is stiffened between its outer edge and its inner edge (when the brim is flipped up, the bottom edge), and effectively flips/pivots, when urged by a user's hand, around a flexible cloth axis or axle located between the stiffener and the hood portions that is formed of the hood's fabric panels extending above and below the brim.

[0052] In view of FIGS. 13-20, and the description below, it will be understood that certain embodiments may be described as featuring a brim on a hood that is not part of the face opening, specifically not being an extension of, and not being attached to, the edge of the fabric that forms the face opening. This structure works better than prior art brims, as the disclosed brim essentially creates an eave that directs water away from the hood opening around the face. Conventional flip up hood brims are either a part of the hood opening edge or are sewn into the seam at the top edge of the hood opening, so that these prior art brims are not distanced from the opening or the edge that defines the opening and do not extend past the opening to the right and left. Neither of these prior art constructions create an eave that redirects water away from the opening edge. Further, unlike conventional brims, the disclosed brim, when flipped up, creates a gutter that continues to redirect water away from the opening around the face to the right and left open ends of the gutter that are to the right and left of the opening.

[0053] Secondary benefits of the preferred brim embodiments are that, while brim is down, the brim provides extra shade from sun, keeps dry a glass being used by the wearer (spotting scope, binos, range finder, scope, etc). Further, the preferred brim may be formed/connected to the hood without a seam or stitching at its junction/connection to the hood, preventing water from flowing through such a seam/stitching and into the hood.

Referring Specifically to FIGS. 13-20:

[0054] FIG. 13 is a front-left perspective view of the hood 200 with brim 210 that is shown as part of the jacket 10 of FIG. 1, but with the brim 210 is in its raised position. FIG. 14 is a front view, and FIGS. 15 and 16 are left and right views, of the hood 200 with raised brim 210. FIG. 17 illustrates schematically how the raised brim affects water flow to direct the water away from the opening and therefore, from the user's face. It will be noted from FIGS. 14-16 that the brim 210 right and left halves, and therefore the right and left eave ends, are preferably mirror images of each other, so the water will flow behind the raised brim, between the brim and the crown 220 of the hood, and will flow out from the right side of the brim, flowing down off the right eave end, in the same or similar way as the water is shown flowing out from the left side/eave end of the brim in FIG. 17.

[0055] The hood 200 comprises a generally cylindrical hood body with a neck region 215 connected to and extending integrally up from the jacket, a forehead region 248 (FIG. 18), a crown 220, and a zipper 225 that is the upper end of the jacket zipper. In the front of the hood body is a generally circular, or more preferably horizontally-oblong, face opening 230 defined by an opening edge comprising lower edge 232, left and right edges 234, 236, and an upper edge 238. The opening in certain embodiments may be described as generally semi-circular, wherein the lower edge 232 may be described as circular or generally circular, and the upper edge may be described as horizontal and linear or generally linear. The brim 210 inner edge 240 (aka the bottom edge of the raised brim in FIGS. 13-17) is located at a distance R from the opening upper edge 238 and the brim extends integrally from the hood body at that inner edge 240. The inner edge 240 may also be said to extend integrally from, or be connected to, the hood at an elongated connection CB. The preferred integral connection is formed by upper and lower fabric panels of the hood extending integrally to the brim and across the brim from the inner edge 240 to the outer edge 246. Therefore, the axis/axle on which the hood flips/pivots may be described as an axis/axle formed by two close and flexible fabric panels along a curved line inward (toward inner edge 240) from the brim's internal stiffener that are provided between said panels. Edge 240 and therefore the brim-to-hood connection CB extend generally horizontally, but preferably in a curve, from a brim left corner 242 that is left of the opening left edge 234, across the front of the hood 200, and to a brim right corner 244 that is right of the opening right edge 236.

[0056] Inner edge 240 of the brim is located a distance R from the opening upper edge 238, preferably all along the width (left to right) of inner edge 240 and connection CB. Thus, the brim is distanced from the opening to be above the opening, that is, each brim point on curved inner edge 240, and consequently on curved connection CB, is above the corresponding point of the opening upper edge 238 located vertically directly-below, as best seen in FIGS. 13 and 14. While the upper edge 238 of the portrayed embodiment of opening 230 is curved to be higher in the middle than on the ends, the edge 240 of the brim is also curved in the same/similar manner (see FIG. 14). Therefore, in certain embodiments, distance R is the same or substantially the same all along the width of the opening 230 and the width of edge 240. In other embodiments, distance R may vary along edge 240, but preferably is not zero at any location along edge 240. Distance R is preferably in the range of 0.75 to 3 inches, and more preferably 1-1.5 inches. This way, the brim inner edge 240, whether the brim is raised or lowered, is a significant distance from/above the opening 230. In preferred embodiments, this has multiple benefits, for example, the wearer's view tends to be un-hindered by the brim and both the raised and the lowered brim shield the opening 230 and the user's face from water, as further described below.

[0057] At its left end, the brim outer edge 246 bends/curves from its generally horizontal orientation to extend down toward the left corner 242, forming left eave 252. At its right end, the outer edge 246 bends/curves from its generally horizontal orientation to extend down toward the right corner 244, forming a right eave 254 (FIG. 16). These eave ends 252, 254 help block water from falling into the right and left sides of the opening when the brim is lowered, as will be further described later in this document.

[0058] While FIGS. 15 and 16 show the raised brim to be against or very close to the hood surface behind the brim, the brim is not pressed or urged against the hood surface to an extent that liquid-seals the brim to the hood surface. FIG. 17 schematically illustrates, by emphasizing a space SP between the brim and hood surface, that water W running down the crown and forehead region of the hood toward that space SP flows behind the brim, that is, between the brim and the hood surface, and the space SP serves as a water gutter. This space SP may be significant, for example, because the brim is relatively rigid compared to the flexible fabric of the crown 220 and the forehead 248, and so the crown and forehead tend to bend or collapse slightly away from the relatively rigid brim due room inside the hood between the user's head and the crown and/or due to cinching of tightening/fitting mechanisms that may be provided on the hood to pull the hood fabric for closer fitting to the head. Upon flowing to the space SP between the brim and the forehead region, the water tends to flow down along/behind the rear side of the brim toward/to the location where the brim meets the hood (brim-to-hood connection CB) and, then, because the connection CB is convexly curved (in top view), to the right and left, the water W flows right and left due to the and out from between the brim and hood at the left and right corners 242, 244. The left and right corners 242, 244 are respectively horizontally left and right out past the left and right extremities 262, 264 of the opening 230, and are lower than the center CT of the connection CB. Therefore, water W flowing toward, and falling out from, the left and right corners 242, 244 misses the opening and the user's face and tending to fall to other exterior regions of the hood or the jacket body. See the relative positions of corners 242 and 244 and extremities 262, 264 in FIGS. 13-17, and see the schematic water flow arrows W in FIG. 17.

[0059] FIGS. 18-20 illustrate the hood 200 wherein the brim 210 has been flipped down to its lowered position, again at the axis/axle generally corresponding to the inner edge 240 and connection CB. These drawings illustrate the preferably slanted/sloped forehead region 248, the convex shape (in top view) of the brim connection CB, and the brim left and right corners 242, 244 and eave ends 252, 254. Further, these drawings illustrate that the brim in the lowered position slants downward from the inner edge 240 at the hood to the outer edge 246. Therefore, as schematically shown in FIG. 20, when the brim is in the lowered position, water W flows forward and off the brim and also left and right off the eave ends 252, 254, avoiding the opening 230 and the user's face. Preferably, the eave ends 252, 254 extend at least 0.25 inches, preferably in the range of 0.5-2 inch or more preferably 1-1.5 inches, horizontally out past the extremities of the opening 262, 264. Given that the left and right extremities 262, 264 are near the top of the preferred opening 230 and that the preferred opening 230 is progressively narrower towards its bottom, these fairly small left and right overhangs of the eave ends 242, 244 are sufficient in many embodiments to effectively shield the opening and the user's face from water entering at the left and right sides of the opening.

[0060] Therefore, certain embodiments may be described as a movable/flippable brim constructed into a hood separate from the face opening, to create an eave or overhang above, forward, and to the right and left of the face opening of the hood itself. This construction creates an articulating brim to increase versatility, and rain protection. Strategically placed stiffener(s) are engineered into the brim and hood to provide structure necessary for articulation of the brim to both upward- and downward-facing positions. With the brim down, sun and rain protection are maximized, and the front face opening is minimized. With the brim articulated up, the wearer's field of view is maximized, and the brim acts as rain gutter to channel water away from the face opening to the sides of the hood to minimize moisture intrusion. Without this gutter and the associated channeling away from the face opening, the possibility of water entering through the face opening and into the garment would be increased, wetting the user and typically the user's clothing worn underneath the jacket.

[0061] In contrast, traditional hoods may be used over headwear that has a single brim that is fixed into one position, and, depending on head size and the type of headwear used in cooperation with the traditional hood, the user's field of view may be inhibited, or the hood may conflict with the headwear used underneath, creating discomfort and diminishing functionality/usability of hood. Also, a traditional hood over a conventional brimmed cap will not shield the hood opening or the user's face from water to a satisfactory extent and especially will not direct water satisfactorily away to the left and right beyond the hoop opening.

[0062] The brim fabric is preferably made to be integral with the hood's fabric panels that extend above and below the brim. This way, the fabric of the top of the brim extends continuously from and above the brim, and the fabric of the bottom of the brim extends continuously from and below the brim, resulting in no seam being used to attach the brim to the hood. A stiffener is placed between the fabric panels portions on the top and of the bottom of the brim, so that the brim keeps its shape, with the stiffener being positioned so that the brim can flip/pivot at the fabric boundary slightly beyond the stiffener's inner edge at the brim's inner edge 240 (also CB, or fabric axis/axle). The preferred brim is thereby somewhat rigid and will flip up and down without significant deformation and the fabric axis/axle around which the brim flips/pivots is consistent and predictable. Also because of this stiffened brim structure, the brim retains the preferred shape as described and drawn herein and stays effective even during inclement weather. Further, adhesive is used to position and secure the stiffener inside the brim, and there is no seam or stitching present at the edge 240, so that water is prevented from soaking into or through the gutter created at connection CB of the brim to the hood when the brim is either the flipped up or down position.

[0063] It may be noted in the drawings that an elongated bump or shoulder is seen at connection CB when the brim is in each of the raised and lowered positions. This is preferably not due to any seam or stitching, and not due to any joining of multiple panels of fabrics at connection CB, because, as explained above, there is no seam or stitching at connection CB and, instead, the fabric panels on the top and the bottom of the brim each continuously extend from the brim to the hood across connection CB. Instead, the stiffener provided inside the brim gives the brim extra thickness, which results in the bump/shoulder.

[0064] Although this disclosed invention has been described above with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosed invention is not limited to these disclosed particulars, but extends instead to all equivalents within the broad scope of the following claims.