Neck and Chest Warmer

Abstract

A convertible garment for providing warmth to a neck and / or chest of a person includes an elongated neck piece having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and an inner surface and outer surface opposite the inner surface, wherein the neck piece is adapted to wrap around the neck. At least one neck fastener is provided for releasably securing the first end to the second end, the neck fastener having a first fastener disposed proximate to the first end on the inner surface and a second fastener disposed proximate to the second end on the outer surface. The garment further includes a chest piece adapted to releasably attach to the neck piece and cover the chest, wherein the neck piece forms a tubular configuration.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to an article of clothing, and in particular, to a fashionable, adjustable and convertible garment worn around the neck which provides warmth and protection against cold weather and wind to the neck and / or chest of a person.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Scarves or mufflers have been used for both fashion and utilitarian purposes. Most often, people use scarves to cover and protect their necks from inclement weather, such as rain, snow, wind, and cold temperatures. However, scarves are also used to provide warmth to a person's neck and / or chest during periods when there is no inclement weather or periods when the weather is warm. This is especially true for singers and people playing wind instruments (e.g., clarinetist, trombonist, trumpeter, saxophonist), who try to keep their voice box clear and relaxed by warming their throat. Since the neck is a region of the body which loses heat quickly, it has been found that warming...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a garment that can be worn around the neck of a person to protect against inclement weather and provide warmth to the neck and chest. The garment is easy to wear and remove without disturbing the wearer's hair, makeup, or other clothing. It also minimizes interference with the wearer's freedom of movement and maintains its fit during natural motion of the mouth, chin, head, neck, shoulders, and chest.

Problems solved by technology

For example, due to its substantial length and the need to tie a knot, the scarf usually forms a bulky mass in front of the wearer's neck and chest, which detracts from the overall fashion style the wearer may be trying to achieve.

Further, the outer garment may not be designed with a wide neck opening to allow the mass and ends of the scarf to be tucked therein.

Conversely, the scarf may interfere with the complete closure of one or more fasteners (e.g., zipper, buttons) of the outer garment.

Another disadvantage related to the mass created by the conventional scarf is the tendency to restrict free movement of the face (including the mouth), neck, shoulders, chest and back.

Such constraint on maneuverability may be unfavorable for people who are involved in activities which require uninhibited movement.

The design of the conventional scarf also makes the garment difficult to don and / or doff (remove) from the neck.

The conventional scarf may be hard to tie, and its design can lead to unwanted knots or weak knots.

This disadvantage further prevents the scarf from being securely and firmly wrapped around the neck.

Often, when the wearer naturally shifts his or her head and / or neck, the scarf loosens or comes undone.

This renders the scarf ineffective in protecting the person from the cold as well as providing steady warmth to the neck and chest regions.

An additional drawback of the conventional scarf relates to the danger posed by the scarf's dangling ends.

In particular, if the scarf is worn and knotted around the neck while the wearer is operating equipment or heavy machinery, such as a bicycle or cutting machine, there is the potential that the ends may tangle with the machine and cause serious injury to the wearer.

Another drawback of the conventional scarf is that it lacks the means to effectively cover and warm both the chest and neck simultaneously.

The remaining portion of the scarf which is available is unsecured and “criss-crossed.” As a result, the conventional scarf fails to provide a gap-free “blanketing” effect to the wearer's chest.

Conversely, if the wearer tries to “criss-cross” more of the scarf over the chest, it is usually at the expense of providing sufficient cover to the neck, thereby leaving part of the neck exposed to inclement weather, including rain, snow, wind, and cold temperatures.

As a further drawback, the conventional scarf lacks the ability to convert into different configurations in order to adjust to different environments or conditions that the wearer is in and meet the needs and preferences of the wearer.

For example, while conventional scarves are meant to help protect and warm areas of the body from inclement weather, they can lead to overheating as heat generated by the individual continues to build around the neck or chest region (e.g., when the wearer is engaged in physically demanding activity).

The conventional scarf has no easy or effective way of being converted into different configurations.

However, the tubular configuration requires that the person pull the neck garment over the head and face, potentially disrupting / disturbing one's hair and / or makeup.

Consequently, the neck garment of Baker still does not provide for easy donning and doffing.

In addition, the neck garment does not provide sufficient protection and warmth to the chest nor can it be configured to do so.

The scarf, however, provides warmth only to the neck while leaving the chest unprotected.

Further, the design of the scarf involves it being fastened in the front of the neck, such that a portion of the neck adjacent to the wearer's upper chest remains unprotected.

As a result, the scarf is not adapted to be converted or adjusted such that it can accommodate different environments and / or the needs and preferences of the wearer.

The scarf is unable to provide warmth to the neck only, to the chest only, and to both the neck and chest in separate instances.

However, if the wearer chooses not to cover his or her lower face, the extra fabric must be folded or shifted underneath the neck.

This causes the neck piece to be bulky and restrict the wearer's ability to naturally move his or her face, neck, and shoulders.

With additional fabric covering the neck, the neck piece may also produce excessive warmth around the neck.

More importantly, the scarf of Mustata poses a potential safety hazard.

With permanent attachment between the neck piece and chest piece, the wearer can suffer severe injury.

Even if the extension were folded and repositioned underneath the wearer's chin, the additional fabric around the neck may restrict free and natural movement of the face, neck, and shoulders.

In addition, the extra bulk created by the neck piece may cause excessive warmth around the neck.

While the prior art scarves provide improvements over conventional scarves, such as easier donning and doffing steps, they still suffer from several disadvantages.

One such disadvantage is the restriction in free movement of the wearer's mouth, chin, head, neck, and shoulders.

The prior art scarves are also not adjustable or configurable so as to accommodate different environments and / or the needs of the wearer.

Another disadvantage of the prior art scarves is the potential danger created by their dangling ends.

In addition, although some of the prior art scarves protect a large area of the wearer's body, it comes at the expense of its appearance, thereby detracting from wearer's fashion style.

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