Wearable article to protect clothing from hot ash

Abstract

A wearable clothing protector comprising a bib portion, neck straps, and a removable ash catcher. The bib portion is made of a flexible composite sheet that may be multilayered, heat-resistant, fire-resistant, and odor-resistant, and is configured to cover the front torso of a wearer to protect clothing from hot ash, embers, and smoke. The neck straps secure the protector around the user's neck. A U-shaped ash catcher is removably mounted on the front surface of the bib portion to collect falling ash, embers, food crumbs, and other debris, and may also serve as a storage compartment for small items such as cigarette lighters or packets. The ash catcher is detachable for easy cleaning and may be made from fire-resistant rigid materials. The clothing protector is washable, reusable, and available in various designs and colors

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority from a U.S. Provisional Patent Appl. No. 63 / 688,432, filed on Aug. 29, 2024, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to an article for protecting clothes from hot ashes, and more particularly, to a wearable article for smokers to protect their clothing from hot ashes and embers accidentally fell from cigarettes and cigars.BACKGROUND

[0003] Smoking-related clothing damage caused by falling hot ash and embers from cigarettes, cigars, and similar smoking articles is a common and recurring problem. When hot ash or embers inadvertently fall onto clothing, they can cause permanent burn marks or holes, often rendering the garments unusable and resulting in economic loss. In many cases, attempts to remove the hot debris manually may also lead to burn injuries on the hands.

[0004] Clothing made from synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers is particularly vulnerable to such thermal damage due to its lower heat resistance. Although smokers are generally advised to exercise caution and wear natural-fiber garments, accidental ash or ember falls are difficult to completely avoid during smoking activities.

[0005] Accordingly, there exists a recognized need for a protective device that can shield clothing from falling ash and embers during smoking, thereby reducing the risk of garment damage and personal injury.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The following summary is provided to introduce a selection of embodiments of the present invention in a simplified form. It is not intended to identify key or essential features, nor to define the scope of the invention. Rather, it serves as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows and provides a general overview of certain aspects of one or more embodiments.

[0007] In one aspect, disclosed is a wearable article for protecting a wearer from hot ashes fallen from a smoking article, the wearable article comprises a bib portion configured to cover a front torso region of the wearer; and an ash catcher removably mounted to a front surface of the bib portion, the ash catcher configured to collect fallen ash, embers, and / or debris from the smoking article. The wearable article further comprises a pair of neck straps extending from a top side of the bib portion and configured for securing the wearable article around a neck of the wearer. The ash catcher is removably mounted to the bib portion through an engaging fastening mechanism. The engaging fastening mechanism comprises a hook and loop fastener. The bib portion is made of fire resistant and odor absorbing materials. The ash catcher comprises left, right, and bottom sides, each side made formed as a U-shaped channel, wherein the fallen ash, embers, and / or debris are collected within the U-shape channel.

[0008] A method of protecting clothing from ash, embers, and / or smoke while smoking, the method comprising: providing a wearable article comprising: a bib portion configured to cover a front torso region of a wearer, an ash catcher removably mounted to a front surface of the bib portion, the ash catcher configured to collect fallen ash, embers, and / or debris from a smoking article, and a pair of neck straps extending from a top side of the bib portion and configured to secure the wearable article around a neck of the wearer. The method further comprises placing the bib portion over the front torso region of the wearer; securing the wearable article around the neck of the wearer using the pair of neck straps; collecting falling fallen ash, embers, and / or debris from the smoking article into the ash catcher during smoking; and removing the ash catcher from the bib portion for emptying or cleaning.

[0009] In one aspect, the method further comprising the step of attaching the ash catcher to the bib portion using a fastening mechanism selected from the group consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners, snap buttons, and magnetic closures.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] The accompanying figures, which are incorporated herein, form part of the specification and illustrate embodiments of the present invention. Together with the description, the figures further explain the principles of the present invention and to enable a person skilled in the relevant arts to make and use the invention.

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] FIG. 3 shows a view of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of the ash catcher of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 7 shows attaching of the ash catcher to a body of the wearable article, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Subject matter will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. Subject matter may, however, be embodied in a variety of different forms and, therefore, covered or claimed subject matter is intended to be construed as not being limited to any exemplary embodiments set forth herein; exemplary embodiments are provided merely to be illustrative. Likewise, a reasonably broad scope for claimed or covered subject matter is intended. Among other things, for example, the subject matter may be embodied as methods, devices, components, or systems. The following detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be taken in a limiting sense.

[0019] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the present invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.

[0020] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of embodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising,”, “includes” and / or “including”, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0021] The following detailed description includes the best currently contemplated mode or modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention will be best defined by the allowed claims of any resulting patent.

[0022] The present invention relates to a wearable article designed for use by smokers to protect clothing from damage caused by accidentally fallen hot ash and embers from smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars, and the like. In addition to shielding clothing from thermal damage, the wearable article also serves to reduce the transfer of tobacco odor to garments. Furthermore, it protects clothing from non-burning ash particles that may otherwise cause staining, contamination, or smudging. The wearable article may additionally function to intercept falling ash and embers before they reach the floor, thereby helping to maintain cleanliness in the surrounding area.

[0023] In one aspect, the present invention discloses a wearable clothing protector specifically designed for smokers. The wearable article includes a bib portion, one or more neck straps, and a detachable ash catcher. The article is worn by securing it around the user's neck prior to smoking. It functions to prevent hot ash, embers, or other debris from falling onto clothing or the floor, thereby reducing the risk of burn damage, smudging, or mess.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 1 (a perspective view), FIG. 2 (a front view), and FIG. 3 (a side view), the wearable article 100 comprises a bib portion 110 configured to cover the front torso of the wearer. The bib portion 110 is constructed from a flexible composite sheet 115 having a substantially rectangular profile. The composite sheet 115 may be multilayered and include materials that are heat-resistant, fire-resistant, and odor resistant. In one embodiment, the bib portion acts as a physical barrier to protect garments from thermal damage caused by hot ash and embers, while also absorbing smoke to prevent odor transfer to underlying clothing.

[0025] The bib portion 110 may be washable and offered in a variety of colors and designs. An optional hem lining or reinforcement along the edges of the flexible composite sheet 115 may be provided to enhance structural integrity. Although described herein as multilayered, a single-layer version of the bib portion also falls within the scope of the present invention.

[0026] The article further includes neck straps 120 extending from the upper left and right corners of the bib portion 110. These straps are used to secure the article 100 around the neck of the wearer. The free ends of the neck straps may incorporate fastening mechanisms such as hook-and-loop fasteners, snap buttons, or equivalent closures.

[0027] The rear surface of the bib portion 110 may remain plain, while the front surface is equipped with an ash catcher 130. The ash catcher 130 comprises three interconnected side walls—left, right, and bottom—forming a U-shaped channel that is open at the top. These channels are joined corner-to-corner to define a partial containment structure for catching falling ash, embers, or debris.

[0028] During smoking or even eating, particles such as ash or food crumbs fall into the U-shaped channel and are collected therein. The ash catcher 130 is preferably removably attached to the bib portion to facilitate easy cleaning and maintenance.

[0029] The ash catcher 130 is affixed to the bib portion 110 using a suitable mating fastening mechanism 140, such as hook-and-loop fasteners, snap buttons, or similar connectors. This allows the ash catcher to be detached and reattached as needed, for example, to empty collected debris or clean either component. In addition to capturing ash and debris, the ash catcher may serve as a small storage compartment for holding accessories such as cigarette packets, lighters, or other personal items.

[0030] The ash catcher 130 may be fabricated from a rigid material, including but not limited to plastic or metal. The selected material is preferably fire-resistant and easy to clean, ensuring durability and repeated usability.

[0031] Although the foregoing description sets forth what is presently considered to be the best mode of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, substitutions, and equivalents may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited by the specific embodiments disclosed, but by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A wearable article for protecting a wearer from hot ashes fallen from a smoking article, the wearable article comprises:a bib portion configured to cover a front torso region of the wearer; andan ash catcher removably mounted to a front surface of the bib portion, the ash catcher configured to collect fallen ash, embers, and / or debris from the smoking article.

2. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the wearable article further comprises:a pair of neck straps extending from a top side of the bib portion and configured for securing the wearable article around a neck of the wearer.

3. The wearable article of claim 2, wherein the ash catcher is removably mounted to the bib portion through an engaging fastening mechanism.

4. The wearable article of claim 3, wherein the engaging fastening mechanism comprises a hook and loop fastener.

5. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the bib portion is made of fire resistant and odor absorbing materials.

6. The wearable article of claim 1, wherein the ash catcher comprises left, right, and bottom sides, each side made formed as a U-shaped channel, wherein the fallen ash, embers, and / or debris are collected within the U-shape channel.

7. A method of protecting clothing from ash, embers, and / or smoke while smoking, the method comprising the steps of:providing a wearable article comprising:a bib portion configured to cover a front torso region of a wearer,an ash catcher removably mounted to a front surface of the bib portion, the ash catcher configured to collect fallen ash, embers, and / or debris from a smoking article, anda pair of neck straps extending from a top side of the bib portion and configured to secure the wearable article around a neck of the wearer;placing the bib portion over the front torso region of the wearer;securing the wearable article around the neck of the wearer using the pair of neck straps;collecting falling fallen ash, embers, and / or debris from the smoking article into the ash catcher during smoking; andremoving the ash catcher from the bib portion for emptying or cleaning.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of attaching the ash catcher to the bib portion using a fastening mechanism selected from the group consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners, snap buttons, and magnetic closures.

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