Multi-purpose pocket tie

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The necessity of having a safe storage and ready access to eyeglasses and cell phones is of obvious importance. Eyeglasses must be protected from inadvertent abuse, and it is not always sensible to store the eyeglasses in a hard case or pocket. This is particularly true when the eyeglasses are used frequently.

Cell phones have reached a reduced size that was not present until fairly recently, with regard to thickness and overall dimensions. There are times when it is not proper to have a cell phone emit an audible ring tone, but instead the phone must be placed on a vibration mode. A problem with this feature, is that unless the phone is in contact with the wearer directly, the fact that it is vibrating may be missed.

The above problems have a joint solution, in which a necktie may supply the necessary means to hold and store either glasses or cell phones. The necktie provides ready access, it is against the wearer's body, and can be considered a rather protected zone, as compared to other areas of the body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is intended to provide an ordinary necktie, in which various modifications are available so that the tie can support and hold a pair of glasses, a typical cell phone, or combination of both. This is accomplished through the use of a pocket, which may be located on either the front or back strap portion of the tie, and where the glasses may be either contained within a pocket, or where the ear rest portion may be inserted through a small aperture or defined hole in the front of the tie.

The front strap portion of the tie may provide a small aperture or hole, that is reinforced, and is able to accept the earpiece portion of the glasses. The earpiece portion is pushed through the aperture or hole, with the earpiece portion remaining inserted in between the layers of the front strap portion of the tie, while the rest of the glasses remains on the outside of the tie. The earpiece may be pushed through a portion of the front strap, the entire front strap, or both the front and back strap portion of the tie. Simple gravitational effects, will cause the eyeglasses to remain secured in relation to the necktie.

In addition to the aperture on the front strap portion, a pocket may be provided on either the rear side of the back strap or front strap portion of the necktie. The eyeglasses may be folded and placed within the pocket.

Said pocket may also receive and store a cell phone. A pocket may also be provided with a small opening to allow any external ear piece cord or electrical wire to be placed through it.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a necktie that allows a secure storage means for a pair of eyeglasses, cell phone, or both.

It is a further object of his invention to provide a necktie that is capable of storing eyeglasses or a cell phone so that said eyeglasses or cell phone are readily accessible, conveniently accessible, and easily protected by the wearer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front view of the improved tie, in which the front strap portion is shown, where said front strap defines a small opening or hole into the interior of the front strap portion, and where a pair of glasses is shown adjacent to and inserted into the opening.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the front strap portion of the tie, in which a pair of glasses is inserted into the front panel of the front strap portion.

FIG. 3 is a view of the aperture or hole on the front strap of the necktie.

FIG. 4 depicts the two strap portions of a typical necktie, with a pair of glasses placed into a pocket defined on the rear strap portion.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pocket portion of FIG. 4, as seen from above.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the tie, in which the front strap is shown with the eyeglass ear rest placed through the opening or hole. A pocket is also shown on the back strap portion.

FIG. 7 is a side view the tie shown in FIG. 6, in which the ear rest has been inserted through a hole defined in both the front strap and back strap.

FIG. 8 is a view of the backside of the front strap portion of a neck tie, showing a pocket in which a cell phone has been placed within said pocket. The bottom area of the pocket defines an opening through which an electrical cord may be placed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to figure one, a front strap portion 40 of a necktie 10 is shown, as viewed from the front side, so that the front panel portion 45 of the front strap 40 is visible. Typical eyeglasses 20 are also shown, where said eyeglasses 20 have an elongated earpiece 21, as is found on most eyeglasses. The earpiece 21 has a defined peripheral end 51, which is able to be inserted through a hole 30 defined on the front panel of the front strap portion 40 of the tie 10. Moving the peripheral end 51 through opening 30, the entire length of the earpiece 21 will also moves through the hole 30, until the entire length of the earpiece 21 is inserted through the hole 30, and where the earpiece 21 has been moved so that the peripheral end 51 is adjacent to the rest of the glasses 20. The defined edge of the hole 30 will be against the hinge portion 52 of the glasses 20, the hinge portion 52 allows movement of the earpiece 21 in a rotational manner around the hinge 52 in relation to the frame portion 53, in an action commonly known as “folding” eyeglasses. Thus, when the earpiece 21 has been inserted through the opening 30, virtually all of the mass of eyeglasses 20 will be below the hole 30, thereby allowing gravitational forces to maintain the position of the eyeglasses 20 so that they descend downward from the hole 30. This allows eyeglasses 20 to be stored securely in relation to the tie 10. Said eyeglasses 20 are easily retrievable and removable from the tie 10 by simply grasping the frame portion 53 and polling the ear piece 21 back out through the hole 30.

Referring now also to FIG. 2, the front strap portion 40 of the tie 10 is shown, in which a front panel 45 and back panel 46 define a small cavity 43 between them. One manner of securing the eyeglasses 20 is where the hole 30 is defined only through the front panel 45 of the front strap portion 40. The ear piece 21 is inserted through the hole 30 so that it moves into the cavity 43. As is also shown in FIG. 2, the hole 30 may have a reinforced area such as increased stitching which defines the peripheral edge of the hole 30. The hole 30 may have various ornamental shapes and configurations to allow it to blend in with the patterns of the tie 10. Further, the hole 30, may comprise an opening or a simple slit that allows it to be unnoticeable when not in use.

Referring now also to FIG. 3, two examples of opening variations regarding holes 30 are shown. The hole 30 may comprise a rounded or oval shape, which is defined by the reinforced stitching 31, such as the hole 30 depicted on top in relation to the second hole 30′. Hole 30′ is an example of a slit, in which the reinforced stitching 31′ allows the physical opening of the hole 30′ to remain closed until needed, by having the reinforced stitching 31′ to come together when not in use. It should also be understood that other types of openings may be provided, with regard to shades and ornamental features. In addition, there may be more than one hole 30 defined on a tie 10 so as to allow storage of multiple eyeglasses 20 or at the insertion of the ear piece 21 through first one hole 30 and then back out of the tie 10 through hole 30′.

Referring now also to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, an eyeglass 20 a shown in FIG. 6, in which the ear piece 21 has passed through a hole 30, where said hole 30 extends through both the front panel 45 and back panel 46 of the front strap portion 40. In this way, the earpiece 21 is not located or held in between said panels 45 and 46, but rather it is held between the front strap portion 40 and rear strap portion 41 of the tie 10.

FIG. 7 indicates an additional improvement in which the earpiece 21 has been placed through the hole 30, as shown in FIG. 6, with earpiece 21 also passing through a second hole 30″, which is defined in the back strap portion 41 of the tie 10. Back strap portion 41 may define multiple holes 30″ along its length, so as to be able to properly receive the earpiece 21 regardless of how the front strap portion 40 and rear strap portion 41 are in relation to one another as to overall length. Multiple holes 30″ are shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. When eyeglasses 20 are used in a manner depicted in FIG. 7, the eyeglasses 20 act as a tie clip, and keep the front strap 40 and back strap 41 both adjacent to each other and fixed in position to each other.

In situations where the wearer does not wish for the eyeglasses 20 to be exposed, the improved necktie 10 may also be provided with a pocket 50. Referring now to FIG. 4, a pocket 50 is shown on the back strap portion 41 of neck tie 10. The pocket 50 may comprise flexible fabric that is in the shape of the end area of the rear strap portion 41. Pocket 50 is stitched 51 or attached in other similar manner to the rear strap portion 41, where said stitching 51 is on the sides and bottom area of the fabric so as to define an opening 53 for a cavity defined by the pocket 50 and strap portion 41, into which the eyeglasses 20 may be placed. As is shown also in FIG. 5, the eyeglasses 20 have been placed through opening 53 into the defined cavity of the pocket 50 and rear strap portion 41. It should also be understood that this pocket 50 maybe also defined on the front strap portion 40 of said improved necktie 10. Generally, pocket 50 will always be on the rear portion of any of the straps 40 or 41, but it should be understood that said pocket 50 may also be on the front side of any strap portion 40 or 41. It should further be understood that the configuration shown in FIG. 4, with regard to the shape and location of the pocket 50 in relation to a strap 40 or 41, is not the only configuration available. Said pocket 50 may be defined anywhere along the length of either strap portion 40 or 41, and may comprise the only means supplied by the tie 10 to store eyeglasses, or may also be used in conjunction with the means and manner described in FIGS. 1, 2 3 6 and 7. As FIGS. 6 and 7 depict, a pocket 50 is shown as an additional feature or option in both FIGS. 6 and 7, in addition to the hole 30 and/or 30″.

In certain situations, the wearer might desire to store more than eyeglasses 20 in the pocket 50, as noted and described above. Referring now also to FIG. 8, the front strap portion 40 of tie 10 is shown, with the rear panel 46 shown, which has a specifically designed pocket 80 that is particularly adapted to cell phones 70. Storage of the cell phone 70 in pocket 80 are accomplished similarly as that shown and described for eyeglasses 20 in pocket 50. Cell phones 70 may have additional features that require modifications to any type of containing pocket 80. Pocket 80 is shown so as to configure to the general shape and size of a cell phone 70. It should be noted that said pocket 80 is affixed to the back panel 46 of front strap 40, through stitching 51 or any other means commonly known and understood in the art. Said pocket further defines an opening 81, through which any electrical wiring 72 may also be placed through said opening 81. As is shown in FIG. 8, a remote microphone earpiece 71 is shown, with its connecting wire 72 going through the opening 81 and connecting to the cell phone 70 while it is situated within said pocket 80.

As is shown in FIG. 8, the cell phone 70 may be secured within the confines of said pocket 80 through the use of a restraining strap 65 which is connected at one end to the top area of the pocket 80 through a permanent or detachable connecting means 67, and attached to the back panel 46 through a permanent or detachable connecting means 66. The connecting means 66 and 67 may comprise snaps, Velcro ends, stitching, or any other means commonly known and understood to secure a flexible strap 65 to a pocket 84 or tie panel 46.

One benefit of using placement of the cell phone 70 in a pocket 80 defined on a tie 10, is that a phone 70 set to vibration mode will be readily discernible as to vibration since it will be resting on a wearer's chest area. This allows both easy access, and the assurance that no phone calls will be missed.

From the foregoing statements, summary and description in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same are not limited thereto, but are susceptible to various changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications which would be encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.