FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a pocket system, and more particularly, to a pocket system combined with a boot as an article of footwear.

BACKGROUND

[0002] As is known in the art, a boot places a pocket on the outside of the boot, as disclosed by US 3,663,796; US 5,051,095 and US 5,623,772. Further, US 2010/0018076 Al discloses a removable attachment for a sandal. However, the pocket on the sandal or on the outside of a boot would detract from any fashion appearance of a boot and would cover and interfere with the exterior of a boot designed to repel water. Further the contents of the pocket would be unprotected from weather elements, such as, rain and snow and earth elements, such as, mud and puddles of water, which constitute incentives for wearing boots.

[0003] US 2010/0018076 Al refers to an extensive list of additional patents that disclose a pocket exposed on the exterior of an article of wearing apparel. Further, US 6,182,878 discloses a carrier for a cell phone to be attached to suspender straps, luggage straps, handbags, etc. An arm band and bracelets having pockets are disclosed by US D536,867 S; US D487,844 S and US D496,155 S.

[0004] U.S. 2009/004979 Al discloses a combination of a pocket and a detachable cover, wherein the pocket may be found in any type of accessory, such as, for example, hats, backpacks, umbrellas, ties, luggage, purses, bags, briefcases, computer carriers, etc. The pocket may also be found in other items, such as, for example, shoes, boots, party supplies, etc. The pocket may be of any shape, size, or construction, as is known in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A pocket system for a boot adapted for footwear and having a leg portion, wherein the leg portion provides an interior space between the leg portion of the boot and a leg of a wearer of the boot suitable for tucking-in a leg of a trouser; and a pocket inside the leg portion of the boot, wherein the pocket receives insertion and removal of a PDA, and surrounds the same for safekeeping.

[0006] The invention is useful in combination with a boot intended for footwear.

Particularly fashion conscious boots are commercially available under the UGG™ brand boots and the TEVA™ brand boots of the Deckers Outdoor Corporation.

[0007] The invention combines a boot with an inside pocket adapted for receiving a personal digital assistant, PDA, which includes a cellular telephone, also referred to as a cell phone, and any other apparatus of similar size and enabling them to be used as mobile phones (smart phones), web browsers, or portable media players in voice and data communications systems including, but not limited to CMDA, Universal Mobile Telephone Communications System, GPS and the Internet.

[0008] It has been observed that school children tend to wear boots of a certain brand and fashion appearance, which has established high demand for boot sales. Further, they have established a habit of inserting their PDAs inside their boots. In view of the patents that disclose a pocket exposed on the exterior of a boot, sandal or another article of wearing apparel, these patents lack satisfaction of a long existing need for a pocket for receiving and storing PDAs inside a boot, wherein the utility and fashion appearance of the boot is unaffected by the location and visual appearance of the pocket, due to the pocket being hidden inside the boot.

[0009] The invention relates to a pocket system for a boot adapted for footwear and having a foot portion and an ankle portion and a leg portion, the pocket system comprising: a pocket inside the leg portion of the boot, wherein the leg portion provides an interior space between the leg portion of the boot and a leg of a wearer of the boot suitable for tucking-in a leg of a trouser; and the pocket is so constructed and arranged to receive insertion and removal of a PDA, and to surround the same for safekeeping.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the invention, the pocket has an opening adjacent to an opening of the leg portion for ease of insertion of the PDA.

[0011] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the pocket is permanently attached to the boot.

[0012] According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the pocket is permanently attached to a lining inside the boot. [0013] According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the pocket is permanently attached between a lining inside the boot and an outer layer of the boot.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the pocket, the pocket comprises a thin flexible web to surround the PDA and to collapse and lie flat when the pocket is empty.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the pocket, the pocket comprises a removable lining serving as a purse having an open top to line an open top of the pocket and the purse conforms to the volume and shape of the pocket to measure contents that will fit inside the pocket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a pair of boots adapted for footwear, wherein each boot includes a pocket system that includes a pocket adapted to receive and store a PDA inside one boot or inside each individual boot of the pair of boots.

[0018] Figure 2 is an isometric view of one of the boots in Fig. 1, and further discloses a dotted outline of a hidden portion of a PDA in a pocket inside the one boot.

[0019] Figure 3 is an elevation view of the boot in Fig. 2, and further disclosing a portion of the boot cut away to indicate the location of the PDA fully inside the boot while the pocket is at least as deep as the longest dimension of the PDA.

[0020] Figure 4 is a top plan view of the boot and pocket system as disclosed by Fig. 3 and by an embodiment of Fig. 2 wherein the PDA is fully inside the boot.

[0021] Figure 5 is a section view of a portion of the boot and pocket system taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and further disclosing an embodiment of a pocket installed over an inside surface of a boot, wherein the boot includes a lining.

[0022] Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, and further disclosing an embodiment of a pocket installed between a lining of a boot and an outer layer of the boot, or on an outer layer of a boot in the absence of a lining.

[0023] Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, and further disclosing an embodiment of a removable purse having exterior dimensions conforming to a pocket installed over an inside surface of a boot, wherein the boot includes a lining. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Fig. 1 discloses a pair of boots 100, 100 adapted for footwear. Each boot 100 has a sole 102 attached by a storm welt 104 to a foot portion 106 and an ankle portion 108. Further, each boot 100 has a leg portion 110 and an opening 112 at a top of the leg portion 110. A lining 114 in each boot 100 comprises, for example, animal fleece or fur unitary with an animal skin serving as an outer layer 116 of the boot 100. A welt is attached to provide a rim 118 of the opening 112.

[0025] With reference to Fig. 1, the boot 100 or each boot 100 includes a pocket system

120. The pocket system 120 comprises a pocket 122 inside the leg portion 110 of the boot 100. The pocket 122 is so constructed and arranged to provide for insertion and removal of a PDA 124, and to surround the same for safekeeping.

[0026] Resiliency to allow bending of the boot 100 is advantageous in the foot portion

106 of the boot 100 and in the ankle portion 108 of the boot 100. These portions of the boot 100 are resilient to allow flexure of the boot 100 in response to flexure of a foot and ankle of a wearer of the boot 100. Resiliency is not essential in the leg covering portion of the boot 100 that encircles essentially an unbending leg portion of a wearer of the boot 100. It would be advantageous that placement of the pocket 122 hidden inside the leg portion of the boot 100 would not interfere with the utility for resilience and flexure of the boot 100. Further, placement of the pocket 122 hidden inside the boot 100 would not interfere with the water repellant utility of the boot 100 or its fashion conscious appearance.

[0027] With reference to Fig 2, the interior of the leg portion 110 is open at the top of the boot 100 and provides an interior space 126 in which a wearer of the boot 100 tucks-in a trouser leg, not shown. A wearer uses his or her hands to tuck-in the trouser legs. An inside pocket 122 for a PDA 124 is positioned in the interior space 126, and would consume approximately the same volume of space as would be consumed by a wearer's hands that are used to tuck-in the trouser legs. Thereby, placement of an inside pocket 122 for a PDA 124 would not interfere with the utility of the boot 100 for tucking-in a trouser leg.

[0028] Figure 2 is an isometric view of one of the boots 100 in Fig. 1, and further discloses a dotted outline of a hidden portion of a PDA 124 in a pocket 122 inside the one boot 100. In one embodiment of the pocket 122, the pocket 112 has a depth at least as long as the longest dimension of the PDA 124. Fig. 2 discloses the PDA 124 partially in the pocket 122 while in the process of being inserted or removed from the pocket 122 having a depth at least as long as the longest dimension of the PDA 124. In an alternative embodiment, the pocket 122 is shallow, such that in Fig. 2 the PDA 124 partially protrudes from the pocket 122 while fully inserted into the shallow pocket 122.

[0029] Figure 3 is an elevation view of the boot 100 in Fig. 2, and further disclosing a portion of the boot 100 cut away to indicate the location of the PDA 124 fully inside the boot 100 and in the pocket 122 having a depth at least as long as the longest dimension of the PDA 124.

[0030] Figure 4 is a top plan view of the boot 100 and pocket system 120 as disclosed by Fig. 3 and by the embodiment of Fig. 2 wherein the PDA 124 is fully inside the boot 100 while the PDA 124 is the pocket 122 having a depth at least as long as the longest dimension of the PDA 124.

[0031] Fig. 5 discloses an embodiment of the invention, in which the pocket 122 is permanently attached to an interior surface 128 of the boot 100, wherein the interior surface 128 includes the lining 114 of the boot 100. The pocket 122 has only one wall 130 on a front of the pocket 122, which means the pocket 122 is open along the backside of the pocket 122, and the interior space dimension of the pocket 122 is enlarged to receive both the thickness of the lining 114 and the thickness of the PDA 124. An advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that the pocket system 120 is adapted to add a pocket 122 to a boot 100 wherein the lining 114 comprises animal fleece or fur, which is unitary with an animal skin serving as the outer layer 116 of the boot 100. Another advantage of this embodiment is that the pocket system 120 is adapted to add a pocket 122 as a manufacturing change or a retrofit onto a boot 100 that has already been manufactured.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the invention, the wall 130 of the pocket 122 comprises a thin flexible web to surround the PDA 124 and to collapse and lie flat when the pocket 122 is empty. The thin flexible web has a material construction including, but not limited to plastic film, cloth, mesh, woven fibers, bonded fibers, or a combination thereof.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the pocket system 120 in Fig. 5, the pocket depth is greater than the longest dimension of the PDA 124 within the pocket 122 to ensure the PDA 124 is hidden from view at all times. [0034] Fig. 6 discloses an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the pocket system 120 is on an interior surface 128 of the boot 100 between the lining 114 and an outer layer 116 of the boot 100. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the pocket system 120 is on an interior surface 128 of the boot 100 in absence of the lining 114, wherein the interior surface 128 occurs on an unlined boot 100. The pocket 122 is installed on the interior surface 128 whether the lining 114 is present or absent. The interior space dimensions of the pocket 122 are reduced to receive the thickness of the PDA 124 without the thickness of an absent lining 114. An advantage of this embodiment is that the pocket 122 is hidden between the lining 114 and an outer layer 116 of the boot 100 at all times. Advantageously, the contents within the pocket 122 are hidden at all times. According to an embodiment in Fig. 6, the pocket depth is greater than the longest dimension of the PDA 124 within the pocket 122 to ensure the PDA 124 is hidden from view at all times.

[0035] Fig. 7 discloses an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the pocket system 120 further includes a removable lining 132 of the pocket 122. The removable lining 132 is essentially a bag with an closed end 134 and an open end 136, and has exterior dimensions essentially or substantially conforming to the interior space dimensions of the receiving pocket 122. Particularly since the receiving pocket 122 is hidden inside the boot 100, it is difficult to exercise judgment whether one or more articles would fit in such a pocket 122. An advantage of the removable lining 132 is that articles that the lining 132 can be removed from the pocket 122, and one or more articles that are placed inside the lining 132 will become known to fit inside the receiving pocket 122. Further, the removable lining 132 can easily retrieve small, and difficult to find, articles such as coins or folded currency from such a pocket 122. As a further advantage, the removable lining 132 can display graphics, ornamentation and/or information including, but not limited to name brands and/or identification. Further, the removable lining 132 can serve as purse or wallet.

[0036] This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as "lower," "upper," "horizontal," "vertical,", "above," "below," "up," "down," "top" and "bottom" as well as derivative thereof (e.g., "horizontally," "downwardly," "upwardly," etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as "connected" and "interconnected," refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

[0037] Patents and patent applications referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.