WO2025074116A1 - Garment - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a garment for the upper body of a person, the garment comprising a pocket positioned such that a central vertical axis of the pocket is aligned approximately with a central vertical axis of the garment, and a central horizontal axis of the pocket is situated at or above a central horizontal axis of the garment.

Description

Garment The present disclosure relates to garments for the upper body, and in particular, although not exclusively, relates to the provision of a convenient phone pocket that may be incorporated into upper body garments such as T- shirts, vests, shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies. Urban wear and sportswear are well established areas of the retail clothing market. This is comprised of garments such as T-shirts, vests, shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies. These are worn due to the convenience they offer the wearer when doing sports or work activities. They can be worn as casual wear in warm or cold environments. Cell (mobile)phones have been sold worldwide as a necessary and convenient device for communication and have become part of the fabric of daily life. They offer us the means to be in continuous and constant contact with others. However, for most use cases, they are required to be held in the hand to answer a call if the owner of the phone is aware they have received a call. Unfortunately, there are occasions where calls are missed, often in environments where it is difficult to hear the phone. Such missed calls can be most inconvenient to the user, particularly when the call is of an urgent nature. Circumstances where holding and, particularly, hearing a cell phone presents difficulty include, for example: 1. At music concerts and sports events. 2. At DIY or construction environments. 3. During cycling on the roads. 4. During bad weather e.g., rain. 5. Shopping. In the above examples, the noise of the surrounding environment makes it difficult for a person to hear cell phone alerts. For example, during a football match the crowd of people are generally loud that it is at times difficult to hear others within that environment. This is due to the high levels of noise inhibiting the ability to hear the phone alerts, for example a ring tone. One way in which this issue is mitigated is by use of a phone’s vibration alert system, which causes the phone to vibrate alongside or instead of an alert or ring tone. However, even if the vibration system of the phone is activated, a person may still not be aware of a phone call if the phone is in a jacket or trouser pocket. This is due to the wearer not being able to feel the phone vibrating because it is not located at an optimum area of the body for detecting vibration. For example, a trouser pocket holds a cell phone in close proximity to the leg, which is not particularly sensitive to vibration and thus any vibration- based phone alert may not be detected by the person. Advancements in cell phone technology have provided for mobile devices which are thinner, lighter in weight and safer, due to improvements in the internal radiation shields within the new generation of cell phones. The present inventor has recognised these advances as an opportunity to safely and conveniently integrate technology (cell phones, for example) into urban wear and sportswear garments. In particular, the present inventor has identified a need for a garment with means of holding a cell phone such that a vibration of the cell phone can be more easily detected. According to a first aspect of the disclosure there is provided a garment for the upper body, or torso, of a person, the garment comprising a pocket positioned such that a central vertical axis of the pocket is aligned approximately with a central vertical axis of the garment, and a central horizontal axis of the pocket is situated at or above a central horizontal axis of the garment. The garment may cover some or all of the upper body or torso of the person. The garment may be a T-shirt, vest, shirt, sweatshirt or hoody, for example. The phone pocket is situated in the central part of a T-shirt so as to provide a convenient location for a specifically a cell phone, or other objects e.g., pens, pencils, and spectacles and (sunglasses) etc. When the garment is worn, the pocket may be positioned over at least a portion of an area of the person’s thorax which is situated at the person’s cardiac plexus, a region that is particularly sensitive to vibration. In one or more embodiments, when the garment is worn, the pocket may be positioned over at least a portion of an area of the person’s thorax which is situated at person’s cardiac plexus. In one or more embodiments the central vertical axis of the pocket may be aligned approximately with a central vertical axis of the garment means that the central vertical axis of the pocket is within a distance of a tenth of a width of the garment at the central horizontal axis of the garment from the central vertical axis of the garment. The central vertical axis of the pocket may be within a distance of one of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, or 20% of a width of the garment at the central horizontal axis of the garment from the central vertical axis of the garment. In one or more embodiments, when the garment is worn, the pocket may be aligned approximately with a sagittal plane of the person. The central vertical axis of the pocket may be within a distance of one of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, or 20% of a width of the garment at the central horizontal axis of the garment from the sagittal plane of the person. In one or more embodiments the pocket may be configured to hold a personal communication device, such as a cell phone. In this way, the pocket located in the central area of the garment may accommodate a cell phone and facilitate hands free listening, speaking, and awareness when a call is received. Because the cell phone is held at close proximity to the mouth of the wearer of the garment, the wearer can speak and hear the caller without the need for wireless headphones. If a call is received, the garment 10 further allows the wearer to answer the call using hands-free headphones because the cell phone can now be situated and held securely at the central area of the torso by the pocket 12. In addition, when wireless headphones are used, a stronger connecting signal may be established because the phone is held closer to the headphones. In one or more embodiments, a distance between an upper corner of the pocket and a lower corner on the laterally opposing side of the pocket may measure between 4 inches (about 10 cm) and 7 inches (about 18 cm). This distance is a diagonal dimension. In one or more embodiments, the distance between the upper corner of the pocket and the lower corner on the laterally opposing side of the pocket may measure between 7 inches (about 18 cm) and 8 inches (about 20 cm). In one or more embodiments, a distance between an upper corner of the pocket and a lower corner on the laterally opposing side of the pocket may measure between 4 inches (about 10 cm) and 8 inches (about 20 cm). In one or more embodiments, a distance between an upper corner of the pocket and a lower corner on the laterally opposing side of the pocket may measure between 4 inches (about 10 cm) and 8.5 inches (about 22 cm). Such dimensions accommodate modern smartphone designs. A cell phone may be totally concealed i.e., not protruding from the phone pocket. In one or more embodiments, the pocket may comprise of an elasticated material or fabric. Such a material or fabric may improve aesthetic appeal and presentation of the garment when the cell phone is repeatedly removed and replaced and may reduce gaping at the opening or mouth of the pocket. The use of elasticated fabric may also allow the pocket to securely retain devices with a broader range of dimensions, for example by facilitate total closure of the pocket and securing the contents within the pocket. In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the pocket may comprise perforated or netted material or fabric. Such a material or fabric may assist cooling of the cell phone when the cell phone is held in the pocket, preventing potential damage to the cell phone caused by overheating and preventing injury or discomfort to the wearer of the garment. In one or more embodiments, an opening of the pocket may comprise a closure mechanism. The closure mechanism may comprise a zipper, hook and loop fastener, elasticated strip/band, or button at the opening of the pocket. The zipper, hook and loop fastener, elasticated strip/band, or button may be configured to seal the pocket such that an item or device placed in the pocket is retained in the pocket or cannot inadvertently fall out, for example, during activities requiring a high degree of bodily movement. In one or more embodiments, the pocket may be situated on an external side of the garment. In one or more embodiments, the pocket may be situated on an internal side of the garment and a mouth of the pocket is accessible from an external side of the garment. In both internal and external embodiments of the pocket, the cell phone may be totally concealed and not protruding from the phone pocket. The phone pocket may be manufactured to be on the external side of the garment. The phone pocket may be manufactured to be on the internal side of the garment, with the opening or mouth of the pocket visible externally. In both internal and external versions of the pocket, the cell phone may be totally concealed and not protruding from the phone pocket. The pocket may be provided by a layer on the interior or exterior of the front panel of the garment. A front panel of the garment may comprise an RF-blocking layer. A front panel of the pocket may comprise an RF-blocking layer. In one or more embodiments, the pocket comprises one or more layers. The one or more layers may comprise: an RF-blocking or RFID-blocking layer, a waterproof or water-resistant layer, a transparent or translucent layer. A front panel of the pocket may comprise a transparent or translucent layer or portion arranged such that, when the garment is worn and a device is placed inside the pocket, the device is visible to others. A front panel of the pocket may comprise a waterproof or water-resistant layer to protect a phone against external water or moisture, such as rain. A back panel of the pocket may comprise a waterproof or water-resistant layer to protect against internal moisture arising from, for example, sweating during sports activities. In one or more embodiments, a front panel or a back panel of the pocket may comprise an RF-blocking layer. An RF-blocking layer may be incorporated into or situated adjacent to a front panel or a back panel of the pocket. The RF- blocking layer may comprise material configured to block, absorb, or scatter RF signals. In one or more embodiments, the pocket 12 may comprise a hole, slot, or port configured to receive one or more cables of electronic devices. In one or more embodiments, a rear panel of the pocket may include an opening. In one or more embodiments: a rear panel of the pocket may include an opening; and when the garment is worn, the opening may be positioned such that a camera lens and a light source / torch of a phone occupying the pocket has direct view of the portion of the area of the person’s thorax which is situated at the person’s cardiac plexus. In one or more embodiments, an external or front panel of the pocket may include an opening. The opening may allow a camera lens of a phone to be unobstructed by the pocket. This may allow a person wearing the garment to record their surroundings with their phone held securely in place. The opening may be formed by removal of material. The opening may be elongated so as to expose a variety of smart phone camera lens. In one or more embodiments, the pocket is detachable. The detachable pocket may be attachable to the garment by way of a hook and loop fastener. In one or more embodiments, the garment may comprise a support structure configured to support the pocket. The support structure may comprise one or more reinforcement panels of fabric. The support structure may comprise one or more lines of ribbing. The one or more lines of ribbing may be provided on a body of the garment or on the one or more reinforcement panels. The one or more lines of ribbing may be situated at one or more of the base, side, and opening edges of the pocket. The reinforcement panel may be positioned such that a central vertical axis of the reinforcement panel is aligned approximately with the central vertical axis of the garment. The reinforcement panel may be situated on a front panel of the garment and behind the pocket. The reinforcement panel may extend between the pocket and the neck or shoulders of the garment. A top edge of the reinforcement panel may be adjacent to a top edge of a front panel the garment. The reinforcement panel may comprise an additional layer of material that extends from the pocket to the shoulders of the garment. A bottom edge of the reinforcement panel may be situated below a bottom edge of the pocket. In this way, when the garment is worn, the garment is resistant to distortion when an object is placed in the pocket. Further benefits offered by the reinforcement panel feature is that the panel may be arranged to spread the load/weight of the phone across the chest area. Further, the object is better supported in the pocket such that it is more securely held and less susceptible to falling out of the pocket. The garment may also be less likely to pull on the wearer in an uncomfortable way. In one or more embodiments, the garment may further comprise a second reinforcement panel positioned on a rear panel of the garment. The second reinforcement panel may be positioned such that a central vertical axis of the second reinforcement panel is aligned approximately with the central vertical axis of the garment. The garment may comprise a reinforced pocket base. For example, (only) a bottom section of the pocket may be strengthened to prevent wear from the constant weight and pressure of the phone resting inside. In this way, it may not be necessary to provide the same reinforcing means higher in the pocket. In one or more embodiments, the garment may further comprise a ribbing positioned on the back panel of the garment. The ribbing may be adjacent a neck of the back panel of the garment. According to a further aspect of the disclosure there is provided a kit comprising the garment and computer software for the device. The computer software may be provided on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The software product may be configured to cause a lighting element of the device to act as a beacon when activated. The garment may comprise a waterproof or water-resistant layer arranged between the pocket and the wearer of the garment. The discussion of the garment with respect to orientation terms such as “top” or “bottom” may relate to the orientation of the garment as illustrated or with reference to a conventional frame of reference when the garment is being worn by a user in an upright posture. Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1a illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a garment according to the present disclosure; Figure 1b illustrates a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a pocket of a garment according to the present disclosure; Figure 2 shows a front view of another embodiment of a T-shirt according to the present disclosure; Figure 3 shows a cell phone being held in the pocket of the garment of Figure 2; Figures 4a and 4b shows close-up views of a cell phone being held in the pocket of the garment of Figure 2. Figure 5 illustrates a front view of a further embodiment of a garment according to the present disclosure; Figure 6 shows a front view of an additional embodiment of a T-shirt according to the present disclosure; Figure 7 shows a cell phone being held in the pocket of the garment of Figure 6; and Figure 8 shows a close-up view of the cell phone held in the pocket shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 illustrates a front view of a garment according to the present disclosure; Figure 10 shows a front view of a T-shirt according to the present disclosure; Figure 11a shows a front view of a T-shirt according to the present disclosure; Figure 11b shows an inside-out view of the T-shirt of Figure 11a according to the present disclosure; Figure 12 illustrates a back view of a garment according to the present disclosure; and Figure 13 shows a back view of a T-shirt according to the present disclosure. Figure 1a illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a garment 10. The garment 10 comprises a pocket 12 positioned such that a central vertical axis 14 of the pocket 12 is aligned approximately with a central vertical axis 16 of the garment 10. The pocket 12 may be formed as a layer on a body of the garment 10. A central horizontal axis 18 of the pocket 12 is situated at or above a central horizontal axis 20 of the garment 10. It will be appreciated that the garment may take the form of any upper body garment, including a vest, shirt, sweatshirt, hoody, or the like, while still providing the same advantages as laid out in the present application. A distance 22 from a lowest point of the neck of the garment 10 to the top of the pocket 12 may typically be 10 cm. In this example, the central vertical axis 14 of the pocket 12 is coincident with the central vertical axis 16 of the garment 10. In other examples, the central vertical axis 14 of the pocket 12 could be provided within a distance of a tenth of a width 24 of the garment 10 (at the central horizontal axis 20 of the garment 10) from the central vertical axis 16 of the garment 10. The central vertical axis 14 of the pocket 12 may be within a distance of one of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, or 20% of a width 24 of the garment 10 (at the central horizontal axis 20 of the garment 10) from the central vertical axis 16 of the garment 10. In one or more embodiments, when the garment 10 is worn, the pocket may be aligned approximately with a sagittal plane of the person (not shown). In such examples, the central vertical axis 18 of the pocket 12 may be arranged to be within a distance of one of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, or 20% of a width 24 of the garment 10 (at the central horizontal axis 20 of the garment 10) from the sagittal plane of the person when the garment 10 is being worn by the person. The position of the pocket 12 of the garment 10 offers a central position for a phone to be located on the upper part of the body (torso) when the garment 10 is worn by a person, who may also be referred to as the wearer. The placement of the pocket means that it is near the heart and chest cavity It has been found that the central region of the person’s thorax, or the area of the thorax which is situated at the cardiac plexus, is highly sensitive to vibration, in particular low level vibration, which allows the person to more easily detect when a vibration event is triggered by a cell phone. The heighted sensitivity in the central torso area is due to the concentration of nerves around the heart, and in particular, a complex network of nerves known as the cardiac plexus innervates the heart. Additionally, the mechanoreceptors located around the chest area also assist in detecting mechanical stimuli (vibration) through the skin. These physiological aspects mean that when a wearer of the garment 10 of the present disclosure uses the pocket 12 to hold a phone, they are significantly more likely to feel the vibrations from the phone and thus will be made aware of a new call in environments where an audio alert is not sufficient. In addition, central alignment of the pocket 12 with respect to the garment 10 facilitates ease of unbiased extraction of a phone from the pocket 12 by either left-handed or right-handed wearers. As the pocket 12 is positioned over a central region of the wearer’s thorax, a conversation can be held when the cell phone is located in the pocket 12 because of the close proximity to the wearer’s head without the need for headphones or in-ear listening devices. This feature is of significant benefit when riding a bike, for example, because headphones and in-ear listening devices can block out all other surrounding noise, for example car horns, and this could prove dangerous if a rider is not aware of their surroundings, such as traffic. Additionally, when a person is unable to use their hands, e.g. walking with bags when shopping, the garment 10 with a central pocket 12 offers the convenience of securely holding the cell phone and leaving the hands free. In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, not pictured, the pocket may be detachable. The pocket may be fixed to the garment by a hook and loop fastener, in which one of the pocket and the body of the garment comprises hooks and the other of the pocket and the body of the garment comprises loops. In this way, the pocket may be detached and subsequently replaced. For example, a hook and loop fastener element may be fixed to an outer surface of the front panel of the garment and a corresponding hook and fastener element may be provided on a back panel of the pocket, in which the respective elements are aligned to maintain the central vertical axis of the pocket approximately aligned with the central vertical axis of the garment. In this way, pockets with different properties can be interchanged. For example, the garment may be used with a range of pockets of different sizes in order to accommodate different devices, or pockets with different designs may be interchanged with the same garment. The central location of the pocket 12 facilitates visibility of the phone for location or signalling purposes. A device such as a mobile phone may be provided with a lighting application program to manipulate a screen light or a torch light of the device to flash for fun or entertainment, for example in a social event such as a pop concert. Alternatively, the screen light or torch may be configured to flash to alert others in times of distress or when one or both hands of the user are incapacitated. To increase visibility of a screen light or torch of a mobile phone which is placed in the pocket 12 of the garment 10, the pocket 12 may comprise a transparent or translucent material. In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, not pictured, the pocket 12 may comprise a hole, slot, or port which allows various cables to access the interior of the pocket. This would allow, for example, charging or headphone cables to connect without removing a mobile device from the pocket. The hole, slot, or port may be situated anywhere on a front panel of the pocket. Alternatively, the garment 10 may comprise a hole, slot, or port situated on a rear panel of the pocket such that, when the garment 10 is worn, the hole, slot, or port is adjacent the body of the wearer. This allows for a cable to be threaded under the garment 10, adjacent the body of the wearer, and threaded through the hole/slot/port from the rear side of the pocket in order to access a phone in the pocket. Therefore, a cable may be largely concealed and protected from the external environment. Figure 1b shows a perspective close-up view of an embodiment of a pocket 12’’ that includes a front panel 15’’, a back panel 11’’, and one or more additional layers of material. The front panel 15’’, back panel 11’’, and one or more additional layers of the pocket are provided in an exploded view for ease of reference. An arrow indicates that an item, such as a mobile phone or credit/debit card holder, may be placed into the pocket in between the back panel 11’’ and the one or more additional layers. The back panel 11’’ may correspond to a base material of the garment 10’’. In this embodiment, the one or more additional layers comprise an RF-blocking layer 13’’ comprising material that blocks RF signals. The RF-blocking layer 13’’ may be provided by a Faraday cage, for example. The RF-blocking layer 13’’ is designed to protect sensitive information of RFID-enabled devices stored in the pocket 12’’, such as debit/credit cards and mobile payment details stored on a mobile device. The positioning of the RF-blocking layer 13’’ between the device placed in the pocket and the front panel 15’’ prevents the information from being skimmed using an RFID reader. The RF-blocking layer 13’’ may be made of various materials including metals, conductive polymers, or carbon fibre, one or more of which may be applied to the pocket 12’’ as a coating or layer. In another embodiment, the front panel 15’’ of the pocket comprises the RF-blocking layer 13’’ such that, when the garment is worn, RF signals emitted from any device stored inside the pocket 12’’ are blocked from exiting the pocket through the front panel 15’’. Alternatively, or additionally, a back panel 11’’ of the pocket may comprise an RF-blocking layer. Figure 2 shows a front view of a T-shirt 10’ with a pocket 12’ that generally corresponds to the embodiment described previously with reference to Figure 1a. Figure 3 shows a cell phone 13’ being held in the pocket 12’ of the garment 10’ of Figure 2. The pocket 12’ is broadly rectangular in this example and sized to hold a conventional cell phone 13’, which may typically measure between 7 and 8 inches along a diagonal dimension of the phone. In some embodiments, the pocket 12’ may be custom sized to accommodate a specific cell phone model. Figures 4a and 4b show enlarged perspective views of the pocket 12’ of the garment 10’ in greater detail. The pocket 12’ in this example is constructed from a layer of fabric that is sewn, or otherwise bonded, to the body of the garment 10’. The pocket 12’ has a mouth 25’, or opening, at the top (with respect to the garment when in use, that is, the side facing the neck of the garment) so that the cell phone 13’ may be inserting into or removed from the pocket via the mouth 25’. The cell phone 13’ protrudes from the opening of the mouth 25’ in this example. The other sides of the pocket than the mouth 25’ are closed by being stitched to the body of the garment. The layer of fabric that forms the pocket 12’ may comprise perforated or netted material or fabric (not shown). Such a material or fabric may assist cooling of the cell phone when the cell phone is held in the pocket, preventing potential damage to the cell phone caused by overheating and preventing injury or discomfort to the wearer of the garment. The mouth 25’ of the pocket 12’ may be provided with an elasticated material or fabric. Such a material or fabric may improve aesthetic appeal and presentation of the garment when the cell phone is repeatedly removed and replaced and may reduce gaping at the opening or mouth of the pocket. The use of elasticated fabric may also allow the pocket to securely retain devices with a broader range of dimensions, for example by facilitate total closure of the pocket and securing the contents within the pocket. In alternative examples to that illustrated, the pocket 12’ may be dimensioned so that the cell phone 13’ is totally concealed i.e., not protruding from the pocket 12’. Figures 5 shows another embodiment of a garment 100 with a pocket 102 that includes a second opening 126 on an external panel or face 128 of the pocket 102. Figure 6 shows a front view of a T-shirt 100’ with a pocket 102’ that generally corresponds to the embodiment described previously with reference to Figure 5. The opening 126’ allows a camera lens of the cell phone 103’ to be exposed and face outwards from the pocket 102’. The opening 126’ may be sized to allow a camera lens of a phone to view surrounding unobstructed. The opening 126’ may be elongate in order to expose a wide range of smartphone camera lens. The opening 126’ may allow a person wearing the garment to take pictures or record a video whilst a cell phone is being held in the pocket. This may be achieved by way of a remote-control device, for example a remote- control device 130’, which can connect to the cell phone 103’ wirelessly. As such, video recording of the surrounding landscape and scenery during, for example, cycling or walking is possible. In modern smart phones, the touch screen is typically locked during video recording and therefore recording can proceed with the phone screen touching the internal face of the pocket in some examples. The second opening 126’ of the pocket 102’ may be manufactured by removing material from a layer of fabric that provides the external face of the pocket 102’. Figure 7 shows the garment 100’ of Figure 6 with a cell phone 103’ placed entirely within the pocket 102’. Figure 8 shows a close-up of the pocket 102’ of the garment of Figures 6 and 7 with the cell phone 103’ placed only part of the way into the pocket 102’, for illustrative purposes. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, not pictured, the pocket of the garment is modified to include an opening on the rear panel of the pocket. When the garment is worn, a cell phone in the pocket is positioned centrally over an area of a person’s thorax which is close to the heart and cardiac plexus, which influences heart rate, cardiac output, and contraction forces of the heart. There are various phone apps that can detect and monitor heart beats and rates using a cell phone. This is of benefit, for example, for people taking part in exercise, sports or just assessing levels of fitness. The rear opening may be formed in a similar manner to the front opening described previously with reference to figures 6 to 8. As the cell phone location is central with respect to a person’s thorax, the removal of material to create an opening or a hole at the back of the pocket of the present invention makes it possible to detect heart rate by allowing the phone camera lens, and in some embodiments a phone torch / light source, to be orientated directly towards the chest at the position of the heart, allowing for PPG (photoplethysmography) techniques to be used. Most heart monitoring apps of this nature use the phone camera on a finger which does not necessarily give a strong enough pulse for detection, unlike a reading directly aimed at the heart. Various different types of reinforcement structure may be implemented on the body of the garment in order to accommodate the weight of a laden pocket while reducing distortion of the garment shape or avoiding pulling on the wearer in an uncomfortable way. Figure 9 illustrates a front view of a garment 200 comprising a reinforcement panel 206. The reinforcement panel 206 is arranged such that a central vertical axis 215 of the reinforcement panel 206 is aligned approximately with a central vertical axis 216 of the garment 200. The reinforcement panel 206 may be situated on a front panel 204 of the garment 200 and behind the pocket 202. In this example, a top edge of the reinforcement panel 206 is adjacent to a top edge of a front panel 204 of the garment and a bottom edge of the reinforcement panel may be situated below a bottom edge of the pocket 202. In this way, the reinforcement panel extends from the pocket to the neck or shoulders of the garment. Alternatively, the reinforcement panel may be attached to an inner surface of the front panel of the garment instead of being on its exterior. The reinforcement panel 206 is an example of a reinforcement structure that reinforces the body of the garment 200. In particular, in this example, the reinforcement panel 206 reinforces an area of the garment 200 adjacent a neck and around the pocket 202 at the front of the garment. In this way, when the garment 200 is worn, the garment 200 is resistant to distortion when an object is placed in the pocket 202. In one or more embodiments, the central vertical axis of the reinforcement panel being aligned approximately with a central vertical axis of the garment means that the central vertical axis of the reinforcement panel 206 is within a distance of a tenth of a width of the garment at the central horizontal axis of the garment from the central vertical axis of the garment. The central vertical axis of the reinforcement panel 206 may be within a distance of one of 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, or 20% of a width of the garment at the central horizontal axis of the garment from the central vertical axis of the garment. In one or more embodiments, the bottom edge of the reinforcement panel being situated below a bottom edge of the pocket 202 means that a distance 210 between the bottom edge of the pocket and the bottom edge of the reinforcement panel 206 exceeds a minimum distance. The reinforcement panel 206 is designed such that, when the garment 200 is worn and an item, such as a mobile device, is placed in the pocket 202, the force resulting from the weight of the item situated in the pocket 202 is distributed more evenly across the chest area of the garment 200. This is as opposed to, for example, the force being concentrated at specific areas of the garment 200, such as around the pocket 202 and/or on the shoulders. An uneven distribution of force typically causes a garment to sag or distort. The even distribution of weight across the chest area of the garment 200 provided by the reinforcement panel 206 avoids sagging of the garment 200 caused by a concentration of the force resulting from an item in the pocket 202, improving the overall appearance and longevity of the garment 200 and additionally improving the comfort of a person wearing the garment 200. The garment 200 may additionally comprise ribbing 208 positioned on a back panel of the garment 200. The ribbing 208 is adjacent a collar or neck area of the back panel of the garment 200. In this way, the ribbing 208 provides reinforcement of the neck of the garment 200 such that, when the garment 200 is worn, the neck of the garment 200 is resistant to distortion when an object is placed in the pocket 202. The ribbing 208 may be positioned on an inner surface of the back of the garment 200 or on an outer surface of the back of the garment 200. Figures 10 and 11a show front views of a T-shirt 200’ with a front reinforcement panel 206’ that generally corresponds to the embodiment described previously with reference to Figure 9. Figure 10 shows a first configuration with the front reinforcement panel situated on the outer surface of the front panel of the T- shirt 200’. Figure 11a shows a second configuration in which the front reinforcement panel is double-layered and constructed into and behind a cut- away portion of the front panel 204’ of the garment. Thereby, said second embodiment is similarly reinforced by way of the front reinforcement panel 206’. Notably, in the second configuration the front reinforcement panel 206’ is incorporated into the garment as a decorative feature. Figure 11b shows a view of the T-shirt 200’ turned inside-out to illustrate the attachment of the front reinforcement panel 206’ to the front panel 204’, as described above. Figure 12 illustrates a back view of a garment 300 comprising a rear reinforcement panel 306 positioned on the back of the body of the garment 300. The rear reinforcement panel 306 is position such that a central vertical axis of the rear reinforcement panel 306 is aligned approximately with a central vertical axis 316 of the garment 300. In this example, a top edge of the rear reinforcement panel 306 is adjacent to a top edge of the garment 300. The rear reinforcement panel 306 may connect to the first reinforcement panel of the embodiment of Figure 9 at an interface between the top of the front and back of the body of the garment 300. In this example, the rear reinforcement panel is attached to an inner surface of the back of the body of the garment 300. Alternatively, the rear reinforcement panel 306 may be attached to an external surface of the back of the body of the garment 300. The rear reinforcement panel 306 provides additional reinforcement to the structure of the garment 300 such that, when the garment 300 is worn, the garment 300 is resistant to distortion when an object is placed in the pocket. Figure 13 shows a back view of a T-shirt 300’ with a second reinforcement panel 306’ that generally corresponds to the embodiment described previously with reference to Figure 12.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A garment for the upper body of a person, the garment comprising a front panel, a rear panel and a pocket positioned on the front panel such that a central vertical axis of the pocket is aligned approximately with a central vertical axis of the garment, and a central horizontal axis of the pocket is situated at or above a central horizontal axis of the garment, further comprising a reinforcement panel such that a central vertical axis of the reinforcement panel is aligned approximately with the central vertical axis of the garment, wherein the reinforcement panel is situated on the front panel of the garment and behind the pocket.

2. The garment of claim 1, wherein a top edge of the reinforcement panel is adjacent to a top edge of a front panel the garment.

3. The garment of claim 2, wherein a bottom edge of the reinforcement panel is situated below a bottom edge of the pocket.

4. The garment of any preceding claim, further comprising a second reinforcement panel positioned on a rear panel of the garment such that a central vertical axis of the second reinforcement panel is aligned approximately with the central vertical axis of the garment.

5. The garment of any preceding claim, further comprising a support structure configured to support the pocket.

6. The garment of claim 5, wherein the support structure comprises one or more lines of ribbing at one or more of the base, side, and opening edges of the pocket.

7. The garment of any preceding claim, further comprising a ribbing positioned on the back panel of the garment, wherein the ribbing is adjacent a neck of the back panel of the garment.

8. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein a front panel of the pocket comprises an RF-blocking layer.

9. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein a front panel of the garment comprises an RF-blocking layer.

10. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein, when the garment is worn, the pocket is positioned over at least a portion of an area of the person’s cardiac plexus.

11. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein the central vertical axis of the pocket being aligned approximately with a central vertical axis of the garment means that the central vertical axis of the pocket is within a distance of a tenth of a width of the garment at the central horizontal axis of the garment from the central vertical axis of the garment.

12. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein, when the garment is worn, the pocket is aligned approximately with a sagittal plane of the person.

13. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein the pocket is configured to hold a personal communication device, such as a cell phone.

14. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein a distance between an upper corner of the pocket and a lower corner on the laterally opposing side of the pocket measures between 4 inches (about 10 cm) and 8.5 inches (about 22 cm).

15. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein the pocket comprises of an elasticated material or fabric.

16. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein at least a portion of the pocket comprises perforated or netted material or fabric.

17. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein an opening of the pocket comprises a closure mechanism.

18. The garment of claim 17, wherein the closure mechanism comprises a zipper, hook and loop fastener, elasticated strip/band, or button at the opening of the pocket.

19. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein the pocket is situated on an exterior of the garment.

20. The garment of any of claims 1-18, wherein the pocket is situated on an internal side of the garment and a mouth of the pocket is accessible from an exterior of the garment.

21. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein a rear panel of the pocket includes an opening.

22. The garment of claim 10, wherein: a rear panel of the pocket includes an opening; and when the garment is worn the opening is positioned such that a camera lens of a phone occupying the pocket has direct view of the portion of the area of the person’s thorax which is situated at the person’s cardiac plexus.

23. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein an external panel of the pocket includes an opening.

24. The garment of claim 23, wherein the opening of the external panel is elongated.

25. The garment of any preceding claim, wherein the pocket is detachable.

26. The garment of claim 25, wherein the detachable pocket is attachable to the garment by way of a hook and loop fastener.

27. The garment of any preceding claim comprising a waterproof or water- resistant layer arranged between the pocket and the body of the wearer.