Convertible Pants

Abstract

Convertible pants include a waist portion and legs. Each leg includes an upper leg segment attached to the waist portion, a storage compartment disposed on the upper leg segment, and a lower leg segment undetachably connected to the upper leg segment at an attachment point. The lower leg segment includes a panel and a coupling mechanism detachably connecting a first longitudinal edge of the panel to a second longitudinal edge of the panel. In a shorts mode, the lower leg segment is disposed within the storage compartment such that the leg has a first length. In a pants mode, an exterior surface of the lower leg segment at least partially overlaps and engages with an interior surface of the upper leg segment, and the lower leg segment extends below the upper leg segment such that the leg has a second length that is greater than the first length.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . Convertible pants, comprising:
 a waist portion; and   a plurality of legs, wherein each leg comprises:
 an upper leg segment attached to the waist portion; 
 a storage compartment disposed on an interior surface of the upper leg segment; and 
 a lower leg segment undetachably connected to the upper leg segment at an attachment point, the lower leg segment comprising:
 a panel having a first longitudinal edge opposite a second longitudinal edge; and 
 a coupling mechanism detachably connecting the first longitudinal edge to the second longitudinal edge, 
 
 wherein in a shorts mode, the lower leg segment is disposed within the storage compartment such that the leg has a first length, and 
 wherein in a pants mode, an exterior surface of the lower leg segment at least partially overlaps and engages with the interior surface of the upper leg segment, and the lower leg segment extends below the upper leg segment such that the leg has a second length that is greater than the first length. 
   
     
     
         2 . The convertible pants of  claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment comprises a first opening on the interior surface of the upper leg segment and a second opening on an exterior surface of the upper leg segment. 
     
     
         3 . The convertible pants of  claim 2 , wherein each leg further comprises a pocket disposed in the upper leg segment, the pocket having a pocket opening, wherein the pocket opening comprises the second opening. 
     
     
         4 . Pants, comprising:
 a waist portion; and   a leg comprising:
 an upper leg segment having a first end and a second end, the first end of the upper leg segment attached to the waist portion; 
 a lower leg segment connected to the upper leg segment at an attachment point; and 
 a storage compartment comprising an opening on an interior surface of the upper leg segment to receive and store the lower leg segment, 
 wherein, in a pants mode, a portion of the interior surface of the upper leg segment at least partially overlaps and engages with an exterior surface of the lower leg segment. 
   
     
     
         5 . The pants of  claim 4 , wherein the storage compartment is disposed between an exterior surface of the upper leg segment and the interior surface of the upper leg segment and the opening is disposed at a bottom latitudinal edge of the upper leg segment. 
     
     
         6 . The pants of  claim 4 , wherein
 in the pants mode, the leg has a first length, and   in a shorts mode, the lower leg segment is disposed within the storage compartment such that the leg has a second length that is shorter than the first length.   
     
     
         7 . The pants of  claim 6 , the lower leg segment comprising:
 a panel having a first longitudinal edge opposite a second longitudinal edge; and   a coupling mechanism detachably connecting the first longitudinal edge to the second longitudinal edge.   
     
     
         8 . The pants of  claim 7 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises at least one of a zipper, a hook and loop fastener, a button, or magnetic material. 
     
     
         9 . The pants of  claim 6 , wherein the lower leg segment further comprising:
 a top latitudinal edge, the top latitudinal edge connected to the upper leg segment at the attachment point;   a bottom latitudinal edge opposite the top latitudinal edge; and   a tab attached to the bottom latitudinal edge.   
     
     
         10 . The pants of  claim 6 , wherein the attachment point is disposed inside the storage compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The pants of  claim 6 , the storage compartment further comprising a coupling mechanism, wherein, in the shorts mode, the lower leg segment is secured within the storage compartment by the coupling mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The pants of  claim 6 , wherein the lower leg segment is detachably connected to the upper leg segment. 
     
     
         13 . The pants of  claim 6 , wherein the lower leg segment is undetachably connected to the upper leg segment. 
     
     
         14 . The pants of  claim 12 , wherein the lower leg segment and the upper leg segment are sewn together at the attachment point. 
     
     
         15 . The pants of  claim 5 , wherein the upper leg segment comprises:
 a pocket comprising an exterior opening; and   an access opening disposed between the pocket and the storage compartment.   
     
     
         16 . The pants of  claim 15 , further comprising a cord attached to the storage compartment at a first end of the cord and attached to the lower leg segment at a second end of the cord. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 wearing convertible pants having a pant leg, the pant leg comprising an upper leg portion undetachably connected to a lower leg segment, wherein the upper leg segment encompasses an upper portion of a wearer's leg and the lower leg segment encompasses a lower portion of the wearer's leg;   detaching a first longitudinal edge of the lower leg segment from a second longitudinal edge of the lower leg segment;   causing the lower leg segment to no longer encompass the lower portion of the wearer's leg; and   disposing the lower leg segment in a storage compartment disposed on an interior surface of the upper leg segment.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein disposing the lower leg segment in the storage compartment comprises:
 reaching for a tab attached to a bottom edge of the lower leg segment; and   pulling the tab into the storage compartment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 removing the lower leg segment from the storage compartment;   causing the lower leg segment to extend down from the upper leg segment such that the lower leg segment is disposed adjacent the lower portion of the wearer's leg;   encompassing the lower portion of the wearer's leg with the lower leg segment; and   attaching the first longitudinal edge to the second longitudinal edge.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising arranging the lower leg segment to cause an exterior surface of the lower leg segment to at least partially overlap and engage with an interior surface of the upper leg segment.