Athletic garment with integrated hanging pocket

Abstract

One non-limiting embodiment of the present invention includes an athletic garment including a garment configured to snugly fit a torso wherein the garment has a front portion and a rear portion. The athletic garment further includes a pocket secured to the rear portion of the garment providing a pocket for containing items therein. The pocket includes a secured portion and a hanging portion wherein the secured portion is secured to the garment and the hanging portion is not secured to the garment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An athletic garment with integrated pocket comprising:
 a garment configured to snugly fit a torso wherein said garment has a front portion and a rear portion;   a pocket of secured to said rear portion of said garment providing a pocket for containing items therein;   wherein said pocket comprises a secured portion and a hanging portion; and   wherein said secured portion of said pocket is secured to said garment and wherein said hanging portion of said pocket is not secured to said garment.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 1 , wherein said secured portion of said pocket is located above the natural position for a waistband of a pair of loose fitting shorts and said hanging portion of said pocket is located below said secured portion. 
     
     
         3 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 2 , wherein said pocket comprises a forward portion and a back portion, wherein said forward portion comprises a forward left edge and a forward right edge and said back portion comprises a back left edge and a back right edge, wherein the back left edge is secured to the forward left edge and the back right edge is secured to the forward right edge, and wherein a portion of said forward left edge and a portion of said forward right edge are secured to said garment. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 2 , wherein said secured portion of said pocket further comprises extensions on the left and right edges of said pocket, where each said extension comprises an integral protrusion extending outwards from said left or right edges of said pocket, wherein each said extension is secured to said garment. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 2 , wherein said extensions are secured to said garment along garment seams. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 3 , wherein said pocket comprises a plurality of sub-pockets separated by sub-pocket stitching securing said back portion to said forward portion. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 6 , wherein said garment comprises an upper body portion and a lower body portion, wherein said pocket comprises a single panel, wherein said single panel is folded along a folding axis, wherein said folding axis comprises the intersection of said forward portion and said back portion. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 1 , wherein said hanging portion comprises a portion of the vertical height of said pocket, wherein said secured portion comprises a portion of the vertical height of said pocket, and wherein the ratio of said vertical height of said hanging portion to said vertical height of said secured portion is at least 1 to 1 and less than or equal to 4 to 1. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic garment with integrated pocket of  claim 1 , wherein said hanging portion of said pocket is configured to sit over the top of a waistband of a loose fitting pair of shorts wherein said waistband of said loose fitting shorts is located in its natural position. 
     
     
         10 . A pocket comprising:
 stretchable fabric configured to be secured to an athletic garment providing a stretchable pocket for containing items therein with a stretch fit;   wherein said pocket comprises a secured portion and a hanging portion; and   wherein said secured portion of said pocket is configured to be secured to said garment and wherein said hanging portion of said pocket is configured to not be secured to said garment.   
     
     
         11 . The pocket of  claim 10 , wherein said secured portion of said pocket is located above the natural position for a waistband of a pair of loose fitting shorts and said hanging portion of said pocket is located below said secured portion. 
     
     
         12 . The pocket of  claim 11 , wherein said pocket comprises a single panel comprising a forward portion and a back portion, wherein said single panel is folded along a folding axis, wherein said folding axis comprises the intersection of said forward portion and said back portion, and wherein the sides of said back portion are configured to be secured to the sides of said front portion, and a portion of the sides of said forward portion and side portion are configured to be secured to said garment. 
     
     
         13 . The pocket of  claim 12 , wherein said pocket comprises a plurality of sub-pockets separated by sub-pocket stitching securing the back portion to the forward portion. 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing an athletic garment with integrated pocket comprising:
 providing a garment configured to snugly fit a torso wherein said garment has a front portion and a rear portion;   providing a pocket for containing items therein with wherein said pocket comprises a secured portion and a hanging portion and wherein said hanging portion is located below said secured portion;   securing said secured portion of said pocket to said rear portion of said athletic garment above the natural position for a waistband of a pair of loose fitting shorts.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said pocket comprises a forward portion and a back portion, and wherein said forward portion comprises a forward left edge and a forward right edge and said back portion comprises a back left edge and a back right edge. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising
 securing said back left edge to said forward left edge and said back right edge to said forward right edge; and   securing a portion of said forward left edge and said forward right edge to said garment.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising dividing said pocket into a plurality of sub-pockets with sub-pocket stitching securing said back portion to said forward portion. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said garment comprises an upper body portion and a lower body portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said pocket comprises a single panel, wherein said forward portion and said back portion are separated by a folding axis. further comprising folding said single panel along said folding axis. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said hanging portion of said pocket is configured to sit over the top of a waistband of a loose fitting pair of shorts wherein said waistband of said loose fitting shorts is located in its natural position.