Selective jackets and bands for customized assembly

Abstract

A product and process involve providing customized jackets, units of which are characterized by a selection from an inventory of body construction units of a type having a zippered front from neck to waist and a selection from an inventory of decorative band construction units of a type having distinguishable color and design. The customized jackets are assembled by joining mating fasteners on the upper and lower edges of band constructions and corresponding upper and lower points on selected body construction sections. Extending from an appropriate body construction section is an elongated flap that overlaps the upper edge of the band construction to conceal the mating fasteners. The process comprises acquiring a relatively small inventory of body construction units of different sizes, acquiring a relatively large inventory of band construction units of different colors or designs, receiving orders for the customized combinations of body constructions and band constructions, assembling customized jackets as indicated by the orders, and delivering the jackets to the customer.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A jacket comprising: 
 (a) a body construction including a yoke and a midriff, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel;    (b) a vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;    (c) a right band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel;    (d) a left band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel;    (e) said right band construction and said left band construction being horizontally aligned on opposite sides of said vertical fastener;    (f) a right flap extending from said right front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener; and    (g) a left flap extending from left right front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener.    
     
     
         2 . The jacket of  claim 1  wherein said body construction includes a lining.  
     
     
         3 . The jacket of  claim 1  wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.  
     
     
         4 . The jacket of  claim 1  wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.  
     
     
         5 . The jacket of  claim 1  wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.  
     
     
         6 . A jacket comprising: 
 (a) a body construction including a yoke and a midriff, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel;    (b) a vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;    (c) a right band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel;    (d) a left band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel;    (e) a back band construction having an upper edge and lower corners and being affixed to said back midriff section by a back elongated fastener and a back pair of discrete fasteners, said back elongated fastener having a component on said back band construction upper edge and a mating component on said back midriff section, said back pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said back band construction lower corners and mating components on said back midriff section;    (f) said right band construction and said left band construction being horizontally aligned on opposite sides of said vertical fastener;    (g) a right flap extending from said right front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener;    (h) a left flap extending from said left front yoke panel lower edge adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener; and    (i) a back flap extending from said back yoke section lower edge adapted to conceal said back band construction upper edge and said back elongated fastener.    
     
     
         7 . The jacket of  claim 6  wherein said body construction includes a lining.  
     
     
         8 . The jacket of  claim 6  wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.  
     
     
         9 . The jacket of  claim 6  wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.  
     
     
         10 . The jacket of  claim 6  wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.  
     
     
         11 . An inventory method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) acquiring an inventory of body constructions of different sizes, each of said body constructions including a yoke, a midriff, and a vertical fastener, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel, said vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;    (b) acquiring an inventory of band constructions of different colors and designs, said band constructions having upper edges and lower corners;    (c) receiving orders from customers for customized combinations of selections of said body constructions and selections of said band constructions;    (d) assembling said selections of said body constructions and said selections of said band constructions to provide customized jackets pursuant to said orders wherein a right band construction is affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel, said right front yoke panel lower edge having a right flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener, and a left band construction is affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel, said left front yoke panel lower edge having a left flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener; and    (e) shipping said customized jackets to said customers.    
     
     
         12 . The inventory method of  claim 11  wherein said body construction includes a lining.  
     
     
         13 . The inventory method of  claim 11  wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.  
     
     
         14 . The inventory method of  claim 11  wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.  
     
     
         15 . The inventory method of  claim 11  wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.  
     
     
         16 . An inventory method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) acquiring an inventory of body constructions of different sizes, each of said body constructions including a yoke, a midriff, and a vertical fastener, said yoke extending over the shoulders, about the neck, and around the upper body, said yoke including a lower edge, an upper edge, a front yoke section, and a back yoke section, said front yoke section having a right front yoke panel and a left front yoke panel, said midriff extending around the lower body, said midriff having a lower edge, a front midriff section, and a back midriff section, said front midriff section having a right front midriff panel and a left front midriff panel, said vertical fastener extending from said yoke upper edge, between said left front yoke panel and said right front yoke panel, between said left front midriff panel and said right front midriff panel, to said midriff lower edge;    (b) acquiring an inventory of band constructions of different colors and designs, said band constructions having upper edges and lower corners;    (c) receiving orders from customers for customized combinations of selections of said body constructions and selections of said band constructions;    (d) assembling said selections of said body constructions and said selections of said band constructions to provide customized jackets pursuant to said orders wherein a right band construction is affixed to said right front midriff panel by a right elongated fastener and a right pair of discrete fasteners, said right elongated fastener having a component on said right band construction upper edge and a mating component on said right front midriff panel, said right pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said right band construction lower corners and mating components on said right front midriff panel, said right front yoke panel lower edge having a right flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said right band construction upper edge and said right elongated fastener, and a left band construction is affixed to said left front midriff panel by a left elongated fastener and a left pair of discrete fasteners, said left elongated fastener having a component on said left band construction upper edge and a mating component on said left front midriff panel, said left pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said left band construction lower corners and mating components on said left front midriff panel, said left front yoke panel lower edge having a left flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said left band construction upper edge and said left elongated fastener, and a back band construction is affixed to said back midriff section by a back elongated fastener and a back pair of discrete fasteners, said back elongated fastener having a component on said back band construction upper edge and a mating component on said back midriff section, said back pair of discrete fasteners having a component on each of said back band construction lower corners and mating components on said back midriff section, said back yoke section lower edge having a back flap extending therefrom and adapted to conceal said back band construction upper edge and said back elongated fastener; and    (e) shipping said customized jackets to said customers.    
     
     
         17 . The inventory method of  claim 16  wherein said body construction includes a lining.  
     
     
         18 . The inventory method of  claim 16  wherein said elongated fasteners are zippers.  
     
     
         19 . The inventory method of  claim 16  wherein said discrete fasteners are snaps.  
     
     
         20 . The inventory method of  claim 16  wherein each of the elongated fasteners is a series of snaps.