Hidden Sleeve Zipper for Tailored Clothing

Abstract

The invention comprises a non-outerwear garment having at least one sewn seam on a sleeve of the garment and at least one said sleeve has an upper arm portion, a lower arm portion, and a cuff portion. A zipper extends from at least the upper arm portion through the lower arm portion and comprises a plurality of teeth. The plurality of teeth/coils has an open and a closed configuration, and in an at least partially closed configuration, a respective closed portion of the zipper or a fully closed zipper is substantially indistinguishable from the at least one seam.

1 . A non-outerwear garment comprising:
 at least one sewn seam on a sleeve of said garment;   at least one said sleeve comprising an upper arm portion, a lower arm portion, and a cuff portion;   a zipper extending from at least said upper arm portion through said lower arm portion comprising a plurality of coils;   said plurality of coils having an opened and a closed configuration; and   in an at least partially closed configuration, a respective closed portion of said zipper is substantially indistinguishable from said at least one seam.   
   
   
       2 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein in a fully closed configuration said zipper is indistinguishable from said seam. 
   
   
       3 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said garment is a button-down shirt. 
   
   
       4 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said zipper extends to said cuff. 
   
   
       5 . The garment of  claim 4 , wherein said cuff further comprises a button and buttonhole adapted to receive said button. 
   
   
       6 . The garment of  claim 5 , wherein said zipper terminates at said cuff. 
   
   
       7 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one sleeve is two sleeves and one sleeve comprises said zipper. 
   
   
       8 . The garment of  claim 1 , wherein said zipper terminates at a seam of said shirt and said seam of said shirt is a stop. 
   
   
       9 . A method of manufacturing a dress shirt comprising the steps of:
 fixedly attaching a proximal end of a sleeve to a body of a shirt via a first sewn seam extending around a proximal end of said sleeve;   fixedly attaching a cuff comprising a button and buttonhole to a distal end of said sleeve;   providing a zipper extending at least partially between said first sewn seam and said cuff.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said zipper extends at least from said first sewn seam to said cuff. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein a second sewn seam extends from said body of said shirt towards said cuff, and said zipper extends from said second sewn seam to said cuff. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least when said zipper is in a closed configuration, said second sewn seam and an outer portion of said zipper are substantially indistinguishable. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9  where said zipper in a closed configuration is invisible to an ordinary observer of said shirt. 
   
   
       14 . A tailored garment comprising:
 a sleeve comprising a proximal end, said proximal end comprising a seam fixedly attaching said end to a body of said garment;   said sleeve further comprising a second seam extending from said proximal end generally towards a distal end of said sleeve; and   a zipper distally extending from a distal end of said second seam.   
   
   
       15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein said zipper terminates substantially at a cuff. 
   
   
       16 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein, at least when viewed from the outside, closed portions of said zipper are substantially indistinguishable from said second seam. 
   
   
       17 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein said garment comprises two sleeves comprising said first seam, said second seam, and said zipper. 
   
   
       18 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein said garment comprises two sleeves and only one sleeve comprises said zipper. 
   
   
       19 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein said garment is a non-outerwear garment. 
   
   
       20 . The garment of  claim 19 , wherein said garment is a dress shirt.