Garment having safety grooves

Abstract

Disclosed herein are garments having one or more cuts made in the outer layer of the garment and one or more safety grooves beneath the outer layer. The safety grooves may define a path for one or more contact surfaces of a harness. The cuts and safety grooves may secure a person inside a harness by reducing and/or eliminating the amount of material between the harness contact surfaces and the body or inner layer of clothing of the person wearing the garment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a jacket, the method comprising:
 cutting a first cut into an outer layer of the jacket to an inner layer;   cutting a second cut into the outer layer of the jacket to the inner layer, the first cut and the second cut each disposed longitudinally along the jacket from a shoulder portion to a bottom hem of the jacket, wherein the bottom hem comprises a single hem disposed along a bottom portion of the jacket;   forming a first safety groove accessible through a first opening exposed by the first cut by sewing a first lined track to an interior of the garment along the first cut; and   forming a second safety groove that is accessible through a second opening exposed by the second cut by sewing a second lined track to an interior of the garment along the second cut, wherein each of the first safety groove and the second safety groove extend from the shoulder portion to the bottom hem at opposing sides of the garment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first safety groove and the second safety groove are configured to accommodate different portions of a harness. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inner layer comprises a thickness that is less than a thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer ranges between 0.5 inches and 1.1 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 cutting a third cut along a mid-section of the front of the garment and oriented perpendicular to the first cut and the second cut, and wherein the third cut connects to each of the first cut and the second cut; and   forming a third safety groove accessible through a third opening exposed by the third cut that connects the first safety groove to the second safety groove.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first cut and the second cut, at the shoulder portion, each curve away from a collar portion of the jacket, wherein the first cut curves away in a first direction that is opposite to a direction that the second cut curves away from the collar portion. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first cut and the second cut, at the bottom portion, each curve away from a center of the jacket, wherein the first cut curves away in the first direction that is opposite to the direction that the second cut curves away from the center of the jacket. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 affixing a fastener to an edge of each of the first cut and the second cut, wherein the fastener is configured to close the first cut or the second cut to restrict access to the first safety groove or the second safety groove.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 affixing a layer of fabric fixed to the outer layer near each of the first cut and the second cut.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the layer of fabric extends over the first opening created by the first cut to maintain a shape of the jacket and restrict air flow through the first cut. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the layer of fabric folds back away from the first opening, which is configured to allow a portion of a harness to be inserted into the first safety groove. 
     
     
         12 . A jacket comprising:
 an outer layer having a first cut and a second cut, the first cut and the second cut being disposed longitudinally along a front of the jacket from a shoulder portion of the garment to a bottom hem of the garment;   a first safety groove accessible through a first opening exposed by the first cut;   a second safety groove accessible through a second opening exposed by the second cut, wherein each of the first safety groove and the second safety groove extend from the shoulder portion to the bottom hem at opposing sides of the jacket, wherein the bottom hem comprises a single hem disposed along a bottom portion of the jacket, wherein the first safety groove and the second safety groove are defined by a lined track sewn to an interior of the garment along each of the first cut and the second cut and each configured to accommodate a contact area of a harness.   
     
     
         13 . The jacket of  claim 12 , wherein the inner layer comprises a thickness that is less than a thickness of the outer layer. 
     
     
         14 . The jacket of  claim 13 , wherein the thickness of the outer layer ranges between 0.5 inches and 1.1 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The jacket of  claim 12 , wherein a third cut is disposed along a mid-section of the front of the garment and oriented perpendicular to the first cut and the second cut, and wherein a third safety groove accessible through a third opening exposed by the third cut and connecting the first safety groove and the second safety groove. 
     
     
         16 . The jacket of  claim 12 , wherein the first cut and the second cut, at the shoulder portion, each curve away from a collar portion of the jacket, wherein the first cut curves away in a first direction that is opposite to a direction that the second cut curves away from the collar portion. 
     
     
         17 . The jacket of  claim 16 , wherein the first cut and the second cut, at the bottom portion, each curve away from a center of the jacket, wherein the first cut curves away in the first direction that is opposite to the direction that the second cut curves away from the center of the jacket. 
     
     
         18 . The jacket of  claim 12 , further comprising a fastener fixed to an edge of each of the one or more cuts, wherein the fastener is configured to close the one or more cuts to restrict access to the first safety groove and the second safety groove. 
     
     
         19 . The jacket of  claim 12 , further comprising a layer of fabric fixed to the outer layer near each of the one or more cuts. 
     
     
         20 . The jacket of  claim 19 , wherein the layer of fabric extends over an opening in the outer layer created by the one or more cuts to maintain a shape of the garment and restrict air flow through the one or more cuts.