Garment with waistband pocket

Abstract

A garment includes a waistband and a lower portion. The waistband includes a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter, and the lower portion is coupled to the bottom perimeter of the waistband. The garment further includes a dynamic pocket comprising a pleated resilient sheet disposed on the waistband. The resilient sheet includes a left side, a right side, a laterally extending first end, and a laterally extending second end opposite the first end. The left side and the right side of the resilient sheet define sides of a pocket cavity of the dynamic pocket. An opening to the pocket cavity is defined between the waistband and the pleated resilient sheet. The pleated resilient sheet includes a plurality of pleats defined by a plurality of fold lines. The plurality of pleats are configured to unfold along the plurality of fold lines to increase a height of the pocket cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment comprising:
 a waistband including a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter;   a lower portion coupled to the bottom perimeter of the waistband, and   a dynamic pocket comprising a pleated resilient sheet disposed on the waistband, the resilient sheet comprising a left side, a right side, a laterally extending first end, and a laterally extending second end opposite the first end, wherein the left side and the right side of the resilient sheet define sides of a pocket cavity of the dynamic pocket, wherein an opening to the pocket cavity is defined between the waistband and the pleated resilient sheet, the resilient sheet including a plurality pleats defined by a plurality of fold lines, wherein the plurality of pleats are configured to unfold along the plurality of fold lines to increase a height of the pocket cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The garment of  claim 1  wherein the laterally extending first end is disposed along the top perimeter of the waistband. 
     
     
         3 . The garment of  claim 2  wherein the dynamic pocket is further disposed on an interior surface of the waistband. 
     
     
         4 . The garment of  claim 3  wherein the opening to the pocket cavity is defined between the laterally extending first end of the resilient sheet and the waistband. 
     
     
         5 . The garment of  claim 3  wherein the dynamic pocket is further disposed on a central front portion of the interior surface of the waistband. 
     
     
         6 . The garment of  claim 2 , the waistband further comprising a first flap and an overlapping second flap, wherein the laterally extending first end of the resilient sheet is coupled to the first flap and the laterally extending second end of the resilient sheet is coupled to the second flap. 
     
     
         7 . The garment of  claim 6  wherein the first flap overlaps the second flap on an exterior surface of the waistband. 
     
     
         8 . The garment of  claim 7  wherein the first flap includes a top edge and an opposite arcuate edge, and wherein the laterally extending first end of the resilient sheet is coupled to the top edge of the first flap. 
     
     
         9 . The garment of  claim 8  wherein the second flap includes a top edge and an opposite bottom edge, wherein the laterally extending second end of the resilient sheet is coupled to the top edge of the second flap. 
     
     
         10 . A method of storing an object in a garment including a waistband pocket, the method comprising:
 obtaining the garment including:
 a waistband defining a user-facing interior surface, an exterior surface opposite the interior surface, a top edge, and a bottom edge; 
 a lower portion coupled to the bottom edge of the waistband, and 
 a dynamic pocket provided by a pleated resilient sheet coupled to the waistband, the pleated resilient sheet comprising a left side, a right side, a laterally extending first end, and a laterally extending second end, the pleated resilient sheet further including a plurality pleats defined by a plurality of fold lines, wherein an opening to a pocket cavity is defined between the waistband and the resilient sheet, wherein the plurality of pleats are configured to unfold along the plurality of fold lines to increase a height of the pocket cavity; and 
   inserting an object into the pocket cavity such that the pleats unfold and increase the height of the resilient sheet.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the object is a smartphone. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising separating the laterally extending first end of the resilient sheet from the waistband along the top edge of the waistband prior to inserting the smartphone into the pocket cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the laterally extending first end of the resilient sheet and the smartphone extends above the top edge of the waistband when the smartphone is inserted into the pocket. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the waistband further includes a first flap overlapping a second flap along separable overlapping surface portions on the exterior surface of the waistband, the first flap including a top edge and an opposite arcuate edge, wherein the overlapping exterior surface portions on the exterior of the waistband include an inner portion of the first flap that overlaps an exterior portion of the second flap between the top edge and the opposite arcuate edge of the first flap. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising separating the first flap from the second flap prior to inserting the smartphone into the pocket cavity. 
     
     
         16 . A garment comprising:
 a waistband including a top perimeter and a bottom perimeter; and   a dynamic pocket disposed on the waistband, the dynamic pocket including a backing sheet comprising a plurality of exposed panels and a plurality of unexposed panels with a plurality of folds formed along fold lines between the exposed panels and the unexposed panels, wherein an opening to a pocket cavity is defined between the waistband and the dynamic pocket, and wherein the plurality of folds are configured to unfold along the plurality of fold lines to increase a height of the pocket cavity when an object is inserted into the pocket cavity.   
     
     
         17 . The garment of  claim 16  wherein the dynamic pocket is moveable between an empty configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the dynamic pocket is designed and dimensioned to receive a smartphone when in the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The garment of  claim 17  wherein the exposed panels of the backing sheet include a first panel defining a laterally extending first end of the dynamic pocket and a second panel defining a laterally extending second end of the dynamic pocket opposite the first end, wherein a left side and a right side of the backing sheet define sides of a pocket cavity of the dynamic pocket. 
     
     
         19 . The garment of  claim 18  wherein an opening to the pocket cavity is defined between the laterally extending first end and the waistband. 
     
     
         20 . The garment of  claim 17  wherein the waistband further includes a first flap overlapping a second flap along separable overlapping surface portions on an exterior surface of the waistband, the first flap including a top edge and an opposite arcuate edge, wherein the overlapping surface portions on the exterior of the waistband include an inner portion of the first flap that overlaps an exterior portion of the second flap between the top edge and the opposite arcuate edge of the first flap, and wherein an opening to the pocket cavity is defined between the first flap and the second flap.