# US 8,782,813 B2 · Integrated waist suspension system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,782,813 B2 - Document ID: US8782813B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/218,343 - Filed: 2011-08-25 - Published: 2012-03-29 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-25 - Assignees: Columbia Sportswear North America, Inc. - Applicants: Hidetoshi Usami - Inventors: Hidetoshi Usami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782813B2 ## CPC - A41F 9/00: Belts, girdles, or waistbands for trousers or skirts - A41D 3/00: Overgarments (fur garments A41D5/00; for children A41D11/00; professional or sporting protective garments A41D13/00) - A41F: GARMENT FASTENINGS; SUSPENDERS - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES ## Abstract Embodiments herein are directed to outerwear garments having an integrated suspension system that allows a user to carry the garment around the user's waist when the garment is not needed. One or more straps are provided that may be coupled to an interior surface of the outerwear. A single strap may extend around the body of the user, or, alternatively, multiple straps may be provided that are coupled to the outerwear and which may be coupled to each other to secure the straps. In various embodiments, the ends of the one or more straps may be coupled to one another to form a waist belt for attaching the outerwear about the waist of the user when the garment is not being worn. When the outerwear is no longer needed, for instance because of changing weather conditions or body temperature, the user may simply remove the outerwear and attach the garment around his or her waist using the waist belt suspension system, for instance by coupling two ends of the one or more straps, thus forming a belt around the waist of the user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An outerwear suspension system, comprising: a garment of outerwear having: an upper portion, a lower portion, a waist portion between the upper and lower portions, a front opening defined by right and left opening edges, a right front panel horizontally bordered by the right opening edge, a left front panel horizontally bordered by the left opening edge, a rear portion disposed between the right and left front panels, a left armhole in the upper portion and between the left front panel and the rear portion, a right armhole in the upper portion between the right front panel and the rear portion, an interior surface extending from the right opening edge, across the right front panel, rear portion and left front panel, and to the left opening edge, and an exterior surface extending from the right opening edge, across the right front panel, rear portion and left front panel, and to the left opening edge, wherein: the right and left front panels are separable by the front opening, the interior and exterior surfaces face away from each other and meet at the left opening edge and at the right opening edge, and the upper portion is configured to engage a user's shoulders while the outerwear is worn by the user in a first configuration; a suspension element consisting of left and right straps, the left strap coupled to the interior surface of the left front panel at a left attachment location located in the waist portion and spaced away from the left opening edge, and the right strap coupled to the interior surface of the right front panel at a right attachment location located in the waist portion and spaced away from the right opening edge; a left retaining member, located on the interior surface of the left front panel and spaced away from the left attachment location, wherein the left retaining member is complementary to a left coupling component disposed on a free end of the left strap; and a right retaining member, located on the interior surface of the right front panel and spaced away from the right attachment location, wherein the right retaining member is complementary to a right coupling component disposed on a free end of the right strap; wherein: the left coupling component and the right coupling component are further complementary to each other, and while the outerwear is worn by the user in a second configuration in which the upper portion is disengaged from the user's shoulders, the upper portion hangs downwardly from the suspension element. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a strap length adjustment member located on at least one of the left or right straps. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the strap length adjustment member comprises a slide or buckle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the right and left coupling components comprise snaps, buttons, clips, buckles, hooks, ties, or hook and loop fasteners. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the left and right straps comprises an elastic material. ### Claim 6 An outerwear suspension system, comprising: a garment of outerwear having: right and left front panels separable by a front opening defined by right and left edges, a rear portion disposed between the right and left front panels, an interior surface extending from the right opening edge, across the right front panel, rear portion and left front panel, and to the left opening edge, an exterior surface extending from the right opening edge, across the right front panel, rear portion and left front panel, and to the left opening edge, upper portion, a lower portion, a waist portion between the upper and lower portions, and left and right armholes in the upper portion, wherein the interior and exterior surfaces face away from each other and meet at the left opening edge and at the right opening edge; a left strap coupled to the interior surface in the waist portion on the left front panel at a left attachment point spaced away from the left opening edge, the left strap having a free end extending away from the left attachment point and having a left coupling component disposed on the free end of the left strap; and a right strap coupled to the interior surface in the waist portion on the right front panel at a right attachment point spaced away from the right opening edge, the right strap having a free end extending away from the right attachment and having a right coupling component disposed on the free end of the right strap; a left retaining member, coupled to the interior surface in the waist portion on the left front panel and spaced away from the left attachment point, wherein the left retaining member is complementary to the left coupling component; and a right retaining member, coupled to the interior surface in the waist portion on the right front panel and spaced away from the right attachment point, wherein the right retaining member is complementary to the right coupling component; wherein the left and right coupling components are further complementary to each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the left and right straps are disposed entirely within an interior of the garment when the front opening is closed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the lower portion is bounded by a bottom edge, and wherein the left and right straps are positioned closer to the left and right armholes, respectively, than to the bottom edge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the left or right straps comprises an adjustment member to adjust a length of the left or right strap between the left or right attachment point and the left or right free end, respectively. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the adjustment member comprises a slide or buckle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the left and right straps comprises an elastic material.