patent for K9 Dog Vest?

Hello, I am interested in making police pet accessories, one is a police K9 bullet proof vest. I ran into this patent: http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6123049-description.html

Now I do not understand how you can patent functional clothing, can you? Also, how much do you have to change your design from the above patent to be legal? Could I just use buttons instead of velcro and then Im good?

mrgonzo said:

Also, how much do you have to change your design from the above patent to be legal? Could I just use buttons instead of velcro and then Im good?

Click to expand...

no, you can not.

Well If you read the patent - there was a vest patented before them, and all they did was shorten it and add velcro - which I guess makes it unique enough for them?

How far do I have to change this concept?

To me this is akin to patenting a pair of boots, I mean its a vest with certain materials; are you telling me a fashion designer can patent a photographer vest (utalitarian) made from canvas??