Sleeping bag kit

Abstract

A sleeping bag kit comprising a fabric panel for folding into a sleeping bag. The panel provides apertures, or in another embodiment markings designating positions for forming apertures, through which ties are disposed to maintain the sleeping bag configuration. The fabric panel may be compactly configured by folding the panel multiple times and tying the edges together to form a pillow or cushion.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to sleeping bags and hobby crafts. In particular, this invention relates to a sleeping bag kit that enables the user to construct a sleeping bag.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, sleeping bags have a limited use: a pouch to keep the body insulated and warm. A typical sleeping bag thus comprises a rectangular insulated fabric panel which is folded in half, the periphery being fastened for example by a zipper.

Sleepover or “slumber” parties are a popular pastime amongst children and teenagers. A sleepover party provides a social setting for a number of partygoers over a long period of time, which is conducive to social activities such as games and art. A sleeping bag is useful at such parties, because the host often does not have enough beds for all the guests. Moreover, having all guests sleeping in a single room can increase the fun of a sleepover party, and the use of sleeping bags as opposed to beds or other permanent furniture allows a greater number of partygoers to sleep in the sane room.

It would accordingly be beneficial to provide a sleeping bag kit which provides both a fun artistic activity for guests at a sleepover party, as well as a sleeping bag that the guests can use to sleep in.

In the preferred embodiment the kit of the invention does not require the use of extraneous materials or tools such as a sewing needle, or a sewing machine to assemble a completely functional sleeping bag. Moreover, a child may assemble the preferred embodiment of the sleeping bag, because it does not require the use of sharp or dangerous items, and the ease with which the sleeping bag can be assembled is conducive to assembly by even small children. The invention provides these functions in a convenient and aesthetically pleasing kit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a kit for the construction of a seeping bag, and other soft articles such as pillows and cushions. In the preferred embodiment the sleeping bag can be conveniently folded or otherwise reconfigured into a blanket or into a compact configuration which can be conveniently stored or transported.

In the preferred embodiment, the kit according to the invention comprises a fabric panel, for example a felt sheet, having means about its periphery for the application of fasteners such as fabric ties. The panel provides apertures, or in one embodiment markings designating the positions of apertures, through which the ties are disposed to retain the sleeping bag configuration when the fabric panel is folded in half. The fabric panel can be used as a blanket or wrap in its fully open configuration, or may be compactly configured by folding the panel multiple times and tying the edges together to form a pillow or cushion, neck rest or the like.

In one preferred embodiment, the ties are formed from the same fabric as the panel and can be different colours or multi-coloured, allowing the user to exercise artistic creativity when the sleeping bag is assembled. Further, the panel may be decorated with any desired colours, patterns, designs and/or indicia.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled sleeping bag from a kit according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a fabric panel for the sleeping bag kit of FIG. 1 having apertures for the ties.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the panel folded in a compact configuration and tied to form a cushion.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a further embodiment of a fabric panel for the sleeping bag kit of FIG. 1 having guide marks designating positions for creating apertures for the ties.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a sleeping bag 10 constructed from a kit according to the invention. A fabric panel 12, shown in its fully unfolded configuration in FIG. 2, includes a plurality of complementary apertures 13 distributed along two opposed side edges 14a, 14b and along a bottom edge 16 which intersects the two side edges 14a, 14b. Apertures 13 are preferably also distributed along the bottom edge 16 generally symmetrically about the centre of the panel 12, and in the preferred embodiment the apertures 13 are spaced apart generally evenly. The apertures 13 extend along a substantial length of each side edge 14a, 14b, but do not need to extend fully along the side edges 14a, 14b.

A series of ties 20 are provided with the kit of the invention. The ties 20 may be of similar or different lengths, and are sized to fit through the apertures 13 through the panel 12. The ties may be cut from fabric similar to the fabric of the panel 12, or may be cut or otherwise produced from any other suitable material.

In its fully unfolded configuration, the fabric panel 12 may be used as a traditional blanket. When the panel 12 is folded in half generally along the axis of symmetry A (shown in phantom in FIG. 2) parallel to the side edges 14a, 14b, a tie can be inserted through aligned complementary apertures 13 and knotted to ensure that the closure retains the complementary apertures 13 in proximity. A plurality of ties 20 secured in this fashion holds the opposed sides 14a, 14b, and preferably the opposed halves of the bottom edge 16, together along a substantial portion of their respective lengths, and thus ensures that the sleeping bag configuration is maintained.

The ties 20 are also decorative, and can be different colours or multi-coloured to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the sleeping bag and allow for greater artistic creativity in its construction. Similarly, the panel 12 may be brightly coloured and/or provided with any desired pattern, design or indicia to increase its aesthetic appeal. Moreover, the opposite faces of the panel 12 can have different colours, patterns, designs or indicia, making the sleeping bag reversible.

FIG. 3 illustrates a more compact configuration of the panel 12, for example forming a pillow or cushion 30. The compact configuration can be obtained by folding the sleeping bag configuration in half lengthwise again, and then folded on itself in portions, depending upon the size of cushion or pillow 30 desired, that align apertures 13 of the different panel portions so that ties 20 can be used to secure the panel portions together. The compact configuration in FIG. 3 also enables use of the blanket as a cushion, pillow, neck rest, or may act as a convenient form of storage or transportation.

In a further embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 a fabric panel 26 is provided with guide marks 28 that show the positions for forming (by piercing, cutting, punching etc.) apertures 13 through the panel 26, allowing the user to pierce the fabric panel 26 themselves and thereby increasing the enjoyment of user in the sleeping bag construction process.

Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sleeping bag kit comprising:

a fabric panel for folding into a desired configuration, the fabric panel comprising a series of spaced apart apertures along at least two opposed side edges and being large enough to substantially enclose a person when the panel is folded in half such that the side edges are brought substantially together, the aperture being distributed such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some apertures along each side edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other side edge; and

a plurality of ties for securing the complementary apertures to hold the side edges together to retain the panel in a folded condition.

2. The sleeping bag kit of claim 1, comprising a plurality of apertures distributed along a third edge intersecting the two opposed side edges, the apertures along the third edge being distributed generally symmetrically about a centreline of the panel such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some apertures along each half of the third edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other half of the third edge.

3. The sleeping bag kit of claim 1, wherein opposite faces of the panel are provided with different colours, patterns, designs or indicia, or any combination thereof.

4. A sleeping bag kit comprising:

a fabric panel for folding into a desired configuration, the fabric panel comprising a series of spaced apart guide marks designating positions for forming apertures along at least two opposed side edges and being large enough to substantially enclose a person when the panel is folded in half such that the side edges are brought substantially together, the guide marks being distributed such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some guide marks along each side edge are aligned with complementary guide marks along the other side edges; and

a plurality of ties for securing the complementary apertures formed through the guide marks, to hold the side edges together to retain the panel in a folded condition.

5. The sleeping bag kit as defined in claim 3, comprising a plurality of guide marks for forming apertures distributed along a third edge intersecting the two opposed side edges, the guide marks along the third edge being distributed generally symmetrically about a centreline of the panel such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some guide marks along each half of the third edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other half of the third edge.

6. The sleeping bag kit of claim 4, wherein opposite faces of the panel are provided with different colours, patterns, designs or indicia, or any combination thereof.

7. A sleeping bag, comprising:

a fabric panel for folding into a desired configuration, the fabric panel comprising a series of spaced apart apertures along at least two opposed side edges and being large enough to substantially enclose a person when the panel is folded in half such that the side edges are brought substantially together;

the apertures being distributed such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some apertures along each side edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other side edge; and

a plurality of ties securing the complementary apertures to hold the side edges together to retain the panel in a folded condition.

8. The sleeping bag as defined in claim 5, comprising a plurality of apertures distributed along a third edge intersecting the two opposed side edges, the apertures along the third edge being distributed generally symmetrically about a centreline of the panel such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some apertures along each half of the third edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other half of the third edge.

9. The sleeping bag of claim 7, wherein opposite faces of the panel are provided with different colours, patterns, designs or indicia, or any combination thereof.

10. A method of constructing sleeping bag using a fabric panel for folding into a desired configuration, the fabric panel being large enough to substantially enclose a person when the panel is folded in half such that the side edges are brought substantially together, the method comprising the steps of:

a. forming in the fabric panel a series of spaced apart apertures along at least two opposed side edges, the apertures being distributed such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some apertures along each side edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other side edge; and

b. tying complementary apertures to hold the side edges together to retain the panel in a folded condition.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, comprising, the steps of forming a plurality of apertures distributed along a third edge intersecting the two opposed side edges, the apertures along the third edge being distributed generally symmetrically about a centreline of the panel such that when the panel is folded in half so that the side edges are brought substantially together at least some apertures along each half of the third edge are aligned with complementary apertures along the other half of the third edge; and tying complementary apertures to hold the halves of the third edge together.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising, before step a., the step of providing guide marks for forming apertures along the at least two opposed side edges, or distributed along a third edge intersecting the two opposed side edges, or both.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising, before step a., the step of providing opposite faces of the panel with different colours, patterns, designs or indicia, or any combination thereof.

14. The sleeping bag kit of claim 1, wherein the ties are composed of the same fabric as the panel.

15. The sleeping bag kit of claim 1, wherein the ties are provided in different colours.

16. The sleeping bag kit of claim 4, wherein the ties are composed of the same fabric as the panel.

17. The sleeping bag kit of claim 4, wherein the ties are provided in different colours.

18. The sleeping bag of claim 7, wherein the ties are composed of the same fabric as the panel.

19. The sleeping bag of claim 7, wherein the ties are provided in different colours.