Roll-up Covering and Belt Assembly
The invention outlined in the disclosure is a roll-up covering and belt assembly that is worn around the waist of the wearer. The belt is preferably a one-inch wide strap with a buckle that adjusts to the waist size of the wearer. An upper covering portion and a lower covering portion are attached to the strap opposite the buckle.
The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. provisional patent application, Ser. No. 60/915,629, filed 2 May 2007, included by reference herein and for which benefit of the priority date is hereby claimed.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to over garment apparel, in particular capes having multiple functionality such as a roll-up covering and belt assembly that can be worn around the waist of the wearer, as a cushion, or as a body wrap.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are a number of issued patents concerned with garments of outerwear that can be transported in a storage condition. In particular there are many activities, such as hunting, fishing, or attending sporting activities and the like that require periods of high activity with intense energy expenditure followed by periods of inactivity with relatively low energy expenditure in exposed or cold conditions. During the periods of high activity there is often a need for transporting the garment without having to wear it, such as a hunter removing game animals from the woods, entering a stadium trying to hold drinks, food, and other items, or the movement of sports equipment at the end of a game or match. During the times of inactivity there is a need to retain as much heat as possible. Due to these wide and varied requirements, there is a continuous need for innovative ways of designing garments that maximize warmth, while being able to be easily stored and carried in a hands-off way while not being worn.
Argento et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,853, describes a coat which converts into a tote bag such as a purse. The coat has a belt for the coat which becomes the strap for the purse when transporting. Snap hooks located on the back of the collar and the back portion of the coat in the area of the belt to snap together to form the leaves of the purse. The coat is folded about the belt portion, which is adjustable, allowing the user to wear the tote bag over a shoulder or to hold the belt as a conventional bag.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,485,493, Leinoff discloses a long coat which has a back portion with flaps which fold in and connects to the front portion in a way that it forms a pair of culottes. The facing along the front edges of the garment includes a selectively open flap portion extending upwardly a predetermined distance from the bottom edge of the garment. Thus, one would hope that that predetermined distance is sufficient for the torso of the wearer.
Boesen, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,776, describes a stadium coat having straps which tuck out of the way while being worn. Then when the stadium observer decides to sit down, the coat can be folded into a make-shift stadium seat cushion with the straps holding the coat into a closed position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,520, Gazzola discloses an overcoat that can be converted into a bag similar to the Argento disclosure. The overcoat includes a zip-fastener having one set of teeth located on a flap to the top side of the coat down to the midline of the overcoat itself. The other set of teeth are located the bottom side meeting at the midline of the overcoat. When zipped together the two halves of the zippered portions form a purse.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,264 by Yuen describes a stowaway traveler's jacket in a modular construction. The jacket has arm outlets and resembles a shortened version of a conventional jacket. The belted portion has a fastening device and a storage liner pocket into which the folded jacket may be stowed and then worn like a belt. There may be storage pockets made of two flapped front pockets.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,723, DiPrato et al. discloses a garment functioning as a cushion, blanket, or poncho with a hood. The garment includes a small triangular sheet, which functions as a hood, attached to a rectangular main sheet and provides attachment to the top and near the center of the main sheet. The sheet assembly maybe spread out as a blanket or worn as a poncho, such that the triangular portion fits over a person's head and the remaining main sheet drapes over the person's body. As the main sheet is folded, the handles meet and snap together to form a cushion and a carrying case.
Harris, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,121, describes a long-sleeved full-skirt coat that may be manually converted into a shoulder tote bag. A shoulder strap is formed from the long sleeves by attaching their free ends together. The bag is formed by transversely folding the flattened body of the coat with the arms spread-eagled to either side. The body is folded in approximately three sections from top to bottom. The bottom third skirt section has its corners folded inward to form a generally pointed bottom, which is folded over the top third and fastened to the front of the coat body. The free ends of the sleeves are then fastened together to form a shoulder strap extending from either end of the folded and fastened together body.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,775, Komjati discloses a jacket or rain gear, which is collapsible into its sleeve to form a fanny pack, shoulder pack, hand pack or back pack configuration. The jacket includes a fastener which retains an adjustable belt attached to the jacket or rain gear. When it is desired to use the jacket or rain gear, it is converted from its fanny pack configuration ready for use.
Ozenkoski, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,204, describes a blanket that can be folded and attached at points in such a way that it makes a jacket. The various arrangements are for wearing or transport. For example, a blanket/jacket comprises a piece of material having upper, lower, right and left edges. A first fastener is attached to the material parallel the left edge of the material, and a second fastener is attached to the material parallel with the upper edge and offset from the upper edge of the material. A third fastener is attached to the material parallel the right edge of the material, and a fourth fastener attached to the material parallel with the upper edge and offset from the upper edge of the material. The first fastener is adapted to fasten to the second fastener, and the third fastener is adapted to fasten to the fourth fastener to form right and left sleeves, respectively, and the material between the upper edge and the second and fourth fasteners can be folded to form a collar.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,518, Boesen discloses a stadium jacket or coat similar to her 776 disclosure, convertible to a cushion and reversible for variation in outer appearance. The coat or jacket may be easily carried by a removable handle, useable regardless of which side of the coat is exposed when in the form of a cushion. A handy pocket in the handle may be used for cash, keys, sporting event tickets, etc.
None of the above inventions, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the concept of the present disclosure as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention outlined in the disclosure comprises a roll-up covering such as a blanket with a belt assembly that is worn around the waist of the wearer. The belt is preferably a one-inch wide strap of webbing or other suitable material with a buckle that adjusts to the waist size of the wearer. An upper covering portion and a lower covering portion are attached to the strap opposite the buckle.
The upper and lower covering portions may constitute a single covering attached to the strap near the center line of the covering. If the upper and lower covering portions are separate, each can be attached to the strap at an edge, with each portion extending in opposite directions from the strap.
To use the covering and belt assembly as an outer protective covering, the wearer can fasten the belt around his/her waist. The upper covering portion extends up the wearer's back, over the wearer's shoulders and down the wearer's chest. The upper covering portion includes a central slot extending from the edge opposite the belt into which the wearer's neck fits. There may be fasteners along the edge of the slot, similar to those of a jacket, to maintain the slot closed over the wearer's chest. The wearer's arms extend out the sides of the upper covering portion. The lower covering portion extends down the back of the wearer's legs and has sufficient width to wrap around the legs. The edges of the lower covering portion adjacent the edge attached to the strap may include fasteners to maintain the lower covering portion securely over the wearer's legs.
Each covering portion may include a storage pouch secured to each covering portion adjacent to the point of attachment to the waist strap. The pouch may include a zipper, or similar closure mechanism, that allows each covering portion to be rolled up, folded up, or otherwise stuffed into its respective pouch. The mode used in transportation may be denoted as the non deployed mode or transport configuration. With each covering portion within the respective pouch, the assembly is worn around the wearer's waist with the pouches at or near the small of the wearer's back. Thus, the covering portions are out of the way for transport, but readily available when needed.
It would be advantageous to provide a means for covering and protecting both the upper body and legs of the wearer.
It would also be advantageous to provide a covering which may also be configured as a seat cushion.
It would further be advantageous to provide a covering which can be transformed from being worn as part of a belt to being fully deployed without removing the belt from the wearer.
A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which:
- 10—upper portion
- 11—body
- 12—upper stowing pouch
- 14—fasteners
- 16—crew neck
- 18—closing means
- 20—gather
- 22—arm receptacles
- 24—sleeve
- 26—hood
- 40—lower portion
- 41a—free end
- 41b—secured end
- 42—lower stowing pouch
- 44—closing means
- 46—attachment port
- 48—flare
- 50—integral divisor
- 51—fold line
- 52—symmetrical configuration
- 54—asymmetrical configuration
- 56—cushion configuration
- 60—attachment portion
- 62—buckle apparatus
- 64—belt apparatus
- 65—coupler
- 66—belt snap
- 68—garment snap
In
An alternate embodiment of the upper portion 10, which is preferred to the first embodiment is shown in
The upper portion 10, as shown in
Both the upper stowing pouch 12 and the lower stowing pouch 22 can be connected through the belt portion 32 which is provided with a buckle 30 or other fastening means and be worn by the user.
Several features of the system will become apparent upon review of
While the prior art requires the wearer to remove the belt or shoulder garment from the wearer before deployment, this system does not.
In yet another deployment of the system the lower portion 40 may be configured as a seat cushion as shown in
Additionally, if the wearer desires for some reason, for example, to momentarily leave a stadium seat to take a small child to the rest room, the lower portion may be left behind by unbuckling the buckle apparatus, or more preferably, to remain strapped to the wearer. This leaves the hands of the wearer free while taking the covering with them thus eliminating the concern that the wearer will return to a cushion or lap covering on the stadium floor having been walked on, and spilled on, or rained on.
CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPEAlthough the present invention has been described in detail, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. The invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.
Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequent appended claims.
Claims
1. A portable flexible roll-up covering and belt assembly that can be used either to cover the wearer or, alternatively, be carried around the waist of the wearer, comprising:
- a means for covering the upper torso,
- a means for covering the lower torso,
- said means for covering the upper torso comprising a means for stowing said means for covering,
- said means for covering the lower torso comprising a means for stowing said means for covering,
- said means for covering the upper torso, and said means for covering the lower torso being removably affixed to a central belt portion.
Type: Application
Filed: May 2, 2008
Publication Date: Nov 6, 2008
Inventor: Joseph R. Nienow (Wausau, WI)
Application Number: 12/114,482
International Classification: A41D 3/08 (20060101); A41F 9/00 (20060101);