COMPOSITE JACKET AND SLEEPING BAG APPARATUS

Abstract

A composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus for selective use as a jacket and a sleeping bag. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus comprises a base jacket having an attached expandable hood and an inflatable air mattress pack. The base jacket is converted from a jacket configuration to a sleeping bag configuration by unzipping and opening it, unfolding both a fold out leg extension and a fold out top cover, and then connecting the sides of the fold out top cover to the sides of the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension, thereby forming a substantial enclosure in which a user can rest. In this configuration, the inflatable air mattress pack can be deployed to provide addition support to a user laying on the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to apparel and, more particularly, to a wearable jacket with the ability to convert into a sleeping bag having an inflatable mattress.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use and design of sleeping bags and inflatable mattresses for use for sleeping or laying down is well known. Hikers and travelers often transport with them large sleeping bags so that they are able to rest comfortably when desired. A problem which still exists, however, is that for many hikers and travelers, a discrete sleeping bag and/or inflatable mattresses can be very cumbersome to carry. Thus, there remains a need for a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus that provides a wearable garment that can alternatively be deployed as a sleeping bag. It would be helpful if such a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus included an integrated inflatable mattress to for providing additional support when a user lays in the sleeping bag. It would be additionally desirable for such a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus to employ a plurality of zippers to enable it to be placed in jacket or sleeping bag form.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus adapted to be converted between a wearable jacket and a sleeping bag. The primary components in Applicant's composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus are a base jacket, a fold out leg extension, a fold out top cover, an expandable hood, and an inflatable air mattress. When in operation, the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus enables a mobile user, such as a hiker, to have access to a comfortable sleeping enclosure without having to separately carry a sleeping bag and/or inflatable mattress. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus for selective use as a jacket and a sleeping bag. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus comprises a base jacket having an attached expandable hood and an inflatable air mattress pack. The base jacket is converted from a jacket configuration to a sleeping bag configuration by unzipping and opening it, unfolding both a fold out leg extension and a fold out top cover, and then connecting the sides of the fold out top cover to the sides of the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension, thereby forming a substantial enclosure in which a user can rest. In this configuration, the inflatable air mattress pack can be deployed to provide addition support to a user laying on the opened base jacket and fold out leg extension.

It is an object of this invention to provide a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus that provides a wearable garment that can alternatively be deployed as a sleeping bag.

It is another object of this invention to provide a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus that includes an integrated inflatable mattress to for providing additional support when a user lays in the sleeping bag.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus that employs a plurality of zippers to enable it to be placed in jacket or sleeping bag form.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in a jacket configuration.

FIG. 2 is a back elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in a jacket configuration.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in a partially assembled sleeping bag configuration.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in an assembled sleeping bag configuration.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus built in accordance with the present invention in an alternate assembled sleeping back configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, a composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100 is shown in a jacket configuration as a base jacket 110 having an attached expandable hood 120 and an inflatable air mattress pack 130. The base jacket 110 is constructed in a similar manner to conventional jackets and outwear, having a pair of sleeves 111, a collar section 112, and a central zipper 113 regulated closeable opening. The expandable hood 120 is attached to the base jacket 110 at the collar section 112, from where it can be flipped onto the head of a user in a manner similar to conventional hoods on jackets. The inflatable air mattress pack 130 is attached to the back surface of the base jacket 110, and includes an integrated air pump (not shown) that enables it to be selectively inflated for deployment as an air mattress.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100 is converted from a jacket configuration to a sleeping bag configuration by opening the base jacket 110, unfolding both a fold out leg extension 140 and a fold out top cover 150, and then, if it is desired to create a substantial enclosure, connecting the sides of the fold out top cover 150 to the sides of the opened base jacket 110 and fold out leg extension 140. The base jacket 100 is opened as conventional jackets; by unzipping the central zipper 113 and spreading the opened sides apart. Once the base jacket 100 is open, the leg extension 140 can be unzipped at the top zipper 114 inside the base jacket 110 and connected to the leg extension 114′ and folded down from the base jacket 110, pivoting just above the bottom of the base jacket 110. The top cover 150 is then folded out of the leg extension 140 in two contiguous sections. The fully unfolded leg extension 140 and the top cover 150 define the partially assembled sleeping bag configuration of the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100, illustrated in FIG. 3.

The leg extension 140 and the top cover 150 each include side flaps, defined as leg extension flaps 141 and top cover flaps 151, respectively. At the edge of each of the leg extension flaps 141 and is a first enclosure zipper 142 and at the edge of each of the top cover flaps 151 is a second enclosure zipper 152. To complete the assembly of the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100, the top cover 150 is flipped on top of the leg extension 140 and the opened base jacket 110 and the second enclosure zipper 152 is secured to the first enclosure zipper 142 and central zipper 113, thereby forming a substantial enclosure which defines the sleeping bag configuration. It is contemplated that the opened base jacket 110 and the leg extension 140 will provide the bottom surface for a user to lay on and the top cover 150 will provide a cover which can be used by a user on the opened base jacket 110 and the leg extension 140. If a user desires to create a full enclosure, a bottom zipper 153 can be then attached to the top zipper 114.

Once in the partially assembled sleeping bag configuration or the sleeping bag configuration, the inflatable air mattress pack 130 can be deployed into an inflated air mattress 131 to provide greater support for a user laying inside the composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus 100. In the partially assembled sleeping bag configuration or the sleeping bag configuration, it is contemplated that the sleeves 111 could be laid under the opened base jacket 110 or rolled up under the collar section 112 for use to elevate a user's head.

In one embodiment, the expandable hood 120 includes a collapsible cloth piece (not shown) that can be folded out and used to cover the face of a user.

In one embodiment, the collar section 112 and/or the sleeves 111 are detachable from the base jacket 110.

Referring now to FIG. 5, in an alternate embodiment, the base jacket 110, when placed in a sleeping bag configuration, returned to a closed position (similar to what is illustrated in FIG. 1, except with the leg extension 140 and top cover 150 folded out and the top cover 150 zipped on top of the leg extension 140). When assembled in this manner, the closed base jacket 110 provides a second enclosure for the torso area of a user inside the sleeping bag, thereby providing additional comfort to the user.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus, comprising:

a base jacket adapted to be placed in a closed position and an open position;

a leg extension section embedded in said base jacket, wherein said leg extension section is configured to fold down from the base jacket when in the open position;

a top cover section connected to said leg extension section, wherein said top cover section is configured to fold down from the leg extension section once the leg extension section has been folded down from the base jacket; and

said top cover section adapted to be positioned on top of the opened base jacket and leg extension section.

2. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket includes an inflatable air mattress pack that can be deployed into an inflated air mattress positioned adjacent to the opened base jacket and leg extension section.

3. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket includes an expandable hood.

4. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein the top cover section is configured to fold down in two sections.

5. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket includes a pair of sleeves.

6. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket includes a collar section.

7. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 1, wherein said base jacket is adapted to be placed in a closed position and an open position through a central zipper regulated closeable opening.

8. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 7, wherein the top cover section is configured to selectively create a substantial enclosure with the opened base jacket and leg extension section through the connection of a second enclosure zipper on both side ends of the top cover section to the opened central zipper on both side ends of the opened base jacket and a first enclosure zipper on both side ends of the leg extension section.

9. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 8, wherein the top cover section includes a bottom zipper, thereby additionally configuring it to selectively create a full enclosure.

10. The composite jacket and sleeping bag apparatus of claim 7, wherein said leg extension section is configured to fold down from the base jacket by unzipping a top zipper inside the base jacket and flipping the leg extension section down from the base jacket, pivoting just above the bottom of the base jacket.