Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation

Abstract

A garment for use by outdoors persons permits mobility and includes an integral foot and leg warming tubular bag section that is readily deployed without requiring removal of the garment. The garment including integral foot and leg warming tubular bag section may be carried initially in a bundle at the small of the back using straps in much the same manner as a fanny pack. The user unfastens and then drops the foot and leg warming tubular bag section of the garment to the floor, where a closure is provided to enable the bottom of the bag to be sealed around the legs and the feet. Once deployed and sealed, the bottom portion of the bag works much like a sleeping bag to conserve the body's heat.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 675,451 filed Apr. 28, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to clothing for use by outdoors persons and others needing protection from cold or inclement weather. More particularly, the invention relates to clothing for use by outdoors persons that permits mobility and protects the wearer's upper and lower extremities. [0004] 2. Background Art [0005] Hunters, fishermen, military personnel and other outdoors persons often hike into remote locations in cold or inclement weather and then engage in an activity requiring little or no movement, such as sitting in and hunting from a tree stand or sitting while ice fishing or conducting surveillance. The sedentary portion of such activities can last for several hours, and if the weather is cold, discomfort or hypothermia can be a problem. [0006] In the past, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a durable garment permitting mobility and including a convenient facility to protect the user's lower extremities. Another object of the present invention is to provide an anorak or upper body section in conjunction with an imperforate garment extension to envelope the user's lower extremities, wherein the garment can be repeatedly deployed as needed, preferably without requiring removal thereof.

[0014] The multipurpose garment is well suited for use by military personnel, emergency management crews, disaster victims and relief teams, sports enthusiasts and active sportsmen such as hikers, hunters or fishermen when walking to remote locations, sleeping outdoors, conducting surveillance or observing sporting events, especially during cold or inclement weather. The garment is a full body enclosure that conserves the body heat of a wearer and simultaneously shields the wearer from the elements and environmental contaminants.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the integral leg warming tubular bag section terminates at a lower or distal end in an opening that is held at waist or thigh level, when not deployed by buckles, hook and loop fasteners or Fastex™ style buckles. The leg warming tubular bag section opening is preferably closable using a zipper, drawstring or other closure to define a closed bag end, and the overall length of the garment is selected for a given size, such that a bag for a medium sized male user may extend six feet from the proximal or upper end of the hood to the distal or lower end of the closed bag end. When closed off using the zipper, drawstring or other closure, the bottom of the bag is sealed around the legs and the feet, and so insulates the user's lower extremities much like a sleeping bag to conserve the body's heat.

Problems solved by technology

The sedentary portion of such activities can last for several hours, and if the weather is cold, discomfort or hypothermia can be a problem.

Such articles, however, are cumbersome and inconvenient to carry, stow and use.

Moreover, these articles frequently impede and detract from the activity being engaged in, and are not suited for use while an individual is standing or in motion.

Such garments have not found widespread acceptance in the marketplace, however, perhaps because they incorporate too many features which serve no purpose in most practical situations, and so add unnecessary weight.

A variety of articles styled as emergency garments have been proposed for avoiding hypothermia, but they are often packaged as temporary or single use “space blanket” type products, and so do not meet the needs of the outdoorsman seeking a durable, versatile garment that can be used day after day.

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