| Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation -> Monitor Keywords |
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Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulationRelated Patent Categories: Apparel, Body GarmentsConvertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070050882, Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
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, outdoors persons who hiked, climbed, fished or hunted required protective coverings to keep them dry and relatively warm. As such, these individuals usually wore weather protection covering at least part of the upper body, but their lower extremities usually remained exposed. [0007] Outdoors persons have also relied on articles such as sleeping bags and blankets for enhanced cold weather protection. 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. [0008] Prior art multi-purpose garments such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,362 provide a single article which could be arranged in different modes to provide an anorak (short coat) covering the upper body and a backpack, a cagoule (long coat) protecting the legs in addition to the body while wearing a backpack, a tent for a single occupant, a summer shelter for a single person with a netted opening, as well as a hammock. 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. [0009] 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. [0010] There is a need, therefore, for a garment for use by mobile outdoors persons which includes a feature that can protect the user's lower extremities and which may be repeatedly deployed as needed, preferably without requiring removal of the garment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [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. [0012] A garment for use by outdoorsmen permits mobility and includes an integral foot and leg warming tubular bag section that is readily deployed without requiring removal of the garment. In use, the garment may be slipped over the head (through a collar opening) or stepped into (via a leg opening). With the anorak or upper body section in place, the user deploys the leg warming tubular bag section of the garment by unfastening and then dropping the tubular bag section 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. [0013] When not in use, the garment may be bunched or rolled and conveniently stored in a reversible pocket proximate the bottom edge of garment's integral leg warming tubular bag section for easy retrieval by the user. Once stowed, the garment may be carried in a bundle at the small of the back using straps in much the same manner as a fanny pack. [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. [0015] The garment includes an opening proximate the bottom edge of an elongated integral leg warming tubular bag section that is readily deployed without requiring that the outdoorsman remove the garment. [0016] The garment may be carried initially in a bundle at the small (and bottom) of the back using straps in much the same manner as a fanny pack. Once partly unrolled, the garment is configured as a parka or anorak having hand warmer pockets and the integral leg warming tubular bag section defines the remainder of the garment. [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.TM. 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. [0018] The anorak or upper body section preferably includes a thermally insulated hood and sleeves. In a preferred embodiment adapted for military personnel, emergency management crews, disaster relief teams, hunters using tree-stands or the like, the upper section includes a slot or hole in the back, between the shoulder blades, adapted to pass a safety harness, a strap or other apparatus to be carried. [0019] When deploying the leg warming portion, the user unfastens the buckles, or hook and loop fasteners or Fastex.TM. style buckles and then drops the leg warming portion (or tubular bag section) of the bag to the floor, where the zipper 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, especially when seated or reclined. In a further embodiment, the leg warming tubular bag section includes an elastic strap, drawstring or other adjustable closure member that permits the bottom of the bag to be fitted about the hips, the knees, the legs or the feet of the user. The adjustable closure is pulled taut to hold the tubular bag section in place at the position desired by the user. [0020] The above and still further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of a specific embodiment thereof, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading about Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation... Full patent description for Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Clothing adherable knee pads Next Patent Application: Cooling suit Industry Class: Apparel ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Convertible outerwear garment with thermal insulation patent info. 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