US20130019403A1

US20130019403A1 - Sleeping bag

Info

Publication number: US20130019403A1
Application number: US13/425,726
Authority: US
Inventors: Cam Brensinger; Suzanne Turell
Original assignee: Nemo Equipment Inc
Current assignee: Nemo Equipment Inc
Priority date: 2011-03-21
Filing date: 2012-03-21
Publication date: 2013-01-24
Also published as: US20130011275A1; KR20140034770A; JP2014511726A; WO2012134905A4; USD804780S1; US20130014792A1; WO2012134905A1; US20130015267A1; USD766643S1; WO2012129267A1

Abstract

A spoon or eggplant shaped sleeping bag that is narrow at an upper region where shoulders of a user are positioned and wider at a lower region where knees of a user are positioned.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/531,651 titled “Outdoor Equipment” which was filed on Sep. 7, 2011 and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/454,712 titled “Outdoor Equipment” which was filed on Mar. 21, 2011, both of which are incorporated fully herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to outdoor equipment and more particularly, relates to a spoon or eggplant shaped sleeping bag.
Traditional rectangular sleeping bags and more modern mummy shaped sleeping bags or barrel style sleeping bags are widely used for both recreational and extreme camping. These bag styles have suffered from multiple disadvantages. The traditional rectangular style bags, while roomy and adequate for warmer weather camping, are generally not useful in colder weather as, owed to wasted interior volume, they do not adequately conserve body heat.
Additionally, the rectangular style bags are among the heaviest of the bag styles. The mummy shaped bags are narrow at the feet and then taper outward towards the shoulders and then taper back in around the head. Mummy shaped bags follow the minimum silhouette of a person lying with legs together and arms held close to one's chest. This represents the smallest air volume possible around a person, so mummy shaped bags are best for heat conservation. The barrel style bags typically maintain a narrow profile around the entire body. Both styles conserve heat much better than the rectangular style bags; however they are inherently constrictive, especially for people who like to be able to move their legs inside the sleeping bag.
Accordingly, what is needed is a new design for a sleeping bag that conserves heat better than a rectangular style bag, but offers more space around the legs, where it is especially desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention features a lightweight sleeping bag which comprises an upper region that is narrow and configured to be close to shoulders of a user; a lower region that is wider and bulbous in shape, allowing for movement around the user's knees and feet; an opening in the upper region, wherein the opening is configured to allow sufficient space for the user's head or neck; and a fastener mechanism expanding a length from the opening of the upper region to the lower region, wherein the fastener mechanism is configured to open and close, thereby providing access to an interior portion.
It is important to note that the present invention is not intended to be limited to a system or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated objects or features of the invention. It is also important to note that the present invention is not limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a detailed view of the sleeping bag embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention, shown in FIG. 1, discloses a sleeping bag 300. The sleeping bag 300 features a spoon shape. The sleeping bag is narrow at an upper region 302 where shoulders of a user are positioned. The sleeping bag is wider at a lower region 304 where knees of a user are positioned. This new sleeping bag design combines the best features of both a rectangular bag and a mummy or barrel shaped bag. The sleeping bag 300 is an effective use of material, and it is designed to pack easily. The shape keeps the bag close around the shoulders and therefore maintains heat with less volume to heat up than a rectangular bag. The bag is also less weight and less volume, which is important for backpacking, than a rectangular bag. The bag provides more room in the leg region for better movement and more options for sleep position for a user than the prior art mummy or barrel shaped bag which has little or no room around the legs of the user. The bag may feature any other number of features, such as an opening 306 in the upper region 302 of the bag and a fastener mechanism 308. The fastener mechanism 308 is preferably a zipper, but can also be any other suitable mechanism, such as hook and loop closure, buttons, snaps, etc. The fastener mechanism 308 may cover the entire length of the bag or may cover only a portion of the bag. The fastener mechanism 308 allows for easy opening and closing of the sleeping bag, thereby allowing a user to enter the bag and close the bag and to open the bag and exit the bag.
Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the following claims.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. sleeping bag comprising:

an upper region having a first width configured for containing a head, shoulder and upper body portion of a user;

a lower region having a second width configured for containing a lower body portion of the user, wherein the second width of the lower region is wider than the first width of the upper region; and

a middle region, located between the upper and lower regions, the middle region having a third width, wherein the third width of the middle region is narrower that the first width of the upper region and the second width of the lower region.

8. The sleeping bag of claim 7, further comprising an opening in the upper region.

9. The sleeping bag of claim 7, further comprising a fastener mechanism.

10. The sleeping bag of claim 9, wherein the fastener mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, a hook and loop closure, a plurality of buttons, and a plurality of snaps.

11. (canceled)

12. The sleeping bag of claim 9, wherein the fastener mechanism extends generally an entire length of the sleeping bag.

13. The sleeping bag of claim 9, wherein the fastener mechanism runs at least a partial length of the sleeping bag.

14. The sleeping bag of claim 9, wherein the fastener mechanism is located along at least a portion of one outer edge of the sleeping bag.

15. A sleeping bag comprising:

a lower region having a first width, the lower region generally spoon shaped and configured to allow for movement of a user's knees and feet when disposed in use in said sleeping bag;

an upper region having a second width, the second width being equal to or greater than the first width of said upper region, the upper region generally spoon shaped and configured to allow for movement of a user's arms when disposed in use in said sleeping bag, wherein the upper region and the lower region each include a tapering region configured to taper towards one another and toward a middle region having a third width, wherein the third width of the middle region is narrower than the width of the upper and lower regions.