Patent Application
20230067879
The field of this disclosure relates generally to quilts and, more particularly, to a quilt including a drawcord for selectively adjusting a width of a portion of the quilt.
Conventional sleeping bags include rectangular sleeping bags, semi-rectangular sleeping bags, and mummy-type sleeping bags. Larger bags are often more comfortable and allow more freedom of movement, and smaller bags are typically more thermally efficient due to a smaller interior volume that is heated by a user’s body. The user therefore has to compromise, or acquire multiple different bags suitable for different temperature and climate conditions; given conventional sleeping bag are not readily adaptable to even a moderate range of temperature and climate conditions. Furthermore, even with larger sleeping bag being suitable for the particular temperature and climate conditions, a sleeping bag is nevertheless more restrictive and less comfortable relative to traditional bedding, and the sleeping bag does not readily accommodate various sleeping positions.
Unlike conventional sleeping bags, quilts are commonly a rectangular covering adapted to keep a user warm, especially while sleeping by laying the quit over the user. While many quilts are intended for indoor use, quilts can also be used in the outdoors by backpackers, hikers, campers, mountaineers, and other users as portable bedding or coverings. Outdoor quilts are often durable, soft, thermally insulated for a particular temperature and climate rating, and weather resistant. Outdoor users commonly prefer quilts over conventional sleeping bags because quilts tend to be lighter in weight/volume and more comfortable. By way of example, quilts are substantially less restrictive during use than a conventional sleeping bag (e.g., a mummy bag).
Conventional quilts do not include means of drawing or gathering the quilt around the user’s neck or shoulders. As a result, conventional quilts are susceptible to drafts and allowing heat to escape from around the user’s body. Known quilts that are adapted to reduce this loss of heat reduce the user’s mobility due to their restrictive nature. Such known quilts have a drawcord across the quilt’s entire span that enables the user to draw or gather the quilt around their body, thereby reduce heat loss, which causes restriction around the user’s body that can cause discomfort.
Accordingly, a need exists for a quilt that can selectively gather across a width of a portion of the quilt for comfort and warmth.
In one embodiment, a sleeping quilt is disclosed. The sleeping quilt includes an outer layer having an undrawn lateral width extending from a first longitudinal edge to an opposing second longitudinal edge. The quilt further includes a drawcord having an undrawn lateral width, and the is drawcord being to the outer layer at a first point and a second point laterally distal to the first point. Each of the first point and the second point is located a gap distance medially inward from the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge, respectively. The outer layer comprises a gatherable portion defined between the first point and the second point. A first undrawable portion is defined between the first point and the first longitudinal edge and a second undrawable portion is defined between the second point and the second longitudinal edge.
In another embodiment, a sleeping quilt is disclosed. The sleeping quilt includes a drawcord extending laterally across a portion of a width of the quilt. The drawcord has an undrawn lateral width, and the drawcord is fixed to the quilt at a first point and a second point laterally distal to the first point. Each of the first point and the second point is located a gap distance medially inward from a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge of the quilt. The quilt further includes a gatherable portion defined between the first point and the second point.
In yet another embodiment, a sleeping quilt is disclosed. The sleeping quilt includes an undrawn lateral width extending from a first longitudinal edge to an opposing second longitudinal edge. The quilt further includes a drawcord extending laterally across a portion of a width of the quilt. The drawcord has an undrawn lateral width, and the drawcord i fixed to the quilt at a first point and a second point laterally distal to the first point. Each of the first point and the second point are located a gap distance medially inward from the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge of the quilt. The quilt further includes a gatherable portion defined between the first point and the second point. The drawcord is secured at two pull points at opposing ends of the drawcord. The pull points are located in a range of about 4 inches to about 16 inches medially inward from a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge.
For purposes of the present disclosure, the terms top, bottom, up, down, above, below and the like are defined relative to a generally horizontal surface (e.g., the ground, floor, or surface etc.) on which a quilt is positioned for a user to occupy.
As used herein, the term “longitudinal” shall indicate a direction extending along an axis or plane defined by the length of an element of the present disclosure, such as the length of the quilt. As used herein, the term “midline” shall indicate a median line or plane of bilateral symmetry of an element of the present disclosure, such as the quilt.
As used herein, the terms “headward” and “footward” designate opposite longitudinal directions along a longitudinal length of the quilt or its components, with headward indicating the direction (or end) toward which the head of the user occupying the quilt commonly would intentionally be positioned, and footward indicating the opposite direction (or end), toward which the feet of the user occupying the quilt commonly would intentionally be positioned.
As used herein, the term “transverse” indicates a direction generally horizontal and generally orthogonal to the headward/footward directions.
As used herein, “lateral” indicates a position along a structure or object that is located farther transversely from a longitudinal midline of the quilt, while “medial” indicates a position along the structure or object that is located closer transversely to the longitudinal midline of the quilt.
As used herein, movement or conversion “between” a first configuration or arrangement and a second configuration or arrangement includes both (i) movement or conversion from the first configuration or arrangement to the second configuration or arrangement and (ii) movement or conversion from the second configuration or arrangement to the first configuration or arrangement.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
In some embodiments, for example as illustrated in
In some embodiments, as shown in
In some embodiments, the quilt 100 includes an insulating material 135 disposed between the outer layer 130 and the inner layer 132, to provide warmth and softness to the quilt 100. The insulating material 135, in some embodiments, is secured to the outer and/or inner layers 130, 132 of the quilt 100 using stitching and/or adhesives or the like. In some embodiments, the outer and inner layers 30, 32 can be any suitable material (e.g., polyester). In some embodiments, the outer layer 30 can be made from a different material than the inner layer 32. By way of example, but not limitation, if the inner layer 32 is configured to be the layer in greater contact with the user during normal use, the inner layer 32 can be of a softer material than the outer layer 30. In some embodiments, the insulation material can be any suitable material (e.g., goose down, CLOUDLOFT™ insulation, DRIDOWN™ insulation) and the amount and thickness of insulating material 135 can be selected to achieve the desired warmth, softness, and weight of the quilt 100. As shown in
Any one or more materials (e.g., fabrics or insulators) suitable for constructing a conventional sleeping bag or quilt can be employed for constructing one or more components of the quilt 100. By way of example, but not limitation, such materials can include: nylon, polyester, silk, cotton, taffeta, ripstop, pongee, flannel, microfiber, GORE-tex®, or fleece; natural down, synthetic insulation, or other insulating material; or metal-coated polymer film or other thermally shielding or thermally reflective material. In some embodiments, one or more of the outer layer 130, the inner layer 132 or the insulating material 135 can include heating elements, such as electrical or chemical heating elements.
With reference again to
The drawcord 134 is operably engaged to the quilt 100. In some embodiments, the drawcord 134 is attached to the outer layer 130 of the quilt 100. In some embodiments, the drawcord 134 is fixed or otherwise secured at drawcord endpoints 300, by stitching, adhesive or the like. In other embodiments, the drawcord 134 can pass through one or more loops 302 that are secured or otherwise attached to outer cover 130. In this embodiment, when the drawcord 134 is drawn, the parts of the quilt 100 connected to the drawcord 134 via the loops 302 will also be drawn medially inward. In another embodiment, the loops 302 can be a tunnel shape, having a longer lateral width as compared to longitudinal width, such that the drawcord is secured within the tunnel 301 formed by loops 302 (as shown in
In some embodiment, the drawcord 134 is attached to the inner layer 132 of the quilt 100. This embodiment is equivalent to the previous embodiment, except that the drawcord is attached to the inner layer 132 as opposed to the outer layer 130. In yet another embodiment (not shown in the figures), the drawcord is contained mostly inside the quilt 100, in between outer and inner layers 30, 32. In this embodiment, the drawcord can be attached to only the internal surface of the outer layer 30 (i.e., the surface facing inner layer 132), or only to the internal surface of the inner layer 132 (i.e., the surface facing outer surface 130), or to the internal surfaces of both the outer and the inner layers 130, 132. Such an attachment can be made, by way of example, but not limitation, by using loops (not shown) in a manner similar to the loops 302.
In order to effect a drawing action of the drawcord 134, the user pulls on draw tab 144, which is connected to, or a unitary part of, the drawcord 134. In the embodiment in which the drawcord is contained inside the quilt 100, there can be a hole or opening in outer cover 130 or the inner layer 132 to expose the draw tab 144 to allow the user to pull thereon to effect the drawing action. In some embodiments, the draw tab 144 is a cord lock, which operates using a pushbutton to unlock to allow the drawcord 134 to be pulled therethrough, and then locked in place at a desired length or tension. For any embodiment in which the drawcord 134 is contained mostly inside the quilt 100, the draw tab 144 is accessible to the user from outside the quilt 100 either from the outer layer 130 or from the inner layer 132, as described above.
In some embodiments, the draw tab 144 is a string with an end piece, illustrated as a triangular end piece, but can be any shape that facilitates grasping by the user. In yet other embodiments, the draw tab 144 can have no end piece. The draw tab(s) 144 (as shown in
The drawcord 134 is operably connected to the draw tab 144 accessible from a draw location 142. In some embodiments, there is a single draw tab 144, and the draw location 142 is near the center of the drawcord 134. However, it is understood that this is not the only configuration disclosed. In another suitable embodiment, as shown in
The drawcord 134 can comprise a material such as string, rope, rubber, elastic, or any other suitable material, which can be the same or different as drawcord 134. The draw tab 144 can be integrally connected to the drawcord 134, or the draw tab 144 and drawcord 134 can be operably connected. The draw tab 144 can comprise metal, plastic, or any other suitable material for the drawcord.
The quilt 100 is configured such that the user can selectively move a portion of the quilt 100 between an undrawn configuration 610 and a drawn position. An embodiment of an undrawn position 610 is illustrated in
When the drawcord 134 is at least partially drawn the partially drawn configuration 710, the portion of the quilt 100 that is operably engaged to the drawcord 134 is also drawn medially inwardly. This results in the gathering of a portion 720 of the quilt 100 material around the drawcord 134. The portion 720 of the quilt 100 that gathers when the drawcord 134 is drawn is the gatherable portion 146 as shown in
In use, the quilt 100 of the present disclosure is configured such that the user 900 can rest in a supine fashion (i.e., within cavity 200 as illustrated in
When the drawcord 134 is drawn, the gatherable portion 146 of the quilt 100 can collect, by way of example, but not limitation, on the user’s chest area 910. This gathered portion 146 can thus better retain heat around the user’s chest area 910 or core and retain heat that would otherwise escape from around the user’s neck.. The user 900 also enjoys mobility because the drawcord 134 does not span the full width QW of the quilt 100, and thus, on either side of the user 900, there can be ungatherable portions 148, 150 that add additional room for mobility to the user 900, or provide additional comfort for the user’s shoulders. The ungatherable portions 148, 150 can be freely manipulated by the user. For example, the user 900 can tuck the ungatherable portions 148, 150 underneath the user’s pillow or neck for comfort. The user can also fold an ungatherable portion 148 or 150 back over the gatherable portion 146 to expose their shoulder to fresh air. Such a configuration enables the user to have the gathered portion 146 gathered onto their chest to provide fresh air coming in on the user’s shoulders.
The user 900 can also selectively undraw or loosen the drawcord 134, returning it to an undrawn configuration 610 (of
Any one or more materials (e.g., fabrics or insulators) suitable for constructing a conventional sleeping bag or quilt can be employed for constructing one or more components of the quilt 100. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to nylon, polyester, silk, cotton, taffeta, ripstop, pongee, flannel, microfiber, GORE-tex®, or fleece; natural down, synthetic insulation, or other insulating material; or metal-coated polymer film or other thermally shielding or thermally reflective material. In some embodiments, one or more of the outer layer 130, inner layer 132 or insulating material 135 can include heating elements, e.g., electrical or chemical heating elements.
It is intended that equivalents of the disclosed example embodiments and methods shall fall within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims. It is intended that the disclosed example embodiments and methods, and equivalents thereof, can be modified while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure or appended claims.
In the foregoing detailed description, various features can be grouped together in several example embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claimed embodiment requires more features than are expressly recited in the corresponding claim. Rather, as the appended claims reflect, inventive subject matter can lie in less than all features of a single disclosed example embodiment. Thus, the appended claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate disclosed embodiment. However, the present disclosure shall also be construed as implicitly disclosing any embodiment having any suitable set of one or more disclosed or claimed features (i.e., a set of features that are neither incompatible nor mutually exclusive) that appear in the present disclosure or the appended claims, including those sets that may not be explicitly disclosed herein. In addition, for purposes of disclosure, each of the appended dependent claims shall be construed as if written in multiple dependent form and dependent upon all preceding claims with which it is not inconsistent. It should be further noted that the scope of the appended claims does not necessarily encompass the whole of the subject matter disclosed herein.
For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, the conjunction “or" is to be construed inclusively (e.g., “a dog or a cat" would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or both"; e.g., “a dog, a cat, or a mouse" would be interpreted as “a dog, or a cat, or a mouse, or any two, or all three"), unless: (i) it is explicitly stated otherwise, e.g., by use of “either ... or," "only one of," or similar language; or (ii) two or more of the listed alternatives are mutually exclusive within the particular context, in which case “or" would encompass only those combinations involving non-mutually-exclusive alternatives. For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, the words “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and variants thereof, wherever they appear, shall be construed as open ended terminology, with the same meaning as if the phrase “at least” were appended after each instance thereof, unless explicitly stated otherwise. For purposes of the present disclosure or appended claims, when terms are employed such as “about equal to,” “substantially equal to,” “greater than about,” “less than about,” and so forth, in relation to a numerical quantity, standard conventions pertaining to measurement precision and significant digits shall apply, unless a differing interpretation is explicitly set forth. For null quantities described by phrases such as “substantially prevented,” “substantially absent,” “substantially eliminated,” “about equal to zero,” “negligible,” and so forth, each such phrase shall denote the case wherein the quantity in question has been reduced or diminished to such an extent that, for practical purposes in the context of the intended operation or use of the disclosed or claimed apparatus or method, the overall behavior or performance of the apparatus or method does not differ from that which would have occurred had the null quantity in fact been completely removed, exactly equal to zero, or otherwise exactly nulled.
For purposes of the present disclosure and appended claims, any labelling of elements, steps, limitations, or other portions of an embodiment, example, or claim (e.g., first, second, etc., (a), (b), (c), etc., or (i), (ii), (iii), etc.) is only for purposes of clarity, and shall not be construed as implying any sort of ordering or precedence of the portions so labelled. If any such ordering or precedence is intended, it will be explicitly recited in the embodiment, example, or claim or, in some instances, it will be implicit or inherent based on the specific content of the embodiment, example, or claim. In the appended claims, if the provisions of 35 USC § 112(f) are desired to be invoked in an apparatus claim, then the word “means” will appear in that apparatus claim. If those provisions are desired to be invoked in a method claim, the words “a step for” will appear in that method claim. Conversely, if the words “means” or “a step for” do not appear in a claim, then the provisions of 35 USC § 112(f) are not intended to be invoked for that claim.
If any one or more disclosures are incorporated herein by reference and such incorporated disclosures conflict in part or whole with, or differ in scope from, the present disclosure, then to the extent of conflict, broader disclosure, or broader definition of terms, the present disclosure controls. If such incorporated disclosures conflict in part or whole with one another, then to the extent of conflict, the later-dated disclosure controls.
The Abstract is provided as required as an aid to those searching for specific subject matter within the patent literature. However, the Abstract is not intended to imply that any elements, features, or limitations recited therein are necessarily encompassed by any particular claim. The scope of subject matter encompassed by each claim shall be determined by the recitation of only that claim.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat Application No. 63/240,299, filed Sep. 2, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63240299 | Sep 2021 | US |
