Abstract:
An element protection system for protecting wearers from cold and/or wet weather includes a garment portion having a torso section surrounding a torso-receiving cavity and a pair of sleeves, and a storage case portion including a bottom wall and a surrounding sidewall providing a main compartment sized and configured for receiving the garment portion therein. Thus, the garment portion can be stowed in the main compartment. The garment portion extends from the upper margin of the storage case portion, and a reinforcing panel extends from the upper margin over a part of a back panel of the garment portion in covering relationship to the wearers buttocks. The back panel of the garment portion includes a port sized and configured to permit passage therethrough of a strap attachable to a safety harness which can be used to restrain the torso of someone wearing the element protection system.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/144,786 filed Jan. 15, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention concerns a combination protective garment and storage case therefore which is integral with and functions as a part of the protective garment when worn by a user. More particularly, the element protection system hereof is most preferably provided as a full body, integrated  1  piece garment which has water repellant and scent proof properties which can be deployed from the storage case which is most preferably a backpack with shoulder straps, the garment having water repellant and scent resistant properties to provide protection from harsh weather in any stationary position. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A variety of different garments such as raincoats, parkas, ponchos and the like provide protection for the wearer from the elements. Some of these garments feature water repellant capabilities which are beneficial to those in the outdoors. Also known are garments which include self-storage capabilities, which may be stored inside a storage case or the like, including convertible garments such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,484,362, 4,057,854 and 6,061,831. 
     However, a need has developed for a winter garment that is weatherproof and scent-proof and has additional functionality as a ground blind or tree blind for use by animal observers and hunters in tree stands and that is compatible with safety/tree harnesses. 
     A need has also developed for a winter garment which is a one piece, full bodied insulated garment which also provides the wearer with use of his or her arms. 
     A further need has developed for a garment meeting the foregoing needs and which can also be easily transported and stored with an integral, unitary backpack, preferably one which has extra storage compartments accessible from the outside of the backpack and also when being worn as a protective garment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects have largely been met by the element protection system of the present invention. That is to say, the element protection system is designed and configured not only to serve as a garment which protects the wearer from cold and/or wet weather, but also provides a combination garment and backpack which is easily transportable, permits the user to transport the garment within the backpack, protects the legs and feet of the wearer from inclement weather, functions as a blind to camouflage the appearance and scent of the wearer in the field, and facilitates the use with safety or tree straps to protect the wearer from falls. 
     Broadly speaking, the element protection system hereof is provided as an integrated flexible fabric member having a first garment portion including a torso covering section, a hood, and sleeves, and a second storage case portion integral with and extending from the first garment portion which also functions to receive the feet and lower portions of the legs of the wearer. The first garment portion if foldable into the second storage case portion, and a drawstring is provided to close the top of the storage case portion after the first garment portion is stowed therein. Moreover, the garment portion is uniquely compatible for use with safety harnesses used by hunters and wildlife observers in tree stands by the provision of an opening provided with a closure located on the garment in the back of the wearer. This permits the wearer to comfortably wear a safety harness while having the other benefits provided by the element protection system of the present invention. 
     Preferably, the second storage case portion is configured as a backpack having padded shoulder straps. The second storage case portion preferably includes flexible walls providing a main compartment for receipt of the first garment portion during storage or transport, or alternatively the feet and lower leg portion of the wearer when the user dons the garment portion. Preferably, the storage case portion has an outer layer of water repellant material such as nylon treated with a water repellant, and an inside layer made of insulating material such a polyester fiber filled liner of rip-stop nylon for durability, and coated with a moisture resistant material such as polyurethane to prevent moisture received within the second storage case from migrating into the liner or between the fabric layers. Beneficially, an overlay portion of the outer layer on the back side of the second storage case portion extends over the back side of the first garment portion, so that this overlay portion occupies the area on which the user would normally place his or her buttocks. This overlay portion not only serves as a moisture and wear-resistant seating area, but further functions as a top shield for the second storage case portion when the garment portion is stowed. Compression snaps are provided on the storage case portion to reduce the size of the system when transported or stored in the backpack mode, and to permit the main compartment to expand to full size for added space and to accommodate the feet and lower leg portion of the wearer when the garment is deployed. 
     The fabric of the first garment portion and the second storage case portion may be provided of a variety of materials and colors. For example, the all or a portion of garment portion and/or the storage case portion could be provided of hunter&#39;s orange for visual recognition of the user who is a hunter, or provided as a camouflage pattern which helps the system serve as a ground blind for waterfowlers or a tree blind for other hunters. Also, when intended for use at sporting events, the fabric of the first garment portion and the second storage case portion could be provided in colors selected to be compatible with those of a favorite sporting team. 
     These and other advantages of the element protection system of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the drawings and description which follow, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of the element protection system of the present invention showing the position of the garment portion and the storage case portion when the wearer is inside the system; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the element protection system showing an opening for permitting a safety strap to connect to a harness worn by the wearer; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the element protection system of  FIGS. 1 and 2  when the garment portion is stowed within the storage case portion; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevation of view of the element protection system in the stowed condition, wherein the storage case portion is provided with shoulder straps and configured as a backpack; and 
         FIG. 5  is a right rear isometric view of the element protection system hereof when the garment portion is being worn and the wearer is standing on a tree stand and tethered to a tree by a harness and safety strap passing through the opening located on the back side of the garment portion. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, an element protection system  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 5  and broadly includes a first garment portion  12  and a second storage case portion  14  connected thereto. The garment portion  12  is preferably permanently connected to the storage case portion  14  by stitching, adhesive or thermal bonding, or other method of permanent attachment along an upper margin  16  of the storage case portion  14  to provide an integrated, unitary element protection system  10 . 
     In greater detail, the garment portion  12  includes a torso-covering section  18  including a front panel  20  as seen in  FIG. 1 , a back panel  22  as seen in  FIG. 2 , and first and second sleeves  24 ,  26 . The garment portion  12  preferably has an outer layer  28  made primarily of a water-repellant material such as natural or synthetic rubber, or more preferably may be constructed of a fabric material such as nylon coated with a water repellant coating. The garment portion  12  may be lined with a insulating material such as flannel, fleece, down-filled fabric, or more preferably of a liner made of, e.g., a rip-stop nylon coated with polyurethane or other moisture-resistant material, and filled with fibrous polyester fill for insulation. The lining, for example the aforementioned liner, may be sewn or otherwise affixed to the outer layer  28  or may be removably attached to the outer layer by, for example, slide fasteners (i.e. zippers), buttons, hook and loop fabric or the like. 
     The front panel  20  may include left front panel  30  and right front panel  32  which are divided by an elongated seam  34 . The left front panel  30  and right front panels  32  may be opened to permit ingress into a cavity  36  sized and configured to receive a human torso  37  along the seam  34  by a closure device  38 , such as buttons, hook and loop fasteners or, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , slide fastener  40 . The seam  34 , and thus the slide fastener  40  in the illustrated embodiment, extends from a lower position  42  proximate the upper margin  16  to a head-receiving opening  44 . The garment portion  12  as shown in the drawings may include a hood  46  which extends upwardly from the left and right shoulder sections  48  and  50  adjacent the corresponding first and second sleeves  24 ,  26 , such that the hood  46  receives a head  52  of the wearer and opening  44  is intended for positioning forwardly of the wearer&#39;s face  54 . The opening  44  may be limited in area by a closure device such as a face drawstring  56  received in a pocket surrounding the opening  44 , and the face drawstring may have cord locks  58  to aid in tightening and holding the face drawstring  56 . The hood  46  as shown in the drawings is an integral and unitary component of the garment portion  12 , but the hood  46  could also be detachably mounted or omitted, such that the head receiving opening would in that circumstance be located between the left and right shoulder portions  48 ,  50 . The seam  34  thus permits the front panel  20  to be separated therealong, and the closure device  38  permits the joining of the left front panel  30  and right front panel  32  to enclose and protect the wearer. 
     The back panel  22  extends upwardly from the upper margin  16  of the storage case portion  14  when the wearer is in a standing position as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  5 . The back panel  22  includes a slit or port  60  positioned in the back panel  22  between said first and second sleeves  24 ,  26 . The port  60  is sized and positioned so that it is most preferably located about midway between the sleeves  24 ,  26  and intermediate the shoulder portions  48 ,  50  and the upper margin  16  of the storage case portion  14 . More preferably, the port  60  is sized and oriented more proximate the shoulder portions  48 ,  50  for receiving a strap  62  therethrough as shown in  FIG. 5 . As may be seen in  FIG. 2 , a flap  64  which may have closures such as buttons, snaps or hook and loop closures  66  for releasably closing the flap  64  in covering relationship to the port  60 , is positioned adjacent the port  60 . 
     The storage case portion  14  is preferably provided with an enclosed bottom  67  and has a surrounding sidewall  68  which may have an outer material  69  provided of a fabric material, the fabric material being flexible and durable such as heavy duty 600-1000 denier nylon with a waterproof or water repellant coating such as polyurethane and/or treated with other water repellant coating. Backpack straps  70  may be sewn, riveted or otherwise secured to the sidewall  68  to facilitate using the storage case portion  14  as a backpack, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The enclosed bottom  67  and surrounding sidewall  68  define a main compartment  72  which is sized both to receive the garment portion  12  therein in a stowed condition and to also receive the feet (including when shoes or boots are worn on the feet) and at least a part of the lower leg of the wearer. A lining may be provided of insulating material inside the outer material as described above with regard to the garment portion  12 . It is preferable that the lining be both insulating and waterproof or water repellant to facilitate cleaning as the boots or shoes of wearer may deposit soil therein, and the lining may be removably attached by fasteners such as snaps, buttons, hook and loop closures or the like. 
     Front pocket  74  and side pockets  76  and  78  may also be provided exteriorly of the main compartment  74  of the storage case portion  14  in order that desired items may be carried and stored therein. The pockets  74 ,  76  and  78  may be provided with closures such as slide fasteners  80  to provide access and to prevent items deposited in the pockets from escaping. As may be seen in the drawings, the pockets  74  and  76 , and/or  74  and  78 , may be releasably connected by closures such as snap closures having male snaps  82  and female snaps  84 . When so connected, the sidewall  68  is shortened to thereby reduce the volume of the main compartment  74  and compress any contents held therein. Also, a closure  86  such as a drawstring  88  provided with a cord lock  58  may be provided in a channel which extends around the upper margin  16 . The drawstring  88  may be pulled to draw the upper margin  16  inwardly as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  to thereby provide a narrowed, smaller case opening  90  at the top of the storage case portion  16 . 
     A reinforcing panel  92  is coupled to the storage case portion  14  and extends from the upper margin  16 . The reinforcing panel  92  is preferably made of the same durable, water repellant material of the outer material  69 , for example heavy duty 600-1000 denier nylon with polyurethane coating and/or treated with a water repellant. The reinforcing panel  92  is fixedly coupled, for example by thermal bonding, stitching or adhesive, to the back panel  22 . The reinforcing panel  92  is of a sufficient width and length, for example extending substantially across a rear portion  94  of the sidewall  68  and of sufficient length to cover that portion of the back panel adjacent the wearers legs and buttocks. That is to say, the reinforcing panel is sized and configured to overlie at least a section of the back panel  22  intermediate the upper margin  16  and the lowermost connections  96 ,  98  (e.g., at the armpit area of the wearer) between the first and second sleeves  24 ,  26  and at least one of the front and back panels  20 ,  22 . The reinforcing panel  92  is thus of a sufficient longitudinal length that the upper edge  100  of the reinforcing panel  92  is more proximate the lowermost connections  96 ,  98  than the upper margin  16 . When the garment portion  12  is stowed inside the main compartment  72  of the storage case portion  14 , the reinforcing panel  92  underlies the case opening  90  and serves a second purpose of providing a reinforced, protective covering for the garment portion  12  while stowed. 
     The element protection system  10  may also include a safety harness  102 . The safety harness  102  may include thigh loops  104  and shoulder straps  106 , and have an attachment point  108  such as a ring  110  for securely attaching the strap  62 . 
     In use, when the wearer reaches a location where the element protection system  10  will be employed, such as the tree stand  112  shown in  FIG. 5 , the garment portion  12  is pulled from the storage case portion  14 . If the safety harness  102  is to be used, the strap  62  is passed through the port  60  and attached to a tree  114  or other anchoring device, and also to the attachment point  108 . The wearer then dons the safety harness  102  as is well known. 
     The garment portion  12  remains connected to the storage case portion by the fastening at the upper margin  16 . The wearer then opens the garment portion  12  by unfastening the slide fastener  40  extending along the seam  32  and steps into the main compartment  72 . The wearer inserts his or her arms into the sleeves  20 ,  24 , and places his or her head into the hood  46  (if used) with the wearer&#39;s face interiorly of the opening  44 . The wearer can then sit down on a bench, bleacher, the ground, or the tree stand  112 , with the reinforcing panel  92  positioned between the wearer&#39;s buttocks and the seat, ground or other supporting surface. 
     When the wearer wishes to depart, he or she opens the seam  32  by use of the slide fastener  40  and steps out of the main compartment  72 . The garment portion  12  is then folded or stuffed into the main compartment portion  14 , preferably with the reinforcing panel  92  positioned uppermost on the garment portion  12  as stowed in the main compartment. The drawstring  88  is then pulled to close or at least limit the size of the opening  90  along the upper margin  16 . The wearer can then compress the contents of the storage case portion  14  by snapping together the snaps  82  and  84  of the snap closures. The element protection system  10  can then be conveniently carried as a backpack by positioning the backpack straps  70  over the wearer&#39;s shoulders. 
     Although preferred forms of the invention have been described above, it is to be recognized that such disclosure is by way of illustration only, and should not be utilized in a limiting sense in interpreting the scope of the present invention. Obvious modifications to the exemplary embodiments, as hereinabove set forth, could be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. 
     The inventor hereby states his intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of his invention as pertains to any apparatus not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.