Abstract:
An upper torso garment, such as a jacket, can be folded within itself to transform it into a different shape for use as a pillow. In a further embodiment, the garment bears an integral back pack which can be used while the garment is being worn, and can be transformed into either the pillow shape or into a wearable back pack, with the garment structure fully contained and concealed in both of these configurations. The garment includes a flap element an integral hinge portion and separable fastener halves, e.g. zipper half sections, mounted to permit various parts of the garment to be fastened together in varying relative configurations by fastening one half section to various other mating half sections located on different parts of the garment.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to outerwear garments worn by children and adults, and more specifically relates to jacket-like upper torso garments capable of being integrally transformed in shape to serve other functions. Outerwear garments capable of being transformed by addition or removal of various parts have been known for many years. For example, many jacket and coat-like garments have incorporated removable inner lining elements to accommodate seasonal changes in outdoor temperature. Other garments, including jackets and pants have incorporated removable arm and leg portions for converting long sleeve shirts and jackets, and long pants, into short sleeve and short leg versions similarly intended to accommodate the wearer to seasonal weather changes. However, an outerwear garment specifically adapted to accommodate the current popularity of so-called back packs and waist packs, and the desirability of an inexpensive and convenient way to store and transport an outwear garment, especially when it cannot be allowed to remain in a fixed location apart from the person responsible for it, is believed not to have been known or available previously. 
   2. Description of the Invention 
   Although the garment of the present invention is suitable for use by both children and adults, it will be recognized readily that the embodiment herein disclosed is particularly suited to meet the requirements of children and young adults. The disclosed embodiment comprises an outerwear garment intended to be worn on the upper torso of a person. 
   The garment may be jacket-length or longer, and may be sleeveless or may incorporate long or short sleeves, without affecting or departing from the spirit and operation of the invention. When the garment is not being worm, for example in an indoor environment, or when ambient outdoor conditions make it desirable to remove a shirt or jacket, the garment of this invention can be transformed readily into a self-contained package in the form of a portable cushion, or, the garment may have a back pack assembly separably or integrally attached and may be transformed into a wearable back pack with the structural elements of the garment stored out-of-sight as part of the resulting assembly package. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   As disclosed herein, a garment in accordance with the invention has a shirt or jacket-like form of substantially conventional appearance. In a preferred form, a back-pack assembly of similarly conventional configuration is attached to the outer back surface of the garment in substantially the same physical location that a back pack would ordinarily occupy relative to the back of a wearer. The assembly may be separably or integrally attached to the garment in any suitable, known manner. On the inner back surface of the garment, adjacent the back of a wearer, a fabric flap is attached in hinge-like relationship near the neck opening. The periphery of the flap is separably fastened to the inner back surface of the garment by a continuous separable fastener, such as a zipper or a “hook-and-loop” device of the type sold under the trademark “Velcro”. That is, a first half-section of the separable fastener is attached to the outer periphery of the flap, and a second half-section is attached to the inner back of the garment so as to fasten the flap in a first position with one surface of the flap in opposed relationship with the inner surface of the back of the garment. A third half section of a separable fastener is attached to the outer back surface of the garment surrounding most of the outer periphery of the back pack assembly. This third fastener portion is substantially identical to the second half-section that is attached to the inner back surface of the garment. 
   Accordingly, the first fastener half, attached to the fabric flap, is capable of engaging either one of the second and third fastener half portions. Moreover, the first fastener half is “reversible” in nature, in that it may be engaged with either one of the other fastener halves regardless of whether it approaches the other halves from the inner or outer sides of the garment. In this regard it should be understood that the flap member may be hingedly displaced from its first position, wherein one surface of the flap is disposed in opposed relationship with the inner surface of the back of the garment, to a second position wherein the second surface of the flap is disposed in opposed relationship with the outer back surface of the garment. And, it is important to note that the flap can be separably fastened selectively to either the inner or the outer back surfaces of the garment, while the flap is positioned in opposed relationship with either the inner or outer side of the garment. 
   Transformation of the garment into a self-stored cushion configuration is achieved by hingedly displacing the hinged flap from its first position facing the inner back surface of the garment, to its second position facing the outer back of the garment, folding the bulk of the garment structure over the outer back of the garment so that it lies between the outer back and the opposed face of the flap, and then engaging the first fastener half-portion [the one on the flap] with the second fastener half-section that is mounted to the inner back of the garment. Although the flap is positioned on the exterior of the garment, the fastener on the flap is engaged with the fastener on the inner surface of the garment because the fastener half on the outer surface is covered over, in this case, by the folded-over portions of the garment. 
   It should be understood in this regard, that when the flap is engaged in this orientation, the inner surface of the back of the garment and the inner surface of the flap are exposed to become the outer surfaces of the resulting package, i.e. the “cushion” shape. Accordingly, these two normally unexposed surfaces may be treated or selected to have characteristics particularly suited for use or service as a cushion or pillow. 
   Conversely, transformation of the garment from its “as-worn” garment-configuration, into a wearable back-pack, having the structural elements of the garment stored out-of-sight, is achieved by separating [unfastening] the fabric flap from the inner back folding the bulk of the garment structure over the inner back of the garment, so that it lies between the first surface of the flap and the inner back surface of the garment, and then securing the first fastener portion [the one attached to the flap] to the third fastener portion [the one mounted to the outer back of the garment]. Fastening the fastener half-section of the flap to the mating fastener half-section on the outer back of the garment completes the garment-to-wearable-back-pack conversion, by enclosing the garment structure within the “pocket” defined between the flap and the inner back surface of the garment, while leaving the back pack assembly exposed for use. The flap fastener portion is engaged to the outer back fastener half because the fastener half on the inner back is covered over by the folded-over portions of the garment. 
   Carrying straps for wearing and using the back pack independently of the garment configuration, are usually stored in the “pocket” defined between the flap and the inner back surface of the garment, until that pocket is opened and the straps are exposed preparatory to converting the garment to its back pack [or cushion] configuration. 
   These and other and further objects, features and advantages of the disclosed invention will be distinctly pointed out in the following claims, and will be made obvious to those having skill in the related arts, by the following specification considered in association with the accompanying drawings, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is rear pictorial view of a jacket garment in accordance with this invention, with a back-pack structure on the outer back thereof; 
       FIG. 2  is a front pictorial view of the garment of  FIG. 1  in its open condition, showing the interior of the garment with the fabric flap in its first position; 
       FIG. 3  shows the garment of  FIG. 1  from the same pictorial perspective as  FIG. 2 , but with the interior fabric flap shown partially unfastened and further showing details of a carry strap in position beneath the flap; 
       FIG. 4  is a further pictorial representation of  FIG. 3  showing the interior flap fully unfastened and partially displaced toward the outside of the garment; 
     FIG.  5 —is a further pictorial representation of  FIG. 1 , showing the garment with the interior flap displaced toward opposing relationship with the outer back of the garment in position to begin transformation of the garment into a cushion-like package; 
       FIG. 6  is pictorial representation of the garment of  FIG. 5 , shown substantially fully transformed into a self-contained cushion or pillow configuration; 
       FIG. 7  is a pictorial representation of the garment of  FIG. 1  substantially fully transformed into a wearable back-pack structure with the structural body elements of the garment substantially fully enclosed between the inner flap and the inner back of the garment; 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic center section view of the garment of  FIG. 2 , taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic transverse section view of the garment of  FIG. 7  showing how the back, flap and bulk of the garment are disposed when the garment has been transformed into a wearable back pack; 
       FIG. 10  is a schematic transverse section view of the garment of  FIG. 6  showing how the back, flap and bulk of the garment are disposed when the garment has been transformed into a self-contained cushion package 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the garment  10  of this invention may be seen to comprise a jacket-like garment having a back portion  12 , formed of garment fabric, having a first edge  14 , a second edge  16  substantially oppositely disposed and spaced from said first edge, a left side  18  and a right side  19 , an inner surface  20 , and an outer surface  22  (see  FIG. 1 ) on the reverse side of inner surface  20 . A plurality of conventional garment structural portions, such as sleeves  11  and right and left side portions  24 ,  25 , are attached to and/or extend from, back portion  12 . A first open section  26  along the first edge  14  of the garment back portion  12 , defines the neck or collar opening of the garment, between said first forwardly extending front side portion  24  and said second forwardly extending front side portion  25 . 
   A fabric flap member  28  having an inner first surface  30  and an outer second surface  32 , is hingedly attached to the back portion  12  of the garment along a first, flexible hinge portion  34  on its outer periphery  36 . Although hinge portion  34  is shown attached to back portion  12  proximate neck opening  26 , those skilled in this art will recognize that hinge portion  34  may be attached elsewhere, for example, proximate the second, or bottom edge  16  of back portion  12 , without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Substantially all of the remaining portion  38  of the periphery  36  of flap member  28  is separably fastened to the inner surface  20  of back portion  12  by a separable fastener  40  such as a zipper or hook-and-loop fastener of the type widely sold under the trademark Velcro. Two open portions  35  of periphery  36 , flanking hinge portion  34 , remain free of attachment to back portion  12  for reasons explained elsewhere herein. 
   A first half-portion  42  of fastener  40  is secured to the periphery  36  of flap  28 . A second, mating fastener half-portion  44  is attached to the inner surface  20  of back portion  12  in position to engage fastener half portion  42  so as to separably fasten flap  28  to the inner surface  20  of back  12 . In this first position, flap member  28  and the inner surface  20  of back portion  12  form a “pocket” between them. As made apparent by the drawings, in this relationship, the inner surface  30  of flap  28  is disposed in opposed relationship with the underlying area of inner back surface  20  [see  FIG. 8 , where fastener half portions  42 ,  44  are shown just after the portions have been unfastened]. 
   When fastener elements  42 ,  44  are separated or disengaged, fabric flap member  28  may be displaced flexibly about hinge  34  from its first position, with inner surface  30  in opposed relationship with inner back surface  20 , to a second position, in which outer, second surface  32  of flap  28  is disposed in opposed relationship with outer back surface  22  of back portion  12 . 
   In this second position, fabric flap member  28  defines a second fabric pocket between the opposed exterior back surface  22  of garment  10  and the outer surface  32  of flap  28  [see  FIG. 10 ]. It is a feature of this invention that first fastener half-portion  42  engages fastener half-section  44  in this second position, as well as in the first position, described above. In this second position, flap  28  is disposed in overlying relationship with the outer back surface  22  of back portion  12  and the structural elements of the garment may be folded over the outer back so as to lie between the outer back of the garment and the second surface  32  of flap  28 . When separable fastener portions  42  and  44  are engaged in this second position of flap  28 , the garment is effectively transformed into a self contained package having the shape of a cushion, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   As a further feature of the garment  10  of this invention, a conventional back pack assembly  54  is separably or integrally attached directly to the exterior back surface  22  of the garment in any suitable known manner. Assembly  54  may be positioned conveniently to occupy a conventional wearing position relative to the back of a wearer. When the garment is being worn, back pack assembly  54  may be used in the conventional manner. In accordance with the invention, a third mating fastener half portion  46  is mounted to outer surface  22  of back portion  12 , adjacent the periphery of back pack assembly  54 . First fastener half-portion  42  is engageable selectively with either one of fastener half-section  44  or half section  46 . It should be recognized that third fastener half section  46  is substantially identical to second half-section  44  so that half section  42  may be mated selectively with either one of half-sections  44 ,  46 . 
   As is most evident in  FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10 , flap member  28  may be disposed in the first position, with flap surface  30  in opposed relationship with inner surface  20  of back portion  12 , and fastener half-section  42  may be engaged readily with fastener half-section  44 , so as to secure the flap  28  in its out-of-the-way position abutting the inner back surface of the garment. In this position, the defined enclosure pocket may contain one or more retaining straps  50  [see  FIG. 3 ], where they are stored until they are required for the wearing of back-pack  54 . In  FIG. 1 , back pack  54  is shown in its preferred position mounted to the outer back surface  22  of garment  10 . In  FIG. 7 , back pack assembly  54  is shown as it appears when the jacket has been transformed in a self-contained wearable pack and the remaining elements of the garment are in concealed storage. 
   While flap  28  lies in its first position, fastener portion  42  may be engaged as previously described, with fastener portion  44 , or, alternatively, fastener portion  42  may be engaged with fastener half-section  46  on the outer back surface  22  of back garment  12 ; this is accomplished by first folding the bulk of the garment structure, e.g. first and second side portions  24 ,  25 , and arms  11 , into the interior of the garment so that they lie over and within the confines outlined by fastener half section  44  abutting inner back surface  20 , as indicated schematically in  FIG. 9 . In this position, the bulk of the garment structure is stored within the “pocket” enclosure defined by surface  30  of flap  28  and the inner surface  20  of garment  10  when fastener half-section  42  is mated with fastener half-section  46 . When faster halves  42  and  46  are engaged in this manner, fastener half-section  44  is stored or enclosed within the pocket. Now, as shown in  FIG. 7 , substantially conventional back-pack structure  54  alone, remains exposed, with the bulk of the garment structure confined within the “pocket” defined between flap  28  and inner back surface  20 . 
   Those skilled in the art will recognize readily that the garment structure forming neck opening  26  will remain external to the enclosure defined by flap  28  and back surface  20  when the garment  10  has been transformed into a self-contained back pack as described above. However, it will also be recognized that this arrangement, if found undesirable or objectionable for any reason, may be overcome readily by mounting a separable fastener part  56  such as a small snap fastener or a small area of hook-and-loop fastener on the inner surface of neck structure  28 , and mounting a mating fastener part  58  at an appropriate location nearby on surface  32  of flap  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , to secure the neck structure in a desired “folded-over” condition when the garment is being used in its self-contained back pack configuration. 
   Referring now, again, to  FIG. 3 , the function of “open” portions  35  on the periphery  36  of flap  28  can be understood with reference to retaining straps  50 , mentioned previously herein. That is, straps  50 , which are provided for the purpose of wearing back-pack  54 , are allowed to extend to the exterior of the “pocket” through open portions  35  when the bulk of the garment is enclosed within the pocket and fastener half  42  is engaged to fastener half  46 . To further facilitate the use of straps  50  for the wearing of back pack in substantially conventional manner, garment  10  may be provided with receiving loops  52  or buckles to receive and engage the free ends  51  of straps  50 . In  FIG. 3 , loops  52  are shown mounted to surface  32  of flap  28 , but it should be understood that such anchoring points for straps  50  may be provided in any suitable manner at any suitable location. 
   To further explain the “transformation” ability of the garment of this invention,  FIG. 6  illustrates how the garment is transformed into a self-contained “cushion” configuration, permitting the transformed garment to be used for sleeping or for the seating of younger wearers on ordinary chairs and the like. For this purpose, flap  28  is disengaged [separated] from inner surface fastener portion  44  and is hinged about hinge element  34  substantially 360 degrees until it overlies outer surface  22  of back portion  12 . In this position, the flap will overlie back-pack member  54 , if a back-pack is included as part of the garment. Further, the bulk of the garment structure e.g. sleeves  11  and first and second side portions  24 ,  25  together with any associated structural material, may now be folded rearwardly onto the exterior of the garment so that they lie over and within the confines outlined by fastener half section  46 , as indicated schematically in  FIG. 10 . In this arrangement, fastener half section  42  on flap  28  may be engaged with half-section  44  on the inner surface  20  of back  12  as shown schematically in  FIG. 10 . Accordingly, a self-contained cushion is formed as shown in  FIG. 6 , with the primary exposed surfaces of the cushion being inner surface  30  of flap  28  and inner surface  20  of back  12 . These two now-exposed surfaces, which are not exposed directly in any other configuration of the garment, may be treated or configured, if desired, to have an appropriate pleasing character such as a soft texture or a pattern to enhance the cushion function. It can be seen easily that the “contents” of the cushion thus defined comprise the back pack assembly  50 , if present, and the bulk of the garment structure, characterized above. 
   Although a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of this invention has been illustrated and described, those having skill in this art will recognize that various other forms and embodiments now may be envisioned readily without departing significantly from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed herein and set forth in the accompanying claims.