Abstract:
A sleeping bag includes a removable top blanket that converts into a single panel stroller cover. The removable blanket includes a fleece panel and drawstring forming a pouch that tucks under the edge of the stroller seat or footrest. The removable blanket further includes straps to attach the top to the side rails of the stroller.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of children&#39;s sleeping bags and blankets for use in conjunction with seats for children. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A sleeping bag is a large padded bag designed to be slept in. A bunting bag, similar to a sleeping bag, is a thick, warm garment for a baby that is shaped like a sleeping bag to cover the baby&#39;s body and legs, and usually includes a hood. Sleeping bags (or bunting bags) for use by children may have slits or openings in the back through which harnesses (such as from strollers and car seats) or seatbelts may pass through in order to allow safe use of the sleeping bag in child strollers, car seats and automobiles. 
         [0003]    The sleeping bags disclosed in the prior art fit directly in the child&#39;s seat of the stroller, car seat or carrier. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,724 discloses a multipurpose baby wrap for use in conjunction with an infant seat. The multipurpose baby wrap has openings to receive each of the restraining straps of infant seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,405 shows a baby safety bag for use in conjunction with an automobile baby seat or stroller, the bag having openings through the back portion spaced for seatbelts or harness straps of the baby seat or stroller. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,105,168 and 6,012,189 show a bunting bag shaped to fit within an infant seat, wherein the back portion of the bunting bag is contoured to the shape of the infant seat and also has a plurality of openings sized and located to receive the restraining straps of the infant seat. 
         [0004]    In each case in the prior art, the whole of the sleeping bag or bunting bag is set within the car seat, stroller or carrier. Typically, the back portion of the sleeping bag tends to bunch up in the child&#39;s seat, or in any event reduces the amount of space available for the child to properly fit within the seat provided. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is embodied in a sleeping bag with a removable top piece that attaches to a child&#39;s seat (such as for example a child&#39;s seat in a stroller) and functions as blanket. 
         [0006]    In particular, a child&#39;s sleeping bag in accordance with the present invention includes a removable top blanket that converts into a single panel stroller cover. The removable blanket includes fasteners at the side portions thereof for attachment to the side rails of the stroller. The removable blanket further includes means at the bottom portion thereof for fastening the bottom portion to or under the edge of the stroller seat or child&#39;s footrest. In one embodiment, the bottom portion of the removable blanket includes fleece panel and drawstring forming a pouch that tucks under the edge of the stroller seat or child&#39;s footrest. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a sleeping bag with removable stroller cover in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an interior view of the back portion of a sleeping bag with removable stroller cover in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an interior view of the front portion of the sleeping bag with removable stroller cover in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the top portion of the sleeping bag attached to a child&#39;s stroller as a single panel stroller covered in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    A child&#39;s sleeping bag  10  in  FIG. 1  comprises a back portion  12  and a front portion  20 . The front portion  20  attaches to the back portion  12  by a pair of zippers  26 ,  28  allowing a flap  20 A to fold down exposing the child&#39;s face. A third zipper  16  joins two edges of the back portion to form a hood  14 . 
         [0012]    The back portion  12  of the sleeping bag  10  is shown in further detail in  FIG. 2 . First and second tapes of zipper teeth  16 A,  16 B, are attached to the top edges of the back portion  12 . Slider  16 C meshes the first tape of zipper teeth  16 A to the second tape of zipper teeth  16 B so as to form the hood portion  14 . Openings  18 A,  18 B and  18 C are provided in the back portion  12  to allow seat straps, harness and/or seat belts to pass through the back portion  12 . A first tape of zipper teeth  26 A is attached to one side of the back portion  12 . A second tape of zipper teeth  28 A is attached to the other side and continues around the bottom edge of the back portion  12 . 
         [0013]    The front portion  20  of the sleeping bag  10  is shown in further detail in  FIG. 3 . A third tape of zipper teeth  26 B and slider  26 C is attached to one side of the front portion  20 . A fourth tape of zipper teeth  28 B and slider  38 C is attached to the other side of the front portion  20 . The tape of zipper teeth  28 B continues around the bottom edge of the front portion  20 . To join the front  20  and back portion  12  together, slider  26 C meshes the first tape of zipper teeth  26 A to the second tape of zipper teeth  26 B, while slider  28 C meshes the third tape of zipper teeth  28 A to the fourth tape of zipper teeth  28 B. The use of two zippers  26 ,  28  provides flexibility in opening the sleeping bag  10  to provide ventilation. Alternatively, one zipper with one or more two-way sliders could be used to join the sides and bottom of the front portion  20  to the back portion  12 . 
         [0014]    The front portion  20  also contains features to permit it to function as a removable stroller cover  20  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ). In particular, the front portion  20  has a first strap  22  with snap fasteners  22 A on one side, and a second strap  24  with snap fasteners  24 A on the other side. At the interior bottom (foot region) of the front portion  20  is a fabric panel (which may be fleece fabric) sewn along the sides and bottom to the front portion to form a pouch  30  open at the top edge  32 . The top edge  32  of the pouch  30  is folded over to form a fabric channel containing a drawstring  34  and locking mechanism. 
         [0015]    For use as a removable stroller blanket, the top portion  20  of the sleeping bag  10  is removed from the bottom portion  12 . Then, removable stroller blanket  20  is attached to a stroller as shown in  FIG. 4 . The lower portion of the stroller seat  40  and/or the footrest  42  is inserted into the pouch  30 . The drawstring  34  is pulled tight and locked with locking mechanism  36  to hold the lower portion of the removable stroller blanket  20  to the stroller seat  40  and footrest  42  of the stroller  44 . 
         [0016]    The use of the pouch  30  tucked under the seat  40  or footrest  42  provides a good seal to the stroller and prevents cold air from entering the stroller seat  40  at the bottom edge of the removable blanket  20 . 
         [0017]    At the top, the removable blanket  20  is attached to the stroller rails  44 A and  44 B. In particular, strap  22  wraps around stroller rail  44 A and is fastened to itself via snap closures  22 A (the snap closures are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). Similarly, strap  24  wraps around stroller rail  44 B and is fastened to itself via snap closures  24 A (the snap closures are illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). The top of the removable blanket  20  folds forward to form a flap  20 A to expose the child&#39;s face. 
         [0018]    It should be understood that while some of the fasteners described herein are specifically indicated as either zippers or snap closures, these fasteners may be interchanged with each other or with other types of fasteners (e.g. buttons or hook and loop (i.e., Velcro)) may be substituted without departing from the spirit of the invention.