Patent Publication Number: US-11382367-B2

Title: Outdoor activity suit

Description:
FIELD 
     There is described a suit that was originally designed as an immersion suit for water sports. It has become apparent that, if made out of suitable materials, the suit would also be suitable for snowmobiling and a range of other outdoor activities. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A common problem encountered with outdoor activity suits is that of over-heating. Published International Patent Application WO2013/0001413 (Myerscough) discloses a previous approach that has been used to address this problem with dry suits. 
     SUMMARY 
     There is provided an outdoor activity suit which includes a body having a front portion, a back portion, opposed sides where the front portion connects to the back portion, a neck receiving portion, an arms receiving portion and a legs receiving portion. The front portion, the neck receiving portion and the legs receiving portion of the body form a first component of the body. The back portion and the arms receiving portion form a second component of the body. An endless loop fastener connects the first component and the second component, such that the second component is selectively removable from the first component. 
     There are two possible positions for the endless loop fastener. A first position for the endless loop fastener is across the back adjacent to the neck receiving portion, down the opposed sides along the front portion and across the back adjacent to the leg receiving portion. A second position for the endless loop fastener is across the front portion of the body adjacent to the neck receiving portion, down the opposed sides of the body along the rear portion and across the front portion adjacent to the leg receiving portion. 
     As will hereinafter be described, a first embodiment of outdoor activity suit allows for both a top entry and a bottom entry into the suit. In order to provide some relief from heat, the second component can be removed and the first component worn alone. 
     As will hereinafter be further described, the preferred endless loop fastener is a zipper. A dry zipper is preferred as this is the best form of fastener for the original intended application of immersion suits for water sports. It will be understood that there are other types of fasteners that could be used, depending upon the intended application. Alternative fasteners include “zip-lock” type fasteners such as presently used on sandwich bags, hook and loop tape fastener commonly known by the Trademark VELCRO, magnets. 
     Another problem encountered with outdoor activity suits is the need to remove the suit in order to defecate. It is preferred that the endless loop zipper have multiple sliders to facilitate opening selected portions of the endless loop zipper. This enables the bottom entry to be opened to facilitate defecating while wearing the suit and enables an access opening to be formed to facilitate male urination. 
     In a second embodiment of outdoor activity suit, the second component includes wrap around torso flaps which create an overlying jacket. This enables the second component to be worn alone as a jacket. 
     There will hereafter be described variations and modification that can be made to the outdoor activity suit to address particular applications. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a first embodiment of outdoor activity suit. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an explored from elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with the second component separated from the first component. 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the first component of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 , used with suspenders and with neck receiving portion in position. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 4 , with an added panel to permit use as hip waders. 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 4 , with the neck receiving portion tucked under. 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with the neck receiving portion tucked under. 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with a person attempting a top entry. 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with a person attempting a bottom entry. 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the first embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 1 , with a person preparing to defecate. 
         FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of a second embodiment of outdoor activity suit. 
         FIG. 12  is a rear elevation view of the second embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 13  is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 11 , showing jacket zipper open to reveal torso flap detail. 
         FIG. 14  is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 13 , with the neck receiving portion tucked under. 
         FIG. 15  is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 13 , with the endless loop zipper extending down the front portion to the legs receiving portion along one of the opposed sides to provide access to accommodate male urination. 
         FIG. 16  is a front elevation view of the second component of the second embodiment of outdoor activity suit illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the second component being separated from the first component for use as a jacket. 
         FIG. 17  is a front elevation view of a variation of the second component of the outdoor activity suit, which has modified for kayaking by the addition of a dry-skirt and waist belt. 
         FIG. 18  is a front elevation view of a variation of the outdoor activity suit, which has short leg receiving portions and short arm receiving portions. 
         FIG. 19  is a front elevation view of a variation of the outdoor activity suit, which has been modified for use as a hazardous materials suit by the addition of socks, gloves, a sealed hood and a valve for pressurization. 
         FIG. 20  is a front elevation view of a variation of the outdoor activity suit, which has been modified with the legs receiving portion of the first component of the body forming a sleeping bag. 
         FIG. 21  is a front elevation view of a variation of the outdoor activity suit with the positioning of the endless loop fastener reversed from front to back. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A first embodiment of outdoor activity suit, generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 through 10 . A second embodiment of outdoor activity suit, generally identified by reference numeral  100 , will be described with reference to  FIG. 11 through 16 . 
     Structure and Relationship of Parts of the First Embodiment  10   
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , outdoor activity suit  10  includes a body  12 . For the purpose of orientation for the description which follows, body  12  can be said to have a front portion  14 , a back portion  16 , and opposed sides  18  and  20  where front portion  14  connects to back portion  16 . There is a neck receiving portion  22 , an arms receiving portion  24  and a legs receiving portion  26 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , front portion  14 , neck receiving portion  22  and legs receiving portion  26  of body  12 , collectively form a first component  28  of body  12 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , back portion  16  and arms receiving portion  24  of body  12 , collectively form a second component  30  of body  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 3 , an endless loop fastener  32  connects first component  28  and second component  30 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , endless loop fastener  32  is positioned across back portion  16  of body  12  adjacent to neck receiving portion  22 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , endless loop fastener  32  extends down opposed sides  18  and  20  of body  12  along front portion  14 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , endless loop fastener  32  extends across back portion  16  adjacent to leg receiving portion  26 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , endless loop fastener  32  has two mating portions  32 A and  32 B, when these mating portions  32 A and  32 B are separated, second component  30  becomes selectively removable from first component  28 . 
     Depending upon the application, there are different endless loop fasteners that can be used. When intended for use as an immersion suit for water sport activities, the endless loop fastener which is preferred is a dry zipper. It is preferred that the endless loop zipper have multiple sliders  34 , however a single slider would still be adequate, to facilitate opening selected portions of the endless loop zipper, as will hereinafter be further described in relation to operation. 
     Variations 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 through 16 , there is illustrated outdoor activity suit  100 . Outdoor activity suit  100  has the same structure and same component elements as outdoor activity suit  10 . For that reason, the same reference numerals used to identify component elements of outdoor activity suit  10  will be used to identify the identical components of outdoor activity suit  100 . The focus of this description of variations will, therefore, be upon features that outdoor activity suit  100  has that were not included in outdoor activity suit  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , with outdoor activity suit  100  second component  30  includes wrap around torso flaps  102  and  104 . Referring to  FIG. 11 , when torso flaps  102  and  104  are secured together with a conventional zipper  106 , they form an overlying jacket  108 . Referring to  FIG. 16 , when second component  30  is separated from first component  28 , second component  30  can function independently as a jacket. 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , there is illustrated an additional feature that could be added to either outdoor activity suit  10  or outdoor activity suit  100 . It is illustrated with outdoor activity suit  100 , as outdoor activity suit  100  is itself a variation of outdoor activity suit  100 . As illustrated, endless loop fastener  32  (zipper) has a portion  110  which extends down front portion  14  of body  12  reaching legs receiving portion  26  along one of opposed sides (side  20  has been illustrated). By using multiple sliders  34  on endless loop fastener  32  (zipper), access can be made to accommodate male urination. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is illustrated an additional feature that was added to outdoor activity suit  10  in order to allow outdoor activity suit  10  to be able to be used as hip waders. First component  28  has a panel  112  that underlies second component  30  adjacent to legs receiving portion  26 . When second component  30  is removed, panel  112  increases the depth to which a person wearing the suit may wade in water before water flows into outdoor activity suit  10 . 
     When intended for use as an immersion suit for water sports, outdoor activity suit  10  or  100  can be made with dry suit seals in the regions of the neck, wrists and ankles, identified in the Figures as neck seals  114 , wrist seals  116  and ankle seals  118 . In addition, when intended as an immersion suit for water sports, outdoor activity suit  10  or  100  can be made with waterproof soft socks  120 . 
     Operation of the First Embodiment  10  and Second Embodiment  100   
     Outdoor activity suits  10  and  100 , as described above, are extremely versatile. Referring to  FIG. 3 , a person wearing outdoor activity suit  10  or  100 , can separate the second component as shown in  FIG. 3  to provide relief from the heat and wear only the first component, as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is illustrated how outdoor activity suit  10  can be donned by using multiple sliders  34  and opening endless loop fastener  32  in the vicinity of neck receiving portion  22  for a top entry. Referring to  FIG. 9 , there is illustrated how outdoor activity suit  10  can be donned by using multiple sliders  34  and opening endless loop fastener  32  in the vicinity of legs receiving portion  26  for a bottom entry. Referring to  FIG. 10 , there is illustrated how a person wearing outdoor activity suit  10  can use multiple sliders  34  and open endless loop fasteners  32  in the vicinity of legs receiving portion  26  in order to defecate. Referring to  FIG. 15 , there is illustrated how providing endless loop fastener  32  (zipper) with a portion  112  which extends down front portion  14  if body  12  reaching legs receiving portion  26  along one of opposed sides (side  20  has been illustrated) and by using multiple sliders  34  on endless loop fastener  32  (zipper), access can be made to accommodate male urination Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is illustrated how a person wearing outdoor activity suit  10  can separate the second component as shown in  FIG. 3  to provide relief from the heat and wear only first component  28 , with neck receiving portion  22  folded down. With this configuration, it is preferred that suspenders  122  be used. Referring to  FIG. 7  with respect to outdoor activity suit  10  and  FIG. 14  with respect to outdoor activity suit  100 , there is illustrated how, without separating first component  28  and second component  30 , a person wearing one of the outdoor activity suits can use multiple sliders  34  to release neck receiving portion  22  and then fold head receiving portion  22  under. This configuration is particularly relevant to water sport applications in which there is a neck seal. Referring to  FIG. 16 , there is illustrated how the addition of torso flaps  102  and  104  with a conventional zipper  106 , enables second component  30  to function independently as a jacket  108  when separated form first component  28 . 
     Further Variations 
     Referring to  FIG. 17  there is illustrated second component  30 , which has modified for kayaking by the addition of a dry-skirt  124  and waist belt  126 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 18  there is illustrated a variation of the outdoor activity suit, which has leg receiving portions  130  shortened and arm receiving portions  128  shortened. As “short” is relative term, it is envisaged that the shortened leg receiving portions  130  will not cover a calf of a wearer and the shortened arm receiving portions  128  will not cover a forearm of the wearer. 
     Referring to  FIG. 19  there is illustrated a variation of the outdoor activity suit, which has been modified for use as a hazardous materials suit by the addition of socks  120 , gloves  134 , a sealed hood  132  and a valve  136 . Valve  136  is used to pressurize the outdoor activity suit to maintain positive air pressure which serves as a pressurization barrier against the entry of contaminants. 
     Referring to  FIG. 20  there is illustrated a variation of the outdoor activity suit, which has been modified with legs receiving portion  26  of first component  28  forms a sack  138 . It is envisaged that this alternative version of first component  28  can be attached at night and used as a sleeping bag. 
     Referring to  FIG. 21 , there is illustrated a variation of the outdoor activity suit in which the positioning of the endless loop fastener  32  connecting first component  28  and second component  30  is reversed. In this regard, endless loop fastener is positioned across front portion  14  of body  12  adjacent to neck receiving portion  22 . Endless loop fastener  32  then extends down opposed sides  18  and  20  of body  12  along rear portion  16 . Endless loop fastener  32  finally extends across front portion  14  adjacent to leg receiving portion  26 . 
     It will be apparent that outdoor activity suit  10  and outdoor activity suit  100  can be made from different materials depending upon the intended use. Those materials may be breathable or non-breathable. Those materials may be stretchable or non-stretchable. Those materials may be waterproof or non-waterproof. Those materials may be woven or non-woven. It will also be apparent that first component  28  and second component  30  need not be made from the same materials. It will also be apparent that outdoor activity suit  10  and outdoor activity suit  100  can be tight fitting or loose fitting. In this regard, one of first component  28  or second component  30  can be tight fitting, while the other of first component  28  and second component  30  are loose fitting. 
     In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
     The scope of the claims should not be limited by the illustrated embodiments set forth as examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with a purposive construction of the claims in view of the description as a whole.