Buoyant outdoor garment

Abstract

A rain bib garment is provided, wherein the rain bib garment includes buoyant elements that may be employed so that a wearer may float in water, should the need arise, and further includes means for providing a substantially water-tight seal between the rain bib and a wearer at an upper portion of the rain bib.

Claims

1. A rain bib garment assembly comprising: a lower body covering including a pair of leg coverings and a lower torso coverings, said lower body covering having an upper edge forming an opening into said lower body covering; an inflatable chamber positioned on an inner side of said lower body covering adjacent said upper edge thereof; said inflatable chamber being formed into a ring, and being made from a gas-impermeable, elastic material, and including means for receiving and expelling gas for inflation and deflation of said inflatable chamber; at least one cinch strap attached to encircle said inflation chamber, wherein said cinch strap may be adjusted to tighten or loosen said inflation chamber against a wearer's body; wherein said inflation chamber, upon becoming inflated, expands inwardly from said lower body covering, thereby decreasing the size of said opening into said lower body opening in order to form a water resistant seal between said waders and a wearer.

2. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said inflatable chamber comprises at least two separate compartments, so that if one compartment is punctured or becomes deflated, said second compartment remains inflated.

3. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, further including a strip of absorbent material attached to an inner portion of said rain bib garment.

4. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, further including a tube with a one-way valve that is operatively connected to said inflatable chamber, so that a wearer may blow air into said tube to inflate said inflatable chamber.

5. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, further including a compressed air canister operatively connected to said inflatable chamber, so that a wearer may activate said compressed air canister to inflate said inflatable chamber.

6. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, further comprising a zipper on a front portion thereof, so that said zipper may be unzipped in order for a wearer to put said rain bib garment on, and wherein said zipper may be zipped up after said wader garment is in proper position on said wearer's body.

7. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, wherein said inflation chamber is selected from the group consisting of a single inflatable ring, a plurality of inflatable rings, a single U-shaped chamber, a U-shaped chamber having multiple compartments, and a single inflatable ring having multiple compartments.

8. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 1, wherein a urination valve is positioned between said leg coverings, wherein said urination valve may be opened so that a user may urinate through said valve, and may also be in a closed position when not in use.

9. A rain bib garment assembly comprising: a lower body covering including a pair of leg coverings and a lower torso coverings, said lower body covering having an upper edge forming an opening into said lower body covering; a sleeve connected to an outer portion of said rain bib garment that encircles a wearer's torso, said sleeve having an opening on at least one end thereof; a length of buoyant material removably disposed within said sleeve, so that said length of buoyant material may be slid into or out of said opening of said sleeve; at least one cinch strap attached to an outer portion of said rain bib that encircles a wearer's torso, wherein said cinch strap may be adjusted to tighten or loosen said waders against a wearer's body; and a cinch strap attached to a bottom portion of each leg covering to provide a watertight seal that prevents water from entering said rain bib therefrom.

10. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 9, further including a strip of absorbent material attached to an inner portion of said rain bib garment.

11. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 9, wherein said sleeve is made from a mesh material, so that said sleeve does not retain water therein while said sleeve is not immersed in water.

12. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 9, wherein said buoyant material is made from buoyant foam.

13. The rain bib garment set forth in claim 9, wherein a urination valve is positioned between said leg coverings, wherein said urination valve may be opened so that a user may urinate through said valve, and may also be in a closed position when not in use.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the buoyant waders, including an inflatable floatation ring encircling the chest, sides and back of the wearer, and further including a hand pump for inflating the floatation ring, a light source disposed on the suspender strap, and a cinch strap disposed on an outer portion of the inflatable floatation ring;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the buoyant waders, including an inflatable floatation ring encircling the chest, sides and back of the wearer, and further including a manual blow tube for inflating the floatation ring and a cinch strap disposed below the inflatable floatation ring;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of the buoyant waders, including an inflatable floatation ring encircling the chest, sides and back of the wearer, and further including a strip of wicking material positioned on an inner portion of the waders below the floatation ring and a cinch strap disposed on an outer portion of the inflatable floatation ring;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of one embodiment of the buoyant waders, including an inflatable floatation ring having two separately inflatable compartments encircling the chest, sides and back of the wearer, and further including a cinch strap disposed below the inflatable floatation ring;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the buoyant waders, including a non-inflatable buoyant element disposed within a mesh sleeve that encircles the chest, sides and back of the wearer;

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, showing the non-inflatable buoyant element disposed within a mesh sleeve that encircles the chest, sides and back of the wearer;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the buoyant waders, showing a U-shaped inflation chamber and a zipper extending down a front portion of the waders, and further showing a compressed gas cylinder for inflating the inflation chamber;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the buoyant waders, including valves for draining water from the waders while they are being worn by a person, and further including a urination valve;

(10) FIG. 9 is a side view of another embodiment of the buoyant waders, including drainage valves on the leg portions, a urination valve, and an additional inflatable/buoyant portion positioned against a wearer's back; and

(11) FIG. 10 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the waders, showing drainage valves in the leg portions, and further showing removable cap members that may be in an open position for draining water, or may be in a closed position to maintain a water-tight seal against water entering the waders through the drainage valves.

(12) FIG. 11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the rain bib, including an inflatable floatation ring encircling the chest, sides and back of the wearer, and further including a hand pump for inflating the floatation ring, a light source disposed on the suspender strap, and a cinch strap disposed on an outer portion of the inflatable floatation ring;

(13) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the rain bib, including a non-inflatable buoyant element disposed within a mesh sleeve that encircles the chest, sides and back of the wearer;

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(14) Referring now to the drawings, the invention will be described in more detail. A pair of waders 10, in a first embodiment, includes boot portions 12, leg portions 14, a torso portion 16, and a pair of suspender straps 18 to fit over a wearer's shoulders. The waders 10 are made from a waterproof or water impervious material, to prevent water from seeping through the material. Such material may include rubber, neoprene, or any other suitable material, including combinations thereof. In this embodiment, an inflatable ring 20 is attached to an upper portion of the waders 10, preferably on an inner side of the waders 10, so that the inflatable ring 20 surrounds a wearer's chest, sides (under and adjacent a wearer's armpits), and back. The inflatable ring 20 is made from a gas impermeable material, and preferably exhibits some elastic qualities.

(15) The inflatable ring 20 may be inflated manually, by blowing into a tube 22 that is in operative communication with the inflatable ring 20 (as shown in FIG. 2), and includes a one-way valve that allows air to enter the inflatable ring but does not allow air to escape, similarly to life preservers commonly used on commercial airliners. Alternatively, a CO.sub.2 canister 24 (or canister containing any suitable inert compressed gas, as shown in FIG. 7), or a small hand pump 26 (similar to that of a blood pressure monitor, shown in FIG. 1) may be operatively connected to the inflatable ring 20. It should be understood that these or other commonly used methods for inflating an inflatable object may be used on any or all of the embodiments described herein, including the inflatable ring 20, the U-shaped inflation chamber 28, or any other inflatable element. Additionally, it is contemplated that both a manual inflation mechanism and a canister of compressed gas 24 may be employed, as desired, wherein the canister of compressed gas 24 is primarily used for quick inflation during an emergency or crisis. Preferably, the compressed gas canister 24 is attached to the waders on a front portion thereof, so that it provides easy access for a wearer to activate it in an emergency, although the canister 24 may be positioned anywhere on the waders 10, including in a pocket, so long as the canister 24 is operatively connected to the inflation chamber 20, 28. In a preferred embodiment, the portion of the inflation chamber 28 or inflation ring 20 that is adjacent a wearer's armpits may be formed more narrowly than the remainder of the chamber, in order to provide additional range of motion for the wearer's arms.

(16) In another embodiment, rather than having an inflatable ring 20, the waders may include a generally U-shaped inflation chamber 28 that wraps around the sides and back, terminating on each side at a zipper 30 disposed in a vertical position at a central location on the front of the waders 10, as shown in FIG. 7. The zipper 30 allows a user easier access to put on or take off the waders 10, and is commonly found on various types of waders 10. The zipper 30 preferably extends from the top of the waders 10 downwardly, terminating anywhere between the user's crotch and mid-torso (or any desirable length). Further, the zipper 30 may include material positioned underneath or behind the zipper portion (between the zipper and the wearer), wherein the material provides a waterproof barrier, so that any water that may leak through the zipper 30 is prevented from leaking into the waders 10 and coming into contact with the wearer's clothing or body.

(17) Optionally, the inflatable ring 20 or inflation chamber 28 may be formed into multiple compartments 42, as shown in FIG. 4. In one embodiment, the inflatable ring 20 may comprise two separate inflation compartments 42 that encircle the wearer's body at the opening of the waders 10. Similarly, the U-shaped inflation chamber 28 may be divided into two compartments 42, which are preferably adjacent to one another. In this way, if one inflation compartment 42 is punctured or becomes deflated, the second compartment 42 remains inflated in order to maintain buoyancy. Multiple inflation compartments 42 may be formed into any desired configuration to form an inflation chamber 28 or ring 20, provided that each separate compartment 42 preferably includes means for inflating and deflating, as desired.

(18) In order to provide and maintain a substantially water-tight seal at the upper opening of the waders 10, it is contemplated that cinch straps 32, or other adjustable tightening means, may be used. The cinch strap 32 may be placed about an outer portion of the inflation ring 20 or chamber 28, so that the cinch strap 32 puts pressure on the inflation chamber 28 to form a seal against the body of the wearer. Alternatively, a cinch strap 32 may be positioned above or below the inflation ring or chamber 28. Any combination of these cinch strap 32 positions may be used, so that multiple cinch straps 32 form multiple seals between the waders 10 and the user's body. The purpose of the cinch straps 32 is to prevent water from leaking into the waders 10 from the upper opening adjacent the wearer's chest and back.

(19) In yet another embodiment, the waders may include a pocket or sleeve 34 around the upper periphery of the waders 10, surrounding the chest, sides and back, that may receive a removable buoyant material 36, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, a wearer may slide a buoyant noodle 36 into the sleeve 34, which is attached to the waders 10, in order to provide buoyancy. As used herein, the term noodle is defined as a buoyant material, such as foam or any other suitable material, formed into a length that generally corresponds to the length of the sleeve attached to the waders 10, and is generally circular in cross-sectional shape, although any desired shape may be used. In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve 34 is made from a mesh material, so that it does not retain water therein. The noodle 36 is preferably insertable into the sleeve 34, and removable as desired. If desired, the noodle 36 may be permanently positioned within the sleeve 34, as well. In the noodle embodiment, a cinch strap 32 is preferably positioned below the sleeve 34, so that the cinch strap 32 may be tightened down against the wearer's body in order to provide a substantially water-tight seal. It may be desirable to place a cinch strap 32 above the sleeve 34, either along with the cinch strap 32 below the sleeve 34 or instead of the cinch strap 32 below the sleeve 34.

(20) Optionally, a strip of absorbent or wicking material 38 may be placed on an inner portion of the waders 10 adjacent the inflation ring 20 or chamber 28, as shown in FIG. 3. The absorbent strip 38 may be above, below or on an inner side of the inflation ring 20 or chamber 28, and may also be placed according to the cinch straps 32, on an inner surface thereof, so that the cinch straps 32 tend to tighten down against the absorbent strip 38. In this way, if water does leak through the opening in the waders 10, the absorbent strip 38 may absorb water to prevent the water from leaking further into the bottom of the waders 10. Additionally, multiple absorbent strips 38 may be placed within the waders 10, and positioned as desired.

(21) Another optional component that may be included in the present waders is a light source 40, preferably attached to an upper portion of the waders 10, or on the suspender straps 18, as shown in FIG. 1. In one embodiment, the light source 40 may include a flashing strobe, either illuminating white light or colored light, so that a wearer may be visible to others after dark or in dark places. Alternatively, the light source 40 may comprise a glow stick, which is commonly used in outdoor activities, and uses a combination of chemicals mixed together to provide temporary illumination. The light source 40 may be attached to the waders in any suitable manner, and at any desirable position or location. It is contemplated that the light source 40 may be water-activated, so that when the light source 40 is exposed to or immersed in water, the light source 40 is activated and becomes illuminated.

(22) Optionally, if the waders become filled with water, means for draining the water may be provided. In one embodiment, drainage valves 80 may be positioned on the leg portions 14, preferably below the knee as shown in FIGS. 8-10. These valves 80 may be any suitable valves, and may have removable caps 82 for releasing water from the waders while preventing water from entering when the caps 82 are in place on the valves 80. The caps 82 may be threaded and screwed on to the valves 80, may be snap-fit thereon, or may be removably attached in any suitable manner. Alternatively, the valves 80 may be one-way valves, that allow water to flow outwardly from the waders, but that do not allow water to enter the waders from the outside. All of these types of valves are well-known in the art, and may resemble the one-way valves commonly used on inflatable rafts and water toys.

(23) One other optional feature is a urination valve 84 that is positioned on the crotch area of the waders, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The urination valve 84 preferably includes a removable cap member 86 that is water-tight when positioned on the urination valve 84, but may be removed by a user for purposes of urination, so that the user is not required to remove the waders from his body in order to urinate.

(24) Another optional feature is a buoyant or inflatable rear cushion member 88 that is attached to the garment on a rear portion thereof for supporting a wearer's back or neck while in the water. This rear cushion 88 feature may be made of a buoyant foam or other buoyant material, or may be inflatable using the same inflation and deflation methods and apparatuses described hereinbefore, including a compressed gas cartridge, a blow tube, a one-way air valve, or any other suitable inflation/deflation assembly. An example of the buoyant rear cushion member 88 is shown in FIG. 9.

(25) In another embodiment, the inflatable or buoyant elements set forth herein may be used in conjunction with a rain bib, which is essentially in the form of a pair of overalls made from rain resistant or waterproof materials. Many different types of rain bibs are commercially available, and are commonly used by outdoorsmen, sport fishermen, commercial fishermen, and hunters. Rain bibs are similar to waders, but typically do not have boots attached thereto. In one embodiment, the bottom portion of the legs may include a strap, elastic material, a neoprene band, or the like, in order to provide a substantially watertight seal, and the upper portion of the rain bib may also include cinch straps, as described herein. These elements combine to prevent water from filling the rain bib when a wearer falls into the water, and the inflatable or buoyant elements help the wearer maintain buoyancy. The rain bib may also include other elements described herein, including but not limited to an absorbent strip of material on an inner upper portion thereof, and a zipper on a front portion or rear portion that may be unzipped for removing or putting on the bib and zipped up during use.

(26) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.