Convertible bedding material cover system and method

Abstract

The present invention comprises systems and methods of convertibly covering a bundle of bedding materials. The present invention's approach to covering a bedding material bundle maintains the bedding material bundle in a compacted state when the convertible cover is in an enveloping configuration. When the convertible cover is in a fillable disposition at least one of it's fillable integral compartments is available for providing multiple functionalities including being outspread and inflated to serve as a pillow, serving as a storage or transport container by being filled with a liquid, being configured with multiple fillable integral compartments separated by filters to serve as water purifier, and additional functions. The manner of converting involves at least partially closing at least one longitudinal seem to convert from the fillable disposition to the enveloping disposition, and at least partially opening at least one of the longitudinal seams to perform the opposite conversion.

1 . A convertible cover for at least partially enveloping a bedding material bundle comprising:
 a convertibly configurable cover having an at least partially pliable exterior covering, a longitudinally extending openable first seam, and at least one fillable integral compartment with an interior capacity accessible through at least one closable first valve, said openable first seam being substantially opened when the convertible cover is in a first fillable configuration and at least partially closed when the convertible cover is in a first enveloping configuration, said fillable integral compartment being at least one of practically watertight and practically airtight when said first valve is closed;   said first fillable configuration's substantially opened first seam permitting the convertible cover to be effectively outspread so that said bounded spatial volume is essentially unenveloped and said integral compartment's capacity is practically wholly fillable with a fluid; and   said first enveloping configuration delimiting an at least partially bounded spatial volume adapted for a close cooperative interrelation with said bedding material bundle wherein said fillable integral compartment's interior capacity is largely vacant and said convertible cover and enveloped bedding material bundle are amply compacted.   
   
   
       2 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least partially pliable exterior covering has at least first and second sides which said fillable integral compartment is disposed between, said first and second side's exterior surface constitutions differing in at least one relative attribute, said differing exterior surface attributes including said first side being more tactilely comfortable and said second side being more durable; and
 when the convertible cover is in said first enveloping configuration its externally exposed covering largely consists of said second side exterior surface while said at least partially bounded spatial volume's internally facing boundary largely consists of said first side exterior surface.   
   
   
       3 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least partially pliable exterior covering has at least first and second sides which said fillable integral compartment is disposed between, said first side's exterior surface having a tactilely comfortable constitution; and
 said convertible cover, when outspread upon a supporting foundation in said first fillable configuration, can assume an arrangement corresponding to a conventional bed pillow with said first side exterior surface comprising a considerable majority of the convertible cover's upwardly exposed aspect and said fillable integral compartment dispositioned for inflating to provide cushioning underneath said considerable majority of the convertible cover's upwardly exposed aspect.   
   
   
       4 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said convertible cover, when enveloping the bedding material bundle in said first enveloping configuration, assumes a spatial disposition that longitudinally extends comparably as far as said bedding material bundle's width and has relatively consistent transverse cross-sections, said transverse cross-sections oriented perpendicular to and continuing throughout a major fraction of the first enveloping configuration's longitudinal dimension;
 said convertible cover's first fillable configuration, when outspread in a generally prostrate disposition upon a generally planar foundation, extends at least a first span along said longitudinal dimension and at least a second span along a latitudinal dimension, said latitudinal second span being greater than twice the maximum diameter of said first enveloping configuration's transverse cross-sections.   
   
   
       5 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said fillable integral compartment is disposed between first and second sides of said exterior covering, said first side adapted for use as a pillow surface when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration and the fillable integral compartment is at least partially inflated, said first side being more readily expandable than said second side so that inflating said fillable integral compartment when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration produces differing first and second side conformations, said second side conformation being relatively flatter and said first side conformation being relatively more expanded. 
   
   
       6 . The convertible cover according to  claim 5 , wherein said exterior covering's first side has a heterogeneous composition that includes at least first and second component portions with differing degrees of expandability, said first component portions being relatively more expandable than said second component portions and said second component portions being distributed across said first side such that said first side's expansion in response to inflation of the tillable integral compartment is more uniformly spread across said first side. 
   
   
       7 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said fillable integral compartment is disposed between first and second sides of said exterior covering such that when the convertible cover is in said first tillable configuration, filling the fillable integral compartment involves at least one portion of said first side increasingly separating from at least one portion of said second side, said fillable integral compartment's structure further comprising at least one expansion moderating member that at least partially constrains said fillable integral compartment's expandability, said expandability constraining involving at least one expansion moderating member attribute selected from a group consisting of:
 a) at least one expansion moderating member that constrains how far at least one portion of said first side can be separated from at least one portion of said second side;   b) at least one expansion moderating member that constrains how near at least one portion of said first side can be to at least one portion of said second side;   c) at least one expansion moderating member that is at least partially detachable from said fillable integral compartment;   d) at least one expansion moderating member that alters at least a portion of its form in response to said filling of the fillable integral compartment;   e) at least one expansion moderating member that responds differentially according to whether said fillable integral compartment is filled with a gas, a liquid, or a combination of liquid and gas;   f) at least one expansion moderating member that can subdivide the fillable integral compartment so that at least a first fraction of said fillable integral compartment is differently fillable than at least a second fraction of said fillable integral compartment;   g) and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       8 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , wherein said fillable integral compartment is disposed between first and second sides of said exterior covering such that when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration, filling the fillable integral compartment with a fluid involves at least one portion of said first side increasingly separating from at least one portion of said second side, at least one of said fillable integral compartment and said first valve further comprising at least one fluid modulator capable of at least partially modulating at least one quality of the filling fluid, said fluid modulator having at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of:
 a) said fluid modulator's response differs for a liquid than for a gas, at least one of said differing responses involving differing degrees of the modulator's fluid passability;   b) said fluid modulator is capable of altering how at least a portion of said fluid fill flows within said fillable integral compartment;   c) said fluid modulator provides a mechanical filtering capacity;   d) said fluid modulator provides a chemical filtering capacity;   e) said fluid modulator can separate at least a first portion of said fluid fill from at least a second portion of said fluid fill;   f) and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       9 . The convertible cover according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one auxiliary functionality selected from a group consisting of:
 a) said convertible cover optionally further comprises at least one fluid outlet and, when in said first fillable configuration and at least partially filled with a fluid, at least one of said fluid outlets and said first valve can release the fluid fill in a moderated manner;   b) said convertible cover further comprises at least a second valve for accessing said fillable integral compartment;   c) said convertible cover further comprises at least one additional fillable integral compartment, said additional fillable integral compartment being fillable by at least one of said first valve, through at least one fluid intercommunication channel between said original fillable integral compartment and said additional fillable integral compartment, and a closeable third valve that is in fluid communication with said additional fillable integral compartment;   d) said convertible cover further comprises an energy retaining element that can absorb energy from an energy source and can transfer the absorbed energy to at least a portion of a fluid within said fillable integral compartment;   e) said convertible cover further comprises at least one supplementary storage compartment, said supplementary storage compartment being accessible when the convertible cover is in at least one of the first fillable configuration and the first enveloping configuration;   f) said convertible cover further comprises at least one supplementary enveloping element that increases the degree of bounding of said at least partially bounded spatial volume;   g) said convertible cover further comprises at least one supplementary enveloping element that increases the degree of bounding of said at least partially bounded spatial volume, said supplementary enveloping element's increased bounding being effectible by said openable first seam;   h) said convertible cover further comprises at least an openable second seam, said openable second seam providing capabilities for the convertible cover to be configured in at least one of a second fillable configuration and a second enveloping configuration, wherein at least one of said second fillable configuration and said second enveloping configuration involve operation of said second seam;   i) said convertible cover further comprises at least one linkable interrelation that can interconnect a plurality of said convertible covers, said linkable interrelation's operation optionally entailing at least one of the openable seams;   j) said convertible cover further comprises at least one linkable interrelation that can interconnect a plurality of said convertible covers when said convertible covers are in the first fillable configuration, said interconnected convertible covers forming a substantially contiguous extended area of first fillable configuration coverage;   k) said convertible cover further includes at least one additional fillable integral compartment, and at least one of said fillable integral compartments is detachable from at least one other portion of said convertible cover;   l) and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       10 . A convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle comprising the steps of:
 configuring a convertible cover in at least one of a first fillable configuration and a first enveloping configuration, said convertible cover having an at least partially pliable exterior covering, a longitudinally extending openable seam, and at least one fillable integral compartment with an interior capacity accessible through at least one closable valve, said fillable integral compartment being at least one of practically watertight and practically airtight,
 said configuring in the first fillable configuration entailing at least substantially opening said openable seam, 
 said configuring in the first enveloping configuration entailing at least partially closing said openable seam; and 
   selectively utilizing said convertible cover in at least one of a fillable manner and an enveloping manner, said fillable and enveloping manners respectively involving:
 a) at least partially outspreading said convertible cover, when in the first fillable configuration, and, in an optional filling step, selecting at least one fluid and at least partially filling said fillable integral compartment with said at least one fluid; 
 b) at least partially delimiting a bounded spatial volume with the convertible cover, when the convertible cover is in the first enveloping configuration, said bounded spatial volume adapted for a close cooperative interrelation with a bedding material bundle, and, in an optional enveloping step, at least partially enveloping said bedding material bundle within said bounded spatial volume to form an amply compacted combination of the convertible cover and the at least partially enveloped bedding material bundle. 
   
   
   
       11 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least partially pliable exterior covering has at least first and second sides which said fillable integral compartment is disposed between, said first and second side's exterior surface constitutions differing in at least one relative attribute, said differing exterior surface attributes including said first side being more tactilely comfortable and said second side being more durable;
 said method further comprising at least one optional step selected from a group consisting of:
 a) configuring the convertible cover in said first enveloping configuration with its externally exposed covering largely consists of said second side exterior surface; 
 b) configuring the convertible cover in said first enveloping configuration with the first side exterior surface largely comprising the at least partially bounded spatial volume's boundary; 
 c) providing said convertible cover; 
 d) and combinations thereof. 
   
   
   
       12 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 10 , wherein said at least partially pliable exterior covering has at least first and second sides which said fillable integral compartment is disposed between, said first side's exterior surface having a tactilely comfortable constitution; said method further comprising the optional step of:
 outspreading the convertible cover, when in said first fillable configuration, upon a supporting foundation in an arrangement corresponding to a conventional bed pillow with said first side exterior surface comprising a considerable majority of the convertible cover's upwardly exposed aspect and said fillable integral compartment dispositioned underneath said considerable majority of the convertible cover's upwardly exposed aspect.   
   
   
       13 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 1  further comprising the optional additional steps of:
 when the convertible cover is in said first enveloping configuration and enveloping the bedding material bundle, arranging the convertible cover and enveloped bedding material bundle in a spatial disposition that longitudinally extends comparably as far as said bedding material bundle's width and has relatively consistent transverse cross-sections, said transverse cross-sections oriented perpendicular to and continuing throughout a major fraction of the first enveloping configuration's longitudinal dimension; and   outspreading the convertible cover, when in said first fillable configuration, in a generally prostrate disposition upon a generally planar foundation so that it extends at least a first span along said longitudinal dimension and at least a second span along a latitudinal dimension, said latitudinal second span being greater than twice the maximum diameter of said first enveloping configuration's transverse cross-sections.   
   
   
       14 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 10 , wherein said fillable integral compartment is disposed between first and second sides of said exterior covering, said first side adapted for use as a pillow surface when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration and the fillable integral compartment is at least partially inflated, said method further comprising the optional additional step of at least partially inflating said fillable integral compartment, when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration, to produce differing first and second side conformations, said second side conformation being relatively flatter and said first side conformation being relatively more expanded. 
   
   
       15 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 14 , wherein said exterior covering's first side has a heterogeneous composition that includes at least first and second component portions with differing degrees of expandability, said first component portions being relatively more expandable than said second component portions and said second component portions being distributed across said first side such that said first side's expansion in response to inflation of the fillable integral compartment is more uniformly spread across said first side. 
   
   
       16 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 10 , wherein said fillable integral compartment is disposed between first and second sides of said exterior covering such that when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration, filling the fillable integral compartment involves at least one portion of said first side increasingly separating from at least one portion of said second side, said fillable integral compartment's structure further comprising at least one expansion moderating member that at least partially constrains said fillable integral compartment's expandability, said expandability constraining involving at least one expansion moderating member attribute selected from a group consisting of:
 a) at least one expansion moderating member that constrains how far at least one portion of said first side can be separated from at least one portion of said second side;   b) at least one expansion moderating member that constrains how near at least one portion of said first side can be to at least one portion of said second side;   c) at least one expansion moderating member that is at least partially detachable from said fillable integral compartment;   d) at least one expansion moderating member that alters at least a portion of its form in response to said filling of the fillable integral compartment;   e) at least one expansion moderating member that responds differentially according to whether said fillable integral compartment is filled with a gas, a liquid, or a combination of liquid and gas;   f) at least one expansion moderating member that can subdivide the fillable integral compartment so that at least a first fraction of said fillable integral compartment is differently fillable than at least a second fraction of said fillable integral compartment;   g) and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       17 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 10 , wherein said fillable integral compartment is disposed between first and second sides of said exterior covering such that when the convertible cover is in said first fillable configuration, filling the fillable integral compartment with a fluid involves at least one portion of said first side increasingly separating from at least one portion of said second side, at least one of said fillable integral compartment and said first valve further comprising at least one fluid modulator capable of at least partially modulating at least one quality of the filling fluid, said fluid modulator having at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of:
 a) said fluid modulator's response differs for a liquid than for a gas, at least one of said differing responses involving differing degrees of the modulator's fluid passability;   b) said fluid modulator is capable of altering how at least a portion of said fluid fill flows within said fillable integral compartment;   c) said fluid modulator provides a mechanical filtering capacity;   d) said fluid modulator provides a chemical filtering capacity;   e) said fluid modulator can separate at least a first portion of said fluid fill from at least a second portion of said fluid fill;   f) and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       18 . The convertible method of optionally enveloping a bedding material bundle according to  claim 10 , said convertible cover further providing at least one auxiliary functionality selected from a group consisting of:
 a) said convertible cover optionally further comprises at least one fluid outlet and, when in said first fillable configuration and at least partially filled with a fluid, at least one of said fluid outlets and said first valve can release the fluid fill in a moderated manner;   b) said convertible cover further comprises at least a second valve for accessing said fillable integral compartment;   c) said convertible cover further comprises at least one additional fillable integral compartment, said additional fillable integral compartment being fillable by at least one of said first valve, through at least one fluid intercommunication channel between said original fillable integral compartment and said additional fillable integral compartment, and a closeable third valve that is in fluid communication with said additional fillable integral compartment;   d) said convertible cover further comprises an energy retaining element that can absorb energy from an energy source and can transfer the absorbed energy to at least a portion of a fluid within said fillable integral compartment;   e) said convertible cover further comprises at least one supplementary storage compartment, said supplementary storage compartment being accessible when the convertible cover is in at least one of the first fillable configuration and the first enveloping configuration;   f) said convertible cover further comprises at least one supplementary enveloping element that increases the degree of bounding of said at least partially bounded spatial volume;   g) said convertible cover further comprises at least one supplementary enveloping element that increases the degree of bounding of said at least partially bounded spatial volume, said supplementary enveloping element's increased bounding being effectible by said openable first seam;   h) said convertible cover further comprises at least an openable second seam, said openable second seam providing capabilities for the convertible cover to be configured in at least one of a second fillable configuration and a second enveloping configuration, wherein at least one of said second fillable configuration and said second enveloping configuration involve operation of said second seam;   i) said convertible cover further comprises at least one linkable interrelation that can interconnect a plurality of said convertible covers, said linkable interrelation's operation optionally entailing at least one of the openable seams;   j) said convertible cover further comprises at least one linkable interrelation that can interconnect a plurality of said convertible covers when said convertible covers are in the first fillable configuration, said interconnected convertible covers forming a substantially contiguous extended area of first fillable configuration coverage;   k) said convertible cover further includes at least one additional fillable integral compartment, and at least one of said fillable integral compartments is detachable from at least one other portion of said convertible cover;   l) and combinations thereof.   
   
   
       19 . A convertible cover for compacting and transporting a bedroll comprising:
 a convertible bedroll cover having a longitudinal seam and a fillable integral compartment that is substantially fluid impermeable, said longitudinal seam being substantially closed to convert the convertible bedroll cover into an enveloping configuration and substantially opened to convert the convertible bedroll cover into a fillable configuration;   wherein said convertible bedroll cover, when in the enveloping configuration, defines a close fitting space for enclosing a bedroll in a compacted disposition; and said convertible bedroll cover, when in the fillable configuration, can be spread out so that said fillable integral compartment is substantially available for filling with a fluid.   
   
   
       20 . The convertible bedroll cover according to  claim 19 , wherein said convertible bedroll cover is further characterized by at least one attribute selected from a group consisting of:
 a) said convertible bedroll cover has at least first and second sides, said first side being of relatively more durable construction and forming a substantial majority of the externally exposed surface of the convertible bedroll cover when in said enveloping configuration, said second side covering a majority of the upwardly exposed surface when the convertible bedroll cover is outspread in said fillable configuration with the first side facing downward, said second side optionally being relatively more tactilely comfortable;   b) said fillable integral compartment is inflatable through at least one closeable valve and, when the convertible bedroll cover is in the fillable configuration and the fillable integral compartment is at least partially inflated, the convertible bedroll cover assumes a bed pillow conformation with said at least partially inflated fillable integral compartment providing cushioning;   c) said fillable integral compartment is accessible through at least one closeable valve so that when the convertible bedroll cover is in the fillable configuration the fillable integral compartment can be at least partially filled with a liquid, said convertible bedroll cover optionally including at least one fluid dispensing assembly that can involve said closeable valve and further optionally including an energy absorbing element that can transfer heat energy to a fluid within said fillable integral compartment;   d) said convertible bedroll cover is interconnectable so that a plurality of the convertible bedroll covers, when in said fillable configuration, can be interconnected to form an extended expanse of convertible bedroll covers that can function as an inflatable support cushion;   e) said convertible bedroll cover further includes at least one additional fillable integral compartment, and at least one of said fillable integral compartments is detachable from at least one other portion of said convertible cover;   f) and combinations thereof.