Integrated shelter and multi-functional garment

Abstract

An efficient, lightweight, waterproof and configurable multi-functional garment that is intended to keep the user dry. The multi-functional garment is intended to be used by anyone going outdoors in inclement weather and is configurable as a rain coat or a poncho, and an A-frame or lean-to tent, depending on the user's need and choice. The multi-functional garment is a poncho or a rain jacket that also doubles as a tent shelter. The multi-functional garment also folds-up into itself in a compact self-stored small, light pillow shape for easy carrying.

1 : A multi-functional garment, comprising:
 a sheet of substantially waterproof fabric formed in a substantially rectangular flat pattern that is bounded by opposing front and back hem lines distal from a common centerline and opposing side hem lines extended between opposing ends of the front and back hem lines and longer than the front and back hem lines and forming corners at intersections of the opposing side hem lines and each of the front and back hem lines, wherein the fabric sheet further comprises substantially rectangular front and back panels that are continuous between the opposing side hem lines and are further contiguous along the common centerline and terminating in the respective front and back hem lines, and further comprising a neck hole through the fabric positioned intermediate of the common centerline;   an attachment mechanism coupled to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the corners formed at the intersections of the opposing side hem lines and each of the front and back hem lines, and coupled to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines substantially coincident with the common centerline;   a hem contouring mechanism extended crosswise of the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the front and back hem lines between the opposite side hem lines;   a waist cinching mechanism positioned on at least the back panel between the common centerline and the back hem line and extended crosswise of the fabric sheet between the opposing side hem lines;   a pair of cooperating waist coupling mechanisms positioned on the back panel adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines and adjacent to the waist cinching mechanisms;   a pouch attached to the front panel of the fabric sheet, the pouch comprising a mouth opening thereinto and a pouch sealing mechanism positioned for sealing the mouth opening;   a fabric hood sealed to the fabric sheet adjacent to the neck hole therethrough; and   a hood sealing mechanism cooperating with the pouch sealing mechanism, the hood sealing mechanism positioned adjacent to a back portion of the hood with the neck hole and the hood positioned between the hood sealing mechanism and the cooperating pouch sealing mechanism.   
     
     
         2 : The garment of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric sheet further comprises a head opening therethrough extended between the neck hole and the mouth opening into the pouch; and
 further comprising a garment sealing mechanism structured for releasably sealing the head opening.   
     
     
         3 : The garment of  claim 2 , wherein the attachment mechanisms coupled to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the corners formed at the intersections of the opposing side hem lines and each of the front and back hem lines, and the attachment mechanisms coupled to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines substantially coincident with the common centerline each further comprises an attachment mechanism selected from the group of attachment mechanisms consisting of: fabric loops, elastic cord loops, button holes, metallic rings, non-metallic rings, and grommets. 
     
     
         4 : The garment of  claim 2 , wherein the substantially waterproof fabric of the sheet further comprises a rip-stop nylon. 
     
     
         5 : The garment of  claim 2 , wherein the substantially waterproof fabric of the sheet further comprises a fabric that is impregnated with a waterproofing material. 
     
     
         6 : The garment of  claim 2 , wherein the hood further comprises a head contouring mechanism that is operable both for drawing a peak of the hood downwardly across a face hole formed in the hood at a front portion thereof, and for drawing opposing sides of the hood backwardly away from the face hole formed in the hood. 
     
     
         7 : The garment of  claim 6 , wherein the pouch is sized to receive an entirety of the fabric sheet thereinto; and wherein pouch sealing mechanism is further structured for sealing the mouth opening of the pouch with the entirety of the fabric sheet therein. 
     
     
         8 : The garment of  claim 7 , further comprising a means for mitigating updrafts when the garment is operated as a poncho with a user's neck positioned in the neck hole, the user's head positioned in the hood, the user's arms extended along the common centerline toward the opposing side hem lines, and the user's legs extended downwardly between the front and back hem lines. 
     
     
         9 : The garment of  claim 7 , further comprising means for releasably attaching together the corners of the back panel of the fabric sheet formed at intersections of the opposing side hem lines. 
     
     
         10 : A multi-functional garment, comprising:
 a substantially rectangular sheet of substantially waterproof fabric, the fabric sheet being bounded on opposing short sides by opposing front and back hem lines and bounded on opposing long sides by a pair of opposing side hem lines that are extended between opposing ends of the front and back hem lines and forming corners between each of the opposing side hem lines and each of the front and back hem lines, wherein the fabric sheet further comprises substantially rectangular front and back panels that are continuous between the opposing side hem lines and are further contiguous along a common centerline of the fabric sheet that is extended between the opposing side hem lines approximately midway between the front and back hem lines and terminating in the respective front and back hem lines, and further comprising a neck hole through the fabric sheet positioned approximately intermediate of the common centerline;   a plurality of attachment loop means for connecting to the fabric sheet, one of the plurality of attachment loop means coupled to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the corners and adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines approximately intermediate thereof;   a hem adjusting means for adjusting a length of the back hem line between the opposite side hem lines;   a waist cinching means for adjusting a width of at least the back panel of the fabric sheet between the opposing side hem lines, the waist cinching means being positioned between the common centerline and the back hem line;   a pair of cooperating waist coupling means for coupling together a portion of the opposing side hem lines, the cooperating waist coupling means being positioned on the back panel adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines between the common centerline and the back hem line;   a garment receiving means attached to the front panel of the fabric sheet, the garment receiving means being structured for receiving the fabric sheet substantially entirely thereinto;   a fabric hood sealed to the fabric sheet adjacent to the neck hole therethrough; and   a neck hole sealing means structured for sealing the neck hole of the fabric sheet.   
     
     
         11 : The garment of  claim 10 , wherein the garment receiving means further comprises a pouch having a mouth opening thereinto, and a pouch sealing mechanism structured for sealing the mouth opening into the pouch; and
 wherein the neck hole sealing means further comprises a sealing mechanism that cooperates with the pouch sealing mechanism for sealing the neck hole of the fabric sheet.   
     
     
         12 : The garment of  claim 11 , wherein pair of cooperating waist coupling means is further positioned approximately intermediate between the common centerline and the back hem line; and
 wherein the waist cinching means is further positioned adjacent to the waist coupling means.   
     
     
         13 : The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the hem adjusting means further comprises a draw string operational through a sleeve formed on the back panel of the fabric sheet, and means for releasably clamping a portion of the drawstring withdrawn from the sleeve. 
     
     
         14 : The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the waist cinching means further comprises a draw string operational through a sleeve formed on the back panel of the fabric sheet, and means for releasably clamping a portion of the drawstring withdrawn from the sleeve. 
     
     
         15 : The garment of  claim 12 , wherein the fabric sheet further comprises a heat reflective lining. 
     
     
         16 : A method of making a multi-functional garment, comprising:
 in a sheet of substantially waterproof fabric, forming a substantially rectangular flat pattern that is bounded on opposing short sides by opposing front and back hem lines and bounded on opposing long sides by a pair of opposing side hem lines that are extended between opposing ends of the front and back hem lines and forming corners between each of the opposing side hem lines and each of the front and back hem lines, the fabric sheet further comprising substantially rectangular front and back panels terminating in the respective front and back hem lines and that are contiguous along the common centerline and are further continuous between the opposing side hem lines, and the fabric sheet further comprising a neck hole through the fabric positioned approximately intermediate of the common centerline;   coupling a corner attachment mechanism to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the corners;   coupling a centerline attachment mechanism to the fabric sheet adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines approximately coincident with the common centerline;   positioning a hem contouring mechanism crosswise of the fabric sheet adjacent to at least the back hem line between the opposite side hem lines;   positioning a waist cinching mechanism on at least the back panel between the common centerline and the back hem line and extended crosswise of the fabric sheet between the opposing side hem lines;   positioning a pair of cooperating waist coupling mechanisms on the back panel adjacent to each of the opposing side hem lines and adjacent to the waist cinching mechanisms;   attaching a pouch to the front panel of the fabric sheet approximately aligned with the neck hole and spaced away therefrom, and further comprising forming a mouth opening into the pouch, and positioning a pouch sealing mechanism for sealing the mouth opening;   sealing a fabric hood to the fabric sheet adjacent to the neck hole therethrough with a face hole directed substantially toward the front panel of the fabric sheet; and   structuring a hood sealing mechanism for cooperating with the pouch sealing mechanism, positioning the hood sealing mechanism adjacent to a back portion of the hood with the neck hole and the hood positioned between the hood sealing mechanism and the pouch sealing mechanism.   
     
     
         17 : The method of  claim 16 , wherein coupling a corner attachment mechanism to the fabric sheet further comprises coupling selecting a corner attachment mechanism from the group of corner attachment mechanism consisting of: fabric loops, elastic cord loops, button holes, metallic rings, non-metallic rings, metallic grommets, and non-metallic grommets. 
     
     
         18 : The method of  claim 17 , further comprising selecting the sheet of substantially waterproof fabric as a rip-stop nylon fabric impregnated with a waterproofing material. 
     
     
         19 : The method of  claim 17 , further comprising coupling a head contouring mechanism to the fabric hood, coupling a head contouring mechanism to the fabric hood further comprising forming a sleeve on the hood, positioning a draw string slidably within the sleeve with at least one end portion thereof exiting from the sleeve, and coupling a releasable clamping mechanism to the end portion of the draw string exiting from the sleeve. 
     
     
         20 : The method of  claim 17 , wherein attaching a pouch to the front panel of the fabric sheet further comprises sizing the pouch for receiving the fabric sheet substantially entirely thereinto; and
 wherein structuring a hood sealing mechanism for cooperating with the pouch sealing mechanism further comprises structuring a hood sealing mechanism for cooperating with the pouch sealing mechanism for sealing the pouch with the fabric sheet being received substantially entirely therein.