Sleeping bag

Abstract

A sleeping bag, components thereof, and associated methods. The sleeping bad includes a bag body sized and shaped to receive a human lying down in a human-receiving interior of the bag body. The sleeping bag includes a left flap and right flap releasably connected to the bag body. The left flap and right flap are movable with respect to the bag body into overlapping and underlapping configurations to provide insulation and/or cushioning. The left flap and right flap are releasably connectable to the bag body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sleeping bag for use by a human, said sleeping bag comprising:
 a bag body, the bag body having an upper end and a lower end, a forward face and a rearward face, and left and right sides, the bag body including a rear portion defining the rearward face and a front portion defining the forward face, the rear portion including a rear portion top segment, a rear portion bottom segment, and rear portion left and right side segments, the rear portion having a length extending from the rear portion top segment to the rear portion bottom segment and a width extending from the rear portion left side segment to the rear portion right side segment, the rear portion being sized and shaped to receive the human lying down on the rear portion, the front portion including a front portion top segment, a front portion bottom segment, and front portion left and right side segments, the front portion having a length extending from the front portion top segment to the front portion bottom segment and a width extending from the front portion left side segment to the front portion right side segment, the front portion being sized and shaped to substantially cover a human lying down on the rear portion under the front portion, the bag body including a human-receiving interior between the front and rear portions, the human-receiving interior being sized to receive the human to permit the human to lie on the rear portion when the human is in the human-receiving interior;   a left flap releasably connected to the bag body, the left flap having opposite front and rear faces, the left flap having a left flap top segment, a left flap bottom segment, and left flap left and right side segments, the left flap having a length extending from the left flap top segment to the left flap bottom segment and a width extending from the left flap left side segment to the left flap right side segment;   wherein the left flap, when releasably connected to the bag body, is movable with respect to the bag body to a left flap overlapping configuration and to a left flap underlapping configuration, the left flap when in the left flap overlapping configuration overlapping the forward face of the bag body, with the front face of the left flap facing forward, to provide insulation over the human-receiving interior, the left flap when in the left flap underlapping configuration underlapping the rearward face of the bag body, with the front face of the left flap facing forward, to provide cushioning or insulation under the human-receiving interior, the left flap being sized and shaped to substantially cover the forward face of the bag body in the left flap overlapping configuration and to substantially cover the rearward face of the bag body in the left flap underlapping configuration; and   a right flap releasably connected to the bag body, the right flap having opposite front and rear faces, the right flap having a right flap top segment, a right flap bottom segment, and right flap left and right side segments, the right flap having a length extending from the right flap top segment to the right flap bottom segment and a width extending from the right flap left side segment to the right flap right side segment,   wherein the right flap, when releasably connected to the bag body, is movable with respect to the bag body to a right flap overlapping configuration and to a right flap underlapping configuration, the right flap when in the right flap overlapping configuration overlapping the forward face of the bag body, with the front face of the right flap facing forward, to provide insulation over the human-receiving interior, the right flap when in the right flap underlapping configuration underlapping the rearward face of the bag body, with the front face of the right flap facing forward, to provide cushioning or insulation under the human-receiving interior, the right flap being sized and shaped to substantially cover the forward face of the bag body in the right flap overlapping configuration and to substantially cover the rearward face of the bag body in the right flap underlapping configuration.   
     
     
         2 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the left and right flaps, when releasably connected to the bag body, are configurable to be in the respective left and right flap overlapping configurations at the same time, are configurable to be in the respective left and right flap underlapping configurations at the same time, are configurable to be in the left flap overlapping and right flap underlapping configurations at the same time, and are configurable to be in the left flap underlapping and right flap overlapping configurations at the same time. 
     
     
         3 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the left flap is selectively disconnectable from the bag body without disconnecting the right flap from the bag body, and the right flap is selectively disconnectable from the bag body without disconnecting the left flap from the bag body. 
     
     
         4 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the left flap is releasably connected to the left side of the bag body and the right flap is releasably connected to the right side of the bag body. 
     
     
         5 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the left and right flaps are releasably connected to the bag body outside the human-receiving interior. 
     
     
         6 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the bag body includes a closure that is selectively openable to permit access to the human-receiving interior by the human and closeable to close the closure when the human is in the human-receiving interior, the closure being fully closeable when the left and right flaps are releasably connected to the bag body and in the left flap and right flap underlapping configurations. 
     
     
         7 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the left flap includes a pocket, the pocket being configured to store a majority portion of the left flap when the left flap is disconnected from the bag body, wherein when the pocket stores the majority portion of left flap the left flap is usable by the user as a pillow. 
     
     
         8 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the right flap includes a pocket, the pocket being configured to store a majority portion of the right flap when the right flap is disconnected from the bag body, wherein when the pocket stores the majority portion of the right flap the right flap is usable by the user as a pillow. 
     
     
         9 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the left flap is releasably connectable to the left and right sides of the bag body, the left flap being configured to form at least one connection of a first connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the left flap to the left side of the bag body and being configured to form at least one connection of a second connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the left flap to the right side of the bag body, the first connection type being different from the second connection type. 
     
     
         10 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the right flap is releasably connectable to the right and left sides of the bag body, the right flap being configured to form at least one connection of a third connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the right flap to the right side of the bag body and being configured to form at least one connection of a fourth connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the right flap to the left side of the bag body, the third connection type being different from the fourth connection type. 
     
     
         11 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the first and third connection types are the same connection type, and the second and fourth connection types are the same connection type. 
     
     
         12 . A sleeping bag for use by a human, said sleeping bag comprising:
 a bag body, the bag body having an upper end and a lower end, a forward face and a rearward face, and left and right sides, the bag body including a rear portion defining the rearward face and a front portion defining the forward face, the rear portion including a rear portion top segment, a rear portion bottom segment, and rear portion left and right side segments, the rear portion having a length extending from the rear portion top segment to the rear portion bottom segment and a width extending from the rear portion left side segment to the rear portion right side segment, the rear portion being sized and shaped to receive the human lying down on the rear portion, the front portion including a front portion top segment, a front portion bottom segment, and front portion left and right side segments, the front portion having a length extending from the front portion top segment to the front portion bottom segment and a width extending from the front portion left side segment to the front portion right side segment, the front portion being sized and shaped to substantially cover a human lying down on the rear portion under the front portion, wherein to the bag body defines a human-receiving interior between the front and rear portions, the human-receiving interior being sized to receive the human to permit the human to lie on the rear portion when the human is in the human-receiving interior;   a flap releasably connectable to the bag body outside the human-receiving interior, the flap having opposite front and rear faces, the flap having a flap top segment, a flap bottom segment, and flap left and right side segments, the flap having a length extending from the flap top segment to the flap bottom segment and a width extending from the flap left side segment to the flap right side segment,   wherein the flap is releasably connectable to the left and right sides of the bag body, the flap being configured to form at least one connection of a first connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the flap to the left side of the bag body and being configured to form at least one connection of a second connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the flap to the right side of the bag body, the first connection type being different from the second connection type,   wherein when the flap is releasably connected to the left or right side of the bag body, the flap is movable with respect to the bag body to a flap overlapping configuration and to a flap underlapping configuration, the flap when in the flap overlapping configuration overlapping the forward face of the bag body, with the front face of the flap facing forward, to provide insulation over the human-receiving interior, the flap when in the flap underlapping configuration underlapping the rearward face of the bag body, with the front face of the flap facing forward, to provide cushioning or insulation under the human-receiving interior, the flap being sized and shaped to substantially cover the forward face of the bag body in the flap overlapping configuration and to substantially cover the rearward face of the bag body in the flap underlapping configuration.   
     
     
         13 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the bag body includes at least one first bag body connector at the left side of the bag body, the flap including at least one first flap connector at the left side segment of the flap, the at least one first bag body connector and at least one first flap connector being releasably connectable to each other to form the at least one connection of the first connection type, and wherein the bag body includes a least one second bag body connector at the right side of the bag body, the flap including at least one second flap connector at the right side segment of the flap, the at least one second bag body connector and at least one second flap connector being releasably connectable to each other to form the at least one connection of the second connection type 
     
     
         14 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the at least one first bag body connector and at least one first flap connector, and the at least one second bag body connector and at least one second flap connector, are arranged to form the respective first and second connections when the flap is in the overlapping configuration and when the flap is in the underlapping configuration. 
     
     
         15 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the first connection type comprises a button-type connection. 
     
     
         16 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the second connection type comprises a snap-type connection. 
     
     
         17 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the flap is a first flap, and the sleeping bag further comprises a second flap releasably connectable to the bag body, the second flap having opposite front and rear faces, the second flap having a second flap top segment, a second flap bottom segment, and second flap left and right side segments, the second flap having a length extending from the second flap top segment to the second flap bottom segment and a width extending from the second flap left side segment to the second flap right side segment, the second flap being releasably connectable to the left and right sides of the bag body, the second flap being configured to form at least one connection of a third connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the second flap to the right side of the of the bag body and being configured to form at least one connection of a fourth connection type with the bag body for releasably connecting the second flap to the left side of the bag body, the third connection type being different from the fourth connection type, wherein when the second flap is releasably connected to the right side of the bag body the second flap is movable with respect to the bag body to a second flap overlapping configuration and to a second flap underlapping configuration, the second flap when in the second flap overlapping configuration overlapping the forward face of the bag body, with the front face of the second flap facing forward, to provide insulation over the human-receiving interior, the second flap when in the second flap underlapping configuration underlapping the rearward face of the bag body, with the front face of the second flap facing forward to provide cushioning or insulation under the human-receiving interior, the second flap being sized and shaped to substantially cover the forward face of the bag body in the second flap overlapping configuration and to substantially cover the rearward face of the bag body in the second flap underlapping configuration. 
     
     
         18 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the bag body includes at least one third bag body connector at the right side of the bag body, the second flap including at least one third flap connector at the right side segment of the second flap, the at least one third bag body connector and at least one third flap connector being releasably connectable to each other to form the at least one connection of the third connection type, and wherein the bag body includes at least one fourth bag body connector at the left side of the bag body, the flap including at least one fourth flap connector at the left side segment of the second flap, the at least one fourth bag body connector and at least one fourth flap connector being releasably connectable to each other to form the at least one connection of the fourth connection type.. 
     
     
         19 . A sleeping bag as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one third bag body connector and at least one third flap connector, and the at least one fourth bag body connector and at least one fourth flap connector, are arranged to form the respective third and fourth connections when the second flap is in the overlapping configuration and when the second flap is in the underlapping configuration. 
     
     
         20 . A sleeping bag as set forth  claim 18 , wherein the first connection type and the third connection type are the same connection type. 
     
     
         21 . A sleeping bag as set forth  claim 20 , wherein the second connection type and the fourth connection type are the same connection type.