Field of the Invention

This invention relates to infant sleeping systems, and in particular to sleeping bag systems that incorporate a selection of bags that can be combined by a care giver to adjust the thermal insulance properties of the system to best suit ambient temperature. Background of the Invention

Infant sleeping bags differ from non-infant sleeping bags primarily due to the fact that they are designed to be used indoors. Infant sleeping bags are generally constructed with fitted armhole and neck openings, and are intended to replace blankets and sheets.

There are a number of advantages of using infant sleeping bags in preference to blankets and sheets. Firstly babies and infants control their body temperature mainly through their face. By placing infants in a sleeping bag, the care giver has greater assurance that the face and head of the infant remains uncovered during sleep, thereby eliminating the dangers of overheating and suffocation, and reducing the risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI).

Another advantage is that by placing the infant in a sleeping bag, the care giver reduces the risk that the infant will kick the blankets and sheets off their body during their sleep, thereby exposing the infant to the cold, and causing the infant to wake up.

In yet another advantage, because a sleeping bag encloses the infant's legs, it reduces the likelihood that the baby will be able to roll over onto its stomach, which is recognized as a high risk sleep position, and has been associated with SUDI. Finally, by enclosing the infant in a sleeping bag, the care giver reduces the risk that the child's legs may become entangled in the rails of the cot they are sleeping in.

Commonly available infant sleeping bags suffer from the problem that their thermal insulance is not adjustable as ambient temperature changes over time. Most infant sleeping bag systems comprise just one bag and if the thermal insulance properties of that particular bag is not sufficient to provide the infant with comfort against the ambient temperature, then the care giver needs to supplement the sleeping bag's thermal insulance by adding additional blankets, which is not recommended by pediatric health care professionals. No one bag is able to provide comfort to the infant over all ambient temperatures experienced throughout the night, or due to seasonal variations. Alternatively, the care giver is required to purchase a variety of bags with different thermal insulance properties to match the variations in ambient temperature experienced during the night due to seasonal changes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an infant sleeping bag system that at least ameliorates the above-mentioned problems.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention is a reconfigurable sleeping bag system including a selection of bags. One bag is selected from the selection of bags to be the primary sleeping bag into which the person is placed. Each bag in the system has both primary releasable fastening means and secondary complimentary releasable fastening means. The primary releasable fastening means enables the primary sleeping bag to be opened or closed by the user, and the secondary complimentary releasable fastening means enables an optional secondary bag, used in the system, to be releasably attached to the primary sleeping bag. Preferably the primary bag is inserted into the secondary bag, and when the primary bag is inserted correctly, the secondary complimentary releasable fastening means of the primary bag substantially align with the primary releasable fastening means of the secondary bag.

Preferably a tertiary bag can be selected from the selection of bags, and is capable of having the releasably fastened together primary and secondary bags inserted within it. When the releasably fastened primary and secondary bags are correctly inserted within the tertiary bag, the complimentary releasable fastening means of the secondary bag substantially align with the primary releasable fastening means of the tertiary bag.

Preferably the selection of bags includes bags that have different thermal insulance properties so that the overall thermal insulance provided to the person enclosed within the sleeping bag system can be varied by adding or removing bags to/from the system as the ambient temperature in the vicinity of the person varies over time.

Alternatively, the selection of bags includes bags that all have the same thermal insulance properties, so that the overall thermal insulance provided to the person enclosed within the sleeping bag system can be varied by adding or removing bags to/from the system as the ambient temperature in the vicinity of the person varies over time.

Preferably for each bag in the selection of bags, the primary releasable fastening means is located on the front of the bag towards the end of the bag nearest to the person's head, and the secondary complimentary releasable fastening means are located at each side of the primary releasable fastening means.

Preferably the primary releasable fastening means and the secondary complimentary releasable fastening means of each bag in the selection of bags is a zipper. Preferably the sleeping bag system can be reconfigured by the addition or removal of a secondary and/or tertiary bag from the system without requiring the primary bag to be opened, thereby exposing the person occupying the sleeping bag system to the cold.

Preferably the person can be placed in, or removed from, the system by operation of the primary releasable fastening means of the primary bag only regardless of whether there is a secondary or tertiary bag in use.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is top view of the present invention showing a primary bag releasably fastened to a secondary bag.

Figure 2 is an end view of the releasable fastener arrangement of the present invention that shows detail of both the primary releasable fastening means and secondary complimentary releasable fastening means.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Turning firstly to Figure 1, we are shown a reconfigurable infant sleeping bag system 1 that includes a plurality of sleeping bags. Ideally each bag in the selection of sleeping bags has a different thermal insulance rating. In this example two bags are shown. The primary bag 3 is the inner bag as shown, and the secondary bag 5 is the outer bag. The primary bag 3 is substantially wholly inserted inside the secondary bag 5, and the dotted outline shows the extent of the primary bag in relation to the secondary bag.

Each bag has a primary releasable fastening means and a secondary complimentary releasable fastening means which in this example are shown as zippers. To assist in clarifying the unique fastening arrangement, (as best shown in Figure 2), the primary releasable fastening means for the primary bag is shown as 7, and the corresponding primary fastening means for the secondary bag is shown as 7', and the secondary complimentary releasable fastening means for the primary bag is shown as 9, and the complimentary releasable fastening means for the secondary bag is shown as 9'.

Turning to Figure 2, we are shown more detail of the fastening arrangement of the present invention. As shown, the primary bag 3 can always be opened and closed via the primary releasable fastening means 7. This makes it easy to open or close the sleeping bag system to allow an infant to either be placed into or removed from the system regardless of the presence of a secondary or even tertiary bag. As can be seen, when a bag is used as a primary bag, then the primary releasable fastener means closes upon itself, however when a bag is used as a secondary or tertiary bag, then the primary releasable fastener means interengages with the respective secondary complimentary releasable fastening means of the bag inserted within it.

In one embodiment, at least some of the bags in the selection of bags may each have a different thermal insulance rating. This allows a care giver such as a parent to add or subtract bags from the system to tailor the infant's warmth and comfort to match the prevailing ambient temperature in the infant's vicinity, and to account for how the infant is dressed for sleep on that particular occasion.

Alternatively, all the bags in the selection of bags have the same insulance rating.

Each bag in the selection of bags is capable of substantially wholly containing any of the other bags in the selection of bags as shown in Figure 1. The fastening means for each bag is arranged so that when a bag, or an attached pair of bags are inserted into it, and properly orientated, the primary releasable fastening means of the bag aligns with the secondary complimentary releasable fastening means of the bag or attached pair of bags that are inserted into it.

Thermal insulance is often denoted as a "tog" unit. As a general guide, the following is a table that matches ambient temperature to tog rating for infant sleeping bags: 0.5 tog is suitable for ambient temperatures of approx. 24°C - 27°C

1.0 tog is suitable for ambient temperatures of approx. 20°C - 24°C

- 2.5 tog is suitable for ambient temperatures of approx. 16°C - 20°C

- 3.5 tog is suitable for ambient temperatures of approx. 14°C - 18°C

Ambient temperature can vary at different times of the day or night, and also as the seasons change. By using the sleeping bag system that has a selection of bags with a variety of tog ratings, the care giver can combine multiple bags and releasably fasten them together to provide the infant with a combined sleeping bag that has a combined tog rating that maximizes the infant's comfort in relation to the ambient temperature.

Optionally, different bags can be fabricated out of different materials. For example, one bag in the selection of bags can have an inside surface of knitted material, and another bag in the selection of bags can have an inside surface of woven material. Knitted fabrics are softer and more breathable than woven fabrics, but they stretch more than woven fabrics. So while the inside surface of the knitted material may be preferable to babies, inside surface with woven material might be more suitable for infants who kick and move a lot. Additionally, a bag from the selection of bags can be fabricated with an inside surface of wool. This allows infants to derive a benefit from the moisture wicking and odour control benefits of wool over other materials.

While the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention.

It will be also understood that where the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.