Sleeping bag with expansion panel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sleeping bags often fail to provide a comfortable and customizable sleeping experience due to fixed size and temperature ratings that do not align with individual campers' needs, as they do not allow for adjustments in interior volume or temperature regulation.

Innovation Solution

The sleeping bag incorporates at least one expandable panel that can be opened to increase interior volume and adjust temperature by reducing insulation, allowing for a customizable fit and microclimate based on user preference and external conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the sleeping bag uses fixed insulation throughout, then temperature rating is maintained, but user cannot adjust for personal temperature preferences or changing conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature adjustment capabilityVSAvoidinsulation structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeping bag is divided into multiple insulation zones with different insulation levels. The first portion has a first insulation level and the second portion has a second insulation level different from the first. This segmentation allows different regions of the sleeping bag to provide different thermal characteristics, enabling users to adjust their thermal comfort by positioning themselves in different zones or by removing portions of the sleeping bag.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the sleeping bag are assigned different insulation properties to meet local thermal needs. The first portion provides a first insulation level while the second portion provides a second insulation level, creating local quality variations that allow users to customize their thermal environment based on personal preference or changing external conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If the sleeping bag has fixed interior volume, then manufacturing is simplified, but user cannot adjust for personal space requirements or freedom of movement preferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterior volume adjustabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeping bag incorporates a drawstring system that allows the interior volume to be dynamically adjusted. The drawstring can be tightened to reduce volume for a more compact, warmer configuration or loosened to expand volume for increased freedom of movement. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the sleeping bag to adapt to different user preferences and conditions without requiring multiple fixed-volume designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the sleeping bag provides generous interior volume, then freedom of movement is improved, but insulation efficiency decreases and temperature retention worsens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefreedom of movementVSAvoidtemperature retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The sleeping bag is segmented into portions with different insulation levels, allowing users to benefit from expanded volume in less insulated areas while maintaining thermal efficiency in highly insulated zones. This segmentation enables a compromise between freedom of movement and temperature retention by providing different functional zones within the same sleeping bag.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the sleeping bag provide different insulation characteristics, allowing users to position themselves in highly insulated areas for warmth while having access to less insulated areas for movement freedom. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction by providing both temperature retention and freedom of movement in different spatial zones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Adaptability or versatility

If the sleeping bag uses uniform insulation thickness, then manufacturing is easier, but user cannot customize thermal comfort for different body regions or preferences

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal customizationVSAvoidinsulation manufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The insulation is segmented into distinct portions with different thicknesses or material compositions. The first portion has a first insulation level while the second portion has a second insulation level, creating manufacturable discrete zones that provide thermal customization without requiring complex continuous variation of insulation properties throughout the entire sleeping bag.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11534011B2Sleeping bag with expansion panel

Publication Date: 2022.12.27 BIG AGNES

AI summary

A sleeping bag that provides a user a greater amount of room, on demand, within the interior of the sleeping bag by including at least one expandable panel. The expandable panel has an “open” position and a “closed” position. In the open position, the panel is expanded providing an increased girth and interior volume to the sleeping bag, compared to when the panel is closed. The expandable panel may have a reduced amount of insulation compared to the rest of the sleeping bag.