Outerwear garment with integral inflatable head and neck cushion

Abstract

An outerwear garment composed of a body having a neckline and a collar includes a collar accessory that includes front and back regions of material joined to the body of the outerwear garment in proximity to the neckline. The collar accessory has an interior space of changeable volume between the front and back regions. An elongated inflatable air cushion is positioned within the interior space. The air cushion expands into the interior space and assumes a tubular shape to support at least one of the neck and head of the wearer when the air cushion is in an inflated state. The air cushion includes a valve stem through which the wearer can deliver pressurized air to inflate the air cushion to its inflated state or from which the wearer can expel air to flatten the air cushion to its non-inflated state.

1 . An outwear garment including a body having a neckline and a collar, comprising:
 a collar accessory including front and back regions of material joined to the body in proximity to the neckline, the collar accessory further including an interior space of changeable volume between the front and back regions, the front region lying in proximity to the garment wearer's head when the wearer dons the outerwear garment to wear it;   an elongated inflatable air cushion sized to fit and lie flat within the interior space when the air cushion is in a non-inflated state and to expand into the interior space and assume a tubular shape to support at least one of the neck and head of the wearer when the air cushion is in an inflated state, the air cushion including a valve stem through which the wearer can deliver pressurized air to inflate the air cushion to its inflated state or from which the wearer can expel air to flatten the air cushion to its non-inflated state; and   a removable plug configured to allow the wearer to close the valve stem to maintain internal air pressure of the air cushion in its inflated state.   
     
     
         2 . The outwear garment of  claim 1 , in which the collar accessory includes a hood that the wearer can pull over his head to cover it. 
     
     
         3 . The outwear garment of  claim 1 , in which the collar accessory includes a collar of a front-opening jacket. 
     
     
         4 . The outerwear garment of  claim 1 , in which the collar accessory includes a collar of a pullover garment.