Blanket pants
A blanket construction designed to envelop at least a portion of a person's body without risk of bunching up or falling off when the wearer moves. When folded it looks like a regular throw blanket or pillow, but unfolded, it is a blanket including individual compartments for receiving the user's legs, and an upper body portion that can be extending to envelop the user's torso, shoulders and/or head where desired to fully encompass the body of said person. Said blanket construction further allows for mobility while wearing the blanket.
This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/798,581 filed May 9, 2006 by the present inventors, which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to the field of blanket construction in general and in particular to a blanket construction that is specifically designed for a user to wear at least around the user's legs, regardless of the user's position, such as sitting, laying, or walking.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe practical use of a blanket for warmth has long been known. The basic blanket design, consisting essentially of a flat layer or layers of fabric, has many drawbacks and disadvantages when it comes to design. The blanket typically lies loosely on top of a person allowing for breezes to slip between the person and the blanket. For added warmth, one may wrap the blanket around one's legs and arms. However, if the person moves, the blanket typically needs to be repositioned, it can get bunched up or it can fall off, exposing the person to the cold.
Several blanket designs have been invented to address the issue with breezes; however none address mobility while maintaining the warmth. If a person needs to get up or walk around, the blanket needs to be left behind, unsnapped or draped over the shoulders, thus allowing for all the warmth to escape. If the person tries to walk around with the blanket wrapped around the legs, the blanket can pose a tripping hazard.
Another option to warm up is to add another layer of clothing, such as a pair of sweat pants. However, sweatpants only cover the legs of the wearer, and adding a sweatshirt may be too bulky or lead to overheating. Also, if the person is already dressed, it is often difficult to put a pair of sweatpants on over another pair of pants. Similarly, when sweatpants are removed, they do not provide much use as a blanket. Sleepers are another great option for staying warm, however, they are pajamas and are typically not large enough to wear over clothes. Most people would not be comfortable to have guests in their homes while wearing pajamas or uncomfortable bulky clothing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,810 describes pants attached to a distinct planar blanket section. While this design does possibly address the issue of mobility, the blanket portion has the same shortcomings of a classic blanket—i.e., it is loose fitting, must be bunched up around the wearer but still leaving numerous gaps and openings, and thus is susceptible to letting breezes affect the warmth of the wearer. The blanket with attached pants would be advantageous for outside use with babies, but would not be practical for indoor use.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a blanket design and construction that easily provides the user with warmth, yet permits readjustment of the user's position and mobility while wearing the blanket without compromising the positioning of the blanket around the user's body, as well as the warmth provided thereby. Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a blanket design and construction that improves upon, or overcomes the problems and drawbacks associated with the basic flat blanket design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is generally directed to a blanket construction comprising a web folded over upon itself to form an upper body portion adaptable to be substantially wrapped around a user's body. The upper body portion defines an interior cavity to receive the user's body and a top opening. The blanket construction further comprises two leg compartments depending from the upper body portion and defining respective leg cavities accessible from the interior cavity of the upper body portion. Each of the leg compartments is arrangeable to receive and envelop one of the user's legs.
Accordingly, the present invention proposes a blanket construction comprising a self-enclosing blanket that easily wraps around the user's body, and includes separate compartments for each leg, allowing for maximum warmth and mobility. The blanket is preferably a one-piece, unitary construction that is easily stepped into and out of. The upper portion of the blanket can be pulled up over the shoulders or rolled down around the waist as desired. The construction does not allow for breezes to sneak in. Advantageously, while wearing said blanket a person can sit or lay in several positions without the risk of the blanket falling off or bunching up. Due to the separate leg compartments, the person can also walk easily while remaining draped in the blanket and with reduced risk of tripping over the blanket or the blanket posing other safety risks. No longer does one need to leave the comfort and warmth of their blanket behind when they need to get up.
As will be explained in greater detail further in the specification, the leg compartments are arranged to receive the user's legs whereas the upper portion of the blanket is arranged to surround the user's upper body in its entirety. An advantage of the present invention is that the blanket construction can be made in varying sizes to accommodate varying body sizes and types. Moreover, the upper body portion of the blanket construction is adaptable to wrap around the user so that there is no need to bunch up loose fabric and consequently there are no loose ends, gaps or openings that can compromise the warmth provided by the blanket. Alternatively, the blanket structure can be provided with features, such as elastic bands, zippers, snaps, Velcro® straps, pull cords, drawstrings and other forms of cinches to adapt a single blanket construction to different body sizes and types. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of a side of the upper body portion may include a side opening to facilitate the user's access to and from the interior cavity.
An object of the present invention is that due to the nature of its construction, said blanket can be worn over any article of clothing and keep its occupant warm and cozy thereby allowing consumers to lower their thermostat and reduce heating costs.
Another object of the present invention is that the blanket can be used separate from being worn by the user, for example, as a throw. Further, the blanket can be easily folded within itself and compacted, and thus used as a pillow for added comfort.
These and other features of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings of the preferred embodiments of a blanket construction, which are intended to illustrate, but not limit, the invention.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
As shown in
The leg compartments 30 depend from the upper body portion 26 and define respective leg cavities accessible from the interior cavity of the upper body portion 26. Preferably, there are two leg compartments 30, each one arranged to receive and envelop one of the user's legs. The leg compartments 30 also preferably contain an enclosed foot area 28, though the end of the legs may be open so that the user's feet may pass through and out of the leg compartments 30.
Varying manners of using the blanket pants 20 are illustrated in
Alternatively, the blanket pants 20 can be used as a throw blanket in accordance with existing blanket designs. In such a situation, the blanket pants 20 could merely be draped over the user's body. The user could optionally wrap and tie the leg compartments 30 of the blanket pants 20 around the body. Further, a fastener system could be attached to the outside of the leg compartments 30 so that they can be attached together when the blanket pants 20 are used as a throw blanket so that the leg compartments 30 are less susceptible to falling off of the user when in a draped condition. The fastener system 52 could take the form of snaps, zippers, Velcro®, or any other known means of attachment. Additionally, the fastener system may be located along the inseam of the leg compartments, for example, through snaps positioned at the respective ankle regions of the leg compartments, as shown in
The side opening 24 facilitates the user getting into and out of the blanket pants 20. As shown, the side portion only extends part way down a side of the upper body portion 26. The side opening also aids the user in rolling down the upper body portion 26, as shown in
Additional embodiments of the present invention incorporating various features that may be included with the blanket pants 20 are shown in
In
The above-described features are not mutually exclusive to the various embodiments shown. That is, the various features can be combined together to the user's desires. For example, one blanket pants construction can have a zipper along the side opening along with non-skid pads on the bottom of the foot portions of each leg compartment. Alternatively, another blanket pants construction can use a zipper along the side opening with open foot portions. Still alternatively, a blanket pants construction can have non-skid pads, and also use drawstrings at both the top of the upper body portion and the waist region of the upper body portion.
Accordingly, the present invention allows a person to maintain warmth and mobility in the comfort of one blanket construction. The blanket pants' design allows for ease of use whether in a sitting, laying or walking position. There can be many applications for this type of a blanket, in particular: around the house, for camping, for traveling, and in the office. Furthermore the various features of the blanket pants construction of the present invention provide at least the following additional advantages:
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- permitting the user to walk on a non-slip tread;
- permitting the user to store small items in its pockets;
- permitting the user to tighten the opening around the shoulders or head in a hood-like fashion by use of a drawstring to further block the cold;
- permitting the user to tighten the opening around the waist, working as a belt or further blocking the cold;
- providing elastic at the ankles to keep the feet portion in place and to further block the cold;
- providing an enclosure at the opening to further block the cold; and
- providing an option of open feet portions to people who prefer wearing shoes or slippers; people who do not like their feet to be covered; or people who may not be steady on their feet when completely covered in a blanket.
Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. There are various possibilities with regard to the embellishments that can be added. For example, the slip proof sole 32 can be an actual sole sewn on to the bottom of the foot, or could be as simple as a non-slip adhesive applied to the bottom of the foot; the zipper 44 closure could be any application that would allow the two sides of the opening 24 to seal, such as Velcro®, snaps, etc; the drawstring 36, 38 and elastic 40, 42 could be any cinching device. Any combination of the additional embodiments is intended to be included within the scope of this invention.
Thus the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
Claims
1. A unitary blanket construction, comprising:
- a web folded over upon itself to form an upper body portion adaptable to be substantially wrapped around a user's body, said upper body portion defining an interior cavity to receive the user's body and a top opening; and
- two leg compartments depending from the upper body portion and defining respective leg cavities accessible from the interior cavity of the upper body portion; each said leg compartment being arrangeable to receive and envelop one of the user's legs.
2. The blanket construction according to claim 1, wherein said leg compartments are enclosed at the lower end and defining foot portions associated with each leg compartment for receiving the user's feet.
3. The blanket construction according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the legs compartments define openings through which a user's feet may pass when said user's legs are in the leg compartments.
4. The blanket construction according to claim 3, further comprising two detachable foot portions that may be attached to the leg compartments at the lower end openings.
5. The blanket construction according to claim 3, wherein the lower end openings of the leg compartments include elastic straps extending substantially around the perimeter thereof.
6. The blanket construction according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a side of the upper body portion having a side opening to facilitate the user's access to and from the interior cavity.
7. The blanket construction according to claim 6, further comprising a closing mechanism for closing the side opening of the upper body portion.
8. The blanket construction according to claim 7, wherein the closing mechanism comprises a zipper.
9. The blanket construction according to claim 7, wherein the closing mechanism comprises Velcro®.
10. The blanket construction according to claim 1 further comprising a drawstring for cinching the upper body portion, said drawstring being located at a waist region of the upper body portion generally adjacent the point of convergence between the upper body portion and the leg compartments.
11. The blanket construction according to claim 1 further comprising a drawstring associated with the top opening of the upper body portion to close said top opening.
12. The blanket construction according to claim 1 further comprising at least one pocket.
13. The blanket construction according to claim 1 further comprising an elastic strap being located at a waist region of the upper body portion generally adjacent the point of convergence between the upper body portion and the leg compartments.
14. The blanket construction according to claim 2 further comprising a slip proof sole on to the bottom of each foot portion.
15. The blanket construction according to claim 2 further comprising a non-slip adhesive applied to the bottom of each foot portion.
16. The blanket construction according to claim 1 further comprising at least one attachment strap that can be worn over the user's shoulder when the upper body portion is wrapped around the user's body and the user's legs are enveloped in the leg compartments.
17. The blanket construction according to claim 16, wherein the construction may be placed in a compressed form and held in said compressed form by said at least one attachment strap.
18. The blanket construction according to claim 1 further comprising of a closing mechanism on the inseam of the leg area to attach leg compartments together.
19. A unitary blanket construction comprising:
- a web folded over upon itself to define an interior cavity to receive and be substantially wrapped around a user's body, said web comprising: an upper body portion adaptable to be substantially wrapped around the user's torso, said upper body portion defining an interior upper body cavity and a top opening and wherein at least a portion of a side of the upper body portion having a side opening to facilitate the user's access to and from the upper body cavity; and two leg compartments depending from the upper body portion and defining respective leg cavities accessible from the upper body cavity, each said leg compartment being arrangeable to receive and envelop one of the user's legs;
- wherein the leg compartments generally converge with the upper body portion at a waist region of the web.
20. The blanket construction according to claim 19, wherein said leg compartments are enclosed at a lower end thereof, each defining a respective foot portion for receiving one of the user's feet.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 20, 2007
Publication Date: Nov 15, 2007
Inventors: Jessica Augusta-Tarleton Grant (Cobalt, CT), Elaine Tarleton Grant (Cobalt, CT)
Application Number: 11/726,315
International Classification: A47G 9/02 (20060101);