CONVERTIBLE BLANKET

Abstract

A convertible blanket including a top and a bottom, an inner surface, an outer surface, a left longitudinal edge, and a right longitudinal edge. The convertible blanket further including a vertical slit extending partially extending along the longitudinal center of the convertible blanket and a center flap fastened to the outer surface in covering relationship to the vertical slit. The convertible blanket further including a fastening device for fastening together the left longitudinal edge, and the right longitudinal edge proximate the longitudinal center thereby placing the blanket in a first folded position. The center flap of the convertible blanket being securely fastened to the outer surface at top and bottom ends of the center flap and unattached at each longitudinally extending open side such that the blanket adapted to receive objects extending from the outer side to the inner side of the blanket by passing through the open side of the center flap and on through the vertical slit.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application claims the benefit of convention priority of previously filed Canadian Application No. 2,585,254 filed on Apr. 10, 2007 under the title “5 in 1 baby blanket” by Jennifer Armstrong. The present device relates to blankets used for protecting infants and children and in particular relates to a convertible blanket having multiple purposes for infant and child use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are a number of blankets and even convertible blankets presently on the market, some of which have been protected through patents which are directed for use with infants and children. None of these prior art devices however have the flexibility or enable to the extensive use that the present device convertible blanket allows. The present device a convertible blanket can be used as a normal square or rectangular style blanket. It can be used as a sleeping bag having a zipper opening down the middle. It can be used as a car seat blanket having enclosed feet for use with almost any type of car seat harness that is available today in the market and it can also be used and converted into a pillow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the inner surface of the convertible blanket in a totally unfolded position.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the outer surface of the blanket in the totally unfolded position.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket of the inner surface showing the folding directions required to place the blanket into the first folded position.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the front side of the convertible blanket shown in a first folded position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of the front side of the convertible blanket shown with the bottom flap inside out in a second folded position.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the front side of the convertible blanket in the second folded position with a top portion of the inner surface folded down.

FIG. 7(a) is a schematic plan view of the backside of the convertible blanket shown in the second folded position with arrows indicating the direction of folding in order to place the blanket into the third folded position.

FIG. 7(b) is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket in the second folded position showing the front side and the direction of arrows in order to fold the blanket into the third folded position.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket shown in the third folded position with the top flap outer side visible on the front side of the blanket.

FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket shown in the fourth folded position with the entire blanket folded into the bottom flap showing the front side.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket in an open position in a totally unfolded position showing the inner surface as well as the vertical slit in a slit open position together with the five point harness projecting there through.

FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective top view of the convertible blanket deployed into a car seat with a child fastened into the car seat with a harness.

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket showing the inner surface together with the vertical slit shown in the slit open position together with a three point harness projecting there through.

FIG. 13 is a schematic flow diagram indicating the steps required to fold the blanket into the various positions and configurations.

FIG. 14 is a schematic partial plan view of the top portion of the convertible blanket shown in a fifth folded position with the top flap outer side visible on the front side of the blanket with the head of the child resting entirely on the outer portion of top flap 130.

FIG. 15 is a schematic partial plan view of the convertible blanket shown in a fifth folded position with the top flap outer side visible on the front side of the blanket with the head of a child partially protected with the raised inside-out position of the top flap 130.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present device, a convertible blanket is shown generally as 100 in an open position 102 which can also be termed unfolded position 111 in that the blanket is totally unfolded with the entire inner surface 104 visible.

Convertible blanket 100 further includes a top 106, a bottom 108, a top edge 110, a bottom edge 112, a left edge 114, a right edge 116, centrally longitudinally oriented vertical slit 120 shown in a slit closed position 118 along longitudinal centre 122.

Convertible blanket 100 further includes horizontal slit 124 located just below vertical slit 120.

Some stitching 129 is also visible near the horizontal slip 124 which is the stitching used to fasten centre flap 132 located on the outer surface 128 of convertible blanket 100.

Now referring to FIG. 2 which shows the outer surface 128 of convertible blanket 100 namely, outer surface 128, however also in the totally unfolded position 111. On outer surface 128 one can see that convertible blanket 100 further includes zipper 126, a top flap 130 located near top 106 and top edge 110, a centre flap 132 having a centre flap outer side 134 located between top flap 130 and horizontal slit 124 and a bottom flap 136 having a bottom flap outer side 138 located proximate the bottom 108 and bottom edge 112 of convertible blanket 100.

Bottom flap 136 is sewn onto outer surface 128 of blanket 100 at side edges 302 with stitching 129. There may be other ways of attaching the flaps including hook and loop fasteners or snaps. The bottom edge of bottom flap 136 is coextensive with and fastened securely to bottom edge 112 thereby forming a pocket which is open at open upper edge 140. Top flap 130 is sewn onto outer surface 128 of blanket 100 at side edges 304 with stitching 129. The top edge of top flap 130 is coextensive with and fastened securely to top edge 110 thereby forming a pocket which is open at open lower edge 310. Center flap 132 is sewn onto outer surface 128 of blanket 100 at top and bottom ends 320 with stitching 129. Center flap 132 has open sides 322 through which straps of harness 164 can pass through.

Referring now to FIG. 3 which shows schematically the direction of folding of convertible blanket 100 in order to put convertible blanket 100 from the open position 102 or the unfolded position 111 into the first folded position 144 shown in FIG. 4. In this position convertible blanket 100 has a lateral width 330.

The left edge 114 and the right edge 116 are folded inwardly as shown by the folding direction arrows 142 thereby joining zipper halves 126 near the longitudinal centre 122 of convertible blanket 100 thereby allowing zipper 126 to fasten together the left edge 114 with the right edge 116.

Referring to FIG. 4 which shows convertible blanket in the first folded position 144 wherein the outer surface 128 of the convertible blanket 100 are visible. The left edge 114 and the right edge 116 are brought together and fastened with zipper 126, thereby producing a front side 146 which is the side visible in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 5 the bottom flap 136 and the bottom 108 of convertible blanket 100 can be folded inside out into the second folded position, such that open upper edge 140 of bottom flap 136 becomes visible on front side 146 of the convertible blanket 100 in the second folded position 148.

FIG. 6 shows how the top edge 110 of the top 106 of convertible blanket 100 can be turned down on each side thereby revealing inner surface 104 of convertible blanket 100. In FIG. 6 the front side 146 is visible as is the outer surface 128 as well as a portion of the inner surface 104 being the portion of the top edge which has been turned down. FIG. 7(a) is a schematic diagram of the backside 154 of convertible blanket 100 in the second folded position 148.

FIG. 7(b) shows convertible blanket 100 in the second folded position 148 with the bottom flap 136 turned inside out, such that upper edge 140 is visible on the front side 146 similar to that shown in FIG. 6.

By folding the top edge 110 downwardly in accordance with the folding direction arrows 143 shown in FIG. 7(a) and 7(b), one can place convertible blanket 100 into the third folded position 156 as shown in FIG. 8. In the third folded position 156, the top flap outer side 152 is clearly visible and the top edge 110 of convertible blanket 100 is turned down onto the front side 146 of convertible blanket 100.

By further folding the top flap 130 downwardly as shown by the folding direction arrows 145 one can completely fold convertible blanket 100 into the bottom flap 136 placing the convertible blanket 100 into the fourth folded position 158 which is a pillow configuration 160.

Referring now to FIG. 10 showing the convertible blanket 100 deployed onto a car seat having a harness 164.

In FIG. 10 vertical slit 120 is shown in the slit open position 162 thereby providing for passage way of harness 164 through vertical slit 120. In addition, a portion of harness 164 also passes through horizontal slit 124 as shown in FIG. 10. This is one particular harness configuration which convertible blanket 100 is adapted to be used with.

Of particular note is the fact that despite the fact that vertical slits 120 are shown in a slit open position 162 the back of the infant or the child fastened underneath harness 164 will not be exposed directly to the seat below, but rather to the centre flap inner side 166. Therefore, the person skilled in the art will note that one of the purposes of centre flap 132 is to ensure protection of the back or the portion of the infant which is resting against the back portion of the convertible blanket 100 when vertical slit 120 is in the slit open position 162.

FIG. 11 shows a schematic perspective view of a child 168 in a harness 164 and inside the convertible blanket 100 with bottom flap 136 turned inside out thereby protecting the feet or the bottom portion of the infant or child. One can also see that a portion of the inner surface 104 is visible as well as the outer surface 128 and the harness 164 holds the child into car seat 170.

FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view of the convertible blanket showing an alternate configuration of harness 164. In this case the harness shown is a three point harness 164 with vertical slit 120 in the slit open position 162. A portion of the harness 164 passes through vertical slit 120 and also one portion passes through horizontal slit 124.

As per the previous harness arrangements shown in FIG. 10 with vertical slit 120 in the slit open position 162, the backside of the infant rests against centre flap inner side 166 as shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 13 is a schematic flow diagram of the steps and/or the method used in order to convert the blanket from one position into the next.

From the open position 102 or the unfolded position 111, one folds the left edge 114 and the right edge 116 of the blanket towards the longitudinal centre 122 to fasten the left edge and the right edge together with the zipper 126 to place the blanket into the first folded position shown as 182 in FIG. 13.

Thereafter, one turns the bottom flap inside out such that the upper edge 140 and the bottom flap inner side 150 are now located on the front side 146 forming a second folded position shown as 184 in FIG. 13.

Subsequently folding the top flap 130 downwardly over onto the front side 146, such that the top flap outer side 152 is now part of the front side 146, putting the blanket into the third folded position shown in FIG. 13 as 186.

Finally one folds the top downwardly again and into the pocket formed by bottom flap 136 such that the entire top portion of the blanket folds into the bottom flap creating a pillow configuration, thereby forming a fourth folded position, shown as 188 in FIG. 13.

Referring now to FIGS. 14 and 15 which shows yet another position namely, fifth folded position 800 wherein the top flap 130 is folded inside out, rather than folded over on top of itself as shown in FIG. 8. In the inside-out position the length of the blanket does not change, but rather only the position of the open lower edge 310 moves from the back of the blanket to the front side of the blanket. In fifth folded position 800 top flap 130 is in a flat inside-out position 802, such that the head 804 of a child 168 lies flat on the top flap outer side 152.

As shown in FIG. 15, it is possible to put top flap 130 into raised inside-out position 806 wherein the head 804 of a child 168 is partially covered by the top flap 130. The reader will note that in both inside-out positions, either the flat inside out position 802 or the raised inside-out position 806, the open lower edge 310 is visible on the front side of the blanket.

In this manner the head 804 of a child can be partially covered to protect it from heat, cold and/or generally to cover its eyes to allow it to sleep. Other benefits of the fifth folded position are apparent from the description and the drawings.

It should be apparent to persons skilled in the arts that various modifications and adaptation of this structure described above are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention the scope of which defined in the appended claim.

Claims

1) A convertible blanket comprising;

a) a top and a bottom, an inner surface, an outer surface, a left longitudinal edge, and a right longitudinal edge;

b) a vertical slit extending partially along the longitudinal center of the convertible blanket;

c) a center flap fastened to the outer surface in covering relationship to the vertical slit,

d) a fastening means for fastening together the left longitudinal edge, and the right longitudinal edge proximate the longitudinal center thereby placing the blanket in a first folded position.

2) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the center flap being securely fastened to the outer surface at top and bottom ends of the center flap and unattached at each longitudinally extending open side such that the blanket adapted to receive objects extending from the outer side to the inner side of the blanket by passing through the open side of the center flap and on through the vertical slit.

3) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 further including a laterally oriented horizontal slit below the lower most part of the center flap and extending partially across the convertible blanket.

4) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the outer surface further including a bottom flap fastened to and covering a portion of the bottom of the convertible blanket, wherein the bottom flap having one edge coextensive with a bottom edge of the convertible blanket and including an open upper edge spaced from and parallel to the bottom edge.

5) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 4 wherein the bottom flap fastened to the convertible blanket at the bottom edge and side edges of the bottom flap such that the flap forming a pocket accessible through the open upper edge.

6) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the outer surface further including a top flap fastened to and covering a portion of the top of the convertible blanket, wherein the top flap having one edge coextensive with a top edge of the convertible blanket and the top flap including an open lower edge spaced from and parallel to the top edge.

7) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 6 wherein the top flap fastened to the convertible blanket at the top edge and side edges of the bottom flap such that the flap forming a pocket accessible through the open lower edge.

8) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the blanket dimensioned such that in the first folded position the lateral width of the blanket being substantially the lateral width of the bottom flap.

9) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the fastening means including a zipper for attaching the edges together.

10) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the vertical slit extending less than ⅔ of the longitudinal length of the blanket.

11) The convertible blanket claimed in claim 1 wherein the length of the horizontal slit being less than the lateral width of the center flap.