Beach Blanket System

Abstract

A beach blanket system. The beach blanket system includes a flexible body having a plurality of perimeter edges. Side channels each having a pair of opposing open ends are disposed on the flexible body along each perimeter edge. One or more corner pockets may be disposed in corner portions of the flexible body. The beach blanket system further includes a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve having an open end and a closed end, such that each sleeve is configured to receive and retain particular matter therein. Each sleeve is removably securable within one of the side channels. In operation, the sleeves can be filled with sand or other material and be inserted into the side channels to weigh down the flexible body and prevent unwanted movement of the beach blanket.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/701,124 filed on Jul. 20, 2018. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to beach blankets. More particularly, the present invention provides a beach blanket system having side channels and fillable inserts that can be filled with material and inserted into the side channels to weigh down the beach blanket and prevent unwanted movement thereof.

Many individuals spend time at the beach or other similar sandy areas. In such environments, individuals often place a blanket on the sand and use the blanket for sitting, laying down, or supporting personal items in a such a way that no contact with the sand is made. While blankets provide a barrier between the individual and the sand, they are not always effective. For example, wind gusts can cause the blanket to lift upward and blow away. The blanket must be retrieved and set up again, which can be an inconvenient annoyance. As another example, individuals walking past the blanket may accidentally kick the blanket and cause it to bunch up or otherwise be knocked out of position. Individuals may have to constantly readjust the beach blanket to a desired position, which can be frustrating.

One potential remedy for oft-moving blankets is to position personal items in such a way that they hold the blanket in place. However, if those items need to be moved for any reason, the blanket may no longer be held in place and may be blown away before the items are placed back down on the blanket. Another potential solution is to pile sand onto portions of the blanket, or to bury the corners of the blanket in the sand. However, the sand can be easily blown away or otherwise moved, and the blanket can come lose. Further, sand gets all of over the blanket and defeats the purpose of using the blanket as a sand barrier. In view of the above concerns, it is desirable to provide a beach blanket system that includes a means for weighing down the beach blanket to prevent unwanted movement thereof.

Devices have been disclosed in the known art that relate to beach blanket systems having weights to prevent movement. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent applications. However, the devices in the known art have several drawbacks. For example, some devices in the known art provide beach blankets with fixed weights attached, which causes the blanket to be difficult to handle. Other devices in the known art include heavy removable weights that must be transported and handled each time the beach blanket is used, which can be cumbersome and inconvenient. Further, the devices in the known art fail to provide a beach blanket system that includes a plurality of side channels configured to receive sleeves that can be filled with sand or other material in order to prevent unwanted movement of the beach blanket.

In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements and functional elements from the known art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing beach blanket devices. In this regard the present invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of beach blankets now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a beach blanket system wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when weighing down a beach blanket to prevent unwanted movement thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the beach blanket system of the present invention comprises a flexible body having a plurality of perimeter edges, and a side channel disposed on the flexible body along each perimeter edge of the plurality of perimeter edges, wherein each side channel comprises a pair of open ends. The beach blanket system further comprises a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve comprising an open end and a closed end, wherein each sleeve is configured to receive and retain particular matter therein. Each sleeve is removably securable within one of the side channels, so as to weigh down the beach blanket and secure it to the ground in a desired position.

One object of the present invention is to provide a beach blanket system that includes the advantages of beach blanket systems in the known art and none of their disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beach blanket system that includes one or more straps for securing the beach blanket system in a rolled or otherwise folded configuration, allowing the beach blanket system to be easily transported and stored when not in use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a beach blanket system that includes one or more corner pockets for providing additional storage when the beach blanket system is in use.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the beach blanket system.

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of a corner portion of an embodiment of the beach blanket system.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the beach blanket system with an inset view detailing the sleeve and side channel components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the beach blanket system. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for providing a beach blanket that can be weighed down with removable, material-filled sleeves. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the beach blanket system. The beach blanket system 11 includes a flexible body 12 composed of one or more layers of material. The materials used in the construction of the flexible body 12 may include any suitable fabrics or other types of material. The materials used are preferably durable and washable, such that the beach blanket system 11 may be easily cleaned if needed. In the illustrated embodiment, the flexible body 12 includes a rectangular shape. In alternate embodiments, the flexible body 12 may include other perimeter shapes.

The beach blanket system 11 further includes side channels 17 disposed on the flexible body 12 along each perimeter edge. Each side channel 17 includes a pair of open ends 19. Each side channel 17 is configured to receive a sleeve of material therein (illustrated in FIG. 3). In the illustrated embodiment, the beach blanket system 11 further includes corner pockets 14 disposed on each of the corner portions of the flexible body 12. In other embodiments, the beach blanket system 11 may include any number of corner pockets 14, including embodiments with no corner pockets 14. The corner pockets 14 provide additional storage space for personal items or other objects.

In the shown embodiment, the beach blanket system 11 includes a pair of straps 20 affixed thereto. Other embodiments may include more or less straps 20, including embodiments with no straps 20. The straps 20 are configured to secure the flexible body 12 of the beach blanket system 11 in a rolled or otherwise folded configuration, allowing the beach blanket system 11 to be easily transported and stored when not in use. The straps 20 may be adjustable in length in some embodiments, and may include one or more fasteners such as a slide buckle, hook and loop material, snaps, or any other suitable fasteners for securing the straps in a looped configuration around the flexible body 12 of the beach blanket system 11. In other embodiments, the straps 20 may simply be tied together to secure the beach blanket system 11 in a rolled or folded configuration.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a top plan view of a corner portion of an embodiment of the beach blanket system. In the illustrated embodiment, the corner pocket 14 comprises an open end 15 oriented toward a center portion of the flexible body 12 and a pair of closed ends 16 each bounded by an edge of one of the side channels 17. This allows for easy access to the items stored in the corner pocket 14. In alternate embodiments, the corner pocket 14 may include a fastener disposed on the open end 15, such as hook and loop material, snaps, or the like, for selectively closing off the corner pocket 14. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the straps 20 are affixed to a common perimeter edge of the flexible body 12, and are oriented parallel to one another to facilitate the process of folding and securing the flexible body 12 in a compact position. However, in other embodiments, the straps 20 may be affixed anywhere along the flexible body 12.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the beach blanket system with an inset view detailing the sleeve and side channel components. The beach blanket system further includes a plurality of sleeves 21 that can be filled with material and inserted into the side channels 17 in order to weigh down the flexible body 12 of the beach blanket system. In the event that sleeve filling material is unavailable, or in the event that a sleeve 21 is not readily available for use, an individual may insert a water bottle or any other suitable weighted object into the side channel 17 in order to weigh down the edges of the beach blanket and prevent unwanted movement from occurring. Since they retain the weighted objects within their respective interiors, the side channels 17 prevent the weighted objects from accidentally being moved off of the flexible body 12 of the beach blanket system.

Each sleeve 21 includes an open end 22 and a closed end (not visible), and some embodiments include a closure flap 23 that can be selectively folded to a closed position to retain material within the sleeve 21. In some embodiments, the sleeve closure flap 23 includes a fastener such as a snap, hook and loop material, or any other suitable fastener for securing the sleeve closure flap 23 in a closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve 21 is composed of a transparent or translucent material. This allows individuals to observe the contents of the sleeve 21 and determine if additional material can be added to provide additional weight. However, in other embodiments, the sleeve 21 can be composed of an opaque material.

In operation, users may fill the sleeves 21 with any desired material 40 to provide additional weight. It is contemplated that users will till the sleeves 21 with sand that can be gathered around the area where the beach blanket system will be positioned for use. When in an open position, the sleeve closure flap 23 serves as a scoop for users when filling the sleeve 21 with sand. Users may drag the sleeve 21 along the sand with the sleeve closure flap 23 contacting the sand, such that the concave shape of the closure flap 23 funnels material 40 through the open end 22 and into the sleeve 21.

After filling the sleeves 21 with material 40, the user may insert the sleeves 21 into the side channels 17 through either open end 19 thereof. In some embodiments, each side channel 19 includes a closure flap 24 configured to selectively close the open ends 19 of the side channel 17. In this embodiment, the closure flap 24 helps to retain each sleeve 21 within its respective side channel 17. The side channel closure flaps 24 may include a fastener such snaps, hook and loop material, or any other suitable fastener for securing the side channel closure flaps 24 in a closed position. In another embodiment, the open ends 19 of the side channels 17 have no closure flaps such that they maintain an open configuration, allowing a user to easily slide the sleeve 21 in and out of the side channel 17 from either direction, thereby quickly setting up the beach blanket system for use. The open ends 19 of the side channels 17 also allow the beach blanket system to be quickly and easily broken down for storage. For example, when packing up the beach blanket system after use, the beach blanket can be lifted up and the sleeves 21 will automatically slide out of their respective side channels 17. The same effect will occur if a user wishes to remove other weighted objects such as water bottles from the side channels 17. In this way, the beach blanket system can be easily filled with weighted sleeves 21 and secured to the sand, but also easily disassembled and folded to a compact position for easy transport and storage when not in use.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, filling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1) A beach blanket system, comprising:

a flexible body having a plurality of perimeter edges;

a side channel disposed on the flexible body along each perimeter edge of the plurality of perimeter edges, each side channel comprising a pair of opposing open ends,

a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve comprising an open end and a closed end, wherein each sleeve is configured to receive and retain particular matter therein;

wherein each sleeve is removably securable within one of the side channels.

2) The beach blanket system of claim 1, wherein each sleeve is composed of a transparent material.

3) The beach blanket system of claim 1, further comprising one or more straps configured to adjustably secure the flexible body in a rolled configuration.

4) The beach blanket system of claim 3, wherein the one or more straps comprise one or more fasteners.

5) The beach blanket system of claim 1, wherein each sleeve includes a closure flap configured to selectively close the open end of the sleeve.

6) The beach blanket system of claim 5, wherein each closure flap of each sleeve comprises one or more fasteners.

7) The beach blanket system of claim 1, wherein each side channel includes a closure flap configured to selectively close one of the opposing open ends of the side channel.

8) The beach blanket system of claim 7, wherein each closure flap of each side channel comprises one or more fasteners.

9) A beach blanket system, comprising:

a flexible body having a plurality of perimeter edges;

a side channel disposed on the flexible body along each perimeter edge of the plurality of perimeter edges, each side channel comprising a pair of opposing open ends;

a corner pocket disposed in a corner portion of the flexible body;

a plurality of sleeves, each sleeve comprising an open end and a closed end, wherein each sleeve is configured to receive and retain particular matter therein;

wherein each sleeve is removably securable within one of the side channels.

10) The beach blanket system of claim 9, wherein each sleeve is composed of a transparent material.

11) The beach blanket system of claim 9, further comprising one or more straps configured to adjustably secure the flexible body in a rolled configuration.

12) The beach blanket system of claim 11, wherein the one or more straps comprise one or more fasteners.

13) The beach blanket system of claim 9, wherein each sleeve includes a closure flap configured to selectively close the open end of the sleeve.

14) The beach blanket system of claim 13, wherein each closure flap of each sleeve comprises one or more fasteners.

15) The beach blanket system of claim 9, wherein each side channel includes a closure flap configured to selectively close one of the opposing open ends of the side channel.

16) The beach blanket system of claim 15, wherein each closure flap of each side channel comprises one or more fasteners.

17) The beach blanket system of claim 9, wherein the corner pocket comprises an open end oriented toward a center portion of the flexible body and a pair of closed ends each bounded by an edge of one of the side channels.