Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WEIGHTED BLANKET
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a blanket or cover with a weighted perimeter
or
border useful for covering humans. This invention is an improvement over known
blankets and covers because the weighted perimeter or border serves as a type
of anchor,
improving the physics of the blanket or cover, by allowing the blanket or
cover to rest
more firmly on the user, minimizing shifting.
1 S BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous materials have been used as blankets and covers for people engaging
in
sleep, rest, relaxation: and the pursuit of warmth. Blankets and covers come
in many
different shapes, sizes and designs based on particular needs, tastes,
preferences and
materials available.
A primary problem with the typical blanket or cover and lighter weight
blankets
or covers is that when the user engaging in sleep, rest, relaxation or pursuit
of warmth
shifts the body either consciously or unconsciously, such shifts often tend to
cause the
blanket or cover in use to also shift thereby falling or moving out of the
desired position
chosen by the user. The user of the blanket or cover must then readjust the
blanket or
cover to replace it in its original desired or chosen position. Such shifting
commonly
occurs with thin blankets or covers which tend to shift often due to their
light weight.
Afghans, throws and other blankets and covers used for warmth while relaxing,
resting,
sleeping or while engaging in leisure activities such as reading a book on a
couch,
watching television on a couch or chair etc., also have the tendency to shift,
move or fall
out of position when the user shifts his/her body.
Airplane blankets are small and thin and also shift position frequently when
being
used. It is difficult to keep such blankets or covers of this size and weight
in place,
especially when the user is trying to sleep in a somewhat upright position.
Prior to this invention, blankets, covers, sheets, bedspreads, comforters,
afghans,
throws and other similar cloths used for covering humans have relied on bulk,
thickness,
shape and/or size to stay in the desired position.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a blanket or cover with a weighted perimeter
or
border for covering mammals or humans. The blankets or covers of variable
thickness
and/or weight and made of various known materials or fabrics having a weighted
perimeter or border provide an "anchoring" ability to keep the blanket or
cover in the
desired or chosen position. In a specific embodiment, the invention provides
for light or
medium thickness blankets or covers for use in covering mammals or humans
which are
weighted along the perimeter or border having the "anchoring" ability without
the bulk of
a thick blanket or cover.
In another embodiment the invention provides blankets or covers with a
weighted
perimeter or border that can be used as a layer of warmth for covering mammals
or
humans engaging in outdoor leisure activity such as camping, sporting event
spectating,
etc.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings
an
embodiment of the invention. It is understood, however, that the invention is
not limited
to the specific elements and arrangement shown but encompasses various
blankets and
covers weighted at the perimeter or border for covering humans or mammals
which
variations would be obvious to one skilled in the art from a reading of the
present
specification.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the blanket or cover with a weighted perimeter or
border
for covering humans or mammals.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the blanket or cover showing with more
specificity a
particular embodiment of the weighted perimeter or border.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Refernng to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an elevated planar view of the blanket
or
cover A with the weighted perimeter or border B. The perimeter or border B
contains a
weighted material. The blanket or cover can be made of any suitable material
for making
blankets or covers known to those skilled in the art. The blanket or cover as
shown is
approximately in the shape of a square with, but not limited to, rounded
edges. It is
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S understood, however, that the blanket or cover may be of any shape suitable
for covering
a human or mammal, including but not limited to regular shapes such as square,
rectangular, circular and octagonal or irregular shapes. The preferred shape
is square or
rectangular.
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the bottom side of the blanket or
cover,
wherein D is a flexible tube filled with beans, distributed throughout the
tube. The tube
D, in this particular embodiment, is secured within a folded over portion of
the edge of
the blanket or cover, thereby forming a retaining pocket around the perimeter
or border of
the blanket. In this specific embodiment, C represents a stitch securing the
tube D, within
the folded over portion of the edge of the blanket or cover. E represents
particles used to
create the weighted perimeter or border within the tube. In the present
instance, the
weighted particles comprise beans, such as used in common bean bags. The
weighted
perimeter or border allows the human user to position the blanket in the
desired position
to hold the blanket or cover in place while resting, relaxing, sleeping and
the like.
It is understood that the blanket, throw or cover can be made of any material
known in the art suitable for a blanket or cover used for covering a human or
mammal.
As discussed above, the blanket can be of any shape suitable for covering a
human or
mammal, which shapes include, but are not limited to, square and rectangular.
As shown in the drawings, the weighted perimeter or border comprises a tube
filled with beans sewn into a folded over portion of the edge of the blanket
or cover. The
tube can be comprised of any material or substance suitable for human use
which is
pliable or flexible, to allow for folding of the blanket or cover, yet is of
sufficient strength
to contain the weighting material. Such tube can be made of, but not limited
to, cloth,
rubber, plastic, cellophane and the like. The weighted material used to fill
the tube can be
any material suitable for providing sufficient weight to hold the blanket or
cover in place
on the human or mammalian user, but is capable of allowing folding of the
blanket or
cover for storage and is preferably, but not limited to, solid or semi-solid
materials.
Examples of such weighting material include, but are not limited to, beans,
rice, pellets,
weighted particles, polypellets, polypropylene pellets, weighted stuffing
material, P.E.
pellets, plastic particles and the like.
As shown in the drawings, the tube is secured around the perimeter or border
of
the blanket or cover by stitching a folded over portion of the edge of the
blanket around
the tube. It is understood that such stitching can be achieved using any known
material
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suitable for stitching on blankets or covers used by humans or mammals.
Alternatively,
the folded over portion of the edge of the blanket or cover can be secured
with a zipper,
buttons, snaps, VELCROTM hook and loop fasteners, hooks and loops, tacking,
fasteners
or any other material known for securing such edge of material in place. Such
alternative
embodiments allow for easy access or removal of the weighted tube for repair
of the tube
or easy cleaning of the blanket or cover.
For illustration purposes, a particular embodiment of the invention comprises
a
multipurpose domestic blanket or cover useful for covering humans or mammals
with a
weighted perimeter or border comprising a cloth tube filled with beans or
plastic particles
distributed throughout the tube, secured along the perimeter of the blanket or
cover in a
folded over portion of the edge of the blanket or cover, such edge being sewn
closed or
closeable with a zipper or other fastening means.
Alternatively, it is envisioned that the weighted perimeter or border may be a
separate piece from the blanket or cover. Such separate piece would be made of
a
suitable material for attaching to the blanket or cover and would be tubular
in nature. As
used herein, the term "tubular in nature" refers to any tube-like material of
any shape or
size capable of providing containment of a weighted material or substance, yet
being
flexible enough for folding. Such separate tubular piece would then be
attached to the
perimeter or border of the blanket or cover by any securing or fastening means
known to
those skilled in the art for attaching two materials together. Such securing
or fastening
means include, but are not limited to, zippers, buttons, snaps, hooks,
VELCROTM hook
and loop fasteners, tacking materials and the like.
One embodiment of the present invention can be made as follows. A piece of
polyester polar fleece material of approximately 65 inch by 65 inch is
provided, with a
cover stitch applied to its edge. The edges of a woven material are sewn
together to form
a tube, filled with approximately 620-grams, of beans, and then sewn closed.
The filled
woven tube is placed along the edge of the blanket, which is then folded over.
Finally, a
stitch is applied to the folded over edge, thereby creating the weighted
perimeter.
An alternate embodiment of the present invention can be made as follows. A
piece of polyester polar fleece material of approximately 63 inch by 63 inch
is provided.
In addition, a 4-inch strip of taffeta material is provided for the flexible
tube. The edges
of the tafetta material are sewn together, except at one point, to create the
flexible tube.
Then approximately 700 grams of polypropylene pellets are inserted into the
tube and the
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tube is sewn closed. The edge of the polar fleece material is folded over,
with the filled
tube therein. A stitch is then applied along the folded over edge, thereby
creating the
weighted perimeter. A finishing touch is added with Poly tape.
As used herein the term "perimeter" means the border, circumference or outer
boundary of a blanket oi- cover material of any shape or size which terms can
all be used
interchangeably. Alternatively, the term "perimeter" can mean that the
weighted material
or substance is placed at the portion of the border or outer boundary,
including, but not
limited to, 1 side, 2 sides, 3 sides, a portion of any side, or one or more
corner portions
and any combination thereof, or the like.
The embodiments and illustrations of the invention herein are intended to be
merely illustrative of the present invention, and not limiting thereof in
either scope or
spirit. Those with skill in the art will readily understand that known
variations of shapes,
sizes, materials and designs can be used to make the weighted blankets or
covers of the
present invention.
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