Patent Application
20140298564
The present disclosure relates to the field of comforters and blankets. More particularly, the present disclosure is in the field of comforters and blankets for babies, toddlers and other small humans.
Human beings have been using blanket type apparatuses to provide comfort and protection from the elements for hundreds of years. For example, early cave people likely used the skin and fur from animals to make the first forms of blankets.
As society and technology advanced, so too did blanket technology. People began knitting and weaving them out of string, which was greatly accelerated with development of mechanical looms and the cotton gin.
Blankets in modern society continued to advance with high technology textiles, such as microfibers, and with increased diversity in their shape and design. For example, one recently popular blanket device is the Snuggie™ which is a wearable type blanket with sleeves.
Although there have been many advancements in blanket technology sense its initial inception, it is apparent that continued development exists for specific applications. One such application is the development of a blanket specifically designed for a baby or small human to be used in conjunction with various baby or small human transporting apparatus.
The present disclosure includes an apparatus for protecting a baby or toddler from the elements. The apparatus is a blanket having an interior surface and an exterior surface. A perimeter of the blanket may include a base edge with opposite ends, two side edges extending from opposite ends of the base edge, and a pair of intersecting top edges, with one top edge extending from each side edges.
A hood may be disposed on the interior surface of the blanket in an area where the top edges intersect, and a bottom strap is secured to the blanket and disposed along the bottom edge.
The blanket may further include one or more fasteners affixed to the blanket along the side edge(s).
One method to use the above described apparatus to protect from the elements includes placing the blanket over a baby or small human transporting device. The apparatus may then be secured to the transporting device with the fasteners and enclosed around a portion of the transporting device and/or human with the bottom strap.
Disclosed is an apparatus for protecting a baby or toddler from the elements. With reference to
In one embodiment, the base edge 35 with opposite ends 36, the two side edges 40 extending from opposite ends 36 of the base edge 35, and the pair of top edges 45, give the perimeter of the blanket 20 a shape similar to that of home plate on a baseball field. To form this shape, the side edges 40 extend generally perpendicular to the base edge 35, and a point of intersection 46 of the top edges 45 is generally equidistant from the side edges 40. The blanket 20 of this embodiment is about 36″ tall and 36″ wide.
The blanket 20 may be made from a single sheet of material, or from a first sheet of material overlaid onto a second sheet of material. Additionally a third layer, or other type of insulation, such as cotton batting, could be sandwiched between the first and second sheets of material. It will be appreciated, however, that other constructions known to those skilled in the art may be used to practice the invention.
If a first and second sheet of material is used to form the blanket, then the materials can be of different type. In one embodiment the first layer of material may form the interior surface 25, and is made from a soft material, such as fleece, cotton, flannel, terry cloth, polyester or any other material known to those skilled in the art which would feel comfortable against a user's skin. The second layer of material may form the outer surface 30, and is made from a more durable material that is water resistant or water proof, such a polyester, polyurethane, or any other material, or combinations of materials, known to those skilled in the art which would provide additional protection from the elements.
A hood 50 may be disposed on the interior surface 25 of the top of the blanket 20 in an area where the top edges 45 intersect, and a bottom strap 55 is secured to the blanket 20 and disposed along the bottom edge 35. The hood 50 begins at the point of intersection of the top edges 46, and extends part way down the top edges 45, thereby forming a generally triangle shaped hood 50. With reference now to
The hood 50 may be made with the same material as the blanket, or from a different type of material. The hood 50 can be an additional layer secured to the other layers, or it can be an extension of one or more of the other layers that is folded over and secured. The hood 50 can be used to receive a child's head and protect it from inclement weather or avoid exposure to the sun.
The bottom strap 55 secured to the blanket along the bottom edge 35 may be oriented generally parallel to the bottom edge 35. As shown in
Alternatively, the bottom strap 55 may be connected to itself to form the closed loop by tying, hook and loop style fasteners, buckles, or any other means known to those skilled in the art. The bottom strap 55 can be made from a combination of materials, such as nylon and/or elastic, depending on the desired properties of the bottom strap 55. The ability to connect and tighten the bottom strap 55 provides the ability to create a custom fit around the child, adult and various accessory items, including over a car seat.
In one embodiment, the bottom edge 35 of the blanket 20 may include a sleeve 37. The sleeve 37 runs along the bottom edge 35 of the blanket 20, and is formed by attaching an additional sheet of material, or by folding over the blanket 20 onto itself. In one embodiment, the bottom strap 55 is disposed within the sleeve 37 running along the bottom edge 35.
One or more fastening straps 60 may be attached to the blanket 20. The fastening straps 60 may be located along the top edges 45, close to hood 50. The fastening straps 60 may be used to secure the blanket 20 to a baby or small human transporting device such as a stroller, car seat, front infant carrier, or any other transporting device known to those skilled in the art.
The fastening straps 60 may be tied around various portions of the transporting device to secure the blanket 20 to the device. As shown in
One or more handles 65 may be attached to the blanket along, and may be oriented generally parallel to, the side edge(s). The handles 65 may be used by a user when wearing the blanket in a cap type manner. The handles 65 can be made of a similar material to the blanket, any elastic material, or could be made from any other suitable flexible material. The handles 65 can be attached by sewing the handle at each of its ends to the blanket 20, or by any other means known to those skilled in the art. In the preferred embodiment, the handles 65 are generally less than 6″ long.
The blanket 20 can further include an elastic loop 70 secured to one of the side edges 40. As shown in
With reference to
When a stroller 75 is used as the transporting device, the blanket 20 may be oriented such that the hood is near a head end 76, or top, of the stroller, and the bottom edge 35 is near a foot end 77, or bottom, of the stroller 75. The fastening straps 60 attach to side rails 78 of the stroller 75 to maintain the blanket 20 in the proper position, and prevent a child 90 from kicking off the blanket 20 their lap. The bottom strap 55 can be used to enclose the feet of the child 90 to further protect from the elements.
When a car seat 80 is used as the transporting device, the blanket 20 may be oriented such that the hood 50 is positioned near a foot end 81 of the car seat, and the bottom edge 35 of the blanket is positioned near a head end 82 of the car seat 80. The hood 20 can be used to receive the child's feet, and the bottom strap 55 can be brought over the canopy of the car seat to completely protect the child from harsh weather. The fastening straps 60 can be secured to a handle 83 of the car seat 80 to maintain the blanket 20 in the proper position.
When a front infant/child carrier 85 is used as the transporting device, the blanket 20 may be oriented such that the hood 50 is near a head end 86, or top, of the carrier 85, and the bottom edge is near a foot end 87, or bottom, of the carrier. The fastening straps 60 attach to shoulders straps 88 of the carrier 85 to maintain the blanket in the proper position. The hood 50 can be brought up over the head of the child 90 in the carrier 85, to protect the child 90 from the elements. The bottom strap 55 can be used to enclose the bottom of the carrier, the adult wearing the carrier, and feet of the child to further protect from the elements.
The disclosed apparatus is not restricted to the illustrated examples and embodiments described above. The embodiments are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Methods, apparatus, and the like described herein are exemplary and not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art.
This application depends from and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/853,528 filed Apr. 8, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61853528 | Apr 2013 | US |
