Patent Application
20250072533
Therapeutic weighted blankets are known in the prior art and can be used with persons suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Asperger's syndrome, autism, anxiety, depression and other neuropsychic diagnoses as well as persons without a diagnosed mental health condition who may be suffering from insomnia or other states in which a weight blanket would be desirable. The pressure applied by the weighted blanket often helps to alleviate neuropsychic symptoms experienced by the user. Weighted blankets have become increasingly popular and the use of weighted blankets is backed by scientific studies.
Weighted articles of clothing have even been described for similar applications. For example, the closest prior art U.S. Pat. No. 11,219,248 discloses an article of clothing and a method of manufacture thereof, where, the article of clothing includes a weighted material inconspicuously disposed within a material forming the article, where the weighted material is configured to apply a therapeutic pressure to the body of a user when the article of clothing is worn.
However, it may not be desirable for the weighted material to be inconspicuously disposed within a material used to form the article. There is still a need in the art for innovation in the arts relevant to weighted articles of clothing.
It would be desirable in many circumstances to have visibility of weighted elements in an article of clothing. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention describe weighted materials contained in pattern elements such as in a sweatshirt.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a weighted sweatshirt, comprising: one or more pattern elements; and one or more weighting materials, wherein the weighting materials are dispersed inside the pattern elements.
Hood 101 is an optional element which may be included in some embodiments. Pocket 111 is also an optional element. Left sleeve 105 and right sleeve 103 are both parts of the body of the sweatshirt. Drawstrings 109 are another optional element and can be used to tighten hood 101 around the face of the wearer.
Pattern elements 107 contain weighting materials and give the sweatshirt its functionality. Pattern elements 107 can be any type of pattern; for example, a cloud pattern as shown in the exemplary embodiment. Pattern elements 107 are designed to be in view. It is advantageous in some circumstances for the weighted elements of a weighted article of clothing to be in view for the wearer and/or other observers, because viewing the weighted elements visually may provide some additional comfort to the wearer and/or the observer.
In the back view the back side of hood 101 (an optional element which may be included in some embodiments) can be observed. Pocket 111 is obscured from view. The back sides of right sleeve 105 and left sleeve 103 can be observed.
Pattern elements 107 can be observed from the back side in the exemplary embodiment, but in other embodiments pattern elements could be confined to the front side only of a weighted sweatshirt according to the present invention. Pattern elements 107 in other embodiments can be distributed in any number of ways, including for example in embodiments having only one pattern element or having pattern elements contained only on the sleeves, not on the sleeves, or in a wide variety of other configurations. Pattern elements 107 can be placed in a customized fashion for a particular wearer or customized for particular neuropsychic conditions.
Pattern elements 107 could be comprised of a multitude of different shapes including, only for example and not limited to, clouds, Stars, hearts, flowers, sun/circle, triangle, oval, square, moon, cars, dinosaurs, leaf, and egg shapes.
A variety of different types of sweatshirts are encompassed in embodiments of the present invention, including what may commonly be referred to as shirts or sweaters.
Hood 101 (an optional feature of some embodiments) can again be observed in cross-sectional view. Pocket 111 (another optional feature of some embodiments) can also again be observed in cross-sectional view.
Left sleeve 105 and right sleeve 103 are obscured from view in the cross-sectional depiction in
Pattern elements 107 contain weighting materials 201. In the cross-sectional view, it can be observed that weighting materials 201 are arranged to give the pattern elements some amount of depth, i.e., give the sweatshirt some thickness at the position of the pattern elements.
The amount of depth (i.e., thickness) is variable in embodiments and can depend on, for example, the specific weighting materials used, the amount of weight needed by a particular user or for a particular condition, the nature of the pattern element, and other factors.
Many different types of weighted materials can comprise the discrete elements visible in
Beads used as weighting materials 201 could be glass beads, plastic beads, poly pellets, poly beads or plastic pellets. Glass beads have a higher density than poly plastic pellets so they are less bulky while providing the same weight. Glass beads are also referred to as micro glass beads, as they are tiny, miniscule beads, and they resemble sugar crystals or white beach sand in look and feel.
Plastic poly pellets are small, plastic round beads, and the texture of these beads is similar to that of a pebble. They are generally not as smooth as glass beads.
Steel beads are similar to glass beads in that they are heavier than plastic and steel beads are slightly larger in size than glass beads. It is possible also to use sand. Sand is a very cost effective way to add weight. However, problems can arise when this filler is used instead of a more reliable, intentionally-designed type of filler like beads or pellets.
It is possible to customize the sizing and/or weighting of an embodiment for an individual or a particular condition. Custom patterns could also be designed for and/or by a person and a weighted sweatshirt produced according to the design of the custom pattern.
A weighted sweatshirt could be fit for a person by taking one or more measurements of the person and providing a weighted sweatshirt based on the measurements.
It is also possible to select a weighted sweatshirt for a person, by assessing one or more mental health symptoms of the person and providing a weighted sweatshirt based on the measurements.
