Tote Coat

Abstract

A portable and collapsible combined coat and blanket and item bag for an infant, alternately able to function as clothing or changing pad or swaddling, having the advantages of minimizing quantity of items which must be carried in order to bring a child and necessary items away from a home, such as to do errands, and simplifying the number of steps necessary to perform changing of a diaper, as well as to adjust clothing or access items, in order to accommodate the needs of a child.

Claims

1. A garment comprising: A coat section having an interior for receiving a child and A blanket section, wherein the blanket section is defined between an upper blanket terminus and a lower blanket terminus, and the coat section is defined between an upper coat terminus and a lower coat terminus, the blanket section and coat section being arranged with the upper blanket terminus abutting the lower coat terminus, such that the coat section and the blanket section comprise a textile ply that extends continuously between the upper coat terminus to the lower blanket terminus.

2. The garment of claim 1, further wherein the upper coat terminus comprises a hood

3. The garment of claim 1, further wherein the coat section comprises sleeves

4. The garment of claim 1, further wherein the coat section comprises a left breast panel and a right breast panel, the left breast panel and right breast panel being adapted to wrap about the upper body of a child wearing the garment and engage one another, to enclose substantially all of the upper body of the child.

5. The garment of claim 4, wherein the right breast and the left breast Comprise coat Fasteners, such that the left breast and the right breast are adapted to be fastened with respect to one another, independently of the blanket section.

6. The garment of claim 1, wherein the lower terminus of the blanket section is located, with respect to the body of a child wearing the garment and laying on a surface, such that the blanket section provides a separating layer of sufficient area to separate substantially all of the lower body of the child from the surface.

7. The garment of claim 1, wherein the coat section comprises garment structure adapted to fit with respect to the upper body of a particular size of child.

8. The garment of claim 1, wherein the blanket section is shaped such that it is a substantially uninterrupted area of fabric between the upper blanket terminus and the lower blanket terminus.

9. The garment of claim 1, the blanket section being sized and shaped such that it is adapted to flexibly articulate with respect to the coat section to envelop the coat-section.

10. The garment of claim 9, wherein the garment is adapted to folding into a compact portable form-factor when not in use.

11. The garment of claim 1, the blanket section being sized and shaped to flexibly articulate forward with respect to the legs of a child wearing the garment, and fit with respect to the child, such that the garment is closed to envelop the lower body of the child.

12. The garment of claim 11, wherein the garment is adapted to be closed with respect to the lower body of the child, such that the torso, legs, and feet are contained within the garment.

13. The garment of claim 11, wherein the blanket section is adapted to flexibly articulate forward and be retained with respect to the coat section such that the lower blanket terminus is located with respect to the interior of the coat section

14. The garment of claim 11, wherein the blanket section has a width defined by outermost edges along its entire length and is adapted to flexibly articulate forward and form a fold, the fold demarcating the blanket section into a front area and a back area, the front area and back area comprising engaging features that connect to one another such that the outermost edges of the blanket section engage one another at corresponding locations with respect to the fold.

15. The garment of claim 14, wherein the engaging features are adapted to enclose the sides of the garment along the length of the blanket section.

16. The garment of claim 1, further comprising a pocket adapted to accommodate items associated with the care of a child while the garment is in use, use being at least one selected from a list comprising: being worn by a child, being stowed for portability, the blanket section laying open, and the coat section being open, and being in a state in which the items may be selectably accessed, without the garment having to be stowed or on a the body of a child.

17. The garment of claim 1, wherein at least one section of the garment is of a size and shape adapted to accommodate retaining items in the section while the garment is in use, use being at least one selected from a list comprising: being worn by a child, being stowed for portability, the blanket section laying open, and the coat section being open, and being in a state in which the items may be selectably accessed, without the garment having to be stowed or on a the body of a child.

18. A garment comprising: A coat section for a child and A changing blanket section, wherein the blanket section is defined between an upper blanket terminus and a lower blanket terminus, and the coat section is defined between an upper coat terminus and a lower coat terminus, the blanket section and coat section being arranged with the upper blanket terminus abutting the lower coat terminus, such that the coat section and the blanket section form a textile ply that extends continuously between the upper coat terminus to the lower blanket terminus, and, wherein the coat section comprises garment structure appropriate to fit the physiology specific to a child of a particular size, the blanket section being sized and shaped to flexibly articulate and fit with respect to a child, in order to fit with respect the lower body of the child, further wherein the coat section comprises a left breast panel and a right breast panel, the left breast panel and right breast panel being adapted to independently wrap about the upper body of a child wearing the garment and engage one another, to enclose substantially all of the upper body of the child, and comprising sleeves.

19. The garment of claim 18, further wherein the blanket section is flexibly articulate to alternately lay under the lower body of a child wearing the garment, such that it provides a textile surface of sufficient area to separate substantially all of the lower body of the child while the child is laying atop a surface, and alternately be retained with respect to the coat section to at least one selected from a list comprising the outside of the coat section and interior of the coat section.

20. The garment of claim 19, wherein at least one section of the garment comprises a pocket and is of a size and shape adapted to accommodate retaining items in the pocket while the garment is in use, use being at least one selected from a list comprising: being worn by a child, being stowed for portability, the blanket section laying open, and the coat section being open, and being in a state in which the items may be selectably accessed, without the garment having to be stowed or on a the body of a child.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a garment in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a back view of an embodiment of a garment in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding. However, in certain instances, well known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description. References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure are not necessarily references to the same embodiment; and, such references mean at least one.

[0016] Reference in this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1, what is shown is a front view of an embodiment of a garment in accordance with the present disclosure as laid open on a flat surface. The embodiment shown is a single garment that is a combination coat and blanket for an infant. There is an upper body coat section (1) and a lower body blanket section (3). The coat section (1) has with structure specifically for appropriately fitting the upper body of a child, dissimilar to a formless blanket or wrap, which positively locates the garment. The coat-section (1)'s fit is appropriate to the specific physiology of a small child, having a coat-like left breast (5) and a coat-like right breast (7) appropriate to a particular size of child and which is not for universal fitment or ambiguously wrapping a child.

[0018] Visible in this view is the panel of the garment which forms the back (9, see FIG. 2) of the coat section. The back panel (9) compliments the size and shape of the left breast (5) and right breast (7), such that the back panel is appropriately sized to fit the back of a child having the same specific physiology to which the left (5) and right breast (7) were sized.

[0019] Continuing with FIG. 1, the lower body blanket section (3) is of a distinctly blanket-like construction, generally having the form of a continuous ply of material, and is substantially without structure adapted to fit the form or particular size and shape of a child. It comprises a blanket panel (11) having an area that is substantially regular width and length. The blanket panel (11) abuts the lower edge of the back (9), to form the back (9) and blanket panel (11) such that they form a continuous ply from the upper edge (13) of the upper body section (1) to the lower edge (15) of the lower body section (3). As shown, the garment laid flat, the blanket panel (11) and back (9) provide a substantially planar surface large enough to cover the upper body and lower body of a child whose physiology is approximately the correct size of the fit of the upper body coat-section (1).

[0020] In this arrangement, a child wearing the garment may be laid horizontally on a surface, clothed on its upper body, while the lower body of the child may be exposed. Used this way, a child may have its diaper changed or the child may otherwise be inspected or cleaned, without removing the upper body section (1), which keeps the child warmer during changing. Another benefit is that the continuous ply from the back (9) to the blanket panel (11) prevents any messes which might escape a diaper from also escaping the garment.

[0021] When a child is not being changed, the garment is meant to be simply worn, by the blanket panel (11) being pliant enough and being sized such that it can fold forward with respect to the legs of a child wearing the garment, without excess material. Corner fasteners (17) are shown near the bottom of the blanket panel (11) and on the outer edges of the exterior of the upper body portion (1). The corner fasteners (17) allow for the blanket panel (11) to be folded up and held to the upper body portion (1), on the outside of the upper body portion, whether the blanket panel (11) is folded forward in front of the left (5) and right (7) breasts or whether it is folded backward, to hold the panel behind the back (9) of the garment.

[0022] If the blanket section (3) is folded into the coat section (1), end fasteners (19) hold the bottom edge (15) of the blanket section (3) to the inside of the back (9). At the bottom edge (15) of the blanket section (3) is a pocket (21). Items can be stored in the pocket (3), such as the typical items that might be carried by a parent, when carrying a child on an errand. In this location, the pocket (21) is easily available to a parent while changing a diaper on the lower torso of a child on the blanket panel (11). In this position, items are reachable close to the parent, standing at end of the garment, and do not require reaching anywhere near the body of the child. In any mode of operation in which the blanket section (3) is folded up, the mouth of the pocket (21) points upward, so that gravity holds the items into the pocket (21).

[0023] The blanket section (3) also provides hook-and-loop strips (23) on the outermost edges of the blanket panel (11). Folding the blanket section (3) up into the coat section (1) allows the strips (23) to engage the interior surface of the coat section (1), such as inside the back (9) or inside the left and right breasts (5 and 7), to retain the blanket section (3) inside the coat section (1). When the garment is being worn by a child, the blanket panel (11) can be folded over the feet of a child, giving the blanket section (3) a front and a back area. In this mode of operation, a portion of each of the strips (23) is on the front and back area. Pressing the front and back areas together causes the strips (23) to engage with themselves, closing the edges of the blanket section (3), and allowing the garment to easily enclose the legs of a child inside the garment.

[0024] The blanket panel (11) is a large size, with respect to the back 9 or the left breast 5 and right breast panel (7) taken together. When the garment is not in use, this large area of the blanket panel (11) allows the lower body section (3) to be folded over the upper body section (1), and enclose it. When enclosing the upper body section (1), the lower body section (3) allows for the garment to take a more portable form, which encourages it to be taken along with a parent on a trip, and perhaps be kept in a vehicle or bag, even if it is not intended to be used on any particular trip. Being portable, this increases the likelihood of the garment's availability, if a moment should arrive at which it would be desirable to fit around a child, merely for its coat-like advantages, or laid out for its blanket-like advantages, if not both.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2, what is shown is the rear view of an embodiment of a garment, as laid facing-down on a flat surface. It is an identical embodiment to the one shown in FIG. 1. As such, it also shows the following, described above: the upper body section (1), the lower body section (3), the back panel (9), the blanket panel (11).

[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown bow-straps (25) adapted to be used to cinch and tie the garment about the body of a child wearing the garment. It is a merely exemplary embodiment of one way to adjust the fit of the garment to a child, not just for a range of sizes for a child, but also to adjust a varying overall size of the bundle containing a child as well as assorted items in a pocket (21). Note that the bow-straps (25), corner fasteners (17), end fasteners (19) and hook-and-loop strips (23) allow a variety of ways for the coat section (1) and blanket section (3) to be fit both respect to one another as well as themselves, and that the blanket section (3) can easily envelop the coat section (1), while also having several ways to do it while maintaining the pocket (21) in a predominantly upright and/or covered position. With the pocket (21) disposed in the blanket panel (11), the largest area of the garment, and able to remain accessible on the outside of the garment, while enclosing the rest of the garment, there are anticipated many ways in which the garment can fold, in order to function as merely a bag for storage of items, until it is desired to use the garment for its coat-like or blanket-like advantages. In the foregoing specification, the disclosure has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be evident that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope as set forth in the following claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.