Blanket With Fillable Pockets That Automatically Release Pocket Weight For Transport

Abstract

A blanket having a plurality of perimeter weight pockets that automatically allow any pocket weight material to fall out of the weight pockets upon disassembly of the blanket, is disclosed. The blanket pockets are formed with a pocket opening facing towards the perimeter of the blanket, and having a pocket closing flap that is releasably held in place over the pocket opening by a releasable retaining means. Examples of such retaining means may be magnets, hook and loop textile material, snaps, and buttons and elastic material. The retaining force of the retaining means is set to be approximately less than the gravitational force of the pocket weight material held in the pocket, such that when the blanket is lift, the pocket weight material forces open the pocket closing flap, and allowing the pocket weight material to automatically fall out of each perimeter weight pocket.

Claims

1. A blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, comprising: a center blanket section; a plurality of pockets formed along the perimeter of said center blanket section, wherein each of said plurality of pockets is formed with a pocket flap, and wherein each plurality of pockets is formed with a pocket opening formed facing radially away from a center of said center blanket section.

2. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 1, wherein said plurality of pockets and plurality of pocket flaps are manufactured from a pliable thermoplastic material.

3. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 1, further comprising a pocket flap retaining means.

4. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 3, wherein said pocket flap retaining means has a retaining force less than a gravitational force of a weighted material placed within a pocket, such that when said blanket is lifted from said center of said center blanket section, said weighted material forces open said pocket flap, and said weighted material falls out of said pocket.

5. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 3, wherein said pocket flap retaining means is at least one of a magnet, hook and loop textile material, snaps, button and elastic loop.

6. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 1, wherein said center blanket section is a rectilinear shape.

7. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 1, wherein said center blanket section is a polygon shape.

8. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 1, wherein said center blanket section is a circular shape.

9. The blanket having a plurality of perimeter pockets, as provided in claim 1, wherein said plurality of pockets are formed extending radially away from a center of said center blanket section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For the purposes of illustrating the invention, the attached drawings show certain aspects and embodiments that are presently preferred. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise elements, configurations, sizing, shapes, as shown in the accompanying drawings, but rather is further disclosed and claimed according to the attached claims.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the blanket having perimeter weight pockets shown in a rectilinear configuration.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view of an embodiment of the blanket having perimeter weight pockets shown in a rectilinear configuration with the pocket flaps closed.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the perimeter weight pockets, pocket flap, and retaining elements.

[0015] FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a first step to release the weighting material from the perimeter weight pockets, showing the perimeter weight pockets in contact with the ground and the pocket flaps not opened.

[0016] FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a second step to release the weighting material from the perimeter weight pockets, showing the perimeter weight pockets not in contact with the ground and the pocket flaps opened due to the weighting material opening the retaining elements and opening the pocket flaps.

[0017] FIG. 5A is a top view of another exemplary embodiment of the blanket having extended perimeter weight pockets shown with the pocket flaps open.

[0018] FIG. 5B is a top view of another exemplary embodiment of the blanket having extended perimeter weight pockets shown with the pocket flaps closed.

[0019] FIG. 6A is a top view of another exemplary embodiment of the blanket, in a hexagon configuration, having extended perimeter weight pockets shown with the pocket flaps open.

[0020] FIG. 6B is a top view of another exemplary embodiment of the blanket, in a hexagon configuration, having extended perimeter weight pockets shown with the pocket flaps closed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

[0021] A blanket having a plurality of perimeter weight pockets, for outdoor or indoor use, is described and disclosed. The blanket design is innovative with respect to the configuration of the perimeter weight pockets, along with the weight pockets flap and flap retaining element. The blanket 100 is designed to have a plurality of perimeter weight pockets 200 attached to the blanket 100 along with pocket flaps 250 and pocket flap retaining elements 275.

[0022] The blanket 100 design provides that the blanket 100 may be unfolded and placed on the ground, and then the perimeter weight pockets 200 may be filled with any available weighting material, such as sand or stones, and then the pocket flaps 250 are folded over the pocket opening 225, with the pocket flaps 250 being held in place by one or more pocket flap retaining elements 275.

[0023] In such an “assembled” configuration, the blanket 100 is maintained in place against wind or other inadvertent or natural forces. When the users wish to pack up the blanket, the blanket can be readily “disassembled” by simply lifting the blanket 100 by a center area of the blanket 100 such that the weighted pockets are drawn down, and the weighting material forces open the pocket flap retaining elements 275, and forces open the pocket flaps 250 such that all of the weighting material falls down and out of the now open perimeter weight pockets 200. The blanket 100 can now be easily folded, rolled, and stored without any of the weighting material.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4B, the blanket 100, perimeter weight pockets 200, pocket flaps 250, and pocket flap retaining elements 275, are shown in one exemplary embodiment. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows blanket 100 as laid out on a flat surface or the ground with four perimeter weight pockets 200 formed at each corner of the blanket 100 in a triangle shape. Also shown are the pocket flaps 250 formed at each corner of the blanket 100, also in a triangle shape. From this configuration, a user may place any readily available weight material into each perimeter weighting pocket 200 through each perimeter weighting pocket opening 225. Examples of such weight material could be sand, dirt, stones, pebbles, rocks, weights, or any other similar readily available materials.

[0025] Once the perimeter weighting pockets 200 are filled with available weight material, the pocket flaps 250 are folded over to enclose the weight material within the perimeter weighting pockets 200. FIG. 2 shows an example of the pocket flaps 250 folded over and held in place with the pocket flap retaining elements 275. Examples of pocket flap retaining elements 275 could be magnets, snaps, hook and loop textile materials, and buttons and elastic elements. In further detail, as shown in FIG. 3, the available weight material is placed within the perimeter weight pockets through the pocket opening 225.

[0026] A core aspect of the invention is that force necessary to open or release the pocket flap retaining elements 275. The design provides that the weight or gravitational force of the weight material placed within each perimeter weighting pocket 200 should be greater than the force necessary to open or release the pocket flap retaining elements 275. With such a design, and providing of the force to open the pocket flap retaining elements 275, by simply lifting the blanket 100 at a center location, the weight material will force open the pocket flaps 250 because the weight material gravitational force is greater than the force to open the pocket flap retaining elements 275.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, when the blanket 100 is lifted the perimeter weighting pockets are drawn downwards (see FIG. 4A), and as the blanket 100 is then lifted higher, the weight material forces open the pocket flaps 250 by forcing open the pocket flap retaining elements, as shown in FIG. 4B.

[0028] For the blanket to work properly, in preferred embodiments, the perimeter weighting pockets 200 should be formed at the edges or perimeter of the blanket 100. Moreover, to ensure the blanket 100 is held in place from all directions, the perimeter weighting pockets 200 should be formed at multiple locations along the blanket 100 perimeter, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4A, and 4B. Moreover, as described above, and shown in the figures, the perimeter weighting pocket openings 225 must be facing radially away from the center of the blanket 100 such that as the blanket is lifted (as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B), the weight material tends to fall out of the perimeter weight pocket 200, and forces open the pocket flap.

[0029] In different embodiments, the blanket 100 may have a cutout or grommet, or handle located at the center of the blanket 100 to provide for easy location, and ease of lifting. Alternatively, the center of the blanket 100 may simply be a logo or some other position locator.

[0030] In different preferred embodiments, the blanket 100 may be manufactured from any number of textiles or fabrics. For ease of cleaning, the blanket 100 may be made of a machine washable material. Similarly, the perimeter weighting pockets 200 and pocket flaps 250 may be manufactured from a material similar to the blanket 100, or in alternative embodiments may be manufactured from a more durable material, such as pliable thermoplastic, or vinyl, or leather. The more durable materials would tend to be more resilient to wear and tear especially given that heavy weight materials would likely be placed within the perimeter weighting pockets 200.

[0031] In another embodiment, the perimeter weight pockets 200 and pocket flaps 250 may be formed along the blanket perimeter, and extending radially away from the blanket center. FIGS. 5A, 5B, and FIGS. 6A and 6B show example views of two different blanket shapes, each having the perimeter weight pockets 200 and pocket flaps 250 formed as extensions away from the blanket center. Such configurations provide enhanced spacing because the perimeter weight pockets 200 and pocket flaps do not take up area on the blanket 100, and thereby provide the users with more blanket area to use. FIGS. 5A and 5B show a rectilinear blanket shape with the flaps open (FIG. 5A) and flaps closed (FIG. 5B). Similarly, FIGS. 6A and 6B show a hexagon blanket shape with the flaps open (FIG. 6A) and flaps closed (FIG. 6B).

[0032] While several preferred embodiments of the inventive blanket with a plurality of perimeter weighting pockets have been described and disclosed, in particular with reference to certain figures and drawings showing certain exemplary embodiments that relate to a particular shape, configuration, and size of such blanket, such configurations, designs, and embodiments are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the inventive device. For example, as described above, the blanket 100 may be made in different shapes, sizes, and configurations, including square, rectangular, circle, oval, or having a polygon shape. Moreover, the materials that may be used to manufacture the blanket, the perimeter weighting pockets, the pocket flaps, and the pocket flap retaining elements are fully open to any material that provides for effective use of the blanket 100. All such alternate embodiments are believed to be within the scope of the inventive design and the below claims.

[0033] It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that other modifications, substitutions, and/or other applications are possible, and all such modifications, substitutions and applications are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. It is likewise understood that the above disclosure and attached claims are intended to cover all such modifications, substitutions, and/or applications.