CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE

Abstract

Textile articles are readily convertible between stowed and unstowed configurations. The convertible articles include an outer cover portion and an inner textile portion. The outer cover portion forms an interior cavity having an opening therethrough, and the inner textile portion has a free end and an opposite bottom end. In the stowed configuration, the inner textile portion is stowed within the interior cavity of the outer cover portion such that the article forms a pillow, cushion, pad, or the like. In the unstowed configuration, the free end of the inner textile portion extends through the opening of the outer cover portion and the bottom end is attached to the interior cavity, such that the article forms a blanket, a quilt, a sleeping bag, a garment, or the like.

Claims

1. A convertible article, comprising: an outer cover portion forming an interior cavity and having an opening therethrough; and an inner textile portion having a free end and an opposite bottom end, wherein in a first configuration, the inner textile portion is stowed within the interior cavity of the outer cover portion, and wherein in a second configuration, the free end of the inner textile portion extends through the opening of the outer cover portion and the bottom end is attached to the interior cavity.

2. The convertible article of claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the inner textile portion is attached at a perimeter of the interior cavity of the outer cover portion.

3. The convertible article of claim 2, wherein the bottom end of the inner textile portion is attached by permanent attachment structure at the perimeter of the interior cavity.

4. The convertible article of claim 1, wherein the interior cavity is at least partially lined with a napped or piled fabric.

5. The convertible article of claim 1, wherein the opening of the outer cover portion comprises a closure mechanism configured to selectively close the opening.

6. The convertible article of claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism comprises an elastic cord.

7. The convertible article of claim 1, wherein the outer cover portion is at least partially formed from a first textile, and the inner textile portion is at least partially formed from a different second textile.

8. The convertible article of claim 1, wherein the outer cover portion has a face panel and a rear panel adjoined by a perimeter panel, wherein the opening extends through the rear panel.

9. The convertible article of claim 8, wherein the perimeter panel is a gusset.

10. The convertible article of claim 8, wherein the inner textile portion is at least partially formed from a napped or piled fabric.

11. The convertible article of claim 9, wherein the inner textile portion comprises two opposing outer surface layers and an internal insulation layer disposed between the outer surface layers.

12. The convertible article of claim 11, wherein the inner textile portion comprises a closure mechanism configured to join a plurality of edges of the inner textile portion.

13. The convertible article of claim 9, wherein the inner textile portion is a blanket, a quilt, or a sleeping bag.

14. The convertible article of claim 13, wherein the outer cover portion is a pillow cover.

15. The convertible article of claim 9, wherein the inner textile portion includes a plurality of arm apertures extending therethrough.

16. The convertible article of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of arm apertures is disposed at least 12 inches from an outer perimeter of the inner textile portion.

17. The convertible article of claim 5, wherein the closure mechanism restricts a fully-open diameter of the opening to 6-12 inches.

18. The convertible article of claim 5, wherein the closure mechanism restricts a fully-open diameter of the opening to 25%-75% of a largest outermost dimension of the outer cover portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present disclosure will be better understood, and other details, characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly when reading the following description made by way of a non-limitative example and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front and top perspective view of a convertible article, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view thereof, the front elevation view being substantially the same as the left elevation view, rear elevation view, and right elevation view thereof,

[0020] FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof,

[0021] FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

[0022] FIG. 5 is a front and left perspective view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG. 6 is a front and top perspective view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 7 is a front and top perspective view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 8 is a front, top, and left perspective view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 9 is a front and top perspective view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 10 is a front and top perspective view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 11 is a front elevation view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 12 is a left elevation view thereof, being substantially the same as the right elevation view thereof, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 13 is a rear elevation view thereof,

[0031] FIG. 14 is a front, left, and top perspective view thereof,

[0032] FIG. 15 is a top plan view thereof,

[0033] FIG. 16 is a front and top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a convertible article, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 17 is a rear elevation view of another alternative embodiment of a convertible article, in accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 18 is a front and top perspective view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, the present disclosure provides “convertible textile articles” or “convertible articles” 100 which readily convert between two or more different articles. That is, in a first state (a stowed state or closed state), the convertible article 100 has the form and function of a first type of textile article, while in a second state (an unstowed state or deployed state), the convertible article 100 has the form and function of a second type of textile article, different from the first type of textile article. FIGS. 2-15 illustrate additional views of the convertible article 100 to facilitate understanding. In particular, FIGS. 1-4 show the convertible article 100 in the first state (stowed state), while FIGS. 10-15 show the convertible article 100 in the second state (unstowed state). FIGS. 5-9 show the convertible article 100 in intermediate states between the first state and the second state.

[0037] For example, in some embodiments, the convertible article 100 is convertible between -on the one hand - a lofted article such as a pillow, cushion, pad, poof, or the like and on the other hand - a covering article such as a blanket, a sleeping bag, a garment, or the like. As used herein, “lofted article” means an article with an outer covering and an internal portion which imparts loft to the outer covering. A “covering article” means an article configured to cover a all or a portion of a person’s body (e.g., legs, torso, and/or arms), for example to provide warmth, comfort, and/or protection. A “garment” refers to an article capable of being worn by a user, such as by inserting a user’s arms through one or more arm apertures of the article.

[0038] The convertible article 100 is generally formed from one or more textiles, i.e., materials formed of fibers and/or filaments. Representative fibers include natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk, jute, hemp, and the like, as well as synthetic fibers such as nylon, rayon, polyester, and the like. Representative textile structures include woven, non-woven, and knitted textile structures, such as may be formed into a cloth, fabric, or similar material. Representative materials include not only single-material materials, e.g., cotton fabric, but also materials comprised of more than one material, for example natural-and-synthetic blended fabrics, or insulated materials having outer surface layers formed of at least a first material (e.g., cotton or nylon) and a loft-providing internal insulation layer disposed therebetween (e.g., POLARGUARD®, PRIMALOFT®, THERMOLITE®, HOLLOFIL®, down, polyester batting, wadding).

[0039] Although the convertible article 100 generally includes one or more textiles, some embodiments include additional non-textile elements, for example, buttons, zippers, magnetic hardware, cord pulls, buckles, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, origami folding structures, clasps, and the like. Additionally, any of the fabrics described herein may have one or more characteristics that provide a soft and enjoyable user experience, such as flapped and/or piled surface characteristics.

[0040] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 10 together, in the representative and non-limiting embodiment shown, the convertible article 100 includes an outer cover portion 104 and an inner textile portion 108 which is attached to and selectively extractable from an interior cavity 112 or pocket formed by the outer cover portion 104. The inner textile portion 108 is selectively extractable from the interior cavity 112 through an opening 116 of the outer cover portion 104.

[0041] In the first state (stowed state) shown in FIG. 1, the inner textile portion 108 is disposed within the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104. In this configuration, not only does the inner textile portion 108 provide loft to the outer cover portion 104, but the inner textile portion 108 is protected by the outer cover portion 104 and reduces clutter. In this configuration, the convertible article 100 has the form of a lofted article such as a pillow, cushion, pad, poof, and the like, which can be used as a decorative furnishing, for seating, or other useful application.

[0042] In the second state (unstowed state or deployed state) as shown in FIG. 10, the inner textile portion 108 is removed from the outer cover portion 104, except that an attachment portion 118 thereof (e.g., a bottom end or bottom side thereof) remains attached to the interior cavity 112 formed by the outer cover portion 104. Advantageously, the attachment of the inner textile portion 108 to the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104 keeps the two parts together, and also helps keep a user keep warm and comfortable, such as when the outer cover portion 104 is used as a foot pocket (described below). In this configuration, the inner textile portion 108 has the form of a covering article, such as a blanket, quilt, a sleeping bag, a sheet, a robe, a gown, or similar article.

[0043] The outer cover portion 104 has one or more textile panels which are folded, sewn, adhered, or otherwise formed to form a case, cover, bag, sack, or the like, the interior of which forms the interior cavity 112. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the outer cover portion 104 has a face panel 120 and a rear panel 124 adjoined by an optional perimeter panel 128, wherein the opening 116 extends through the rear panel 124. The optional perimeter panel 128 advantageously increases the depth of the outer cover portion 104, thereby enabling stowage of a larger inner textile portion 108, all else being equal. In some embodiments, the perimeter panel 128 is a separate textile panel from the face panel 120 and rear panel 124, such as a strip of material or a gusset. In other embodiments, the perimeter panel 128 is formed integrally with the face panel 120 or the rear panel 124.

[0044] In the illustrated embodiment, the face panel 120 has a circular shape; however, in other embodiments, the face panel 120 has a different shape, e.g., an ovular or polygonal shape (triangular, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, octagonal, and the like). In some embodiments, the face panel 120 has an area of about 50 square inches to about 500 square inches.

[0045] The rear panel 124 generally has the same shape as the face panel 120 in the stowed or closed configuration. Although described as a panel due to its appearance, the rear panel 124 may nevertheless be formed from one or more strips of material adjoined in an end-to-end fashion, thereby forming the opening 116.

[0046] In the representative embodiment shown, the rear panel 124 is formed with excess material which is brought or bunched together when the opening 116 is constricted as shown in FIG. 4, and then let out when the opening 116 is relaxed as shown in FIGS. 5-6.

[0047] The inner textile portion 108 can have many different shapes, thicknesses, and other features. In some embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 has the form of an article that may be laid flat when pulled out of the outer cover portion 104, such as a blanket, quilt, or sheet. In some embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 is a sleeping bag. In still other embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 is a garment such as a robe, gown, apron, or similar article.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 15, in the illustrated embodiment, the inner textile portion 108 has a free end 132 and an opposite bottom end 136 which is connected to the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104. Although the term “end” is used herein, the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments in which the inner textile portion 108 has two discrete ends. Rather, the term “end” includes both embodiments with at least two discrete ends (such as rectangular shapes), as well as embodiments which, when placed into the configuration shown in FIG. 15, generally have at least two opposite ends. Accordingly, the present disclosure includes embodiments in which the inner textile portion 108 has a circular shape and other shapes without distinct ends.

[0049] In the stowed configuration shown in FIGS. 1-4, both the free end 132 and the bottom end 136 of the inner textile portion 108 are disposed inside the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104. In some embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 is completely disposed inside the interior cavity 112 in the stowed configuration. In the deployed configurations shown in FIGS. 8-15, the free end 132 extends through the opening 116 of the outer cover portion 104 while the bottom end 136 remains inside of and attached to the interior cavity 112.

[0050] As shown most clearly in FIG. 11, two edges 140a, b of the inner textile portion 108 form a slit running down its length from the free end 132 to the outer cover portion 104. This slit makes it easy for a user to cover up with the inner textile portion 108, for example when using it as a blanket, cover, or quilt. In some embodiments, the edges 140a, b are provided with a closure mechanism (such as shown in FIG. 16), such that the user can utilized the inner textile portion 108 as a sleeping bag. Nevertheless, some embodiments do not include such a slit, rather, the inner textile portion 108 has tubular construction.

[0051] In some embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 is formed of an insulated material for warmth, such as a quilted material, a fleece material, or similar material. Similarly, in some embodiments (such as described below with respect to FIG. 16), the inner textile portion 108 has an insulated construction with two opposing outer surface layers 144a, b and a loft-providing internal insulation layer disposed between the outer surface layers. In other embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 is formed of a non-insulated material such as cotton fabric (such as a linen) or other material. In some embodiments (such as described below with respect to FIGS. 17-18), the inner textile portion 108 includes a plurality of arm apertures that enable a user to cover up while keeping their arms free for use.

[0052] Referring to FIGS. 4-10, the opening 116 of the outer cover portion 104 is sized to enable rapid deployment of the inner textile portion 108 therethrough. In some embodiments, the opening 116 is 6-18 inches across when fully open, e.g., 12 inches. In some embodiments, the opening 116 is at least as wide as a front face of the outer cover portion 104. However, in some embodiments, the opening 116 has a fully-open diameter that is smaller than a largest outermost dimension of the outer cover portion 104 (e.g., 25%-75% of the outermost dimension), or is otherwise restricted to 6-12 inches. For example, in an embodiment where the outer cover portion 104 is circular with an 18-inch outermost diameter, the opening 116 has a fully-open diameter of 6-12 inches. Advantageously, restricting the fully-open diameter of the opening 116 facilitates stowing the inner textile portion 108 in the interior cavity 112, such as when transitioning from the unstowed state to the stowed state.

[0053] In some embodiments, the opening 116 is provided with a closure mechanism 152 (e.g., an elastic cord or drawstring portion) that enables selective opening 116 and closing of the opening 116. Advantageously, closure mechanism 152 retains the inner textile portion 108 within the outer cover portion 104 in the stowed state. In some embodiments, the fully-open diameter of the opening 116 is limited by the closure mechanism 152 (e.g., limited by a length of the drawstring). For example, in some embodiments, the closure mechanism 152 includes one or more stops 156 disposed along a drawstring 160, the stops 156 being configured to prevent the opening 116 from expanding to a diameter greater than 6-12 inches or 25-75% of the outermost diameter of the outer cover portion 104.

[0054] As noted above, the attachment portion 118 of the inner textile portion 108 is attached to the outer cover portion 104. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, in some embodiments, the attachment portion 118 of the inner textile portion 108 is attached by attachment structure 164 at the bottom end 136 thereof to the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104. Representative attachment structure 164 include permanent attachment structure 164 such as stitching or adhesive, as well as reversible attachment structure 164 such as hook-and-loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, zippers, and the like. Reversible attachment structure 164 enable removal of the inner textile portion 108 from the outer cover portion 104, for the advantage of easier washing and care. In some embodiments, the outer cover portion 104 is formed integrally with the inner textile portion 108 (such as with a common fabric blank), such that no attachment structure 164 is provided, but nevertheless the outer cover portion 104 is attached to the inner textile portion 108.

[0055] Referring still to FIG. 15, in some embodiments, the outer cover portion 104 forms a foot pocket configured to receive a foot of a user through the opening 116. That is, the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104 itself forms a foot pocket when the opening 116 is open, which enables users to warm their feet while using the blanket. To increase comfort and warmth of the foot pocket, in some embodiments, at least a portion of the interior cavity 112 is lined with a different material than forms the outer cover portion 104. For example, in some embodiments, the interior cavity 112 is lined with a fleece or similar material. In some embodiments, the interior cavity 112 is lined with a same material that forms the inner textile portion 108.

[0056] In some embodiments, the inner textile portion 108 is attached to the outer cover portion 104 at a perimeter 168 of the interior cavity 112 of the outer cover portion 104. Advantageously, this attachment location maximizes the availability space within of the interior cavity 112 for use as a foot warming pocket when the convertible article 100 is in the unstowed state.

[0057] In some embodiments, the closure mechanism 152 restricts the fully-open diameter of the opening 116 even though the outer cover portion 104 is configured to provide a foot pocket. It is unobvious to provide a foot pocket with a restricted opening 116 however, so to ensure user comfort and ease-of-use, in some embodiments the closure mechanism 152 is elastic (e.g., an elastic drawstring) that enables the opening 116 to stretch beyond its resting fully-open diameter (e.g., by an additional 5-10%). Not only does this enable the user to adjust their feet comfortably while using the outer cover portion 104 as a foot pocket, but it also accommodates users with larger feet. In some embodiments, the convertible article 100 includes a handle 172 connected to the outer cover portion, e.g., the rear panel.

[0058] FIG. 16 shows an alternative convertible article 200 having an outer cover portion 204 and an inner textile portion 208. The convertible article 200 is shown in the deployed state. In this embodiment shown, the inner textile portion 208 is a sleeping bag having insulated construction such as two opposing outer surface layers 244a, b and a loft-providing internal insulation layer 248 disposed between the outer surface layers. In other embodiments having similar construction, the inner textile portion 208 is a quilt or a padded blanket. The inner textile portion 208 includes a closure mechanism 252 (here, a zipper) configured to join a plurality of edges 240a, b of the inner textile portion 208. Some embodiments include a different closure mechanism to join edges of the inner textile portion, or no closure mechanism.

[0059] FIGS. 17 and 18 show still another convertible article 300 having an outer cover 304 portion and an inner textile portion 308. The convertible article 300 is shown in the deployed state. In the embodiment shown, the inner textile portion 308 is a garment configured to be worn by a person. In particular, the inner textile portion includes a plurality of arm apertures 312a, b extending therethrough that allow a person to maintain use of their hands while wearing the inner textile portion 308. In some embodiments, the arm apertures 312 have a length of 6-18 inches and are disposed 12-24 inches apart from each other. In some embodiments, each arm aperture 312a, b is respectively disposed at least 12 inches from an outer perimeter (i.e., each outermost edge 344a, b) of the inner textile portion 308, such that the arm apertures 312 have a relatively central location on the inner textile portion 308. This provides a natural location for the arm apertures 312 when a user utilizes the inner textile portion 308 as a blanket.

[0060] Referring again to FIGS. 1-15, according to another aspect, the present disclosure provides methods of converting a first textile article to a second, different textile article, the method including pulling an inner textile portion 108 that is attached at one end thereof to an interior cavity 112 of an outer cover portion through an opening 116 of the outer cover portion.

[0061] According to another aspect, the present disclosure provides methods of converting a first textile article to a second, different, textile article, the method including stowing an inner textile portion 108 in an interior cavity 112 of an outer cover portion 104, wherein the inner textile portion 108 is connected to the interior cavity 112 at one end thereof, and wherein stowing the inner textile portion 108 includes stuffing or pushing the inner textile portion 108 through an opening 116 of the outer cover portion 104, into the interior cavity 112.

[0062] The foregoing methods may invoke or employ any one of more of the structural features of the convertible articles described above.

[0063] The detailed description set forth above in connection with the appended drawings, where like numerals reference like elements, are intended as a description of various embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended to represent the only embodiments. Each embodiment described in this disclosure is provided as an example or illustration and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The illustrative examples provided herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Similarly, any steps described herein may be interchangeable with other steps, or combinations of steps, in order to achieve the same or substantially similar result. Generally, the embodiments disclosed herein are non-limiting, and the inventors contemplate that other embodiments within the scope of this disclosure may include structures and functionalities from more than one specific embodiment shown in the figures and described in the specification. It will be appreciated that variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes, and equivalents fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as claimed. For example, the present disclosure includes additional embodiments having combinations of any one or more features described above with respect to the representative embodiments. Restated, features disclosed above with respect to any one embodiment may be combined with any other feature(s) to form additional embodiments.

[0064] In the foregoing description, specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments disclosed herein may be practiced without embodying all the specific details. In some instances, well-known process steps have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0065] The present application may include references to directions, such as “first,” “second,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “top,” and “bottom,” etc. These references, and other similar references in the present application, are intended to assist in helping describe and understand the particular embodiment (such as when the embodiment is positioned for use) and are not intended to limit the present disclosure to these directions or locations.

[0066] The present application may also reference quantities and numbers. Unless specifically stated, such quantities and numbers are not to be considered restrictive, but exemplary of the possible quantities or numbers associated with the present application. Also in this regard, the present application may use the term “plurality” to reference a quantity or number. In this regard, the term “plurality” is meant to be any number that is more than one, for example, two, three, four, five, etc. The term “about,” “approximately,” etc., means plus or minus 5% of the stated value. The term “based upon” means “based at least partially upon.”