Foldable mat

A foldable, rectangular mat having two sides, a front end, and a rear end is provided with seams, panels, hook and loop fasteners, snap fasteners, and through holes. The mat is configured to fold into a bag for carrying effects or thereafter unfold into a flattened one for allowing person(s) to sit or lie on.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to folding structures and more particularly to a mat adapted to fold into a bag for carrying effects or thereafter unfold into a flattened one for allowing person(s) to sit or lie on.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional foldable, wooden pad comprises a plurality of foldable panels and a center panel, the panels being arranged side by side along their lengths when unfolded parallel to their length; at least one backing upon the bottom surface of each panel, the at least one backing having at least one layer, and the at least one backing hingedly connecting the panels upon their longitudinal edges. The foldable panels may be pivoted upon the backing into an overlying position upon the center panel for storage. The outer edges of the two foldable panels lying in proximity with an edge of the center panel when folded into the storage condition. The backing allows pivoting of the foldable panels upon the center panel where their edges abut during usage in a flattened usable condition. The backing functions as a hinge to allow folding of the panels into a stackable position during not in use and unfolding into a flattened position for placement upon a surface during usage.

Notwithstanding the prior foldable pad, the invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a foldable, rectangular mat having two sides, a front end, and a rear end, comprising a first seam disposed along a transverse, central line; a second seam, a fourth seam, a third seam, and a fifth seam disposed longitudinally from right to left in an intermediate portion of the mat and being perpendicular to the first seam; front and rear sixth seams disposed transversely equally spaced from the first seam; front and rear seventh seams disposed transversely adjacent to front and rear ends of the mat respectively; a first panel defined by the rear sixth seam, the second seam, the rear seventh seam, and the right side of the mat; a second panel defined by the rear seventh seam, the rear end of the mat, the right side of the mat, and the second seam; a third panel defined by the first seam, the second seam, the rear sixth seam, and the right side of the mat; a fourth panel defined by the front seventh seam, the second seam, the front sixth seam, and the right side of the mat; a fifth panel defined by the rear sixth seam, the fourth seam, the rear seventh seam, and the second seam; a sixth panel defined by the front seventh seam, the third seam, the front sixth seam, and the fourth seam; a seventh panel defined by the rear sixth seam, the third seam, the rear seventh seam, and the fourth seam; an eighth panel defined by the front seventh seam, the fifth seam, the front sixth seam, and the third seam; a ninth panel defined by the front end of the mat, the left side of the mat, the front seventh seam, and the fifth seam; a tenth panel defined by the front seventh seam, the left side of the mat, the front sixth seam, and the fifth seam; an eleventh panel defined by the front sixth seam, the left side of the mat, the first seam, the fifth seam; a twelfth panel defined by the rear sixth seam, the left side of the mat, the rear seventh seam, and the fifth seam; a plurality of hook and loop fasteners disposed adjacent to the front and rear ends of the mat respectively; a plurality of male halves of a plurality of snap fasteners disposed on the sixth panel, the seventh panel, the eighth panel, the ninth panel, and the eleventh panel respectively; a plurality of female halves of the plurality of snap fasteners disposed on the second panel, the third panel, the fifth panel, the sixth panel, and the eighth panel respectively; and a plurality of through holes disposed on the first panel, the fourth panel, the tenth panel, and the twelfth panel respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a foldable, rectangular mat1in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below.

A first seam10is provided along a transverse, central line. A second seam11, a fourth seam13, a third seam12, and a fifth seam14are provided longitudinally from right to left in an intermediate portion and perpendicular to the first seam10. Two sixth seams15are provided transversely equally spaced from the first seam10respectively. Two seventh seams16are provided transversely adjacent to front and rear ends respectively. A first panel2is defined by the rear sixth seam15, the second seam11, the rear seventh seam16, and a portion of right side. A second panel20is defined by the rear seventh seam16, a rear edge, another portion of right side, and the second seam11. A third panel200is defined by the first seam10, the second seam11, the rear sixth seam15, and another portion of right side. A fourth panel201is defined by the front seventh seam16, the second seam11, the front sixth seam15, and another portion of right side. A fifth panel202is defined by the rear sixth seam15, the fourth seam13, the rear seventh seam16, and the second seam11. A sixth panel203is defined by the front seventh seam16, the third seam12, the front sixth seam15, and the fourth seam13. A seventh panel204is defined by the rear sixth seam15, the third seam12, the rear seventh seam16, and the fourth seam13. An eighth panel205is defined by the front seventh seam16, the fifth seam14, the front sixth seam15, and the third seam12. A ninth panel206is defined by a portion of front edge, a portion of left side, the front seventh seam16, and the fifth seam14. A tenth panel207is defined by the front seventh seam16, another portion of left side, the front sixth seam15, and the fifth seam14. An eleventh panel208is defined by the front sixth seam15, another of left side, the first seam10, the fifth seam14. A twelfth panel209is defined by the rear sixth seam15, another portion of left side, the rear seventh seam16, and the fifth seam14.

A plurality of hook and loop fasteners8are formed adjacent to front and rear edges. A plurality of male halves3of a plurality of snap fasteners are provided on the sixth panel203, the seventh panel204, the eighth panel205, the ninth panel206, and the eleventh panel208respectively. A plurality of female halves4of a plurality of snap fasteners are provided on the second panel20, the third panel200, the fifth panel202, the sixth panel203, and the eighth panel205respectively. A plurality of through holes5are provided on the first panel2, the fourth panel201, the tenth panel207, and the twelfth panel209respectively.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 7, in a folding operation, a person may fold the mat1in half along the first seam10(seeFIG. 2). Next, the person may pull up the fourth seam13to form a gable having two lower edges represented by the second and third seams11,12respectively with the male halves3of the snap fasteners on the seventh panel204and the female halves4of the snap fasteners on the fifth panel202being fastened together (seeFIG. 3). Next, the person fasten the male and female halves3,4of the snap fasteners on the sixth panel203and the female and male halves4,3of the snap fasteners on the eighth panel205together by snapping (seeFIG. 4). Next, the person may fold the fourth panel201over the tenth panel207along the second seam11(seeFIG. 5). Next, the person may fold the ninth panel206over the second panel20and fold the eleventh panel208over the third panel200respectively to fasten the male halves3of the snap fasteners and the female halves4of the snap fasteners together (seeFIG. 6). Finally, the person may insert two loops6through the through holes5and tie a knot at each of two ends of the loop6. As a result, a bag7is formed (seeFIG. 7).

Referring toFIG. 8, a foldable mat1in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: A closed, flexible metal wire17is provided along four edges of the rectangular mat1. Further, a metal ring50is provided around each through hole5. Above arrangement aims to increase weight of the mat1so that it is difficult of blowing the flattened mat1on the ground in outdoors. Furthermore, a transparent layer2070with a game printed thereunder is formed on a top surface. Thus, people may play the game in outdoors after unfolding the mat1and sitting on the mat1.