A multipurpose, multisectional mat for a child's use in resting, sitting, lying, reading and like activities comprising multiple articulated sections interconnected to form a mat which when flat provides a continuous resting surface formed by edge-to-edge abutting sections to accommodate a recumbent child and which when folded with the sections abutted face-to-face will provide a child's seat or table, each section comprising a generally rectangular soft cushion pad of substantial thickness and resilience and a fabric cover covering the pad, the fabric being locally continued beyond the pads alternately high and low and joined there as a hinge between adjacent pads for edge-to-edge or face-to-face orientation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention has to do with child's multipurpose mats, mats that are 
useful to lie upon, sit upon, rest against and to otherwise support the 
child's body during activities ranging from television watching, story 
listening, and rest times, as well as useful as a low table or play 
surface. More particularly, the invention relates to a multipurpose, 
multisectional mat which is simple enough in form and function for a small 
child to use, and easily portable with appropriately placed and sized 
panels and handles for children to use by themselves. The invention mat 
sections arrange themselves in edge-to-edge abutting relation for 
continuous body support in rest mat usage, and in face-to-face abutting 
relation for compactness and stability of portaging and table use 
respectively. 
BACKGROUND ART 
In my earlier patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,041, I disclosed a child's rest 
mat comprising a foam pad capable of twice folding on itself and having a 
removable cover. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,662 to Handelman there is 
disclosed a stadium cushion having two separably joined seat cushions and 
a carrying case for the cushions. In Brit. patent 1,264,919 to Hudson a 
carryable seat cushion capable of being spread out for two or four persons 
is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,975 to Holbrook a tote bag 
convertible to blanket, poncho or pad is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 
5,010,610 to Ackley a chair pad useful as a mat and portable by rolling up 
is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,988 to Agyagos a tote bag convertible 
to a dressing tent or a beach mat is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,091 
to Italici a portable container handle is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 
5,099,530 to Scott an exercise pad and cover therefor is disclosed. In 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,775 to Iwata a three section cushion foldable into a 
pyramidal shape is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,013 to Bloom an 
infant's play pen/mat disclosed foldable onto itself for carrying. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In the foregoing prior art of the various modes for interconnecting pads 
there is there is no recognition of the need for articulation of the 
adjacent pads by hinges adjacent the pad edge and alternately high and low 
such that the pads will lie flat upon one another in face-to-face abutment 
when stacked, and provide a flat surface for sitting of as a table top, 
and also be closely adjacent when end to end in edge-to-edge abutment for 
comfort in resting without uncomfortable gaps in cushioning. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a child's multipurpose 
mat made of multiple sections and arranged to be opened into a 
continuously extended mat, folded into a table or seat, or carried 
conveniently with integral handles. It is another object to provide a 
double hinged multipurpose child's mat wherein the hinge is defined by 
alternately high and low continued extents of the fabric cover joined 
together to permit free articulation of the mat section without straining 
the fabric cover and while permitting flat, face-to-face folding of the 
sections. 
These and other objects of the invention are realized in a multipurpose, 
multisectional mat for a child's use in resting, sitting, lying, reading 
and like activities comprising first, middle and third sections 
interconnected to form a mat which when flat will accommodate a recumbent 
child and when folded will provide a child's seat or table, each section 
comprising a generally rectangular soft cushion pad of substantial 
thickness and resilience and a fabric cover covering the upper, lower and 
perimetrical portions of the pad, the first section lower portion-covering 
fabric having a continued extent, the middle section lower 
portion-covering fabric having a continued extent opposed and joined to 
the first section lower portion-covering fabric continued extent and 
forming a lower hinge therebetween, the third section upper 
portion-covering fabric having a continued extent, the middle section 
upper portion-covering fabric having a continued extent opposed and joined 
to the third section upper portion-covering fabric continued extent and 
forming an upper hinge therebetween, the upper and lower hinges being 
diametrically opposed across the middle section, whereby the sections are 
interconnected in alternately hinged relation to each other to be openable 
longitudinally in edge-to-edge abutting relation to form a flat mat and 
foldable flat upon themselves in face-to-face abutting relation to form a 
chair or table in a stacked horizontal orientation or for portage in a 
stacked vertical orientation, and handle means for carrying the mat in its 
vertical orientation. 
In this and like embodiments, typically, the handle means comprise loops 
arranged in opposed relation across the middle section in the stacked 
condition of the sections; the handle means project from the first and 
third sections; the handle means are secured to the fabric covering 
adjacent the hinges; each section is like size to each other section; more 
specifically each of the sections have like width, length and thickness 
dimensions; the ratio of mat section length to width is between 0.5 and 1; 
the thickness of each mat section is between 2.5 and 5 inches such that 
the mat sections when stacked define a low table for a child; and each 
section fabric cover is locally double layered and partly unfastened along 
one edge margin opposite an edge of the section to permit insertion and 
withdrawal of the section between the layers. 
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a multipurpose, 
multisectional mat for a child's use in resting, sitting, lying, reading 
and like activities comprising first, middle and third sections 
interconnected to form a mat which when flat will accommodate a recumbent 
child on abutted sections and when folded will provide a child's seat or 
table, each section comprising a generally rectangular soft cushion pad of 
substantial thickness and resilience and a fabric cover covering the 
upper, lower and perimetrical portions of the pad, the sections being 
articulated to one another by local portions of the fabric cover joined 
between the pads in hinge-forming relation for the sections to alternately 
lie in edge-to-edge abutting relation when the mat is elongated and in 
face-to-face abutting relation when the mat sections are stacked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
With reference now to the drawings in detail, the use versatility of 
invention mat 10 is shown in FIGS. 8-11. The mat 10 is shown in FIG. 8 
arranged for resting a recumbent child 12, the mat being longitudinally 
disposed with its first, middle and third sections 14, 16, 18 respectively 
abutted edge-to-edge at 20, 22 respectively to provide a continuous 
resting surface 24 free of depressions, discontinuities and divides. In 
FIG. 9 the child 12 is shown carrying the mat 10, the mat sections 14, 16 
and 18 having been folded into face-to-face engagement, the handles 26, 28 
projecting from the folded sections being used to carry the mat in closed 
condition. In FIG. 10, the mat 10 is folded up at one end from its 
elongated position shown in FIG. 8, and the upraised section 14 (supported 
by a wall, chair or other support not shown) provides a padded backrest, 
while the middle and third sections 16, 18 provide a continuous support 
for hips and legs. In FIG. 11, the mat 10 is again folded as in FIG. 9, 
but the orientation of the sections 14, 16 and 18 is horizontal; the 
collective height of the sections being approximately 9 inches which is 
ideal for a child's seat or as a table or playing surface. 
With reference to FIG. 4, the mat 10 has first section 14, middle section 
16 and third section 16, all of like size and shape and of approximately 
the same dimensions although this is not narrowly critical. Sections 14 
and 16 are provided with handles 26, 28 respectively on their inner edges 
30, 32. The handle 26 is adjacent the hinge 34 between the first and 
middle sections 14, 16; the handle 28 is adjacent the hinge 36 between the 
middle and third sections 16, 18 so that the handles are conveniently 
disposed when the sections 14, 16 and 18 are folded into face-to-face 
alignment, See FIG. 1. 
The hinges 34, 36 are best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Hinges 34, 36 are each 
formed from continued extents 40, 42 and 44, 46 respectively of the fabric 
covers 48, 50, 52 on the mat sections 14, 16 and 18 respectively. It will 
be noted that the hinges 34, 36 being formed from fabric continuations 
40-46 project into the space between the sections 14, 16 or 16, 18 are 
stitched separately from the fabric cover stitching 54. 56, 58 at the 
adjacent corners of the fabric covers 48, 50 and 52. The fabric cover-free 
and projecting nature of the hinges 34, 36, in combination with the 
placement of the hinges alternately high and low, with reference to the 
longitudinal disposition of the mat, enable achievement of two of the 
invention salient features: the butted adjacency of the mat sections 14-16 
or 16-18 in the longitudinal disposition of the mat 10, forming a 
continuous surface 24, See FIG. 8, and the compact and flat stacking 
relation of the mat sections 14-18 without bulging or crowning, See FIGS. 
2, 3 and 11. 
The fabric covers 48, 50 and 52 are preferably removable. For this purpose, 
and with reference to FIGS. 4 and 7, as typical of the fabric covers 48-52 
for each mat section 14-18, the fabric 60 is doubled at the perimetrical 
wall 62 of the mat section lateral edge 64 to have an inner skirt 66 and 
an outer skirt 68, each sewn along its vertical edges 66a, 68a (the height 
of the mat section 18) and free at its outer edges 66b and 68b to form a 
pocket 70 into which the mat section pad 72 is fitted and from which the 
pad is removable for replacement or for cleaning of the fabric cover 52. 
As will be seen from a consideration of FIGS. 1-11, the mat 10 sections 
14-16 being hinged as described will both lie perfectly flat with the 
sections in edge-to-edge abutting relation, giving a continuous surface 
24, or fold upon one another in a perfect rectangle for use as a seat or 
table or for carting by the handles 26, 28. 
The fabric of the covers 48-52 is any suitable durable fabric, such as 
woven nylon. The pads, e.g. pad 72 are typically foamed plastic such as 
urethane but may be of any suitable material affording the degree of 
resiliency desired. Sizes of the mats and pads is not narrowly critical 
and will be dictated by the customer for which the product is intended. 
Typically the width of the mat 10 will be about 24 inches, the overall 
length about 42 inches, the ratio of mat section length, e.g. 14 inches to 
width, e.g. 24 inches is between about 0.5 and 1. Further, the thickness 
of the mat pad 72 is typically between 2.5 and 5 inches such that the mat 
sections when stacked define a low table for a child. 
The foregoing object are thus met by the provision of a child's 
multipurpose mat made of multiple sections and arranged to be opened into 
a continuously extended mat, folded into a table or seat, or carried 
conveniently with integral handles. The mat is double hinged by 
alternately high and low continued extents of the fabric cover joined 
together to permit free articulation of the mat section without straining 
the fabric cover and while permitting flat, face-to-face folding of the 
sections.