Abstract:
A multi-purpose device configurable between a blanket and a pad, such as an arm pad includes a fabric sheet forming at least a portion of the blanket. A first fastener is disposed on the first surface of the sheet and a second fastener, distally located from the first fastener, is disposed on the second surface of the sheet. The sheet is configurable in a non-folded arrangement as a blanket such that the first and second fasteners are not fastened, and the blanket is configurable in a folded arrangement as a pad such that the first and second fasteners are connected. The pad may be configured to be wrapped around and fastened to an object, such as a car seat handle.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/640,943, filed May 1, 2012, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present description relates generally to an infant care product and more particularly to a multi-purpose blanket and arm pad. 
       BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Providing physical and mental stimulation at an early age has become an accepted norm for raising an infant. It is typically accepted that babies need to sleep on their backs, but should spend awake time on their tummies. Recent research has shown that babies who do not spend enough time on their tummies, may fall behind on their developmental milestones. It is also generally recommended that infants be supervised by an adult during tummy time and tummy time sessions should also always be held on the floor. While providing a soft, safe location for an infant on the floor may be relatively easy at home, when away from the house, adults may prefer to resort to utilizing a blanket to protect the infant against dirt, germs, etc. Thus, in light of the typically active lifestyle of today&#39;s parents, it is oftentimes beneficial for a parent to carry and provide a comfortable and portable blanket for an infant to rest upon during tummy time sessions. 
         [0004]    In addition, most states currently have laws requiring infants to be restrained in special safety seats whenever they are travelling in vehicles. Therefore every parent is required by law in most places to place their infants in such seats. Ideally parents desire one seat that they can place their infant in, can carry them around, and if travelling by a vehicle, strap the infant in the same seat. Most infant car seats, however, will accommodate an infant up to at least 22 pounds, which may make carrying the infant in the car seat difficult, awkward, and in some instance, painful. While some infant car seats available in the market include a carrying handle, the provided handle oftentimes comes with minimal padding, usually inadequate to protect and/or pad the adult&#39;s hand and/or crook of the elbow. Thus, there is an identifiable need to provide a product that cushions and prevent the car seat handle from digging into and injuring the carrier&#39;s arm. 
         [0005]    In light of these issues, it is evident that packing for an excursion out of the house can be an ordeal for people with small children. Bags can easily become filled with toys, blankets, pads, and other child-care-related items, including diapers, sanitary wipes, clothing, powders, pacifiers, etc. Thus, providing a blanket that allows for a parent to provide an infant with a clean, cushioned place for a tummy time session and also providing an additional cushion for protecting the parent&#39;s arm when carrying the car seat simply adds to the number of items that the parent must remember to pack and/or carry while out of the house. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is real need for a multipurpose device that can be utilized both as a blanket and as an arm pad for a car seat, thereby providing for a solution while eliminating at least one extra item that an adult must carry. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an example multipurpose blanket of the present disclosure shown in its expanded state. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the example blanket of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of the example blanket showing a first side of the blanket being folded onto a center portion. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the example blanket showing a second side of the blanket being folded onto the center portion. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the example blanket showing a first portion of the center portion of the blanket being folded into an arm pad. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the example blanket showing a second portion of the center portion of the blanket being folded into an arm pad. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the example arm pad formed by folding the blanket as illustrated in  FIGS. 3-6 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the example arm pad shown attached to an infant car seat handle. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged perspective view of the example fastener located on the top face of the example blanket. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    The following description of example methods and apparatus is not intended to limit the scope of the description to the precise form or forms detailed herein. Instead the following description is intended to be illustrative so that others may follow its teachings. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an example multipurpose blanket  10  is shown in its expanded state with a generally circular perimeter  14 . In  FIG. 1 , a first face  12  of the example blanket  10  is shown. In  FIG. 2 , a second face  16  of the example blanket is shown. In this example, the two faces  12 ,  16  are manufactured from two separate fabrics, sewn together along the perimeter  14  to form the blanket  10 . It will be appreciated, however that the two faces  12 ,  16  may be made from any combination of fabrics and/or suitable materials, including a single layer, multiple layers and/or various combinations of layers and/or materials as desired. 
         [0018]    In regard to the material utilized, each of the two faces  12 ,  16  may be made from any suitable foldable fabric and/or material as desired, including, for example, a fleece-type material. In at least one embodiment, the material is preferable machine-washable, but the blanket  10  may be manufactured from any washable and/or non-washable material as desired. Additionally, as mentioned, the two example faces  12 ,  16  may be suitably attached via any means including sewing, fastening, etc., and in at least some embodiments, the two faces  12 ,  16  may be at least partially separable, such as, through the use of a zipper, buttons, ties, hook and loop, and/or other fastener. Additionally, in at least one example, the blanket  10  may include padding and/or other filler material (not shown). Still further, at least one face  12 ,  16  of the blanket  10  may be integrally or separately provided with a water-proof, water-resistant, and/or germ resistant material as preferred. 
         [0019]    In this example, the first face  12  of the example blanket  10  includes at least one interactive element  20 , such as, for example, a flexible mirror to provide stimulation to an infant placed on the blanket  10 . While a mirror is shown, the blanket  10  may include other interactive elements including colors, patterns, tactile elements, visual elements, tie, buttons, zippers, snaps, hooks, etc. In this example, the first face  12  is intended to be used as the primary space for an infant to be placed, but it will be appreciated that either side of the blanket  10  may be used. Still further, while the blanket  10  is currently illustrated as being generally circular in shape, any suitable shape may be provided, including simply geometric shapes, such as squares, rectangles, etc. and/or complex geometric shapes such as characters, animals, objects, etc. 
         [0020]    For attaching the blanket to a car seat handle, the first surface  12  is provided with a flap  22  having a first fastener  24 . In this example, the first fastener  24  includes either a hook or loop material as is well known in the art. Complimentarily, for receiving the first fastener  24 , attached to the second surface  16  is a corresponding second fastener  26 , which in this example includes the corresponding hook or loop material to couple to the first fastener  24  when the blanket  10  is folded as described. To better provide a soft material surface for an infant, the fastener  24  may be provided with a mating fastener  28  that allows the flap  22  to fold over such that the fastener  24  is no longer exposed, thereby preventing accidental contact with either of the fasteners  24 ,  28  when in normal use. An example of the flap  22  in a folded position may be seen in  FIG. 9 . Although a hook and loop fastener structure/material is described and shown, it is to be understood that the materials may be connected via any suitable fastening means including buttons, buckles, ties, etc., as desired. 
         [0021]    At least one of the first and second surfaces  12 ,  16  may be provided with optional creases and/or fold-lines  30   a,    30   b  for assisting in folding the blanket  10  as desired. For example, as illustrated in the present example, the fold lines  30   a,    30   b  are formed through use of stitching such as, for example, quilting stitches. The example fold lines  30   a,    30   b  generally divide the blanket  10  into a first portion  31   a,  a second portion  31   b,  and a center portion  31   c.  It will be appreciated, however, that the fold-line, if present, may be provided via any suitable means including different fabrics, patches, etc. and may divide the blanket  10  into any number of portions suitable for folding. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 3-7  show one method of folding the blanket  10  into a compact form, which may be used as a pad  32  such as an arm pad for use as with a handle  34  of an infant car seat  36  as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the blanket  10  is folded along the fold lines  30   a,    30   b  so that, in this example, the blanket  10  is folded approximately in thirds with the first and second portion  31   a,    31   b  being folded onto the center portion  31   c.  Thus, as illustrated, the partially folded blanket  10  is approximately the width of the flap  22 , but it will be understood that the width of the folded blanket  10  (e.g. the center portion  31   c ) and/or the width of the flap  22  may vary. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the blanket  10  may then be further folded to bring the fastener  26  into mating contact with the fastener  24 . For instance, the example blanket  10  is again folded in third, as shown in  FIG. 5 , and in third again as shown in  FIG. 6 . It will be understood that the blanket  10  may be alternatively folded in various ways including, for example, by rolling, folding in fourths, etc. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the folded blanket  10  generally defines a centerline  40 . In this example, the object (e.g., the handle  34 ) about which the blanket  10  is to be attached to form the pad  32  is brought into contact with the centerline  40  for the final step. More particularly, the blanket  10  aligned such that the handle  34  is placed on the centerline  40  and the blanket  10  is folded about the centerline  40  to form the pad  32  illustrated in  FIG. 7 . To secure the pad  32  to the handle  34 , the flap  22  is pulled over the surface  16  to couple the fastener  24  to the fastener  26 , thereby removably attaching the pad  32  over the handle  34 .  FIG. 8  illustrates one example of the blanket  10  folded about the handle  34  of the car seat  36  to form an arm pad  32 . 
         [0025]    Sill further, as can be seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the surface  16  of the blanket  10  may include at least one item attachment point, such as for example loops  46 , ties, buttons, etc., for attaching an object to the pad  32 . Additionally, as best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the perimeter  14  of the blanket  10  may include at least one item attachment point such as a loop  47  for attaching an object to the blanket  10  in the extended state. For instance, the loops  46 ,  47  may be utilized to attach toys and/or other visually and/or physically stimulating items above the car seat  36  and/or on the blanket  10  when extended. Still further, the surfaces  12 ,  16  of the blanket  10 , and thus the outer surface of the pad  32  may be provided with visually interesting patterns, colors, etc. to simulate and engage an infant placed on the blanket  10  or in the car seat  36 . 
         [0026]    Although certain example methods and apparatus have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims either literally or under the doctrine of equivalents.