Abstract:
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.

Description:
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. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a foldable mat according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIGS. 2 to 6  are perspective views showing steps of folding the mat into the main portion of a bag; 
         FIG. 7  is a bag having the main portion formed by folding the mat; and 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a foldable mat according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a foldable, rectangular mat  1  in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises the following components as discussed in detail below. 
     A first seam  10  is provided along a transverse, central line. A second seam  11 , a fourth seam  13 , a third seam  12 , and a fifth seam  14  are provided longitudinally from right to left in an intermediate portion and perpendicular to the first seam  10 . Two sixth seams  15  are provided transversely equally spaced from the first seam  10  respectively. Two seventh seams  16  are provided transversely adjacent to front and rear ends respectively. A first panel  2  is defined by the rear sixth seam  15 , the second seam  11 , the rear seventh seam  16 , and a portion of right side. A second panel  20  is defined by the rear seventh seam  16 , a rear edge, another portion of right side, and the second seam  11 . A third panel  200  is defined by the first seam  10 , the second seam  11 , the rear sixth seam  15 , and another portion of right side. A fourth panel  201  is defined by the front seventh seam  16 , the second seam  11 , the front sixth seam  15 , and another portion of right side. A fifth panel  202  is defined by the rear sixth seam  15 , the fourth seam  13 , the rear seventh seam  16 , and the second seam  11 . A sixth panel  203  is defined by the front seventh seam  16 , the third seam  12 , the front sixth seam  15 , and the fourth seam  13 . A seventh panel  204  is defined by the rear sixth seam  15 , the third seam  12 , the rear seventh seam  16 , and the fourth seam  13 . An eighth panel  205  is defined by the front seventh seam  16 , the fifth seam  14 , the front sixth seam  15 , and the third seam  12 . A ninth panel  206  is defined by a portion of front edge, a portion of left side, the front seventh seam  16 , and the fifth seam  14 . A tenth panel  207  is defined by the front seventh seam  16 , another portion of left side, the front sixth seam  15 , and the fifth seam  14 . An eleventh panel  208  is defined by the front sixth seam  15 , another of left side, the first seam  10 , the fifth seam  14 . A twelfth panel  209  is defined by the rear sixth seam  15 , another portion of left side, the rear seventh seam  16 , and the fifth seam  14 . 
     A plurality of hook and loop fasteners  8  are formed adjacent to front and rear edges. A plurality of male halves  3  of a plurality of snap fasteners are provided on the sixth panel  203 , the seventh panel  204 , the eighth panel  205 , the ninth panel  206 , and the eleventh panel  208  respectively. A plurality of female halves  4  of a plurality of snap fasteners are provided on the second panel  20 , the third panel  200 , the fifth panel  202 , the sixth panel  203 , and the eighth panel  205  respectively. A plurality of through holes  5  are provided on the first panel  2 , the fourth panel  201 , the tenth panel  207 , and the twelfth panel  209  respectively. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 7 , in a folding operation, a person may fold the mat  1  in half along the first seam  10  (see  FIG. 2 ). Next, the person may pull up the fourth seam  13  to form a gable having two lower edges represented by the second and third seams  11 ,  12  respectively with the male halves  3  of the snap fasteners on the seventh panel  204  and the female halves  4  of the snap fasteners on the fifth panel  202  being fastened together (see  FIG. 3 ). Next, the person fasten the male and female halves  3 ,  4  of the snap fasteners on the sixth panel  203  and the female and male halves  4 ,  3  of the snap fasteners on the eighth panel  205  together by snapping (see  FIG. 4 ). Next, the person may fold the fourth panel  201  over the tenth panel  207  along the second seam  11  (see  FIG. 5 ). Next, the person may fold the ninth panel  206  over the second panel  20  and fold the eleventh panel  208  over the third panel  200  respectively to fasten the male halves  3  of the snap fasteners and the female halves  4  of the snap fasteners together (see  FIG. 6 ). Finally, the person may insert two loops  6  through the through holes  5  and tie a knot at each of two ends of the loop  6 . As a result, a bag  7  is formed (see  FIG. 7 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a foldable mat  1  in 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 wire  17  is provided along four edges of the rectangular mat  1 . Further, a metal ring  50  is provided around each through hole  5 . Above arrangement aims to increase weight of the mat  1  so that it is difficult of blowing the flattened mat  1  on the ground in outdoors. Furthermore, a transparent layer  2070  with a game printed thereunder is formed on a top surface. Thus, people may play the game in outdoors after unfolding the mat  1  and sitting on the mat  1 . 
     While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.