Patent Publication Number: US-9402489-B2

Title: Portable blanket with folding guide

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to blankets and tarps, and more particularly to blankets which can be folded for storage. 
     Blankets, tarps, and similar items are often used on the ground to keep a person clean and dry, for example when camping or attending outdoor entertainment events. 
     While useful for this purpose, blankets can be bulky and therefore inconvenient to store and transport. It is possible to reduce a blanket&#39;s bulk by folding it. However, it can be difficult or impossible to fold a blanket in the correct sequence needed to form a compact package. 
     Accordingly, there remains a need for a blanket which can be easily folded into a compact package after use. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This need is addressed by the present invention, which provides a portable blanket incorporating a guide illustrating a folding pattern for storage. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a portable blanket is made from flexible material and has opposed front and back faces bounded by perimeter edges, and has a first surface area in an unfolded condition. The flexible material incorporates a folding guide thereon, the folding guide having lines which represent a sequence of two or more folds defining a folded condition of the blanket, the folded condition having a second surface area smaller than the first surface area. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, lines include a marking material applied to at least one of the front and back faces. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the lines comprise thread stitched to the flexible material. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the flexible material is formed in a rectangle with four linear peripheral edges and four corners. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the lines represent sequential half folds of the flexible material. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the lines represent a series of half folds, which each fold being along a line perpendicular to the previous fold in the series. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the second surface area is approximately 1/256 of the first surface area. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the flexible material includes fabric. 
     According to another aspect of the invention the blanket further includes a storage pouch attached to the flexible material. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the storage pouch includes a carrying handle. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the storage pouch includes a cover flap. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the blanket further includes at least one weight of dense material attached thereto. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the blanket further includes at least one eyelet attached thereto. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the blanket further includes a storage tray attached thereto, the storage tray including a floor and a perimeter wall. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the storage tray comprises molded plastic. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the storage tray is attached to the flexible material by stitching. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a portable blanket constructed in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of the blanket of  FIG. 1 , folded and placed inside a storage pouch; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic front view of an alternative storage pouch; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of an alternative portable blanket; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of the blanket of  FIG. 4 , showing a storage tray thereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views,  FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary blanket  10  constructed according to an aspect of the present invention. 
     The blanket  10  comprises a sheet of flexible material with opposed front and back faces  12 ,  14  bounded by peripheral edges  16 , collectively defining an outer periphery of the blanket  10 . In the illustrated example the blanket  10  is rectangular and has four peripheral edges  16  which meet each other at four corners  18 . Other shapes may be used. 
     The flexible material may be any material which is capable of being folded and subsequently unfolded while maintaining its structural integrity. Nonlimiting examples of suitable materials include woven and nonwoven fabrics, and rubber, plastic, and/or fibrous sheet material. Depending on the intended use of the blanket  10 , the flexible material may be air-permeable or air-impermeable, and may be waterproof or water-resistant. The flexible material may including one or more coatings to modify its properties, for example a polymeric waterproofing coating. In general, thicker materials provide greater isolation from the ground surface, while thinner materials are easier to fold. 
     At least one of the front and back faces  12 ,  14  incorporates a folding guide  20  comprising lines which depict a pattern or series of folds that will reduce the surface area of the blanket  10  from a first size or surface area “A 1 ” to a final, smaller size or surface area “A 2 ”. It will be understood that as used herein, the term “surface area” refers to the surface area of the front or back face  12 ,  14  in plan view; for purposes of illustration the surface area A 1  of the blanket  10  as seen in  FIG. 1  would be its length “L” multiplied by its width “W”. 
     In the illustrated example the folding guide  20  is configured to produce a series of folds that divide the exposed surface area of the blanket  10  in half, with each fold being along a line perpendicular to the previous fold. This may be referred to as a “half fold”. There are eight lines labeled  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  guiding a user to eight sequential folds. The series of folds may be described as following a spiral pattern inwards. As each fold halves the exposed surface area, the final size A 2  is 1/256 of the original size A 1 . Other patterns and numbers of folds may be implemented. 
     The folding pattern may be implemented using any durable marking method. For example, the lines  22 - 36  may be marked on the surface with printing ink, paint, or dye applied to the front and/or back faces  12 ,  14 , or woven into the body of the blanket  10 , or applied by stitching lines of thread into the blanket  10 . The lines  22 - 36  may be of a contrasting color from the rest of the blanket  10  to promote visibility. If desired the folding guide  20  may incorporate additional instructions in the form of text, arrows, etc. (not shown) 
     When folded the blanket  10  may be stored in a fabric pouch or similar small container.  FIG. 2  shows the folded blanket  10  disposed inside a fabric pouch  38  with an opening  40 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pouch  38  may be attached to one of the peripheral edges  16  of the blanket  10 .  FIG. 3  shows an alternative pouch  38 ′ generally similar to the pouch  40  with the inclusion of a cover flap  42  to cover the opening  40 ′ and a loop or handle  44  for carrying or attaching the folded blanket  10 . 
     Optionally, the blanket  10  can include one or more weights  46  (see  FIG. 1 ) to prevent the blanket  10  from moving in windy environments. The weights  46  may be made from a dense material such as metal and may be attached by crimping in the manner of a conventional grommet, encapsulated in fabric and stitching, or any other secure other manner. The weights  46  may be attached anywhere, but for best effectiveness would be secured near the perimeter of the blanket  10 . In the illustrated example, one weight  46  is disposed at each corner of the rectangular blanket  10 . 
     In use, the blanket  10  would be removed from the pouch  38 , unfolded, and then laid on the ground or other surface. A user can then sit or lay on the blanket  10 , remaining clean and dry regardless of the ground condition. When the user is finished with the blanket, it can be easily folded using the folding guide  20  as described above and placed back in the pouch  38  without difficulty. 
     The blanket  10  may be used in other environments. For example,  FIG. 4  depicts an alternative blanket  100  which is particularly suitable for tasks such as automobile maintenance. The blanket  100  is similar in construction to the blanket  10  described above; elements of the blanket  100  not specifically described may be taken to be identical to the blanket  10 . The blanket  100  includes front and back faces  112 ,  114 , bounded by peripheral edges  116 , and corners  118 . The blanket  100  incorporates a folding guide  120  generally similar to the folding guide  20  described above. The pattern of folds may be varied to suit the thickness of the material and does not necessarily have to include a series of half-folds as described above. To suit its usage for automobile maintenance, it may be made of a material which is resistant to oil, grease, and/or solvents. 
     The blanket  100  may include a storage tray  148 , which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 5 . The storage tray  148  is a small, open-topped container with a floor  150  and a perimeter wall  152 . The storage tray  148  may be made from a material such as silicone rubber, molded plastic, or other material that will hold a desired shape. It is attached to the blanket  100 , for example using the illustrated stitching  154  or other appropriate fasteners. In the illustrated example the storage tray  148  has a trapezoidal shape, but other shapes are suitable as well. In use, the storage tray  148  provides a convenient place to store small parts, fasteners, or tools, which would otherwise be easily lost or tend to roll away. 
     Optionally, the blanket  100  can include one or more eyelets or grommets  156  to allow the blanket  100  to be secured. The grommets  156  may be attached by crimping, for example. The blanket  10  may also incorporate grommets if desired. 
     The foregoing has described a portable blanket. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. 
     Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. 
     The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.