Patent Publication Number: US-6341397-B1

Title: Baby wrapping blanket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to baby blankets and more particularly pertains to a new baby wrapping blanket for providing warmth and comfort to an infant. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of baby blankets is known in the prior art. More specifically, baby blankets heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, not withstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,132; U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,827; U.S. Pat. No. 2,989,753; U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,885; U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,724; and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 407,258. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new baby wrapping blanket. The inventive device includes a panel. The panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, a bottom edge, two lower side edges extend away and taper outwardly from the bottom edge and two upper side edges each extend away and taper inwardly from one of the lower side edges such that the panel generally has a pentagonal shape. The panel comprises a cloth material. A flap portion has a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. The bottom edge of the flap portion is integrally coupled to the bottom edge of the panel. The flap portion is abutted against the front surface of the panel to define a pocket. The legs of the baby are placed in the pocket and the panel wrapped about the baby. 
     In these respects, the baby wrapping blanket according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing warmth and comfort to an infant. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of baby blankets now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new baby wrapping blanket construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing warmth and comfort to an infant. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the baby blankets mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new baby wrapping blanket which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art baby blankets, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a panel. The panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, a bottom edge, two lower side edges extend away and taper outwardly from the bottom edge and two upper side edges each extend away and taper inwardly from one of the lower side edges such that the panel generally has a pentagonal shape. The panel comprises a cloth material. A flap portion has a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. The bottom edge of the flap portion is integrally coupled to the bottom edge of the panel. The flap portion is abutted against the front surface of the panel to define a pocket. The legs of the baby are placed in the pocket and the panel wrapped about the baby. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new baby wrapping blanket apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the baby blankets mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new baby wrapping blanket which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art baby blankets, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new baby wrapping blanket which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new baby wrapping blanket which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such baby wrapping blanket economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket for providing warmth and comfort to an infant. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket which includes a panel. The panel has a top surface, a bottom surface, a bottom edge two lower side edges extend away and taper outwardly from the bottom edge and two upper side edges each extend away and taper inwardly from one of the lower side edges such that the panel generally has a pentagonal shape. The panel comprises a cloth material. A flap portion has a bottom edge, a top edge, a first side edge and a second side edge. The bottom edge of the flap portion is integrally coupled to the bottom edge of the panel. The flap portion is abutted against the front surface of the panel to define a pocket. The legs of the baby are placed in the pocket and the panel wrapped about the baby. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket that has a fastening means thereon for holding the blanket tight about the baby. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new baby wrapping blanket that has a flap portion thereon to form a pocket to receive the feet of the baby. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new baby wrapping blanket according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new baby wrapping blanket embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the baby wrapping blanket  10  generally comprises a panel  12 . The panel  12  has a top surface  14 , a bottom surface  16 , a bottom edge  18 , two lower side edges  20  extending away and tapering outwardly from the bottom edge  18  and two upper side edges  22  each extending away and tapering inwardly from one of the lower side edges  20  such that the panel generally has a pentagonal shape. The panel  12  preferably comprises a cloth material which is ideally flannel or a quilted material. 
     A flap portion  24  has a bottom edge  26 , a top edge  28 , a first side edge  30  and a second side edge  32 . The bottom edge  26  of the flap portion  12  is integrally coupled to the bottom edge  18  of the panel  12 . The second side edge  32  of the flap portion is securely attached to the top surface  14  of the panel  12  such that a first portion  34  of each of the lower side edges  20  of the panel  12  are abutted against the top surface  14 . The first portions  34  of the lower side edges  20  are securely attached to the top surface  14  of the panel  12 . The flap portion  24  comprises a cloth material which is ideally flannel or a quilted material. 
     A securing means  36  selectively secures the first side edge  30  of the flap portion  24  to the top surface  14 . Preferably the securing means  36  comprising a plurality of buttons. Also envisioned are a hook and loop securing means. 
     A fastening means fastens the top surface  14  of the panel  12  to the bottom surface  16  of the panel  12  to keep a baby wrapped up in the panel. The fastening means comprises a hook and loop fastening means. A hook portion  38  is securely attached to the top surface  14  and positioned generally adjacent to a juncture of one of the upper side edges  22  and one of the lower side edges  20 . A loop portion  40  is securely attached to the back surface  16  and positioned such that the hook portion  38  may engage the loop portion  40  when the panel  12  is wrapped about the baby. 
     In use, a baby is placed on the panel and its feet are slid under the flap portion  24 . The first edge  30  of the flap portion is secured to the panel  12 . A first side  42  of the panel  12  is positioned over the baby. The second side  44 , having the hook portion  38  of the hook and loop fastening means thereon, is fastened to the loop portion  40  on the first side  42 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.