Abstract:
A comforting fabric article has a soft, flexible exterior fabric. The fabric has a pocket and markings on at least one side of the fabric forming the pocket. There is a battery-powered recording and playback device with at least one pressure sensitive contact on the device within the pocket. The pressure sensitive contact has both a playback contact and a recording function activation contact. A pressure sensitive contact is aligned with one of the markings to indicate a location of at least one pressure sensitive contact within the fabric.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of fabrics articles and fabric articles that contain audio emissions systems that can provide soothing audio emissions that are provided on demand. 
         [0003]    2. Background of the Art 
         [0004]    Numerous toys have been provided over the years that provide speech upon demand. One of the earliest verbal toys was the “Chatty Kathy” ® doll that operated by pulling a string, which then retracted to play a recorded message on wires that moved across a sound emitting system. More recently, the “Tickle Me Elmo”® doll emitted prerecorded sounds upon stimulation, the doll being battery operated. IN about 1990, dolls were commercially available in which when the hand of the doll was squeezed, a battery-operated recording device was activated and any sound immediately rendered in the vicinity of the doll was recorded for a single time repetition. These devices have been provided for entertainment purposes, with no functionality. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,259 (Sedaros) describes a baby calmer kit that simulates a mother&#39;s heartbeat. The actual heartbeat may be recorded and the device, attached to the crib, provides a soothing sound to the baby to soothe it with the sound of the heartbeat. The device may be set to emit sounds on demand or at a time set in the device. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,811 (Fomarelli) teaches the inclusion of a heart beat simulator into a foam form which is inserted into a baby blanket with access provided through n opening such as a zipper. The device is activated and then placed into the blanket. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,486 (Keller) describes a tranquilizing bed that provides both gentle and controllable movement as well as soothing sounds to provide a tranquil environment for a baby or mental patient. This may be provided as a toy, bed or blanket. 
         [0008]    These devices provide amusement or benefit, but do not provide the ease of control and use desirable in other applications. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A fabric material is provided with a device having recording and playback functionality inserted and removable therefrom. The device is inserted and retained within the periphery of the fabric material, such as a blanket. There is a sound activation point(s) on the inserted device, and that sound activation device is aligned with the sound activation point. There is a recording function activation area or point that may be hidden, protected and/or separately identified on the exterior of the fabric. In a preferred embodiment, the recording activation function may be accessible only through removal of the device from the fabric. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a blanket with the recording playback device embedded therein. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows the recording playback device that is removably embedded in the fabric of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A fabric material, preferably a fabric material with pleasing tactile sensations (such as chamois, soft microfibers, fabric with a silk covering, and the like) is provided with a device having recording and playback functionality inserted and removable therefrom. The device, described in greater detail hereafter, is removeably inserted, positioned and retained within the periphery of the fabric material, such as a blanket. The device must be placed in the periphery or within a cushioned, more interior area, so that the rigidity of the device will not cause an undesirable feel to the fabric material. Additionally, by positioning the device close to the periphery, with less distance to travel to an interior area, there is likely to be better alignment with markings on the fabric exterior identifying functional elements on the device. 
         [0013]    There is a sound activation point(s) on the inserted device, and that sound activation device is aligned with the sound activation point. There is a recording function activation area or point that may be hidden, protected and/or separately identified on the exterior of the fabric. In a preferred embodiment, the recording activation function may be accessible only through removal of the device from the fabric. 
       DEFINITIONS AND METHODS OF FABRIC MANUFACTURE USED HEREIN INCLUDE 
       [0014]    a) “Air permeable” or “Breathable” means fabrics which are capable of acting as a barrier to particulate matter, water, and other liquids yet which allow water vapor and air to pass therethrough. Such fabrics may be referred to as “breathable barriers.” Articles or products made using breathable fabrics are generally more comfortable to wear or use since the migration of water vapor through the fabric helps to reduce and/or eliminate discomfort resulting from excess moisture trapped against the skin. 
         [0015]    (b) “Bonded carded fabric or web”, “bonded carded web”, and “bonded carded fabric” refer to fabric or webs made from staple fibers which are sent through a combing or carding unit, which individualizes and aligns the staple fibers in the machine direction to form a generally machine direction-oriented fibrous nonwoven web. Such fibers are usually purchased in bales which are placed in a picker which separates the fibers prior to the carding unit. Once the web or fabric is formed, it is then bonded by one or more of several known bonding methods. One such bonding method is powder bonding, wherein a powdered adhesive is distributed through the web or fabric and then activated, usually by heating the fabric and adhesive with hot air. Another suitable bonding method is pattern bonding, wherein heated calendar rolls or ultrasonic bonding equipment are used to bond the fibers together, usually in a localized bond pattern, though the fabric can be bonded across its entire surface if so desired. Another suitable and well-known bonding method, particularly when using bi-component staple fibers, is through-air bonding. 
         [0016]    (c) “Disposable” includes being discarded of after use, and not intended to be washed and reused. 
         [0017]    (d) “Fabric” is used to refer to all of the woven, knitted, and nonwoven webs. 
         [0018]    (e) “Flexible” refers to materials or fabrics that are compliant and readily conform to the general shape and contours of an individual&#39;s body. 
         [0019]    (f) “Hydrophilic” describes fibers or surfaces of fibers that are wetted by the aqueous liquids in contact with the fibers. The degree of wetting of the materials can be described in terms of contact angles and the surface tensions of the liquids and materials involved. Equipment and techniques suitable for measuring the wettability of particular fiber materials or blends of fiber materials can be provided by a Cahn SFA-222 Surface Force Analyzer System. When measured with this system, fibers having contact angles less than 90 degrees are designated “wettable”, i.e., “hydrophilic”, and fibers having contact angles greater than 90 degrees are “nonwettable”, i.e., “hydrophobic.” 
         [0020]    (g) “Joining”, “join”, “joined”, or variations thereof, when used in describing the relationship between two or more elements, means that the elements can be connected together in any suitable manner, such as by heat sealing, ultrasonic bonding, thermal bonding, adhesives, stitching, or the like. Further, the elements can be joined directly together, or may have one or more elements interposed between them, all of which are connected together. The elements forming the interior of the pockets can be permanently or refastenably joined together. The entrance to pockets on the blanket for accepting the recording and playback device should be refastenable as with hook and loop (e.g., Velcro® fasteners) systems, buttons, zippers, or other physical locking systems that can secure the device within the pocket. 
         [0021]    (h) “Meltblown fibers” means fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity, usually hot gas (e.g., air) streams which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly disbursed meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241 issued to Butin et al. which is incorporated herein by reference. Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may be continuous or discontinuous, are generally smaller than 10 microns in average diameter, and are generally tacky when deposited onto a collecting surface. Many synthetic polymers can be used in this process such as polyesters fibers, polyolefin fibers, polyamide fibers, viscose fibers and the like. 
         [0022]    (i) “Multi-layer laminate” means a laminate wherein some of the layers are spunbond and some are meltblown having a configuration such as spunbond/meltblown/spunbond (SMS) laminate and others as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 issued to Brock et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,706 issued to Collier et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,727 issued to Potts et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,931 issued to Perkins, et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,885 issued to Timmons et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such a laminate may be made by sequentially depositing onto a moving forming belt first a spunbond fabric layer, then a meltblown fabric layer and last another spunbond layer and then bonding the laminate in a manner described below. Alternatively, the fabric layers may be made individually, collected in rolls, and combined in a separate bonding step. Such fabrics usually have a basis weight of from about 0.1 osy to about 12 osy (6 to 400 gsm), or more particularly from about 0.75 osy to about 3 osy. Multi-layer laminates may also have various numbers of meltblown layers or multiple spunbond layers in may different configurations and may include other materials like films or coform materials. 
         [0023]    j) “Nonwoven fabric or web”, “nonwoven web”, and “nonwoven fabric” mean a web having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in an identifiable manner as in a knitted fabric. Nonwoven fabrics or webs have been formed from many processes such as, for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, and bonded carded web processes. The basis weight of nonwoven fabrics is usually expressed in ounces of material per square yard (osy) or grams per square meter (gsm) and the fiber diameters are usually expressed in microns. 
         [0024]    (k) “Polymer” generally includes but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc. and blends and modifications thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term “polymer” shall include all possible geometrical configuration of the material. These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic and random symmetries. 
         [0025]    (l) “Spunbonded fibers” refers to small diameter fibers which are formed by extruding molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine, usually circular capillaries or spinneret with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as methods discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 issued to Appel et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,618 issued to Dorschner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 issued to Matsuki et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,338,992 and 3,341,394 issued to Kinney; U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,763 issued to Hartman; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,615 issued to Dobo et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Spunbond fibers are generally not tacky when they are deposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and have average diameters (from a sample of at least 10) larger than about 7 microns, more particularly, between about 10 and about 20 microns. 
         [0026]    (m) “Stitchbonded” means, for example, the stitching of a material in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,957 issued to Strack et al. or U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,933 issued to Carey, Jr, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0027]    (n) “Stretch bonded laminate” (“SBL”) refers to a composite material having at least two layers in which one layer is a gatherable layer and the other layer is a stretchable, that is, elastic, layer. The layers are joined together when the stretchable layer is in a stretched condition so that upon relaxing the layers, the layers gather. 
         [0028]    (o) “Thermal point bonding” involves passing a fabric or web of fibers to be bonded between a heated calender roll and an anvil roll. The calender roll is usually, though not always, patterned in some way so that the entire fabric is not bonded across its entire surface. As a result, various patterns for calender rolls have been developed for functional as well as aesthetic reasons. One example of a pattern has points and is the Hansen pattern with about a 30% bond area with about 200 bonds/square inch as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,046 issued to Hansen et al. The resulting pattern has a bonded area of about 10-30%. 
         [0029]    (p) “Ultrasonic bonding” means a process performed, for example, by passing the fabric between a sonic horn and anvil roll as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,888 issued to Bornslaeger. 
         [0030]    Additionally, the web of fabric may comprise monocomponent or bicomponent spunbond fibers. Generally, methods for making spunbond fiber nonwoven or woven webs of fabric include extruding molten thermoplasic polymer through a spinneret, quenching the filaments, and then drawing the quenched filaments with a stream of high velocity air to form a web of randomly arrayed fibers on a collecting surface or other method of handling to form a woven web of fabric. As examples, methods for making the nonwoven webs of fabric are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,618 issued to Dorschner et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,563 issued to Appel et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,817 issued to Matsuki et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0031]    Monocomponent fibers may be formed from one or more extruders using only one polymer. This is not meant to exclude fibers formed from one polymer to which small amounts of additives have been added for coloration, anti-static properties, lubrication, hydrophilicity, etc. These additives, e.g. titanium dioxide for coloration, are generally present in an amount less than 5 weight percent and more typically about 2 weight percent. 
         [0032]    Bicomponent fibers, also referred to as biconsitutuent, conjugate, or multiconstituent fibers, are discussed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,827 issued to Gessner; U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,820 issued to Kaneko et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,552 issued to Strack et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,400 issued to Pike et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. For two component fibers, the polymers may be present in ratios of 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 or any other desired ratios. Such fibers are also discussed in the textbook Polymer Blends and Composites by John A. Manson and Leslie H. Sperling, copyright 1976 by Plenum Press, a division of Plenum Publishing Corporation of New York, IBSN 0-306-30831-2, at pages 273 through 277. 
         [0033]    Such multicomponent spunbond fibers may be formed from at least two polymer streams but spun together to form a unitary fiber. The individual components comprising the multicomponent fiber are usually different polymers and are arranged in distinct zones or regions that extend continuously along the length of the fibers. The configuration of such fibers can vary and commonly the individual components of the fiber can be positioned in a side-by-side arrangement, sheath/core arrangement, pie or wedge arrangement, islands-in-sea arrangement and so forth. Multicomponent fibers and methods of making the same are known in the art, an by way of example only, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,400 issued to Pike et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,339 issued to Stokes et al.; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,004 issued to Cook, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0034]    The web of fiber may also comprise hollow fibers as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,137 issued to Tolliver, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0035]    Robertson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,466) and Groshens et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,771) teach methods of construction microfiber blankets, including polyester microfiber blankets that would be useful in the practice of the present technology. 
       Structure Descriptions 
       [0036]    The blanket or cover or decorative system of the present technology is preferably a portable structure, with dimensions of less than 2 meters length and width, preferably less than 1 meter in length and width. The included recording device and player system is electronic and battery-operated, preferably with a solid state recording system, as opposed to magnetic tape recording. 
         [0037]    The fabric material of the blanket should be comfortably tactile to assist in the overall tranquilizing effect of the system. The combination of soft, tactile feel (as is provided by microfibers, chamois, sateen, silk and other soft fabric materials and the recordable sounds that are selected for soothing effects are effective in providing a prolonged tranquilizing effect on a user. 
         [0038]    It is important that the sounds be recordable as opposed to preprogrammed to add flexibility and range to the use of the system. For example, parents may record their voices for replay to children and change their voices, sounds, and words according to different growth stages for the child. Songs and lullabies may be entered to induce sleep, encouraging phrase may be used to reinforce potty training, calming phrase and songs may be used to console a child after a loss or to give support during stressful times such as the start of school. A significant benefit is the ability for the user to access the recordings on demand. In this manner, if the child is alone, the recording can be accessed when alone or does not have the individual around whose support is desired. 
         [0039]    An alternative user class is persons dealing with stress, drug habit issues, compulsive disorders or even mental disorders. A significant mollifying or tranquilizing effect is provided by voices and phrases designed for use with specific individuals. The user may provide recorded messages to himself or herself, a therapist may provide recordings for specific stages of treatment or counseling, hypnotists may provide key triggering phrases, relatives may provide words of encouragement, any of which may be accessed by the user on demand. 
         [0040]    The device is embedded in a fabric material of the selected size, the fabric material or construction having a pocket or restraining area for accepting the recording device within the fabric in a restrained area that is marked on at least one surface of the fabric to identify a specific point where contact will activate the playing function on demand. The device should be covered by fabric on both sides of the device so that exposure of hard surfaces is avoided. Reference to the figures will assist in appreciating the invention further. 
         [0041]      FIG. 1  shows a blanket  2  with the recording playback device  4  embedded therein. A pocket  6  is shown that accepts the device  4  in a restraining relationship so that it does not migrate out of alignment with the symbols  8  and  10  on the surface of the fabric blanket  2 . A first symbol  8  represents the player activation point on the device  4  and symbol  10  represents a volume control  10  that changes with repeated clicks on the button. An optional feature on the device  4  is an extension arm  12  that fits into a unique position within a mated pocket section  14  so that the device  4  can be inserted in only a single orientation so that the device  4  surface with functional contacts is in alignment with the markings (e.g., at least 8 and 10) on the blanket  2 . The blanket should be air breathable, as these systems may be used by people with more limited or undeveloped skills where smothering would be an issue with a more dense and less permeable material. The fabric should also be machine washable, as opposed to only dry cleanable, which would increase the cost of use. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2  shows the recording playback device  4  that is removably embedded in the fabric blanket  4  of  FIG. 1 . Various switches, buttons and functions are shown on the device  4 . Shown on the device  4  are symbol  8   a  representing the player activation point on the device  4  and symbol  10   a  representing a volume control that changes with repeated clicks on the button. Also shown is a record function activation contact  16  which may be accessed through a hole  18  that cannot be readily accessed when the device  4  is positioned within the blanket  2 . 
         [0043]    The messages on a blanket may be a parent&#39;s voice speaking, singing or humming to relax a child as one preferred embodiment. Another preferred embodiment is the use of phrases or lessons to influence behavior of the listener on demand, the voice being provided by an individual trusted by the user, such as a family member, caregiver, medical practitioner, social worker, health practitioner (such as a counselor or therapist), teacher and the like.