US2697775A - Electric comforter and blanket - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 21, 1954 Filed March 6, 1953 E. H. LICHT ELECTRIC COMFORTER AND BLANKET 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. EMANUEL H. LICH'I' Dec. 21, 1954 E. H.'LICHT ELECTRIC COMFORTER AND BLANKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1953 J Z0 1' 1017" I5 INVENTOR EMANUEL. H. LIGHT United States Patent ELECTRIC COMFORTER AND BLANKET Emanuel H. Licht, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Lewis F. Schleifer, Flushing, and one-half to Saul A. Licht, New York, N. Y.

Application March 6, 1953, Serial No. 340,678 2 Claims. (Cl. 219-46) This invention relates to a pocket and form electric heating pad comforter and blanket.

My prior United States Patent 2,248,768 issued July 18, 1941 for Pocket Form Comforter, discloses a blanket on which is superimposed pockets into which can be readily placed forms Containing filling material, the pockets being uniform or all of the same design, or of varying designs. There may be single openings to each pocket, or one opening may serve for several adjacent pockets, these openings being closed by slide fasteners or other suitable fastening means.

It is, accordingly, a principal object of the present invention to provide certain improvements in the pocket form comforter disclosed in the above patent wherein any of the forms described in the above pocket and form patent can be wired for heating the comforter, and the said wired form inserted in any of the pockets in substitution of an ordinary form, or wherein any standard electric heating pad can be inserted in the pockets.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pocket and form electric heating pad comforter and blanket which is designed for ordinary use in the home as well as hospital and camp to take the place of the ordinary blanket.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pocket and form electric comforter and blanket which is of triple utility.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a pocket and form electric comforter and/ or blanket in which the housewife can use the same forms and heating pad over and over again if she decides that she wants to change the color scheme of the comforter or blanket, or if the pockets become worn out, because the forms and the heating pad can last for many years.

It is still another object of the present invention to extend the pocket and form theory of my above patent to the electric field. It should not be necessary for consumers to spend money on costly electric comforters or blankets which, in the main, are complicated and very inconvenient to repair and maintain.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novgl features of the invention are more particularly set fort In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a pocket and form electric comforter and blanket embodying the features of the present invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the filler units forming a part of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of a modified form of filler unit adapted to be used with the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a modified form of the present invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a still further modified form of the present invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 7' is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing a still further modified form of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a still further modified form of the present invention.

2,697,775 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 Referring more in detail to the drawings, in which Similar reference numerals identify corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Figs. 1-4 a pocket and form electric comforter and blanket, referred to collectively as 10, and including an ordinary blanket 11, if it is desirable to use a blanket, of the usual shape and size and adapted to completely cover the body, substantially as illustrated.

The four edges of blanket 11 are bordered by a binding or doubled-up strips of material 12, secured thereto by stitching 13.

A layer of comforter material 14 is superimposed on blanket 11, the four edges thereof being bordered by a binding or doubled-up strips of material 15 secured thereto by stitching 16, the stitching 16 also serving to secure the layer 14 to the blanket 11, substantially as illustrated.

This provides for a pocket and form blanket and comforter, modified to contain only one pocket and formsituated at the bottom of the blanket and comforter. The upper cover 14, preferably made out of sateen or other closely woven material, is sewn to the bottom blanket 11 as described. The space between the upper cover 14 and the blanket bottom 11 is filled with down or other filling material 24*, and the upper sateen cover 14 is quilted in normal comforter designs to the blanket, and provision made for a pocket with a closure into which a form also filled with down or other filling material can be placed, or into which pocket a standard heating pad can be placed, as will now be described in detail.

Three-sided, rectangular lines of stitching 17 further secure the layer 14 to blanket 11 intermediate the longitudinal sides at one end thereof, as shown in Fig. l, and thereby provide a pocket 18.

Access to the pocket 18 is provided by slide fastening construction 19. It will, of course, be understood that any other arrangement of the slide fasteners 19 may be employed or that any other suitable closing means may be employed, for example, snap fasteners, it only being necessary that such opening and closure means he employed as to permit the insertion in pocket 18 of the filler 20, of a nature and for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

This filler is preferably made up of upper and lower walls 21 and 22 of a close woven fabric, for example, sateen, secured together around their entire edges by stitching 23 and packed with a filler material 24, prefer ably down.

This filler 20 is inserted into therein by slide fastener 19 when construction as a comforter. When it is desired to use the construction as a blanket, the filler 20 may then be readily removed upon opening slide fastener 19, as will be obvious. During unseasonably cold weather, a heating pad 26 (see Fig. 4) may be inserted under or on top of filler 20 within pocket 18, or else the pad 26 may be substituted for the filler 20.

The invention shown in Figs. 14 can be modified to contain no under cover of blanketing material, but to be constructed as an ordinary comforter, both upper and lower layers made out of sateen or other closely woven material, the space between filled with down or other filling material, and provision allowed for a pocket into which a form also containing filling material can be inserted, or replaced by a heating pad.

Or, it can again be modified by constructing it with a base of blanketing material, an upper layer of sateen or other closely woven material, which upper layer can be quilted to the blanket without filling the space with any filling material, providing for a pocket into which a heating pad can be inserted.

In all the three methods, Whether there is a blanket base or not, the same quilting designs or similar quilting designs can be used, as long as provision is made for a pocket with opening and closing devices into which a form or heating pad can be inserted.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4, there is shown a modified form of filler, referred to collectively as 20', and adapted to be inserted in the pocket 18 in the same manner as filler 20.

pocket 18 and secured it is desired to use the This filler 20 is provided along one longitudinaledge with a slide fastening construction 2:5 and is less tightly packed with filler material 24 than the others, whereoy to permit the insertion therein of a heating pad 26 of conventional construction. 'lhe usual switch 28, having popp temperature control buttons 29, is connected by insulated wiring 30 to the pad 26 and to a male plug 31 adapted to be connected to a household source of power.

' During extremely cold weather or when it is desired to apply heat to a particular part of the body, one of the fillers shown in Fig. 4 will be included along with its heating pad 26. In this latter case, the slide fastening construction 25 will not be completely closed so as to permit the outward extension therefrom of wires 30, switch 28 and plug 31. The adjacent slide fastener construction 19 will likewise not be completely closed so as to permit the outward extension therefrom of wires 30, switch 28 and plug 31, and the connection of the latter to a household source of power. It will be noted that the length of wire 30 connecting switch 28 to heating pad 26, will be sufficiently long to locate the switch 28 in a readily accessible position to the user. Three ranges of temperature will be provided by the pop-up buttons 29, in the usual construction of heating pads now on the market, thus assuring the proper temperature to the particular part of the body it is desired to heat.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, there is shown a modified form of the present invention, referred to collectively as 10*, and differing from the first form in the provision of an additional pocket 18 at the other end of the construction.

Three-sided, rectangular lines of stitching 17 further secure the layer 14 to blanket 11, providing pocket 18 for the same purpose as pocket 18. An additional filler 20 will be provided and retained in pocket 18 by slide fastener construction 19 Fig. is a modified form, providing for two pockets instead of one, and indicating in general that the balance of the surface of the invention other than the area provided for the insertion of forms or heating pads can be quilted in many designs, such as is normally used in comforters or other quilting work.

In other respects the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, and like reference numerals identify like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 6, there is shown a still further modified form of the invention, referred to collectively as and differing from the form 10 in the provision of a third pocket 18 centralized in the middle of the construction.

Three-sided, rectangular lines of stitching 17 further secure the layer 14 to blanket 11, providing thereby pocket 18, for the same purpose as pockets 18 and 18 and adapted to be closed by slide fastener construction 19 The three pockets 18, 18 and 18 are provided with fillers and any one of the forms can be removed for the insertion of an electric pad of standard make. The pocket and form electric blanket and comforters 10, 10 and 10 are not limited to simple designs. They may be madein decorative designs with various fillings, various covers and in various colors or combinations of colors, as long as these designs provide for pockets for fillers and an electric pad.

In other respects the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is the same as that shown in Fig. 5, and like reference numerals identify like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 7, there is shown a still further modified form of the invention, referred to collectively as 10, and differing from the previous forms in the provision of a pocket 18 in each corner of the construction.

Four two-sided, angular lines of stitching 17 further secure the layer 14 to the blanket 11, providing pockets 18, for the same purpose as pockets 13, 18 and 18 each adapted to be closed by slide fastener constructions 19. Additional fillers 20 will be provided to fill each pocket 18, as in the previous forms, as well as a heating pad 26 or combined heating pad and filler 20'.

Where there is more than one pocket and filler provided for in the blanket and comforter, more than one heating pad can be used if it is desirable to do so. In actual practice, however, it will be found that one heating pad will serve the purpose in practically all instances.

Referring now particularly to big. 8, there is shown a still further modined form of the invention, referred to collectively as 10, and ditfering from the previous forms in the provision of nine pockets 13$ covering the entire blanket and comforter, each of the pockets being adapted to receive two fillers 20.

'lransverse and longitudinal lines of stitching 17 further secure the layer 14 to blanket 11, providing nine pockets 18 for the same purpose as in the previous forms, each of these pockets being adapted to be closed by a slide fastener construction 19 substantially as illustrated. Each pocket 18 is filled by two fillers 20. In this instance, the pad 26 or the combination pad and filler 20' may replace any one of 18 fillers in the pockets. The number of positions are only limited by the number of pockets in the pocket and form comforter and blanket.

The pocket and form comforter and blanket consists of the ordinary blanket if it is desirable to use a blanket plus superimposed pockets, into which can readily be placed forms containing filling materials. The pockets should be filled, in all instances, with forms instead of loose filling materials.

The form can be enclosed in a pocket and the pocket sealed either with Zippers, snaps, buttons, or any other closing element.

The base blanket upon which the pockets are superimposed can be used for many years by merely changing the top cover or superimposed pockets, when worn out or when it is desirable to change the color scheme of the pocket and form comforter.

It would also be possible to superimpose a pocket on top of an ordinary blanket or comforter, and insert a form or a heating pad when wanted. In such a case, one blanket or comforter would perform two utilities; be of ordinary use during temperate or warm weather, and electrically heated when very cold weather sets in.

Where a large or wide comforter or blanket is used for a double bed for two persons, it may contain pockets and forms on the right and left sides of the item so that two heating pads may be used. Each sleeper can control the pad on his or her side, as desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. In combination, a pocket and form electric comforter and blanket comprising a rectangular layer of blanket material, a layer of comforter material superimposed on said blanket layer and secured thereto along its outer edges by continuous lines of stitching, said comforter layer being further secured to said blanket layer by a plurality of spaced transverse, substantially parallel lines of stitching and by a plurality of spaced longitudinal parallel lines of stitching whereby to provide a plurality of pockets extending from side to side and end to end of said blanket layer, said comforter material having a plurality of openings providing access to each of said pockets, releasable means for closing said openings, a pair of filler units disposed in each of said pockets, each of said filler units being adapted to pass through said openings, each pair of said filler units being adapted to fill substantially the entire volume of one of said pockets, each of said filler units comprising an outer shell of fabric and filler material within said shell, the outer shell of at least one of said filler units having an elongated opening therein, releasable means for closing said opening and an electric heating pad disposed within said filler shell having said elongated opening.

2. In combination, a pocket and form electric comforter and blanket comprising a rectangular base of fabric, a second layer of fabric superimposed on said base and secured thereto along its outer edges, said second layer being further secured to said base of fabric intermediate said outer edges whereby to provide a plurality of pockets, each of said pockets being provided with an opening,

releasable means for closing said openings, filler unitsdisposed within said pockets, each of said filler units com- 5 e prising an outer shell of fabric and filler material Within References Cited in the file of this patent said shell, the outer shell of at least one of said filler UNITED STATES PATENTS units having an opening therein, releasable means for closing said opening and an electric heating pad disposed f 'P P Name Date within said filler shell having said opening, said first and 5 ziiilml lfildweln June 13, 1939 second releasable means comprising slide fastener con- Llcht July 11941 structions, one of said pockets being located in each corner Theodor? of said blanket 2,579,383 Goudsmit Dec. 18, 1951 2,647,195 Broyles July 28, 1953

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