US3034132A - Infant's blanket - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 1962 B. LANDSBERGER ETAL 3,034,132

INFANT'S BLANKET Filed Sept. 26, 1958 INVENTOR. BERNARD LANDSBERGER BY HAL-INA LANDSBERGER E a ig- AGENT tae This invention relates to coverings for infants, and more particularly to an adjustable blanket bunting or swathing which ofiers unusual protection against the elements.

A problem in the proper care of infants is to maintain them in a blanket, properly adjusted for environmental conditions, the size, and the temperament of the infant. While considerable ingenuity has been expended in the past in modifying blankets to meet some of the varied requirements connected with sleeping, traveling and the like, a truly satisfactory product has heretofore not been developed. Either modified blankets may be kicked aside, the infant may slip out, or proper provision is not made for the elongation of the infant as growth continues.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an infants blanket which holds the infant securely within the blank but with a minimum of restraint of body movements of the infant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modified infants blanket which is capable of adjustment to match the growth of the child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modified blanket which may be readily adapted to changing environmental conditions, and is particularly adaptable to complete and secure wrappnig of the infant, as for travelmg.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the description thereof proceeds.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows our improved blanket before final sewing together to form a cap thereon.

FIGURE 2 shows the completed blanket, in open form.

FIGURE 3 shows the blanket with infant contained therein, in an intermediate stage of enclosure.

FIGURE 4 shows our blanket with an infant fully enclosed therein.

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 show various modifications of fastening means which we alternatively employ.

Returning now to FIGURE 1, which is an illustrative embodiment of the invention, it will be seen that we provide a piece of cloth of generally rectangular form, with an extension on one edge as shown. The cloth may be of any blanketing material, such as wool, or various synthetic fibers, having a nap, or for summertime use we may use a lighter-bodied material such as flannel or flannelette.

We form a cap portion on the top of our blanket, which is most conveniently done by including enough material in the piece from which our modified blanket is formed so that the cap portion may be integral therewith. As may be seen by comparing FIGURES 1 and 2, the top extension of FIGURE 1 is sewn together so that the corner indicated by reference numeral 10 is joined to the corner indicated by reference numeral 11, this entire edge being folded together about its midpoint 14, and sewn together. Thus, in the completed blanket, the points indicated by reference numerals 10 and 11 will coincide, and also the points indicated by reference numerals 12 and 13 will coincide. This folding operation results in the cap portion which clearly appears in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

Approximately in the middle of each of the side edges of our blanket, that is, medially thereof, we provide '3,fi34,l32 Patented May 15, 1962 ice laterally extended fastening means, as shown by reference numerals 16 and 18. These may be and preferably are fasteners of the commonly used type. Adjacent to the bottom of these same side edges we provide additional fastening means 17 and 19, which are coactable (i.e., coact to provide a fastening effect) with the medially located fastening means 16 and 18. In our preferred embodiment we again use snap fasteners for these bottom fastenings 17 and 19. In use, the bottom portion of the blanket is folded up as shown in FIGURE 3, and the snap fasteners are engaged. By laterally extending we mean that the fastening means extend for some distance up and down along the edges in question, as exemplified by 16 and 18 of FIGURE 1, 51 of FIGURE 5, 61 of FIGURE 6, and 71 of FIGURE 7. In particular, where the term laterally extended is used in the claims, it is to be understood that it has this specific meaning as set forth in the specification and exemplified in the drawings. The provision of laterally extended fastening means along the edges as shown permits this folding and engagement to take place with a greater or smaller amount of fold, as will be clear from a perusal of FIGURE 3. Thus, as the child grows, the bottom-most of the fasteners 17 and 19 can be engaged with the bottom-most of the fasteners 16 and 18 to give the maximum extension of the folded blanket.

Under moderate environmental conditions the configuration of the blanket as shown in FIGURE 3 will be adequate. However, for colder weather or for traveling, the two projecting sides of the blanket may be folded in on each other, and over the infant, as appears from FIG- URE 4. As a further optional modification, we provide additional fastening means which are convenient lengths of tape or string, 41 and 42,, which are applied respectively to one edge and to the back of the blanket, so that these may be fastened as by tying, thus enclosing the infant securely, as shown in FIGURE 4.

While we use interlocking snap fasteners of the common type in our preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGURES 1 through 4, the invention may be carried out by the use of alternative fastening means. These are shown in FIG- URES 5-7 inclusive. In FIGURE 5, the snap fasteners 16 and 18 have been replaced by a row of steel discs 51 sewn into the blanket. Snap fasteners 17 and 19 have been replaced by small sewn-in permanent magnets 52. Thus when the blanket is folded over the feet of the infant, the magnet fastening means engage the steel disc fastening means by magnetic attraction. In FIGURE 6, the fastening means employed consists of short lengths of cloth tape. While this is a simple fastening means, it is not as durable as those shown in the other embodiments, but may be used where economy of manufacture is an important factor.

In FIGURE 7, use is made of the plastic fabric fastener recently developed by Georges de Mestral in Switzerland. This non-metallic fastening means is available under the trade name of Velcro, and consists of a fiat surface containing a great number of tiny hooks formed of plastic, such as the polyamide plastic known as Nylon. A similar surface is made up of a great number of tiny loops of similar plastic material. When the two surfaces are pressed together, they engage, but may be pulled apart when desired, preferably by a peeling apart much as a Zipper. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7, the snap fasteners 16 and 18 of FIGURE 1 have been re placed by astrip of this material, preferably the type formed of tiny eyes. The snap fasteners 17 and 19 of FIGURE 1 are replaced by strip 72 of the material described, preferably the type containiug tiny loops. For use, the blanket is folded as shown in FIGURE 3, and each strip 72 is placed into the strip 71 at the position dictated by the length of the child to be contained in the blanket. In the claim which follows the surfaces of the type described, and which are capable of coacting to give a fastening effect when pressed together, are termed plastic microhook-andaloop material.

It will be understood that in the modifications shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, only the left hand portion of the blanket is shown for the sake of simplicity of presentation. The structure shown in the partial views of FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 is naturally to be duplicated on the right hand side of the blanket.

While a number of specific examples have been given, it will be understood that our invention is a broad one, and capable of many modifications within the scope of our invention and of the claim which follows.

snap-fastening means on each of said side edges adjacent said bottom edge, said second snap-fastening means coactable with said first snap-fastening means, third fastening means medially located on one of two said side edges, and fourth fastening means on said back surface, said third fastening means coactable with said fourth fastening means, the width of said blanket being sufficiently great to permit folding each side of said blanket over the central portion thereof when an infant is contained therein.

References titted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 965,921 Mercey Aug. 2, 1910 1,265,539 Slater May 7, 1918 1,637,088 Padolsky July 26, 1927 1,723,644 Collingbourne Aug. 6, 1929 2,227,751 Idelman Jan. 7, 194-1 2,701,885 Turco Feb. 15, 1955 2,717,437 De Mestral Sept. 13, 1955

Images