BLANKET THAT CAN BE MADE INTO A BALL

Abstract

The invention is a "blanket ball" or a baby blanket that can be made into the shape of a "soft" ball or other suitable shapes. The blanket is made from two layers of material that are connected together around their periphery. An opening in one of the layers defines a pouch that is normally received or stored between the two blanket layers. The pouch may be reversed and pulled through the opening to create a stuff sack for the remaining portions of the blanket. When the other blanket materials are stuffed into the pouch, it creates a ball shape.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention disclosed herein is a novelty item. It relates to a baby blanket that can be folded into the shape of a "soft" ball or other shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention comprises a blanket that is made from at least two layers of conventional blanket material. The two layers are connected together around their periphery in a conventional manner. The layers are not otherwise joined and therefore define a storage space between the layers.

[0003] At least one of the layers has a zippered opening on the outside. The size of the zippered opening is defined by a shaped pouch or pouch portion.

[0004] Normally, the pouch portion is stored within the space between the blanket layers. Unzipping the opening allows the pouch portion to be pulled therethrough--from inside the blanket to the outside. When the pouch portion is pulled outwardly through the opening it defines or creates a stuff sack in which the remainder of the blanket materials can be stuffed. The pouch portion is shaped to create an object like a ball, although other shapes could be formed as well.

[0005] The invention as summarized above will become more fully understood upon consideration of the following text and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] In the drawings, like reference numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the various views, and wherein:

[0007] FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a blanket ball made in accordance with the invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1, but shows a blanket being folded into a ball shape;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the unfolded blanket;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view showing the location of a pouch within the blanket that is used as a stuff sack to form the shape of a ball;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 4; and

[0012] FIG. 6 is a view like FIGS. 4 and 5 and illustrates how the pouch is used as a stuff sack.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Referring now to the drawings and first to FIG. 1, indicated generally at 10 is a "blanket ball" constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0014] In essence, the invention disclosed here is a conventional baby blanket (see FIG. 3) that is made from at least two layers of blanket material 12, 14, one on each side of the blanket (see, e.g., FIG. 4). The two layers 12, 14 are suitably connected around their periphery as shown at 16. This can be done in a number of different ways. Typically, however, a strip of satin is used as a peripheral band 16 around the entire perimeter of the blanket.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 4-6, because the two layers 12, 14 are joined only at or near the edge, it allows the layers to be pulled apart to provide a space 18 inside (see FIGS. 4-5). This space 18 creates a storage pocket inside the blanket or blanket ball 10.

[0016] Referring back to FIG. 3, one of the layers 12 has an opening 20. The opening 20 is defined by the walls 21 of a pouch portion 22. The pouch portion 22 normally resides within space 18 (between layers 12, 14) when the invention 10 is used as a baby blanket (see FIG. 4). The opening 20 is double-zippered (indicated by items 24, 26). When the zippered opening 20 is open, the pouch 22 may be pulled outwardly through the opening, as shown in FIG. 5. The direction of the pulling movement is generally indicated by arrows 28, 30 in FIG. 5. This enables the pouch 22 to be reversed and function as a stuff sack for the remainder of the blanket materials. FIG. 2 shows the last part of the blanket stuffed into the pouch 22 to create a ball shape. After the pouch portion 22 is fully stuffed, the zippered opening 20 is closed and, what was formally a blanket, takes on the shape of a "soft" ball (see FIG. 1).

[0017] The materials used to make the blanket are conventional and may be a combination of satin, terry cloth, etc., or any other material that is typically used to make baby blankets. When formed into the shape of a ball, as shown in FIG. 1, the invention functions as a toy or the like.

[0018] Although the invention is described here as a "blanket ball" it should be understood that other shapes might be possible (i.e., something different than a "ball" shape). Therefore, the scope of the patent right is not to be limited solely to the foregoing description. Instead, the invention is to be limited by the patent claim or claims that follow which are intended to cover other kinds of embodiments that utilize the inventive concept.

Claims

1. A blanket made from at least two layers of blanket material connected together around the periphery of the layers, so as to define a space between the layers, with at least one of the layers having an opening defined by a pouch portion, and wherein the pouch portion may be stored within the space and pulled outward through the opening, and when the pouch portion is pulled outward through the opening, the pouch portion defines a stuff sack for receiving the blanket materials that surround the opening, to create a shaped object when the blanket materials are stuffed into the pouch portion.

2. The blanket of claim 1, wherein the shaped object is a ball shape.

3. The blanket of claim 1, wherein the opening is a zippered opening.

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