Pillow blanket

Abstract

A pillow blanket comprises a blanket, foot pocket and a pair of sleeves. The foot pocket is made of a pocket panel secured at the side and bottom edges of the panel to the middle third portion of the blanket and the bottom edge of the blanket. A pair of sleeves is attached respectively to the perimeter of a pair of sleeve apertures in the blanket. The sleeve apertures have an oblong shape and oblique orientation. The blanket can be folded into the foot pocket to form a symmetrical pillow.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0001] This invention relates generally to blankets that can be converted into a pillow without a stuff sack. More particularly, this invention pertains to blankets used in a seated or standing position that wraps from the anterior to the posterior of the user.[0002] A variety of blanket constructions for use in an upright position evolved over many years. To keep a person warm while sitting upright in a chair or wheel chair, it is known to provide children with sleepers and also to provide sleeping bag-like structures with sleeves attached. However the restrictions presented by the use of a sleeper or bag would not work for a wheelchair bound person. Also, it is known to provide a blanket having one pocket permanently attached to one elongated edge of a blanket for permitting the blanket to be folded, rolled and tucked into the pocket to convert the blanket into a pillow as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,667 to Haverly et al. Another example is U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,71...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] Another objective of the invention is to provide a blanket that reduces exposed areas over a wheelchair patient's neck, arms or feet.

[0007] A further objective is to provide a blanket that is easier for another person, such as a hospital support staff member, to put on and to take off an upright user.

[0008] An additional objective is to provide a blanket constructed to be easier to put on and kept on by a stiff or impaired mobility wearer.

[0010] A further objective of the invention is to provide a blanket which is easily and neatly folded into a pillow, allowing the user to create a symmetrical pillow for decoration or for use as a headrest, footrest, lumbar support, seat cushion or lap tray.

[0011] The pillow blanket is used for covering from neck to feet the user in an upright position. The pillow blanket comprises a blanket, foot pocket and pair of sleeves. The substantially rectangular blanket has a planar first surface and a planar second surface. The blanket also has two opposing first and second side edges and two opposing top and bottom edges that are shorter than the two opposing side edges. The blanket has a first rounded corner at the intersection of the bottom edge and the first side edge of the blanket. The blanket also has a second rounded corner at the intersection of the bottom edge and the second side edge of the blanket both for improving the result of folding the blanket into the foot pocket.

[0012] The blanket defines a pair of sleeve apertures in the half portion of the blanket adjacent to the top edge of the blanket. Each of the sleeve apertures has an oblong shape for facilitating freedom of arm movement within the sleeve. Each of the sleeve apertures has an oblique orientation relative to a horizontal centerline to facilitate arm movement. The horizontal centerline is defined by a line that runs through the pair of sleeves and is parallel to the top edge of the blanket. The first and second sleeve apertures are spaced apart along the horizontal centerline at a predetermined length so that the blanket lies flat across the chest of the user. The blanket also has a neck portion. The neck portion has predetermined length between each of the pair of sleeves and the to edge of the blanket so that the neck portion covers the user's neck without the need of fasteners.

Problems solved by technology

However the restrictions presented by the use of a sleeper or bag would not work for a wheelchair bound person.

However, known blanket constructions have several drawbacks.

Traditional blankets require an extra article for storage, the stuff sack itself, which can be inconvenient to find or use.

A blanket that can be folded into a pillow oftentimes looks sloppy, asymmetrical and lumpy.

Some blanket users in a wheelchair complain of cold feet with a blanket that doesn't extend down far enough to cover their feet or fails to remain covered.

Other times the blanket is too long and gets caught underneath the front wheels of the wheelchair.

Many of the known blanket constructions employ the full wrap-around design which is extremely troublesome with wheelchair, bedridden, or incontinent users.

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