Three-section blanket set

1

THREE-SECTION BLANKET SET

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/764,601, filed Mar. 31, 2006, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/851,240, filed Oct. 5 13, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention 10 The present invention relates to blankets with sections of

different insulation properties, and in particular to blanket sets that include three panels configured so that selected pairs of the three panels can be joined to create a blanket with panels or sections with different insulation properties. 15

(2) Description of the Prior Art

When two occupants sleep in the same bed, it is often the case that the warmth requirement for one individual will be different from the other. That is, one individual may require a covering of a given insulation value, while the other indi- 20 vidual may require a covering having a relatively lighter or heavier insulation value.

Various attempts to resolve this problem have been described in the prior art. Instead of using a blanket having a uniform thermal resistance or insulation value, the prior art 25 discloses blankets comprised of first and second panels, each having a length equal to that of the desired complete blanket and a width approximately equal to one-half of the desired width of the blanket, with some means being provided to releasably attach the panels together at their inner edges to 30 form the complete blanket. When used, the panel with the lesser insulation value is positioned over the side of the bed to be occupied by the person with the lesser warmth requirement, while the panel with the greater insulation value is positioned over the side of the bed to be occupied by the 35 person with the greater warmth requirement. The adjacent edges of the two panels may be permanently attached by sewing, or releasably attached with a zipper, hook-and-loop fastener, button, ties, etc.

The prior art, i.e., U.S. Pat. No. 6,862,760 to Bradley et al., 40 also broadly describes a three section comforter, i.e., two fabric sheets with insulation disposed between the sheets, that can be comprised of two selected sections that have releasable fasteners attached to both sides of each comforter section, with the fasteners preferably being identical and attached by 45 an intermediate fastener, e.g., double buttons. However, Bradley et al. fail to describe a system specifically suitable foruse with blankets. Therefore, there remains a need for a blanket set of three or more panels, constructed so that a selected pair of the panels can be easily and releasably attached by a zipper 50 or other attachment means. There is also a need for a unique attachment means especially suited for use in attaching two blanket panels.

Generally, the present invention is comprised of a threepanel blanket set, with each panel having an insulation value different from that of the other two panels, a length equal to the length of the complete blanket, a width approximately 60 equal to one-half the width of the complete blanket, opposed upper and lower surfaces, opposed top and bottom edges, and opposed left and right side edges.

A first panel of the set, e.g., a light weight blanket fabric, has a first insulation value, and a first fastener section that is 65 attached to the lower surface of the panel extending along the right side edge. A second panel, e.g., a medium weight blan

ket fabric, has a second insulation value, i.e., a second fastener section on the upper surface of the panel extending along the left side edge, and a third fastener section on the lower surface of the panel extending along the right side edge. A third panel, e.g., a heavy weight blanket fabric, has a third insulation value and a fourth fastener section on the upper surface of the panel extending along the left side edge. The insulation value of each panel is different from the insulation values of the other two panels.

In a preferred embodiment, the blanket set first side panel has a light insulation value relative to the other two panels, and a first fastener section that is attached to the lower surface of the panel extending along the panel's inner or right side edge. The second panel has a medium insulation value relative to the other two panels, a second fastener section on the upper surface of the panel extending along the left side edge, and a third fastener section on the lower surface of the panel extending along the right side edge. The other, e.g., third, side panel has a heavy insulation value relative to the other two panels, and a fourth fastener section on the upper surface of the panel extending along the left side edge.

The side edges of the two side panels, i.e., numbers one and two described above, opposite the edges with fastener sections are preferably free of fastener sections, and are also preferably bound. The top and bottom edges of each panel may also be bound. One or more of the bound edges may include indicia to display the relative insulation value of the panel, e.g., the upper and/or lower edge may be covered with trim that is printed with "Light", "Medium" or "Heavy", or other indicia of the panel's insulation value.

The fastener sections are constructed so that the first fastener section can be releasably attached to the second fastener section or to the fourth fastener section, and the fourth fastener section can be releasably attached to the first fastener section or to the third fastener section. Thus, any two of the panels can be joined together to form a complete blanket.

Flaps of blanket material may extend over the fastener sections on the panel edges with fastener sections adjacent both side edges, e.g., panel number two as described above, to hide the fastener section when the section is not used in attaching the panel to another panel. Flaps are not required for the fastener sections on the panels with a single fastener section, e.g., panels one and three as described above, since those sections will be covered by another panel when used.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fastener sections are sections of a zipper that can be zipped together to join the two panels. One of the zipper sections of each attachable pair will include the slider and pull tab. In order for the first panel to be attachable to either the second or third panel and for the second panel to also be attachable to the third panel, the zipper sections with the slider and pull tab should be located on the same surfaces of the blanket panels, e.g., the upper sides, while the zipper sections without the slider and pull tab will be located on the opposite surface, e.g., the lower surface of the panels.

In another embodiment of the invention, the panels are joined by a unique fastener which provides greater ease of attachment and flexibility of the blanket during use. This unique fastener is comprised of a first section, herein referred to as the female section, in the shape of a hollow cylindrical, slitted sheath attached adjacent the edge of one panel, and a second section, referred to herein as the male section, in the shape of an elongated cylindrical rod that is attached adjacent the edge of another panel.

For example, the female sections may be the first and third sections as described above, while the male sections may be the second and fourth sections as described above. The sec