U.S. patent application number 12/126488 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-27 for modular fabric articles and modules.
Invention is credited to Karyn E. Ranzau.
Application Number | 20080289105 12/126488 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40071028 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080289105 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ranzau; Karyn E. |
November 27, 2008 |
Modular Fabric Articles and Modules
Abstract
A module utilized in construction of a modular fabric article
includes a fabric panel and a plurality of fasteners disposed along
at least a portion of a perimeter of the fabric panel, wherein
fasteners of one module reversibly connect to fasteners of at least
one other module.
Inventors: |
Ranzau; Karyn E.;
(Louisville, KY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DINSMORE & SHOHL, LLP
1900 CHEMED CENTER, 255 EAST FIFTH STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Family ID: |
40071028 |
Appl. No.: |
12/126488 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60931427 |
May 23, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/482 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/0223 20130101;
A47G 9/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/482 |
International
Class: |
A47G 9/02 20060101
A47G009/02 |
Claims
1. A module utilized in construction of a modular fabric article,
the module comprising a fabric panel and a plurality of fasteners
disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the fabric
panel, wherein fasteners of one module reversibly connect to
fasteners of at least one other module.
2. The module of claim 1, wherein the modular fabric article is a
modular article of bedding.
3. The module of claim 2, wherein the article of bedding is a
blanket.
4. The module of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fasteners are at
least one of fabric ties, Velcro.RTM., buttons, snaps, zippers or
combinations thereof.
5. The module of claim 1, wherein the fabric panel is in the shape
of a polygon.
6. The module of claim 5, wherein the polygon is one of a triangle
or a quadrilateral.
7. The module of claim 1, wherein the fabric panel is constructed
of at least one of fleece, cotton, nylon, rayon, wool, polyester,
polyester satin, linen, silk, microfiber or combinations
thereof.
8. The module of claim 1, wherein the fabric panel further
comprises an unadorned area to be personalized by a user.
9. A kit for constructing a modular fabric article, the kit
comprising a plurality of modules, wherein each module comprises a
fabric panel and a plurality of fasteners disposed along at least a
portion of a perimeter of the fabric panel, wherein fasteners of
one module reversibly connect to fasteners of at least one other
module.
10. The kit of claim 9, wherein the modular fabric article is an
article of bedding.
11. The kit of claim 10, wherein the article of bedding is a
blanket.
12. The kit of claim 9, wherein the plurality of fasteners are at
least one of fabric ties, Velcro.RTM., buttons, snaps, zippers and
combinations thereof.
13. The kit of claim 9, wherein the fabric panel is in the shape of
a polygon.
14. The kit of claim 13, wherein the polygon is one of a triangle
or a quadrilateral.
15. The kit of claim 9, wherein the fabric panel is constructed of
at least one of fleece, cotton, nylon, rayon, wool, polyester,
polyester satin, linen, silk, microfiber and combinations
thereof.
16. The kit of claim 9, wherein the fabric panel further comprises
an unadorned area to be personalized by a user.
17. A blanket comprising a plurality of modules, wherein each
module comprises a fabric panel and a plurality of fasteners
disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the fabric
panel, wherein fasteners of one module reversibly connect to
fasteners of at least one other module.
18. The blanket of claim 17, wherein the plurality of fasteners are
at least one of fabric ties, Velcro.RTM., buttons, snap, zippers
and combinations thereof.
19. The blanket of claim 17, wherein the fabric panel is in the
shape of at least one polygon.
20. The blanket of claim 18, wherein the at least one polygon is
one of a triangle and/or a quadrilateral.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 60/931,427, filed May 23, 2007, which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to modular fabric articles and
modules utilized in construction of modular fabric articles.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Children often desire the security of a familiar article,
such as a blanket. In addition, because of a child's attachment to
a particular article, family members and friends often desire to
have a role in the article, whether it be through purchase of the
article or sewing personal items into the article. However, such
efforts are often fruitless in that the result is a child having
too many articles and/or the child's individual article having a
number of stitched attachments.
SUMMARY
[0004] One embodiment of a module utilized in construction of a
modular fabric article includes a fabric panel and a plurality of
fasteners disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the
fabric panel, wherein fasteners of one module reversibly connect to
fasteners of at least one other module.
[0005] One embodiment of a kit for constructing a modular fabric
article includes a plurality of modules, wherein each module
comprises a fabric panel and a plurality of fasteners disposed
along at least a portion of a perimeter of the fabric panel,
wherein fasteners of one module reversibly connect to fasteners of
at least one other module.
[0006] One embodiment of a blanket includes a plurality of modules,
wherein each module comprises a fabric panel and a plurality of
fasteners disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the
fabric panel, wherein fasteners of one module reversibly connect to
fasteners of at least one other module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] While the specification concludes with claims particularly
pointing out and distinctly claming the present invention, it is
believed that the same will be better understood from the following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a top view of an exemplary module according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top view of another exemplary module according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a top view of another exemplary module according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a top view of another exemplary module according
to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a top view of exemplary modules reversibly
connected to one another according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a top view of exemplary modules reversibly
connected to one another according to another embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 7 is a top view of exemplary modules reversibly
connected to one another according to another embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] As will be discussed in relation to the figures, embodiments
of a module utilized in construction of modular fabric articles may
include a fabric panel and a plurality of fasteners. It should be
understood, however, that embodiments of modules may further
include additional elements incorporated into the fabric panel
and/or fasteners. For example, in particular embodiments described
herein, the fabric panel further includes an unadorned area for
personalization by a user.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, module 100 includes fabric panel 200.
Fabric panel 200 may encompass any shape and/or size. Non-limiting
examples of shapes upon which fabric panel 200 may be derived
include circle, oval, triangle, square, rectangle, pentagon,
hexagon, octagon, any other variety of polygon and any irregular
shapes. FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of module 100 that includes a
square-shaped fabric panel 200, FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of
module 100 that includes a rectangle-shaped fabric panel 200 and
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of module 100 that includes a
triangle-shaped fabric panel 200. However, in other embodiments of
module 100, fabric panel 200 may take alternate shapes, as fabric
panel 200 is not limited to the shapes of the illustrated
embodiments.
[0017] The size dimensions of fabric panel 200 will depend on the
intended application for a particular embodiment of module 100. In
embodiments of module 100 that are intended for utilization in
construction of a infant blanket, fabric panel 200 may have a
length of about two inches to about twenty inches and a width of
about two inches to about twenty inches. However, in embodiments of
module 100 that are intended for utilization in construction of an
adult blanket, fabric panel 200 may have a length of about six
inches to about forty inches and a width of about six inches to
about forty inches. Accordingly, the dimensions of fabric panel 200
are not meant to be limited by the recitation of the preceding
examples. Fabric panel 200 may be constructed in any dimensions
required for a particular application, no matter how large or
small.
[0018] Fabric panel 200 may be composed of any suitable material,
or combination of materials, known in the art. Non-limiting
examples include fleece, cotton, nylon, rayon, wool, polyester,
polyester satin, linen, silk, microfiber and other various
synthetic fibers. Fabric panel 200 may comprise a single ply of
material or multiple plies of material. In embodiments that include
fabric panel 200 comprising multiple plies of material, batting or
padding may also be disposed between the plies. However, other
embodiments may include fabric panel 200 comprising multiple plies
of material without the addition of batting or padding. Moreover,
in embodiments that include fabric panel 200 comprising multiple
plies of material, the same material need not comprise all plies,
as combinations of materials may be utilized in fabric panel
200.
[0019] Material(s) of fabric panel 200 may comprise any color, and
include any design or pattern. Colors, designs and/or patterns may
be the same or different on the opposing faces of fabric panel 200.
Further, in some embodiments, fabric panel 200 may further include
an unadorned area (not shown) for personalization by a user. In
such embodiments, a user may write, draw, paint, embroider, sew, or
cross-stitch personalizing features onto or into the provided
unadorned area.
[0020] Referring back to FIG. 1, module 100 also includes a
plurality of fasteners 300. Fasteners 300 may comprise any type of
fastener that will reversibly connect one module to at least one
other module. The phrase "reversibly connect" herein means to
connect modules to each another in a manner that can be reversed
without damage to the modules. Non-limiting examples of fasteners
300 that are capable of reversibly connecting modules 100 include
fabric ties, Velcro.RTM., buttons, snaps and zippers. The
illustrated embodiments of module 100 include fasteners 300 that
comprise fabric ties, but such embodiments are not meant to be
limiting.
[0021] For those embodiments of module 100 that include fabric
ties, the ties may be of any length, thickness and/or shape.
Depending on the application, the fabric ties may have a thickness
of about an eighth of an inch to about two inches and a length of
about one inch to about six inches. However, the dimensions of the
fabric ties are not meant to be limited by the recitation of the
preceding examples. Accordingly, the fabric ties may be constructed
in any dimensions required for a particular application, no matter
how large or small.
[0022] In addition, fasteners 300 may be attached to fabric panel
200 through any method know in the art. Non-limiting examples
include heat sealing, sewing, gluing, riveting and the use of
Velcro.RTM.. In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4,
module 100 includes fasteners 300 that are sewn to fabric panel
200. However, other embodiments of module 100 need not have
fasteners 300 sewn to fabric panel 200.
[0023] Further, as depicted in the illustrated embodiments, the
fasteners 300 may terminate in alternate fashions. Non-limiting
examples include the single-point ends of FIG. 1, the dual-point
ends of FIG. 2 and the squared-off ends of FIG. 3. The fabric ties
may be composed of any suitable material, or combination of
materials, known in the art. Non-limiting examples include fleece,
cotton, nylon, rayon, wool, polyester, polyester satin, linen,
silk, microfiber and other various synthetic fibers. Additionally,
the material(s) may comprise any color, and include any design or
pattern.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 5-7, to assemble modular fabric articles,
a user aligns individual modules 100 in a particular pattern and
reversibly connects fasteners 300. In the illustrated embodiments
utilizing fabric ties as fasteners 300, a user should reversibly
connect the fasteners by securing and/or tying the fabric ties of
adjacent modules. A user may utilize any securing method and/or
knot that reversibly connects fasteners 300 of adjacent
modules.
[0025] A user may reversibly connect various modules 100 to form
various modular fabric articles. Non-limiting examples of modular
fabric articles include blankets, sheets, pillow cases, comforters,
wall decorations, rugs, and clothing. Specific examples of
potential modular fabric articles are depicted in FIGS. 5-7.
Particularly, referring to FIG. 5, a modular fabric article 500 may
comprise a square module and a triangle module that would be the
start of shoulder-wrap modular fabric article 600, as depicted in
FIG. 6. In another embodiment, a plurality of square modules may be
combined to form blanket modular fabric article 700 of FIG. 7. Of
course, any number of various articles are possible.
[0026] The foregoing description of various embodiments of the
invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed. Many alternatives,
modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art of the above teaching. Accordingly, while some of the
diverse embodiments of the anchoring devices have been discussed
specifically, other embodiments will be apparent or relatively
easily developed by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all
alternatives, modifications and variations that have been discussed
herein, and others that fall within the spirit and broad scope of
the claims.
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