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.

1 . A convertible pillow blanket sized and shaped for substantially covering a user while the user is in a seated or supine position, and foldable for conversion into a pillow, the convertible pillow blanket comprising: 
 a substantially rectangular blanket having a first surface and a second surface, opposing first and second side edges that define the width of the blanket, and opposing top and bottom edges that define the length of the blanket, the blanket having an elongated middle portion with a width that is about one-third of the width of the blanket and is wholly divisible into the width of the blanket, the middle portion in alignment with and extending the length of the blanket along a longitudinal centerline, and with the width of the middle portion defined by longitudinal fold lines;    a panel having first and second surfaces, first and second side edges, and top and bottom edges, with the top and bottom edges of the panel having substantially the same length, and with only the first, second, and bottom edges of the panel being connected to the blanket, with the bottom edge of the panel being substantially coincident with the bottom edge of the blanket, and with the length of the bottom edge of the panel substantially defining the width of the middle portion of the blanket, and with the first and second side edges of the panel substantially coinciding with said longitudinal fold lines, the panel overlying the first surface of the blanket so that the second surface of the panel confronts the first surface of the blanket, the panel and the blanket forming a dual function pocket uninterrupted along its width between the panel side edges, wherein the pocket is constructed and arranged to receive at least one lower appendage of a user when the pillow blanket is used as a blanket, and wherein the pocket is constructed and arranged to receive a substantial portion of the pillow blanket when the blanket is folded in a predetermined pattern so that the pillow blanket may be converted into a pillow comprised of the folded blanket and the pocket; and,    a pair of apertures, with the apertures spaced from each other in generally horizontal alignment along either side of the longitudinal centerline of the blanket, with the apertures spaced a predetermined distance from the top edge of the blanket, and with the apertures configured and arranged to receive at least one upper appendage of a user such that the upper appendage may protrude substantially therethrough from one surface of the blanket to the other surface of the blanket.    
   
   
       2 . The pillow blanket of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the apertures has an oblong shape to facilitate movement of an upper appendage as it protrudes therethrough.  
   
   
       3 . The pillow blanket of  claim 2 , wherein the oblong aperture has an elongated axis that is generally parallel to the longitudinal centerline of the blanket.  
   
   
       4 . The pillow blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second side edges of the panel are substantially the same length, and wherein the length of the first and second side edges is wholly divisible into the length of the blanket, whereby the first and second side edges of the blanket may be folded inwardly about said longitudinal fold lines into overlying relation to said blanket middle portion and the thus folded blanket being thereafter foldable end-over-end along it's length to a size and shape permitting it to be tucked into the pocket to form a pillow.  
   
   
       5 . The pillow blanket of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sleeve, with the sleeve operatively connected to one of the apertures of the blanket, the sleeve configured and arranged to receive the upper appendage of a user as it protrudes through the aperture.  
   
   
       6 . The pillow blanket of  claim 5 , wherein the sleeve is located on the first surface of the blanket.  
   
   
       7 . A convertible pillow blanket suitable for substantially covering a user while the user is in a seated or supine position, and suitable for folding to a size and shape that forms a pillow, the convertible pillow blanket comprising: 
 a substantially rectangular blanket having a first surface and a second surface, the blanket having first and second side edges that define the width of the blanket and top and bottom edges that define the length of the blanket, the blanket further comprising an elongated middle portion having a width that is about one-third the width of the blanket, the middle portion in substantial alignment with and extending the length of the blanket along a longitudinal centerline,    a dual function pocket having first and second surfaces, a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposing side edges, the pocket having an upwardly facing opening defined by the pocket top edge, the pocket second surface, and the first surface of the blanket, the pocket in substantial alignment with and extending along a portion of the longitudinal centerline of the blanket, with the bottom of the pocket extending towards the bottom edge of the blanket, wherein the pocket may be reconfigured so that the upwardly facing opening is defined by the pocket top edge, the pocket first surface, and the blanket second surface, with the reconfigured pocket configured and arranged so that it may receive at least one lower appendage of a user when the pillow blanket is used as a blanket, and wherein the blanket is foldable into the pocket to form a pillow;    a pair of apertures spaced a predetermined distance from the top edge of the blanket, with each of the apertures located along a horizontal center line that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the blanket, with the apertures spaced apart from each other along either side of the longitudinal centerline; and,    a pair of sleeves, wherein each of the pair of sleeves includes a first end and a second end, with the first end of each sleeve operatively connected to the blanket at a respective aperture, and wherein the second ends of the pair of sleeves extend away from each other in opposite directions when the blanket is arranged in a generally planar configuration.    
   
   
       8 . The pillow blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the sleeves are located on the first surface of the blanket.  
   
   
       9 . The pillow blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the second ends of each of the pair of sleeves extend beyond the respective side edges of the blanket when the sleeves are transversely aligned with respect to the middle portion of the blanket.  
   
   
       10 . The pillow blanket of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the second ends of the pair of sleeves comprises an expandable cuff.  
   
   
       11 . The pillow blanket of  claim 7 , wherein each of the apertures comprises an oblong shape, and each of the apertures having an oblique orientation relative to the horizontal center line of the blanket.  
   
   
       12 . A method for converting a blanket into a pillow, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a blanket having first and second surfaces, top and bottom edges, side edges, and a panel having first and second surfaces, top and bottom edges and side edges, with the panel attached at its bottom and side edges to the first surface of the blanket so as to form a pocket having its bottom edge adjacent the bottom edge of the blanket, and its side edges spaced equidistance from the longitudinal centerline of the blanket;    b. reconfiguring the pocket by folding the panel along the side and bottom edges so that the first surface of the panel confronts the second surface of the blanket;    c. tucking the corners of the blanket closest to the panel into opposite corners of the pocket;    d. folding the blanket so that the side edges of the blanket are aligned with the side edges of the panel to thereby divide the blanket into a longitudinal middle portion and two side portions, with the two side portions overlying the middle portion;    e. forming the thus folded blanket into a shortened length adjacent to the pocket; and,    f. inserting the thus formed shortened blanket into the pocket.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of forming the thus folded blanket into a shortened length adjacent to the pocket comprises the step of folding the blanket along the length of the middle portion of the blanket, with each fold spaced from the previous fold by a distance that is roughly the same as the height of the pocket.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of folding the blanket along the length of the middle portion of the blanket comprises the step of folding the blanket upon itself in an end-over-end manner.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of: 
 g. smoothing the folded blanket as it resides within the foot pocket so as to form a pillow.    
   
   
       16 . A method for converting a blanket into a pillow, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a. providing a blanket having first and second surfaces, top and bottom edges, side edges, a panel having first and second surfaces, top and bottom edges and side edges, with the panel attached at its bottom and side edges to the first surface of the blanket so as to form a pocket having its bottom edge adjacent the bottom edge of the blanket, and its side edges are spaced equidistance from the longitudinal centerline of the blanket, and a pair of sleeves, with each sleeve operatively connected to the first surface of said blanket, and with each sleeve accessible from the second surface of the blanket through an aperture;    b. reconfiguring the pocket by folding the panel along the side and bottom edges so that the first surface of the panel confronts the second surface of the blanket;    c. tucking the corners of the blanket closest to the panel into opposite corners of the pocket;    d. folding the blanket so that the side edges of the blanket are aligned with the side edges of the panel to thereby divide the blanket into a longitudinal middle portion and two side portions, with the side portions overlying the middle portion;    e. folding the sleeves towards each other so that they substantially overlay one of the overlying side portions of the blanket;    f. forming the thus folded blanket into a shortened length adjacent to the pocket; and,    g. inserting the thus formed, shortened blanket into the pocket.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of forming the thus folded blanket into a shortened length adjacent to the pocket comprises the step of folding the blanket along the length of the middle portion of the blanket, with each fold spaced from the previous fold by a distance that is roughly the same as the height of the pocket.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of folding the blanket along the length of the middle portion of the blanket comprises the step of folding the blanket upon itself in an end-over-end manner.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of: 
 h. smoothing the folded blanket as it resides within the foot pocket so as to form a pillow.