Squishy Throw, Blanket, Comforter and Method of Making Same

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/643,086, filed May 6, 2024, entitled, “Squishy Throw, Blanket, Comforter and Method of Making Same,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate, in general, to an improved, squishy throw, blanket, and comforter, and method of making the same.

Throws, blankets, and comforters (hereinafter referred to collectively as “throws”) are widely used for various purposes including bedding, insulation, and decorative purposes due to their durability, softness, and easy maintenance. Traditional methods for producing throws involve knitting or knitting fibers into a fabric, followed by additional processing steps such as dyeing, printing, and finishing.

However, these conventional methods often result in throws with limited design options, higher production costs, and environmental concerns due to the extensive use of water, energy, and chemicals. Additionally, the quality and insulating performance of the throws produced by these methods vary depending on the manufacturing process and materials used.

There is, therefore, a need for an improved throw and a method for producing throws that address these limitations and provides advantages such as increased design flexibility, texture, reduced production costs, improved environmental sustainability, and enhanced product quality and performance.

Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure provide an improved throw and a method for producing that improved throw, whereby the throw has a unique soft and squishy feeling to the touch by a user.

In an embodiment, the method comprises: knitting outer fabric for the polyester throw using a 90%-95% Drawn Texturized Yarn (DTY)/Fully Drawn Yarn (FDY) polyester material and a 5%-10% spandex material with a gram per square meter (GSM) in a range of 200-300; fabricating an inner filling of the polyester throw using a 100% three-dimensional (3D) poly fill polyester material with the GSM in a range of 100-180. The three-dimensional (3D) poly fill polyester material is fabricated using a combination of a ‘DTY 75D/144F’ surface yarn, a ‘FDY 50D/24F’ surface yarn, and a ‘40D spandex’ yarn. Further, the fabricated inner filling is stuffed into the knitted outer fabric to obtain the polyester squishy and soft throw.

In an embodiment, a method comprises obtaining one or more polyester and spandex materials from external sources, wherein a specificity of the polyester and spandex materials is identified before obtaining the one or more polyester and spandex materials from the external sources. The method also comprises combining the one or more polyester and spandex materials in one or more knitting processes to create an outer fabric. The method may also comprise obtaining a plurality of surface yarns and a spandex yarn from additional external sources. A specificity of the surface yarns is identified before being obtained from the external sources. The method can also comprise combining the plurality of surface yarns and spandex yarn into an inner filling. Further, the method includes placing the inner filling into the outer fabric to form a throw fabric.

In an embodiment, a method comprises configuring a knitting device at an initial position. The method may also include positioning polyester and spandex materials within the knitting device. A specific percentage of polyester and spandex are identified before positioning the polyester and spandex materials within the knitting device. The method may also include placing surface yarns and spandex yarns within the knitting device. A ratio of the surface and spandex yarns are identified before placing the surface yarns and spandex yarns within the knitting device. Further, the method may also include producing a throw fabric in which the surface yarns are combined with the spandex yarns are positioned within an outer fabric consisting of the polyester and spandex materials.

In an embodiment, a method comprises obtaining a ratio of spandex material and polyester material. A percentage of the spandex material and polyester materials is identified in one or more intervals. The method may also include obtaining a plurality of surface yarns and a spandex yarn after obtaining the spandex and polyester materials. A ratio of the surface yarns and spandex yarn is identified. The method may also include combining the spandex material and polyester material into an outer fabric to receive an inner filling comprised of the surface yarns and spandex yarn. The surface yarns and spandex yarn are combined to form the inner filing. The method may also include performing a dyeing or bleaching procedure on the outer fabric and inner filling.

Embodiments may provide a method for production of a polyester throw that may utilize easily accessible raw materials. Embodiments may provide a method for production of a polyester throw that may provide an internal filling stuffed in an outer fabric for maximum thermal isolation. Embodiments may provide a method for production of a polyester throw that may be squishy and soft to the touch. Embodiments may provide a method for production of a polyester throw that may be lightweight and compact. Embodiments may provide a method for production of a polyester throw that may be easy, fast, and economical to produce.

These and other advantages will be apparent from the present application of the embodiments described herein.

The preceding is a simplified summary to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the present disclosure and its various embodiments. The summary presents selected concepts of the embodiments in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other embodiments are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

While embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein by way of example using several illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments or drawings described. It should be understood, the drawings and the detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the present disclosure to the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the present disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of embodiments.

The headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limit the scope of the description. As used throughout this application, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” mean including but not limited to. To facilitate understanding, like reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate like elements common to the figures.

Embodiments will be described below in conjunction with an exemplary method for production of a polyester throw. Embodiments are not limited to any particular type of method for production of a polyester throw. Those skilled in the art will recognize the disclosed techniques may be used in any method for production of a polyester throw in which it is desirable to provide an interim method for production of a polyester throw.

The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together.

The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” can be used interchangeably.

The term “automatic” and variations thereof, as used herein, refers to any process or operation done without material human input when the process or operation is performed. However, a process or operation can be automatic, even though performance of the process or operation uses material or immaterial human input, if the input is received before performance of the process or operation. Human input is deemed to be material if such input influences how the process or operation will be performed. Human input that consents to the performance of the process or operation is not deemed to be “material.”

A process can be illustrated of creating a throw fabric. An outer fabric can be created from polyester and spandex materials. An inner filling to be placed within the outer fabric can be created using polyester yarns and a spandex yarn. The outer fabric can be created using a knitting machine. Knitting parameters can be inputted into the knitting machine to create the outer fabric. A bleaching and dyeing procedure can later be performed in other embodiments on the produced throw fabric.

illustrates a knitting machinefor a fabrication of a polyester throw(), according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the knitting machinemay be adapted to knit yarns to produce a fabric for fabrication and production of the polyester throw(as shown in). In an embodiment, the knitting machinemay be adapted to fabricate an outer fabric of the polyester throw.

According to embodiments, the knitting machinemay be, but not limited to, a frame knitting machine, a power knitting machine, a hand knitting machine, a water knitting machine, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment, the knitting machinemay be a Karl Mayer® warp knitting machine. Embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the knitting machine, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the knitting machinemay comprise needles (not shown), that may further be clustered in a group of beams (not shown). According to embodiments, the needles in the knitting machinemay be in a range ofneedles toneedles clustered in the group of beams ranging from two to four. In a preferred embodiment, the knitting machinemay compriseneedles clustered in a group of three beams. Each of the three beams may have different number of needles, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any number of needles in the knitting machinethat may further be grouped in beams.

In an embodiment, each of the clustered beams may further comprise four warp beams-a shown inand. The clustered beam may comprise ‘n’ number of warp beams-where ‘n’ is a natural number. In an embodiment, the warp beams-may further be explained in detail in conjunction with theand the. Materials that make up the outer fabric can be placed within the warp beams-

In an embodiment, the knitting machinemay comprise a display unit, as shown inand. The knitting machinecan be initiated with the display unit. The display unitmay enable a user to initiate, control, and monitor the process of production of the polyester throw. In an embodiment, the display unitmay further be explained in detail in conjunction with theand the.

illustrates a polyester throw, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The polyester throwmay be produced after a complete knitting and fabrication of the yarn provided to the knitting machine. The polyester throwmay comprise the inner filling, further, the inner filling may be stuffed into the outer fabric.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the polyester throwmay be, for example, but not limited to, a throw blanket, a quilt, a comforter, an upholstery, a spread bedsheet, a warmer, and so forth. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the polyester throw, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.

According to embodiments, the polyester throwmay be of any shape or size, such as, but not limited to, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a square shape, an oval shape, and so forth. Embodiments of are intended to include or otherwise cover any shape, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies, of the polyester throw.

According to embodiments, the polyester throwmay be of any dimension such as, but not limited to, a king sized, a queen sized, a kid sized, a couch sized, and so forth. Embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any size, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies, of the polyester throw.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the polyester throwmay be of any color such as, but not limited to, a red color, a blue color, a multi color, and so forth. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any color, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies, of the polyester throw.

In an embodiment, the outer fabric may be a knit fabric having a combination of a polyester material and a spandex material of a predefined gram per square meter (GSM). The polyester material in the outer fabric may be in a range from 90% to 100%, 90%-95%, and so forth. In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the polyester material in the outer fabric may be a 95% Drawn Texturized Yarn (DTY)/Fully Drawn Yarn (FDY) polyester material. Embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to include or otherwise cover any percentage and type of the polyester material in the outer fabric of the polyester throw.

According to embodiments, the outer fabric may be, but not limited to, a plain fabric, a printed fabric, a color printed fabric, and so forth. According to embodiments, the outer fabric may comprise a plurality of prints such as, but not limited to, an illustration, a cartoon character, a text, and so forth. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the plurality of prints, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.

In an embodiment, the outer fabric may be having a top side and a bottom side that may be of different color and design. In another embodiment, the top side and the bottom side of the outer fabric may be of same color and design.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the spandex material in the outer fabric may be in a range from 5% to 10% having the GSM in a range from 200 to 300. In a preferred embodiment, the spandex material in the outer fabric may be 5% with the GSM of 220. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any percentage and type of the spandex material in the outer fabric of the polyester throw.

In an embodiment, the inner filling may be a three-dimensional (3D) poly fill polyester material with a predefined gram per square meter (GSM). According to embodiments, the 100% three-dimensional (3D) poly fill polyester material having the GSM in the range from 100 to 180. In a preferred embodiment, the three-dimensional (3D) poly fill polyester material in the inner filling may be 100% with the GSM of 120. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any percentage of the three-dimensional (3D) poly fill polyester material in the inner filling of the polyester throw.

andillustrate the warp beams-of the knitting machine, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Yarns for the outer fabric are illustrated. The warp beams-may comprise the yarns. The first warp beammay comprise a ‘DTY 75D/144F’ surface yarn. The second warp beamand the third warp beammay comprise a ‘FDY 50D/24F’ surface yarn. The fourth warp beammay comprise a ‘40D spandex’ yarn. The ‘DTY 75D/144F’ surface yarn from the first warp beamthe ‘FDY 50D/24F’ surface yarn from the second warp beamand the third warp beamand the ‘40D spandex’ yarn from the fourth warp beammay be knitted together using the knitting machinefor the fabrication of the inner filling outer fabric of the polyester throw. Further, knitting parameters of the ‘DTY 75D/144F’ surface yarn, the ‘FDY 50D/24F’ surface yarn, and the ‘40D spandex’ yarn for fabricating the outer fabric may be set using a user interface of the display unitof the knitting machine. The knitting parameters can be determined to input into the knitting machineand shown on the display unit. In other embodiments, the polyester and spandex materials may be placed within at least one of the first warp beamsecond warp beamthird warp beam, and fourth warp beamto produce the outer fabric. In other embodiments, the polyester yarns and spandex yarn can also be placed within the first to fourth warp beams-

andillustrate the user interface of the display unitof the knitting machine, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The display unitmay be installed on the knitting machinein such a manner the display unitmay be visible to the user operating the knitting machine. The display unitmay be configured to enable the user to set knitting parameters for the knitting of the yarns (the ‘DTY 75D/144F’ surface yarn, the ‘FDY 50D/24F’ surface yarn, and the ‘40D spandex’ yarn) for fabrication of the polyester throw.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the knitting parameters for knitting and fabrication of the yarns may be, for example, but not limited to, a yarn break length, a time left for fabrication of the yarns, a rotational speed of the warp beams-an amount of current being supplied into the knitting machine, a pull density of the yarns, and so forth. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any knitting parameters, including known, related art, and/or later developed technologies, that may be set by the user on the display unitof the knitting machinefor fabricating the outer fabric-of the polyester throw.

In an embodiment, the knitting machinecan thereby be initialized with the display unit. Moreover, the display unitmay be a touch-enabled display that may enable the user to enter knitting parameters into the knitting machineusing touch means. In another embodiment, the display may be a non-touch display and the user may use an input device(s) such as a mouse, a keyboard, and so forth for inputting the knitting parameters into the knitting machine. The knitting parameters can be shown on the display unit. A user can also enter and adjust the knitting parameters on the display unit.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the display unitmay be, but not limited to, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), a Light Emitting Diode (LED) display, an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display, and so forth. Further, the display unitmay feature a backlight that may be turned on and/or turned off based on a requirement. Embodiments are intended to include or otherwise cover any type of the display unitincluding known, related art, and/or later developed technologies.

illustrates a methodfor fabricating the outer fabric of the polyester throw, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The outer fabric of the polyester throw can be prepared according to various embodiments to eventually receive an inner filling or lining.

At step, the 95% DTY/FDY polyester material and the 5% spandex material with the GSM of 220 may be procured from external sources. The percentage/ratio of the DTY/FDY of the polyester material is identified and verified before being obtained from the external sources. In addition, the percentage of spandex material is also identified and verified from the external sources as well.

At step, the polyester material and the spandex material may be warped on the warp beams-of the knitting machine.

At step, the knitting parameters may be fed into the knitting machine.

At step, the knitting parameters fed into the knitting machinemay be verified using the display unit.

Next, at step, the knitting process for the polyester material and the spandex material may be initiated.

Further, at step, the fabricated outer fabric for the polyester throwmay be obtained.

illustrates a methodfor fabricating the inner filling of the polyester throw, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

At step, the ‘DTY 75D/144F’ surface yarn, the ‘FDY 50D/24F’ surface yarn, and the ‘40D spandex’ yarn may be procured from external sources. The type of surface yarns and spandex yarn can both be identified and verified before being obtained from the external sources.

At step, the knitting parameters fed into the knitting machinemay be verified using the display unitto enable the knitting process to occur.