Sand-anchored beach blanket and method of use thereof

Abstract

A sand-anchored beach blanket including a base having two opposing sides separated by a length, a sand retaining frame extending away from the base and spanning the length of the base, the sand retaining frame including a sidewall at least partially defining a sand retaining channel, and at least one elastic member having a proximal end coupled to the base and a distal end coupled to the sand retaining frame, the at least one elastic member defining a gap between the sidewall of the sand retaining frame and the at least one elastic member, the gap disposed within the sand retaining channel such that the at least one elastic member at least partially defines the sand retaining channel in addition to the sand retaining frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sand-anchored beach blanket comprising:
 a base having two opposing sides separated by a length;   a sand retaining frame extending away from the base and spanning the length of the base, the sand retaining frame including a sidewall at least partially defining a sand retaining channel; and   at least one elastic member having a proximal end coupled to the base and a distal end coupled to the sand retaining frame, the at least one elastic member defining a gap between the sidewall of the sand retaining frame and the at least one elastic member, the gap disposed within the sand retaining channel such that the at least one elastic member at least partially defines the sand retaining channel in addition to the sand retaining frame.   
     
     
         2 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sand retaining frame includes a free end; and   the distal end of the at least one elastic member is coupled to the sand retaining frame within two inches of the free end of the sand retaining frame.   
     
     
         3 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the base includes a stretchable material having a bottom sand contact surface;   the proximal end of the at least one elastic member is coupled to the bottom sand contact surface of the base; and   the at least one elastic member separates the free end of the sand retaining frame from the bottom sand contact surface of the base.   
     
     
         4 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of elastic members disposed a distance from each other along the length of the base to at least partially defining the sand retaining channel in addition to the sand retaining frame.   
     
     
         5 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the sand retaining frame spans a perimeter of the base; and   the plurality of elastic members are disposed continuously along the perimeter of the base.   
     
     
         6 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the gap is between approximately 1-6 inches in length.   
     
     
         7 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the two opposing sides of the base include at least two corners separated by the length; and   the at least one elastic member is disposed a distance between the at least two corners.   
     
     
         8 . The sand-anchored beach blanket according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the at least two corners are devoid of the at least one elastic member.   
     
     
         9 . A method of anchoring a sand-anchored beach blanket to an area of sand, the method comprising:
 providing a sand-anchored beach blanket including:
 a base having two opposing sides separated by a length and an upper surface opposite a bottom sand contact surface; 
 a sand retaining frame extending away from the base and including a sidewall at least partially defining a sand retaining channel; and 
 at least one elastic member having a proximal end coupled to the base and a distal end coupled to the sand retaining frame, the at least one elastic member separating the sidewall of the sand retaining frame from a portion of the at least one elastic member such that the at least one elastic member at least partially defines the sand retaining channel in addition to the sand retaining frame; and 
   inserting an amount of sand into the sand retaining channel between the at least one elastic member and the sidewall of the sand retaining frame to anchor the sand retaining frame and the at least one elastic member to a preselected area of sand.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 placing the sand-anchored beach blanket onto the preselected area of sand with the bottom sand contact surface disposed in a sand facing direction prior to inserting an amount of sand into the sand retaining channel;   translating a portion of the sand retaining frame from the sand facing direction to a user facing direction opposite the sand facing direction;   inserting an amount of sand into the portion of the sand retaining frame when the portion of the sand retaining frame is in the user facing direction;   translating the portion of the sand retaining frame from the user facing direction to the sand facing direction; and   inserting the amount of sand into the portion of the sand retaining frame when the portion of the sand retaining frame is in the sand facing direction.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing the sand-anchored beach blanket including a plurality of elastic members disposed a distance from each other along the length of the base; and   inserting the amount of sand into the sand retaining channel between the plurality of elastic members and the sidewall of the sand retaining frame to anchor the sand retaining frame and the plurality of elastic members to a preselected area of sand.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the base is of a stretchable material including a rectangular shape having at least two corners, the at least two corners devoid of the at least one elastic member.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 grasping the upper surface of the base;   lifting the base a distance from the preselected area of sand; and   releasing the base while keeping the sand-anchored beach blanket anchored to the preselected area of sand to remove any existing sand from the upper surface of the base.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the distance is greater than one inch from the preselected area of sand.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 providing the sand retaining frame surrounding a periphery of the base; and   repeatedly filling the sand retaining frame with the amount of sand until the periphery of the base is filled with sand to anchor the sand-anchored beach blanket to the preselected area of sand.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 inserting the amount of sand into the sand retaining channel until the sidewall of the base defines a height of approximately 1-6 inches.   
     
     
         17 . A method of anchoring a sand-anchored beach blanket to an area of sand, the method comprising:
 providing a sand-anchored beach blanket including:
 a base of a stretchable material, the base at least partially defining a sand retaining channel and having an upper surface and a bottom sand contact surface opposite the upper surface; and 
 at least one elastic member coupled to the base; 
   inserting an amount of sand into the sand retaining channel between the at least one elastic member and the base to anchor the sand-anchored beach blanket to a preselected area of sand; and   pulling the upper surface of the base a distance away from the preselected area of sand to remove any existing sand from the upper surface of the base while keeping the sand-anchored beach blanket anchored to the preselected area of sand.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 releasing the upper surface of the base while keeping the sand-anchored beach blanket anchored to the preselected area of sand.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 inserting a second amount of sand into the sand retaining channel between the at least one elastic member and the base to increase a height of the base.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a plurality of elastic members coupled to the base and configured to anchor the sand-anchored beach blanket to the preselected area of sand when pulling the upper surface of the base the distance away from the preselected area of sand.