The present invention generally relates to bedding and, in particular, to decorative and interactive bedding and methods for using and making same.
Decorative bedding is known wherein scenes are imprinted thereon. For example, for children, cartoon characters or action figures may be represented. It is also known to incorporate light and sound elements into bedding, the light elements positioned atop the bedding to represent features such as eyes of a creature. It is further known to affix a light-emitting phosphorescent material to bedding to display a pattern in the dark for a period of time following illumination.
It would be desirable to provide bedding that is decorative, amusing, and comforting, and includes entertainment elements, the bedding being activatable and stimulating to the imagination of the user. It would also be desirable to provide such bedding portions of which are exchangeable with other bedding portions for introducing different entertainment elements.
The present invention is directed to a bed covering that comprises a translucent top layer that has a pattern thereon. The pattern comprises a plurality of decorative elements that are positioned in a plurality of sectors. An array of light-emitting elements is positioned beneath the top layer. The array is segregated into sectors corresponding to at least some of the top-layer sectors.
A control element is in signal communication with the light-emitting elements, and is programmable to activate at least some of the light-emitting elements within at least some of the sectors in a predetermined pattern. Such an activation backlights at least some of the decorative elements in the top-layer sectors in the predetermined pattern.
Additional elements of the bed covering may include an audio emitter for providing sound commensurate with the predetermined pattern and a light-diffusing element positioned between the top layer and the light-emitting-element array for providing a more diffuse illumination of the top layer sectors.
The features that characterize the invention, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description used in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. These and other objects attained, and advantages offered, by the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description that now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.
A description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be presented with reference to
The present invention in a particular embodiment is directed to a bed covering; however, one of skill in the art will recognize that the structure and method of operation of the invention could be applied to other embodiments as well, and no limitation is intended by the use of the descriptor “bed covering.”
In this embodiment, the bed covering 10 comprises a plurality of layers, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, an upper 15 and a lower 16 protective sheet are positioned in surrounding relation to the light-emitting-element array. The upper protective sheet 15 preferably has an aperture 17 therethrough above each of the light-emitting elements. Also preferably, the upper 15 and the lower 16 protective sheets are translucent and substantially water-impervious, and may comprise, for example, nylon, particularly rip stop nylon, although this is not intended as a limitation. The upper 15 and lower 16 protective sheets are preferably cleanable by wiping down, for example. In the embodiment shown in
A plurality of embodiments of the holder 14 may be envisioned, as illustrated in
In the embodiments of
In all embodiments, the LEDs 12 are segregated into sectors 33a-33d (
The control element 34 is under control of an on/off switch 35 (
The bed covering 10 further comprises, in signal communication with the control element 34, an audio emitter 38. The control element 34 is further programmable to activate the audio emitter 38 to emit sounds in a predetermined pattern, as will be described in the following. Preferably the audio emitter 38 is positioned adjacent the switch 35.
The bed covering 10 further comprises a light-diffusing layer 39 that is positioned above the light-emitting layer 19 (
An alternate embodiment of the light-diffusing layer 46 is illustrated in
Power for the LEDs 12 and control element 34 is provided by batteries, such as D batteries 48, housed in a battery receptacle 49 (
The battery receptacle 49 (
The battery receptacle 49 is shielded by a pouch 55 (
Surrounding the illumination unit 45 is a pocket 56 formed by a translucent top layer 57 and a preferably translucent bottom layer 58, stitched together along three sides, the unstitched edge 59 providing an opening for admitting the illumination unit 45 (
The top layer 57 has a pattern thereon that comprises a plurality of decorative elements 60a-60d that are positioned in a plurality of sectors 61a-61d (
Another benefit of the bed covering 10 of the present invention is that the pocket 56 is removable for washing, and can also be interchanged with other pockets having substantially the same physical distribution of sectors 61a-61d, but with different decorative elements.
Also provided are means for retaining the illumination unit 45 in substantial registry with the top layer 57, for retaining the top layer sectors 61a-61d in substantial alignment with the light-emitting-element array sectors 33a-33d. For example, a plurality of detachable fixation elements such as Velcro fasteners 63 may be affixed to the illumination unit 45 and the top layer 57.
The bed covering 10 may also include, or be dimensioned for holding, a comforter 62, positionable within the pocket 56 beneath the illumination unit 45 (
In use, the bed covering 10 can provide entertainment and a decorative experience akin to a light and sound show to the user. As illustrated in
The show sequence illustrated in
In another sequence, which may be initiated following the show sequence, comprises a more muted “sleep sequence” (
The timing of the sequences is obviously a matter of design choice, and the programmable nature of the control unit 34 permits virtually limitless options in the sequences provided. That outlined above is believed to represent a preferred embodiment for a child prior to failing asleep.
Another benefit of the bed covering 10 is that it can provide security to a fearful child, since the switch 35 can be activated during the night if the child awakens and is afraid.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clarity, and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for description purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the embodiments of the apparatus illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.
Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby, the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/987,913, filed Nov. 12, 2004, entitled “Bedding Cover and Associated Methods,” which itself claimed priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/519,839, filed Nov. 13, 2004, entitled “Programmable Audio/visual Tapestry Display and Method.”
Number | Date | Country | |
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60519839 | Nov 2003 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10987913 | Nov 2004 | US |
Child | 11466823 | Aug 2006 | US |