Patent Application
20050011618
The present invention relates to fabric assemblies for interior decoration, and more particularly, to bed covers, window treatments, and similar applications with removable parts that facilitate changes in room decor.
Typically, consumers decorate and re-decorate rooms of their houses, condominiums, or apartments multiple times. It can be very time-consuming and expensive to replace window treatments and bedding every time a consumer feels the need to re-decorate. It is also quite cumbersome to physically change bedding and re-hang window treatments.
Thus, there is a need for bed covers and window treatments that can be quickly and inexpensively replaced, adjusted, and interchanged with different styles of decoration for ease in decorating and re-decorating rooms to accommodate changes in room decor.
The present invention provides a fabric assembly for interior decoration. The fabric assembly contains a base fabric having a receiving section adapted to receive a removable fabric section; one or more removable fabric sections adapted to be interchangeably attached to the receiving section; and fastening means for attaching the removable fabric section to the receiving section of the base fabric. The removable fabric section is affixed to the base fabric to create a decorative scheme, and the decorative scheme can be easily changed by replacing one removable fabric section with another removable fabric section.
The decorative fabric assembly is used as bedcover, window treatment, or for a similar application. The incorporation of the fastening means in the fabric assembly allows easy and quick removal or replacement of part of the fabric assembly, therefore facilitates change of room decor. Moreover, the interchangeability between components of different fabric assemblies provides consumers with more decorative options without increasing the cost of decoration.
These and other advantages, aspects, and features will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the specification.
The invention may be described with greater clarity and particularity by reference to the accompanying drawings:
The present invention is directed to fabric decorative assemblies having removable and interchangeable parts to provide versatility and facilitate re-decoration of beds, windows, and similar applications. A base fabric assembly includes one or more sections in which a removable or interchangeable section may be fixedly attached using various fastening means. The removable sections can be interchanged to produce different decorative effects. The fabric decorative assemblies are useful for bedcover and window treatment applications, for example. As used herein, the term “bedcover” refers to any fabric assembly used to cover the surface of a bed, including but are not limited to, comforters, sheets, bedspreads, quilts, throws, coverlets, and blankets. As used herein, the term “window treatment” refers to any fabric assembly used to cover a window or part of a window, including but are not limited to, curtains, valances, and draperies. Other applications include slip covers for sofas, chairs, and day beds, decorative wall panels, area rugs, shower curtains, doorway curtains, cabinet curtains, and similar applications.
Based on the needs of a consumer, the center panel 102 and the side panel 104 can be made of the same type of fabric or different types of fabric. The center panel 102 and the side panel 104 can have the same or different color, pattern, or style. The fasteners 106 can be any type of fastening device as is known in the art, such as buttons, snaps, ribbons, zippers, Velcro, and hooks with string. Any number of fasteners 106 can be used, as long as the center panel 102 is securely fastened to the side panels 104. Preferably, the fasteners 106 are located on a surface of the center panel 102 that is facing the side panel 104 and the fasteners 106 are not visible after the center panel 102 is secured to the side panel 104. The center panel and the side panel 104 can be made of one or more layers of fabric or synthetic fabric, or a combination thereof.
The bedcover 100 allows a consumer to quickly and conveniently redecorate a bed by replacing the center panel 102 or the side panel 104 with a substitute panel of a different color, reflection, pattern, or style. The interchangeability also allows the consumer to create new decorative styles by making new center/side panel combinations from existing bedcovers 100, therefore saving the expense of purchasing another bedcover 100. The center panel 102 and side panels 104, as well as the assembled bedcover 100, can be of varying sizes, depending on the size of the bed and the consumer's needs. The area covered by the center panel 102, designated area 108, can be a continuous part of the side panel 104. Alternatively, area 108 can be an open space on the side panel 104 and the center panel 102 is attached to the side panel 104 through fasteners 106 located along borders 110 of the area 108.
In other embodiments, the fabric decorative assembly can be used to decorate beds in the form of comforters, sheets, bedspreads, quilts, throws, coverlets, blankets, and windows in the form of curtains, valances, draperies, and the like. The fabric decorative assembly can also be used as slip covers for sofas, chairs, and day beds, decorative wall panels, area rugs, shower curtains, doorway curtains, cabinet curtains, and other similar applications. The removable and interchangeable feature of the fabric decorative assembly allows easy and quick rearrangement of panels of different sizes, colors, and styles and, therefore, facilitates changes in room decor.
The fabric decorative assembly may be packaged as a kit that includes the base fabric and one or more interchangeable, removable fabric sections. Additional interchangeable, removable fabric sections may be acquired to supplement the fabric decorative assembly kit. Thus, a consumer may purchase the fabric decorative assembly kit. When the consumer decides to change decor, but is no longer satisfied with the decorative choices in the kit, the consumer may purchase additional interchangeable, removable fabric sections that suit the consumer's current decorating ideas.
Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be appreciated that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the area within the principle and scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/487,159, filed Jul. 14, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60487159 | Jul 2003 | US |
