Patent Application
20130061394
The present invention relates to a mattress cover and in particular a mattress cover which has a separate top and side and in particular a mattress cover with separate top and side in which a pattern on the top is different from a pattern on the side.
Mattresses are often covered with a fitted sheet which completely covers the top of the mattress, its sides, and a small portion of the bottom edge of the mattress, where a bottom edge of the sheet is tucked under the mattress. Otherwise, the sheet has an open bottom. Since most mattresses tend to be rectangular, most mattress covers are rectangular in shape covering five sides of the mattress leaving the bottom substantially uncovered.
Most typically, fitted mattress sheets are formed from a single piece of fabric which may have seems at the corners of the sides in order to form-fit to most conventional rectangular-shaped mattresses. Further, most fitted mattress sheets have a band of elastic at the bottom edge or the perimeter, which fits under the bottom of the mattress in order to tightly cover the mattress. Since the typical fitted sheet is formed from a single piece of fabric, most sheets have a single pattern over the entire top and sides.
What is needed in the art is a new mattress cover which has different designs or patterns on the top and sides.
The present invention is directed to a mattress cover for a bed including a baby's crib. The fitted sheet includes a first part which is the top of the sheet. The top has a substantially rectangular shape and a first pattern or design. At least one second part forms the sides or skirt of the mattress. The second part has a second pattern which is different from the first pattern of the top. Advantageously, the side extends slightly longer than the thickness of a mattress, allowing a portion of the sides to be tucked under the mattress while leaving most of the mattress uncovered on the bottom. The top (first part) and sides (second part) are joined together using advantageously the technique in the art known as “piping”. The result is a continuous cylindrical perimeter around the sheet, separating the top from the sides.
In alternative embodiments, the sides may be formed from a single continuous rectangular piece of fabric which ends are joined together to form four sides of a rectangular box, to thereby cover the sides of a mattress. Alternatively, two or more rectangular pieces can be sewn together resulting in the formation of the four sides of a rectangular box which define the sides of the sheet to cover a mattress.
The present invention, in one form, is directed to a mattress cover which has a substantially rectangular top panel having a top perimeter edge folded at least partially under a remaining portion of the top panel. The top panel has a first pattern present thereon. A side member defines four sides of a rectangular box. The side member has a side perimeter edge folded at least partially under a remaining portion of the side member. The side member has a second pattern present thereon. The second pattern is different from the first pattern. An intermediate element attaches both the top panel perimeter edge and the side panel perimeter edge together. The mattress cover has a substantially open bottom opposite the top panel.
In alternative further embodiments, the intermediate element has a folded material in which part of the intermediate element extends outwardly from an edge of the rectangular box, defined at an intersection of the top panel and the side panel. The folded material defines a channel through which a cord runs, thereby forming a cylindrical perimeter around the mattress cover between the top panel and the side panel.
The present mattress cover will now be described with reference to the drawings and in particular
In an alternative embodiment, rather than a single panel, the sides of the mattress cover can be formed of two or more panels sewn together to form the four sides of the mattress cover. For example, each side 31, 32, 33, 34 can be a separate individual panel which are sewn together at the respective corners, e.g., 35, 36, 37, 38.
Referring to
The technique of piping is used to join the top panel 20 with the side panel 30. Referring to
In one advantageous form, a top panel perimeter edge 21 is folded under a remaining portion of the top panel 20 which is joined to the intermediate element 40. A side panel perimeter edge 30b is folded under a remaining portion of the side panel 30 and is attached to the intermediate element 40.
One skilled in the art will readily understand the distinction between the present piping technique and the technique of binding shown in
Referring now to
It will now be apparent that the present mattress cover has features and advantages not found in prior fitted sheets. The present sheet allows the top panel to have a different pattern than the sides of the sheet. As a result, one can have different designs on the top from the sides of the sheet. An additional feature of one form of the present mattress cover is a aesthetically pleasing cylindrical-shaped perimeter separating the top of the mattress cover from the sides.
Although the invention has been described above in relation to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these preferred embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
