FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a system and method for securing a bed skirt to a box spring.
BACKGROUND
Whether in a residential home or within the hotel and hospitality industry, keeping a bed skirt aligned with the box spring in order to maintain a perfectly arcade up bed can be a burdensome chore. Generally, the traditional bed skirt with top decking lies on top or a box spring and underneath the mattress. In order to maintain the bed skirt in its initial desired position, or to readjust and correct the placement of a bed skirt that has shifted from its initial desired position, the entire mattress must either be lifted up or removed for the bed skirt to be properly aligned, and once the bed skirt is aligned, the mattress must be lowered to its exact former position. The mattress cannot be slid into position, because the bed skirt will inevitably slide along with the mattress and thus out of position.
Because of the weight of mattresses today, the individual or “user” making the bed—whether it be in a residential setting or in the hotel and hospitality industry—will more likely attempt to tuck in the bed skirt if it appears to be dragging or too low, or alternatively, the user will pull down on the side of the bed skirt if the bed skirt appears too high or short. These solutions to obtaining, the appropriate aesthetic and functional goal of the bed skirt are only temporary, if not impossible without lifting the mattress. As soon as the bed is turned down for use, or re-made the bed skirt will inevitably shift from its desired position on the box spring.
Furthermore, while tucking in the sheets and/or the duvet cover between the mattress and box spring, the bed skirt, often “rides” along with the sheets and simultaneously gets tucked into the crevice between the mattress and the box spring. Pulling or the skirt return it to its proper length while keeping the sheets and duvet tucked in takes time and effort which cannot practically be met, particularly the hotel and hospitality industry in view of the number of beds and frequency which those beds must be made by the staff. The problem is further compounded by the fact that, even if the bed skirt was adjusted every time the sheets were tucked between the mattress and the box spring, the bed skirt would once again fall out of alignment with the box spring each time the bedding is pulled back or “turned down”before the bed is to be used.
There are several problems associated with previously developed and currently utilized systems and methods for securing a bed skirt to a box spring. These previous solutions to attempt to maintain the bed skirt in a desired position still present drawbacks in terms retaining functional, cleanliness, and aesthetic appeal while promoting overall efficiency, particularly in hotel and hospitality settings. With respect to aesthetic appeal, the prior art particularly fails to disclose skirts that cover the corners of the box spring in an efficient and aesthetically pleasing manner. Problems also include the time expended each time these bed skirt issues must be addressed and the probability of back injuries to the user while addressing these issues. There are also problems associated with hand injuries to the user, for example, when the user tucks the bedding between the mattress and box spring and comes into contact with a pin or button that may be securing the bed skirt to the box spring.
Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for quickly and efficiently removing, and securing a bed skirt to a box spring. There is also a need for an improved system and method for use of a bed skirt to cover the corners of a box spring.
SUMMARY
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. Rather than specifically identifying key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention, its purpose, inter alia, is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In one embodiment, a three-piece bed skirt comprising two side panels and a front panel is provided. The front panel may include two corner foot flaps located at opposing ends of the front panel. The front panel, two side panels, and two corner foot flaps are capable of being interconnected and interlocked at their respective perimeters by hook and loop fasteners, such as a low-profile loop tape or Velcro®. These same fasteners can be used to secure the front panel, two side panels, and two corner foot flaps to the perimeter of an underlying box spring.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings, in which like numerals represent similar parts, illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.
FIGS. 1A-B illustrate an inner surface and an outer surface of a side panel of a bed skirt in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 2A illustrates a side panel of a bed skirt which is securable to a box spring by aligning the inner surface of the upper perimeter of the side panel with the side perimeter of the box spring in accordance with one embodiment.
FIGS. 2B-C illustrate an inner surface and an outer/front surface of a side panel of a bed skirt in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 3 illustrates the interlocking of a side panel of a bed skirt with a front panel of the bed skirt in accordance with one embodiment;
FIGS. 4A-B illustrate the outer surface and inner surface of a front panel of a bed skirt in accordance with one embodiment;
FIG. 5 illustrates a front panel of a bed skirt with attached corner foot flaps being secured to the front perimeter of a box spring in accordance with one embodiment; and
FIGS. 6A-B illustrate, a mock pleat being formed at the corner of the box spring when a side panel of a bed skirt and front panel of the bed skirt with attached corner foot flaps are all secured to the perimeter of the box spring in accordance with one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of certain embodiments of the subject matter set forth herein, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the subject matter disclosed herein may be practiced. These embodiments, which are also referred herein as “examples,”described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the subject matter disclosed herein. It is to be understood that the embodiments may be combined or that other embodiments may be utilized, and that variations may be made without departing from the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, each of the two side panels (only one side panel of the bed skirt is illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B) has an inner surface 10 and an outer surface 20. The inner surface 10 comprising an upper perimeter 13 having a hook and loop fastener 15 attached along the length of the upper perimeter 13 for securing, the upper perimeter to a corresponding hook and loop fastener 55 (FIG. 3) provided on the top surface of the box spring along the left and right perimeters of the box spring.
The outer surface 20 of each side panel further comprises two preferably square sections of hook and loop fastener 25, 26 located at opposing corners of the upper perimeter of the outer surface 20, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. In one embodiment, fasteners 25, 26 are positioned by wrapping and securing, an extra length of fastener 15 from the inner surface of the side panel's upper perimeter 13 around the side edge of the panel, as illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C. In one embodiment, fasteners 25, 26 are approximately 1 to 3 inches in width.
As illustrated by FIG. 2A, each side panel 30 is securable to the box spring 40 by aligning the inner surface of the upper perimeter 15 of the side panel 30 with the side perimeter of the box spring. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, side and front perimeters of the box spring are fitted with a track system 50 such as the system disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 8,863,330. In this embodiment, the tracks located along the side and front perimeters of the box spring further comprise a hook and loop fastener 55 (FIG. 3) along the entire length of the top surface of each track. As further illustrated in FIG. 2A, the inner surface of the upper perimeter of side panel 30 with hook and loop fastener 15 provided along the entire length of the inner surface's 10 upper perimeter 13 is aligned with, engages, and is secured to a top surface of the track 50 having a corresponding strip of hook and loop fastener 55 (FIG. 3) provided thereon.
In another embodiment, hook and loop fastener 15 is directly placed on the upper surface of the side and front perimeters of the box spring, without the track system illustrated in FIG. 2A. In this embodiment, side panel 30 engages the box spring 40 by aligning a side panel having a hook and loop fastener 15 along the entire length of the upper perimeter 13 of the side panel's inner surface 10 with a corresponding strip of hook and loop fastener 55 provided along the length of the side perimeter of the box spring 40, and engaging and securing the hook and loop fastener located on the inner surface of the side panel with the hoop and loop fastener provided on the top surface of the box spring.
FIG. 3 illustrates the assembly of the bed skirt in accordance with an embodiment and with reference to a left side of the box spring 40. In a first step, a hoop and loop fastener 78 (FIG. 4A) of the inner surface 70 of the front panel 65 is attached to the hoop and loop fastener 55 of the front section of the box spring 40. The hook and loop fastener 92 is then attached to a corner section of the side of the box spring 40 having the hook and loop fastener 55 thereon. Next, upper perimeter 85 of corner foot flap 80 is folded and the side opposite of the hoop and loop fastener 25 is positioned to rest on top of the folded section, exposing the hoop and loop fastener 25 in an upward direction. Finally, the hoop and loop fastener 95 is attached to hoop and loop fastener 25 to form a mock pleat at the corner of the box spring. FIG. 5 illustrates a different view of the assembly of the bed skirt (with reference to a right side of the box spring 40) further illustrating a folded section 86.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the outer surface 60 and inner surface 70 of a front panel 65 having two corner foot flaps 80, 90 attached to opposing ends of the front panel 65. Referring to FIG. 4A, the inner surface 70 of the front panel 65 comprises two corner foot flaps 80, 90 attached at opposing left and right sides of the front panel 65. Preferably, the upper perimeter 85, 86 of each corner foot flap is attached to the front panel at the panel's upper perimeter. The respective upper perimeters of the front panel and the corner foot flaps can be attached by sewing the respective perimeters together, or by using any comparable method of attachment.
As further illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the corner foot flaps 80, 90 are preferably attached to the front panel 65 so that a certain width of the outer surface of the flap is detachably contacting the inner surface of the foot panel. In this preferred embodiment, the length of the corner foot flap 80, 90 located below the flap's upper perimeter 85, 86 is capable of being drawn away from the inner surface 70 of the front panel 65, as illustrated in FIG. 4A. The inner surface 70 of the front panel further comprises a section of hook and loop fastener 92, 93 provided along, part of the length of the upper perimeter of the front panel and attached corner foot flaps. Preferably, hook and loop fasteners 92, 93 are provided at opposing corners of the upper perimeter of each attached corner foot flap, as illustrated in FIG. 4A.
FIG. 4B illustrates the outer surface 60 of the front panel 65 having two corner foot flaps 80, 90 attached at opposing left and right sides of the front panel 65. As set forth above, the corner foot flaps are preferably attached to the front panel so that a certain width of each corner foot flap remains hidden behind the front panel and a certain width of each corner panel extends beyond the left and right opposing sides of the front panel. Preferably, each side perimeter of the front panel is not secured or attached to the underlying corner foot flap thereby creating a fold that allows the edge of an adjoining panel to be inserted therein. Further referencing FIG. 4B, a preferably squared section of hook and loop fastener 95, 96 is provided on the inner surface of the upper perimeter of each folded section of the front panel. As set forth below, fastener 95, 96 can engage and secure to a corresponding fastener provided on the perimeter of an adjacent panel.
Referring to FIG. 5, the front panel 65 with attached corner foot flap 90 is secured to the front perimeter of the box spring 40 by engaging the inner surface of the front panel and attached flaps to a corresponding track provided along the perimeter of the box spring, or alternatively, by engaging the inner surface of the front panel 65 and attached flap 90 to a hook and loop fastener 55 applied directly to the perimeter of the box spring 40 without the track system 50.
The front flap 65 is preferably secured to the corresponding hook and loop fastener provided on the box spring by aligning the upper perimeter of the panel with the perimeter of the box spring and engaging the hook and loop fastener 78 provided on the inner surface of the front panel 65 and corner foot flap 90 with the corresponding hook and loop fastener provided on the box spring 40. As further illustrated by FIG. 5, the corner foot flap 90 is preferably positioned along the perimeter of the box spring so that the upper perimeter of the flap is positioned along the contoured edge or corner of the box spring, and, preferably secures to a side edge of the box spring by engaging the additional section of hook and loop fastener 93 provided on the inner surface of the flap with the corresponding fastener provided along the side perimeter of the box spring. Referring further to FIG. 5, the squared section of hook and loop fastener 96 is located on the underside of the upper perimeter of the front panel. By securing the front panel 65 and the underlying corner foot flap 90, a pocket or fold is created between the corner foot flap 90 and the squared hook and loop fastener 96 that allows the leading edge of an adjacent side panel to be inserted and secured therein. Preferably, the front panel with attached corner foot flaps is secured to the box spring prior to securing either side panel to the left or right sides of the box spring.
Referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, when a side panel 30 and front, panel 65 with attached corner foot flaps 80, 90 are all secured to the perimeter of the box spring, a mock pleat is formed at the corner of the box spring. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, after the front panel 65 with attached corner foot flaps 80, 90 is secured to the box spring the side panel 30 is then secured along the length of the box spring's side perimeter. The leading edge 100 of the side panel 30 is then positioned within the front panel's fold so that the leading edge 100 of the side panel is positioned between the front panel 65 and corner foot flap 80. Preferably, the leading edge 100 of the side panel 30 is interlocked with the front panel 65 by engaging and securing the section of fastener provided on the upper perimeter of the side panel's outer surface 25, 26 with the section of fastener 95, 96 provided on the upper perimeter of the inner surface of the front panel's fold.
As illustrated in FIG. 6A, once the foot panel and side panel are interlocked, a mock pleat is formed whereby the corner foot flap 80 is visible through a drape line between the respective leading side edges of the side panel 30 and front panel 65.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention out departing from scope. While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the invention, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.
Patent Application
20180177313
