Sheet Support System

Abstract

This invention raises bedclothes and other sheets above a user's feet and lower limbs. A height adjustment member, which includes a horizontal mattress insert, connects to a vertical baseboard member. An uppermost section of the baseboard member includes a lifter with at least one sheet attachment point holding at least one sheet or other article of bedclothes. In a first version of the invention, a separate vertical baseboard member slides in a slot within height adjustment member. Pins inserted into vertical baseboard member keep it from sliding down and determine the lifter height. In a second version of the invention, the vertical baseboard member connects to height adjustment member by means of hinged height segments that can be in a horizontal or vertical orientation. Clips attached over the hinges keep them in a vertical orientation and determine the lifter height.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to the field of beds and more specifically to a support to attach bedclothes above the body of a person using a bed.

2. Description of Related Art

There are a number of medical and cosmetic situations in which a person who is reclining under bed covers does not want a blanket or other bedclothes to touch their feet.

In the U.S. alone there is a 7.4 billion market for nail and cosmetic foot care. Customers for pedicures and foot treatments tend to be repeat customers. Many products produce lasting benefit and have increased effectiveness when applied overnight. Socks and other foot covers worn to protect bedclothes are generally designed for absorbency and diminish effectiveness of the product.

Similarly, it is recommended that nail polish applied for pedicures be allowed to cure for two hours or more. Customers in spas may wish to nap or cover their legs with a blanket without spoiling the polish or treatment. Persons applying polish at home may wish to do so before bed. Pedicures currently cannot be offered as beachside amenity because of the risk that sand will spoil the polish and the impracticality of covering the feet.

In addition, there are also a substantial number of people who find the weight or pressure of covers on their feet at night uncomfortable. Medical conditions that contribute to or exacerbate this sensitivity include diabetes, gout, pregnancy, arthritis and bone and soft-tissue injuries and deformations. In certain situations, it is also desirable to place a cover over a person's feet to allow a treatment or medical product to dry or absorb into the skin without exposure to dust.

There is an unmet need in the art for a simple, cost-effective device which prevents bed covers from touching feet during rest or sleep, and which alleviates the discomfort of the weight and pressure of bedcovers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a system for supporting at least one sheet in a raised position. The system includes a height adjustment member operatively coupled to a vertical baseboard member. The height adjustment member includes a horizontal mattress insert. An uppermost section of the baseboard member includes a lifter. The lifter includes at least one sheet attachment point holding at least one sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIGS. 1 a-1f illustrate perspective, front, back, left side, right side and bottom views of an exemplary embodiment of a support system.

FIGS. 2 a-2f illustrate perspective, front, back, left side, right side and bottom views of another exemplary embodiment of a support system.

TERMS OF ART

As used herein, the term “sheets” means any flexible material that may contact a user's feet such as, but not limited to, bedclothes, towels, sections of fabric or plastic films.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 a-1f illustrate perspective, front, back, left side, right side and bottom views of an exemplary embodiment of support system 100. Support system 100 includes a height adjustment member 10, a baseboard member 20 and an optional detachable platform 30. In the embodiment of support system 100, height adjustment member 10 and baseboard member 20 are separate pieces.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1a-1f, height adjustment member 10 includes a mattress insert 11, an optional friction layer 12 and a baseboard slot 13. Height adjustment member 10 is an L-shaped member with a flexible living hinge between legs. Height adjustment member 10 may be manufactured from a single integral piece of material or from multiple pieces of material.

Mattress insert 11 is a horizontal section of height adjustment member 10. Mattress insert 11 is inserted underneath a mattress or other object to maintain support system 100 in position. Mattress insert 11 may be a single solid piece or may have apertures to reduce the amount of material used or the resulting weight. Optionally, mattress insert 11 uses friction layer 12 to maintain position. Friction layer 12 is a high-friction material that may be located on one side or both sides of mattress insert 11. Friction layer 12 may be a coating or a separate layer attached to mattress insert 11. Baseboard slot 13 is a vertical section of height adjustment member 10. Baseboard slot 13 slidably holds baseboard member 20 within height adjustment member 10. The width of baseboard slot 13 is greater than the width of baseboard member 20.

Baseboard member 20 is an approximately rectangular piece of material having a width ranging from approximately 18 inches to approximately 30 inches and a height ranging from approximately 16 inches to approximately 36 inches. In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS 1a-1f, baseboard member 20 includes a plurality of side apertures 21, a plurality of side pins 22, a lifter 23, at least one sheet attachment point 24 and at least one attachment insert 25.

Side apertures 21 are located in the vertical sides of baseboard member 20 and number from approximately 1 to approximately 10 per side. Each side aperture 21 on a first vertical side corresponds to a side aperture 21 directly opposite on the second vertical side. Side pins 22 inserted into opposed side apertures 21 interact with height adjustment member 10 to serve as stops, preventing baseboard member 20 from sliding down when in use.

Lifter 23 is the uppermost section of baseboard member 20. In use, sheets rest upon lifter 23, raising them above a user's feet. In order to attach a sheet to lifter 23, a user inserts a portion of the sheet into sheet attachment point 24. In the exemplary embodiment, the user then inserts at least one optional sheet attachment insert 25 into sheet attachment point 24, thereby holding the sheet in place in sheet attachment point 24. In other embodiments, sheet attachment point 24 has an x-shaped configuration, allowing it to hold the sheet without sheet attachment insert 25. In still other configurations, sheet attachment point 24 is a clip, clamp, or other means for holding a sheet in place. In this embodiment, sheet attachment point 24 is the aonly potential aperture in baseboard member 20.

The exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1a-1f includes an optional detachable platform 30. Detachable platform 30 removably clips to lifter 23 to provide a horizontal “shelf” extending parallel to mattress insert 11 and increasing the open space about a user's legs and feet. Detachable platform 30 has a width approximately equal to that of lifter 23 and a length ranging from approximately 3 inches to approximately 6 inches.

FIGS. 2 a-2f illustrate perspective, front, back, left side, right side and bottom views of another exemplary embodiment of support system 200. Support system 200 includes height adjustment member 210, baseboard member 220 and a plurality of sizing clips 240. In the embodiment of support system 200, height adjustment member 210 and baseboard member 220 form an integrated single piece. The configurations and functions of mattress insert 211, friction layer 212, baseboard member 220, lifter 223 and sheet attachment point 224 of FIGS. 2a-2f are substantially identical in form and function to their counterparts in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2a-2f.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2a-2f, height adjustment member 210 includes a plurality of height segments 214 located between mattress insert 211 and baseboard member 220. Height segments range from approximately 1 inch to approximately 3 inches in height when in a vertical orientation. Each height segment 214 joins to mattress insert 211, another height segment 214 or baseboard member 220 by a segment hinge 215. In the exemplary embodiment, segment hinges 215 are living hinges, allowing height adjustment member 210 and baseboard member 220 to form a single integrated piece.

At the lowest level of lifter 223, all height segments 214 are horizontal, for location underneath a mattress or other object along with mattress insert 211 to maintain support system 200 in position. In order to raise the level of lifter 223, a user moves one or more height segments 214 to a vertical position. The user then attaches sizing clips 240 over segment hinge 215 and along the side edges of height segment 214 and baseboard member 220 to prevent movement of segment hinge 215. In one embodiment, if more than one height segment 214 is vertical, then the user places individual sizing clips 240 over each vertical segment hinge 215 to prevent movement. In another embodiment, if more than one height segment 214 is vertical, then the user places one sizing clip 240 per side over vertical segment hinges 215. Sizing clips 240 may slide along the side edges of height segments 214 and baseboard member 220 for ease of use.

The exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2a-2f includes an optional folding platform 226 attached to lifter 223 by a living hinge, providing a horizontal “shelf” extending parallel to mattress insert 11 and increasing the open space about a user's feet. Folding platform 226 has a width approximately equal to that of lifter 223 and a length ranging from approximately 3 inches to approximately 6 inches. At least one platform rest 227 is cut out from and connected to lifter 223 by a living hinge to support the weight of any object placed atop folding platform 226. In this embodiment, sheet attachment point 224 and platform rest 227 are the only potential apertures in baseboard member 20. In alternate embodiments, folding platform 226 may be used with system 100, just as detachable platform 30 may be used with system 200.

It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, procedures and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale; instead, emphasis has been placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, the terms “substantially” or “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related.

Claims

1. A system for supporting at least one sheet in a raised position, said system comprising: a height adjustment member operatively coupled to a vertical baseboard member,wherein said height adjustment member comprises a horizontal mattress insert,wherein an uppermost section of said baseboard member comprises a lifter, said lifter comprising at least one sheet attachment point holding said at least one sheet.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a friction layer operatively coupled to said mattress insert, wherein said friction layer is a high-friction material located on at least one side of said mattress insert.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said friction layer is located on both sides of said mattress insert.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said friction layer is a coating on said mattress insert.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said friction layer is a separate layer attached to said mattress insert.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sheet attachment insert located within said sheet attachment point.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a detachable platform operatively and removably connected to an upper edge of said lifter, wherein said detachable platform extends parallel to said mattress insert.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a folding platform operatively and integrally connected to an upper edge of said lifter by a living hinge, wherein said folding platform extends parallel to said mattress insert.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one platform rest operatively and integrally connected to said lifter by a living hinge, wherein said at least one platform rest extends below and supports said folding platform.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said mattress insert comprises at least one aperture.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said height adjustment member comprises a baseboard slot having a vertical orientation, wherein said baseboard slot is operatively connected to said mattress insert.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said baseboard member and said height adjustment member are separate pieces.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said baseboard slot operatively and slidably contains said baseboard member.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said baseboard member comprises a plurality of side apertures located in first and second vertical sides of said baseboard member

15. The system of claim 13, wherein each side aperture on said first vertical side corresponds to a side aperture directly opposite on said second vertical side.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of side pins inserted into a first side aperture on said first vertical side and a second side aperture directly opposite said first side aperture on said second vertical side, wherein said plurality of side pins contact said baseboard slot.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said height adjustment member comprises a plurality of height segments operatively connecting said mattress insert to said baseboard member.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of height segments operatively connect to said mattress insert, another of said plurality of height segments or said baseboard member through one of a plurality of segment hinges.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said plurality of segment hinges are living hinges.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of sizing clips removably attached over said plurality of segment hinges.