WO2011051939A1

WO2011051939A1 - A bottom bed sheet

Info

Publication number: WO2011051939A1
Application number: PCT/IL2010/000885
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hanan Greenberg; Mordechai Baron
Original assignee: Royalife Ltd.
Priority date: 2009-10-28
Filing date: 2010-10-26
Publication date: 2011-05-05
Also published as: IL201804A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a lower bed sheet. The invention provides a bottom bed sheet for assembly over a mattress, and over a mattress cover if used. The bed sheet having at least one first tension member retained proximate to the periphery of the bed-sheet and being provided with a second tension member positioned so that when the bed-sheet is assembled over the mattress the second tension member is disposed at the periphery of substantially the midpoint of the thickness of said mattress.

Description

A BOTTOM BED SHEET

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lower bed sheet.

A lower bed sheet has an area which exceeds the area of the upper face of the mattress to be covered thereby. Consequently the periphery of the sheet is longer than the periphery of the mattress, and the surplus material at the sheet periphery will corrugate in an untidy manner and result in some difficulty in tucking in the sheet edges, and particularly the corners of the sheet under the mattress in a tidy manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rounding the corners of the sheet, as seen for example in US Patent 5,177,821 is helpful but does not dispose of all the surplus sheet material.

To dispose of all the surplus sheet material a square can be cut away at all four corners, as seen for example in US Patent 4,144,602.

The most common solution prevalent today is to round the corners of the sheet and to insert an elastic tension member in the periphery of each corner or all round the periphery. This results in a bed sheet which fits the mattress.

Further disadvantages of the known methods of fitting a bottom bed sheet to a mattress is that making the bed is time consuming. In a residential flat this will cause difficulty to a homemaker who is elderly or handicapped. In hotels, hospitals and in some other institutions it is of importance to reduce the labor involved in this task as far as possible. Where heavy large mattresses are to be covered by a bed sheet the person carrying out this task has to uncomfortably stretch his/her body to fit some of the sheet corners to the mattress Sometimes while fitting the sheet in one corner the sheet material is in tension and the sheet frees itself from an opposite or adjacent corner.

An assessment of prior art is obtained from review of the following US Patents.

Fernandes discloses a flat contour sheet in US Patent 4,144,602. The sheet is dependant on about 16 multiple loop and hook connectors halves, while the mattress requires a similar number of precisely positioned connector halves. Laundering and ironing such a sheet will also be difficult, and its cost high.

A more practical pair of bed sheets is seen in US Patent 5,177,821 to Kawtoski. wherein a portion of the sheet forms an envelope for the feet of the user. Rounded corners are provided. In US Patent 5,321,862 Campbell discloses a bed making method and bedclothes for said method. The arrangement involves multiple connecting means and the provision of multiple apertures in the bed sheets.

A mattress cover with two elastic cords is seen in US Patent 5,996,148 to McCain et al. An integral peripheral skirt requires extra manufacturing time and will be problematic during ironing and folding.

Ho discloses a bedding assembly including a fitted sheet in US Patents nos. 7,290,301 and 7,487,561. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

In view of this state of the prior art it is one of the objects of the present invention to obviate the disadvantages referred to above and to provide a lower bed sheet which is more securely attachable to the mattress.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bed sheet which reduces the time needed for making a bed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bed sheet which will enable making the bed without lifting the mattress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention achieves the above objects by providing a bottom bed sheet for assembly over a mattress, and over a mattress cover if used, said bed sheet having at least one first tension member retained proximate to the periphery of said bed-sheet and being provided with a second tension member positioned so that when said bed-sheet is assembled over said mattress said second tension member is disposed at the periphery of substantially the midpoint of the thickness of said mattress.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a bed sheet wherein said tension member is made of textile cord, the ends of which project outside the means retaining said cord on said bed sheet.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a bed sheet wherein said tension member is an elastic member.

It will thus be realized that the novel bed sheet of the present invention allows bed making in the following three steps: 1. The lower bed sheet is positioned over the mattress so that the second tension member is disposed parallel to and outwardly of the mattress edges.

2. The sheet is folded downwards so that the second tension member is in contact with the mid thickness of the mattress. Where a textile tension member is used the two ends thereof are tightened and interconnected.

3. The sheet is now retained in its proper position, greatly easing the task of tucking the sheet edges underneath the mattress. Thus the common problem with prior art sheets is eliminated, this problem being that during bed making there may occur the release of a first corner while a second corner is being tucked under the mattress.

While prior art sheets may inadvertently be released during the night by movements of a user or users sleeping thereon, the double security provided by the two tension members in the present invention prevents such an occurrence.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent by example preferred embodiments of the invention. Structural details are shown only as far as necessary for a fundamental understanding thereof. The described examples, together with the drawings, will make apparent to those skilled in the art how further forms of the invention may be realized.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmented perspective view, looking upwards to view the lower face of the mattress, thus to see a preferred embodiment of the bed sheet according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmented perspective view of a further preferred embodiment of the bed sheet according to the invention;

and

FIG. 3 is a fragmented plan view of the embodiment seen in FIG. 1, showing the mattress upside down, the two ends of the second tension member being seen before tightening and interconnection. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

There is seen in FIG. 1 a bottom bed sheet 10 for assembly over a mattress 12, and over a mattress cover (not seen) if used. The bed sheet 10 has at least one first tension member 16 retained proximate to at least part of the periphery 14 of the bed-sheet 10. A second tension member 32 is positioned so that when said bed-sheet 10 is assembled over the mattress - the second tension member 32 is disposed at the periphery of substantially the midpoint 30 of the thickness of the mattress 12.

In the present embodiment the second tensile member 32 is made of a textile material. After the sheet 10 has been positioned correctly the projecting ends 20, 22 of the second tension member 32 are tightened and interconnected by a knot or by means of a a releasable connector element 24,

With reference to the rest of the figures, similar reference numerals have been used to identify similar parts.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is seen a bottom sheet 36 assembled to a mattress 12. However the second tension member 34 is made of an elastic material which does not require tightening or interconnection. In other respects the sheet 36 is similar to the sheet 10 seen in FIG.l . With regard to the method of use, the only difference is that the sheet 36 with the elastic member 34 can be assembled to the mattress 12 and removed therefrom without opening a knot or using a connector element.

FIG. 3 is a further illustration of the embodiment seen in FIG. l . It is seen that the second tension member 34 is routed substantially in parallel with the first tension members 16. The surplus sheet material 40 can be seen at the corners 38.

The above description relates to a bed sheet which is partly held in position by a second tension member 16 disposed in a horizontal plane substantially at the mid point 30 of the mattress thickness. However it is to be noted that the arrangement described in the present specification can also be applied to a rectangular bed sheet which is devoid of a first tension member 16.

The foregoing examples illustrate useful forms of the invention, but are not to be considered as limiting its scope, as those skilled in the art will be aware that additional variants and modifications of the invention can readily be formulated without departing from the meaning of the following claims, aware that additional variants and modifications of the invention can readily be formulated without departing from the meaning of the following claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A bottom bed sheet for assembly over a mattress, and over a mattress cover if used, said bed sheet having at least one first tension member retained proximate to the periphery of said bed-sheet and being provided with a second tension member positioned so that when said bed-sheet is assembled over said mattress said second tension member is disposed at the periphery of substantially the midpoint of the thickness of said mattress.

2. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second tension member is made of a textile cord, the ends of which project externally to allow a user to tighten and interconnect said tension member ends.

3. The bed sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second tension member is made of an elastic material.

4. A bottom bed sheet for assembly over a mattress substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings.