Articles of bedding

Abstract

 An article of bedding which is provided with a pocket (10) for capturing the foot end of a mattress (8). A portion of the pocket (10) beneath the mattress (8) includes a connection (15) between the adjacent edges of the end (12) and sides (13) of the pocket (10) which underlie the mattress (8) so that any movement of the bedding article is distributed between the sides (13) and ends (12) of the pocket (10) via the connection (15).

Description

[0001] This invention relates to fitted bedding articles and has been devised with a vlsw to providing a fitted bedding component in the form of a ohoet, blanket, quilt, duvst or the like.

[0002] Fitted bedding articles have been known and used for many years however the acceptance of this type of product has not been great because each seems to have a major design fault.

[0003] Fitted bedding articles will generally comprise a top sheet having a pocket for capturing the foot end of a mattress. The pocket can be small or large. Small pockets are generally easily displaced, end larger pockets tend to restrict movement. United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 729533 describes a fitted bedding article with a mattress capturing pocket at one end. A stated object of the Invention disclosed In the specification is to provide a fitted article with adequate foot room. The effort to provide foot room however has been provided at the expense of visual appearance, as there Is a rather unsightly pleats towards the foot of the article, In addition there Is no restraint for the the article with respect to the sides of the mattress. Restraint of the article with respect to the sides of the mattress can be provided by the provision of a large pocket which captures a quarter or more of the mattress, however the more that the mattress is enclosed the less flexibility of movement Is provided for the user.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to remedy the aforesaid draw backs.

[0005] Further objects and advantages of the present Invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example.

[0006] According to the present invention therefore there Is provided an article of bedding comprising a substantially rectangular member having a mattress pocket at one end thereof adapted to captivate the foot end of a mattress to which it is fitted, said pocket comprising joined side members, and end member, and subtending connecting means connecting adjacent edges of the side members and the end member across two corners, said connecting means ensuring that displacement of the aide members relative to the end member, or visa verse, is distributed between the side members and the end member via the connecting means.

[0007] Because the connecting ineans articulates each of the sides with respect to the end of the article the pocket for capturing the mattress need not be large end movements which may otherwise cause displacement of the pocket from the mattress end are compensated for by the articulation described which makes it difficult to dlaplece the pocket. The present invention provides the additional advantage that the bed can be easily re-made merely by pulling the rectangular member at the sides towards the head of the mattress.

[0008] Aspects of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Flgure 1: is a perspective view of a pocketed bedding article such as is known in the art shown fitted to a mattress, and

Figure 2: is a bottom view of the typical prior art bedding article of figure 1,

Flgure 3: la a perspective view of a bedding article in accordance with one possible aspect of the present Invention, shown fitted to a mattress and,

Figure 4: is a bottom view of the mattress and bedding article of figure 3,

Figure 5: is a plan view of a blank for a bedding article in accordance with one possible embodiment of the present invention, and

Figures 6 to 10: are views of alternative forms of bedding articles In accordance with the present Invention shown fitted to a mattress each of the illustrations being of the underside of the mattress

[0009] Fitted bedding articles to which the present Invention relates and as have been previously known are illustrated by figures 1 and 2. A mattress 1 has a bedding article generally indicated by arrow 2 fitted thereto, the bedding article comprising a substantially rectangular top member 3 an end member 4, side members 5 end an underlying bottom member 6 which can be formed from extensions of the end member and/or side members. A pocket for captivating the foot end of the mattress 1 is formed by the lower end 3 of the top member, the side members 5, the end member 4 and the underlying bottom member 6, The underlying bottom member may be relatively large so that the pocket captivates a quarter to a third of the mattress as is shown, or may be quite small as is indicated by the broken lines of Figure 2. As aforesaid, if the pocket is small the bedding article ia ceaily doploced, If the pocket is large such as the one Illustrated It serves to severely restrict movements of a person or persons on top of the mattress and beneath the article.

[0010] In figure 2 of the drawing there is Illustrated two axes lines H which are shown to intersect points P at the sides and base of the mattress 1. The axes lines H subtend the sides la and 1b of the mattress 1. The significance of these axes to the present Invention will be described herein in relation to examples of the present invention illustrated by figures 3 through to 10 of the drawings.

[0011] With respect to figures 3 and 4 of the drawings the bedding article generally indicated by arrow 7 Is provided on a mattress 8 takes the form of a fitted top sheet (although It will be apparent from the description hereafter that the bedding article 7 can take the form of a blanket, quilt, duvet and could bo sized to fit any type of bed from a bassinet through to a king size bed or larger). In the example the bedding article 7 comprises a top member 9 which is substantially rectangular when viewed In plan. The article 8 includes a mattress pocket generally Indicated by arrow 10 formed from a turned back underlying portion 11 of the end 12 of the article. Sides 13 fixed to the top member 9 have an inturned portion 14 which underlies the mettross 8. A connecting means in the form of a triangular insert 15 joins adjacent edges of the portions 11 and 14 across the corners thereof end subtends same.

[0012] In figure 5 similar numerology has been used to denote the top sheet 9 and items 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 the dotted lines of the blank Illustrate fold positions. From the blank illustrated the pocket 10 of figures 3 and 4 Is formed by connecting together adjacent edges items 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. To create a pocket with smooth corners the edges 16 of the blank are areuated.

[0013] Varlations of the clesign Illustrated by figures 3 through to 5 are illustrated by figures 6 through to 10 again with similar numerology being used for equivalent items.

[0014] In the embodiment illustrated by figure 6 the Insert 15 Is replaced by an elastic member 17.

[0015] In the embodiment illustrated by figure 7 inturned part 14 and the insert 15 are combined.

[0016] The embodiment illustrated by figure 8 Is similar to that illustrated by figure 7 except that the angled Inner edge 18 of inturned portion 14 joins with the side members 13 over half way up the mattress.

[0017] In the embodiment illustrated by figure 9 again, a combined end and side member has an arcuate inner surface connecting the turned back portion and the inturned portion 14 on the angle.

[0018] In the embodiment Illustrated by figure 10 there is a similar arcuate connecting means, however, this extends on the return towards the head of the mattress and extends fully towards the top end of the mattress,

[0019] As in figure 2 each of the drawings of figures 6 through to 10 have superimposed on them two subtending axes denoted by numeral 11 which join the sides and ends of the bedding arncle beneath the mattress. Although the axes may be inclined at different angles they all are characterised by the fact that they provide an articulated connection between the underlying sides end ends of the article beneath the mattress and the effect of this is to provide a major user advantage In relation to those previously described prior art devices. When a user gets into the bed and hit or her feet apply tension to the top sheet this tension is translated to the sections of the side and ends of the article beneath the mattress. In response to this there is in fact movement of the inner edges 18 of the article, however due to the presence of the connecting means In either of the forms described such displacement tends to be spread and is not exaggerated at all with the result that the pocket is almost impossible to displace from the mattress during normal usage. Smell movements of the Inner edges 18 beneath the mattress are translated Into quite large movements or the provision of larger spaces beneath the bedding article. If for example there is a requirement for foot or leg room suddenly made on the one side of the bed the movement response beneath the mattress is translated via the subtended connecting means to be shared between movement at both sides of the Inner edges of the undertucked portions. Having curved edges at the mattress corners also assists to have these movements freely translated without cauaing undue stress.

[0020] As will be apparent from the aforegoing the articulated connection across the corners at the edges of the sides and ends of the pocket beneeth the mattress can be made In many ways. It will also be apparent that the pocket 10 as described can be applied to the whole range of bedding articles. It may form part of top and bottom sheets, duvets, blankets, quilts, underlays such as the WOOLREST sleeper, end Indeed any article of bedding.

[0021] Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and It wilt be appreciated that modifications and additions thereto may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

Claims

1. An srticle of bedding comprising a substentially rectangular member (9) having a mattress pocket (10) at one end thereof adapted to captivate the foot and of a mattress (8) to which it is fitted, said pocket (10) comprising joined side members (10) an end member (12 and subtending connecting moans connecting adjacent edges of the side membere (13) and the end member (12) across two corners, said connecting means (15) ensuring that displacement of the side member (13) relstive to the end member (12) or visa verse, is distributed between the slde members (13) and the end member (12) vis the connecting meane (15)

2. An artlcle of bedding as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connecting means (15). Is a substantislly triangulsted member positioned at the two corners formed by adjacent edges of the side members (13) and the end membe (12).

3. An article of bedding as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connecting means has an arcuate inner edge (18).

4. An srticla of bedding as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said connecting means is a tie or elastic member fixed across the corners at the adjacent edges of the side members (13) and the end member (12).

5. An srticle of bedding as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the rectangula member (9) the side members (13) the end momber (12) and the connecting means (15) are formed from a unltary sheet materlel, and the pocket (10) le formed by joining adjacent free edges of the connecting means(15) and the end member (12).

6. An srticle of bedding as claimed In any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the rectangular member (9), side member (13), end member (12) and connecting means (15)I are formed from ono or more pre-cut pleces.

7. An article of bedding as claimed In claim 5 or claim 6 wherein adjacent free edges (18) of the side members (13) and end member (12) are arcuate so that when they are joined together on formation of the pocket (10) the pocket edges are smooth.

Drawing