Claims:
We claim
1. A flat cover sheet for fitting mattresses of various widths, heights, and lengths, comprising: a textile fabric having a substantially trapezoidal shape of such size that said fabric may extend over the sides and inwardly of the bottom edges of a mattress to be covered by said fabric, said trapezoidal shape permitting the wide end of said cover sheet to cover a bolster or the like, a hem extending around each corner of said cover sheet forming an elongated pocket; said elongated pocket having a centrally located opening; and a pair of tapes extending through said opening, one tape having an end secured at one end of said elongated pocket and the other tape having an end secured at the other end of said elongated pocket whereby, as the free ends of the two tapes are drawn up the cover sheet is conformed to the corner of said mattress.
2. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said tapes are inelastic.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover-sheet for a mattress which can be entirely flattened to facilitate the washing, ironing, folding and storage thereof. This cover-sheet may be utilized on mattresses of various widths and lengths.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Present cover-sheets must correspond to the size of the bed with which they are to be utilized. This causes the manufacturer and the seller to manufacture or to have on hand sheets of many various sizes. When purchasing sheets the buyer must specify the size of the bed or beds for which the sheets are to be utilized. This requirement restricts the choice of sheets which may be purchased.
Fitted cover-sheets are also known for beds but these cover-sheets do not always fit perfectly due to the different thicknesses of the mattresses. Unavoidable folds and creases are often associated with these sheets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the present invention is to create a cover-sheet fitting all sizes of mattresses. Due to a trapezoidal cutting, the sheet is also able to cover the mattress as well as the bolsters or the pillows without forming folds or creases.
The invention solves the above mentioned fold and crease problem by incorporating a crease free attaching system in the corners, or on a portion or all the periphery of absolutely flat sheets. This crease free attaching system enables transformation of these flat sheets into a fitted mattress cover by means of strands, elastics, or creasing ribbons.
This invention also contemplates the use of alternative fastening means in the corners of a flat, substantially trapezoidally shaped mattress cover-sheet to secure the sheet to the mattress. These fastening means include notched, slit, or specially shaped corners of the sheet that are provided with inserts of resilient cloth, or fastening strips known under the trademark of VELCRO, buttons, magnetic elements, or sewed hems with tie strings, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other characteristics of the invention are moreover revealed from the following detailed description and drawings which show, by way of examples, some embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a plane view of a cover-sheet having a rectangular shape and comprising creasing elements at its four corners.
FIG. 2 shows a cover-sheet similar to that of FIG. 1 but the trapezoidal shape of which enables it to include the bolster or the pillows, or both elements at the same time.
FIG. 3 is a view from beneath the cover-sheets according to FIGS. 1 and 2 after placing the same on a mattress.
FIG. 4 is a plane view of a rectangular cover-sheet with creasing elements at its four corners.
FIG. 4a is a view from beneath of the cover-sheet according to FIG. 4 after placing the same on a mattress.
FIG. 5 is a plane view of a cover-sheet able to cover at the same time the mattress and the bolster or the pillows, or both elements at the same time.
FIGS. 5a, 5b show views from beneath of the sheet of FIG. 5.
FIG. 6 is a view of another embodiment of a cover-sheet able to cover the mattress and the bolster or the pillows or both additional elements at the same time.
FIGS. 6a, 6b are views from beneath corresponding to FIG. 6.
FIG. 7 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention covering the mattress and the bolster or the pillows, or both elements at the same time.
FIGS. 7a, 7b are views from beneath corresponding to FIG. 7.
FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of a bed using the sheets of FIGS. 5, 6 or 7, coverage besides the mattress, the bolster or the bolster and the pillows.
FIG. 10 shows a more simple form of sheet able to envelop the mattress and the bolster or the pillows, or both elements at the same time.
FIGS. 11 and 12 show how the cover sheet is installed on the corner of a mattress.
FIGS. 13-20 show partial elements of sheets provided with devices for fastening the corners.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, the cover-sheet comprises a rectangular central portion 1 having the size as the top surface of the mattress, peripherial regions 2, 3, 4 and, 5 enabling the covering of the vertical sides of the mattress, and finally extensions 6, 7, 8, 9 which envelope the corners and extend beneath the lower portion of the mattress when the sheet is placed on said mattress. In the corners 10, 11, 12, 13 are found hem elements 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a which are used to stretch the sheet on the mattress or to pre-form the corners to ensure the perfect position thereof without folds or creases.
In FIG. 2, the cover-sheet comprises a central portion 20 having a rectangular shape taking the form of the mattress, but the extensions 21, 22 are widened towards the head of the bed. Extension 23 is also enlarged. This configuration allows the cover-sheet to envelop the mattress and either the bolster or the pillows, or simultaneously both elements. The remaining portion of the sheet is similar to that shown in FIG. 1 since are hem elements 24 are again disposed in the corners and are used to pre-form the sheet so that it fits on the mattress without any folds or creases.
FIG. 3 shows the sheet placed on the mattress, but viewed from beneath.
FIG. 4 shows hems 25 placed in the corners of the sheet 20.
FIG. 4a shows the bottom part of the mattress when the sheet is placed on the mattress.
FIG. 5 shows a sheet 29 configured like the sheet in FIG. 2 to cover not only the mattress but also the bolster or the pillows or all three elements. However, additional cuts 30 are provided to reduce the thickness of the creases of the cloth when covering the mattress. These cuts can also be hemed. The hems 31, or similar elements, allow the sheet 29 to be installed on the bed.
FIGS. 5a and 5b show the installation of the sheet as viewed from beneath the mattress.
In FIG. 6, the sheet 32 comprises other cuts 33 placed in its corners. Sheet 32 is of a substantially trapezoidal shape and is also designed to cover, besides the mattress, the pillows, bolster or the both elements at the same time. Only the shape of the cuts 33 varies with respect to the cuts 30 of the sheet 29 of FIG. 5.
FIGS. 6a, 6b show, from beneath, how to attach the sheet of FIG. 6 to a mattress by means of seams or hems in the corner.
In FIG. 7, the sheet 34 has substantially the same trapezoidal shape as the sheet shown in FIG. 2. However, additional angle-cuts 35 are included. These can be sewed or provided with soft fastening elements as mentioned below.
FIGS. 7a, 7b show from beneath the sheet of FIG. 7 installed on a mattress. It is to be noticed that the sheet is held in its corners by resilient strips 36 or by hems 37 (FIG. 7).
FIGS. 8 and 9 show, for example the sheet 34 placed on a bed and enveloping not only the mattress, but also the bolster (FIG. 8) and the bolster and the pillows (FIG. 9).
FIG. 10 shows a slight variant of the sheet represented in FIG. 2. The corners of the sheet 20 are sharp and near the edge of the sheet are disposed various attaching elements 38. For example, the attaching elements shown in FIG. 11 are button-holes and double-head buttons. In FIG. 12 the attaching elements are adhesive strip of the type known commercially under the trade-mark VELCRO. With these VELCRO strips the sheet may be adjusted to fit snuggly over the mattress.
In FIG. 13, the corners of the sheet 39 are provided with fastening elements 40. These fastening elements may be strips of adhesive cloth known under the name "VELCRO" or others, or magnetic elements.
FIG. 14 shows the sheet 39 shown in FIG. 13 folded back to form a pocket.
In FIGS. 15 thru 20, foldings 43 of the sheet have been represented with various fastening elements in the corners or on the peripheral strips surrounding the central zone of the sheet, such as self adhesive strips, magnetic elements, buttons or others.