AU2001100623A4

AU2001100623A4 - A bed sheet assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2001100623A4
Application number: AU2001100623A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steven Michael Wheatley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-12-07
Filing date: 2001-12-07
Publication date: 2002-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2009-12-07

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Name of Applicant: Steven Michael Wheatley Address for Service: CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane Qld 4000 Australia Invention Title: A Bed Sheet Assembly This invention is described in the following statement: Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to bed linen. In particular the invention relates to a bed sheet assembly which is adapted to be fitted to a mattress.

Although the invention will be described with reference to a mattress of a particular size, it should be appreciated that the invention may be adapted for use with mattresses of various sizes. For example, the invention may be used on a king-size single, queen-size double, or cot-sized mattresses Description of the Prior Art Typical bed sheets usually comprise a bottom sheet and a top sheet, which is separate from the bottom sheet. The bottom sheet is usually adapted to be fitted to a mattress of a particular size while the top sheet is adapted to overlay the bottom sheet such that the sides and foot of the top sheet can be tucked beneath the mattress.

A disadvantage associated with bed sheets of the aforementioned type is that the top sheet should be properly aligned with the bottom sheet in order for the bed comprising the mattress and the sheets to have a neat appearance. Young children often find it difficult to properly align the top sheet with the bottom sheet and, as a consequence, this often deters them from making their beds. This is undesirable, as the child's bed either remains unmade or the task of making the bed often becomes the responsibility of another person such as a parent.

A further disadvantage is that when the bed comprising the mattress and sheets is slept in, the foot of the top sheet often becomes untucked from beneath the mattress due to the tossing and turning of the person sleeping in the bed. This can result in the feet and legs of the person becoming exposed, which can cause discomfort and annoyance to the person, particularly in cooler temperatures.

As it is preferable for infants to sleep on their backs in order to reduce the possibility of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), many parents will try and prevent their infant from rolling over in bed by placing a top sheet over the infant and tucking the top sheet beneath the mattress in such a way that the infant is inhibited from rolling over. However, the inevitable movement of the infant beneath the top sheet usually results in the top sheet becoming loose so that the infant is able to rollover.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the deficiencies associated with the prior art.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a bed sheet assembly including: a bottom sheet adapted to be fitted to a mattress; a top sheet; and at least one fastening mechanism, the bottom and top sheets being configured such that when the assembly is in a fitted condition the bottom sheet is fitted to the mattress, the top sheet overlies the bottom sheet, the foot of the top sheet is fastened to the foot of the bottom sheet, and two opposing sides of the top sheet are each fastened to an adjacent side of the bottom sheet, wherein at least one of the said sides of the top sheet is fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism which is adapted to enable said side of the top sheet to be substantially unfastened from the bottom sheet.

The bed sheet assembly may be configured such that both sides of the top sheet are fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism when the assembly is in the fitted condition.

Preferably, at least a portion of at least one said side of the top sheet which is located substantially adjacent to the head of the top sheet is fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism when the assembly is in the fitted condition.

Advantageously, the sides of the top sheet may be fastened to the bottom sheet at various locations along the sides of the bottom sheet.

The foot of the top sheet is preferably fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism when the assembly is in the fitted condition.

In a preferred form, the foot and opposing sides of the top sheet are each fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism when the assembly is in the fitted condition.

The top sheet may be detached from the bottom sheet.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bed comprising a mattress and a bed sheet assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the bed illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bed of Fig. 1 which shows a first corner of the top sheet of the bed sheet assembly folded back; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bed of Fig. 1 which shows a second corner of the top sheet of the bed sheet assembly folded back; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bed of Fig. 1 which shows the top sheet of the bed sheet assembly completely folded back; Fig. 6 is a first inverted perspective view of the bed illustrated in Fig. Fig. 7 is a second inverted perspective view of the bed illustrated in Fig. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a first embodiment of a blank of material used to form the bottom sheet of the bed sheet assembly of Fig. 1; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a second embodiment of a blank of material used to form the bottom sheet of the bed sheet assembly of Fig.

1.

Detailed Description Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a bed sheet assembly 10 includes a bottom sheet 11, which is adapted to be fitted to a mattress 12, and a top sheet 13. Both the bottom sheet 11 and the top sheet 13 have a foot 14 and two opposing sides 15, 16. The bottom sheet 11 includes a head 17 while the top sheet includes a head 18.

The bottom sheet 11 is configured to cover the upper surface, sides and a peripheral region of the lower surface of the mattress 12. An elastic band 19 is secured to and extends along the edge of the bottom sheet 11. The elastic band 19 functions to secure the bottom sheet 11 to the mattress 12 in a manner which is well known in the art.

The top sheet 13 is rectangular in shape and is fastened to the bottom sheet 11.

The bed sheet assembly 10 is shown in a fitted condition whereby the bottom sheet 11 is fitted to the mattress 12 and the top sheet 13 overlies the bottom sheet 11 such that the head 18 of the top sheet 13 is folded back over an outer surface of the top sheet 13. Further, the foot 14 of the top sheet 13 and the foot 14 of the bottom sheet 11 are fastened together by a suitable means. Also, a lower portion of the sides 15, 16 of the bottom and top sheets 11, 13 are fastened together by a suitable means from a point 20 on the sides 15, 16 to the foot 14 of the top and bottom sheets 11, 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the edges of the foot 14 and lower side portions of the top sheet 13 are sewn to the edges of the foot 14 and lower side portions of the bottom sheet 11. Also, in the fitted condition an upper portion of the two opposing sides 15, 16 of the top sheet 13 which are adjacent to the head 17 of the top sheet 13 are each fastened to an upper portion of an adjacent side 15, 16 of the bottom sheet 11 by a suitable fastening mechanism which is adapted to enable the sides of the top sheet 13 to be unfastened from the bottom sheet 11. In the illustrated embodiment, the fastening mechanism is in the form of Velcro.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the fastening mechanisms by which the sides 15, 16 of the top sheet 13 are fastened to the sides 15, 16 of the bottom sheet 11 are shown. As previously mentioned, the fastening mechanisms are in the form of Velcro and include a first fastening element 21 and a second fastening element 22. The first fastening element 21 is in the form of a looped strip of nylon fabric while the second fastening element 22 is in the form of a burred strip of nylon fabric. Of course, this arrangement may be reversed so that the first fastening element 21 is in the form of a burred strip of nylon fabric while the second fastening element 22 is in the form of a looped strip of nylon fabric.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 7, the top sheet 13 can only be pulled back from the bottom sheet 11 as far back as point 20 on the sides 15,16.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 8, the corners 30 of the bottom sheet 11 are formed by constructing the bottom sheet 11 from a blank of material having straight corner edges 31 which are perpendicular with respect to each other. In particular, the bottom sheet 11 is formed from the blank illustrated in Fig. 8 by sewing the corner edges 31 together and attaching the elastic band 19 to the edges 32 by sewing or other appropriate means.

Referring to Fig. 9, the corner edges 31 of the blank for the bottom sheet 11 may be curved.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, instead of Velcro, the fastening mechanism could be in the form of a press-stud, zipper, laces, buttons and buttonholes or other suitable device.

Further, instead of the foot 14 and lower portions of the sides 16 of the top and bottom sheets 11, 13 being sown together, they could be fastened together with the aforementioned fastening mechanism so that the top sheet 13 can be detached from the bottom sheet 11.

Instead of the bottom sheet 11 having an elastic band 19 to enable the bottom sheet 11 to be fitted to the mattress 12, other suitable fitting mechanisms may be used. For example, the bottom sheet 11 may be pinned to the mattress 12 or laces could extend across the mattress 12 between the sides of the bottom sheet 11.

The fastening mechanisms may be configured to enable the top sheet 13 to be fastened to the bottom sheet 11 at a range of locations along the sides 15, 16. This would enable infants having a range of heights to be placed on their backs and secured between the sheets 11, 13 such that they are inhibited from rolling over and such that their feet extend to the foot 14 of the bed. For example, if the fastening element is in the form of Velcro, the fastening elements 21, 22 could extend substantially the full length of the sides 15, 16 of the bottom and top sheets 11, 13.

A further variation is that the lower portions of the sides 15, 16 of the bottom and top sheets 11, 13 are not fastened together.

The fastening mechanism may be configured so that when the sheet assembly 10 is in the fitted condition the slackness of the top sheet 13 across the width of the mattress 12 may be adjusted.

Claims

1. A bed sheet assembly including: a bottom sheet adapted to be fitted to a mattress; a top sheet; and at least one fastening mechanism, the bottom and top sheets being configured such that when the assembly is in a fitted condition the bottom sheet is fitted to the mattress, the top sheet overlies the bottom sheet, the foot of the top sheet is fastened to the foot of the bottom sheet, and two opposing sides of the top sheet are each fastened to an adjacent side of the bottom sheet, wherein at least one of the said sides of the top sheet is fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism which is adapted to enable said side of the top sheet to be substantially unfastened from the bottom sheet.

2. The bed sheet assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of at least one said side of the top sheet which is located substantially adjacent to the head of the top sheet is fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism when the assembly is in said fitted condition.

3. The bed sheet assembly of any one of the previous claims, wherein the sides of the top sheet may be fastened to the bottom sheet at various locations along the sides of the bottom sheet.

4. The bed sheet assembly of any one of the previous claims, wherein the foot and opposing sides of the top sheet are each fastened to the bottom sheet by a said fastening mechanism when the assembly is in said fitted condition. A bed sheet assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 7 th day of December 2001 STEVEN MICHAEL WHEATLEY By His Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.