AU2009100184A4 - Bed covering - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant(s): Wayne Reynolds Invention Title: Bed covering The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: P79832AU Pal .teLng Appfcton 2009.2-24.doc 2 BED COVERING SFIELD OF THE INVENTION CI 5 The present invention relates to bedding in general.

OO In one form, the present invention relates to items of bed covering for use by persons using the bed such as for example, sheets, blankets, doonas, quilts or the like.

oD C- In one form, the present invention relates to a dual thickness bed covering item which has a relatively warm side or portion and a relatively cooler side or portion.

The present invention finds particular application as a doona cover or similar for use by a couple sharing the one bed in which the doona has a relatively warmer side provided by more insulation and a relatively cooler side which provides less warmth than the warmer side.

Although the present invention will be described with reference to one or more embodiments of the invention, it is to be noted that the present invention is not restricted to the described embodiment or embodiments but rather the scope of the present invention is more extensive so as to include other forms, arrangements and variations of the bed covering item described.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Often when two people occupy a bed, they have different requirements for warmth to feel comfortable and to enjoy a good night's sleep. Often, one person requires a warmer N:\elbumeCasesten1\7900 79999 P779 8 Specification 2009-2-2.doc 2410209 3 Senvironment within which to sleep comfortably, whereas the C4 other of the couple requires less warmth or a cooler environment within which to sleep comfortably. In many instances it is usually the female which requires greater C- 5 warmth. A single thickness bed covering cannot provide two degrees of warmth simultaneously.

00 In the past, bed coverings have generally been of a uniform thickness overall and accordingly, have a uniform 10 insulating property providing the same degree of warmth C- over almost the entire area of the bed covering. If the amount of warmth is suitable for one person, it is either too hot or too cold for the other person. Therefore, there is a need for a bed covering item which is more flexible and/or versatile in providing increased comfort to both users during sleep by having more than a single amount of insulation so as to provide different zones of different warmth or similar.

Thus, it is one aim of the present invention to provide a bed covering item which can be used simultaneously by different persons requiring different amounts of warmth for comfortable sleeping.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bed covering item for location in proximity to the sleeping surface of a bed comprising a first section provided at or towards a first side or edge of the bed covering item for use by a first occupant of the bed when on the bed sleeping surface, a second section provided at or towards a second side or edge of the bed covering item N:\MelboumeCases\Patent79DDO-79999\P79832 AULSpeciskP79832.AU Speciftation 2009-2-2.doe 24/02/09 4 for use by a second occupant of the bed when on the bed C- sleeping surface, and a third section provided at or Stowards a third side or edge of the bed covering item for use to assist locating and/or maintaining the bed covering C 5 item in proximity to the sleeping surface of the bed so as to provide a cover for the sleeping surface of the bed 00 wherein the first section is provided with relatively more insulation than is provided with the second section so as to enable the first section to provide greater warmth to the first occupant using the bed when located at or C towards the first side or edge than is provided by the second section of the bed covering item to the second occupant using the bed when located at or towards the second side or edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Typically, the bed covering item is a sheet, top sheet, blanket, doona, doona cover, quilt, comforter, eiderdown or other similar item used to cover a person sleeping in a bed in order to provide warmth and/or covering during sleep.

Typically, the warm or warmer side of the bed covering provides up to about 5 0 C increase in temperature, preferably up to about 3 to 5 0 C warmer temperature.

Typically, the bed covering item is provided with two zones, or is a dual zone cover in which one zone provides greater warmth to the occupant closer to this zone than to the other zone which provides relatively less warmth to a person using this other zone.

N:\Melboume\CasesPatent\79 0-79999\P79832.AUSpecis\P79832AU Specification 2009-2-2 doc 24f02/09 5 Typically, the first section is one or more panels, areas, C- zones, or similar. Typically, the second section is one Sor more panels, areas, zones or similar in which the thickness of the first panel is greater than the thickness CI s of the second panel.

00 In one form, the bed covering item or panel is a single layer, dual layer, or multi-layer. In one form, the first section is a two layer arrangement forming a pocket, pouch, receptacle, bag, envelope or the like for receiving C- fill material therein to provide a relatively warmer environment. In one form the warmer side of the bed covering is an envelope or sandwich construction having two outer coverings and an inner or core layer of fill material located intermediate the two outer coverings, typically in the form of cotton sheets or similar.

In one form, the fill material is an insulating material, including a further layer or layers of the same or different material to the material from which the two outer layers are made.

In one form, the second section is a single layer construction or a dual layer construction, typically in the form of a pocket, pouch, receptacle, bag or similar having two outer layers. In one form, the second section is formed as two sheets superposed over one another without substantially any filling therebetween so as to provide a relatively cooler environment for sleeping under, especially by the second occupant.

In one form, the first section comprises two cotton sheets superposed one above the other and attached together N elboume\CasesPaten79000-7999979832.AUSpecisP79832AU Specification 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 6 around their respective edges or periphery by suitable C securing means, such as for example, stitching or the Slike. A filling is located between the two stitched together layers. The filling may be any suitable filling including cotton batting, wool or any suitable materials in any suitable form, or similar. In one embodiment, Sthere is two to three millimetres of cotton batting located between the two outer sheets forming the first section. It is to be noted that the filling material forming the intermediate layer or core can be any suitable C- material. Further, it is to be noted that the outer layers may be made from the same or different materials and the material or materials may be any suitable material.

In one form, preferably in the form of a top sheet, the second section of the bed covering item comprises two sheets superposed one over the other and stitched together to form a envelope but without any intermediate layer, such as filling or the like, so as to provide a relatively cooler environment.

Alternatively, the second section may be a single layer of any suitable material.

In one embodiment, the first section is provided with a warm filling such as for example, wool, polyester or combinations of suitable materials.

In one form, the second section of the bed covering item of the present invention is provided with holes, apertures, ports or the like so as to allow air to circulate through and under the second section to provide N:\Meloume\Ceses\Patent79 -79999\P9832.ALSpesP79832.AU Specifcation 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 7 a relatively cooler environment for providing cooler CI conditions for comfortable sleep by the second occupant.

Typically, the first and second sections and/or panels are C s5 generally rectangular and are of a size and shape to fit over a bed, including on normal sized double beds, queen 00 beds and king sized beds.

Typically, the thickness of the inner layer, outer layer, intermediate layer and/or filling may be constant or may Ci be variable over the length and/or width of the section, zone or panel to provide insulation, warmth more suitable to the occupant or occupants by providing increased warmth on one region of one section, such as in the area of the feet or the like as compared to another region of the same section.

In one form, the third section is provided at or towards one end of the bed covering item, typically one transverse edge of the bed covering item for attaching to the foot of the bed, particularly to the foot of the mattress forming the sleeping surface of the bed in order to securely locate the bed covering during use.

In one form, the third section is a pocket, skirt, tab, apron, tuck-in or similar extending from the end of the bed covering item so as to facilitate tucking under the foot of the mattress to retain the bed covering in place on the bed. In one form, the third portion is provided with a movable portion in the form of a drawstring arrangement or the like.

In one form, the third portion is provided with a movable N:\Melboume\Cases\Patlnt\79000-79999\P79832.AU\SpecisIP79832 AU Specfication 2009-2-2.doc 2402/09 8 portion, typically allowing the bed covering item to move C between a release position allowing the bed covering to be Sremoved from the mattress and a closed position for retaining the bed covering on the mattress. In one form, CI 5 the movable portion includes an apron that can be gathered around the base of the bed or around the end of the 00 mattress using an elastic, elasticised or drawstring arrangement to provide a close fit, similar to the manner in which a fitted sheet is held in place on the mattress by having an elasticised edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Examples of the present invention will now be described to illustrate the invention in a non limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top perspective view of one form of the bed covering of the present invention in the form of a doona; and Figure 2 is a top perspective view of another form of the present invention in the form of a top sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figure 1, there is shown one form of the bed covering of the present invention, generally denoted as 2, in the form of a doona cover, located in situ upon the sleeping surface 4 of a mattress 6, typically an inner spring mattress forming part of a bed 8. Bed cover 2 is in the form of a dual zone doona cover or the like having two separate zones, a warmer zone 12, and a cooler zone 14, N \Melboume\Casgs\Patent\790DD-7999\P79 Speafication 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 9 providing different amounts of warmth on either side of C\ the doona cover by being provided with different amounts Sof insulation as will be described later in this specification. Doona cover 2 is designed to be fitted C s over a doona or similar which is received within the doona cover through an opening located along one side of the 00 doona cover. In one form, doona cover 2 has a warm zone 12 which comprises a lower sheet 16 or similar which extends underneath the warm zone 12 to form the lower layer of the warm zone 12. In another form, lower sheet C\ 16 extends under both of warm zone 12 and cool zone 14 to form the lower layer of both warm zone 12 and cool zone 14. Upper layer 18, in the form of a sheet, panel, or the like, overlies the lower layer 16. The lower layer 16 and upper layer 18 are connected to each other around the edges or peripheral portions of the warm zone. One form of the connection is by one or more rows of stitching around the perimeter of the two superposed layers 16, 18.

Other forms of connection are possible such as for example, permanent connection such as stitching, or a releasably securable connection, such as for example, using a suitable releasably securable fastener, or the like, such as for example Velcro" strips, pads or the like, press buttons, or other suitable fasteners or arrangements. Thus, warm zone 12 is in the form of an envelope, pocket or similar constructions. An intermediate layer 20 of suitable insulating material forming the core of the warm zone 12 is located between the upper and lower layers 16,18 to provide warmth to a person sleeping under the bed covering on the warm zone side. The fill forming the intermediate layer may be a loose fill in the form of individual pieces, particles, clumps or the like or may be a weakly or strongly N:\lboue\Cses\Pa\79MDD-79999\P7 Specificatio 2009-2-2.dc 24/02/09 10 interconnected array of materials, such as filaments, C- fibres, strands or the like as well as pieces, particles, Setc or may be a one piece panel, sheet, layer or the like, such as for example, a sheet of foam or closed cell CI 5 material, or an expanded foam having an outer skin on either side and an inner core of foam or open or closed Scellular material or the like.

Similarly, the cool zone 14 is formed by a lower layer 22, an upper layer 24 and an intermediate layer 26 located C between the upper and lower layers. The upper layer 24 is stitched to the lower layer 22 around the edges or perimeter of the cool zone 14. The upper layer of the warm zone may continue to be the upper layer of the cool zone or may be separate to the upper layer of the cool zone. Similarly, the lower layer of the warm zones may continue to form the lower layer of the cool zone or may be a separate layer to the lower layer of the cool zone.

If the warm section is separate to the cool section, the two sections are connectable together to form bed covering 2, either permanently connectable together or releasably securable together.

Similarly, the upper layer of the warm section may be the same as, or separate to, the upper layer of the cool section. Further, the material from which the upper layer or layers and the lower layer or layers are manufactured may be the same or different, so that upper and lower layers of bed covering 2 may be made from a single material or a combination of two, three or four different materials.

The warm section may be permanently joined to the cool N:\elboume\Ceses\Patent\7900-7999P79832A. pcP Specification 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 11 section by stitching 30 or the like so that there is a one C piece bed covering having two zones. Alternatively, the warm section may be detachable from the cool section by using a suitable detachable connection, such as for Cl example, a releasably securable fastener, such as the example, a zipper, press studs, buttons, Velcro or the 00 like. This arrangement will allow the selection of two interchangeable panels of different weights for connection together to form the dual zone bed covering depending upon the personal preference of the occupants.

The intermediate layer of the warm zone is more insulating than the intermediate layer of the cool zone in the event that the cool zone is provided with an intermediate layer.

In one form, the intermediate layer or core of the warm zone is made from wool, whereas the intermediate layer of the cool zone is made from a synthetic material. In one form, the synthetic material is cellular, including open cellular, by being provided with holes, apertures, ports, bores, channels or the like allowing air to circulate to provide cooler conditions. Any suitable materials can be used as the core of both the warm zone and the cool zone.

In one form, bed covering 2 is provided with a third section 40. One form of the third section 40 is arranged to extend transversely to the longitudinally extending first and second sections forming the warm and cool zones of bed covering 2. In one form, third section 40 is in the form of a pocket, pouch, receptacle, sheath, bag or similar for engaging with the end of mattress 6 to assist in locating bed covering 2 in place on mattress 6 and/or in maintaining bed covering 2 in place during sleeping.

In one form, the end of innerspring mattress 6 is received Nelboum e\CasesPatnt\79000-79999,P79832.ASpes\P79832.AU Specification 2009-2-2.doc 24/02109 12 in the opening of the pocket or similar. In one form, C- pocket 42 is provided with a first side wall 44, and a second side wall 46, located on opposite sides of the pocket to each other to fit over the two opposite sides of CI 5 mattress 6. Pocket 42 also comprises a top wall 48, end wall 50 and lower wall 52, all interconnected together to 00 form pocket 42 having an opening 54 into which the end of mattress 6 can be received as shown in Figure 1 to assist in locating bed cover 2 on bed 8.

C- It is to be noted that pocket 40 can be of any suitable form or arrangement, as well as being of any length, width or the like. Furthermore, the length of the side walls, top wall and lower wall can be selected in accordance with requirements to maintain the bed cover in place on bed 8 during use.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 2. This form is a top sheet generally denoted as 70. The same reference numerals as used to describe the embodiment of Figure 1 will be used to describe the embodiment of Figure 2 in respect of features common to both. Top sheet 70 has a similar construction to doona cover 2, except that on cool side 14 there is no filling between the upper layer 24 and lower layer 22 but rather the two layers are superposed directly on each other. It is to be noted that the warm zone 12 of the top sheet is similar to warm zone 12 of doona cover 2.

One modification to the top sheet 70 is the arrangement of the third section 72 which has a different construction to third section 42. Third section 72 is located transversely of the first and second sections 12, 14 and N:\elboue\Cases\Plent\79DO79999is P 7 Specification 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 13 is provided with an end wall 74, two side walls 76, 78 and C a lower flap 80. A drawstring arrangement 82 which is one Sexample of the movable portion of the third section, includes a sleeve 84 through which a drawstring 86 is CI s received. Operation of drawstring 86 in sleeve 84 tightens the top sheet 70 to a closed position to secure Sthe top sheet to mattress 6 by gathering the material of the top sheet relatively closer together thus retaining top sheet 70 in place. When it is desired to remove top sheet 70, drawstring 86 is loosened in sleeve 84 to C- release the gathering of top sheet 70 thereby allowing top sheet 70 to be removed from mattress 6 for cleaning, exchange, replacement or the like. Other forms and arrangements of the movable portion of the third section are possible.

In one form, pocket 40 (not shown) is provided with a gathered pocket having a drawstring, or edge made from resilient material such as elastic or the like for closely fitting over the end of the mattress, typically in the manner of a fitted sheet or the like which is held in compression on the end of the mattress.

MODIFICATIONS

One form of the bed covering of the present invention includes a top sheet in the form of a fitted top sheet, having a drawstring located at or towards one end of the sheet, typically the end of the sheet locatable at or towards the foot of the bed, for retaining the sheet on the mattress. In this form, the first zone, being the relatively warmer zone of the bed covering, is provided with padded batting attached to the sheet of the first N elAou e\Ceses 7999 ASpecis P79832.AU Specifcation 2009-2-2.doc 24102/09 14 panel. The padded batting is applied to the first panel C- of the sheet in any suitable manner and/or by any suitable Smeans. The second zone, being the relatively cooler zone, is a single layer of sheet so that the insulating effect C- 5 is from one layer of sheet, typically a cotton sheet, flannel sheet, or the like. In this form, the third 00 section is provided with a tuck-under portion for being located intermediate inner spring mattress 6 and the base of bed 8 to hold the top sheet in place. The tuck-under is provided with a drawstring arrangement to more closely C- fit the top sheet to the mattress.

Another form of the bed covering of the present invention is a doona having a double layer construction on both sides forming the respective warm zone and cool zone. The doona has an intermediate layer located between the two outer layers on both sides. The thickness of the intermediate layer on the warm side of the doona forming the warm zone is greater than the thickness of the intermediate layer on the other side from the cooler zone.

The intermediate layers are in the form of fillings. The doona of this form of the invention is received inside a doona cover in the form of an open ended receptacle so that there is a layer on the outside of the doona.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION Advantages of the invention include a single bed covering have two different zones of warmth for providing a comfortable night's sleep for both occupants of the bed Further advantages of the covers include: N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\79000-79999\P79832.AUSpecis\P79832.AU Specification 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 15 In one form, there is a fitted sheet that, once the C- drawstring is released, the sheet is able to open out Ssquare or rectangularly for washing and folding away.

Ci 5 The bed is easily made each day as the bed covers cannot be pulled out from the bottom of the bed.

00 Both people get a good night's sleep at the right temperature that s.uits them both individually without having to throw their doona off themselves onto the other Ci person.

The combination of top sheet and doona allows the individual to mix and match the right warmth for both parties concerned to get a good night's sleep.

The doona cannot fall off the bed.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described.

It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

N:\Melboume\Cases\Palent\79000-79999\P79832.AU\Specis\P79832AU Specification 2009-2-2 doc 24/02/09

Claims (3)

1. 2. A bed covering item according to claim 1 in which the first section is a layered construction having at least an upper layer, a lower layer and an intermediate layer in which the intermediate layer is located between the upper layer and the lower layer so as to provide increased warmth to the first occupant and wherein the second section comprises at least an upper layer and a lower layer so as to provide a cooler zone for the second occupant. N:WMelboume\Cases Patent\79000-79999P79832.AUSpecis\79832.AU Specification 2009-2-2.doc 24/02/09 17
2. 3. A bed covering item according to either preceding C- claim in which the upper layer of the first section is continuous with the upper layer of the second section and the lower layer of the first section is continuous with CI s the upper layer of the second section, wherein the first and second sections are defined by stitching between the 00 upper and lower layers to form the first and second sections arranged in side-by-side relationship to each other having a common side located intermediate each other along respective inboard sides of the first and second C- sections.
3. 4. A bedding covering item according to any preceding claim in which the first and second sections each extend lengthwise of the bed covering item and the third section is located generally transversely to the lengthwise extending direction of the first and second sections, wherein the third section is in the form of a receptacle for receiving therein an end of the mattress to secure the bed covering item to the end of the mattress so as to retain the bed covering item in place on the mattress. A bed covering item according to any preceding claim in which the third section is provided with a movable portion for moving the third section between a release position in which the bed covering item can be removed from the bed and a closed position in which the third section retains the bed covering item on the mattress. N:\elbume\asessatentk79000-79MIP7979 8 Specificalion 200W-2-2.doc 24/02109