AU2010200499A1 - Improved mattress encasement and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A bed bug protective mattress encasement has a fabric cover that encases a mattress. The cover has an opening through which the mattress is inserted into the fabric cover, and a sealing and locking arrangement that seals the opening to prevent bed bugs having access through the opening. Figure 1 I/ag Figure I

Description

1 IMPROVED MATTRESS ENCASEMENT & METHOD FIELD 5 The invention relates to an apparatus and method for preventing bed bugs from escaping out of a bed mattress. BACKGROUND 10 Bed bugs, known as cimex lectularis, are a type of insect that hides within bed mattresses. Such bed bugs are found in homes, cruise ships, motels, hostels or boarding houses where itinerant travelers find overnight lodging. Bed bugs will feed off of the blood of humans sleeping on the mattresses that harbor these insects. 15 Typically, a bed bug will crawl out of the mattress during the night, bite the sleeping victim, and then return to the safe confines of the mattress. To prevent the escapement of bed bugs from the mattress, and thus contain and starve the bugs, a technique has been devised in which the mattress is surrounded with a fabric cover or encasement to seal the exit of the bugs. The encasement is 20 slipped onto the mattress and closed via a slide fastening mechanism such as a zipper. Bugs escaping from the mattress will encounter the barrier of the fabric cover, and thus will be prevented from reaching a human sleeping on the mattress. Problems exist, however, with the use of such protective mattress covers or encasements. For example, the zipper may become partially unzipped through 25 movement or rustling of the mattress, as for example, when the bed is made and remade. This results in an opening at the zipper end through which bed bugs may escape. Indeed, even zippers that have been carefully and completely closed may still leave a narrow opening at the end of the zipper that is a large enough opening for a small bed bug to crawl through and escape. 30 Accordingly, there exists a need for an improvement in apparatus that are designed to prevent the escapement of bed bugs from a zipper opening in a mattress protective encasement, or at least ameliorate one or more of the problems in the prior art, or to provide an improved alternative.

2 Any discussion of prior art above and herein, either singly or in combination, is not to be construed as an admission of the state of common general knowledge of the skilled addressee. 5 SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a bed bug protective mattress encasement, comprising: a fabric cover adapted to encase a mattress therein, the cover having an 10 opening through which the mattress is able to be inserted into the fabric cover; and sealing and locking arrangement adapted to seal the opening to prevent bed bugs access through the opening. Preferably, the sealing and locking arrangement includes a compressible pad which, in use, is compressed between the mattress and the encasement. 15 Preferably, the fabric cover is of a size that is able to surround the six sides of a mattress, said cover formed of a bed bug impervious fabric, and wherein the opening is formed in said cover and being of a size for receiving the mattress. Preferably, the sealing and locking arrangement includes a slide fastening mechanism disposed in said opening and operable to close said opening after the 20 mattress has been received therein, said mechanism comprising a zipper and a zipper track. Preferably, the sealing and locking arrangement includes a pad positioned beneath and at the end of the zipper track and extending for a distance along the zipper track. 25 Preferably, the pad is a foam pad. Preferably, the sealing and locking arrangement is adapted to restricted the size of the opening when the zipper is closed in order to restrict bed bug access through the opening. Preferably, the pad is attached to the fabric cover by stitching which runs 30 relative to said zipper track and forms a channel between the pad and the fabric cover. Preferably, the stitching draws the pad into contact with said zipper track within said channel. Preferably, the channel slidingly receives a portion of the zipper, said stitching being formed so as to prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching.

3 Preferably, the pad comprises a compressible material. Preferably, pad is of a thickness at least five times greater than the thickness of said bed bug impervious fabric when said pad is in an uncompressed state. Preferably, the fabric cover when surrounding said mattress forms six sides of 5 said cover; and wherein said opening is formed across the entire width of one of said sides. Preferably, the sealing and locking arrangement includes a locking device that is able to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track. Preferably, the locking device comprises a clasp. 10 Preferably, the locking device is releasable. Preferably, the locking device is provided with date identification means. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of guiding bed bugs housed within a mattress relative to a zipper closure of a mattress encasement, said zipper closure having a zipper head and a pair of zipper 15 tracks, comprising the steps: i. providing a flat barrier along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the zipper tracks to lead the bug away from the said portion of the axis; ii. forcing said barrier toward said zipper head to lead the bug away from the bottom of the zipper; and 20 iii. providing a channel having a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; iv. moving the zipper along the channel toward a zipper end located at the end of the channel and using a sealing and locking arrangement of the mattress encasement to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track. 25 According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of guiding bed bugs housed within a mattress away from an opening portion of a zipper closure of a mattress encasement, said zipper closure having a zipper head and a pair of zipper tracks, said opening portion constituting the unzipped portion of said zipper tracks, comprising the steps: 30 i. providing a barrier along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the zipper tracks and the end location of said zipper tracks to prevent bugs from approaching said portion of the axis; ii. providing a channel between said zipper tracks and said barrier having a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; 4 iii. forcing said barrier toward said zipper track to guide bugs away from entering said channel and for creating a constant force of said barrier against said zipper track; and iv. moving said zipper head along the channel toward the zipper end located at 5 the end of the channel and using a sealing and locking arrangement of the mattress encasement to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track. In the method, preferably the step of forcing said barrier toward said zipper track is accomplished by providing stitching between said barrier and said zipper closure along each side of the longitudinal axis of said zipper track. 10 Preferably, the stitching is formed so as to prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching. Preferably, the barrier provided is composed of a compressible material. Preferably, the barrier provided is a foam pad. Preferably, the material of said barrier provided is of a thickness at least five 15 times as great as that of the material comprising said mattress encasement. According to yet a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of preventing bed bugs from escaping a mattress comprising the following steps: i. Providing a mattress encasement comprising: 20 1. a fabric cover for surrounding the six sides of a mattress, said cover formed of a fabric that is impervious to bed bugs; 2. an opening for receiving a mattress; and 3. A slide fastening mechanism disposed in said opening and operable to close said opening comprising: 25 a. a zipper head; and b. a zipper track having a longitudinal axis and an end location; ii. Surrounding said mattress with said mattress encasement; iii. Guiding bed bugs housed within said mattress away from said opening portion of said mattress encasement, comprising the steps: 30 1. providing a barrier along the end location and longitudinal axis of said zipper track to prevent bugs from approaching said portion of the zipper track; 2. providing a channel between said zipper track and said barrier, said channel having a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; 5 3. forcing said barrier toward said zipper track to guide bugs away from entering said channel and for creating a constant force of said barrier against said zipper track; iv. Closing said opening by moving the zipper head along the zipper tracks into said 5 channel and toward said zipper track end location located at the end of the channel and using a sealing and locking arrangement of the mattress encasement to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of demonstrating that a mattress has been protected against bed bugs, the 10 method including encasing the mattress in a mattress encasement of any one of claims 1 to 16, and attaching a date identification means to the locking arrangement corresponding to the date on which the locking arrangement is placed in a locked state. In an embodiment, the zipper closure structure on a mattress encasement 15 allows removal of the mattress from the encasement, while preventing the escapement of bed bugs out of the mattress and past the encasement. DRAWINGS 20 In order that the invention might be more fully understood, embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompany drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a mattress encasement covering a mattress; 25 Figure 2 is an enlarged top view of a zipper end location of the mattress encasement of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of a zipper of the encasement of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional end view of the zipper end location of Figure 2, taken along line 4/4 in Figure 2; 30 Figure 5 is a cross sectional side view of the zipper end location of Figure 2, taken along line 5/5 in Figure 2; Figure 6 is an enlarged top view of the zipper end location of the mattress encasement of Figure 1 in which the zipper is opened providing an opening to the mattress; and 6 Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a locking device that holds the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track EMBODIMENTS 5 Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a mattress encasement 100 that surrounds a conventional mattress 101. Mattress encasement 100 may be constructed from a fabric 102 of a size and shape so as to surround and engulf the entirety of mattress 101. Fabric 102 of the encasement is woven so as to be 10 impervious to bed bugs. An opening 103 is shown in one form as being located at one end 105 of the encasement, and extending along the entire width of end 105 and a short distance along each of sides 107, 109 of the encasement. In a second form, the opening 103 extends along the entire width of end 105 15 and along most of the two sides 107, 109, so as to start and stop approximately six inches from the top end 106 of the encasement. The opening 103 allows the mattress 101 to slide into and out of encasement 100 so that the encasement 100 may be laundered from time to time. In the embodiment, the opening 103 is closed by a sealing and locking 20 arrangement which includes a zipper closure 111 to seal the entire encasement opening 103. The zipper closure 111 includes a zipper head 120 and a pair of zipper tracks 121, 123. The tracks 121, 123 are disposed around opening 103 in a confronting relationship and are zipped together in a conventional fashion. Tracks 121, 123 have meshable teeth which interleave together as caused by zipper head 120 25 guiding the two tracks 121, 123 together. The meshable teeth are very tight fitting in order to prevent bed bugs from moving between the meshed teeth. Referring to Figure 2, zipper head 120 is shown connected to zipper tracks 121, 123 and disposed in a position near an end location 125. End location 125 is where zipper head 120 is stopped from farther movement along tracks 121, 123. The 30 tracks are shown intermeshed behind zipper head 120, as indicated at 134, to close opening 103 (Figure 1), and form a seal by the closed tracks that is impervious to bed bugs. Also as indicated at 136, zipper tracks 121, 123 located in front of zipper head 120 are not intermeshed, and define an unzipped portion of the mattress encasement. A small zipper opening 110 is thus formed in front of zipper head 120 in the 7 proximity of end location 125. Opening 110 extends between end location 125 and zipper head 120. As shown in Figure 2, the sealing and locking arrangement includes a rectangular shaped pad 140 which is preferably made of foam. The pad is disposed 5 beneath fabric 102, and thus, beneath the zipper closure at the proximity of end location 125. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, foam pad 140 is of a much greater thickness than fabric 102. The foam pad 140 may be made from a flexible resilient foam material, but other materials may be used as well. For example, the foam pad 140 may be a fabric 10 material, a rubber material, or any other material which may be stitched to fabric 102. In addition, the foam pad 140 may be compressible such that contact made by mattress 101 against the lower surface 141 of pad 140 causes the pad to compress between the mattress and the encasement fabric 102, forcing the top surface 143 of pad 140 into contact with fabric 102 as well as into contact with portions of the zipper 15 structure disposed above pad 140. As shown in Figure 2, foam pad 140 is stitched to the fabric 102 in order to secure the foam pad in place. A pair of outer rows of stitches 180, 182 are formed parallel to and along each side of the zipper tracks 121, 123. Additionally, a pair of inner rows of stitches 160, 162 may be formed parallel to and along each side of 20 zipper tracks 121, 123. A fifth row of stitches 164 runs perpendicular to zipper tracks 121, 123 and connects all four stitch rows 160, 162, 180, 182. Row 164 traverses end location 125 of zipper tracks 121, 123. Also, two rows of stitches 181, 183 run perpendicular to zipper tracks 121, 123 and connect stitch rows 160, 180, and connect rows 162, 182, respectively. Stitch rows 181, 183 are co-linear and stop short of the 25 zipper tracks, as shown. Stitching is applied so as to securely attach foam pad 140 to the encasement fabric 102. The stitches are sufficiently close together so as to prevent a bed bug from passing through any of the stitched rows. For example, referring to Figure 2, a bed bug may not pass through stitched row 164, between pad 140 and fabric 102 to get to 30 opening 110. Stitching patterns of a rectangular shape are thus formed on each side of the zipper track, attaching foam pad 140 to encasement fabric 102. As will suggest itself, other stitching patterns may be used. For example a stitching pattern of an "X" shape, or diagonal lines may also be employed. In addition, stitching may encompass end 8 location 125, as shown at 185. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the fabric 102 may be folded at end location 125 to provide further support, or the like. Referring to Figure 3, the zipper closure 111 is shown separate from encasement 100 and is a conventional design. Zipper head 120 includes a lower flat 5 planar member 131 which lies below zipper tracks 121, 123. Member 131 serves as one guiding surface to guide the tracks together. The tracks are secured to respective pieces of fabric or extensions 137, 139 which provide a means for securing the tracks to the fabric 102. Fabric extensions 137, 139 are shown in Figure 2. Referring now to Figure 4, flat planar member 131 of the zipper head is shown 10 below the two zipper tracks 121, 123. The fabric extensions 137, 139 of the tracks are sewn to the casement fabric 102 at respective locations 145, 147, and then fabric 102 is folded back over itself leaving two end portions 149 of fabric 102. As seen in Figure 4, the sealing and locking arrangement includes a space 151 that is formed below the zipper tracks 121, 123, and above foam pad 140. This space 15 151 provides a channel along which the bottom portion 131 of zipper head 120 moves. As seen in Figure 2, the stitching segments 160, 162 form the outer extent of the sides of channel 151. The top of channel 151 is bound by zipper tracks 121, 123 and the bottom of channel 151 is bound by foam pad 140. Even if a bed bug were to crawl along the entire length of channel 151 toward opening 110, the bug will be 20 confronted with a barrier posed by lower portion 131 of the zipper head. To thwart the bug from crawling beneath portion 131 of the zipper head, the top surface 143 of the foam pad is forced upwardly into contact with the bottom surface 132 (Figure 3) of portion 131 by the compression of foam pad 140 caused by the mattress snugly fitting within the encasement fabric 102. 25 Foam pad 140 is of a length such that when zipper 120 is at a location at or near end point 125, channel 151 is relatively long making it difficult for a bed bug to crawl through channel 151 to reach the zipper end 125. In order to prevent bed bugs from escaping through the channel 151, it is preferred that the maximum height of the channel be small relative to the height of a 30 crawling bed bug and yet provide a sufficient space to receive the lower portion 131 of zipper head 120. Accordingly, depending on the material of the foam pad 140 and the fabric cover 102, and the size of the zipper head 120 and zipper tracks 121, 123, the preferred distance between stitching segments 160 and 162, and the zipper tracks 9 will vary. The size of the channel 151 may also vary depending on the size of the bed bugs intended to be prevented from escaping the mattress. For example, the distance between stitching rows 160, 162, and respective tracks 121, 123 may be 1/16 of an inch. The distance between stitching rows 160, 162 5 may be 5/16 of an inch. The distance between stitching rows 164, 181 may be 2-[1/2] inches. The height of lower portion 131 of the zipper may be 1/32 of an inch. Referring to Figure 6, as zipper head 120 is moves along zipper tracks 121, 123 and away from foam pad 140, opening 110 enlarges. As shown in Figure 1, foam pad 140 is located a distance away from end 105 so as to allow opening 110 to 10 enlarge sufficiently to insert and/or remove mattress 101. As will suggest itself, encasement 100 may be constructed in pieces and sewn together. Accordingly, bed bugs attempting to escape the mattress encasement are impeded from crawling through zipper opening 110 (Figure 2) without first crawling through channel 151. When the mattress encasement 100 is properly closed around a 15 mattress, the size of the encasement is such as to fit snugly around the mattress allowing the mattress to abut against foam pad 140. Foam pad 140 will thus be forced against the tracks 121, 123, and lower portion 131 of the zipper head. The zipper head may be pulled along the tracks and against this bias to open the encasement. The sealing and locking arrangement includes a locking device that is able to 20 hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track. Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a locking device in the form of a clasp 133. The clasp 133 is releasable and can therefore be removed. The locking device can be configured in other forms, such as mechanical locks, serrated locking devices, and any other form that can achieve the function of holding the zipper at its end location at the end of the 25 zipper track In the embodiment, the locking device is provided with date identification means. In the embodiment, the date is printed on the clasp 133. This enables the user to demonstrate that a mattress has been protected against bed bugs. By attaching a date identification means to the locking arrangement, corresponding to the date on 30 which the locking arrangement is placed in a locked state, the user indicates that the mattress was sealed as of that particular date. The embodiments have been described by way of example only, and modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

10 In this specification, where the words comprise or comprises or derivatives thereof are used in relation to elements, integers, steps or features, this is to indicate that those elements, integers, steps or features are present but it is not to be taken to preclude the possibility of other elements, integers, steps or features being present. 5

Claims (31)

1. A bed bug protective mattress encasement, comprising: a fabric cover adapted to encase a mattress therein, the cover having an opening through which the mattress is able to be inserted into the fabric cover; and sealing and locking arrangement adapted to seal the opening to prevent bed bugs access through the opening.

2. A mattress encasement of claim 1 wherein the sealing and locking arrangement includes a compressible pad which, in use, is compressed between the mattress and the encasement.

3. A mattress encasement of claim 1 or 2 wherein the fabric cover is of a size that is able to surround the six sides of a mattress, said cover formed of a bed bug impervious fabric, and wherein the opening is formed in said cover and being of a size for receiving the mattress.

4. A mattress encasement of any one of the preceding claims wherein the sealing and locking arrangement includes a slide fastening mechanism disposed in said opening and operable to close said opening after the mattress has been received therein, said mechanism comprising a zipper and a zipper track.

5. A mattress encasement of claim 4 wherein the sealing and locking arrangement includes a pad positioned beneath and at the end of the zipper track and extending for a distance along the zipper track.

6. A mattress encasement of claim 5 wherein the pad is a foam pad.

7. A mattress encasement of any one of claims 5 to 6 wherein the sealing and locking arrangement is adapted to restricted the size of the opening when the zipper is closed in order to restrict bed bug access through the opening. 12

8. A mattress encasement of any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the pad is attached to the fabric cover by stitching which runs relative to said zipper track and forms a channel between the pad and the fabric cover.

9. A mattress encasement of claim 8 wherein said stitching draws said foam pad into contact with said zipper track within said channel.

10. A mattress encasement of claim 8 wherein the channel slidingly receives a portion of the zipper, said stitching being formed so as to prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching.

11. A mattress encasement according to any one of claims 5 to 9 wherein said pad comprises a compressible material.

12. A mattress encasement according to any one of claims 5 to 10 wherein the pad is of a thickness at least five times greater than the thickness of said bed bug impervious fabric when said pad is in an uncompressed state.

13. A mattress encasement of any one of the preceding claims wherein the fabric cover when surrounding said mattress forms six sides of said cover; and wherein said opening is formed across the entire width of one of said sides.

14. A mattress encasement of any one of claims 4 to 13 wherein sealing and locking arrangement includes a locking device that is able to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track.

15. A mattress encasement of claim 14 wherein the locking device comprises a clasp.

16. A mattress encasement of claim 14 wherein the locking device is releasable.

17. A mattress encasement of claim 14 wherein the locking device is provided with date identification means. 13

18. A bed bug protective mattress encasement of claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of guiding bed bugs housed within a mattress relative to a zipper closure of a mattress encasement, said zipper closure having a zipper head and a pair of zipper tracks, comprising the steps: i. providing a flat barrier along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the zipper tracks to lead the bug away from the said portion of the axis; ii. forcing said barrier toward said zipper head to lead the bug away from the bottom of the zipper; and iii. providing a channel having a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; iv. moving the zipper along the channel toward a zipper end located at the end of the channel and using a sealing and locking arrangement of the mattress encasement to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track.

20. A method of claim 19 wherein the mattress encasement is according to any one of claims I to 18.

21. A method of guiding bed bugs housed within a mattress away from an opening portion of a zipper closure of a mattress encasement, said zipper closure having a zipper head and a pair of zipper tracks, said opening portion constituting the unzipped portion of said zipper tracks, comprising the steps: i. providing a barrier along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the zipper tracks and the end location of said zipper tracks to prevent bugs from approaching said portion of the axis; ii. providing a channel between said zipper tracks and said barrier having a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; iii. forcing said barrier toward said zipper track to guide bugs away from entering said channel and for creating a constant force of said barrier against said zipper track; and iv. moving said zipper head along the channel toward the zipper end located at the end of the channel and using a sealing and locking arrangement of the mattress encasement to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track. 14

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said step of forcing said barrier toward said zipper track is accomplished by providing stitching between said barrier and said zipper closure along each side of the longitudinal axis of said zipper track.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said stitching is formed so as to prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said barrier provided is composed of a compressible material.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said barrier provided is a foam pad.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the material of said barrier provided is of a thickness at least five times as great as that of the material comprising said mattress encasement.

27. A method of any one of claims 21 to 26 wherein the mattress encasement is according to any one of claims I to 18.

28. A method of preventing bed bugs from escaping a mattress comprising the following steps: i. Providing a mattress encasement comprising: 1. a fabric cover for surrounding the six sides of a mattress, said cover formed of a fabric that is impervious to bed bugs; 2. an opening for receiving a mattress; and 3. A slide fastening mechanism disposed in said opening and operable to close said opening comprising: a. a zipper head; and b. a zipper track having a longitudinal axis and an end location; ii. Surrounding said mattress with said mattress encasement; iii. Guiding bed bugs housed within said mattress away from said opening portion of said mattress encasement, comprising the steps: 15 1. providing a barrier along the end location and longitudinal axis of said zipper track to prevent bugs from approaching said portion of the zipper track; 2. providing a channel between said zipper track and said barrier, said channel having a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; 3. forcing said barrier toward said zipper track to guide bugs away from entering said channel and for creating a constant force of said barrier against said zipper track; iv. Closing said opening by moving the zipper head along the zipper tracks into said channel and toward said zipper track end location located at the end of the channel and using a sealing and locking arrangement of the mattress encasement to hold the zipper at its end location at the end of the zipper track.

29. A method of claim 29 wherein the mattress encasement is according to any one of claims I to 18.

30. A method of demonstrating that a mattress has been protected against bed bugs, the method including encasing the mattress in a mattress encasement of any one of claims 1 to 16, and attaching a date identification means to the locking arrangement corresponding to the date on which the locking arrangement is placed in a locked state.

31. A method of claim 30 wherein the mattress encasement is according to any one of claims I to 18.