GB2047084A - Attaching bed clothes - Google Patents

Abstract

A duvet, eiderdown or comforter or any similar quilt intended for location on a bed has located on one side and substantially parallel to but spaced from at least one edge a tuck 11 in the cover thereof to which is attached or attachable thereto a flap 7 whereby the duvet may be restrained from movement relative to the bed. For instance, the flap may be tucked between the mattress and the bed frame. The tuck may be inwards of the cover as shown, or outwardly thereof. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to bedding This invention relates to bedding and especially to items of bedding which are in the form of a filled cover intended to be positioned on top of the bed, for instance, duvets or continental quilts, eiderdowns and the U.S.. originating comforter (similar to a duvet but somewhat larger relative to the bed and therefore overhaning the bed more around the edges thereof). Reference will be made hereinafter to duvets although it should be understood that the present invention is applicable to all such items of bedding. Furthermore, a duvet is normally placed inside a removable cover and references to a duvet are applicable to the cover which may be made and sold separately.

A duvet is simply placed on top of the bottom bed sheet and pillow and often slips off the sleeping person. Furthermore the size of the duvetcompared with the bed size results in the bed having an untidy appearance.

According to the present invention there is provided a duvet (as hereinbefore defined) having located on one side and substantially parallel to but spaced from at least one edge a tuck of material to which is attached or attachable thereto a flap, the arrangement being such that, in use, the flap may be tucked under the mattress.

Accordingly the present invention provides an arrangement whereby the tendency of the duvetto slip off the bed is reduced.

The provision of a flap attached at a position spaced inwardly from the edge of the duvet has certain advantages. For instance, considering, by way of example, the case where a single flap is attached parallel to the bottom edge of the duvet, it will be seen that, with the flap tucked under the mattress, there is no compression of the edge portion of the duvet where it hangs down over the end of the bed. Furthermore, if a flap is provided at the bottom edge of the duvet and the duvet cover along that edge is provided with press-studs, enabling the insertion and extraction of the duvet, there is a tendency for these press-studs to become undone if the duvet cover is pulled up in a direction towards the pillow. However, with the flap attached at a position spaced inwardly from the edge of the duvet this tendency for the press-studs to become undone is reduced.

In addition, because the flap is located at a position spaced from the edge of the duvet, then with the flap tucked under the mattress the portion of the flap extending from the edge of the mattress to the duvet is hidden by the hanging edge portion of the duvet. If the flap were attached to the very edge of the duvet it would tend to sag below the level of the edge of the duvet and therefore be seen giving the arrangement an unsightly appearance.

As an alternative to tucking the flap under the mattress, the flap may have attached thereto weights so that with the flap hanging down the side of the bed the tendency of the duvetto move relative to the bed is again reduced. Furthermore, the duvet may be in the form of a bag so that, if desired, weights may be placed in the bag.

The tuck of material may be taken in a direction towards or away from the opposite side of the duvet.

In the case where the tuck is taken towards the opposite side of the duvet the edge of a flap may be located between opposing sides of the tuck and then stitching applied through the three layers of material (the two opposing edges of the tuck and the flap edge located therebetween), the stitching being applied at the base of the tuck so that it serves both to maintan a permanent tuck and also to hold the flap in position.

In the case where the tuck is taken in a direction away from the opposite side of the duvet the flap may be permanently attached to the tuck or alternatively be releasably connectable thereto. For instance, the tuck and the flap may be provided with mating connection means, for example, with respective elements of a touch and close fastening such as press-stud fastenings orfilamentous loop and hook fastenings) for instances, those sold under the trade mark VELCRO).

Preferably the tuck is taken parallel to the bottom edge of the duvet. However, alternatively or in addition tucks may be provided parallel to the side edges of the duvet.

Where a single tuck is provided parallel to the bottom edge of the duvet, a single flap attached or attachable thereto may be provided. However, more than one flap may be provided, particularly in the case where the duvet is of large width.

In an alternative embodiment, two or more tucks are provided parallel to one edge of the duvet, the tucks being spaced apart linearly and each having attached or attachable thereto a flap.

The flap may be made of the same material as the duvet and may be decorated to match the duvet.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a duvet in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a section taken along the line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a duvet in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 4 shows the raised seam of the duvet of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a duvet 1 in accordance with the present invention is located within a duvet cover 3. Parallel to the bottom edge 5 of the duvet cover is attached by one edge a flap 7 made of the same material as the duvet cover.

The edge 9 of flap 7 is attached to the duvet cover by being held within a tuck 11 of the material of the duvet cover, the tuck being taken in a direction towards the opposite side 13 of the duvet (in Figure 2 the duvet itself has been omitted for clarity). The tuck or raised seam 11 is provided with a line of stitching 15 which passes through both sides of the tuck, near the base thereof, and also through flap 7 a small distance inwardly from the very edge thereof. In this way the flap 7 is permanently attached to the duvet and the manner of attachment is both neat and leaves no raised edges of material on the outside of the duvet cover.

In use the duvet is positioned on a bed, the side of the cover seen in Figure 1 being face downwards on the bed. In this way the flap 7 extends down the side of the bed at the bottom thereof and can be tucked between the mattress and the bed frame so that the tendency of the duvet to move relative to the bed is substantially reduced.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, a second embodiment of the duvet 21 in accordance with the present invention is provided with a duvet cover 23. Cover 23 has a tuck or raised seem 25 located in a similar position to tuck 11 of the embodiment of Figure 1, but in this case the tuck 25 is taken in a direction away from the opposite side of the duvet cover.

Accordingly the tuck 25 is visible and accessible on the outside of the cover 23. The tuck is made permanent by applying a line of stiching 27 through both sides of the tuck through the base thereof.

At spaced apart positions along the tuck are provided male or female press-stud portions 29.

Aflap of material, similarto flap 7 of the embodiment of Figure 1 but provided with corresponding female or male press-stud portions along one edge thereof, may be attached to tuck 25 by fastening together the appropriate press-stud portions. The resultant duvet, having attached flap, may be used in exactly the same way as with the duvet of the Figure 1 embodiment.

The tuck or tucks provided on the duvet cover may be located on both sides of the cover so that either side of the duvet may be uppermost. Thus opposite sides of the duvet may be decorated differently.

Furthermore the tucks or raised seams, where they are visible as in the Figure 3 embodiment, may form part of the colour scheme by, for instance, decorating them differently to the rest of the duvet cover.

A duvet in accordance with the invention may be specially decorated in the colours of organisations or associations such as football clubs. For instance, the duvet may be in one colour with the flaps and tucks or raised seams, if visible, in one or more different colours. The duvet may be decorated on one side in the home colours of a football club and on the other side in the away colours. Furthermore the decoration may include the badge or other insignia of the football club or other association or organisation.

Instead of simple flaps as described above, the flap could be in the form of a deep valance attached or attachable to the duvet. Such a deep valance may be permanently attached or releasably attachable to tucks similar to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, it could be attached permanently to the edges of the duvet and also be provided with means releasably to attach it additionally a few inches inwardly of the edges of the duvetto tucks such as those shown in the above-described Figure 3 embodiment. In this way the valance may hang down in the normal manner during the day from the edges of the duvet. Then at night the further attachment may be made if required to the inwardly located tucks and the valance, or valance attachments, may be tucked in between the mattress and the bed frame.

Claims (9)

1. A duvet (as hereinbefore defined) having located on one side and substantially parallel thereto but spaced from at least one edge a tuck of material to which is attached or attachable thereto a flap, the arrangement being such that, in use, the flap may be tucked under the mattress.

2. A duvet according to claim 1 wherein the tuck is taken in a direction towards the opposite side of the duvet.

3. A duvet according to claim 1 wherein the tuck is taken in a direction away from the opposite side of the duvet.

4. A duvet according to any of the preceding claims wherein the flap is permanently attached to the tuck.

5. A duvet according to claim 3 wherein the tuck and flap are provided with mating connection means.

6. A duvet according to claim 5 wherein the mating connection means are in the form of pressstud fastenings.

7. A duvet according to any of the preceding claims wherein a tuck is provided parallel to the bottom edge of the duvet.

8. A duvet according to claim 1 and substantially as herein described.

9. A duvet substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.