GB2377377A - Duvet with demountable sections - Google Patents

Abstract

A duvet comprises four or more elongate demountable panels 2, 3, 4, and 5 to enable easier machine washing. End panels 2 and 5 have a fastener disposed along one elongate edge 8 and 6 and linking panels 3 and 4 have fasteners disposed along both elongate edges. Fastening means may be by plastic or metal zip , hook and loop or press stud. Panels are approximately equal in size and sized such that four panels may be used in a single, double, queen, or king size arrangement.

Description

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Improvements in or Relating to Duvets.

This invention relates to duvets.

The use of duvets instead of traditional sheets and blankets for bed covers has become increasingly popular. Their popularity stems largely from the fact that they greatly simplify the bed making procedure.

Duvets, which are presently known, do however have the attendant disadvantage that they may present cleaning problems.

Normally, it is sufficient to launder the duvet outer cover. Although this is generally satisfactory, in cases of bad soiling, which may occur with children or the elderly or infirm, the duvet itself may need cleaning attention, which because of its sheer bulk will normally require the services of a much larger washing machine than those used in the home.

Additionally, duvets tend to attract dust mites which can be responsible for allergic reactions or asthma and so for this reason some duvet users prefer to have their duvets cleaned at quite frequent intervals, a process which can not normally be carried out using a domestic washing machine.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a duvet which can be laundered in a domestic washing machine and which lends itself to ease of manufacture and convenience of use and storage when not in use.

According to the present invention a duvet comprises at least four elongate insulative rectangular panels of textile material adapted to be releasably coupled together by means of edge fasteners having

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first and second mutually engageable complementary parts, wherein the said panels comprise two similar end panels having a first fastener part disposed along one elongate edge only, one linking panel having a second fastener part complementary to and engageable with the first fastener part disposed along both elongate edges thereof, and at least one extender panel having a first fastener part disposed along one elongate edge, and a second fastener part disposed along the other elongate edge, whereby mutual combination of the panels to form the duvet is facilitated.

The panels may comprise textile bags filled with fibrous material which bags may be compartmentalised.

It will be readily appreciated that because in a duvet according to this invention the panels are releasably coupled and are relatively small, representing only a quarter of the overall duvet bulk or less, they may be washed individually in a domestic washing machine as and when required. It will also be apparent that because the panels are elongate and mutually coupled along an elongate edge or edges only, the process of panel assembly after washing is considerably simplified.

Moreover, because irrespective of the size of the duvet only three different kinds of panel are required, (namely end panels, a linking panel and at least one extender panel) the duvet lends itself to manufacture commercially. An additional advantage, which may be important to some users, is that a duvet according to this invention may be quite easily extended as required by the addition of one or more extender panels.

The duvet may comprise four panels the size of which is chosen in accordance with whether it is a single, a double or a large double sometimes described as king size or queen size duvet.

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A double duvet may comprise more than four panels, which include a plurality of extender panels.

The panels may conveniently be all of the same or of a similar size whereby manufacture, storage and assembly is simplified.

The fastener means may be of any suitable kind of textile edge fastener having complementary parts such as zip fasteners, Velcro fasteners, or popper fasteners, for example.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a somewhat schematic plan view of a duvet.

Referring now to the drawing, a duvet 1, comprises four elongate panels, 2,3, 4, and 5, of similar size, which comprise washable textile bags containing a filling of washable fibrous insulating material and which are releasably connected by means of plastics zip fasteners, 6,7, and 8. Although plastics zip fasteners have been used in this example, metal zip fasteners or any other suitable kind of textile edge fastener may alternatively be used such as Velcro fasteners or popper or press-stud fasteners. A feature of such fasteners is that they have first and second complementary mutually engageable parts, which may be secured along the elongate juxtaposed edges of panels to be connected together.

The complementary parts of the zip fasteners 6,7, and 8, comprising a first part with a pull tag and a second complementary part, are fitted to the panels in such a way as to produce three different kinds of panel designated A, B and C respectively in the drawing. Thus the panels 2, and 5, are end panels A, the panel 3 is an extender panel B, and the panel 4, is a linking panel C. The end panels 2, and 5, both have the first part of the zips 6 and 8 respectively

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secured thereto on one side only, the linking panel 4 has secured to opposing elongate edges the second parts of the zips 7, and 8 respectively which are complementary to the first part, and the extender panel 3, has first and second zip parts of the zips 7 and 6, respectively secured to opposing elongate edges and thus the panels 2,3, 4, and 5 may be zipped together as shown in the drawing to form the duvet 1.

It will be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment, the kind of zip part or parts used on each panel may be reversed still enabling the panels to be combined to form the duvet. It will also be appreciated that any other kind of textile edge fastener may be used having complementary parts.

Various modifications may be made to the embodiments herein described without departing from the scope of the invention and for example the panels may be of different sizes.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS.

1. According to the present invention a duvet comprises at least four elongate insulative rectangular panels of textile material adapted to be releasably coupled together by means of edge fasteners having first and second mutually engageable complementary parts, wherein the said panels comprise two similar end panels having a first fastener part disposed along one elongate edge only, one linking panel having a second fastener part complementary to and engageable with the first fastener part disposed along both elongate edges thereof, and at least one extender panel having a first fastener part disposed along one elongate edge, and second fastener part disposed along the other elongate edge, whereby mutual combination of the panels to form the duvet is facilitated.

2. A duvet as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the panels comprise textile bags filled with fibrous material.

3. A duvet as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, which comprises four panels the size of which is chosen in accordance with whether it is a single, a double or a large double sometimes described as king size or queen size duvet.

4. A duvet as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising more than four panels and including a plurality of extender panels.

5. A duvet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the panels are all of substantially the same size.

6. A duvet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the fastener means are zip fasteners.

7. A duvet as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the fastener means are Velcro fasteners.

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8. A duvet as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the fastener means are popper fasteners.

9. A duvet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the panels are compartmentalised.

10. A duvet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.