GB2389523A - Cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A removable cover for an item of bedding/furnishing eg a cushion, pillow or duvet and a method of covering or changing the cover of the same, are described. The cover is made up of a pair of sheets of generally similar size and shape adapted to be joined together to form an enclosure around the item of bedding, with releasable attachment means provided along at least a major part of the common edge between the sheets.

Description

COVER The invention relates to a removable cover for an item of

bedding/funishing 5 or the like in particular, the invention is a cover for an item of bedding/firniture or the like of the type comprising a core member, and especially a generally planar core member (such as a cushion, pillow or duvet) which is contained in use within a removable sleeve (such as a cushion cover, pillow case or duvet cover).

Such items are traditionally provided in the form of a core consisting of the bulk of the item and incorporating the bulk of the padding for bedding or upholstery purposes with a removable outer sleeve. This is intended to allow the sleeve to be removed for cleaning (typically the core is not so readily 15 cleanable), for a change of look, for example to match the decor of the room in which the item is placed, for repair and for other like reasons.

Typically in prior systems the sleeve comprises two sheets or one folded sheet fixed together around a major part of a common edge (for example three sides 2(, of a four sided sleeve such as a square or rectangle) thereby forming a sleeve.

A minor part is left open to allow the core to be slid into the sleeve.

Optionally, closure means, such as zips, ties, studs or the like, are provided to close the open part of the edge once the core has been inserted. Where present' these are releasable to allow the sleeve to be opened and the cover to ?> be removed for cleaning.

Such systems are not without drawbacks. Removal is not always easy, especially in the case of large items such as large cushions or duvets, and especially where a single person is attempting to carry out the removal 30 operation. It is also necessary to remove and clean the entire sleeve if any part

of it is dirty or to replace the entire sleeve if worn. However, in practice, in many instances, one side or other will be more prone to become dirty or worn.

It is an object of the invention to provide a cover for an item of bedding or furnishing of alternative design to the above described sleeves which offers different functionality and/or mitigates some or all of the above disadvantages.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide an improved cover which facilitates insertion/removal and/or which gives more options for a different 10 decorative look and/or which facilitates cleaning.

Thus, in accordance with the invention in a first aspect there is provided a removable cover for an item of bedding/furnishing or the like, of the type comprising a core member in a removable enclosure cover' the said cover 15 comprising a pair of sheets of generally similar size and shape adapted to act together and to be releasably joined together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing a core of an item of bedding/furnishing, wherein releasable attachment means are provided along at least a major part of the edge of each thereof serving in use as a common edge when the two sheets are assembled 70 thereby to fond an enclosure when attached.

In use, as indicated, the two sheets are attached together around at least a major part of their common edges, and preferably around substantially all of their common edges, to form an enclosure. In contrast with prior art methods

25 based on sleeve covers however, the enclosure is assembled around the core.

Thus, in use, a first sheet of the pair of sheets is placed on one side of the core, and a second sheet of the pair of sheets is placed on the other side of the core, and the attachment means are engaged to form the enclosure around the core.

The cover confers several advantages over prior art systems based on a sleeve.

In particular, the cover is easier to get on and off than a conventional sleeve design, especially in the case of a large, soft, relatively nonrigid item such as a duvet, since the two halves are filly separable. Even with large items, the 5 cover can be simply applied or removed about the core by a single person, without difficulties encountered when stuffing a large item into or removing a large item from a sleeve cover of conventional design.

It is a further advantage that since the cover is provided as a pair of sheets 10 which are fully separable, the sheets making up the cover can be cleaned or repaired separately. This can be quite an advantage in circumstances where only one or other side is soiled or damaged, and in particular in relation to items of furniture where one or other side is particularly prone to becoming dirty or worn more quickly than its counterpart (or example, upper cushion 1 S surfaces, dower duvet surfaces etc).

It is a further advantage of the present invention that the two sheets together comprising the cover may be different, so that the top and bottom or front and back as the case may be of the assembled item of bedding or furnishing may 9() differ.

For example, each sheet may have a different decorative look. Additionally or alternatively each sheet may have different physical characteristics, for example being fabricated of different material, to different thicknesses. one or 25 both with differing special treatments such as surface treatments, or combinations thereof, to provide different wear characteristics ease of cleaning, soil resistance etc to reflect differences in use likely to be encountered by the two sides, etc.

For example, where the invention is embodied in a duvet cover, decorative considerations could be dominant in the sheet adapted in use to form the upper surface of the cover, and wear andlor cleaning considerations could be predominant in the selection of material for the sheet adapted in use to form 5 the lower side of the cover.

It is a further advantage of the invention that either or both sheets can be provided in a plurality of alternatives in a set to give multiple looks/functionalities. For example a plurality of sheets may be provided in a 10 set with decoratively different looks. Additionally or alternatively a plurality of sheets may be provided within a set selected for different use characteristics, for example wear resistance, ease of cleaning and the like as described above.

15 In a Farther embodiment, particularly applicable in relation to the preferred instance where the invention comprises a duvet cover, interchangeable sheets adapted in use to comprise the top surface of the duvet cover might be provided having different thermal insulating characteristics. Thus, whilst the i core member of the duvet will provide the primary insulation in use, further 20 insulation can be provided, for example for cold nights, by exchanging of a conventional, relatively uninsulating top sheet, for a top sheet of higher insulating character.

The two sheets making up the cover are releaseably attached together by 25 releasable attachment means which are easy to operate and easy to release.

Suitable attachment means will readily suggest themselves by analogy with other furnishing and bedding products. Suitable attachment means might for example include one or more zips; mutually co-operable snap fit engagement means such as press studs; cords, strings, tapes or like ties; mutually co 3r) operable hook and loop fixings; mutually co-operable combinations of

apertures in a first sheet and ties provided in a second sheet; mutually co-

operable flexibly resilient hook and felt pad strips; or any combinations of the foregoing and/or other suitable releasable engagement means.

Engagement is provided along at least a major part of the common edges to ensure that the core is retained within the cover whilst the cover is assembled, and in particular substantially around the whole of the common edges.

Engagement may be essentially continuous around the joined edge (for example by zips, flexibly resilient hook and felt pad strips etc extending fully 1) around the edge to be joined), or may comprise discrete engagement means arranged along the edge to be joined at suitable intervals to ensure that the i core is retained once the cover is assembled (for example rows of ties, studs etc). Precisely preferred geometry of joining means is likely to be determined in part by the item of furnishing in question. For example, in some instances, 15 provision of ties or the like at the four corners might be sufficient. In other cases, continuous closures expanding substantially around the entire circumference of the assembled cover might be desirable.

The sheets making up the cover, including sets of interchangeable sheets 9) where applicable, may be comprises of any suitable sheet material for the furnishing use envisaged, in particular woven or non-woven fabrics, sheets of plastic material or the like. The sheets may be single layer or multi layer, and in a particular embodiment a sheet may comprise a multilayer sheet with protective cover layers whether decorative or with particular selected surface 2' properties such as wear or soil resistance on either or both sides and one or more central layers providing particular physical properties, such as thermal insulation. The sheets or layers thereof as the case may be may be given surface treatments and/or have surface layers applied for particular physical properties, such as stain resistance, wear resistance or the like.

3)

The shape of the sheets will be determined by the core, which may be round, square, rectangular, elongate or any other known shape. Each sheet is generally planar and designed to be of generally similar extent to the core. In one alternative, the two sheets are identical, and both extend to and just s beyond the edges of the core to form the enclosure. However, in an alternative embodiment, particularly suited to the assembly of a cover around a large and/or relatively non-rigid core, one of the sheets is adapted to extend beyond and return around at least a part of the edge of the core for a small distance, to i form a partial pocket into which the core can be placed before the other sheet 10 is applied and joined thereto to form the enclosure.

The invention is considered applicable to a variety of items of soft furnishing and bedding in which a core is conventionally placed in a removable cover, which cover in the prior art has a generally sleeve like design. However, the

15 invention is particularly suited to circumstances where the cover comprises a cover for a duvet or the like, where the core tends to be large and cumbersome and not always easy to insert and remove, particularly by a single person.

Particular advantages of the invention in this situation are that it allows for easy single person operation, that it allows for the top or bottom to be washed 20 separately to allow for differential soiling and/or spillage, that it allows for selective replacement in the event of differential wear and that it allows for different top and bottom to be provided, and indeed for multiple tops and/or bottoms to be provided, with the different finctionalities above described.

2s In accordance with the invention in a second aspect there is provided a method of removably covering an item of bedding/furnishing or the like, of the type comprising a core member in a removable enclosure cover, the method comprising providing a pair of sheets of generally similar size and shape adapted to act together and to be releasably joined together to form an 30 enclosure capable of enclosing the core of an item of bedding/furnishing, I

placing a first such sheet on a first side of the core, placing a second such sheet on a second side of the core to surround the core, attaching the two sheets together around at least a major part of their common edges, and preferably around substantially all of their common edges, to form an 5 enclosure.

In a further aspect there is provided a method of changing the cover of an item of bedding/furnishing or the like, of the type comprising a core member in a removable enclosure cover, the enclosure cover being comprised of two 1) releasbly attachable sheets attached around a core in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and/or having been applied in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, the method comprising detaching the two sheets, replacing a first and/or a second sheet thereof, attaching the two sheets together around at least a major part of their common edges, and preferably 15 around substantially all of their common edges, to form an enclosure around the core. The replacement sheet(s) may be provided for cleanliness and/or for alternative look and/or for additional functionality such as extra insulation as above described.

20 Preferred features of the method of covering and of the method of changing the cover will be understood by analogy with the foregoing.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate am 25 embodiment of the invention as a duvet cover.

Figure 1 illustrates the two halves of a cover in accordance with the invention in plan view. The cover comprises two sheets (1, 2) each in this example woven of suitable cotton based material. The lower sheet (1) extends to the

full extent of the duvet to be covered, and has edges (3) which turn back t define a partial pocket (5).

When the cover is assembled, the duvet is placed on the lower sheet (1) within 5 the partial pocket (5) created by the edges (3), and the upper sheet (2) is then attached. To effect attachment, ties (7) are provided at the four corners and tapes of mutually engageable resilient plastics hook and loop material are provided on lO an upper face (9) of the lower sheet (1) and complementarily on a lower face (not shown) of the upper sheet (2).

The cover is shown assembled around a duvet core (13) in Figure 2. Like numerals are used to identify like components.

In the example, the duvet cover is preferably provided in the form of a set of upper and lower sheets, with extra under sheets being provided to allow for more frequent washing, and interchangeable top sheets being provided to provide different decorative looks, and a warm top sheet being provided 9(, incorporating additional insulation for use on cold nights. It is notable that decorative pattern on top and bottom sheets can differ, and that in particular, for example the bottom sheets can be kept relatively plain to facilitate cleaning, whilst the top sheets, which are likely to require cleaning less regularly' may be given more elaborate and colourfil patterns. This contrast 95 with duvet covers of conventional sleeve arrangements, where both sides are of necessity washed together, so that even where patterns of different designs are provided on respective sides, they must be constrained by a consideration or what is compatible during cleaning.

The invention thus provides a duvet cover into which it is easy to insert or remove the duvet and which offers the potential of an increasing range of decorative options and/or functional options by provision of properly selected altematve top and/or bottom layers.

Claims (10)

1. A removable cover for an item of bedding/furnishing or the like, of the 5 type comprising a core member in a removable enclosure cover, the said cover comprising a pair of sheets of generally similar size and shape adapted to act together and to be releasably joined together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing a core of an item of bedding/firnishing, wherein releasable attachment means are provided 10 along at least a major part of the edge of each thereof serving in use as a common edge when the two sheets are assembled thereby to form an enclosure when attached.

2. A cover in accordance with claim I wherein the two sheets are attached IS together around substantially all of their common edges to form the enclosure.

3. A cover in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 adapted to serve as a duvet cover.

4. A cover in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the two sheets together comprising the cover are different, each sheet having a different decorative look and/or different physical characteristics.

25 S. A cover in accordance with claim 4 wherein either or both sheets are provided in a plurality of alternatives in a set to give multiple looks functionalities.

6. A cover in accordance with claim S adapted to serve as a duvet cover 30 wherein interchangeable sheets adapted in use to comprise the top

surface of the duvet cover are provided having different thermal insulating characteristics.

7. A cover in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the releasable 5 attachment means are selected from the group comprising one or more zips; mutually co-operable snap fit engagement means such as press studs: cords, strings, tapes or like ties; mutually co-operable hook and loop fixings; mutually co-operable combinations of apertures in a first sheet and ties provided in a second sheet; mutually co-operable flexibly 10 resilient hook and felt pad strips; or any combinations thereof.

S. A cover in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the two sheets are generally identical in extent such that both extend to and just beyond the edges of the core to form the enclosure.

9. A cover in accordance with one of claims 1 to 7 wherein one of the sheets is adapted to extend beyond and return around at least a part of the edge of the core for a small distance, to form a partial pocket into which the core can be placed before the other sheet is applied and 20 joined thereto to form the enclosure.

10. A method of removably covering an item of bedding/furnishing or the like, of the type comprising a core member in a removable enclosure cover, the method comprising providing a pair of sheets of generally 2. 5 similar size and shape adapted to act together and to be releasably Joined together to form an enclosure capable of enclosing the core of an item of bedding/furnishing, placing a first such sheet on a first side of the core, placing a second such sheet on a second side of the core to surround the core, attaching the two sheets together around at least a

major part of their common edges, and preferably around substantially all of their common edges, to form an enclosure.

I I. A removable cover for an item of bedding/furnishing or the like, of the 5 type comprising a core member in a removable enclosure cover, and a method of covering or changing the cover of the same substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.