NZ518643A - Bed cover with plural inserts removably attachable, and typically of insulation material - Google Patents

Abstract

Bed cover inserts 3,4,5,6 are removably attachable either to each other (as shown) and/or to the bed cover lower and upper portions 10,13. Typically, the inserts are from heat insulation material.

Description

5186 43 Patents Form # 5 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION AFTER PROVISIONAL # : 518643 DATED : 30 April 2002 TITLE : A Cover INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE: OF N.2 2 9 JUL 2003 RECEIVED I, Fisk, Mark Randell Address: 243 Parker Lane, R D 2, Pukekohe, New Zealand Nationality: A New Zealand citizen do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: PF05.JWP FEE CODE 1050 This invention relates to a cover or inserts for duvets. The invention is directed particularly, but not solely, toward bed or duvet covers.

Background of the Invention Normally duvets or bed covers are made up of an inner duvet liner and an outer cover. The 5 liner contains an insulation material. Alternatively there may be no duvet liner, just the casing with the loose filling such as feather and down or a single pad.

Retail outlets sell duvets for large and small beds and for summer and winter seasons. However these duvets do not allow for any variation within the makeup of the duvet nor do they enable individual users to select the components which suit them best.

For example bed users have different needs in terms of warmth which is not satisfied by the currently available duvet or bed cover system.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved cover which will obviate or minimize the aforementioned problems in a simple yet effective manner and/or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

IS Statement of Invention Accordingly, in a first aspect the invention consists in a cover for a bed, the cover including a casing and at least two inserts, the inserts being adapted and constructed to be removably attachable, the casing creating an enclosed space to locate the inserts therein, the casing comprising at least an upper portion and a lower portion, each portion having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inserts 2Q comprising at least two insulating members, wherein the casing is openable such that the inserts can be inserted or removed or replaced and said inserts can be attachable to other inserts and/or casing.

Preferably in use the casing is rectangular in planar shape from a plan view.

Preferably the casing has an edge portion between the upper and lower portions Preferably the casing is openable on at least a portion of the edge portion.

Preferably the edge portion comprises a side portion.

Preferably the inserts are removably attached by attachment means to the casing. 1061499cs.403.doc/MM/da INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 17 SEP 2003 Preferably the inserts are removably attached to the inner surface of the casing.

Preferably the attachment means are hook and loop fasteners.

Preferably the insulating members are pads.

Preferably the casing is a duvet liner member.

Preferably the pads comprise a range of thicknesses.

Alternatively the pads comprise different insulative properties.

Accordingly in a second aspect the invention consists in a duvet insert being adapted and constructed to be removably attachable to at least another member wherein the member is another insert and/or casing.

Preferably the member is a cover.

Preferably there are a plurality of inserts packaged as an assembly or kit.

Preferably each insert has insulation properties.

Preferably each insert is provided with dome and eyelet removable attaching means to enable affixing with another insert and or cover.

Drawing Description Preferred forms of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective cut out view of the cover of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the cover with a first arrangement of the inserts. 20 Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the cover with a second arrangement of the inserts. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an insert. 1061499amendcs.003.doc/MMyic intellectual property OFPICF OF N.7 3 0 OCT 2003 RECEIVED Detailed Description As shown in figure 1 there is an example of the cover having a cover 1 made up of a casing 2 and four inserts numbered 3 to 6. Preferably there are at least two inserts. The casing 2 has an opening means 7. The opening means 7 can be any openable fastening system that allows 5 repeat opening and closing as desired by the user. The opening means can be located on at least one edge of the casing. Preferably the opening means is located on at least three edges and is contiguous in extent such that a significant portion of the casing can be opened to allow access to enable the insertion of the inserts. The opening means 7 is designed to allow access within the enclosed space 8 created by the casing 2.

The casing 2 is made up of an upper portion 9 and a lower portion 10. Between the upper and lower portions there is an edge portion or intersection portion. The edge portion can be merely an edge or a side portion 11 and 12. Each of the portions 9 to 12 has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface faces and can abut the inserts. As shown in figure 2 the upper portion 9 has an outer surface 13 and an inner surface 14. The lower portion 10 15 has an outer surface 15 and an inner surface 16. The side portion 11 has an outer surface 17 and an inner surface 18 and the other side portion 12 has an outer surface 19 and an inner surface 20.

In figure 2 the inserts 3 to 6 can be detachably attached to each other and/or the outer casing as shown in figure 3 or even any outer casing that the inserts can be inserted thereinto. In 20 figure 2 the inserts 3 to 6 are attached by a removable fastening means which can be made up of components 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36. It is preferred that the fastening means comprises a hook and loop fastening means. Therefore components 31 & 32, 33 & 34 and 35 & 36 are paired such that one is a hook and the other is a loop member, Other fastening means can also be used which still enable the inserts to be removed and replaced or swapped as 25 necessary. For example domes, eyelets and drawstring, offset tie fixing toggle assemblies etc.

In figure 3 there is shown another layout pattern for the inserts which comprises as in figure 2 paired hook and loop components 40 to 51. There is no limit to the number inserts and pattern that can be used. 1061499cs. 403 .doc/MM/da The casing 2 can be made up of any material enabling of the cover to be used as either a liner of a duvet or as the outer member as in the traditional duvet system. For example if the cover is being used with the casing being an outer member, the outer member therefore could have designs for aesthetics and/or various other layers attached thereto to enable it to either 5 be stronger and/or have better insulation properties. The inserts can be made up of any combination that enables a variation in warmth and/or air circulation to be achieved. Synthetic hypo-allergenic materials can also be used or incorporated for any part of the casing or inserts.

In another example baffles or internal separators can be used with the casing to separate each 10 side for each user.

In use, the user would open the casing by operating the opening means 7 which could be a series of domes or buttons or it could be a zip or a series of continuous or non-continuous hook and loop fastening means as required. The existing inserts 3 to 6 could then be removed or shifted by unlocking the detachable fastening means. The simple removal also 15 facilitates washing, laundering and repair. These inserts could be replaced or shifted depending on the requirements of the user. Following the correct positioning of the inserts 3 to 6, the opening means can then be closed.

In another variation the cover 1 which is made up of a casing 2 and/or inserts 3-6 can be packaged as a kit so that people can mix and match within the one kit or a user can purchase 20 various extra inserts to add to the cover system being used.

The cover can be rectangular shaped in plan view. Alternatively other shapes are also envisaged. In cross-section a rectangular shape is shown but equally other shapes are also possible. For example there can be no sides just an upper portion and a lower portion. The inserts are preferably shaped to fit each side of the cover and the bed so that each user 25 effectively controls their side for warmth in the longitudinal direction. However in another alternative the shapes of the inserts can be shaped in the transverse direction i.e. crossing both sides of both users, if that suits the users.

As shown in figure 4 the inserts (see for example insert 4) can be sold separately, being adapted and constructed to be removably attachable to another member(s). The insert has 106 L499cs.403.doc/MM/da attachment means 32 or no attachment means, and can comprise a selection of sizes, shape and material types. The member(s) can be another insert or liner or casing etc.

Those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in constructions and widely different embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves 5 without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosure and descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word, such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude 10 other additives, components, integers or steps.

The cover has the following advantages: 1. Easy to personalize. 2. Simple to use. 3. Pleasing appearance. 4. Easy to manufacture.

. Cheap manufacturing cost 6. Can be used as is or can be retrofitted to existing duvets l061499cs.403.doc/MM/da

Claims (18)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cover for a bed, the cover including a casing and at least two inserts, the inserts being adapted and constructed to be removably attachable, the casing creating an enclosed space to locate the inserts therein, the casing comprising at least an upper portion and a lower portion, each portion having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inserts comprising at least two insulating members, wherein the casing is openable such that the inserts can be inserted or removed or replaced and said inserts can be attachable to other inserts and/or casing.

2. A cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein in use the casing is rectangular in planar shape from a plan view.

3. A cover as claimed in claim 2 wherein the casing has an edge portion between the upper and lower portions

4. A cover as claimed in claim 3 wherein the casing is openable on at least a portion of the edge portion.

5. A cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein the edge portion comprises a side portion.

6. A cover as claimed in claim 5 wherein the inserts are removably attached by attachment means to the casing.

7. A cover as claimed in claim 6 wherein the inserts are removably attached to the inner surface of the casing.

8. A cover as claimed in claim 7 wherein the attachment means are hook and loop fasteners.

9. A cover as claimed in claim 8 wherein the insulating members are pads.

10. A cover as claimed in claim 9 wherein the casing is a duvet outer covering

11. A cover as claimed in claim 10 wherein the pads comprise a range of thicknesses.

12. A cover as claimed in claim 11 wherein alternatively the pads comprise different insulative properties. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z 17 SEP 2003 RECEIVED 1061499cs..403.doc/MM/da -8-

13. A cover substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A duvet insert being adapted and constructed to be removably attachable to at least another member wherein the member is another insert and/or casing. 5

15. A duvet insert as claimed in claim 14 wherein there are a plurality of inserts packaged as an assembly or kit.

16. A duvet insert as claimed in claim 15 wherein each insert has insulation properties.

17. A duvet insert as claimed in claim 16 wherein each insert is provided with dome and eyelet removable attaching means to enable affixing with another insert and or cover. 10

18. A duvet insert substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 15 PIPERS Attorneys for Mark Randell Fisk 1061499amendcs.003. doc/MM/lc intellectual property ofrce of n.z 3 0 OCT 2003 RECEIVED