US20190082866A1

US20190082866A1 - All in one, single piece bedsheet set

Info

Publication number: US20190082866A1
Application number: US16/015,872
Authority: US
Inventors: Terry Michael Merchant
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-09-20
Filing date: 2018-06-22
Publication date: 2019-03-21

Abstract

A unitary bedsheet and cover are provided for applying bedding to a mattress. A mattress encasement surrounds the mattress, much like a pillow case and pillow. A flap is provided to cover the opening in the encasement tuck beneath the mattress. A top sheet is attached along a foot end of the mattress encasement. The unitary bedsheet system may have elastic panels to provide a snug fit of the encasement around the mattress. Once installed the sheets of unitary unit do not move or come untucked and the fitted encasement stays tight to the mattress.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/560,861, filed Sep. 20, 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current invention relates to bed sheets, and more particularly to an all in one, single piece bedsheet set.
People often struggle with trying to position fitted sheets on their beds. The fitted sheet often comes untucked on the corners. Further, the top sheet comes untucked at end, resulting in a loose-fitting sheet. Also, top sheets easily come untucked on ends and move to one side, therefore exposing a sleeper's feet.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved easily pulled on bedsheet unit that does not move or come untucked, and a fitted sheet/encasement that stays tight to the mattress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a unitary bed sheet and cover system is disclosed. The unitary bed sheet and cover system includes a mattress encasement having a top surface, a bottom surface, at least one sidewall, and an opening at one end, the mattress encasement formed as an envelope to enclose a mattress. A top sheet is attached to a foot end of the mattress encasement along a lateral edge of the mattress encasement.
In some embodiments, a flap is attached to the upper surface along the opening, the flap having a length sufficient to cover an end of the mattress. The flap may have a length sufficient to overlap an end of the bottom surface proximal to the opening.
Preferably, the top sheet has a width that is greater than that of the top surface of the mattress encasement. The top sheet may also have a length that is greater than that of the top surface of the mattress encasement.
In some embodiments, the opening is defined in a head end of the mattress encasement. In other embodiments, the opening is defined at a foot end of the mattress encasement.
Preferably, the at least one sidewall is formed of an elastic material. The bottom surface may also be formed of the elastic material. In yet other embodiments, an elastic band may surround the opening.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the unitary bed sheet and cover system.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the unitary bed sheet and cover system taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detail perspective view of the head area of the unitary bed sheet and cover system.

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of the foot area of the unitary bed sheet and cover system.

FIG. 5 is a detail perspective view of an optional embodiment of the unitary bed sheet and cover system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
As stated above, users often struggle with fitted sheets coming untucked and loose, ill-fitting, and moving top sheets. The invention claimed here solves this problem. Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a single piece, mattress case and bed sheet set unit. An encasement section (a fitted sheet section) uses flexible or elastic fabric on a proximal or distal end, therefore keeping it very tight to the mattress. Flaps on the encasement section fold under an end of mattress. An attached top sheet then folds up and over the encasement section. Advantageously, because it is an all in one unit, no part comes untucked or moves from side to side.
Bedsheet sets come as separate units; separate piece mattress encasement (optional), a fitted sheet, and a top sheet. These items tend to come untucked or move during use.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment of the presently claimed invention. A unitary bed sheet and cover system 10 is utilized to provide a bedding cover for a mattress 12. The unitary bed sheet and cover system 10 may include a mattress encasement 14, has a top surface and a bottom surface formed as an envelope to enclose the mattress 12. The mattress 12 is received in the mattress encasement through a top, or head end opening. Thus, the mattress encasement 14 is similar to a pillowcase and tightly encases the mattress 12 carried therein. Sidewalls 16 and bottom surface of the mattress encasement 14 may be formed of an elastic material to maintain a close fitting of the mattress encasement 14 around the mattress 12.
As best seen in reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a flap 18 is attached to a top end of the mattress encasement 14 and has a length to sufficient wrap around the opening, to cover a top end of the mattress and tucks underneath the mattress 12 so that it overlaps a bottom surface of the mattress encasement 14.
As best seen in reference to FIG. 4, a top sheet 20 is attached to a foot end of the encasement 14, preferably along a line corresponding to the sidewall 16 and the bottom surface of the mattress encasement 14. The top sheet 18 folds up and over the foot end of the mattress 12 and onto top of the encasement 14, thus creating the complete bed sheet set. 10. Blankets and other conventional bedding may then be applied atop the unitary bed sheet and cover system 10. In preferred embodiments, the top sheet 20 is wider and longer then the encasement 14 such that its sides can extend downwards across the sidewalls 16 of the mattress encasement 14 to be tucked in beneath the mattress 12.
All components serve their traditional function as they would if they were individual pieces. As one single unit, however, they will not come untucked or move. Further, the top surface of the mattress encasement 15 that lies on the top of the mattress 12 remains tight because it uses flexible or elastic fabric on the bottom half of the encasement component. It is to be understood that the flexible or elastic fabric can be on a top half, bottom half, or middle of the encasement component.
To make the unitary bed sheet and cover system 10, suitable bed sheet materials may be sewn to the individual components together to form unit 10. The units are made of traditional fabrics (such as cotton) used to make bed sheets and fitted sheets.
In the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 & 2, the opening of the encasement 14 and flap 18 are at the head end of the mattress encasement 14 and the top sheet 20 is at the foot end of the mattress encasement 14. Thus, the encasement 14 is pulled on the mattress 12 from the foot end. It is to be understood that the encasement opening, the flap 18, and the top sheet 20 can be either at the top or bottom portion of the encasement section 14.
To use the unitary bedsheet and cover system 10, the user pulls the entire mattress encasement 14 onto one end of the mattress (as one would a pillowcase.) The elastic or flexible section 16 allows the encasement 14 to fit tightly to the mattress 12. The flap 18 is pulled down under the mattress 12 and may be tucked inside the opening of the encasement 14. The attached top sheet 20 (attached either to a proximal or distal end of the encasement) is pulled over the mattress 12.
In the embodiment shown in reference to FIG. 5, the unitary bed sheet and cover system 30 may have an encasement 32 formed essentially as the previous embodiment. In this instance the opening the elastic sidewalls 34 may have the opening 36 be formed at an end of the mattress encasement 32. The opening 36 may be surrounded by an elastic band 38 to provide closure of the opening around the encased mattress.
It is to be understood that any type of elastic fabrics or elastic fabric mixes can be used as a portion of the encasement 14 on any part of the encasement 14. Without the elastic fabric portion of the encasement 14, a tight fit of the bedsheet unit would not result on the mattress 12 and the system 10 would need to be formed to a selected thickness of the mattress.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary bed sheet and cover system, comprising:

a mattress encasement having a top surface, a bottom surface, at least one sidewall, and an opening at one end, the mattress encasement formed as an envelope to enclose a mattress, the at least one sidewall formed of an elastic fabric material to enclose at least three sides of the mattress; and

a top sheet attached to a foot end of the mattress encasement along a lateral edge of the mattress encasement.

2. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

a flap attached to the upper surface along the opening, the flap having a length sufficient to cover an end of the mattress.

3. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 2, wherein the flap has a length sufficient to overlap an end of the bottom surface proximal to the opening.

4. The unitary bed sheet and cover system 3, wherein the top sheet has a width that is greater than that of the top surface of the mattress encasement.

5. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 4, wherein the top sheet has a length that is greater than that of the top surface of the mattress encasement.

6. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 1, wherein the opening is defined in a head end of the mattress encasement.

7. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 1, wherein the opening is defined at a foot end of the mattress encasement.

8. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface is formed of the elastic material.

9. The unitary bed sheet and cover system of claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic band surrounding the opening.