ZA200603883B

ZA200603883B - A mattress cover

Info

Publication number: ZA200603883B
Application number: ZA200603883A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Rajcoomar Pravincoomar
Original assignee: Rajcoomar Pravincoomar
Priority date: 2005-09-23
Filing date: 2006-05-15
Publication date: 2007-02-28

Description

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THIS INVENTION relates to a mattress cover.

According to the invention there is provided a mattress cover including a fitted sheet defining a central part, operatively corresponding to the top surface of a mattress to which the cover is fitted and defining a support surface for a person, and a peripheral part, operatively extending around the four sides of such a mattress; and a flexible waterproof sheet adhered to the operative underside of the central part of the fitted sheet to, along with the central part, define a laminate.

The mattress cover of the invention, when operatively fitted to a mattress, serves dual purposes: First, it protects the mattress from liquid spills, and second, it provides a comfortable support surface for at least one person to lie on.

The waterproof sheet may be stitched along its periphery to the fitted sheet.

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The fitted sheet may be made of any material suitable for conventional bed sheets, for example cotton, a synthetics material, or a blend, for example polycotton. The waterproof sheet may be of any suitable material, for example PVC. Through selecting a material of suitable rigidity for the waterproof sheet, it may provide the laminate with sufficient rigidity to prevent undue wrinkling, in use of the mattress cover, thus providing for enhanced comfort of a person lying thereon.

The flexible waterproof sheet may particularly be adhered to the operative underside of the central part of the fitted sheet via a water insoluble adhesive, e.g. an acrylic based one.

The fitted sheet of the mattress cover may have securing means for operatively securing it to a mattress. The securing means may include at least one elongate elastic member along at least a part of the length of a continuous free edge defined by the peripheral part of the fitted sheet remote from the central part thereof, for operatively contracting at least a part of the length of the edge on the underside of a mattress. The securing means may, alternatively or additionally, include at least one elongate tie arrangement operatively extending transversely across the underside of a mattress.

Clearly, different sizes of mattress covers, in accordance with the invention, may be provided to fit different sizes of mattresses.

The invention is described below by way of an example of an embodiment of a mattress cover, in accordance with the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a mattress cover, in accordance with the invention, fitted to a mattress; and

Figure 2 shows a partial section of the mattress cover and mattress of Figure 1, as shown by the arrows II-Ii of Figure 1.

In Figure 1, a mattress cover, in accordance with the invention. is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The mattress cover 10 is fitted to a mattress 11.

The mattress cover 10 includes a fitted sheet 12 including a central part 14, corresponding to the top surface of the mattress 11, and a peripheral part 16, extending around the four sides of the mattress. The central part 14 of the fitted sheet 10 defines an upper support surface. The fitted sheet 12 is made of a polycotton material. In alternative embodiments, any material suitable for bed sheets may be used for the fitted sheet, for example cotton, a synthetic material, or a blend.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 generally, the peripheral part 16 defines along a continuous free edge thereof remote from the central part 14 a seam 18 (see Figure 2 also) within which a continuous elongate elastic element 19 is received. The element 19 contracts the seam 18 on the underside of the mattress 11 and, as such, serves as securing means for securing the mattress cover to the mattress 11. The mattress cover has also additional securing means in the form of an elongate tie arrangement including a fabric strap 20 and a fabric lug 22, the strap 20 being tied at one end thereof to the lug 22. The said arrangement extends transversely across the bottom surface of the mattress 11 and thus also serves as securing means for securing the mattress cover 10 to the mattress.

A waterproof PVC sheet 24 has been adhered to the operative underside of the central part 14 via an acrylic based adhesive to form a laminate including the sheet 24 and the central part 14. The PVC sheet may, for example, be one having a weight of approximately 75g/m?. The PVC sheet protects the mattress 11 from liquid spills and also provides the said laminate with sufficient rigidity to prevent excessive creasing, thus enhancing comfort of a person lying thereon, in use thereof. The PVC sheet 24 also is stitched along its entire periphery, via stitching 26, to the fitted sheet 12. Through the combination of adhesion and stitching of the PVC sheet 24 to the fitted sheet 12, integrity and durability of the said laminate is enhanced.

The mattress cover 10 serves dual purposes in that it provides for the protection of the mattress 11 from liquid spills whilst also providing a comfortable support surface for a person.

Claims

a 5 = 2006703883 CLAIMS

1. A mattress cover including a fitted sheet defining a central part, operatively corresponding to the top surface of a mattress to which the cover is fitted ancd defining a support surface for a person, and a peripheral part, operatively exterding around the four sides of such a mattress; and a flexible waterproof sheet adhered to the ope=rative underside of the central part of the fitted sheet to, along with the central part, define a laminate.

2. A mattress cover as claimed in Claim 1, in wh.ich the waterproof sheet is stitched along its periphery to the fitted sheet.

3. A mattress cover as claimed in either of the preceding claims, in which the fitted sheet is made of one of cotton, a synthetics material, and polycotton.

4, A mattress cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the waterproof sheet is made of PVC.

5. A mattress cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the waterproof sheet provides the laminate with sufficient rigidity to prevent undue wrinkling, in use of the mattress cover.

6. A mattress cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the flexible waterproof sheet is adhered to the op erative underside of the central part of the fitted sheet particularly via a water insoluble adhesive.

7. A mattress cover as claimed in Claim 6, in whisch the adhesive is acrylic based.

8. A mattress cover as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the fitted sheet has securing means for operatively securing it to a mattress.

9. A mattress cover as claimed in Claim 8, in which the securing means includes at least one elongate elastic member along at least a part of the length of a continuous free edge defined by the peripheral part of the fitted sheet remote from the central part thereof, for operatively contracting at least a part of the length of the edge on the underside of a mattress.

10. A mattress cover as claimed in Claim 8 or in Claim 9, in which the securing means includes at least one elongate tie arrangement operatively extending transversely across the underside of a mattress.

11. A mattress cover as claimed in Claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the drawings. y pdr DATED THIS 12" DAY OF MAY 2006 1 (7 v [i ADAVIS 8 A AMS APPLICANTS PATENT ATTORNEYS [ / -