DIVIDABLE AND RECONFIGURABLE ZIPPERED COMFORTER
A convertible bed covering made of a washable material, includes at least two reversible sections each with an transverse and longitudinal sides each of the transverse and longitudinal sides with an mating edge and an exterior edge. Each of the at least two reversible sections includes a zipper, stitched along said mating edge of each of said longitudinal edges. The reversible sections may be detached and reattached to each other by the zippers at said mating longitudinal edges allowing for easy cleaning in standard washers and driers. The bed covering may reconfiguring by either the reversible sections being turned inside out and still be detached and reattached at said mating longitudinal edge. Different weights of comforter panels allows for other reconfigurations.
This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application 60/945,918, filed Jun. 23, 2007, and entitled DIVIDABLE AND CONFIGURABLE ZIPPERED COMFORTER, which is incorporated by reference for all purposes.
BACKGROUNDThere is a need for a large comforter that can be washed and dried easily in a regular-sized washing machine and dryer. Since homeowners with king-sized bed comforters currently have to hoist their large comforters into the car and take them to the Laundromat (if there are large washers available) to wash, such a comforter would save homeowners time and aggravation. This is also true of Queen size and double size comforters, as well as bedspreads, quotes blankets, and the like. Furthermore, these large comforters can take a long time to wash and dry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn a first embodiment of the invention, a convertible bed covering made of a washable material, includes at least two reversible sections each with an transverse and longitudinal sides each of the transverse and longitudinal sides with an mating edge and an exterior edge. Each of the at least two reversible sections including a zipper, stitched along said mating edge of each of said longitudinal edges. The reversible sections may be detached and reattached to each other by the zippers at said mating longitudinal edges allowing for easy cleaning in standard washers and driers. The bed covering may reconfiguring by either the reversible sections being turned inside out and still be detached and reattached at said mating longitudinal edge. Different weights of comforter panels allows for increased versatility.
Various embodiments of the invention present solutions to the above-referenced problems by providing a large-sized washable bed comforter that is divided into two or more longitudinal, and generally reversible, sections. Each of the comforter section includes a member in the form of a central fastening device, such as his zipper, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, and/or buttons. In order to wash the improved comforter, as taught in certain embodiments of the invention, the central fastener (in the form of a zipper, or hook and loop strips, in alternate embodiments) is unzipped and the two “matching” sections of the comforter are washed separately in a regular-sized washing machine and may be dried in a regular sized dryer. Thus, the dividable comforter allows for reducing the time and aggravation to clean large bed coverings. Another advantage in that the design of the dividable and reconfigurable comforter is that it is aesthetically versatile by allowing a user to reverse one or more of the comforter sections. Another advantage provided by the dividable and re-configurable comforter is for hotels and other locations with a great many duplicate comforters. By allowing for the replacement of a single section, a damage comforter or section (for example from cigarette burns or spilled drinks) can be discarded and replaced by another “mismatched” or “orphaned” (or surplus) comforter section.
Various embodiments of the invention, prevent strain on the central zipper and allow the zippers to be generally hid from view, so the comforter is attractive. One variation, in a first embodiment, includes two opposed (and complementary) end-to-end zippers. Another variation includes a first long zipper on a top layer of the comforter and a second long zipper on the bottom layer of the comforter beneath the first long zipper, with a middle, insulation layer that is split in half lengthwise. Yet another variation includes additional zippers along two of the outer edges of the two (or more) sections. The sections of this latter variation can be superimposed on one another and zipped into a warm sleeping bag for use on a couch or for watching TV, for example (see
Referring to
Each of the sections 111(a)/(b) has corresponding exterior or first 117(a)/(b) and interior or reversible (reversed) 118(a)/(b) (shown in
Referring again to
The dividable comforter, as shown in
Referring now to
In another alternate embodiment, which is illustrated by the comforter 300 shown in
Turning now to
In addition to being used to cover a bed, another alternate embodiment of the comforter can be folded in half crosswise latitudinal/transversally on or off the bed, so that the adjacent sides are connected and used as a sleeping bag, if desired. The zippers, hook and loop fasteners, or other fast devices may extend all the way around each comforter section to afford a variety of connections and applications. [014.] Referring now to
Referring to
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, this description is for illustrative and exemplary purposes only. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications, substitutions, omissions, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and that such are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.
INDEX TO THE DRAWINGSThe signifier (j) acts as an index and may mean there are multiple parts shown in the figures;
The signifier (k) acts as an indicator of axis and location/direction (e.g. “x+”, “y−”)
- 100, 100′, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600: the various dividable comforter embodiments;
- 111(j), 211(j), 311(j), 411(j), 511(j), 611(j): configurable comforter sections
- 112a/b, 112′(a/b): 212, . . . 512, 612(j): zipper halves and/or complementary zippers;
- 113(j,k), 213(j,k), 313(j,k), 413(j,k), 513(j,k), 613(j,k) connecting longitudinal sides
- 114(j) . . . 614(j) zipper tongue
- 115(j) . . . 615(j) zipper heads
- 116 . . . 616 flap (for covering zipper)
- 117(j), 217(j), 317(j), 417(j), 517(j), 617(j): first or exterior face;
- 118(j), 218(j), 318(j), 418(j), 518(j), 618(j): second or interior or reversible face;
- 119(j,k), 219(j,k), 319(j,k), 419(j,k), 519(j,k), 619(j,k): non-connecting longitudinal sides;
- 420(j,k), 520(j,k) connecting transversal side of each comforter section;
- 421 (j,k), 521(j,k) non-connecting transversal side of each comforter section;
- 424, 524 zippers for connecting transversal sides;
- 321(x), 421(x), 521(x): hook and loop strips;
- 529(j): opposite side zippers
Claims
1. A convertible bed covering made of a washable material, including:
- at least two reversible sections each with an transverse and longitudinal sides each of said transverse and longitudinal sides with an mating edge and an exterior edge; each of at least two reversible sections each of said at least two reversible sections including a zipper, stitched along said mating edge of each of said longitudinal edges;
- wherein said at least two reversible sections may be detached and reattached to each other by said zippers at said mating longitudinal edges;
- wherein either of said at least two reversible sections may be turned inside out and still be detached and reattached at said mating longitudinal edge.
2. The convertible covering as recited in claim 1, wherein said interior and said exterior patterns are distinguished.
3. The convertible covering as recited in claim 1, wherein there are three reversible sections.
4. A dividable and reconfigurable bed covering, including:
- a set of at least two reversible sections, each including a set of zipper halves opposite each other along an a connecting longitudinal side with a zipper head and a zipper tongue; at least two reversible sections each having a first pattern on a first side, and a second pattern on a second side, wherein said bed covering may be configured with either first or second patterns up or down by attaching said opposite zippers.
5. The bed covering as recited in claim 4, wherein one of said at least two reversible sections include a flap extending down said longitudinal side and that extends transversally across said zippers, such that said zippers are covered.
6. The bed covering as recited in claim 5, wherein there are a set of at least three reversible sections, wherein one of the at least three sections includes two connecting longitudinal sides, and has said zippers on each of said connecting longitudinal sides.
7. The bed covering as recited in claim 4, further including a zipper on each of said at least two reversible sections located on said opposite longitudinal side.
8. The bed covering as recited in claim 7, wherein one of said sections includes a heavier weight material than another of said sections.
9. The bed covering as recited in claim 4, further including a zipper on a connecting transversal side.
10. The bed covering as recited in claim 9, wherein said set of at least two reversible sections includes four reversible sections.
11. A dividable and reconfigurable bed covering, including:
- a set of at least two reversible sections, each including a set of zipper halves opposite each other along an a connecting longitudinal side with a zipper head and a zipper tongue; at least two reversible sections each having a first pattern on a first side, and a second pattern on a second side, wherein said bed covering may be configured with either first or second patterns up or down by attaching said opposite zippers, wherein said at least two sections have different weights of materials.
12. The bed covering as recited in claim 11, further including a flap of material that covers said opposite zippers.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 24, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 25, 2008
Inventor: Otha E. ("Rusty") Inman, II (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 11/782,068
International Classification: A47G 9/02 (20060101);