SMALL AND IRREGULAR SHAPED MATTRESS SHEET COVER SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

A small and irregular shaped mattress sheet cover system for covering a bunk mattress. The system includes a flexible tubular cover that includes a body slightly smaller in width than a small or irregular shaped bunk mattress and with a closed end and an open end. The body fits longitudinally and snuggly around the bunk mattress. In one embodiment, the bunk mattress is triangular and fits inside pointed berth area on a boat. The cover may include optional end flap and optional pull straps. The method includes the steps of rolling the body into a flat ring configuration, aligning the ring with the end of the mattress, and then longitudinally pull and unrolling the ring over the mattress. The mattress may be folded or compressed inward. The pull straps are used to pull the body over the mattress. The mattress is then allowed to expand and conform to the body.

Description

This utility patent application is based upon and claims the filing date benefit of U.S. provisional patent application (Application No. 61/535459) filed on Sep. 16, 2011.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the following patent document contains original material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to sheet covers for small or irregular-shaped bed mattresses designed to remain taunt, wrinkle free, and retained on the mattress when used.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many boats, dormitories and studio apartments have small and sometimes irregular bunk spaces where a complimentary shaped foam mattress may be placed and used as a bed. For example, some boats typically have cutter bows that come to a knife-like point to cut through waves for faster speeds. Other boats have bluff bows that expand to the width of the boat to allow more deck cargo space. In most boats, a bedroom or birth for officers and passengers is typically located in the tip area of the bow that require the use of triangular shaped accommodate a custom, complimentary shaped single mattress or a set of one or two triangular shaped mattresses.

To protect a mattress and to provide greater comfort to the individual resting on the mattress, a lower sheet cover is commonly installed over the top surface of mattress. Such sheet covers become soiled with usage and must be exchanged with clean sheet covers on a regular basis. To hold the lower sheet cover on the mattress, the sheet must have a size and shape that is complimentary with the mattress so that the edges of the sheet cover can be tucked in all around under the bottom edges of the mattress. Unfortunately, complimentary shaped sheet covers for smaller, irregular shaped mattresses are not available. Also, the birth areas in a ship are compact and have limited head space making the bed ‘making’ task difficult.

What is needed is a small or irregular shaped mattress and sheet cover system that address the problems associated lower sheet covers on a small or irregular shaped mattresses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above needs are addressed and satisfied by the bunk mattress and sheet cover system disclosed herein that includes a tubular cover designed to slide longitudinally and fit snuggly over the bunk mattress. The tubular cover includes sock-shaped body rectangular or oval in cross-section with a closed end and an open opposite end. The body is made of soft flexible material that enables it to be rolled into a flat, flexible ring structure for easily installation. Formed or attached to the body adjacent to the open end is an optional flap that can be tucked under the end of the mattress to hold the body in place and optional pull straps that enable the use to pull the body in a ring configuration over the mattress during installation.

The body is made of made of cotton with a cross-section shape slightly smaller than the bunk mattress so that bunk mattress must be squeezed inward to fit inside the body during installation. When relaxed, the mattress expands outward causing the surfaces of the body to become taunt and wrinkle free. The body may be the same size or slightly longer than the bunk mattress, thereby enabling the body to completely surround the mattress.

In one embodiment, the bunk mattress is made of foam and is triangular and designed to fit into a triangular shaped birth on a boat.

Using the above described tubular cover, a method of forming a bunk mattress with a continuously taunt, sheet cover is taught comprising the steps: selecting a foam bunk mattress and the tubular cover; rolling the tubular cover into a flat, ring structure with a center opening; aligned the ring structure along one end of the bunk mattress; extending the end of the bunk mattress into the center opening formed on the ring structure; and unrolling the ring structure longitudinally over the bunk mattress so that the entire bunk mattress is covered by the tubular cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an individual sleeping on a bunk mattress in a confined sleeping area of a boat in the prior art and showing the lower sheet placed over the mattress being un-tucked from the mattress.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bunk mattress and sock-like cover disclosed herein showing the cover is a partially rolled up configuration being unrolled for placement over the mattress.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the cover placed over the mattress.

FIG. 4 is a sectional top plan view of the bow of a boat showing a berth area in the point of the bow with two triangular shaped foam mattresses positioned side by side in the berth area with each mattress being covered by a tubular cover.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a triangular foam mattress used in the berth area on a ship being covered by a tubular cover with four extended pull straps that are used to pull the tubular cover over the mattress.

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the open end of the tubular cover showing the ends of the two pull straps attached thereto and extended.

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view of the tubular cover shown in FIG. 6 showing the two pull straps being aligned over the body and the body and the pull straps being rolled into a ring configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring to the accompanying FIGS. 1-7, there is shown a bunk bed sheet cover system, generally indicated by the reference number 10, comprising a small or irregular shaped mattress 12 and sock-like, tubular cover 20 designed to slide longitudinally and fits snuggly over the mattress 12. A small mattress 12 is defined as a regular mattress less than a twin size mattress (38 inches (W)×79 inches (L)×6 inches (H) and an irregular shape mattress is a mattress that is triangular with two straight side edges or two side edges and one curved edge.

The tubular cover 20 is designed to fit over the foam mattress 12 act as a protective lower sheet . The tubular cover 20 is designed to be easily attached, removed and machine washable. More specifically, the tubular cover 20 includes a rectangular body 22 configured to completely surround and fit closely over the mattress 12. The body 22 includes at least one closed end 24 and one open end 26. The body 22 is longitudinally aligned with the foam mattress 12 so that it may be slowly unrolled over the foam mattress 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the body 22 is approximately the same length of the foam mattress 12 so that the entire mattress 12 is covered when installed. Formed adjacent to the open end 26 is an optional rectangular flap 28 that can be tucked under the end of the foam mattress 12 to hold the body 20 in place.

The body 22 is a rectangular tubular structure similar to a duffel bag. In the preferred embodiment, the body 22 is made of heavy cotton (material similar to the material used to manufacture a cotton sweat shirt). The body 22 is rolled into a flat ring configuration 32 with an center opening 32. The cotton material is designed to stretch and the body 22 has a width ¼ to ½ inches less than the mattress 12 so that mattress 12 must be compressed and squeezed inward in order to fit inside the body 20. When the tubular body 20 is fully extended over the bunk mattress 12, the bunk mattress 12 relaxes and expands outward causing the top, bottom, sides and end to become tight. Because the body 20 completely covers the bunk mattress 12, there are no loose edges that can become un-tucked when sleeping.

FIG. 4 is a sectional top plan view of the bow of a boat 100 showing a berth area 102 in the point of the bow with two triangular shaped foam mattresses 12′, 12″ positioned side-by-side in the berth area 102 with each mattress 12′, 12′ being covered by a tubular cover 20′, 20′, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the triangular foam mattress 12′ used in the berth area 102 being covered by a tubular cover 20′ in a ring configuration with four extended pull straps 110-116 longitudinally aligned and extending outward from the open end that are used to bull the ring structure longitudinally over the mattress 12′.

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the open end of the tubular cover 12′ showing the ends of the two pull straps 110, 112 attached thereto and extended.

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view of the tubular cover shown in FIG. 6 showing the two pull straps 110, 112 being aligned over the body 22 and the body 22 and the pull straps 110, 112 being rolled into a ring configuration.

In addition to the bunk mattress and cover system 10 a method of forming a small or irregular shaped mattress with a lower sheet cover comprising the steps: selecting a foam mattress 12; selecting a tubular cover 20; rolling the tubular cover 20 into a flat, ring structure 30 with a center opening 32; aligned the ring structure 30 along one end of the mattress 12; extending the end of the mattress 12 into the center opening formed 32 on the ring structure 30; and unrolling the ring structure 30 longitudinally over the mattress 12 so that the entire mattress 12 is covered by the tubular cover 20

In compliance with the statute, the invention described herein has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown is comprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A small and irregular mattress sheet cover system, comprising:

a. a small or irregular foam mattress; and,

b. a removal tubular cover configured to be disposed tightly around said mattress, said tubular cover includes a closed end and an open end and made of soft stretchable material that enables said cover to be rolled into a ring configuration and then disposed over one end of said mattress and easily unrolled around said mattress to place said cover around said mattress.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said cover is made of cotton;

3. The system as recited in claim 1 further including an end flap adjacent to said open end of said cover.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, further include a plurality pull straps attached to said cover adjacent to said open end.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mattress is triangular and configured to fit into the berth area of a boat.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein said cover is made of cotton;

7. The system as recited in claim 5 further including an end flap adjacent to said open end of said cover.

8. The system as recited in claim 5, further include a plurality pull straps attached to said cover adjacent to said open end.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mattress is rectangular and measures approximate 34 to 37 inches in width and 75 to 79 inches in length.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said mattress includes two straight edges and one curved edge.

11. A method for forming a mattress with a continuous taunt sheet cover comprising the following steps:

a. selecting a foam mattress;

b. selecting a tubular cover that includes a body made of machine washable material with an open and a closed end;

b. rolling said body into a flat, ring structure with a center opening;

c. aligned said ring structure along one end of said foam mattress;

d. extending the end of said foam mattress into said center opening formed on said ring structure; and,

e. unrolling said ring structure longitudinally over said foam mattress so that the entire said foam mattress is covered by said tubular cover.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further including said tubular body includes an end flap longitudinally aligned and extending from said open end of said body, said flap being folded under said foam mattress after said ring structure as been unrolled over said mattress.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further including said tubular body having pull straps longitudinally aligned and extending from said open end of said body, said pull straps being attached to the inside surface of said body adjacent to said end opening and used to pull said ring structure longitudinally over said mattress.