Removable and adjustable bed skirt

Abstract

A bed sheet and a bed skirt combination comprising a sheet of material, said sheet of material adapted to fit over, on and around the top, edges and corners of a mattress, said sheet having a first fastening means, said first fastening means being secured along the outside of side portions of the sheet that fit over the edges and corners of a mattress; and a sheet of bed skirt material, a sheet of flat material and a second fastening means, said sheet of flat material extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt material, said second fastening means being secured on an inner side along the sheet of flat material, said second fastening means being adapted so that the second fastening means is able to removably engage the first fastening means. The objective of this combination is to eliminate completely the need to the lift the upper mattress and to allow the proper hang to be predetermined by placement of the first fastening means. As described in one embodiment, this can be accomplished without the need for a specially designed bed sheet.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A bed sheet and bed skirt combination. The bed skirt is capable of placement around a box spring of a bed without the need to remove or lift a mattress.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Historically, bed skirts for beds (also called dust ruffles) have been bed skirt material attached permanently to flat sheet material. This flat sheet and bed skirt assembly was placed between the mattress and box spring. The flat sheet material of this assembly covers the box spring while the bed skirt material of this assembly extends over the sides and end of the box spring. The upper mattress is placed atop the flat sheet and bed skirt assembly. To remove the flat sheet and bed skirt assembly, the upper mattress must be removed. This requirement to remove the upper mattress makes the flat sheet and bed skirt assembly unsatisfactory.

Other inventors have addressed the concern with being required to remove the upper mattress to remove the bed skirt. First, some inventors have created a “tuck” method. Specifically, these inventors have created a system that requires a portion of the bed skirt to be inserted between the upper mattress and box spring. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,290 issued to Masoncup; U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,731 issued to Saparow; U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,758 issued to Karam; U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,931 issued to Hamilton; U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,009 issued to Schrougham; U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,469 issued to Schrougham; U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,316 issued to Whipple; U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2003/0028965 A1 submitted by Wootten; U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 2004/0154102 A1 submitted by Cohen.

Each of the above patents and applications require that a portion of the bed skirt assembly be partially inserted between the upper mattress and box spring. Application Pub. No. 2003/0028965 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,731 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,290 each use a non-slip material at the top of the bed skirt assembly. This non-slip material is tucked between the upper mattress and the box spring. This tucking requirement creates the need for some lifting of the upper mattress. Also, this tucking requirement makes it difficult to create an even hang of the skirt material and has a substantial probability that the skirt material will pull from between the upper mattress and box spring.

In addition to tucking, other inventors have created methods for holding the skirt material in place when tucked between the upper mattress and box spring. U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,009 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,469 both have pieces of the tucked portions of the skirt that arejoined or interconnected between the upper mattress and box spring. U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,758 has strips inserted through the top of the bed skirt and these strips are placed between the upper mattress and box spring. U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,316 has the bed skirt attached to loops under the upper mattress. Application Pub. NO. 2004/0154102 A1 utilizes screw pins to fasten to the box spring the portion of the bed skirt between the upper mattress and box spring. Each of these methods diminish the difficulty in creating and maintaining an even hang of the skirt material and the probability of the skirt material being pulled from between the upper mattress and box spring. However, each of these methods increase the need to lift the upper mattress as additional lifting is required to access the connecting points, strips, loops and screw pins.

Though U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,637 issued to Bordo has a bed skirt that does not require tucking and does not require removal of the upper mattress, the bed skirt of U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,637 extends around the perimeter of the box spring. The ends of the bed skirt must be attached. This bed skirt has a substantial probability of slippage allowing the bed skirt to become uneven. Additionally, the ends of the bed skirt may be difficult to attach when the bed is placed against a wall or furniture or the bed is equipped with a head board or foot board.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,931 issued to Hamilton utilizes a deck system to which a bed skirt is attached. The deck is placed between the upper mattress and box spring requiring removal of the upper mattress when the deck needs replacement. When the means for attaching a bed skirt to the deck wears, the deck will need replacement. Also, one embodiment for attaching a bed skirt to the deck requires a portion of the bed skirt to be tucked between the upper mattress and box spring.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,562 issued to Masoncup utilizes fitted sheets with extended portions that contain a first means for attachment and a bed skirt with extended portions that contain a second means for attachment. When the first means for attachment is engaged with the second means for attachment, the extended portions must be tucked between the upper mattress and the box spring. This tucking requirement requires some lifting of the upper mattress, makes it difficult to create an even hang of the skirt material and has a substantial probability that the skirt material will pull from between the upper mattress and box spring. Also, the extended portions create the need for specially designed fitted sheets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of my present invention is a bed sheet and a bed skirt combination comprising a sheet of material, said sheet of material adapted to fit over, on and around the top, edges and corners of a mattress, said sheet having a first fastening means, said first fastening means being secured along the outside of side portions of the sheet that fit over the edges and corners of a mattress; and a sheet of bed skirt material, a sheet of flat material and a second fastening means, said sheet of flat material extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt material, said second fastening means being secured on an inner side along the sheet of flat material, said second fastening means being adapted so that the second fastening means is able to removably engage the first fastening means.

The objective of this combination is to eliminate completely the need to the lift the upper mattress and to allow the proper hang to be predetermined by placement of the first fastening means. As described in one embodiment, this can be accomplished without the need for a specially designed bed sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bed skirt installed on an upper mattress and box spring set.

FIG. 2 is an upper mattress and box spring set with first fastening means attached to the bed sheet or upper mattress. The bed skirt is shown with the second fastening means prior to installation of the bed skirt on an upper mattress and box spring set.

FIG. 3 is a fastener strip and bed skirt installed on an upper mattress and box spring set.

FIG. 4 is a fastener strip attached to a bed sheet or upper mattress of an upper mattress and box spring set. The bed skirt is shown with the second fastening means prior to installation of the bed skirt on an upper mattress and box spring set.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the bed sheet and bed skirt combination of my invention. The mattress and box spring set comprises an upper mattress 2 and a box spring or lower mattress 3. In FIG. 1 the first fastening means of the bed sheet or upper mattress is engaged with the second fastening means of the bed skirt. This engagement is shown at 1 on FIG. 1. The second fastening means of the bed skirt is attached to a sheet of flat material 5 that extends up from bed skirt material 4.

FIG. 2 shows the box spring and mattress set and the bed skirt before the bed skirt is installed. The first fastening means 6 is attached to the bed sheet or upper mattress 2. The second fastening means 7 is attached to a sheet of flat material 8 that extends up from the bed skirt material 9. The bed skirt will be installed on the upper mattress 2 and box spring 3 set by engaging the first fastening means 6 with the second fastening means 7 of the bed skirt. The bed skirt material will hang to cover the box spring as shown in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the fastener strip and bed skirt combination. The mattress and box spring set comprises an upper mattress 2 and a box spring or lower mattress 3. In FIG. 3 the fastener strip 10 is attached to a bed sheet or upper mattress 2. First fastening means are attached to the fastener strip 10. The first fastening means of the fastener strip 10 are engaged with the second fastening means of the bed skirt. This engagement is shown at 11 on FIG. 1. The second fastening means of the bed skirt is attached to a sheet of flat material 12 that extends up from bed skirt material 13.

FIG. 4 shows the box spring and mattress set, fastening strip and the bed skirt before the bed skirt is installed. The first fastening means 14 is attached to a fastening strip 15. The fastening strip 15 is removably attached to a bed sheet or upper mattress 2. The second fastening means 16 is attached to a sheet of flat material 17 that extends up from the bed skirt material 18. The bed skirt will be installed on the upper mattress 2 and box spring 3 set by engaging the first fastening means 14 of the fastening strip 15 with the second fastening means 16 of the bed skirt. The bed skirt material will hang to cover the box spring as shown in FIG. 3.

Claims

1. A bed sheet and a bed skirt combination comprising:

a bed sheet comprising: a sheet of material, said sheet of material adapted to fit over, on and around the top, edges and corners of a mattress, said sheet having a first fastening means, said first fastening means being secured along the outside of side portions of the sheet that fit over the edges and corners of a mattress; and

a bed skirt comprising: a sheet of bed skirt material, a sheet of flat material and a second fastening means, said sheet of flat material extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt material, said second fastening means being secured on an inner side along the sheet of flat material, said second fastening means being adapted so that the second fastening means is able to removably engage the first fastening means of said bed sheet.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first fastening means on the bed sheet and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise snap type fastening material.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first fastening means on the bed sheet and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise a button type fastening material.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first fastening means on the bed sheet and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise hook and loop type fastening material.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said sheet of flat material of said bed skirt extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt a length sufficient to allow a user to tuck portions of the flat material between a mattress and a box spring.

6. A fastener strip and a bed skirt combination comprising:

a fastener strip comprising: a strip of material, said strip of material adapted to fit around the edges and corners of a mattress, said strip adapted with an attachment means to removably attach to the outside of a bed sheet that is fitted around the edges and corners of a mattress or removably attach to a mattress, said strip having a first fastening means, said first fastening means being secured along the outside of said strip; and

a bed skirt comprising: a sheet of bed skirt material, a sheet of flat material and a second fastening means, said sheet of flat material extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt material, said second fastening means being secured on an inner side along the sheet of flat material, said second fastening means being adapted so that the second fastening means is able to removably engage the first fastening means of said fastener strip.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said first fastening means on the fastener strip and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise snap type fastening material.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said first fastening means on the fastener strip and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise button type fastening material.

9. The combination of claim 6 wherein said first fastening means on the fastener strip and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise hook and loop type fastening material.

10. The combination of claim 6 wherein said sheet of flat material of said bed skirt extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt a length sufficient to allow a user to tuck portions of the flat material between a mattress and a box spring.

11. A mattress and a bed skirt combination comprising:

a mattress having a first fastening means, said first fastening means being secured along the side portions of the mattress; and

a bed skirt comprising: a sheet of bed skirt material, a sheet of flat material and a second fastening means, said sheet of flat material extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt material, said second fastening means being secured on an inner side along the sheet of flat material, said second fastening means being adapted so that the second fastening means is able to removably engage the first fastening means of said mattress.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said first fastening means on the mattress and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise snap type fastening material.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein said first fastening means on the mattress and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise button type fastening material.

14. The combination of claim 11 wherein said first fastening means on the mattress and said second fastening means on the bed skirt comprise hook and loop type fastening material.

15. The combination of claim 11 wherein said sheet of flat material of said bed skirt extends from an upper edge of the bed skirt a length sufficient to allow a user to tuck portions of the flat material between a mattress and a box spring.