Mattress cover and mattress pad cover

Abstract

A cover for a mattress pad with an arrangement for retaining a mattress pad and a mechanism for securing the arrangement to a mattress. In a specific embodiment, the arrangement for retaining the pad is an envelope with a zipper along one side thereof. As an alternative, the arrangement for retaining the pad may include a hook and loop type fastener. In the illustrative embodiment, the mechanism for securing the envelope and pad to the mattress is an at least partially elastic skirt. In alternative implementation, the invention is a complete mattress cover assembly with a mattress pad and a cover for the pad. In this embodiment, the cover includes the arrangement for retaining the mattress pad and the mechanism for securing the arrangement to a mattress as discussed above.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to bedding. More specifically, the present invention relates to bedding and linen for covering mattresses.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, hotels offered bedding with standard 5-6 ounce-mattress pads or ‘toppers’. More recently, several hotel chains have offered bedding with 14 and 24 ounce mattress pads to provide guests a more luxurious feel. In some cases, the pads are integrated into the mattress. For the mattresses without an integrated pad, a standalone replaceable mattress pad is used. The replaceable pads are easily removed to facilitate cleaning.

Unfortunately, the thicker more bulky pads are more difficult to wash and dry in commercial machines. In addition, frequent washing changes the feel of the pad, increases wear rate and leads to shorter life cycle for the considerably more costly pads. Consequently, the cost associated with the deployment, maintenance and use of the more luxurious mattress pads is considerably higher than that associated with conventional pads. Hence, a need exists in the art for a system or method for protecting thick mattress pads to mitigate the need for frequent washing and drying thereof.

In addition, the thicker replaceable mattress pads are typically secured to the mattress using bands at the corners thereof. This is due at least in part to the fact that the elastic skirts typically used on fitted sheets add bulk to the already bulky pad and thereby exacerbate the cleaning problem set forth above. In addition, the skirts tend to shrink and lose effectiveness. Unfortunately, the bands tend to stretch with wear and lose effectiveness as well. The tension on the bands can be considerable given thickness of the pad. Hence, when one sits on the bed, the bands are stretched to the limit.

The limited utility of the bands is further shortened by exposure to heat during drying as well. Eventually, one or more bands often break prompting hotel staff to cut the remaining bands. This leaves the pad to be secured to the mattress by its weight alone.

To some extent, the need for a pad protector is met by conventional mattress pad protectors. However, conventional mattress pad protectors do not secure the mattress pad in place on the mattress. Hence, when one sits on the thicker pad, the pads tend to become displaced. This necessitates a visit by staff to remake the bed. Obviously, this approach is costly and undesirable.

Hence, a need remains in the art for a system or method for protecting mattress pads.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The need in the art is addressed by the present invention. In one embodiment, the invention is a cover for a mattress pad and comprises an arrangement for retaining a mattress pad and a mechanism for securing the arrangement to a mattress.

In a specific embodiment, the arrangement for retaining a pad is an envelope with a zipper along one side thereof. As an alternative, the arrangement for retaining a pad includes a hook and loop type fastener. In the illustrative embodiment, the mechanism for securing the envelope and pad to the mattress is an at least partially elastic skirt.

In alternative implementation, the invention is a mattress cover comprising a mattress pad and a cover for the pad. The cover includes an arrangement for retaining a mattress pad and a mechanism for securing the arrangement to a mattress as discussed above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mattress protector implemented in accordance with an-illustrative embodiment of the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevated perspective sectional view of the protector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the protector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a magnified partial sectional side view of the protector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a magnified partial sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the protector of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention.

While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.

In one embodiment, the invention is a cover for a mattress pad and comprises an arrangement for retaining a mattress pad and a mechanism for securing the arrangement to a mattress. In another realization, the invention is a complete mattress protection assembly with a pad and the inventive cover. Both illustrative implementations of the invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mattress protector implemented in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevated perspective sectional view of the protector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the protector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a magnified partial sectional side view of the protector of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the protector 11 includes a generally planar upper section 13 and a skirt 15 disposed about the periphery thereof. The protector 11 is sized to cover a mattress and extend around the bottom thereof. The protector 11 may be made of any suitably comfortable bedding material such as linen with a sufficiently tight weave to suit a given application without departing from the scope of the present teachings. For example, various types of fabrics may be used depending on the application or customer requirements including waterproof materials for hospitals, nursing home and the like, dust mite and allergy-proof fabrics for home and hotel use, and other new fabrics that might be available in the future that might be optimal for specific applications.

In the preferred embodiment, the upper section 13 of the protector has a thread count of 200 on top 14 and 130 on the bottom 16 thereof.

In the best mode, the skirt 15 is fabricated with an elastic band 18 (shown in FIG. 2), as is common in the manufacture of fitted sheets. This ensures that the protector will retain a mattress pad 17 in place on a mattress 19 (both shown in phantom in FIG. 1).

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, in the illustrative embodiment, the arrangement for retaining the pad is an envelope 23 with a zipper 21 (FIG. 1) along one side thereof. The envelope 23 is sized to receive and retain the mattress pad 17 (shown in phantom in FIG. 2). The zipper 21 is shown more clearly in the magnified partial sectional side view of FIG. 4.

As an alternative, the arrangement for retaining the pad 17 may include a hook and loop type fastener 25 such as that shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a magnified partial sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the protector of the present invention with a hook and loop (e.g. Velcro™) type fastener 25. In this embodiment, the fastener includes a strip of hook (or loop) type material secured to the pad 17 and a strip of loop (or hook) type material secured to the cover 11 at end thereof. In practice, multiple strips of any length may be used around the periphery of the bed. As an alternative, the fasteners 25′ may be positioned between the pad 17 and the mattress 19 as shown in phantom in FIG. 5.

Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof. For example, the invention is not limited to the size of the protector or the material used in its fabrication. Nor is the invention limited to the means disclosed for securing a pad to the protector.

It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Accordingly,

Claims

1. A cover for a mattress pad comprising:

means for retaining a mattress pad and

means for securing said means for retaining to a mattress.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining is an envelope.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said envelope includes a zipper.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining includes a hook and loop type fastener.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said means for retaining is a skirt.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said skirt is at least partially elastic.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said skirt is secured to said means for retaining.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said means for retaining is an envelope.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said envelope includes a zipper.

10. A cover for a mattress pad comprising:

an envelope for retaining a mattress pad and

an at least partially elastic skirt coupled to said envelope for securing said envelope to a mattress.

11. The invention of claim 10 wherein said envelope includes a zipper.

12. The invention of claim 10 wherein said envelope includes a hook and loop type fastener.

13. A mattress cover comprising:

a mattress pad;

means for retaining a mattress pad and

means for securing said means for retaining to a mattress.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said means for retaining is an envelope.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein said envelope includes a zipper.

16. The invention of claim 13 wherein said means for retaining includes a hook and loop type fastener.

17. The invention of claim 13 wherein said means for retaining is a skirt.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein said skirt is at least partially elastic.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein said skirt is secured to said means for retaining.

20. The invention of claim 19 wherein said means for retaining is an envelope.

21. The invention of claim 20 wherein said envelope includes a zipper.

22. A mattress cover comprising:

a pad;

an envelope for retaining said pad and

an at least partially elastic skirt coupled to said envelope for securing said envelope and said pad to a mattress.

23. The invention of claim 22 wherein said envelope includes a zipper.

24. The invention of claim 22 wherein said envelope includes a hook and loop type fastener.