Foot warming bed sheet

Abstract

A foot warming bed sheet 10 includes a preselected bed sheet 14, a foot member or flap 16 having a predetermined configuration, a first end 20 of the foot member 16 being secured to the bed sheet 14 such that the foot member 16 is capable of being disposed by a user's feet to ultimately encase the user's feet in a relatively warm pocket 30.

Description

This application is based on U.S. Provisional application No. 60/836,307 filed on Aug. 8, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a foot warming bed sheet, and more particularly, to a foot warming bed sheet with a foot member that is adjusted by a user or person's feet such that the person's feet are ultimately encased by the foot member after the user has reclined to a comfortable position upon a bed.

2. Background of the Prior Art

An aged person or a person with poor circulation may experience “cold feet” while resting or asleep in bed on a mattress. Devices that have developed to warm or otherwise maintain body heat about the persons feet, include fixed “tubes” or “pockets” that receive a person's feet as the person extends their legs.

The problem with prior art devices or methods for maintaining a person's feet warm while the person is lying upon a mattress, is that the device or method is not adjustable via the person's feet. The lack of adjustability prevents a snug encasement of the person's feet by a foot encasement member (assuming the person's feet extend sufficiently to engage the fixed encasement member) of the prior art device or method, resulting in relatively cool air seeping between sheets or bedding material to ultimately engage the person's feet. Further, the fixed encasement techniques of the prior art can restrict extraction of the person's feet from the encasement member and/or cause the person's feet to become entangled with the sheet, resulting in discomfort or tripping as the person attempts to rise from the bed or mattress.

A need exists for a foot warming bed sheet that includes a foot member that is adjustably configured by a person's feet as the person extends their legs to a comfortable position. Further, the foot member must snugly encase the person's feet and maintain the feet warm without obstructing movement of the person's legs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome many of the disadvantages associated with prior art devices for warming feet or maintaining foot warmth while a person is disposed upon a bed.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a foot warming bed sheet. A feature of the foot warming bed sheet is a foot member secured to a typical bed sheet proximate to a bottom end of the bed sheet. An advantage of the foot warming bed sheet is that the foot member encases a user's feet in a relatively small pocket, which maintains the user's body heat emitted from the user's feet in a correspondingly small space, thereby keeping the user's feet warm.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot warming bed sheet that allows the user to adjust the foot member by extending his or her legs and disposing their feet to forcibly engage and position the foot member until the foot member encases their feet. A feature of the foot warming bed sheet is the securing of a first end of the foot member to a typical bed sheet. Another feature of the foot warming bed sheet is the planar positioning of the foot member upon a mattress or a bottom sheet, such that a second end of the foot member is disposed closer to the “top” end of the mattress than the first end of the foot member, which is disposed closer to the “bottom” end of the mattress. An advantage of the foot warming bed sheet is that the user is capable of inserting his or her feet between the typical sheet and the foot member, thereby allowing the user to extend their legs while inserting their feet between the sheet and foot member, until their legs are comfortably extended and their feet are encased in the foot member. Another advantage of the foot warming bed sheet is that the foot member includes a lateral dimension that promotes the encasement of the user's feet irrespective of the disposition of the user's feet relative to the secured position of the first end of the foot member. Yet another advantage of the foot warming bed sheet is that it may be disposed upon a mattress such that the foot warming bed sheet is a “bottom” sheet with the foot member engaging a top surface of the foot warming bed sheet, or the foot warming bed sheet may be a “top” sheet with the foot member engaging a bottom surface of the foot warming bed sheet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot warming bed sheet that maintains foot warmth for two user's occupying a bed irrespective of varying body height between the user's. A feature of the foot warming bed sheet is the securing of two foot members to a typical bed sheet at positions corresponding to the ultimate disposition of the feet of a respective user. Another feature of the foot warming bed sheet is that the longitudinal dimension of each foot member is substantially about one-half the lateral dimension of the mattress the foot warming bed sheet is disposed upon. An advantage of the foot warming bed sheet is that both user's feet are maintained warm without discomforting either user.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a foot warming bed sheet that is relatively easy to wash. A feature of the foot warming bed sheet is a foot member that is detachably secured to a typical bed sheet. An advantage of the foot warming bed sheet is that the detached foot member will not be torn from the bed sheet when disposed in a washer or dryer.

Briefly, the invention provides a foot warming bed sheet comprising a preselected bed sheet; a foot member having a predetermined configuration; means for securing said foot member to said preselected bed sheet; and means for disposing said foot member relative to a user's feet, whereby the user is capable of adjusting the disposition of said foot member such that the user's feet are maintained warm.

Further, the invention provides an adjustable foot warming pocket comprising a user cover; a foot member; means for securing said foot member to said cover; and means for adjusting said foot member such that a user's feet are ultimately encased by said foot member, whereby the user's feet are maintained warm irrespective of the position of a bottom end of said user cover.

Also, the invention provides a method for maintaining warm a person's feet when the person is disposed upon a mattress, said method comprising the steps of providing a bed sheet; configuring a foot member; securing a first end of said foot member to a preselected portion of said bed sheet; and disposing said foot member such that the person is capable of adjusting said foot member, whereby the person's feet are maintained warm irrespective of the position of a bottom end of said bed sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention, as well as details of an illustrative embodiment thereof, will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a foot warming bed sheet positioned above a bottom bed sheet, which is disposed upon a mattress; a foot member is secured to the foot warming bed sheet between the foot warming bed sheet and the bottom bed sheet in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is front end elevation view of the foot warming bed sheet of FIG. 1 with the bottom bed sheet removed, and the foot member elevated above the mattress in a near horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the foot warming bed sheet of FIG. 1, but with the foot member forming a pocket resulting from a user adjusting the foot member via their feet when extending their legs, the user ultimately encasing their feet in the pocket of the foot member in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a foot warming bed sheet disposed upon a mattress with the foot member secured to a top surface of the foot warming bed sheet; a typical sheet covers the foot warming bed sheet in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front end elevation view of the foot warming bed sheet of FIG. 4 with the top sheet partially removed.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a foot warming bed sheet with multiple foot members secured to a bottom surface in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial bottom elevation view of only the foot warming bed sheet of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, a foot warming bed sheet in accordance with the present invention is denoted by numeral 10, and is depicted covering a mattress 12 (not part of the present invention). The foot warming bed sheet 10 includes a preselected bed sheet 14, a foot member or flap 16 having a predetermined configuration, the foot member 16 being secured to a preselected portion of the bed sheet 14 via stitching or similar permanent attaching techniques. The foot member 16 is disposed relative to a user's feet whereby the user is capable of adjusting the disposition of the foot member 16 via the user's feet such that the user's feet are maintained comfortably warm via the user's own body heat emitted from the feet, irrespective of the position of a bottom end 18 of the preselected bed sheet 14.

The bed sheet 14 includes a myriad of body covers for the user such as sheets, blankets, comforters and sleeping bags. The bed sheet 14 may be fabricated from a plethora of materials including but not limited to cotton, polyester, silk, wool and flannel. The bed sheet 14 may include any configuration or dimension.

The foot member 16 may be fabricated from the same or different material from which the bed sheet 14 is fabricated. The foot member 16 includes a substantially rectangular configuration with opposite first and second longitudinal ends 20 and 22. The first and second longitudinal ends 20 and 22 are relatively shorter than the length of bottom and top ends 18 and 29 of the bed sheet 14, the ends 20 and 22 are substantially equal in length to the distance separating first and second mattress sides 32 and 34. The foot member 16 further includes side edges 28 having a lateral dimension (generally fifteen to twenty-four inches) corresponding to the foot size of the user. The side edges 28 of the foot member 16 are separated from corresponding side edges 24 and 26 of the bed sheet 14, a distance that disposes the foot member 16 completely on top of the mattress 12. The side edges 28 are ultimately disposed adjacent to the first and second sides 32 and 34 of the mattress 12. The first end 20 of the foot member 16 is ultimately secured to a preselected portion of the bed sheet 14 that is closer to the bottom end 18 than the top end 29 of the bed sheet 14.

The first end 20 is typically secured to the bed sheet 14 such that the first end 20 is ultimately disposed substantially about six inches from a bottom side 31 of the mattress 12, when the sheet 14 is positioned upon the mattress 12. The distance separating the first end 20 of the foot member 16 from the bottom end 18 of the bed sheet 14 promotes insertion of the bottom end 18 of the bed sheet 14 under the mattress 12, while allowing the user to encase their feet in the foot member 16, between the secured first end 20 and the bottom 31 of the mattress 12, thereby allowing the user to comfortably extend their legs while maintaining a foot member pocket 30 that maintains the user's feet comfortably warm (see FIG. 3). The first end 20 may be permanently secured to the bed sheet 14 via thread, or may removably secured via snaps, latches or Velcro. When the foot member 16 is removably secured to the bed sheet 14 via Velcro, a loop portion of the Velcro is permanently secured to a predetermined portion of the bed sheet 14, and a hook portion of the Velcro is permanently secured to the first end 20 of the foot member 16.

After attaching the foot member 16 to the bed sheet 14 based upon the relative height of the person ultimately using the bed sheet 14, the bed sheet 14 is placed upon the mattress 12 such that the foot member 16 is disposed between the bed sheet 14 and mattress 12. Generally, a bottom bed sheet 15 covers the mattress, thereby disposing the foot member 16 between two bed sheets 14 and 15 such that the foot member 16 is substantially disposed flat or planar between the sheets 14 and 15 with the second end 22 of the foot member 16 being disposed between the first end 20 and a top end 29 of the bed sheet 14 (see FIG. 1). The user ultimately adjusts the position of the foot member 16 with their feet by inserting their feet between the bed sheet 14 and the foot member 16, then slidably urging the foot member 16 towards the bottom side 31 of the mattress 12 such that the first and second ends 20 and 22 of the foot member 16 cooperate to form a pocket 30 (see FIG. 3) that encases and keeps warm the user's feet. Alternatively, the foot member 16 may be disposed on and secured to a top surface of the bed sheet 14, thereby forming a bottom foot warming bed sheet 10. The foot member 16 remains disposed between a bottom bed sheet 14 and a top bed sheet 15 (see FIG. 4). The foot member 16 is ultimately disposed via a user's feet such that a pocket 30 is formed, thereby encasing the user's feet in the foot member 16 and maintaining the user's feet comfortably warm. A blanket may be used to cover both sheets 14 and 15, and the user therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 6, one or more foot members 16 may be secured to the bed sheet 14 such that the attachment of the first ends 20 of the foot members 16 vary to correspond to the relative heights of the persons beneath the bed sheet 14, thereby allowing each person to adjust their respective foot member 16 to a position that maintains their feet warm without inconveniencing the other person. Further, the plurality of first ends 20 may be separated a preselected dimension in any direction to promote isolation and comfort for multiple users under the sheet 14. Each person under the bed sheet 14 is able to independently adjust their respective foot member 16 with their feet by inserting their feet between the bed sheet 14 and a corresponding foot member 16, then slidably urging the respective foot member 16 towards the bottom side 31 of the mattress 12 such that the first and second ends 20 and 22 of each foot member 16 cooperate to form a pocket 30, thereby encasing each user's feet in a separate foot member 16 to independently maintain each user's feet warm.

In operation, a person or user selects a bed sheet 14, blanket or similar body cover and a relatively smaller foot member or flap 16 of the same or dissimilar material that is dimensioned and configured to correspond to the size of the person's feet and the size of the selected bed sheet 14 or body cover. A first end 20 of the foot member 16 is secured to a preselected portion of the bed sheet 14 that is relatively close to a bottom side 31 of the mattress 12. The bed sheet 14 is ultimately disposed upon a mattress 12 such that the foot member 16 is on top or underneath the bed sheet 14. The foot member 16 is then disposed flat or planar underneath or on top of the bed sheet 14 such that a second end 22 (unsecured to the sheet 14) of the foot member 16 is between the first end 20 and a top end 29 of the bed sheet 14, thereby providing an opening for a person's feet to enter. A person then slides their feet between the bed sheet 14 and foot member 16 until their legs are comfortably extended and their feet encased in the foot member 16. The person's feet are ultimately disposed between the first end 20 of the foot member 16 and the bottom side 31 of the mattress 12, or between the first end 20 of the foot member 16 and the top end 29 of the bed sheet 14, depending upon the person's height. Irrespective of the extension of the person's legs, the person's feet become encased in a pocket 30 formed by the foot member 16, or by the foot member 16 cooperating with the sheet 14.

The foregoing description is for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope of protection accorded this invention. The scope of protection is to be measured by the following claims, which should be interpreted as broadly as the inventive contribution permits.

Claims

1. A foot warming bed sheet comprising:

a preselected bed sheet;

a foot member having a predetermined configuration;

means for securing said foot member to said preselected bed sheet; and

means for disposing said foot member relative to a user's feet, whereby the user is capable of adjusting the disposition of said foot member such that the user's feet are maintained warm.

2. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 1 wherein said foot member comprises:

a first end secured to a bottom end portion of said preselected bed sheet; and

an opposite second end unsecured to said preselected bed sheet.

3. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 2 wherein said foot member includes a substantially rectangular configuration corresponding to the configuration of said preselected bed sheet, said first and second ends of said foot member having a longitudinal dimension relatively shorter than a top end of said preselected bed sheet, said foot member including side edges having a lateral dimension corresponding to the foot size of the user.

4. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 3 wherein said securing means includes stitching said first end of said foot member to said preselected bed sheet.

5. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 1 wherein said securing means includes removably securing said foot member to said preselected bed sheet.

6. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 5 wherein said removable securing means includes cooperating portions of velcro attached to corresponding portions of said foot member and said preselected bed sheet.

7. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 2 wherein said disposing means includes positioning said unsecured second end of said foot member such that said second end is relatively closer to a top end of said preselected bed sheet then said secured first end.

8. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 7 wherein said disposing means includes moving said foot member such that a pocket is formed that receives a user's feet therein, thereby maintaining the user's feet warm.

9. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 1 wherein a plurality of foot members are secured to said preselected sheet.

10. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 9 wherein said plurality of foot members are separated a predetermined distance and independently secured to said preselected sheet.

11. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 1 wherein said foot member is disposed to slide between said preselected sheet and a bottom sheet covering a mattress.

12. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 2 wherein said first end of said foot member is secured a predetermined distance from a bottom side of the mattress.

13. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 12 wherein said predetermined distance promotes insertion of said bottom end of said preselected sheet under the mattress, while allowing the user to position their feet between said secured first end of said foot member and said bottom side of the mattress, thereby allowing the user to extend their legs and encase their feet via said foot member to maintain their feet comfortably warm.

14. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 3 wherein said foot member includes two side edges separated a predetermined distance from corresponding side edges of said preselected sheet.

15. The foot warming bed sheet of claim 1 wherein said preselected sheet is fabricated from a material different from the material of fabrication for said foot member.

16. An adjustable foot warming sheet comprising:

a user cover;

a foot member;

means for securing said foot member to said cover; and

means for adjusting said foot member such that a user's feet are ultimately encased by said foot member, whereby the user's feet are maintained warm irrespective of the position of a bottom end of said user cover.

17. The adjustable foot warmer pocket of claim 16 wherein said user cover includes a bed sheet.

18. The adjustable foot warmer pocket of claim 16 wherein said foot member comprises:

a first end secured to a bottom end portion of said user cover; and

an opposite second end unsecured to said user cover.

19. The adjustable foot warmer of claim 18 wherein said first end of said foot member is removably secured to said user cover.

20. A method for maintaining warm a person's feet when the person is disposed upon a mattress, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a bed sheet;

configuring a foot member;

securing a first end of said foot member to a preselected portion of said bed sheet; and

disposing said foot member such that the person is capable of adjusting said foot member via their feet, whereby the person's feet are ultimately encased in said foot member to maintain the person's feet warm irrespective of relatively cool air seeping between sheets and/or covers disposed upon the person.