DUAL FUNCTION BED COVER

Abstract

A dual function bed cover for a bed comprising an overlapping left section and right section, and a flap attached to the bottom edge or proximate the bottom thereof. Each section may be at least partially separated from the other during use and removed from atop a user without causing undue disruption to the placement of the remaining section of the bed cover atop a different user. The flap can be tucked beneath the mattress during use for stability and may be constructed to avoid unnecessary restriction of foot movement.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A common source of tension between couples sharing a bed is the use of bed covers. Some people prefer to bundle up while in the bed, while others favor sleeping without much covering their body. Generally, those who prefer not to use bed covers and the like will take their portion of the bed cover, comforter, or other linen and place it atop their mate who is already bundled up. The mate is then uncomfortable due to excess warmth and restricted movement caused by the bulkiness of the excess bed linens, and their placement.

As such, a need exists for a bed cover that gives those sharing a bed the ability to independently use the bed cover as they see fit, without inconveniencing each other, and that provides enhanced comfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A dual function bed cover for a bed set is provided that allows two individuals to more easily share a bed when they have different preferences for bed covers. The bed cover includes a left section, a right section, and a flap attached to a bottom edge of those sections. The sections overlap about their proximal edges to create an overlap that makes it easier when one party removes one section of the bed cover. The other section will remain relatively in the same position, preventing discomfort to the party continuing to use the bed cover. In one embodiment, the two sections are removably attached about their proximal edges by at least one means for attachment. The flap is of a length sufficient to permit tucking the flap beneath the mattress in order to maintain placement of the bed cover. In one embodiment, the flap is narrower, at the point of attachment to the two sections of the bed cover, than the width of the mattress so as to permit freer movement of the users' feet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts bed cover 10 on a bed with a headboard, footboard, and pillows;

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of bed cover 10;

FIG. 3 depicts bed cover 10 on a bed with a headboard, footboard, and pillows with left section 12 of bed cover 10 partially separated from right section 14 and turned down to reveal the placement of snaps as the means for attachment;

FIG. 4 depicts an alternative embodiment of the bed cover 10 from a top view;

FIG. 5 depicts an alternative embodiment of the bed cover 10 as used on a bed;

FIG. 6 depicts an alternative embodiment of the bed cover 10 as used on a bed with a bottom edge 34 of right section 14 turned back to show a flap 16 tucked under a mattress; and

FIG. 7 depicts an alternative embodiment of the bed cover 10 from a top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A novel bed cover 10 is described herein and depicted in FIGS. 1-6. Bed cover 10 comprises a left section 12, a right section 14, and a flap 16. Left section 12 and right section 14 overlap about overlapping edges 20, 22, which are the proximal edges of the corresponding sections 12, 14. The sections 12, 14 are removably attached to each other by means for attachment 18 for at least fifty percent of the length of sections 12, 14. In embodiments in which sections 12, 14 are not removably attached for their entire length, the lower portions of the sections 12, 14 may be permanently secured to each other, for example by sewing together the edges 20, 22. The ability to detach sections of the bed cover allows one person to use the bed cover for warmth or cover, while another person in the same bed does not use the bed cover for those purposes. In situations where two people share a bed and one person gets hot, instead of throwing the bed cover onto another person in the same bed, which makes the second person uncomfortable, the person who is hot may simply detach his section of the bed cover 10 from the other section and turn it down away from his body.

With reference to FIGS. 1-3, overlapping edges 20, 22 are those edges that are proximal to the respective opposite section 12 or section 14. The overlap is approximately six inches in certain embodiments. It should be noted that either section 12 or 14 may overlap, so that either section 12 or 14 may be on the top or on the bottom. Both arrangements are contemplated and are not outside the scope of the invention. Right section 14 and left section 12 each also include a top edge 24, 26, distal edge 28, 30 and bottom edge 32, 34. The overlapping of sections 12 and 14 adds stability to the construction of bed cover 10 and, during use, reduces movement of bed cover 10 when one section has been separated and pushed away. When one person removes his section, the other half generally remains in the same position. Without the overlap, the remaining section would be repositioned during removal of the other section of bed cover 10. Indeed, it is possible to manufacture the sections 12, 14 without attachment means; the overlapping of the sections can provide sufficient connection to render attachment means unnecessary.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, flap 16 is attached about its top edge 40 to bottom edges 32 and 34 of left section 12 and right section 14. Approximately half of top edge 40 is attached to each of bottom edge 32 and bottom edge 34, respectively. Flap 16 may be attached to part but not all of sections 12, 14. For example, with reference to FIG. 2, flap 16 is attached only to a central portion of bottom edges 32, 34. Moreover, still with reference to FIG. 2, at the center of bottom edges 32, 24, where overlapping section 22 laps above overlapping section 20, flap 16 may be attached to bottom edges 32, 34 in a manner that includes the bottom edge of overlapping section 20 but does not include the bottom edge of overlapping section 22. Any methods for permanent attachment may be used, including sewing or gluing. In particular embodiments, flap 16 is removably attached by any known means for removable attachment.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, flap 16 is attached only to sections 12, 14 about overlapping sections 20 and 22. Flap 16 should be of a sufficient length to tuck at least in part beneath the mattress, for example, between the mattress and a box spring or platform. In specific embodiments, flap 16 is of a length that allows it to be entirely tucked underneath the bed, between the mattress and box spring or platform. In other embodiments, a portion of flap 16 is tucked underneath the bed. Flap 16 acts to stabilize bed cover 10 during use by reducing movement of bed cover 10. During use, sections 12 and 14 remain generally on the top of the bed, optionally with some overhanging depending on how the bed is made, with flap 16 being tucked under the mattress about the lower edge of the mattress 36, where a user's feet would normally be placed. When sections 12 and 14 are detachable along their full length, then when those sections are detached, flap 16 holds bed cover 10 together. As such, the top edge 40 of flap 16, which attaches to the sections 12, 14, may be about the same width as the mattress and box spring it will be used on. It should be noted that flap 16 may be of any width and shape that is sufficient to hold the bed cover 10 in place during use. Flap 16 may be used to retain not only bed cover 10 but also additional bed coverings in place and thus speed making of the bed without the need to tuck in the additional bed coverings at the sides or to separately tuck in the additional bed coverings at the bottom of the bed. In some embodiments, flap 16 is narrower than the width of the mattress. In those embodiments, flap 16 may hold bed cover 10 (which may, for example, be a blanket) and all or a portion of the remaining bed coverings (for example, a top sheet) in place while allowing the sides and a portion of the bottom edge of those bed coverings to remain untucked, thus providing less restriction above the feet at the foot area of the bed.

In a specific embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the bed cover is a comforter, or a blanket, for a bed that lacks a footboard or that otherwise allows the lower edge of the mattress 36 to be seen. It is desirable in such situations to conceal the lower edge of the mattress 36 and box springs from view, and typically a comforter and quilt is spread over the bed and allowed to drape over the lower edge 36 in order to provide such concealment. The embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4-6 permits such decorative placement of the bed covering while retaining the stability previously discussed. In the embodiment depicted, the flap 16 may be about the same width as the mattress that it will be used on. However, unlike embodiments discussed previously, flap 16 is not attached to bottom edges 32, 34 of sections 12, 14. Instead it is attached to sections 12, 14 at a distance above bottom edges 32, 34 that allows bottom edges 32, 34 to hang freely over the mattress and box spring or platform. During use, flap 16 is tucked beneath the mattress, for example between the mattress and box spring or platform, while bottom edges 32, 34 remain free to hang over the mattress and/or box spring or platform, which permits them, if desired, to conceal the lower end of the mattress and/or box spring from view. As such, flap 16 serves the same stabilizing purpose as previously discussed in other embodiments of the invention.

Sections 12 and 14 are attached to each other by any known means of removable attachment, including snaps 50 (illustrated in FIG. 3), magnets, buttons, a zipper, hook and loop attachments, or combinations thereof. In embodiments comprising snaps or magnets, the snaps or magnets would be permanently attached to sections 12 and 14. For example, magnets could be sewn into the overlapping edges 20, 22 such that oppositely polarized magnets would be in alignment with each other when sections 12 and 14 are in the overlapped position depicted in FIG. 1. The order of the placement of the magnets is of no consequence. In embodiments comprising snaps as the means for attachment, the snaps are sewn onto overlapping sections 22 and 20 in a manner that allows both portions of the snaps to come into contact in the overlapped position depicted in FIG. 1.

The bed cover may be any product suitable for covering a bed, including a comforter, sheet, or blanket and may be made out of any material that is suitable for use as a covering device. Examples include silk, cotton, canvas, linen, or synthetic materials such as rayon and polyester. Sections 12 and 14 may be made of different materials in certain embodiments. Flap 16 may be made of a material that is distinctive or otherwise different from the material used to make sections 12 and 14 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 4. In one embodiment of the invention, flap 16 is made of doubled-thickness sheets. In another embodiment of the invention, flap 16 is made of canvas. When flap 16 is of a different material, it may be sturdier than the more decorative material used to construct all or part of sections 12, 14, thus permitting use of fabrics for sections 12, 14 that, if themselves tucked beneath a mattress, might suffer undue wear.

In particular embodiments, such as one depicted in FIG. 7, the flap 16 of bed cover 10 may be attached to a bed skirt 60 in a manner that allows the bed skirt 60 to conceal a bed frame and, when one is in use, a box spring. The bed skirt 60 is permanently or removably secured to the flap 16 at some distance from the point of attachment of flap 16 to sections 12 and 14, either somewhere in the mid- or lower portion of flap 16, for example at the end opposite the point of attachment to sections 12, 14. The means for securing bed skirt 60 to flap 16 may be by any means known to those of skill in the art, or as described herein.

In an alternate embodiment (not shown), one or more flaps 16 of bed cover 10 may be employed, with each flap 16 attached only to one of the sections 12 and 14.

The foregoing details are exemplary only. Other modifications that might be contemplated by those of skill in the art are within the scope of this invention, and are not limited by the examples illustrated herein.

Claims

1. A dual function bed cover for a bed set that comprises a mattress, the bed cover comprising a left section, a right section, and a flap, the left and right sections overlapping about their proximal edges to create overlapping portions, the flap attached to a bottom edge of at least one of the left and right sections, said bed cover being narrower between the distal edges of the portion comprising the flap proximate the point of attachment to said bottom edge than between the distal edges of the portion comprising the left and right sections proximate said point of attachment.

2. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the left and right sections are removably attached about their proximal edges by at least one means for attachment.

3. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the left and right sections are removably attached about their proximal edges and the means for attachment is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, hook and loop fastener, magnet, snap, or button.

4. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the flap is manufactured of a material that is distinct from the material of manufacture of the right and left sections.

5. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 further comprising a bed skirt attached to the flap.

6. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the flap, at its point of attachment to the at least one of the left and right sections, is approximately the width of the mattress.

7. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the flap, at its point of attachment to the at least one of the left and right sections, is narrower than the width of the mattress.

8. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the overlapping portions are approximately six inches wide.

9. A dual function bed cover for a bed set that comprises a mattress, the bed cover comprising a left section, a right section, a lower section, and a flap, the left and right sections overlapping about their proximal edges to create overlapping portions, the flap attached to at least one section of the bed cover proximate the top of the lower section, said bed cover being narrower between the distal edges of the portion comprising the flap proximate the point of attachment to said bottom edge than between the distal edges of the portion comprising the left and right sections proximate said point of attachment and the lower section of a length sufficient to drape over and thereby cover a lower edge of the mattress.

10. The dual function bed cover of claim 9 wherein the left and right sections are removably attached about their proximal edges by at least one means for attachment.

11. The dual function bed cover of claim 9 wherein the left and right sections are removably attached about their proximal edges and the means for attachment is selected from the group consisting of a zipper, hook and loop fastener, magnet, snap, or button.

12. The dual function bed cover of claim 9 wherein the flap is manufactured of a material that is distinct from the material of manufacture of the right and left sections.

13. The dual function bed cover of claim 9 further comprising a bed skirt attached to the flap.

14. The dual function bed cover of claim 9 wherein the flap, at its point of attachment to the bed cover, is approximately the width of the mattress.

15. The dual function bed cover of claim 1 wherein the flap, at its point of attachment to the at least one of the left and right sections, is narrower than the width of the mattress.

16. The dual function bed cover of claim 9 wherein the overlapping portions are approximately six inches wide.

17. A dual function bed cover for a bed set that comprises a mattress, the bed cover comprising a left section, a right section, and a flap, the left and right sections being separable from each other along at least a portion of their length, the flap being attached to a lower portion of at least one of the left and right sections and being, at the point of attachment, of a width approximately equal to or narrower than the width of the mattress, and said bed cover being narrower between the distal edges of the portion comprising the flap proximate the point of attachment to said bottom edge than between the distal edges of the portion comprising the left and right sections proximate said point of attachment.

18. The dual function bed cover of claim 17 wherein the flap is narrower, at the point of attachment, than the width of the mattress.

19. The dual function bed cover of claim 17 wherein the flap is attached to the bottom edge of the left and right sections.

20. The dual function bed cover of claim 17 wherein the flap is attached to the left and right sections at a distance above bottom edges of those sections that allows the left and right sections to hang over the lower edge of the mattress when the flap is tucked beneath the mattress.