PARTIAL FITTED SHEET

Abstract

A method for covering an end of a mattress is provided. The method includes the step of providing a partial fitted sheet comprising a front panel and a back panel opposite the front panel, each panel including a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, and a left edge. The top edges, the bottom edges, the right edges, and the left edges of the front panel and the back panel are connected, and the bottom edges remain separated to form an opening. The method further includes the steps of receiving an end of the mattress through the opening; positioning the end of the mattress near the top edges of the front and back panels of the partial fitted sheet; and pulling the bottom edges of the partial fitted sheet along the mattress away from the top edges.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/298,449 filed Jan. 11, 2022.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter relates generally to a bedsheet material and a method of using the bedsheet material. More specifically, the present invention relates to a partial fitted sheet that fits about an end of the mattress, typically over a conventional fitted sheet, and is easily removable for frequent washing.

People typically sleep on their bedsheets between several nights and a few weeks before cleaning their sheets. Washing bedsheets requires removing a comforter or other outer layer of bedding, stripping the sheet set including a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, and pillowcases, washing and drying the sheet set, and fitting the sheet set back onto the mattress and pillows. The act of changing bedsheets is time-consuming, and must be completed within a short window in order to have the bed ready for the next sleep. Further, the person who makes the bed must again struggle against the fitted sheet to have it properly situated on a mattress.

In some situations, sheets can become soiled quickly through the use of overnight hair and facial products, requiring more frequent changing and washing compared to others. In some cases, a patient's medical needs or setup may require frequent sheet changing. Frequently stripping the bed and washing the full sheet set wastes the consumer's time as well as environmental resources, such as water and energy. Maintaining fresh sheets for these populations requires an unnecessary time, planning, and many loads of laundry.

The solutions available for frequent changing of a bed without struggling with a fitted sheet are limited. Some consumers keep multiple sets of sheets and rotate them as needed. Regardless of method, a number of inconveniences and frustration exist, such as lack closet space for multiple complete sets of bed sheets.

Accordingly, there is a need for a fitted sheet that is conveniently changed and washed, as described herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To meet the needs described above and others, the present disclosure provides a partial fitted sheet that is a convenient solution over previous bedsheet products that fail to serve customers whose lifestyle and needs require frequent sheet washing. The partial fitted sheet described herein may be used in conjunction with a standard sheet set, such that the partial fitted sheet is positioned on top of a flat sheet on a mattress. The user can then remove and wash the partial fitted sheet alone rather than the whole sheet set, or swap out a first partial fitted sheet for another partial fitted sheet. Use of the partial fitted sheet reduces the frequency of washing the full sheet set.

The present disclosure provides a partial fitted sheet that can be used in conjunction with a conventional bedsheet set and is easily removable from the bed. In one embodiment, the partial fitted sheet includes front and back opposing panels, each panel having a rectangular or nearly rectangular shape with top and bottom opposing edges and right and left opposing edges. The front and back panels are secured together along the top edges, the right edges, and the left edges thereof, while the bottom edges of the front and back panels remained separated to form an opening through which the partial fitted sheet receives the mattress. In some embodiments, an elastic band is positioned within a hem along the opening to secure the partial fitted sheet in place around the mattress during use.

In an alternative embodiment, the partial fitted sheet includes front and back opposing planar panels connected along a central panel. The central panel may include right and left opposing side panels and a top side panel spanning the right and left panels secured together. More specifically, upper edges of the right and left side panels are secured to opposing ends of the top edge, and upper edges of the front and back panels are secured to the sides of the top edge. The edges and panels join together at first and second corners that correspond to first and second corners of an end of a mattress. The first and second corners are formed at a first juncture of the top and left edges of the front and back panel and a second juncture of the top and right edges of the front and back panel. Bottom edges of the front panel, back panel, and the right and left side panels form an opening through which the partial fitted sheet receives the mattress. In other embodiments, the central panel is a single length of material instead of right and left side panels connected to a top side panel.

In some embodiments, a fastening member such as an elastic band, tie with a cinch, Velcro, hooks, snaps, clips, additional fabric, or combination thereof may be attached around the opening of the partial fitted sheet to secure the partial fitted sheet to the mattress. In yet other embodiments, the fastening member is positioned within a hem along the opening to pull the partial fitted sheet toward the mattress.

In some embodiments, the front and back opposing panels have a length that is approximately 25% of the length of the bed mattress, although the length may range between 20% and 50% of the mattress length.

In some embodiments, the front panel and the back panel are comprised of a textile such as satin, wool, cotton, bamboo, synthetic fiber, or a combination thereof.

The partial fitted bed sheet described herein may come in any dimension that fits a standard or non-standard mattress size. For example, the front, back, and top panels of the partial fitted sheet may have a width of about 38 in., 53 in., 60 in., or 72-76 in. for a twin, extra-long twin, full, queen, king, or California king size mattress, respectively. The length of the front, back, right, and left sides may be between about 20% and about 50% of the length of the mattress.

While the partial fitted sheet includes the features described herein, a variety of other features may be incorporated in addition to or in lieu of the components outlined above.

The present disclosure also includes methods for covering the mattress with the partial fitted sheet. In a first step, the partial sheet is provided. In one embodiment, the partial fitted sheet includes front and back opposing panels, each panel including a top, bottom, right, and left edge, and each of the top, right, and left edges being connected. The bottom edges of the front and back panels remain separated to form an opening. In the second step, the partial fitted sheet receives an end of the mattress through the opening.

An object of the invention is to provide an easy-to-use bedsheet on a mattress that does not slip off a mattress while sleeping but is easily removable for frequent washing.

A further advantage of the invention is that it prevents overheating of the user and does not restrict sleeping positions of the user.

Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the concepts may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present concepts, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the partial fitted sheet of the present application in use.

FIG. 2 is a front isometric view from the left side of the partial fitted sheet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front isometric view from the right side of the partial fitted sheet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear isometric view from the left side of the partial fitted sheet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the partial fitted sheet of the present application without placement on a mattress.

FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment of the partial fitted sheet of the present application.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the method of covering a mattress with a partial fitted sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a partial fitted sheet 100 as shown on a mattress 102. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the partial fitted sheet 100 includes a front panel 104 and a back panel 106 opposite thereof, each panel 104, 106 having a rectangular or nearly rectangular shape with top edges 108a, 108b, bottom edges 110a, 110b, right edges 112a, 112b, and left edges 114a, 114b. The front and back panels 104, 106 are secured together along the right edges 112a, 112b, the top edges 108a, 108b, and the left edges 114a, 114b thereof, forming first and second corners 116a, 116b at first and second junctures of where the top edges 108 joined the right edge 112 and the left edge 114, respectively. The bottom edges 110a, 110b of the respective front and back panels 104, 106 remain separated to form an opening 118 through which the partial fitted sheet 100 receives an end of the mattress 102.

A fastening member such as an elastic band 120 may be positioned within a hem along the opening 118 that surrounds the circumference of the mattress 102 and maintains the position of the partial fitted sheet 100 during use. In other embodiments, the fastening member may be a drawstring tie with a cinch or other securement means, Velcro, hooks, snaps, clips, extended fabric sewn along the open end to serve as a tie or tie/loop connection, additional fabric, or any combination thereof and may be included along the opening 118.

In another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the partial fitted sheet 200 includes the front and back panels 204, 206 connected along the right side, top, and left side edges thereof via a central panel 205. As shown in FIG. 6, the central panel 205 may comprise a single length of material that extends along the right side edges 212a, 212b, top edges 208a, 208b, and left side edges 214a, 214b of the front and back panels 204, 206. The central panel has a length equal to a combined length the right edge 212, the top edge 208, and the left edge 114 of each panel 204, 206 and a width equal to the depth D of the mattress 102. In other embodiments, the central panel 205 includes a right central panel, a top central panel, and a left central panel spanning the right edges, the top edges, and the left edges, respectively, of the front and back panels 204, 206.

In a still further embodiment, the back panel 106, 206 of the partial fitted sheet 100, 200 includes one or more fasteners along the right, top, and left edges that that connect to the right, top, and left edges of the front panel 104, 204. In this embodiment, the back panel 106, 206 are connectable along the right, top, and left edges through a zipper, a plurality of spaced elastic bands and hooks, a plurality of hook and loop fasteners, or any other means. During use, the user positions the partial fitted sheet 100, 200 about the end of the mattress before resting on the mattress. When the partial fitted sheet 100, 200 needs to be washed, the user can simply disconnect the front panel 104, 204 from the back panel 106, 206 along the right, top, and left edges and wash only the front panel 104, 204. Once cleaned, the user then positions the front panel 104, 204 on the end of the mattress 102 above the back panel 106, 206 and connect the front panel 104, 204 to the back panel 106, 206 using the fasteners prior to using again.

The partial fitted sheets 100, 200 fit about an end of a twin size mattress and has a length L of approximately 26 in. and a width W of approximately 44 in., with a length along the right and left edges of approximately 22 in. and a width along the top edge of approximately 31 in. In other embodiments, dimensions of the partial fitted sheet 100, 200 vary to accommodate different sized mattress, including standard twin, extra-long twin, full, queen, king, or California king mattresses, as well as non-standard and/or customized mattress sizes.

The width W between the first and second corners 116a, 116b corresponds to the width between the uppermost corners of a standard mattress size, including twin, extra-long twin, full, queen, king, and California king size mattresses. For example, the partial fitted sheet 100 may have a width W of about 38 in., 53 in., 60 in., or 72-76 in. for a twin, extra-long twin, full, queen, king, or California king size mattress, respectively. The dimensions of the partial fitted sheet 100 may also include a range of widths to fit any non-standard or customized size mattress 102.

The front and back panels 104, 106 have a length L that is approximately 25% of the length of the bed mattress, although the length L may range between 20% and 50% of the bed mattress length. In some embodiments, the length L may be between about 35 in. and 60 in. In some embodiments, the front panel and the back panel have dimensions that are approximately the same, whereas in other embodiments, the front panel and the back panel have different dimensions such as length. The dimensions of the partial fitted sheet 100 also accommodates a wide range of depths D (see FIGS. 2 and 3) for a mattress 102, including standard and non-standard mattress depths.

It is understood that the dimensions are exemplary only and do not limit the scope of any claims herein, except as may be recited thereby, together with equivalents thereof. The dimensions may vary depending during the manufacturing process or as otherwise desired. Other attachment mechanisms may be utilized as needed.

The partial fitted sheet 100 may be made of any suitable material including but not limited to satin, wool, cotton, bamboo, synthetic fiber, or a combination thereof. Other components, such as a pillowcase, a pillow, a pocket along the side, a pocket adjacent to the pillow, etc., may also be attached to or formed integrally with the partial fitted sheet 100.

FIG. 7 provides a method 300 to covering an end of a mattress 102 with a partial fitted sheet 100, 200. In the first step 302, a partial fitted sheet 100, 200 as described above is provided. In the second step 304, the partial fitted sheet 100 is positioned about the end of the mattress 102 by feeding the mattress 102 through the opening 118, 218 of the partial fitted sheet 100, 200. In step 306, first and second corners of the end of the mattress are positioned in first and second corners 116a, 116b of the partial fitted sheet 100, 200. In step 308, the user pulls the bottom edges 110, 210 of the partial fitted sheet 100, 200 along the mattress 102 away from the top edges 108, 208 in order to smooth out the sheet 100, 200. Finally, in step 310, a user rests or sleeps on the mattress such that the user's head is positioned above the partial fitted sheet 100, 200.

In an alternative embodiment, the partial fitted sheet 100 can be positioned on the bottom of a mattress 102 such that the front panel 102 of the partial fitted sheet 100 is under a user's legs and feet.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.

Claims

1. A method for covering an end of a mattress, the method comprising:

providing a partial fitted sheet comprising: a front panel and a back panel opposite the front panel, each panel including a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, and a left edge; wherein the top edges, the bottom edges, the right edges, and the left edges of the front panel and the back panel are connected; wherein the bottom edges of the front panel and the back panel remain separated to form an opening; and

receiving an end of the mattress through the opening;

positioning the end of the mattress near the top edges of the front and back panels of the partial fitted sheet; and

pulling the bottom edges of the partial fitted sheet along the mattress away from the top edges.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial fitted sheet further comprises a central panel spanning each pair of the top edges, the right edges, and the left edges of the front panel and the back panel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein first and second corners are formed at a first juncture of the top and left edges of the front panel and the back panel and a second juncture of the top and right edges of the front panel and the back panel, the first and second corners being dimensioned to fit about corresponding corners of the end of the mattress.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mattress comprises one of a twin size mattress, an extra-long twin size mattress, a full size mattress, a queen size mattress, a king size mattress, a California king size mattress, and a customized sized mattress.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial fitted sheet further comprising a fastening member at the opening, wherein the fastening member attaches the partial fitted sheet to the mattress.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fastening member comprises an elastic band, a tie with a cinch, Velcro, hooks, snaps, clips, additional fabric, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the front panel has a length of approximately 20% to 50% of the mattress.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the back panel have approximately the same dimensions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the front panel and the back panel are comprised of a textile selected from the group of satin, wool, cotton, bamboo, synthetic fiber, or a combination thereof.