MATTRESS INCLUDING AN INTEGRATED COVER SYSTEM

Description

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure generally relates to mattress assemblies including an integrated cover system and more particularly, to an integrated cover system including releasably attachable fitted and flat sheets.

Removable and washable bedding sheets including fitted sheets and flat sheets are often used and placed on top of and around the mattress because the mattress ticking or upholstery layer that is used to encapsulate a mattress core is typically non-removable and should be protected to prevent buildup of sweat and dirt on the mattress itself. The fitted sheets and/or flat sheets simply overlay the mattress and are easily removed. The fitted sheets often include an elastic band about a perimeter to better fit the mattress. Modern mattresses still require this. Both fitted and flat sheets have design shortcomings that keep them from being easily and permanently installed and/or removed, including fitted sheet corners slipping off and flat sheets becoming untucked during sleeper movements. Both fitted and flat sheets can be difficult to install, and these difficulties can be made more severe with taller and heavier mattresses. Mattress covers that are waterproof are also often used in addition to the external bedding sheets to prevent soiling of the mattress itself. In almost all cases, soiling from liquids, either bodily fluids or otherwise, voids the mattress warranty. Many of the existing solutions related to waterproof mattress covers prevent the mattress from functioning as designed. For example, mattress features including cooling chemistries and/or anti-microbial applications are not effective if they cannot contact the body or work through a porous, breathable material like regular sheets, so waterproof mattress covers limit those benefits.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Disclosed herein are mattress assemblies including an integrated cover sheets including fitted sheets and/or flat sheets.

In one or more embodiments, a mattress system including an integrated sheeting includes a mattress including an upholstery layer encapsulating a mattress core configured to support a sleeper during use, wherein the mattress comprises a head end, a foot end and lateral sides extending from the head end to the foot end, wherein the mattress further comprises a first engageable portion of a first fastener extending on upholstered sides along an entire perimeter of the mattress; and a fitted sheet including a second engageable portion configured to be releasably engaged with the first engageable portion of the first fastener and provide releasable attachment of the fitted sheet to the upholstered sides of the mattress.

In one or more other embodiments, the mattress system including the integrated sheeting includes a mattress including an upholstery layer encapsulating a mattress core configured to support a sleeper during use, wherein the mattress comprises a head end, a foot end and lateral sides extending from the head end to the foot end, wherein the mattress further includes a first engageable portion of a first fastener extending on upholstered sides along an entire perimeter of the mattress. A fitted sheet including a second engageable portion configured to be releasably engaged with the first engageable portion of the first fastener and provide releasable attachment of the fitted sheet to the upholstered sides of the mattress. In addition, a flat sheet including a second engageable portion is spaced apart from a terminal end of the flat sheet that corresponds to the foot end of the mattress, wherein the second engageable portion of the flat sheet is configured to be releasably engaged with the first engageable portion of the second fastener and provide releasable attachment of the flat sheet to the upholstered side of the foot end of the mattress such that the first and second fasteners are hidden by the flat sheet when attached.

In still another embodiment, the mattress system including the integrated sheeting includes a mattress including an upholstery layer encapsulating a mattress core configured to support a sleeper during use, wherein the mattress comprises a head end, a foot end and lateral sides extending from the head end to the foot end, wherein the mattress further comprises a first engageable portion of a first fastener extending on upholstered sides along an entire perimeter of the mattress; a fitted sheet including a second engageable portion configured to be releasably engaged with the first engageable portion of the first fastener and provide releasable attachment of the fitted sheet to the upholstered sides of the mattress; and a flat sheet including a second engageable portion along at least a terminal end of the flat sheet that corresponds to the foot end of the mattress, wherein the second engageable portion of the flat sheet is configured to be releasably engaged with the first engageable portion of the second fastener and provide releasable attachment of the flat sheet to the upholstered side of the foot end of the mattress.

The disclosure may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the various features of the disclosure and the examples included therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the figures wherein the like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system including a mattress with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates the end-on perspective view of the mattress system of FIG. 1 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates an end-on perspective view of the mattress system including a mattress and an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet and flat sheet in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system including a mattress with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates the end-on perspective view of the mattress system of FIG. 4 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system including a mattress with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates the end-on perspective view of the mattress system of FIG. 6 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet in accordance with this embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system including a mattress with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates the end-on perspective view of the mattress system of FIG. 8 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet in accordance with this embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged view of an exemplary fastener for the integrated and releasably attached flat sheet in the mattress system shown in FIG. 9 in accordance with this embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are mattress systems including removable and washable integrated sheeting. The mattress system includes a mattress and releasably attached and integrated sheeting. The releasably attached sheeting can include fitted sheets or the combination of fitted sheets and flat sheets that are releasably attached to the mattress with one or more fasteners. The fasteners are not intended to be limited. Exemplary fasteners include, but are not limited to, zippers, buttons and button-holes, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, or the like to permit attachment and detachment of the integrated fitted sheet or integrated fitted sheet and flat sheet to the mattress. As will be described in greater detail below, the mattress ticking, i.e., the outer upholstery layer encapsulating the mattress core, is functionalized with one engageable portion of a releasable fastener. The integrated fitted sheet or integrated fitted sheet are functionalized with the other engageable portion of the releasable fastener such that the fitted sheet or flat sheet can be releasably attached to the mattress. In this manner, the fastened fitted sheet and/or flat sheet cannot unintentionally slip off the mattress once attached yet provides ease in removing the fitted sheet and/or flat sheet when desired, such as may be desired for washing, or when replacing the fixed sheet and/or flat sheet with a new fixed sheet and/or flat sheet.

The mattress system is integrated into the mattress as sold at retail and differs from existing systems in that the fitted and/or flat sheets are not an accessory but rather are integral component to the construction of the mattress as sold. The fastener can be configured to provide separate attachments for the “fitted sheet” portion and/or the “flat sheet” portion of the mattress, allowing both or either to be removed separately or together as may be desired for different applications. The releasably attachable fitted and/or flat sheets of the mattress system would be interchangeable with other sheets or sheet sets designed to work with the fastener system used in the mattress, allowing consumers to customize their mattress for either performance or appearance.

As used herein, the term “fitted sheet” generally refers to a fabric sheet that is configured to have shape complimentary to the mattress, e.g., a shape that generally covers the top mattress surface and at least a portion of the side surfaces of the mattress. In the past, the fitted sheet generally included an elasticized edge to secure the fitted sheet to the mattress, which was not secure and prone to slippage. The fitted sheet is designed to snugly fit around the mattress. In the present disclosure, the elasticized edge is optional.

The term “flat sheet” generally refers to the sheet used on top of the bed as a thin cover, which typically overlays the fitted sheet and is designed to form a pocket in which the sleeper is positioned into during use. A blanket, quilt, or comforter often overlies the flat sheet so that the flat sheet not only keeps the mattress clean but also the blanket, quilt, or comforter clean.

For the purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom”, “left,” and “right,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the described structures, as they are oriented in the drawing figures. The same numbers in the various figures can refer to the same structural component or part thereof.

Additionally, the articles “a” and “an” preceding an element or component are intended to be nonrestrictive regarding the number of instances (i.e. occurrences) of the element or component. Therefore, “a” or “an” should be read to include one or at least one, and the singular word form of the element or component also includes the plural unless the number is obviously meant to be singular.

Spatially relative terms, e.g., “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, can be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures.

The following definitions and abbreviations are to be used for the interpretation of the claims and the specification. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” “contains” or “containing,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a composition, a mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but can include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus.

As used herein, the term “about” modifying the quantity of an ingredient, component, or reactant of the invention employed refers to variation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, through typical measuring and liquid handling procedures used for making concentrates or solutions. Furthermore, variation can occur from inadvertent error in measuring procedures, differences in the manufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients employed to make the compositions or carry out the methods, and the like.

It will also be understood that when an element, such as a layer, region, or substrate is referred to as being “on” or “over” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements can also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” or “directly over” another element, there are no intervening elements present, and the element is in contact with another element.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is depicted a mattress system 10 including a mattress 12 with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet 14 (shown more clearly in FIG. 1) and an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 16 (shown more clearly in FIG. 2). The mattress 12 is generally rectangular shaped and includes a head end (H), a foot end (F), and lateral sides S1, S2 extending from the head end (H) to the foot end (F). The mattress 12 further includes a ticking layer, i.e., an upholstery layer 20, encapsulating a mattress core (not shown), which is not intended to be limited and can be formed of one or more foam layers, coil springs, pocketed coil springs, one or more air bladders, and combinations thereof. The integrated fitted sheet 14 is releasably attached to the upholstery layer 20 along each of the upholstered sides 22 of the mattress, i.e., about the entire perimeter of the mattress 12, which is often referred to as a border panel. The upholstery layer 20 along the upholstered sides can include an engageable first fastener that is reliably fastened to the fitted sheet 14 as indicated by the dashed lines 24, wherein the illustrated attachment location is at about 70 percent of the height of the upholstered side 22 relative to ground. However, it should be noted that the attachment location height can vary up to about the entire height of the upholstered sides 22.

The integrated flat sheet 16 is releasably attached below the first fastener as indicated by dashed lines 24 using a second fastener as indicated by dashed lines 26. As shown, the second fastener (i.e., dashed lines 26) for releasable attachment of the flat sheet 16 is at the foot end and extends from the foot end (F) along a fraction of the lateral sides S1, S2 of the mattress 12. The second fastener of the illustrated integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 16 is spaced apart from the first fastener for releasable attachment of the fitted sheet 14 and, as illustrated, is at about 30 percent of the height of the upholstered side 22 relative to ground. However, as previously noted, the vertical attachment height of the first and/or second fastener as well as the spacing for non-continuous fasteners such as buttons/buttonholes are not intended to be limited

The upholstered side 22 can be manufactured to include a releasably engageable fastener portion that can engage a complementary engageable fastener portion provided on the fitted sheet 14 and flat sheet 16. As previously discussed, the releasable fastener is not intended to be limited and can include buttons, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, zippers, and the like so as to provide releasable engagement. Moreover, the particular releasable fastener can provide discrete points of releasable attachments such as with the use of buttons, snaps, and like releasable fasteners, or can provide continuous releasable attachment such as by hook and loop fasteners, zippers and the like. It should also be noted that the releasable fastener 24, 26 for releasable attachment of the fitted sheet 14 and the flat sheet 16 to the mattress 12 can utilize the same releasable fastener or the mattress 12 releasably attached to the fitted sheet 14 can have a different releasable fastener than the mattress 12 releasably attached to the flat sheet 16.

In one or more other embodiments, the mattress system 10 includes a mattress configured to be releasably attached only by the fitted sheet, wherein in this embodiment, a conventional flat sheet that is not releasably attached with fasteners to the mattress would be utilized.

The integrated flat sheet 16 can be releasably attached to the upholstery layer at the foot end and/or a portion of the lateral sides S1, S2 of the mattress at a location below the releasable attachment of the fitted sheet. In one or more embodiments, the flat sheet 16 is releasably attached to the foot end. In other embodiments, the flat sheet is releasably attached to the foot end and at least a portion of the lateral sides S1, S2.

FIG. 3 illustrates an end-on perspective view of the mattress system 30 including a mattress 32 and an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet 34 and an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 36 in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the mattress 32 and the integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet 34 are releasably attached with a first fastener at dashed line 37 to each other as previously described to an upholstered side 38 about an entire perimeter of the mattress 32. However, the mattress 32 and the integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 36 are releasably attached at only the foot end (F) by a second fastener as indicated by dashed line 30.

FIG. 4 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system 40 including a mattress 42 with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet 44 about a perimeter of the mattress 42 by a first fastener on upholstered layer 48 as indicated by dashed lines 46 provided in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 5, there is depicted the mattress 42 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 49 releasably attached by a first fastener as indicated by dashed line 50 to each other as previously described to the upholstered side 48 at the foot end (F) and extending partly along the lateral sides S1, S2 of the mattress 32. As shown, the points of releasable attachments 46, 50 for the fitted sheet 44 and flat sheet 49, respectively, are in a stacked relationship with minimal spacing therebetween. In one or more embodiments, the second fastener 50 is below the first fastener 46 and spaced apart from the first fastener by a distance of less than 2 inches. In other embodiments, the spacing between the fit and second fasteners is less than 1 inch.

FIG. 6 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system 60 including a mattress 62 with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet 64 about a perimeter of the mattress 62 using a first fastener as shown by dashed lines 66 provided on upholstered layer 68 in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 7, there is depicted the mattress 62 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 70 releasably attached using a second fastener as indicated at dashed line 72 to each other as previously described to the upholstered side 68 at the foot end (F) and along each of the lateral sides S1, S2 of the mattress 32. As shown, the points of releasable attachments 66, 72 for the fitted sheet 64 and flat sheet 70, respectively, are in a stacked relationship with minimal spacing therebetween.

FIG. 8 illustrates an end-on perspective view of a mattress system 80 including a mattress 82 with an integrated and releasably attached fitted sheet 84 about a perimeter of the mattress 82 with a first fastener as shown by dashed lines 86 provided on upholstered layer 88 in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIG. 9, there is depicted the mattress 82 further including an integrated and releasably attached flat sheet 90 releasably attached with a second fastener as indicated at dashed line 92 to each other to the upholstered side 88 at the foot end (F) and along each of the lateral sides S1, S2 of the mattress 82. The points of releasable attachments, i.e., first and second fasteners 86, 92, respectively, for the fitted sheet 84 and flat sheet 90, respectively, are in a stacked relationship with minimal spacing therebetween. Regarding the releasable attachment of the flat sheet 90, the second fastener can be limited to the foot end (F) or a combination of the foot end (F) and a portion of the sides S1, S2. As shown more clearly in FIG. 9, the second fastener as indicated at dashed line 92 is configured to be hidden by the integrated and releasably attached flat sheet upon attachment as shown. The flat sheet 90 can be fabricated so that the fastener is spaced apart from a terminal foot end of the flat sheet 90 by a distance effective to at least hide the second fastener from view upon releasable attachment. FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged view of an exemplary button and button-hole fastener 24, 26, 37, 39, 46, 50, 66, 72, 86, 92 for the integrated and releasably attached flat sheet in the mattress system shown in FIG. 9 in accordance with this embodiment of the present disclosure.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.