Beds – Bedclothing – Waterproof
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-20
2001-05-22
Trettel, Michael F. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Bedclothing
Waterproof
C005S498000, C005S500000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233762
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention relates to methods and devices to prevent bed soiling. More specifically, Applicant's invention is a waterproof device removably attached to a bed to block body fluid and prevent the fluid from reaching the lower bed sheet and the mattress.
2. Background Information
It is well known certain types of stains, such as blood or urine stains, are difficult to remove. The cleaning job becomes even more difficult if the stained article is large and heavy, such as a mattress. However, bed sheets and mattresses often do become stained if the person resting on the bed is incontinent; if a child sleeping on the bed is prone to bed wetting; or, if the person is a woman, the person is menstruating. Yet it is impractical and too expensive to simply throw away a stained mattress. Further, it is also not economically practical to throw away a set of bed sheets or mattress pad covers every time they become stained.
Since it is impossible or impractical to remove stains by throwing away the bed sheets, the mattress, or the mattress pad cover, an alternate solution is to prevent the lower bed sheet or mattress from becoming stained in the first place. For example, hospitals generally prevent body fluid from reaching the mattress by simply enclosing the entire mattress in a plastic cover and foregoing the mattress pad cover. However, this plastic cover makes the bed extremely hot and uncomfortable to lie on. Further, while plastic covers may prevent mattresses from becoming stained, they do not prevent bed sheets from being stained. Therefore, while hospitals no longer have to replace stained mattresses, they often do have to replace stained sheets. Finally, the plastic covers make it very difficult for the bed sheets to stay securely tucked underneath the mattress. Thus, in addition to being hot and uncomfortable, a hospital patient often has to lie in a bed where the bed sheet covers only half the bed.
Of course, bed sheet and mattress staining do not only occur in hospitals. Children wet beds, people experience incontinence, and women menstruate—all of which may stain bed sheets and mattresses—outside of hospitals. A common way to prevent bed sheet and mattress staining at home is to simply place additional bedding material on the bed, in areas where staining is likely to occur. However, because this bedding material is not secured into place, it tends to bunch up as a person tosses and turns in his or her sleep. Further, bulky bedding material placed on top of bed sheets is uncomfortable. Thus, a person who is incontinent or is menstruating must either risk staining an expensive mattress or expensive bed sheets or endure a relatively thick layer of uncomfortable, additional bedding material in areas where staining is likely to occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel device and method that can prevent body fluid from soiling bed sheets or mattresses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that is breathable and comfortable to lie on while preventing body fluid from soiling bed sheets or mattresses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that can be secured in place while preventing body fluid from soiling bed sheets or mattresses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that only covers the area on the bed sheet or mattress that is likely to be soiled by body fluid.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that can be easily removed and replaced once it is soiled by body fluid.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that can be easily cleaned once soiled by body fluid.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device and method to prolong the sheet life of bed sheets by having to wash them less requently.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that is both decorative and able to prevent body fluid from soiling the bed sheet or mattress.
In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant's present invention provides a stain prevention apparatus that can be secured to a portion of a bed that is most likely to be stained by body fluid. This stain prevention apparatus is generally comprised of a waterproof panel, a panel anchor, and two tuck panels. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the waterproof panel is a generally rectangular bedding having an upper layer and a lower layer made of cloth, with a waterproof layer secured to and sandwiched between the upper layer and the lower layer. The waterproof panel is removably attached to a panel anchor. The panel anchor is made of cloth and is of the same general dimensions as the waterproof panel. Two tuck panels, one attached to each side of the panel anchor, are used to secure the stain prevention apparatus to the mattress.
To practice Applicant's invention, a practitioner first tucks both tuck panels underneath the mattress while making sure the area covered by the stain prevention apparatus is in the same general area where the person lying on the bed is most likely to soil the bed sheet or mattress. The waterproof panel can be attached to the panel anchor either before or after the panel tucking step. Thereafter, the person lies on the bed. After the stain prevention apparatus has been soiled, the practitioner removes the waterproof panel from the panel anchor. The waterproof panel is then washed. A replacement waterproof panel without stains can be attached to the panel anchor while the first waterproof panel is being cleaned.
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Santos Robert G.
Trettel Michael F.
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