Beds – Bedclothing – Sheet
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-12
2003-11-25
Santos, Robert G. (Department: 3673)
Beds
Bedclothing
Sheet
C005S484000, C005S923000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06651278
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a set of bed sheets that are constructed to be used in combination with each other to facilitate ease of applying the sheets to bedding.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are numerous combinations of bed sheets designed to provide a quick and easy way to change bed linen. Also, numerous bed sheet designs result in a tight, neat, and wrinkle free fitting of the bed sheets about the mattress of the bed.
With the aging of the population, there is an increasing number of people, both in institutions and at home, who spend much of their time bedridden. The beds are used for night-time sleeping and for normal activities while the person is awake. Certain requirements of the bed linen necessary during sleeping periods may be uncomfortable for longer periods of normal activity. For example, it may be necessary to provide sheets with water proof properties during the night. However, these water proof sheets do not provide good air flow through the fabric and become hot and uncomfortable should the individual be confined to the bed during the day.
Current bed linens require the mattress to be removed or placed at such an angle so as to allow placement of linens around the mattress. These people and their care givers are not disposed, physically or financially, to completely change the bed linen to fit the changing activities during a day.
Alternatively the bed linens may include elastic material that allow for securement around the edges of the mattress. Elastic material can be troublesome to apply. If the elastic is too tight, the linens will be most difficult to secure. If the elastic material is too loose, the linens will become loose making the bedding area uneven and uncomfortable. Further, elastic will lose its resiliency after frequent washing resulting in premature replacement of the linen.
The problem is not limited to large mattress, even small mattresses such as those found in infant cribs are problematic. Infant mattresses found in a crib may have unique problems in that the mattresses is cornered in the four wall of the crib. Small children can also be difficult on a linens for they are very active in their sleep making the use of elastic for holding of the sheets, impractical.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,530 issued Feb. 11, 1992 to Blake teaches a set of bed linen having a top panel that is moisture proof and a bottom panel fitted about a mattress. The top and bottom panels have cooperating fasteners that allow the top panel to be removed and replaced from the mattress without disturbing the bottom panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,677 issued May 30, 2000 to Reen et al teaches a bed sheet in the form of a pouch with an open mouth. The pouch encloses a mattress. The sheet has a flap which is folded to close the open mouth. The sheet and the flap have cooperating fasteners to hold the flap in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,617 issued Dec. 30, 1997 to Colby teaches a bottom bed sheet folded about a mattress. The bed sheet has two end portions of water permeable textile attached on opposite sides of a moisture resistant center portion. The moisture resistant portion has a textile portion superposed and fastened to the water resistant portion. The fasteners are releasable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,565 issued May 8, 1990 to Blake teaches a crib sheet combination having upper and lower panels. The lower panel is disposed upon the mattress with the edges folded about the mattress. The upper panel is moisture proof and is attached to the lower panel by releasable fasteners allowing the upper panel to be removed when soiled.
What is needed in the art is a bed sheet combination with a minor portion that can be easily and quickly configured for safety and sanitation during periods of sleep and maximum comfort during waking hours.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A bed sheet set for increasing comfort and protection of bedding having air permeable upper and lower panels. The lower panel encompasses the lower portion of a mattress and has a fastener for releasably securing the superposed upper panel. The upper panel has another fastener that releasably secures a minor liquid proof panel. The minor portion can be secured in place during sleep periods or periods of inactivity and selectively removed to increase air flow and comfort. When soiled, only the minor portion need be removed to extend the time between changing and laundering the entire bed sheet set.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to teach the use of a set of bed sheets that provide discretionary protection from liquid discharge and reduce the number of bedding changes and laundry work load.
It is a further objective of the instant invention to teach the use of a set of bed sheets which may be used in a protective mode or a comfort mode.
It is yet another objective of the instant invention to teach the use of a set of bed sheets with a lower air permeable panel for securement to a mattress, an upper air permeable panel releasably fastened to the lower panel and a less air permeable smaller panel releasably attached to the upper panel so that the smaller panel, only, need be removed to increase air flow through the set and/or remove discharges.
It is a further objective of the invention to teach the use of a pillow-case lower panel with an elasticized edge and a Velcro fastener to secure the mattress inside the lower panel.
It is a still further objective of the invention to teach the discretionary removal of the smaller panel or the upper panel or both without removal of the lower panel.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
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Downey P.A. Robert M.
Santos Robert G.
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