Beds – Bedclothing – One section being adjustable or having characteristics which...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-28
2004-03-02
Santos, Robert G. (Department: 3673)
Beds
Bedclothing
One section being adjustable or having characteristics which...
C005S482000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06698043
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a bed covering for more than one user and more particularly to a bed covering capable of providing different warmth characteristics to the users.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
One of the problems with sharing a bed with another person is that the two people seldom desire the same warmth characteristics. Oftentimes there is a subconscious battle over the amount of coverage by the bed covering, or “blanket snatching”, as one or both people desire more or less warmth during sleeping.
Many attempts and/or designs have been provided to try and overcome this problem. For example, dual controlled electric blankets are well known in the art, which allow for the users to adjust the amount of heating of their blanket on their side of the bed. However, these blankets can be quite costly and do not allow for one of the users to rapidly cool down should they become too hot during the night.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,728 to Roberts, U.S. Pat. No. 3,072,776 to Quenneville, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,814 to Alexander are directed to bed coverings which are split partway down the a center portion to allow one of the users to remove a portion of the covering from their body during the night should they become overheated. However, each of these previously patented coverings have several disadvantages. For example, each of these coverings require complicated connecting means for the joining the two halves of the sheets. Thus, should one become overheated during the night, they would have to completely wake up in order to unfasten the connecting means and possibly disturb the other user. Also, the coverings disclosed in these patents do not allow for such covering to be completely removed, such as at the feet portion, from one or both of the users. Furthermore, since the coverings are not split the entire length of the bed, the users are not able readily adjust the amount of overlap or coverage thereof without disturbing the other user. Note specifically the patent to Roberts which does not allow for a sufficient amount of overlap of the two halves to ensure sufficient coverage of the users. The coverings in the patents to Quenneville and Alexander are designed so that only one of the users may remove a portion of their covering without disturbing the other user.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a bed covering which allows for different warmth characteristics for the users, including complete removal of the covering therefrom, and which coverage may readily be adjusted for one or both of the users during the night without disturbance to the other user.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a bed covering which is split so as to allow the users in the bed to have their own amount of covering or level of warmth available when desired.
Another object of the invention is to provide a split bed covering which has a sufficient amount of overlap so that each user has enough covering during shifting throughout the night.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a split bed covering which is split the entire length of the top portion of the mattress so that a user may readily adjust the amount of overlap by grasping a top portion of the covering and moving it closer or farther away from the edge of a mattress.
A further object of the invention is to provide a split bed covering which allows for complete removal of the covering from one or both occupants, including the feet portion of the users.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a split bed covering which may be adjusted during the night without disturbance to the other user.
In addition to the objectives and advantages listed above, various other objectives and advantages of the split bed covering disclosed herein will become more readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art from a reading of the detailed description section of this document. The other objective and advantages will become particularly apparent when the detailed description is considered along with the drawing and claims presented herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, and in accordance with the forgoing objects a split bed covering is provided for more than one user which is capable of providing different warmth characteristics to each of the users. The covering comprises a first sheet having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an inner edge portion. The covering also includes a second sheet having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an inner edge portion. An overlapping portion is formed by the inner edge portions of the first and second sheets. These inner edge portions are capable of being interchangeably positioned one on top of the other. A joining means is provided for joining the overlapping portions at the bottom portion of the first sheet and the bottom portion of the second sheet to form a joined portion. This joined portion has a predetermined length which allows for complete removal of one of the first and/or second sheets from at least one of the users.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1267042 (1918-05-01), Arnold
patent: 1885558 (1932-11-01), Smith
patent: 2689961 (1954-09-01), Lieberthal
patent: 2730728 (1956-01-01), Roberts
patent: 3072776 (1963-01-01), Quenneville
patent: 3331088 (1967-07-01), Marquette
patent: 3508284 (1970-04-01), Marquette
patent: 3530516 (1970-09-01), Marquette
patent: 4005499 (1977-02-01), Klein
patent: 4069526 (1978-01-01), Deikel
patent: 4573227 (1986-03-01), Prandina
patent: 4802251 (1989-02-01), O'Dell
patent: 5023969 (1991-06-01), Nattrass
patent: 5201086 (1993-04-01), Decker et al.
patent: 5287573 (1994-02-01), Ritacco
patent: 5943717 (1999-08-01), Alexander
patent: 6226814 (2001-05-01), Alexander
patent: 6311347 (2001-11-01), Limardi et al.
patent: 6341396 (2002-01-01), Carapezza
patent: 2003/0121100 (2003-07-01), Fabian
patent: 2569096 (1986-02-01), None
James Ray & Associates
Santos Robert G.
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