Beds – Bedclothing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-12
2002-01-29
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Bedclothing
C005S486000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06341396
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bed coverings and more particularly pertains to a new variable coverage bed covering for permitting a pair of occupants of a bed to individually adjust the position of a bed covering according to the body temperature of the occupant without affecting the coverage of the other occupant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Occupants of the same bed often have different thermal needs from a bed covering (such as a blanket or a bed sheet) installed on the bed. One occupant often feels warmer than the other occupant, and the warmer occupant often attempts to turn down the portion of the bed covering directly overlying the warmer occupant, but often this action will remove a portion of the bed covering overlying the cooler occupant, especially if the occupants are lying in close proximity to each other, such as on a relatively narrow width bed.
The use of bed coverings that have been modified in an attempt to address this problem is known in the prior art. Known attempts at solving this problem have typically included some variation of two separate bed covering elements removably connected together at a location corresponding to a middle location on the bed so that one of the elements might be removed or adjusted separately of the other element. However, the separate elements always have the possibility of unintentionally becoming separated. Further, the known bed coverings have generally been bulky and relatively difficult to connect and disconnect, especially s one is lying in the bed during the night. Further, the known bed coverings are prone to being unintentionally removed from a tucked condition with respect to the mattress of the bed while each of the occupants is attempting to arrange the portions of the bed coverings to their liking.
In these respects, the variable coverage bed covering according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting a pair of occupants of a bed to individually adjust the position of a bed covering according to the body temperature of the occupant without affecting the coverage of the other occupant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bed coverings now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new variable coverage bed covering construction wherein the same can be utilized for permitting a pair of occupants of a bed to individually adjust the position of a bed covering according to the body temperature of the occupant without affecting the coverage of the other occupant.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new variable coverage bed covering apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the bed coverings mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new variable coverage bed covering which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art bed coverings, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a bed covering for covering a portion of a bed, and includes a flexible panel having a perimeter defined by a top edge, a bottom edge, and first and second side edges. A slit is formed in the flexible panel and the slit extends from the top edge toward the bottom edge. The slit extends substantially perpendicular to the top edge. The slit defines a first portion between the slit and the first side edge and a second portion between the slit and the second side edge. The slit is defined by a first free edge on the first portion and a second free edge on the second portion. A fastening structure is mounted on the panel for releasably securing the first free edge to the second portion and the second free edge to the first portion, and the fastening structure may comprise a plurality of releasable fastening components. The panel may have a substantially trapezoidal perimeter shape, with the first and second side edges converging toward the bottom edge and diverging toward the top edge. The panel may form a pair of corner pockets for securing a bottom portion of the panel to a mattress, one of the corner pockets being located at each junction of the bottom edge and one of the side edges defining a pocket for receiving a corner of a mattress.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new variable coverage bed covering apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the bed coverings mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new variable coverage bed covering which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art bed coverings, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new variable coverage bed covering which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new variable coverage bed covering which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new variable coverage bed covering which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such variable coverage bed covering economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new variable coverage bed covering which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new variable coverage bed covering for permitting a pair of occupants of a bed to individually adjust the position of a bed covering according to th
Browne Lynne H.
Conley Fredrick
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