Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECIFICATION
This invention relates to means for preventing
blankets from slipping off a bed onto the floor.
Twenty years ago beds were commonly sold with a
headboard and a footboard. The footboard was important
because it served to prevent blankets from slipping off the
foot of the bed onto the floor. ~oday, however, most beds
are sold without a headboard or a footboard, and, consequently,
people have more trouble with blankets and expensive comforters
slipping off the foot of the bed onto the floor during the
night. This problem with blankets slipping off is particularly
troublesome for those people who toss and turn a lot during
the night, and for those people who like to begin the night
with a couple of blankets pulled down, intending to pull
1~ the blankets up later when they need them. In the middle of
the night, feeling chilled, these people awake hoping to pull
up some blankets. Instead, they find to their dismay that
their blankets have slipped off the foot of the bed onto the
floor. Too sleepy to want to do anything about it, these
people drift back to uneasy sleep, not really feeling warm
again that night. In the mornin~ th~y wake re~ling unrested,
their bedding in disarray,
Our invention i9 a method and apparatus for restraining
one or more blankets on a bed from slipping off the foot of
2~ the bed, The method comprises fa~tening a length of elastic
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material across the foot of the bed such that the length
of elastic material maintains pressure on the blanket or
blankets.
The apparatus comprises a length of elastic material
which is stretchable across the foot of a bed, and
anchoring means attached to each end of the length of
elastic material. The anchoring means are insertable
between the box spring and the mattress of a conventional
bed and serve to hold the length of elastic material taut
across the foot of the bed by anchoring the ends of the
length of elastic material between the box spring and
the mattress of the bed. Advantageously, the anchoring
means could comprise thin plates of plastic,~6~}~ jor
other material. Preferably, the anchoring plates would
have one or more curled elements depending from them to
help prevent the anchoring plates from pulling out from
between the box spring and the mattress of the bedO
Advantageously, at least one anchoring means is releasably
attached to the length of elastic material and is movable
therealong. ~y repositioning the movable anchoring means
along the length of elastic material, the tautness of the
length o~ elastic material acro5s the ~oot Or the bed can
be ad~u~ted.
Preferably, the length o~ elastic material is
colourful and attractive.
Our method and apparatus serve to keep one or more
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blankets on a bed throughout the night by preventing the
foot of the blankets from becoming too loosened. When
blankets on a bed become very loosened at the foot, they
begin to sag downwards at the end of the bed, and soon this
weight pulls the blankets entirely onto the floor. By
contrast, our invention keeps blankets comfortably snug
at the foot. Thus as an added benefit, one's feet stay
warmer during the night. The tautness of the length of
elastic material can be adjusted to suit the width of the
-o bed and the comfort of the person.
Our invention prevents fancy bedspreads, blankets,
co~forters, and throw-ons from ending up on the floor during
the night and getting dusty. The invention also helps to
keep the sleeper warmer and more comfortable because his
blankets stay where he can easily reach for them. This
is especially important to arthritic and elderly individuals
who have a hard time getting up. People may even be able
to reduce the heat in their house at night. The invention
also helps to keep the bed from be~oming messy and untucked
during the night. Thus, in the morning, the bed is more
easy to make. If desired, a deoorative throw-on or
bedspread whioh cover~ the bed durin~ the day can be folded
neatly beneath the len~th of elastic material in the evening,
where it is held, then pulled up again the next morning.
Similarly, blankets can be neatly folded beneath the length
of elastio material, then quickly pulled up when needed
during the night. The invention is useful with any bed not
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having a footboard,
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,
Figure 1 shows a length of elastic material and,
attached to the ends thereof, two anchoring plates possessing
curled elements.
Figure 1 shows a length of elastic material 1. The
type of elastic material illustrated is elastic cord. When
stretched, the elastic cord 1 can span a queen or king size
bed, The two ends of the length of elastic cord 1 are each
attached to a plastic anchoring plate 2 The ends of the
elastic cord 1 are attached to the anchoring plates 2 by
lacing them through five or six holes 3 in the anchoring
plates 2, The elastic cord 1 cannot be pulled from the
anchoring plates 2 unless the elastic cord 1 is loosened
at its points of insertion 3 through the anchoring plates 2,
If the cord 1 is thus loosened, it is possible to move the
anchoring plates 2 along the length of elàstio cord 1 and
increase or decrease the amount of cord 1 between the two
anchoring plates 2, The anchoring plates 2 serve to hold
the length of elastic cord 1 taut across a conventional bed
consisting of a box spring and mattress, and are used by
inserting them between the bo~ spring and the mattress of
the bed, one anchoring plate 2 on each side of the bed,
The length of elastic cord 1~ thus fastened, should extend
2~ across the foot of the bed and over any blankets on the bed.
While the elastic cord 1 should travel over the blankets,
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the elastic cord 1 can be hidden under a bedspread if
desired Preferably, the anchoring plates 2 each have one
or more stiff curls 4 sticking out from them. These
curled elements 4 help to keep the anchoring plates 2 from
pulling out from between the mattress and the box spring.
The length of elastic cord 1, when in place on the bed, must
have sufficient tautness to apply light pressure to the
blankets and restrain the blankets from slipping onto the
floor. If it is desired that the elastic cord 1 be made
tauter across the bed, the anchoring plates 2 should be
removed from the bed and one or both of the anchoring
plates 2 moved inwards along the length of cord 1. This
adjustment may be necessary if the bed is a single or a
double size. However, if the bed is queen or king width,
it may be necessary to move one or both of the anchoring
plates 2 outwards along the length of elastic cord 1 to
reduce the tautness of the cord 1. The apparatu~ should
be adjusted so that there is a sufficient amount of elastic
cord 1 between the anchoring plates 2 to span the bed with
enough tautness to restrain the blankets, yet feel comfortable
to the sleeper,
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