Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"Mattress with removable cover"
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mattresses, in particular a mattress with a
cover.
Background of the Invention
In order to protect conventional mattresses from soiling, a plastic lining or
protector is usually positioned over a sleeping surface of the mattress,
beneath any bed
linen. This configuration is both uncomfortable and inconvenient as the
plastic
protector tends to shift under the pressure of a person's body weight.
Such a configuration is of an even greater disadvantage in the care of
infants,
bed-ridden or elderly people, as upon soiling of the bed linen and mattress,
the
person/infant has to be lifted, the soiled linen removed and fresh linen
replaced on the
bed. Such a task is time consuming and laborious, and often proves to be
highly
inconvenient not only for the bed-ridden person/infant, but also for the carer
such as,
for example, a parent or nurse.
Additionally, where no plastic protector is used, dust and dust mites tend to
filter
through the mattress (usually made out of some breathable material such as
cotton)
directly onto the face of the sleeping person/infant. This is particularly
problematic for
elderly people, infants, and people with respiratory problems such as
asthmatics.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like
which
has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of
providing a
context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that
any or all of
these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge
in the
field relevant to the present invention as it existed in Australia before the
priority date
of each claim of this application.
Summary of the Invention
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a mattress with a cover,
said
mattress having a first sleeping surface and a second sleeping surface and
said cover
comprising a first removable portion for covering the first sleeping surface,
a second
removable portion for covering the second sleeping surface and a third portion
positioned around the lateral periphery of the mattress for removably
attaching said
first and second removable portions of the mattress cover to the mattress.
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Preferably, the third portion is sewn onto the mattress. However, the third
portion may be fixed to the mattress by means of studs, hooks, adhesive or by
any other
means capable of fixing the third portion to the mattress.
Preferably, the third portion comprises one half of a first closure member
that is
fixable to the complementary half of the first closure member attached to the
first
removable portion of the mattress cover and further comprises one half of a
second
closure member that is fixable to the complementary half of the second closure
member
attached to the second removable portion of the mattress cover. Most
preferably, the
first and second closure members are zips. Preferably, the third portion
extends
continuously around the periphery of the mattress.
Preferably also, the first removable portion and the second removable portion
are interchangeable so that the first removable portion is attachable to the
mattress for
covering the second sleeping surface and the second removable portion is
attachable to
the mattress for covering the first sleeping surface.
Preferably, the third portion is of a width that is less than a thickness of
the
mattress. As such, the first closure member attached to the first removable
portion is
positioned at a distance from the edge of the first sleeping surface and the
second
closure member attached to the second removable portion is positioned at a
distance
from the edge of the second sleeping surface. When the mattress is weighted,
such
positioning of the closure members on the mattress reduces the force that is
directly
applied to the region at which the first removable portion and second
removable portion
of the cover are attached to the mattress. This therefore allows the mattress
with cover
to withstand higher loads.
Preferably, the third portion is manufactured from a permeable material. This
allows the mattress to "breathe" (i.e., allows the expulsion of dust and dust
mites which
are not able to filter through the first and second sleeping surfaces of the
mattress that
are lined with an impermeable material). Most preferably, the third portion
comprises
at least one ventilation port. Such a ventilation port also aids in the
expulsion of dust
and dust mites laterally of the mattress.
It is expected that such a mattress with cover would be applicable for use
with
conventional adult-sized mattresses, infant-sized mattresses and any other
mattress
such as, for example, pet mattresses.
Preferably, said first and second sleeping surfaces of the mattress are made
from
an impermeable material. However, the first and second surfaces of the
mattress may
be lined with an impermeable material or alternatively, the first removable
portion and
the second removable portion of the cover may be lined with an impermeable
material.
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It is to be appreciated that the arrangement wherein the first and second
removable
portions of the cover are lined with an impermeable material would be
particularly
advantageous from an aesthetic perspective, since the mattress itself need not
be lined
with an impermeable lining, but rather, may be covered in fabric such as, for
example,
cotton, which looks and feels more attractive in comparison to an impermeable
plastic
lining. In such embodiments the mattress may be functional and comfortable
with or
without the removable covers.
Preferably, the impermeable material is waterproof to prevent soilage of the
underlying mattress. Most preferably, the impermeable material is waterproof
and is
impermeable to dust and dust mites.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides a mattress with a cover,
said
mattress having a first sleeping surface and a second sleeping surface and
said cover
comprising a first removable portion for covering the first sleeping surface
and a
second removable portion for covering a second sleeping surface.
Preferably, the mattress of the second aspect further comprises a first means
of
attaching said first removable portion in a position over the first sleeping
surface and a
second means of attaching said second removable portion in a position over the
second
sleeping surface. Most preferably, said means of attachment are zip fasteners.
Preferably also, the first removable portion and the second removable portion
are interchangeable so that the first removable portion is attachable to the
mattress for
covering the second sleeping surface and the second removable portion is
attachable to
the mattress for covering the first sleeping surface.
In a third aspect, the present invention provides a cover that is removably
attachable to a mattress, said cover comprising a first portion that is
removably
attachable to the mattress for covering a first sleeping surface of the
mattress, and a
second portion that is removably attachable to the mattress for covering a
second
sleeping surface of the mattress.
Preferably, the means of attaching the first and second portions of the cover
to
the mattress is by first and second closure members each positioned around the
lateral
periphery of the mattress, wherein one half of the first closure member is
attached to
the mattress and is fixable to the complementary half of the first closure
member
attached to the first removable portion of the cover and wherein one half of
the second
closure member is attached to the mattress and is fixable to the complementary
half of
the second closure member attached to the second removable portion of the
cover.
Most preferably, the first and second closure members are zip fasteners.
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Preferably the first portion of the cover is extendable beyond the edge of the
first sleeping surface so as to partially cover a lateral periphery of the
mattress and the
second portion of the cover is extendable beyond the edge of the second
sleeping
surface of the mattress so as to partially cover the lateral periphery of the
mattress.
In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a removable cover for a
mattress, wherein the removable cover comprises a first element of a closure
member
for removably attaching the cover to the mattress for covering a first
sleeping surface
by attachment to a complementary element of the closure member, and wherein
the
first element of the closure member of the removable cover is also operable
for
attachment to a complementary element of a closure member for attachment of
the
cover to the mattress for covering a second sleeping surface.
In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a lateral (or third) portion
of a
cover capable of being affixed to a mattress in a position around the lateral
periphery of
the mattress, said lateral portion being adapted for removably attaching a
first portion
of the cover for covering a first sleeping surface to the mattress.
Preferably, the lateral
portion is also adapted for removably attaching a second removable portion of
the
cover for covering a second sleeping surface. Preferably, the lateral portion
is adapted
to be sewn onto the mattress. However, the lateral portion may be adapted to
be fixed
to the mattress by means of studs, hooks, adhesive or by any other means
capable of
fixing the third portion of the cover to the mattress.
In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides a removable cover for a
mattress comprising a sleeping surface portion and a base portion, said
sleeping surface
portion comprising a first element of a closure member for removable
attachment to a
complementary element of the closure member attached to the base portion,
wherein
the base portion further comprises a side portion for covering a part of the
lateral
periphery of said mattress. Preferably, the removable cover further comprises
means
for securing said cover to said mattress.
Preferably, the means for securing the removable cover to the mattress is
elasticised means. However, means such as a drawstring, hooks, studs or any
other
means capable of removably securing the cover to the mattress may also be
adopted.
Preferably, the means for securing forms part of the base portion.
Advantageously, this arrangement allows the removable mattress cover
according to invention to be secured to any conventional mattress.
Preferably, the base portion is lined with impermeable material. Preferably
also,
the impermeable material is waterproof to prevent soilage of the underlying
mattress.
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Most preferably, the impermeable material is waterproof and is impermeable to
dust
and dust mites.
Preferably, the side portion covering the lateral periphery of the mattress is
made of a breathable material which allows any dust mites and dust to be
expelled
5 laterally through the sides of the mattress.
In a seventh aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing
a
removable mattress cover, said method comprising the steps of:
forming a lateral periphery of the removable mattress cover, the lateral
periphery of the removable mattress cover comprising attachment means for
removably
attaching the mattress cover to a mattress;
attaching the lateral periphery to a mattress template using said attachment
means, the mattress template corresponding to a mattress to which the
removable cover
is to be removably attached;
positioning a sleeping surface portion of the removable cover over the
mattress
template; and
securing said lateral periphery of the removable cover to the sleeping surface
portion of the removable cover while both the lateral periphery and the
sleeping surface
portion are in position on the mattress template.
By using a mattress template in this manner, the present invention allows
mattress covers to be accurately formed, which are interchangeable from one
mattress
to the next.
According to a eighth aspect, the present invention provides a method of
forming a mattress for receiving removable covers, the method comprising the
steps of
forming mattress attachment means for attachment of removable covers to the
mattress;
attaching said attachment means to a cover template, the cover template
corresponding to a cover to be placed on the mattress;
positioning the mattress in the template; and
securing said mattress attachment means to the mattress while both the
mattress
and the mattress attachment means are in position on the template.
By using a cover template in this manner, the present invention allows the
mattress attachment means to be consistently positioned on all mattresses so
formed.
Accordingly, an appropriate removable cover may be attached to all such
mattresses,
thus providing for interchangeable mattresses and covers.
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It is envisioned that such a method may be used to manufacture a mattress
having a removable cover over one sleeping surface only or a mattress having a
removable cover over both sleeping surfaces.
According to an ninth aspect the present invention provides a first template
for
forming a mattress for receiving removable covers, the first template operable
to
receive a mattress and comprising cover attachment means arranged so as to
correspond to a removable cover, such that placement of a mattress into the
first
template enables mattress attachment means to be accurately aligned on the
mattress
with reference to the cover attachment means of the first template.
The cover attachment means of the first template may comprise a male portion
of a zip, arranged so as to extend around substantially an entire lateral
periphery of a
mattress when placed in the template. In such embodiments, the mattress
attachment
means would comprise a female portion of a zip, which may be zipped to the
male
portion of the template, and secured to the mattress while in position.
According to a tenth aspect the present invention provides a second template
for
forming a removable cover for a mattress, wherein the second template is
arranged so
as to receive the removable cover in substantially the same manner as a
mattress to
which the removable cover is to be attached, such that cover attachment means
may be
secured to the template, and a sleeping surface portion of the cover may be
secured to
the cover attachment means while both the cover attachment means and the
sleeping
surface portion of the removable cover are in place on the second template.
As such a template receives the removable cover in substantially the same
manner as a mattress, formation of the cover while in position on the template
ensures
that the cover will sufficiently accurately fit a mattress to which the
template
corresponds.
According to a eleventh aspect the present invention provides a third template
for positioning first and second mattress attachment means for a mattress
having first
and second removably coverable sleeping surfaces, the third template
comprising first
and second cover attachment means corresponding to attachment means of covers
to be
attached to the mattress, the first and second cover attachment means being
positioned
on the third template relative to each other in the same manner as cover
attachment
means when positioned on the mattress, such that mattress attachment means may
be
attached to the third template and secured in position relative to each other.
For example, where the first and second cover attachment means of the third
template are female zip portions, male zip portions intended to serve as
mattress
attachment means may be zipped onto the template, and then secured to a
mattress side
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border while in position on the template. Consequently, such female aip
portions may
be accurately positioned on the side border of a mattress relative to each
other, in a
manner which is repeatable for each subsequent mattress side border. This
facilitates
interchangeability between such mattresses.
According to a twelfth aspect, the present invention provides a method of
manufacturing a removable cover for a mattress, said method comprising the
steps of
forming a lateral periphery of the removable cover, the lateral periphery of
the
removable cover comprising attachment means for removably attaching a base
portion
of the removable cover to a sleeping surface portion of the removable cover;
attaching the lateral periphery to a mattress template using said attachment
means;
positioning the sleeping surface portion of the removable cover over the
mattress template; and
securing said lateral periphery of the removable cover to the sleeping surface
portion of the removable cover while both the lateral periphery and the
sleeping surface
portion are in position on the mattress template.
According to a thirteenth aspect of the invention, there is provided a cover
removably attachable to a mattress, said cover having a first portion and a
second
portion, wherein said first portion is adapted to cover a sleeping surface of
said mattress
and is removably attachable to said second portion, and wherein said second
portion is
affixable in a position around the lateral periphery of said mattress.
By using a mattress template in this manner, the present invention allows
mattress covers to be accurately formed, which are interchangeable from one
mattress
to the next.
Brief Description of the Fi res
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with
reference to the following non-limiting accompanying figures, in which:
Figure 1 depicts a mattress with cover in accordance with a first embodiment
of
the present invention with the first and second closure members in a fully
closed
position so that the first and second sleeping surfaces of the mattress are
covered;
Figure 2 depicts the mattress with cover of Figure 1 with the first and second
closure members in a partially open position;
Figure 3 depicts the mattress with cover of Figures 1 & 2 with the first and
second closure members in a more fully open position than that depicted in
Figure 2;
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Figure 4 depicts the mattress of Figures 1 to 3 wherein the first and second
removable portions of the cover have been removed;
Figure Sa is a perspective view of a first template used to manufacture the
mattress with cover of Figures 1 to 4;
Figure Sb is a perspective view of a second template used to manufacture the
mattress with cover of Figures 1 to 4; and
Figure Sc is a perspective view of a third template used to manufacture the
mattress with cover of Figures 1 to 4
Figure 6 depicts a mattress with removable cover in accordance with a second
embodiment of the present invention wherein the cover has a base portion and
sleeping
surface portion.
Figure 7 depicts the mattress with removable cover in accordance with Figure 6
in a vertically-flipped orientation so as to depict the elasticised means of
securing the
removable cover to the mattress.
Figure 8 depicts the mattress with removable cover in accordance with Figure 6
in which the sleeping surface portion is in a partially open position so as to
expose the
underlying surface of the base portion.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Figures 1 to 4 depict a mattress with cover 1 in accordance with a first
preferred
embodiment of the present invention which comprises a first removable portion
3, a
second removable portion S and a third portion 7, wherein both of the first
and second
removable portions 3, S are attachable to the third portion 7. As is depicted
in Figures
1 to 4, the third portion 7 surrounds the lateral periphery of the mattress
and is sewn to
the mattress. The first and second removable portions 3, 5 of the cover may be
removed to expose a mattress having a first sleeping surface (9) and a second
sleeping
surface opposite the first sleeping surface 9 (not shown).
In the embodiment shown, both of the first and second removable portions 3, 5
of the cover are made out of cotton, which is breathable, absorbent and
washable.
3o However, materials such as linen and polyester fleece may also be used for
the first and
second portions 3, 5 of the removable cover. In the embodiment shown, the
first
sleeping surface 9 and second sleeping surface, are made from an impermeable
material
so as to protect the mattress from soiling and also, to prevent dust mites and
dust from
filtering through the mattress onto the face of a sleeping infant/person. In
alternative
embodiments, the first and second removable portions 3, S of the cover may be
lined
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with an impermeable material. In the present embodiment, the impermeable
material is
plastic, however materials such as vinyl or cotton may alternatively be used.
The present invention allows the first removable portion 3 to be readily
detached
from the mattress by unzipping the zip 4 that attaches the first removable
portion 3 of
the cover to the mattress. Hence, should removable cover 3 be soiled, it can
be quickly
removed. Further, the whole mattress can then be turned over, and the second
removable portion 5 of the cover is ready for immediate use. The second
removable
portion 5 may also be removed by unzipping zip 6. Such a configuration
precludes the
need for the use of a separate plastic protector over the mattress and beneath
bed linen.
Such a configuration also precludes the need for the use of bed linen as the
first and
second removable portions 3, 5 ,of the cover are made of a comfortable
material, cotton,
and may be readily and conveniently removed and washed as required.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the third 'portion 7 is of a width
w
that is less than the thickness T of the mattress. As such, zip 4 is
positioned at a
distance from the edge 8 of the first sleeping surface 9 and zip 6 is
positioned at a
distance from the edge 10 of the second sleeping surface. Such positioning of
the zips
4, 6 on the mattress reduces the force that is directly applied to the zips
when the
mattress is loaded. As zips are often the point of failure during heavy
loading, this
arrangement may allow the mattress with cover 1 to withstand higher loads.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the third portion 7 is made of a
breathable material which allows any dust mites and dust to be expelled
laterally
through the sides of the mattress. As previously mentioned, the impermeable
lining on
the first and second sleeping surfaces of the mattress prevents the filter of
dust and dust
mites through the first and second sleeping surfaces. This therefore avoids
dust mites
and dust from being expelled directly onto the face of a sleeping person or
infant.
Further, the third portion 7 comprises a plurality of ventilation ports 13 so
as to further
aid in the filter of dust mites and dust laterally from the mattress in a
direction away
from the face of a sleeping person/infant. Such a system is hygienic and
provides great
benefit to, in particular, infants, elderly persons and/or persons with
respiratory
problems.
In the embodiment shown, the first removable portion 3 and the second
removable portion 5 are interchangeable on mattress 1. That is, the first
removable
portion 3 may be attached to the third portion 7 by means of zip 4 so as to
fit over the
first sleeping surface 9, or may be attached to zip 6 so as to fit over the
second sleeping
surface 11 of the mattress 1. Similarly, the second removable portion S may be
attached
to the third portion 7 by means of a zip 6, so as to fit over the second
sleeping surface
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11 of the mattress 1, or may be attached to zip 4 so as to fit over the first
sleeping
surface 9. Such an arrangement, wherein the first and second removable
portions 3, 5
are interchangeable between the first or second sleeping surfaces 9, 11 of the
mattress
1, requires sliders 25, 27 of the first and second zips 4, 6 to travel in
opposite directions
5 around the periphery of the mattress 1 in relation to each other when being
opened.
This enables the slider 25 located on the first zip 4 and the slider 27
located on the
second zip 6 to be locked to one another so as to prevent the sliders from
being
unzipped in the opposite directions thereby preventing the removal of the
first and
second removable portions 3, 5 of the mattress cover from the mattress 1. A
small
1o padlock may be used to lock the sliders together. Alternatively, one or
both of the
slides 25, 27 may be locked to the mattress to prevent removal of the
removable
portions 3, 5. Such an arrangement may be particularly advantageous when used
in
hotels, to assist in the prevention of theft of bed linen and the like.
It is also envisioned that the first and second removable mattress covers 3, 5
of
the present invention may be manufactured to particular sizes or with the zips
4, 6 in a
particular, unique, position, so as to fit specially manufactured mattresses
having a
complementary yet non-conventional size to a standard mattress. This system
may be
advantageous in preventing or at least minimising the incidence of theft of
the
removable covers from, for example, hotels due to their non-compatability with
standard mattresses.
In the present embodiment, the mattress with removable cover of the present
invention is formed by carrying out the following steps.
1) Construct Mattress Side Border 20
The mattress side border is the portion of the mattress which extends around
the
lateral periphery of the mattress, as indicated by 20 in Figure 4. In the
present
embodiment, the mattress side border 20 must extend over the full thickness of
the
mattress, and must comprise two female zip portions 24 and 26, each extending
around
the periphery of the mattress 1. Zip portion 24 must be positioned a
substantially
constant distance from the edge 8 of the sleeping surface 9 of the mattress
all the way
around the mattress, and zip portion 26 must be positioned a substantially
constant
distance from the edge 10 of the other sleeping surface of the mattress, all
the way
around the mattress. Each of female zip portions 24, 26, have a female slider
25, 27 for
closing the zips when a male zip portion is in place. As will be appreciated,
female zip
portions 24, 26 respectively form a part of zips 4, 6. In figure 4, the
sliders 25, 27 are
shown at the starting position of each of zips 4, 6, which has been chosen to
be at the
centre of an end of the mattress for aesthetic purposes.
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To enable interchangeability of a cover from one side of the mattress to the
other, and from one mattress to the next, female zip portions 24, 26 must be
accurately
positioned on the mattress side border 20, in a manner which is repeatable
from one
mattress to the next. This is achieved by use of template C shown in Figure
Sc, as
follows.
la) The two female zip portions are each sewn to respective fabric strips 21,
22,
which are to form the outer portions of mattress side border 20. At this
stage, the
female zips 24, 26 and fabric strips 21, 22 must simply be long enough to
extend
around the entire circumference of the mattress.
lb) The two female zip portions 24, 26, with attached fabric strips 21, 22,
are
attached to the male zip portions of template C, and the zips so formed are
then closed
along the full length L~ of template C. Length L~ of template C (see Figure
Sc)
corresponds to the length of the circumference of the lateral periphery of the
mattress.
Template C has first and second male zip portions S 1, S2 positioned
substantially
parallel to each other across an orifice S3 through template C. Starting
points S4, SS of
male zip portions S 1, S2 are at opposite ends of template C, and the zip
portions are
separated by a distance w corresponding to the width w of the third portion 7
(see
Figures 1, 2). The starting points of the female zip portions 24, 26 are thus
at opposite
ends of the template C when attached to the template.
lc) A fabric strip, to act as third portion 7 of the mattress side border 20,
is
placed between the two female zips 24, 26 along the length of template C, and
placed
under slight tension. The fabric strip 7 is then stapled or pinned to the
female zip
portions 24, 26. As the female zip portions 24, 26 are fixed in place by
template C,
they are correctly positioned relative to each other.
ld) The proper length of the mattress side border is marked on one or more of
the elements in place on template C, using the indicators S6, S7 on template
C. The
indicators S6, S7 have been positioned such that the mattress side border 20
will
accurately fit around the lateral periphery of the mattress.
le) The combination of the strips 21, 22, female zip portions 24, 26 and
fabric
strip 7, is then removed from template C by opening the zips. Female zip
portions 24
and 26 are then sewn to the fabric strip 7 along the full length of the fabric
strip 7.
lf) The combination is then pulled into a loop and sewn where marked such that
the loop is of the same circumference as the mattress, completing the mattress
side
border 20. It is to be noted that, due to the placement of the starting points
S4, SS at
opposing ends of template C, the travel of the female sliding portions along
zip portions
24 and 26 is in opposed orientation, when viewed from the same perspective.
For
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example, when, from a given perspective, opening of one of said zips involves
clockwise movement of the respective female slider, opening of the other of
said zips
will involve anti-clockwise movement of the respective female slider. This
arrangement facilitates the interchangeability of a cover between both
sleeping surfaces
of the same mattress, as the orientation of each zip will in fact be the same,
when
viewed from above the sleeping surface associated with each resepective zip.
In the
embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, both zips 4 and 6 travel clockwise when
opening,
when viewed from the sleeping surface associated with each respective zip.
Consequently, covers 3 and S are interchangeable on mattress 1.
2) Forming Mattress 1, Without Covers
To form the mattress 1 such that the female zip portions 24, 26 are
appropriately
positioned, template A is used, shown in Figure Sa.
2a) Mattress side border 20 is placed around the lateral periphery of a
mattress
inner, for example a steel spring mattress blank. The mattress blank has
insulation
positioned over the sleeping surfaces defined by the steel springs, and has
foam
substantially surrounding the springs and insulation. The mattress side border
20 will
fit snugly around the lateral periphery of the mattress blank, as the fabric
strip 7 was
placed under slight tension during formation of mattress side border 20.
2b) The mattress blank and mattress side border 20 are then placed into
template
A. The length lA and width wA of template B are such that the mattress fits
closely into
recess 61, and that male zip portion 60 of template A is positioned to connect
to a
female zip portion of the inserted mattress. The depth dA of the recess 61
corresponds
to the width of each of strips 21, 22 of mattress side border 20. The starting
point 62 of
male zip portion 60 is positioned at the centre of one end of template A.
Female zip
portion 26 is attached to the male zip portion 60 of template A and the zip
thus formed
is closed around the entire lateral periphery of the mattress blank. Female
zip portion
24 is then held above the rim of template A by about the thickness of fabric
strip 7.
2c) A sheet of impermeable fabric, to serve as sleeping surface 9, is placed
over
the exposed sleeping surface of the mattress blank. The sheet of fabric 9 is
then
securely sewn to fabric strip 21 of the mattress side border 20, all the way
around the
edge 8 of the sleeping surface 9, while both the sheet of fabric 9 and
mattress side
border 20 are under slight tension against male zip portion 60.
2d) The mattress blank is removed from template A, turned over, and placed
back into template A. The same template may be used for positioning both zips,
due to
the interchangeability of covers on the mattress.
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13
2e) Female zip portion 24 is attached to the male zip portion 60 of template
A,
and the zip thus formed is closed around the entire periphery of the mattress,
positioning female zip portion 26 above the rim of template A by the thickness
of fabric
strip 7.
2f~ A second sheet of impermeable fabric, to serve as the second sleeping
surface of the mattress 1, is place over the mattress blank, and sewn to the
fabric strip
22 of the mattress side border 20 all the way around the edge 10 of the second
sleeping
surface, while both the second sheet of impermeable fabric and the mattress
side border
20 are held under slight tension against template A. This completes formation
of the
mattress 1 without covers, with the female zip portions 24, 26 properly
positioned on
the mattress 1 due to use of template A. Mattress 1 can then be removed from
template
A by unzipping female zip portion 24 from the male zip portion 60 of template
A.
3) Forming a Removable Cover
Removable covers 3 and S shown in Figures 1 to 3 are substantially identical.
Importantly, the covers 3, 5 are interchangeable on mattress 1, and may also
be
interchanged with covers on other such mattresses. To form such a cover,
template B is
used, as described below with reference to formation of cover 3 shown in
Figures 1 to
3. Although the method of the present embodiment will be described with
reference to
a mattress having two removable covers, one over each sleeping surface, it is
envisioned that the method may be applied to form a mattress having a
removable
cover over only one sleeping surface.
3a) A strip of fabric, to serve as lateral portion 18 of cover 3, is sewn to a
male
zip portion 19 (see Figure 3). At this stage, the male zip portion and fabric
18 simply
need to be long enough to pass around the entire lateral periphery of the
mattress.
3b) The male zip portion 19 is attached to female zip portion 70 of template
B,
and the zip thus formed is closed by sliding slider portion 71, shown at a
starting
position of zip 70, all the way around template B. The male zip portion 19 and
fabric
18 are marked to the correct length using indicator 72.
3c) The male zip portion 19 is then removed from template B, and the fabric
strip 18 and the male zip 19 are formed into a loop and sewn at the marking,
such that
the loop fits snugly around the mattress.
3c) The sewn loop is then zipped to the template using female zip portion 70.
The distance dB of template B corresponds to the width of fabric strip 18.
3d) A cover sleeping portion is then placed over template B, which has a
length
1B and a width wB substantially equal to the sleeping surfaces of the mattress
1. The
cover sleeping portion is then sewn to the fabric strip 18 all the way around
the edge 8
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14
of the sleeping surface. The cover 3 is then complete and can be unzipped from
template B. The working surface of template B is covered with a layer of foam
so as to
protect the needle of a sewing machine that is used to sew the cover sleeping
portion to
the fabric strip 18. Such a foam layer also protects the cover placed or
formed over the
working surface of template B from tearing.
As will be appreciated, the use of three templates in the previously described
manner assists in achieving accurate workmanship, and assists in repeated
construction
of interchangeable mattresses and mattress covers. Each of the three templates
provides a rigid support structure which allows for accurate measurement,
marking,
alignment and mounting of a zip to a mattress cover or mattress. Such
templates ensure
that zips are consistently placed in the same position on each mattress and
mattress
cover formed by using the templates, resulting in removable covers that can be
interchanged between different mattresses and between different sides of the
same
mattress. In the embodiment described, the male part of a zip is attached to
each of the
first and second removable portions of the cover while the female part of a
zip is
fixedly attached to the mattress. This ensures that the zip with a slidable
closure
member is not attached to the first or second removable portions of the cover,
and
therefore is not removed with either of the first or second removable
portions. One
advantage of this arrangement is that washing of a cover comprising a slidable
closure
member in a washing machine could potentially cause damage to both the
slidable
closure member and the washing machine.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 depict a mattress with cover in accordance with a second
preferred embodiment of the present invention which comprises a sleeping
surface
portion 80 and a base portion 82 having elasticised means 86 to secure the
removable
cover to the mattress. The sleeping surface portion 80 is readily detachable
from the
base portion 82 by unzipping the zip 84 positioned around the lateral
periphery of the
mattress. This arrangement advantageously allows the removable mattress cover
according to the invention to be secured to any conventional mattress.
In the embodiment shown, the surface 88 of the base portion 82 that underlies
the sleeping surface portion 80 is made out of cotton. However, it is
envisaged that this
surface 88 of the base portion 82 may be made of any material that is
impermeable to
dust mites and moisture. In this way, should the sleeping surface portion 80
be soiled,
it can be readily detached from the base portion 82 and the base portion 82
may be
wiped clean before another clean sleeping surface portion 80 is attached to
the base
portion 82.
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Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as
"comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a
stated
element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the
exclusion of
any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations
and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific
embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as
broadly
described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all
respects as
illustrative and not restrictive.
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