DRAP CONTOUR

FITTED TOP BED SHEET

Abrégé anglais

A B S T R A C T


A method of manufacturing a fitted bed sheet is disclosed.
A blank of textile fabric is cut in a rectangular shape, having
a width substantially equal to the width of a selected mattress,
plus about twice the depth thereof, and a length substantially
equal to the length of the selected mattress, plus about one-half
the depth thereof. The side margins of the blank corresponding
to the depth of a the mattress are then folded over and onto the
blank. A seam is then sewed at each end of the blank to sew the
end edges of each said margin to the end edge of the blank over
which it is folded, thereby to provide a fitted bed sheet.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:


1. A method of manufacturing a fitted bed sheet comprising the
steps of:

i) cutting a blank of textile fabric in a rectangular
shape, having a width substantially equal to the width
of a selected mattress, plus about twice the depth
thereof, and a length substantially equal to the
length of said selected mattress, plus about one-half
the depth thereof;

ii) folding the side margins of said blank corresponding
to the depth of a said mattress, over and onto said
blank; and

iii) sewing a seam at each end of said blank to sew the end
edges of each said margin to the end edge of the blank
over which it is folded, thereby to provide a fitted
bed sheet.


2. A method of manufacturing a fitted bed sheet as described
in Claim 1, wherein said blank is provided from a roll of said
textile material having finished edges and substantially equal
in width to the width of said selected mattress, plus twice the
depth thereof.

3. A fitted bed sheet made by the method of Claim 1 or 2.

Description

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The present invention relates to the field of bed linens.
In particular, the present invention provides a novel fitted
` sheet for covering a mattress (known as a bottom sheet), and a
novel fitted top sheet.
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Traditionally, fitted bottom sheets as defined above have
been manufactured by cutting a pattern in a textile fabric, said
pattern comprising rectangular notches cut in the corners of a
rectangular sheet dimensioned to fit a mattress. The pattern is
~, then sewn by the application of a seam in each notched corner
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,, 10 corresponding to the corner edge of a mattress and the
~' application of a band of elastic around each corner at the bottom
i3~ edge of the textile fabric. An alternative method of
~; construction in which a corner seam is sewn with elastic along
-, its length is disclosed in applicant's issued UOS. Patent No.
- 15 4,912,790, dated April 3, 1990. The form of construction shown
in that patent has succeeded in removing one step from the
manufacturing process by combining the application of elastic
with the sewing of the corner seam. However, the manufacturing
of fitted bottom sheet remains a fairly labour intensive process.
Because of the individual cutting of each corner and the
individual application of elastic in each corner it has been
infeasible to automate the manufacture of fitted bed sheets.

The present invention provides a fitted bed sheet which may ',~
be manufactured entirely by an automated process. ~`~




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In drawings that illustrate the present invention by way of
example:
Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for a fitted bottom sheet
^ according to the present invention;
;; 5Figure 2 is a plan view of a blank for a fitted top sheet
according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a schematic of a manufacturing method for a
'; fitted bottom sheet according to the present invention; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a mattress dressed with
10the fitted sheets of Figures 1 and 2.

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Referring now to the drawings, a fitted sheet according to
the present invention is constructed utilizing a blank B, shown
in Figure 1, of textile material substantially equal in width W
to the width of a selected mattress, plus about twice the depth
;3~15D of the mattress. The length of the blank, on the other hand,
is substantially equal to the length L of the selected mattress,
plus about one half the depth of the mattress. The side margins
of the blank, corresponding to the side surfaces of the mattress,
and equal in width to the depth of same are folded over onto the
20blank along their entire length. A finishing seam is then sewed
along each end of the blank (corresponding to W in Figure 1),
whereby the folded over margins are sewn at their end edges to
the top and bottom edges of the blank to form pockets on each
,side of the blank extending the length of the sheet. The sheet
-, 25 is then folded and packaged for consumer use. The consumer then
turns the pockets inside out, to put the sewn seams on the
inside, and fits the sheet over a mattress.
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It has been found by the applicant that the provision of a
-blank that is longer than a selected mattress by only one half
the depth thereof provides enough additional material in each
~corner of the mattress so that the pocket formed in each corner
s 5 by sewing the folded over margin of same will fit over each
.,
-corner. A greater length would be quite loose fitting in each

`corner, and a lesser length would not permit the sheet to fit

~;over the lower corners of the mattress. It will be understood,

,moreover, that if desired for a particular application, such as

4~ 10 a sheet to fit a smaller and more flexible crib mattress, elastic
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may be sewn along each end seam. This is not necessary in most
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applications, however.
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!1 As will be observed from Figure 4, when a bottom sheet
according to the present invention is utilized to dress a
mattress, there is minimum coverage of the end surfaces E of the
mattress, but full coverage of the side surfaces S. This is not
considered to be disadvantageous, however, because the head end
of a mattress is usually against a surface such as a wall or a
headboard, and the foot end of a mattress is usually covered by
a top sheet.



As will be seen from Figure 2, the present invention also
provides a novel fitted top sheet. The top sheet according to

the present invention is manufactured from a blank Bl equal in

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width to the wiath W of a mattress, plus twice the depth D of

same. The blank is the length L of the selected mattress, plus

~ithe depth D, plus about two to four inches. The foot end of the
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blank is folded over at a line spaced from the end of the blank
corresponding to the depth of the mattress plus the two to four
inches. The side edges of the folded over portion are then sewn
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to the blank, to form a pocket. The resulting sheet is then
folded and packaged. The consumer then inverts the pocket formed
in the foot end of the sheet, for use.



~;To utilize the fitted top sheet of the present invention,
the pocket formed in the foot end thereof is fitted over the food
end of a mattress, with the aforementioned two to four inches of
additional length being the extent to which the sheet need be
tucked in. The sheet will remain securely on a mattress, and
resist accidental removal during sleep. Moreover, provision of
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the pocket ensures that when a mattress is dressed with a sheet
according to the present invention it will be correctly centred,
with each marginal edge covering the side of the mattress for a
neat appearance. A dressed mattress, with the top and bottom
fitted sheets of the present invention shown in Figure 4.



`,~Referring lastly to Figure 3, it will be understood that the
fitted bottom sheet of the present invention lends itself, unlike
previous fitted sheets, to machine manufacture, because it
utilizes a rectangular blank of material, with straight line

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folds, and straight line sewing. Utilizing the present

`invention, blanks may be cut directly from a roll of fabric of


icorrect width, and then finishing seams applied to the top and

bottom of each blank, after folding over of the margin~. The


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sheet requires no hand finishing, rotation on a work table or
insertion of elastic.
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~ It is to be understood that the examples described above are
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~,not meant to limit the scope of the present invention. It is
expected that numerous variants will be obvious to the person
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skilled in the field of bed sheet manufacture without any
departure from the spirit of the invention. The appended claims,
i;properly construed, form the only limitation upon the scope of
the invention.



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