US20240407576A1

US20240407576A1 - Easy Fit Fitted Bed Sheet

Info

Publication number: US20240407576A1
Application number: US18/330,630
Authority: US
Inventors: Rosaria Basile
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2023-06-07
Filing date: 2023-06-07
Publication date: 2024-12-12
Also published as: AU2024203653A1

Abstract

A fitted bottom bed sheet formed from a fabric sheet that includes corner cutouts, from each corner of the fabric sheet, wherein the corner cutouts form side panels and end panels, which terminate in longitudinal cut edges and lateral cut edges that each converge to a point. The longitudinal cut edges and the lateral cut edges are sewn together to form mitered corner edges that are formed at an acute angle or at an angle that is 1 or more degrees from a line extending from the point and are orthogonal to a plane of the fabric sheet.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to fitted bed sheets, and more particularly to a fitted bed sheet having mitered corners at an acute angle rather than the market standard of a right angle.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Sheets come in two varieties: flat and fitted. A flat sheet is simply a rectangular sheet of cloth which is placed over a bed. Fitted sheets have corners which are disposed at a 90 degree angle for fitting around a mattress, and providing a firm and neat appearance and secure placement.
Customers complain of the difficulty they encounter when applying a non-stretch woven fitted sheet to a mattress, particularly to the deeper and heavier mattresses. To achieve the desired neat, snug, smooth sides, the bed sheet will usually be made smaller than the mattress dimensions. Considerable effort is required to apply this sheet, having to lift the heavy mattress at the corners to slip pockets over and secure them under the mattress.
If the sheet is cut to the exact dimensions or greater than those of the mattress and the corners mitered at the standard 90 degrees, however easier this may be to apply, the result will be an unappealing baggy, saggy appearance. The excess fabric may also bunch up under the sleeping person making for an uncomfortable experience.
The prior art teaches various forms of fitted bed sheets with a 90 degree angle at the corners. For example, Jamison, U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,832, teaches a fitted sheet that is prepared from a simple rectangular blank of textile material that includes side edges having selvages, and top and bottom edges which are raw. Isosceles triangular portions are removed from the top and bottom (raw) edges, and the blank is then folded to form fitted corners of 90 degrees (or less). As discussed in the patent, col. 5, line 16, “by employing an apex angle greater than 90 degrees and up to about 108 degrees, the portion OC of the fold line 50 (shown in FIG. 2 ) is necessarily pulled inwardly and, although top corner O fits the top corner of the mattress, the bottom corner C actually is pulled tightly under the bottom corner of the mattress and very securely clings thereto.”
There are related bedding products that disclose constructions more similar to the fitted bed sheet of the present invention; however, these do not teach the present invention. Treece, U.S. Pat. No. 6,823,544, for example, teaches a fitted mattress pad that appears to be similar in corner construction (see FIG. 6 in particular); however, this is only applied to a mattress pad, which does not require a tight and secure fit in the manner of a fitted bed sheet.
Another example is shown in Ciaglia, U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,477, which teaches a fitted top sheet that include bottom corners of the top sheet are formed of a widthwise cut edge and a lengthwise cut edge meeting at an angle of more than 90° and being attached to each other along respective lengths. This construction is unique to a top sheet, however, because it is required to form a foot pocket (as discussed in the patent) at a bottom area of the combination, for the comfort of the user while sleeping under the top sheet. This is obviously not a factor in a fitted bed sheet.
The prior art teaches fitted bed sheets with 90 degree corners, and the prior art teaches top sheets, and mattress pads, which include corners which are formed at 90 degree angles. However, the prior art does not teach a bottom fitted bed sheet that includes corners formed as discussed herein. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The present invention provides a fitted bottom bed sheet comprising a fabric sheet; corner cutouts, from each corner of the fabric sheet, wherein the corner cutouts form side panels and end panels, which terminate in longitudinal cut edges and lateral cut edges that each converge to a point, the longitudinal cut edges and the lateral cut edges being sewn together to form mitered corner edges that are formed at an angle that is 1 or more degrees from a line extending from the point and are orthogonal to a plane of the fabric sheet.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a fitted bottom bed sheet having advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide a fitted bottom bed sheet having an extra length of material that allows for greater ease of application to a bed mattress while maintaining a snug fit and a neat appearance.
A further objective is to provide a fitted bottom bed sheet that may be easily constructed from a single sheet of fabric.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rectangular fabric sheet, illustrating where cuts will be made to form corner cutouts;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of rectangular fabric sheet once the corner cutouts have been removed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fitted bottom bed sheet formed once the corners have been sewn, and once the fitted bottom bed sheet has placed over a mattress; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective close up view of a corner of another embodiment of a fitted bottom bed sheet that further includes an elastic in casing which extends over an underside of the mattress for securing the bed sheet on the mattress.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a fitted bottom bed sheet for application on a bed mattress.
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a rectangular fabric sheet 20, illustrating where cuts will be made to form corner cutouts, as discussed in greater detail below. As shown in FIG. 1 , the rectangular fabric sheet 20 has a top edge 22 a and a bottom edge 22 b connected by a left edge 24 a and a right edge 24 b, meeting at corners 26. In this embodiment, the fabric sheet 20 is formed of any form of fabric known in the art as suitable for forming a bed sheet.
In production, the fabric sheet 20 is initially cut at each corner 26 to form corner cutouts 28. In one corner 26, for example, a longitudinal cut edge 29 a is formed by cutting from the top edge 22 a, and a lateral cut edge 29 b is made by cutting from the left side edge 24 a, the cuts meeting at a point 27 to form the cutout 28. The longitudinal cut edge 29 a is formed a first distance D1 from the corner 26, and the lateral cut 29 b is formed a second distance D2 from the corner 26. The longitudinal cut edge 29 a and the lateral cut edge 29 b converge at an acute angle A1 which is less than 90 degrees, preferably between 89 degrees or less. Similar cutouts 28 are made at each of the corners 26.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the rectangular fabric sheet 20 of FIG. 1 , once the corner cutouts 28 have been removed. As shown in FIG. 2 , removal of the corner cutouts 28 form side panels 30 and end panels 32. The side panels 30 are defined by fold lines 30 a and 30 b, which connect points 27, and side edges 33 a and 33 b, respectively. The lateral cut edges 29 b form the other edges of the panels 30. The end panels 32 are defined by fold lines 32 a and 32 b which connect points 27, and end edges 35 a and 35 b, respectively. The longitudinal cut edges 29 a form the other edges of the panels 32.
In this embodiment, the fold lines 30 a and 30 b are about 203 cm, and side edges 33 a and 33 b are about 208 cm. The lateral cut edges 29 b are about 43 cm. The fold lines 32 a and 32 b are about 183 cm, and end edges 35 a and 35 b are about 188 cm. The longitudinal cut edges 29 a are also about 43 cm.
While these measurements are ideal for the present embodiment, they will of course vary depending upon the size of the mattress being used, and other particular details (e.g., materials used, needs of the user, etc.), so the measurements will vary.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fitted bottom bed sheet 10 formed once the corners have been sewn, and once the fitted bottom bed sheet 10 has placed over a mattress. As shown in FIG. 3 , the longitudinal cut edge 29 a is sewn or otherwise fastened to the adjacent lateral cut edge 29 b at each connect points 27, to form a mitered corner edge 36, to thereby form the final bed sheet 10.
Each panel 30 is sewn to adjacent panels 32 in this fashion to form the mitered corner edges 36. Importantly, each mitered corner edge 36 is formed at an angle A2 that is one or more degrees, preferably 1-5 degrees, from a line O extending from point 27 orthogonal to the plane of the fabric sheet 20.
These factors result in the fitted bed sheet 10 having an outer edge 40 (combination of 33 a, 33 b, 35 a, and 35 b) that is greater in length (792 cm) than the length (772 cm) of an inner edge 42 (combination of 30 a, 30 b, 32 a, and 32 b). This greater length enables easier application of the fitted bed sheet 10 to a mattress.
FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective close up view of a corner of another embodiment of a fitted bottom bed sheet 50 that further includes an elastic in casing 52 which extends over an underside 14 of the mattress 12 for securing the bed sheet 50 on the mattress 12. In this embodiment, the elastic in casing 52 is connected by an extension of material 54 from the edges 30 a and 32 b, and extends around the entire outer edge. While this construction is the most common, there are other variations which are suitable. Some form of elastication around the outer edge is beneficial to secure the fitted bed sheet 50 onto the mattress 12.
As used in this application, the words “a,” “an,” and “one” are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms “approximately” and “about” are defined to mean +/−10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms “have,” “include,” “contain,” and similar terms are defined to mean “comprising” unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A fitted bottom bed sheet comprising:

a fabric sheet;

corner cutouts, from each corner of the fabric sheet, wherein the corner cutouts form side panels and end panels, which terminate in longitudinal cut edges and lateral cut edges that each converge to a point, the longitudinal cut edges and the lateral cut edges being sewn together to form mitered corner edges that are formed at an angle that is 1 or more degrees from a line extending from the point and are orthogonal to a plane of the fabric sheet.

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

providing a rectangular fabric sheet having a top edge and a bottom edge connected by a left edge and a right edge, meeting at corners;

cutting corner cutouts from each of the corners, the corner cutouts each being formed by lateral and longitudinal cut edges which converge to a point, and which define side panels and end panels;

sewing together adjacent side panels and end panels to form mitered corner edges that are each formed at an acute or at an angle that is 1 or more degrees from a line extending from the point and are orthogonal to a plane of the fabric sheet.