GB2031504A - Sheet attaching arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

An arrangement which may be used, for instance, for attaching a duvet, a quilt or cover 17 to flaps 11 which may be tucked under the mattress, not shown, comprises a flexible rod or cord 13 attached and located adjacent one edge of the flap 11 the flap having an opening therein adjacent rod 13, and intermediate member 19 having a bore therethrough and, extending from its exterior to the bore, a slit 21, the slit being normally narrower than the width of rod 13, but deformable to be broader than said width to allow the rod 13 to be passed into the bore, the intermediate member 19 then being rotatable relative to the flap through the opening, and a second flexible rod or cord 23 for positioning on one side of the cover 17 and of a size such that it may be passed, together with surrounding sheet material through the slit 21 into the intermediate member 19, in its deformed condition, to be located in the bore together with the rod 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to duvets This invention relates to bedding and in particular to duvets, also known as continental quilts, which are widely used in place of traditional top sheet, blankets and eiderdown and/or bed cover. Duvets are usually placed inside a removable cover the cover being easily washable, thereby allowing less frequent washing of the duvet.

A duvet is simply placed on top of the bottom bed sheet and pillow and often slips off the sleeping person. Furthermore the size of the duvet compared with the bed size results in the bed having an untidy appearance.

According to the present invention there is provided a duvet having means whereby the duvet may be attached to the bed along at least a portion of the edge, or part adjacent thereto, of the duvet. Alternatively the duvet may be provided with weighted attachments which simply hang down adjacent at least one side of the bed so as to reduce the tendency of the duvet to move relative to the bed.

The attachment means may be cords, fabric strips or the like which may be attachable to buttons, loops, hooks, toggles or the like which are fastened to the mattress cover or other part of the bed in positions corresponding to the positions of the duvet attachments.

By joining duvet and mattrass attachment together the movement of the duvet may be controlled to individual requirements.

The duvet attachments may be strips of bedding fabric or the like, for instance, sheet material, which are attached to the duvet, the strips being of sufficient width and texture that when tucked between the mattrass and the bed frame they will not easily be pulled out. Such strips may be attached to the sides of the duvet and also if desired to the bottom edge of the duvet. A continuous strip of material may be provided running down the sides and bottom of the duvet.

The duvet may be attached to a sheet of bedding fabric which is of a size such that when the combination is placed over the mattress, the edges of the sheet may be tucked between the mattress and the bed frame.

The attachments to the duvet and, if necessary, to the mattress or other part of the bed, may be permanent attachments of may be easily detachable from the duvet or mattress.

The duvet may be sold together with the attachment or alternatively the attachments may be sold separately for permanent or removable attachment to the duvet.

Where the attachment is a strip or sheet of material it may be permanently sewn to the duvet or it might be provided with means for removable attachment to the duvet. For instance the duvet and the strip or sheet may be provided with a touch and close fastening such as press-stud fastenings or filamentous loop and hook fastenings (for instance those sold under the trade mark "Velcro").

In another aspect the present invention provides a flexible sheet and means for attaching said sheet to flexible material, said means comprising a first location member attached and located adjacent to one edge of the flexible sheet, the sheet having an opening therein adjacent said member, an intermediate member having a bore therethrough and, extending from the exterior of said intermediate member to the bore, a slit, said slit being normally narrower than the width of said first location member, but deformable to be broader than said width to allow said first location member to be passed into the bore, the intermediate member then being rotatable relative to said sheet through said opening, and a second location member for positioning on one side of said flexible material and of a size such that it may be passed, together with surrounding sheet material through the slit into the intermediate member, in its deformed condition, to be located in the bore together with the first location member.

Accordingly the present invention, in its second aspect, allows attachments to be made to flexible material without the need for any permanent attachment thereto which might weaken the flexible material. The flexible material may for instance be a sheet of polythene used perhaps for covering purposes or it may be a duvet or the cover of a duvet. In the latter case a flap or sheet may be attached to the duvet without the material of the duvet (or its cover) being affected, and when necessary, the flap or sheet may be easily removed from the duvet.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a duvet in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a flap for attachment to a duvet, forming part of a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows an intermediate member of the embodiment of Fig. 2; and Figure 4 shows part of the flap of Fig. 2 attached by the intermediate member to the cover of a duvet.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a duvet 1 located within a duvet cover.

To one side of the duvet cover near the bottom edge thereof there is sewn one element of a Velcro strip. On the same side under each of the side edges of the duvet are sewn further strips 4 and 5. In each case the other element of the Velcro strip is sewn to a flap of material 6 so that flap 6, which may be made of cotton fabric or similar bed sheet material, may be removably attached to the duvet, as shown in Fig. 1. When the duvet is positioned on a bed each of the flaps 6 may be tucked in between the mattress and the bed frame so as to hold the duvet in position on the bed.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 4 a flap of bed sheet material 11 has sewn therein near one edge thereof a length of flexible, rod, or similar member cord 1 3. Adjacent rod 1 3 are one or more longitudinally spaced apart slit-like openings 1 5. The rod 1 3 comprises the first location member of means for attaching the flap 11 to cover 17 of a duvet.

An intermediate member is provided by a plastics tube 1 9 which has a longitudinal slit 21 extending the entire length of the tube.

The tube material is such that it may be deformed to widen the slit from its normal position, which may be of zero width with the sides of the slits touching each other, to a width sufficient to allow the tube to be passed over rod 1 3 so that a portion of the cord is accommodated within tube 1 9. The tube may then be allowed to return to its normal position with the wall of the tube passing through one of the openings 1 5. When in this position the tube may be rotated relative to flap 11 and through opening 1 5. Preferably the material of the tube should be such that it will return to its undeformed condition of its own accord that is to say on release of the deforming force applied thereto.

The means for attaching flap 11 to the duvet cover 1 7 also includes a further length of flexible cord 23. This length of flexible cord 23 may be positioned inside the duvet cover and then it, together with surrounding duvet material may be pushed through the slits of each of the intermediate members 19, so that said intermediate member 1 9 accommodates both rods 1 3 and 23, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In this way the flap 11 is attached to the duvet cover without any form of permanent attachment being made to the duvet cover.

Thus there is no need for any part to be sewn to the duvet cover and in practice the attachment can be made very quickly by slipping the cord 23 into the cover and pressing it through the slits of each of the intermediate members, the latter already being positioned around the rod 1 3.

In another embodiment the intermediate member may be permanently attached to the flap and in a further embodiment the rod 1 3 may be omitted altogether.

Claims (6)

1. An assembly comprising a flexible sheet and means for attaching said sheet to flexible material, said means comprising a first location member attached and located adjacent to one edge of the flexible sheet, the sheet having an opening therein adjacent said member, an intermediate member having a bore therethrough and, extending from the exterior of said intermediate member to the bore, a slit, said slit being normally narrower than the width of said first location member, but deformable to be broader than said width to allow said first location member to be passed into the bore, the intermediate member then being rotatable relative to said sheet through said opening, and a second location member for positioning on one side of said flexible material and of a size such that it may be passed, together with surrounding sheet material through the slit into the intermediate member, in its deformed condition, to be located in the bore together with the first location member.

2. An assembly according claim 1 wherein the flexible material is polythene sheeting.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the flexible material is a bed quilt or bed quilt cover.

4. An assembly according to claim 3 wherein the bed quilt or bed quilt cover includes a flap of sheet attached thereto.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 and substantially described herein.

6. An assembly comprising a flexible sheet and means for attaching said sheet to the flexible material, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.