Abstract:
Devices, apparatus, systems and methods for keeping bottom sheets kept in place about mattresses with a cross pattern of elastic bands placed under a mattress having ends with clips. The clips can clamp to outer edges of the bottom sheet, with the elastic bands also able to additionally keep bottom edges of top sheets and/or bottom edges of blankets in place. The clip ends can be selected from at least one of alligator clips, suspender clips, clamps, and the like.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/475,533 filed Mar. 23, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in its&#39; entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to bedding, and in particular to devices, apparatus, systems and methods for keeping bottom sheets kept in place about mattresses with a cross pattern of elastic bands placed under a mattress with clip ends which clamp to outer edges of the bottom sheet, with the elastic bands able to additionally keep bottom edges of top sheets and/or bottom edges of blankets in place. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     Fitted sheets have become increasingly popular over the years to help hold the bottom sheets on a mattress from easily being loosened. Popular types of fitted sheets having included sheets having sewn elastic bands forming pockets and/or sewn corner pockets. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,195 to Russo et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,049 to Hammond. 
     However, even with corner pockets, the bottom sheets will still tend to disengage from the mattress corners and ultimately ride up on the bed itself after the sleeping persons moves on the bed. After the pocket corners become disengaged, the slipping sheet corners will tend to slip and run up on the surface of the bed and crunch up under the bed occupant causing discomfort for the persons attempting to sleep on the mattress. 
     Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods to keep bottom sheets kept in place on mattresses with a cross pattern of elastic bands placed under a mattress with clip ends which clamp to outer edges of the bottom sheet. 
     A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods to keep bottom sheets kept in place about mattresses with a cross pattern of elastic bands placed under a mattress with clip ends which clamp to outer edges of a bottom sheet and a top sheet. 
     A third objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods to keep bottom sheets kept in place about mattresses with a cross pattern of elastic bands placed under a mattress with clip ends which clamp to outer edges of a bottom sheet and a top sheet and a blanket. 
     A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide devices, apparatus, systems and methods to keep bottom sheets kept in place about mattresses with a cross pattern of elastic bands placed under a mattress with clip ends which clamp to outer edges of a bottom sheet and a blanket. 
     A preferred embodiment can include an eight-legged elastic gripper that secures eight points on the edges of a bottom sheet and/or top sheet and/or blanket that is located over a mattress, on all sizes of beds. 
     A cross pattern of up to approximately 2 inch wide by up to approximately a few feet or more in length, elastic bands, with ends of the bands having clips thereon. The cross pattern of bands can be slipped under a mattress and generally centered on a box spring. When the clip ends are attached to all four corner edges of a bottom sheet, and to outer edge portions of the bottom sheet between the corners, the cross pattern of elastic bands centers itself easily. 
     The novel invention provides for worry free nights of comfort without the bottom sheets being disengaged from the mattress and becoming crunched up underneath the sleeping persons. 
     Additionally, the invention provides for worry free nights of comfort without the top sheets any blanket or other covering from being disengaged from the mattress. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of four straps with eight clip ends sheet securing device standing alone. 
         FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of a clip of  FIG. 1  in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2B  is another view of the clip of  FIG. 2A  in an open position. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of the stitched cross portion of the four straps used in the securing device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the securing device of  FIG. 1  being positioned to install under a mattress having a bottom sheet thereon. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of  FIG. 4  with the sheet securing device and clips installed to the bottom sheet. 
         FIG. 6A  is an enlarged view of a clip shown in  FIG. 5  in an open position ready to be installed onto the sheet. 
         FIG. 6B  is another view of the clip of  FIG. 6A  installed onto the sheet. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternative sheet securing device with twelve clips installed to a sheet. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an eight clip sheet securing device with an alternate ring union point. 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of the central ring union point of  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     In the Summary above and in the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification does not include all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. 
     In this section, some embodiments of the invention will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notation is used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
     A list of components will now be described.
       10  Four straps with eight clip sheet securing device with stitched union point.     20  Closed sheet clip.     25  Open sheet clip.     30  Elastic straps/bands.     40  Lower jaw of sheet clip.     50  Upper jaw of sheet clip.     60  Toggle lock lever of sheet clip.     70  Strap ring of sheet clip.     80  Elastic strap attachment to clip.     90  Stitched strap union point.     100  Stitching/stitched.     110  Mattress.     120  Bottom sheet, such as fitted or unfitted sheet.     130  Twelve clip sheet securing device with stitched union point.     140  Eight clip sheet securing device with central metal or plastic ring union point.     145  Central metal ring union point.     150  Central metal ring.     160  Elastic strap wraps around ring to secure strap to ring.     170  Elastic strap attachment to ring.   

       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of four straps with eight clip ends sheet securing device  10  standing alone. 
       FIG. 2A  is an enlarged view of a clip  20  of  FIG. 1  in a closed position.  FIG. 2B  is another view of the clip  25  of  FIG. 2A  in an open position. 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of the stitched cross portion  90  of the four straps  30  used in the securing device  10  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the securing device  10  of  FIG. 1  being positioned to install under a mattress having a bottom sheet  120  thereon.  FIG. 5  is a perspective view of  FIG. 4  with the sheet securing device  10  and clips  20  installed to the bottom sheet  120 . 
       FIG. 6A  is an enlarged view of a clip  25  shown in  FIG. 5  in an open position ready to be installed onto the sheet  120 .  FIG. 6B  is another view of the clip  20  of  FIG. 6A  installed onto the sheet  120 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6B , the device  10  can have a spider configuration with a central cross pattern of elastic bands/straps  30  that can be positioned on a box spring underneath a mattress  110  having a bottom sheet  120  attached thereon. 
     An embodiment of the cross pattern of elastic bands/straps  30  can include eight elastic bands/straps  30  having a central cross union point  90  where the bands/straps  30  cross and are stitched together  100 . The free ends of the bands/straps can include clips  20 / 25 . 
     The four bands/straps  30  can each a width of up to approximately 2 inches or more. Each of the elastic bands/straps  30  can have a length of up to approximately 3½ feet up to approximately 4 and ½ feet, and longer. 
     The elastic bands/straps  30  can be formed from a fabric that includes stretchable elastic material therein which allows the bands to stretch, and retain a memory to pull back to their original length. 
     Each of the eight elastic bands/straps  30  can have free ends clips  20 / 25  that can attach to all four corner portions of the outer edges of the bottom sheet on the bed, with four additional clips bands/straps  30  that can attach to outer edge portions of the bottom sheet between each of the four corner portions of the bottom sheet  120 . 
     To assemble the device  10 , a bottom sheet  120  can be attached about an upper surface of a mattress  110 . The bottom sheet  120  can be a fitted sheet, or a non-fitted sheet. 
     Next, the device  10  can be positioned underneath the mattress  110  and be pushed into place by one&#39;s arms, or a longitudinal member, such as a yardstick, pole, and the like. 
     Each of the open clips  25  can be a clamp type clip having a lower jaw  40 , upper jaw  50  and toggle type lock lever  60 , that each pivotally attached to one another, with a strap ring  70 , with the end of the bands/strap  34  folded  80  and mounted to the ring  70 . Next the open clips  25  on the free ends of the bands/straps  30  can be positioned about and locked into place as a clip  20  onto various spaced apart edges of the bottom sheet  120 . 
     Alternatively, the mattress  110  with attached bottom sheet  120  can be turned upside down, followed by positioning the device in place and attaching each of the clips  20 / 25  to edges of the sheet  120 , followed by flipping the mattress back. 
     The cross pattern device  10  of elastic bands/straps  30  can be sized to fit under a single mattress, a double mattress, a queen mattress and/or a king size mattress. 
     Although the separate central cross portion  90  of the bands/straps  30  is shown stitched  100  together, the central portion can include a separate material, such as but not limited to a hexagon material that can be made of material, such as but not limited to fabric, cloth, leather, vinyl, combinations, thereof, and the like. This separate material can also be stitched in place. 
     The central portion can be sewn to the cross axis formed from the cross pattern on elastic bands. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternative sheet securing device  30  having twelve bands/straps  30  with twelve clips  20  installed to a sheet  120 . This larger number of clips  20  can be used on larger mattresses and/or can be used to have more contact points with edges of the bottom sheet  120  on the mattress  110 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of sheet securing device  140  with eight bands/straps  30  with eight clip  20  sheet securing device with an alternate ring union point  145 .  FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of the central ring union point  145  of  FIG. 8 , which shows folded ends  170  of the straps  30  wrapped  160  about a central ring  150 . The central ring  150  can be a metal ring, plastic ring, combinations thereof, and the like. The use of the central ring  150  allows for the ends  160 ,  170  of the bands/straps  30  to be able to slide and move relative to one another when the device  140  is installed under a mattress  110 , and while the device  145  is being attached by clips  20 / 25  to outer edges of the bottom sheet  120 . 
     The clip ends of the elastic bands can be alligator clips, suspender clips, and the like. Other types of clips, can be used such as snap clips, and the like. Additionally, the clips can include closeable clamps, and the like. The clips can be formed from metal, plastic, combinations thereof, and the like. 
     Although a preferred embodiment uses the cross pattern of elastic bands to have the clip ends attached only to edge portions of the bottom sheet, the invention can be applied in other manners. 
     For example, some clip ends such as a top middle clip end, top right and left corner clip ends can clip about relative locations such as a top middle portion, and top right and top left corner portions of the bottom sheet. Bottom middle clip end, bottom left and right corner clip ends can clip about relative locations such as a bottom middle portion and bottom right and left corner portions of both the bottom sheet and top sheet on the mattress. 
     Another example, can have the bottom middle clip end, bottom left and right corner clip ends can clip about relative locations such as a bottom middle portion and bottom right and left corner portions of both the bottom sheet and top sheet and blanket on the mattress. 
     Another example, can have the bottom middle clip end, bottom left and right corner clip ends can clip about relative locations such as a bottom middle portion and bottom right and left corner portions of both the bottom sheet and blanket on the mattress. 
     While the embodiments show the use of eight and twelve bands/straps, the invention can be used with four bands/straps that also have a central cross pattern, where the four ends attach only to corner area edges of the bottom sheet on the mattress. Also, other numbers, such as five, six, seven, nine, ten, eleven, and thirteen or more straps can be used. 
     Although the preferred embodiments describe the invention being useable from single bed mattresses through king size bed mattresses, other sizes mattresses, can be used such as on crib mattresses and small child bed mattresses, and the like. 
     The novel invention can be used with bottom sheets that have fitted corners, that include elastic forming pockets, or other types of pockets, and the like. The invention can also be used with bottom sheets that are not fitted, and are only tucked underneath a mattress. 
     Although the drawings show the invention used with bottom sheets, the novel invention can be used with both a bottom sheet and a top sheet, a bottom sheet and a blanket/cover, a bottom sheet with both a top sheet and a blanket/cover, or a top sheet with a blanket/cover on a bed. 
     The term “approximately” can be +/−10% of the amount referenced. Additionally, preferred amounts and ranges can include the amounts and ranges referenced without the prefix of being approximately. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.