Abstract:
An improved structure for a 4-in-1 comforter assembly comprises a top cover, a comforter, a frame cover, a bottom cover and fastening means that connect the top cover, the comforter, the frame cover and the bottom cover together. The structure allows one to readily replace any of the top cover, the comforter, the frame cover and the bottom cover.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a comforter and its covers, and in particular to an improved structure for a 4-in-1 comforter assembly. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known that when a conventional comforter is packed into a bag-typed cover, the result may be an unevenness of the comforter in the cover. Further, it is also an undesirable experience that the comforter is pulled out of and put into the cover when replacing the cover. Furthermore, a conventional cover often accumulates cotton fibers therein that are difficult to remove, and after the cover is washed, drying can take a long time. 
     Comforter covers are one of the best home textiles and their beautiful patterns are good for brightening a bedroom or changing the ambience. Also, a comforter with its covers is one of the most common personal commodities. New-tech cloth aimed at improving human health is continuously being developed, and it will be beneficial for people if the new-tech cloth is well utilized. 
     There is a need for an improved structure for a 4-in-1 comforter assembly, preferably one allowing the top cover for the comforter to be readily replaced with a top cover having an aesthetic pattern, for example an Indian-weave pattern. Further there is a need for a comforter assembly that enables ready replacement of the comforter with a comforter having a different fill material, down or a wool blanket, for example. Further there is a need for a comforter assembly in which the bottom cover is readily replaced, for example with a cover finished by a special process such as anti-mycotoxin or anti-bacterial. 
     The present invention provides such a comforter assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved structure for a 4-in-1 comforter assembly comprising a top cover, a comforter, a frame cover, a bottom cover and fastening means, whereby the fastening means are used to connect the top cover, the comforter, the frame cover and the bottom cover together. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an improved structure for 4-in-1 comforter assembly is constructed such that: 
     a top cover in rectangular form includes four slots arranged respectively in four corners thereof; 
     a comforter in rectangular form includes four outward loops, the outward loops being arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the comforter; 
     a frame cover in a hollow, rectangular form having a C-shaped cross-section of an inward concave includes an outer edge and two inner edges, the outer edge being provided with four through holes and four inward loops, the through holes being arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the frame cover, each of the inward loops being provided respectively across one of the through holes in the concave of the frame cover, and each of the inner edges of the frame cover being provided with tube-shaped and flat extensions having slots; 
     a bottom cover in rectangular form includes four outward loops and four fasteners, the outward loops being arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover, and each of the fasteners being provided correspondingly adjacent to one of the outward loops; and 
     the fastening means includes four fastening elements; 
     whereby the comforter is edged by the frame cover and laid on the bottom cover, each side of the top cover is inserted between the tube-shaped extension and the flat extension of one of the inner edges of the frame cover, and the upper portion including the two outward loops, of the bottom cover and the lower portion including the other two outward loops, of the bottom cover are folded up respectively against the upper and lower portions of the frame cover such that one end of each of the fastening elements is used correspondingly to hold one of the outward loops of the comforter, one of the inner loops of the frame cover, and one of the outward loops and one of the fasteners of the bottom cover together, and the other end of each of the fastening elements is used correspondingly to hold one of the slots of the top cover and the slots included in the tube-shaped and flat extensions of the frame cover. 
     The bottom cover includes two first connecting sections each located substantially between the two fasteners on one of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover, and the frame cover includes two second connecting sections each located substantially on the outer edge between the two through holes on one of two longitudinal sides of the frame cover such that each of the first connecting sections is attached correspondingly to one of the second connecting sections. 
     The top cover includes a plurality of first holes located along the circumference thereof, and the frame cover includes a plurality of second holes arranged in the tube-shaped and flat extensions of each of the inner edges thereof such that each of the first holes and at least one of the second holes corresponding thereto are held together by one of fastening parts. 
     Each of the fastening elements includes a solid attaching portion at one end and a hollow attaching portion at the other end, the hollow attaching portion including a tongue having a female button such that the female button can be fixed correspondingly to a male button arranged in an intermediate portion of each of the fastening elements. 
     Additionally, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an improved structure for 4-in-1 comforter assembly is constructed by that 
     a top cover in rectangular form includes a plurality of first holes arranged along each of two longitudinal sides thereof; 
     a frame cover in hollow, rectangular form and with a C-shaped cross-section of an inward concave includes an outer edge and two inner edges, the outer edge being provided with a flat extension on each of two longitudinal sides thereof, having a plurality of second holes corresponding respectively to a plurality of third holes located on the area adjacent to the flat extension; 
     a bottom cover in rectangular form includes four outward loops, four fasteners and a plurality of fourth holes, the outward loops being arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover, each of the fasteners being provided correspondingly adjacent to one of the outward loops, and the fourth holes being provided between the two fasteners on each of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover; and 
     the fastening means includes a plurality of fastening parts linked by two strings respectively in two series; 
     whereby a comforter is edged by the frame cover, laid on the bottom cover, and covered atop by the top cover such that one of the first holes, one of the second holes, one of the third holes and one of the fourth holes correspondingly to each other are fastened by one of the fastening parts, and the upper portion including the two outward loops, of the bottom cover and the lower portion including the other two outward loops, of the bottom cover are folded up respectively against the upper and lower portions of the frame cover such that each of the outward loops is secured correspondingly by one of the fasteners. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiments have been set forth in detail, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a comforter assembly according to an preferred embodiment of the present invention before assembling. 
     FIG. 2 a  shows a top view of one of fastening elements according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 2 b  shows a bottom view of one of the fastening elements in FIG. 2 a.    
     FIG. 2 c  shows a side-sectional view of one of the fastening elements in FIG. 2 a.    
     FIG. 3 shows a partially cut away, top view of the comforter assembly in FIG. 1 before the upper and lower portions of a bottom cover are folded up. 
     FIG. 4 shows a partially cut away, perspective view of the comforter assembly in FIG. 1 before the upper and lower portions of the bottom cover are folded up. 
     FIG. 5 shows a partially cut away, top view of the comforter assembly in FIG. 1 after the upper and lower portions of the bottom cover are folded up. 
     FIG. 6 shows a partially cut away, sectional view taken along a line across one longitudinal side of the comforter assembly in FIG. 1 after assembling. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing fasteners used in FIG. 6, linked by a string. 
     FIG. 8 is a partially cut away, perspective view of an improved structure for 4-in-1 comforter assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an improved structure for a comforter assembly comprises a top cover  1 , a comforter  2 , a frame cover  3 , a bottom cover  4  and four fastening elements  5 , as shown in FIG. 1, illustrating one quadrant of the comforter assembly, and FIG. 2 a.    
     The top cover  1 , in rectangular form, includes four slots  11  arranged respectively in four corners of the top cover. The top cover  1  further includes a plurality of first holes  12  located along the circumference thereof. 
     The comforter  2 , in rectangular form, includes four outward loops  21 . The outward loops  21  are arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the comforter  2 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the frame cover  3 , in hollow, rectangular form and with a C-shaped cross-section of an inward concave, includes an outer edge  35  and two inner edges  39 . The outer edge  35  is provided with four through holes  33  and four inward loops  34 . The through holes  33  are arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the frame cover  3 . Each of the inward loops  34  is provided respectively across one of the through holes  33  in the concave region of the frame cover  3 . As shown in FIG. 1, each of the inner edges  39  is provided with a tube-shaped extension  36  having slots  361  and  362  each located at both end of each of two longitudinal sides of one of the inner edges  39 , and a flat extension  37  having slots  371  and  372  each located at both end of each of two longitudinal sides of one of the inner edges  39 . The frame cover  3  further includes a plurality of button holes  363  and  373  arranged respectively in the tube-shaped extension  36  and the flat extension  37  of each of the inner edges thereof. Location of each of the button holes  363  corresponds to one of the button holes  373 . Both the surfaces of the frame cover can be used alternatively, and can be made of different materials for different seasons and in different patterns, thereby matching with different top covers. Further, the frame cover can vary in hollow form, such as circular, elliptic and diamond. 
     The bottom cover  4 , in rectangular form, includes four outward loops  44  and four fasteners  42 . The outward loops  44  are arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover  4 . Each of the fasteners  42  corresponds to one of the outward loops  44  adjacent thereto. 
     FIGS. 2 a,    2   b  and  2   c  depict respectively the top, bottom and side-sectional views of one of the fastening elements  5 . As shown in these figures, each of the fastening elements  5  includes a solid attaching portion  51  at one end and a hollow attaching portion  56  at the other end. The solid attaching portion  51  is provided with a loop tape  513  at one end and a hook tape  511  at the other end wherein the loop tape  513  and the hook tape  511  are respectively on opposite sides. As shown in FIG. 2 b,  the hollow attaching portion  56  is provided with a loop tape  57  at one end and a hook tape  58  at the other end. The hollow attaching portion  56  further includes a tongue  55  having a female button  54 . The female button  54  can be fixed correspondingly to a male button  53  arranged in an intermediate portion of the fastening elements  5 . The intermediate portion is provided with a slot  52  next to the solid attaching portion  51 . 
     In order to obtain the comforter assembly of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the comforter  2  is edged by the frame cover  3  and laid on the bottom cover  4 . Each side of the top cover  1  is inserted between the tube-shaped extension  36  and the flat extension  37  of one of the inner edges  39  of the frame cover  3 , and the upper portion  43  including the two outward loops  44 , of the bottom cover  4  and the lower portion  45  including the other two outward loops  44 , of the bottom cover  4  are folded up respectively against the upper and lower portions of the frame cover  3 . 
     Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, from the inward concave region of the frame cover  3 , the outward loops  21  of the comforter  2  are respectively inserted upwards into the inward loops  33  of the frame cover  3  from the underneath. The hollow attaching portion  56  of each of the fastening elements  5  is inserted downwards into one of the inward loops  33  of the frame cover  3  such that the loop tape  57  is attached to the hook tape  58 , and the tongue  55  is correspondingly inserted upwards into one of the inward loops  21  of the comforter  2  from the underneath. As a result, the female button  54  is fastened onto the male button  53 . The solid attaching portion  51  is inserted into the slots in sequence of  371 ,  361 ,  362 ,  11  and  372  when the male button  53  faces up, such that the loop tape  513  is attached to the hook tape  511 . If the male button  53  faces down, the inserting sequence is  371 ,  361 ,  362 ,  11 ,  372  and  52  (not shown). 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom cover  4  further includes two first connecting sections  41  each located substantially between two of the fasteners  42  on one of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover  4 . The frame cover  3  further includes two second connecting sections  351  each located on the outer edge  35  substantially between the two through holes  34  on one of two longitudinal sides of the frame cover  3  such that each of the first connecting sections  41  is attached correspondingly to one of the second connecting sections  351 . Thereafter, the upper portion  43  and the lower portion  45  of the bottom cover  4  are folded up respectively against the upper and lower portions of the frame cover  3 . The result is that each of the fasteners  42  having hook and loop tapes respectively disposed at opposite ends on one side thereof is inserted correspondingly into one of the inward loops  33  and one of the outward loops  44  from the underneath such that the hook and loop tapes on each of the fasteners  42  are attached to each other. 
     As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the top cover  1  further includes a plurality of button holes  12  located along the circumference thereof and each of the button holes  12  corresponds to one of the button holes  363  and one of the button holes  373  such that each of the button holes  12  is fastened correspondingly to one of the button holes  363  and one of the button holes  373  by one of buttons  13  respectively linked by strings  15 . Thereby, the comforter assembly in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention is obtained. 
     Further, the improved structure for 4-in-1 comforter assembly in accordance with the above preferred embodiment of the present invention can be used for a comforter without the outward loops. 
     FIG. 8 shows one quadrant of an improved structure for 4-in-1 comforter assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the comforter assembly is constructed with a top cover  100  in rectangular form that includes a plurality of button holes  120  arranged along each of two longitudinal sides thereof. The assembly further includes a frame cover  300  in hollow, rectangular form having a C-shaped cross-section of an inward concave region that includes an outer edge and two inner edges. The outer edge is provided with a flat extension  370  on each of two longitudinal sides thereof, and has a plurality of button holes (not shown) whose locations correspond respectively to a plurality of button holes (not shown) located on the area adjacent to the flat extension  370 . The assembly further includes a bottom cover  400  in rectangular form having four outward loops  440 , four fasteners  420  and a plurality of button holes (not shown). The outward loops  440  are arranged respectively at both ends of each of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover  400 . Each of the fasteners  420  is provided correspondingly adjacent to one of the outward loops  440 , and the button holes are provided between the two fasteners  420  on each of two longitudinal sides of the bottom cover  400 . The fastening means includes a plurality of buttons  13  linked by two strings  15  respectively in two series. 
     As shown in FIG. 8, a comforter  200  is edged by the frame cover  300 , laid on the bottom cover  400 . On the top, the comforter is covered by the top cover  100  such that there is alignment between one of the button holes  120 , one of the button holes of the flat extension  370 , one of the button holes located on the area adjacent to the flat extension  370  and one of the button holes of the bottom cover  400 . Fastening occurs using one of the buttons. The upper portion  430  includes the two outward loops  440 , of the bottom cover  400 , and the lower portion  450  includes the other two outward loops  440 . Upward folding, of the bottom cover  400  against the upper and lower portions of the frame cover  300  is such that each of the outward loops  440  is secured correspondingly by one of the fasteners  420 . Each of the fasteners  420  of the bottom cover  400  is provided with loop tape and hook tape respectively at opposite ends on one surface thereof. 
     Various features of the present invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the figures. However, it must be understood that these particular arrangements are merely exemplary, and that the present invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the scope of the appended claims.