Abstract:
A pillow case for a bed pillow comprises a first layer and a second layer, each one of the layers comprising a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides, the short sides disposed between the long sides, the sides forming a rectangular layer. The long sides of each layer comprise releasable fastening means. The first layer coupled to the second layer along one of the short sides of each layer forming a seam. The layers folded about the seam, with the releasable fastening means coupling the long sides of the first layer to the long sides of the second layer.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATION DATA  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to pillow cases, and more specifically, this invention relates to a pillow case having dual releasable fastening means along the long sides of a pillow case.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     There are numerous devices that have been developed to allow a user to more easily stuff a bed pillow into a convention or standard pillow case, particularly in the area of improved pillow cases. In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,799 (to Aird) discloses a zippered pillowcase. The pillowcase comprises two rectangular panels (16 and 18) having a shared seam along a long side (24), and has an open end at side (22), and having zipper teeth formed along the remaining sides (as illustrated in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , respectively). The Aird reference describes, depicts and claims a pillowcase that has an accessible interior by unfolding the panels (16, 18) in a vertical direction (as drawn) and with a zipper system used for enclosing three sides (two long sides and one short side) of the pillow case.  
         [0004]     The present invention is an improvement over Aird in providing a pillow case comprising layers that unfold in a horizontal direction and require the user to mutually engage only two sides of the pillow case to secure a pillow therein. At present, the applicant is unaware of any invention that is identical to that described herein, and the present application describing a new and improved pillow case fulfills a need in the art that has been felt, namely, in providing a pillow case that is easily engaged and disengaged for inserting and/or removing a bed pillow therein.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In one embodiment disclosed herein, a pillow case comprises a first layer and a second layer, each one of the layers comprising four sides forming an orthogonal perimeter of each one of the layers. Two parallel and mutually opposed sides of each layer comprise releasable fastening means. The first layer is coupled to the second layer along one of the sides of each layer forming a seam. The releasable fastening means couples the two sides of the first layer to the two sides of the second layer.  
         [0006]     In one embodiment disclosed herein, a pillow case for a pillow case for a bed pillow, and/or a pillow case as one component of a bedding set (including a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and at least one pillow case) comprises a first layer and a second layer, each one of the layers comprising a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides, the short sides disposed between the long sides, the sides forming a rectangular layer. The long sides of each layer comprise releasable fastening means. The first layer coupled to the second layer along one of the short sides of each layer forming a seam. The layers folded about the seam, with the releasable fastening means coupling the long sides of the first layer to the long sides of the second layer.  
         [0007]     The releasable fastening means may comprise a variety of apparatuses or devices, or combinations thereof, including engagable and mateable zipper teeth and corresponding zipper slides, hook and loop material, buttons and slits, and/or snap buttons and button posts, wherein each is arranged or oriented along the margins of the long sides of the respective layers and engaged or mated and then disengaged as necessary. The slits and buttons posts may be characterized as receiving means for receiving and retaining the buttons (for the slits) and the snap buttons (for the button posts), and thereby mutually engaging the sides of the pillow case.  
         [0008]     As discussed above, the method and device of the present invention overcomes the disadvantages inherent in prior art methods and devices. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.  
         [0009]     Accordingly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this invention is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the design of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0010]     Furthermore, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially including the practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, nor is it intended to be limiting to the scope of the invention in any way. It is intended that the application is defined by the claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Additional utility and features of the invention will become more fully apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following drawings, which illustrate the primary features of the preferred embodiment and numerous alternative embodiments.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top view of the pillow case;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the pillow case of  FIG. 1 , wherein the first layer is moved to reveal the second layer;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the pillow case of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are separated;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of  FIG. 3  with a pillow placed therein;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a partial top view of an alternative embodiment to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 4 , wherein releasable fastening means comprises hook and loop material;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a partial top view of an alternative embodiment to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 5 , wherein releasable fastening means comprises buttons and slits; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a partial top view of an alternative embodiment to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 6 , wherein releasable fastening means comprises hook and loop material. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]     The detailed description below is for preferred embodiments and is intended to explain the current invention. It is to be understood that a variety of other arrangements are also possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
         [0020]     Referring now to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 7 , a pillow case  10  for a decorative pillow, a bed pillow, or as included in a bedding set (such as a fitted sheet, flat sheet and at least one pillow case) is depicted in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the pillow case  10  comprising a sheet of fabric  12  folded to form congruent rectangular fabric layers  14  and  16 . The perimeter of each one of the layers  14  and  16  comprises long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162  and short sides  144 ,  146  and  164 ,  166 , respectively, wherein all sides define the external margins for the respective layers  14  and  16 . Thus, the long sides  140  and  142  of layer  14  and the long sides  160  and  162  of layer  16  form mutually opposing and parallel sides of substantially similar length. Similarly, the short sides  144  and  146  of layer  14  and the short sides  164  and  166  of layer  16  form mutually opposing parallel sides of substantially similar length, with the short sides  144 ,  146  and  164 ,  166  having shorter lengths than the long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162 . The long sides  140  and  160 , and  142  and  162 , respectively, may be described as being mutually adjacent one another. Short sides  146  and  166  are mutually adjacent. Short sides  144  and  164  are mutually adjacent when the layers  14  and  16  are mutually engaged for use. The long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162  comprise releasable fastening means  18  through which the long sides of each respective layer  14  and  16  are mutually coupled to form the pocket for housing the bed pillow. Thereafter, the releasable fastening means  18  may be utilized for mutually disengaging the long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162 .  
         [0021]     The layers  14  and  16  are mutually coupled along short sides  146  and  166  so as to form a seam  20 . The seam  20  comprising short sides  146  and  166  form a closed end  22  of the pillow case  10 . The short sides  144  and  164  are not mutually coupled, and instead, are left uncoupled so as to form an opened end  24  as is common for pillow cases for bed pillows. Each short side  144  and  164  may have a marginal hem formed from separate lines of stitching. The layers  14  and  16  are folded about seam  20  so that layers  14  and  16  are mutually adjacent and substantially congruent. Means  18  are utilized for mutually coupling the long sides  140 ,  160  and long sides  142 ,  162 , respectively. Thus, three of the four sides of the pillow case  10  are mutually coupled and define the opened end  24 .  
         [0022]     In one embodiment, the releasable fastening means  18  comprises interleavable zipper teeth  180  and  182  formed along the margins of long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162 , respectively. The teeth  180  and  182  are mutually engagable via a zipper slide  184  with respect to mutually coupling sides  140  and  160  and mutually coupling sides  142  and  162 , respectively. Similarly, the teeth  180  and  182  are mutually disengagable via the zipper slide  184  with respect to mutually decoupling sides  140  and  160  and mutually decoupling sides  142  and  162 , respectively.  
         [0023]     In another embodiment, the releasable fastening means  18  comprises hook  186  and loop  188  material may be oriented along the margins of long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162 , respectively. The hook  186  and loop  188  material are mutually engagable with respect to mutually coupling sides  140  and  160  and mutually coupling sides  142  and  162 . It is envisioned that the hook  186  material may be oriented along the margins of sides  140  and  142  and the loop  188  material may be oriented along the margins of sides  160  and  162 . Similarly, the reverse orientation is envisioned, wherein the hook  186  material may be oriented along the margins of sides  160  and  162  and the loop  188  material may be oriented along the margins of sides  140  and  142 . It is also envisioned that the hook  186  and loop  188  material may be mixed in arrangement, so long as portions of the hook  186  material are matable and engagable with complementary loop  188  material.  
         [0024]     It another embodiment, the releasable fastening means  18  comprises buttons  190  and slits  192  in the fabric for receiving and retaining the buttons  190 . The buttons  190  and slits  192  may be oriented along the margins of long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162 , respectively, as described above with regard to the teeth  180 ,  182  and the hook  186  and loop  188  material. The buttons  190  may be oriented along the margins of sides  140 ,  142 , or conversely, along the margins of sides  160 ,  162 , or alternatively, along the margins of sides  140  and  162  or sides  142  and  160 . Similarly, the slits  192  may be oriented along the margins of sides  160 ,  162 , or conversely, along the margins of sides  140 ,  142 , or alternatively, along the margins of sides  142  and  160  or sides  140  and  162 . It is envisioned that the slits  192  are configured and arranged in a manner that the buttons  190  and the slits  192  are substantially aligned so that each respective button  190  is received and retained by each respective slit  192  corresponding therewith.  
         [0025]     In another embodiment, the releasable fastening means  18  comprises snap buttons  194  and button posts  196  for receiving and retaining the snap buttons  194  therein. The snap buttons  194  and button posts  196  may be oriented along the margins of long sides  140 ,  142  and  160 ,  162 , respectively, as described above with regard to the teeth  180 ,  182 , the hook  186  and loop  188  material and the buttons  190  and slits  192 , respectively. The snap buttons  194  may be oriented along the margins of sides  140 ,  142 , or conversely, along the margins of sides  160 ,  162 , or alternatively, along the margins of sides  140  and  162  or sides  142  and  160 . Similarly, the button posts  196  may be oriented along the margins of sides  160 ,  162 , or conversely, along the margins of sides  140 ,. 142 , or alternatively, along the margins of sides  142  and  160  or sides  140  and  162 . It is envisioned that the button posts  196  are configured and arranged in a manner that the snap buttons  194  and the button posts  196  are substantially aligned so that each respective button  194  is received and retained by each respective button post  196  corresponding therewith.  
         [0026]     It is envisioned that the pillow case  10  may be provided in a variety of size and colors, and may include various indicia. For instance, the pillow case  10  may be provided in standard and king size dimensions to accommodate the various sizes of pillow commercially provided. It is envisioned that the pillow case  10  is easily incorporated into a standard set of bed sheets offered commercially so that the pillow case  10  replaces the conventional or standard pillow cases offered in bed sheet sets, thus a variety of colors and/or patterns may be utilized with the pillow case  10 . It is also envisioned that the pillow case  10  may be utilized in bed sheet sets offering indicia themes, such as licensed trademark characters or indicia, including cartoon characters, sci-fi characters, sports and other similar themes. It is also envisioned that the releasable fastening means  18  and the various embodiments that the means  18  may assume may be fabricated from a variety of materials, including metal and plastic. Plastic may be preferred as a substitute for metal so that the user will not have to be concerned with metal elements rusting or corroding over time.  
         [0027]     To use the pillow case  10  as described, and as but one example, a user will utilize the releasable fastening means  18  to release the layers  14  and  16  from mutually coupling and engagement. Therefore, where means  18  comprises zipper teeth  180  and  182  and zipper slides  184 , the user will grasp one zipper slide  184  and mutually disengage and decouple the teeth  180  and  182  about long sides  140  and  160  and then grasp the other zipper slide  184  and mutually disengage and decouple the teeth  180  and  182  about long sides  142  and  162 , respectively. Where means  18  comprises hook  186  and loop  188  material, the user will pull the layers  14  and  16  apart from one another so that the hook  186  and loop  188  material are mutually disengaged and decoupled about long sides  140  and  160  and long sides  142  and  162 , respectively. Where means  18  comprises buttons  190  and slits  192 , the user will disengage and decouple each respective button  190  from each slit  192  retaining each button  190  about long sides  140  and  160  and long sides  142  and  162 , respectively. Where means  18  comprises button snaps  194  and button posts  196 , the user will disengage and decouple each respective snap button  194  from each button post  196  retaining each button snap  194  about long sides  140  and  160  and long sides  142  and  162 , respectively.  
         [0028]     Once the long sides  140  and  160  and long sides  142  and  162  are mutually disengaged, decoupled and released, the layers  14  and  16  are separated from one another along a substantially flat surface. A pillow  100  is placed therein, either engaging the layer  14  or the layer  16  initially. The initially unengaged layer  14  or  16  is then folded onto the pillow  100  about seam  20  so that the layers  14  and  16  envelope the pillow  100  therein. The user will then perform the reverse operation(s) to the operations described above with regard to disengaging and decoupling the long sides of each layer  14  and  16 . Therefore, the user will perform the operation(s) to mutually couple and engage the long sides  140  and  160  and long sides  142  and  162  to form the pillow case  10 .  
         [0029]     The use of a pillowcase according to the embodiments described herein avoids the tugging and pulling which is necessary to move two flexible materials past each other as is necessary in order to insert a bed pillow into a conventional or standard pillow case.  
         [0030]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of several embodiments, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited in scope to the embodiments disclosed herein. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.