Abstract:
A mattress or surface protector is provided. The mattress or surface protector comprises a generally non-absorbent top layer and a waterproof/breathable bottom layer. The top layer and bottom layer are connected by borders providing a mechanism to inhibit spills from traversing the edges of the protector. The borders have straps that can be secured about the corners of the mattress or surface to anchor the protector.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to bedding and, more particularly, to a mattress protector or pad to prevent seepage of liquid to or soiling of a mattress or top sheet of a made bed.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Preventing fluid from contacting a bedding top sheet or seeping through to a mattress is an age-old problem. Many solutions have been presented, but those solutions leave much to be desired.  
         [0003]     One popular solution is a “mattress pad.” Mattress pads, however, are typically waterproof vinyl sheets. While the waterproof vinyl sheet prevents liquid from passing or seeping through, large spills or accidents traverse the sides of the mattress pad and contaminate the underlying mattress or top sheet. Also, a vinyl back sheet is not breathable and causes the bedding to become hot and uncomfortable to a person.  
         [0004]     To inhibit liquid from traversing the sides of the mattress pad, some products include a super moisture absorbent material on the vinyl sheet. The waterproof vinyl sheet resides between the super absorbent material and the surface to be protected, such as the mattress. The super absorbent material wicks or pulls moisture from the source, for example, the person, and retains the liquid suspended in the material. The liquid moves from the source through the material by convection or the like. By pulling the moisture away from the source, a person (for example) would not feel the discomfort associated with the moisture. Over time, the super absorbent material may become saturated or traverse to the edge of the super absorbent material. At which time, the liquid may traverse the edge of the mattress pad or penetrate the mattress pad and contaminate the underlying mattress or top sheet.  
         [0005]     Moreover, with lesser amounts of liquid, the spill may be retained in the super absorbent material undetected by the users. The waterproof backing causes the moisture (whether retained in the super absorbent material or not) to stagnate. The stagnated liquid can become infected and is at a minimum unhygienic. Some pads with absorbent material include antibacterial materials to reduce the probability of bacteria growing. Adding antibacterial material partially solves the issue, but increases costs and complexity of the protector. Also, antibacterial material only partially inhibits the growth of bacteria.  
         [0006]     The conventional mattress pad provides limited protection and hygienic issues as described above in the best of situations. Most mattress pads suffer the additional drawback of being either fitted sheets, connectable only to bed posts or rails, or free standing.  
         [0007]     Fitted sheets work well to protect a mattress and prevent movement of the pad. But once liquid is spilled on the fitted sheet, the sheet is difficult to remove. In some instances, liquid contained by the fitted sheet can contact the mattress during the struggle to remove a contaminated sheet. Sheets connectable to bed posts or rails only have limited applicability. These pads have ties or snaps on the edges that hook around crib rails or bedposts. Freestanding sheets can be used on most beds. But they tend to move, bunch, or the like even if tucked under the mattress causing the underlying surface to become exposed. Other solutions to fix the pad to the mattress tend to involve complex attachment mechanisms.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 1,621,149, to Blissitt, discloses an early mattress pad. Blissitt comprises a protective sheet above and below a mattress. The protective sheets each consist of a rubber, water impervious, non-breathable bottom layer closest to the mattress proper. The protective sheets are maintained in place by straps on the top sheet connectable to buckles attached to the bottom sheet.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,494, to Kay, discloses another mattress pad. Kay comprises rubber water impervious, non-breathable layer closest to the mattress. Sewn to the rubber layer is a pair of mesh materials. Loops coupled to the edges of the mesh materials allow a strap to be threaded through the loops. When placed on the mattress, the strap is tightened causing the loops to pull the edges down and secure the sheet to the mattress.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,973, to Leventhal, discloses another mattress pad. Leventhal provides a series absorption pads, with water impervious, non-breathable bottoms, sealed to each other. The series of absorption pads are attached to a bottom sheet, which can be tucked to secure the mattress pad protector. As each of the series are spoiled, they can be removed by ripping the soiled absorption pads away from the series of absorption pads.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,002, to Strong, discloses a mattress pad including absorbent material. Strong provides a bottom non-liquid permeable sheet on which shredded material is located. The shredded material absorbs any spills.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,010, to Kronman, discloses another absorbent mattress pad. Kronman provides a thin liquid impervious material that supports a liquid absorbent material. The sheet is sufficiently wide to allow it to be tucked under the mattress to secure the mattress pad in place.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,474, to Svensson, discloses another absorbent mattress pad. In particular, Svensson provides filaments in the absorbent layer to section the absorbent layer and prevent it from stiffening while it becomes saturated with liquid to further the use of pad after it is soiled.  
         [0014]     United States Patent Application Publication 2002/0124313, to Cook et al., discloses another mattress pad. Cook et al. discloses a flexible sheet having a “pouch pair.” The pouch pair releasable holds an absorbent article. As the absorbent article is soiled, it can be removed, replaced, and washed. The flexible sheet is secured to the mattress by tucking the flexible sheet under the mattress.  
         [0015]     United States Patent Application Publication 2003/0121101, to Corzani et al., and United States Patent Application Publication 2003/0163870, to Porter et al., disclose disposable mattress pads. In particular, the disposable pad comprises a moisture permeable fibrous layer having a waterproof/breathable thermoplastic coating. Corzani et al. and Porter et al. are disposable pads because the waterproof/breathable thermoplastic coating washes away after a few washings.  
         [0016]     Thus, it would be desirous to provide a mattress protector that is easily securable to any type of mattress and bed frame to prevent the protector from moving, bunching, and the like. Moreover, it would be desirous to provide a mattress protector that did not lose its waterproof/breathable backing after a few washes. Also, it would be desirous to provide a mattress protector that inhibited liquid from traversing the edges of the protector.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     To attain the advantages of and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a surface protector is provided. The surface protector comprises a top water top water permeable layer having a first length and a second length. The lengths are typically consistent with the mattress or surface being protected. A waterproof/breathable bottom layer is substantially aligned with the top layer. The top and bottom layer are connected with at least one border connecting the top layer and the waterproof/breathable layer of the surface protector at an edge, the border forming a lip on the top layer. A pair of straps at a plurality of corners such that the pair of straps can be connected beneath the surface to be protected  
         [0018]     The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:  
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is an top side plan view of the invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a corner of the invention partially exploded;  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows the invention of  FIG. 1  attached to an underlying surface;  
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows an alternative connector to the one shown in  FIG. 4 ; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  shows another connector. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]     The present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-6 . While the present invention is described with reference to a mattress protector, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize on reading the disclosure that the invention described herein can be used to protect any number of surfaces including, for example, chairs, car seats, tabletops, and the like.  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a top elevation view of mattress protector  100  is shown. Mattress protector  100  includes a top layer  102  and a bottom layer  104  (which is better seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Top layer  102  can be any fabric and is designed primarily for comfort. Top layer  102  my be, for example, a cotton, fleece, knit, woven, or non-woven. Bottom layer  104  is a waterproof breathable fabric, such as, for example, GOR-TEX® available from W. L. Gore &amp; Associates, Inc. Unlike the waterproof/breathable treatments described above, waterproof/breathable fabrics retain the waterproof/breathability after numerous washings. Optionally, one or more padding layers  106  (seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) may be provided between top layer  102  and bottom layer  104  for comfort. Padding layer  106  may be a woven or non-woven fabric, with or without foams. Top layer  102  and any padding layer  106  are water permeable layers, but not especially designed to be absorbent. Because they are not particularly absorbent, a user or caregiver would readily detect when the pad is wet or soiled. Generally, top layer  102 , bottom layer  104 , and any padding layer  106  are the same size and comprise a width W and length L.  
         [0028]     Top layer  102  and bottom layer  104 , as well as padding layer  106  if used, are connected together by a plurality of borders  108  and  110 . Border  108  is aligned along the length of mattress protector  100  and has a length L′. Border  110  is aligned along the width of mattress protector  100  and has a length W′. L′ and W′ are each longer than L and W such that each of borders  108  and  110  have a pair of straps  118  extending beyond edges  120  of mattress protector  100 . While shown as separate, borders  108  and  110  may be combined into a single board. Moreover, straps  118  are shown as contiguous with borders  108  and  110 , but straps  118  may be separate as a matter of design choice. As seen in  FIG. 3 , borders  108  and  110  comprise a U shaped ribbon fabric with an upper border  112 , a side  114 , and a lower border  116 . Upper border  112  is attached to top layer  102  using a stitch  124 . Lower border  116  is attached to bottom layer  104  using stitch  124  also. Stitch  124  can be replaced with an adhesive layer  126  on the inside of borders  108  and  110 . Borders  108  and  110  inhibit any liquid from traversing past the edges of mattress protector  100  and potentially soiling the underlying mattress. Borders  108  and  110  may comprise a waterproof material, such as vinyl, or a waterproof/breathable materials, such as GORE-TEX®. Alternatively, borders  108  and  110  may comprise an absorbent material to inhibit liquid from traversing the edges.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a corner  122  of mattress protector  100  is shown partially exploded. For convenience and easy of reference, borders  108  and  110  as well as straps  118  have been removed in  FIG. 2 . As shown, top layer  102 , bottom layer  104 , and padding layer  106  are shown as generally the same size. However, the layers can vary in size as a matter of design choice. Optionally, an adhesive  202  could be applied between top layer  102  and padding layer  106  to maintain the alignment of top layer  102  and padding layer  106 . Adhesive  202  also may inhibit bunching. An adhesive  204  could be applied between padding  106  and bottom layer  104  as well. Adhesives  202  and  204  could be used together or separately. Adhesives  202  and  204  could be the same or different material and comprise a glue or heat weld material.  
         [0030]     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a cross-sectional view of mattress protector  100  along width W is shown. Mattress protector  100  includes optional padding layer  106  between top layer  102  and bottom layer  104 . U shaped borders  108  reside on opposite ends of mattress protector  100 . A cross-sectional view of mattress protector  100  along length L would be substantially the same and is not shown for convenience. Borders  108  including upper border  112 , lower border  116  and side  114 . Borders  108 , top layer  102 , bottom layer  104 , and optional padding layer  106  may be connected together using stitch  124 , as shown for the left border  108  in  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, coupling material  126 , such as an adhesive or a thermal weld, may be used to connect the layers together as shown on the right border  108  in  FIG. 2 . While shown as a continuous adhesive or weld layer, coupling material  126  may be non-contiguous.  
         [0031]     As shown, upper border  112  provides a lip  302 . For large spills or accidents, lip  302  inhibits liquid from traversing the edges of mattress protector  100  and further inhibits the ability of spills or accidents to soil the surface or bedding beneath the protector. Lower border  116  provides a similar lip  304 . Lip  302  and lip  304  extend substantially around edge  120  of protector  100  to inhibit large spills from traversing the edges.  
         [0032]     As mentioned in relation to the prior art, one of the defects with current mattress pads are that they either use fitted sheets, are free standing, have complex attachment mechanisms, or are designed for use with particular types of bed frames. Mattress protector  100  is generally sized with a length L and a width W sufficient for a particular style mattress  400 , such as crib, twin, double, queen, king, or the like. Borders  108  and  110  are arranged such that a pair of straps  118  exist at each corner of mattress protector  100 . Straps  118  can be tied together using a knot  402  under each corner  404  of mattress  400 . Thus, the mattress protector  100  is easily fitted to any style mattress and bed frame. Alternative to the knot  402 , which could be any conventional knot although a bow is envisioned, straps  118  could be connected using snaps  500 , shown in  FIG. 5 . Snaps  500  include a male portion  502  snapped into female potion  504 . Alternatively, each pair of straps  118  could have a hook and loop connector  600 . Hook and loop connector  600  would comprise hook material  602  and corresponding loop material  604  on ends  606  of straps  118 . The loop and hook material would engage and hold straps  118  in place, similar to VELCRO®, which is available from Velcro Industries B.V.  
         [0033]     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.