Abstract:
A bedding cover and sheet combination includes a bed cover positionable on a bed to cover a bed, a bed sheet to cover the bed, and fasteners adapted to removably attach the bed cover and bed sheet in generally overlying positional relation to each other for use to cover a bed to facilitate making up a bed without separately having to align the sheet and the cover and to hold the cover and sheet in relation to each other while a person sleeping in the bed is covered by the combination cover and sheet. 
     A kit includes such bedding cover and bedding sheet with appropriate fasteners and also includes a fitted sheet of corresponding style to at least one of the bedding cover and bedding sheet. 
     A method of covering a bed includes placing on the bed a bed cover and bed sheet combination having the bed cover and the bed sheet fastened together in generally parallel overlying relation.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally, as indicated, to combination comforter and sheet, and, more particularly, to a comforter and sheet used as bedding to cover a bed. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Most people cover a bed with a bed sheet to keep the mattress of the bed relatively clean. The bed sheet easily can be removed, washed and replaced on the bed, as desired. For convenience, such sheet may be referred to as an under-sheet, as it usually is under a person who is sleeping on the bed, although such under-sheet is on the mattress itself. Many people also use an over-sheet, which will be referred to below simply as “sheet” for convenience. Such sheet is used between the person sleeping on the bed and a comforter, blanket, quilt or the like that usually is above the sheet. Such sheet may be used, for example, to maintain the comforter, blanket, quilt, etc. relatively clean, as the sheet easily may be washed between uses or between several uses. In contrast it is relatively difficult and sometimes expensive to wash or dry clean a comforter, blanket or quilt. This sheet also may be used to provide a comfortable surface resting against the body of a person lying or sleeping in the bed. 
         [0003]    To provide the above functions, sometimes it has been practice to place a comforter, blanket or quilt within a sheet-like case, e.g., as a conventional pillow case but larger, e.g., on the order of the size of the comforter, blanket or quilt. However, it is relatively difficult to remove the comforter, blanket or quilt from the case and it is difficult, too, to neatly insert the comforter, blanket or quilt in the case without bending, folding, etc., occurring and, therefore, leaving a volumetric portion of the case without any comforter, blanket or quilt between the two layers of the case. 
         [0004]    To neatly make up a bed, a person may remove the sheet and the comforter (in the description below, reference will be made to comforter, although it is to be understood that such term includes blanket, quilt or the like). The sheet then is placed neatly on the bed and possibly tucked in between the mattress and the support for the mattress, e.g., the box spring, platform, floor, etc., to provide a neat, smooth placement on top of the under-sheet and mattress. Thereafter, the comforter is placed on top of the sheet and is arranged neatly. These tasks take time. Often people do not take the time to neatly make up a bed in view of rushed circumstances, e.g., late for work, late for school, etc. If the bed is not neatly made up, one may encounter an embarrassing situation if guests were to notice the unmade bed, and sometimes a child who has not made up his or her bed, may encounter the anger of a parent. 
         [0005]    In making up a bed it often is necessary to measure the sheet so that, on the one hand, it can be tucked in at the foot of the bed or it can hang over the foot of the bed, while at the same time being of a suitable length to reach the area of the head of the bed providing adequate length to be folded over the forward-most or closest to the head portion of the bed, part of the comforter; this also takes time and tends to dissuade a person from making the bed. 
         [0006]    Sometimes a sheet and comforter become misaligned such that the surface of the comforter engages the body of a sleeping person. This may lead to soiling the comforter and also may cause discomfort to the user feeling the fabric of the comforter against his/her body when he/she awakens. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need in the art for facilitating the covering of a bed and making up a bed. 
         [0008]    There also is a need to facilitate aligning a sheet and comforter. 
         [0009]    There also is a need to maintain alignment of a sheet and comforter. 
         [0010]    This is particularly desirable for college students, families with young children or young, busy professionals that cannot be bothered with the time consumption of tucking and measuring sheets yet want a fast, neat self-made bed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0011]    An aspect of the invention relates to a bedding cover and sheet combination, including a bed cover positionable on a bed to cover a bed, a bed sheet to cover the bed, and fasteners adapted to removably attach the bed cover and bed sheet in generally overlying positional relation to each other for use to cover a bed. 
         [0012]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the bed cover and bed sheet are held in generally overlying, superimposed, parallel relation. 
         [0013]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, the bed sheet further comprising a top flap portion. 
         [0014]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the area of the cover is approximately the area of a bed on which the combination is intended to be placed. 
         [0015]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the combination is approximately the same lateral dimension as a bed on which the combination is to be used and additionally has an overhanging portion at the foot end to be tucked in or hang loose. 
         [0016]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the area of the cover is of a size larger than the area of a bed on which it is to be placed to provide overhangs at the lateral sides of the bed. 
         [0017]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the cover is a comforter. 
         [0018]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the cover is a blanket or quilt. 
         [0019]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the fasteners comprise buttons and loops. 
         [0020]    Another aspect relates to the combination immediately above, wherein the loops comprise button holes. 
         [0021]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the fasteners comprise resilient snaps. 
         [0022]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the fasteners comprise complementary hook and eye fasteners. 
         [0023]    Another aspect relates to the above mentioned combination, wherein fasteners comprise VELCRO®. 
         [0024]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the fasteners are at complementary spaced apart locations along the length of the respective lateral sides of the cover and sheet, and wherein the head end of the sheet is folded over the cover to form a flap, and at least some of the fasteners comprising fasteners for attaching a portion of the flap to the cover. 
         [0025]    Another aspect relates to the above combination, wherein the cover and sheet have side edges and a number of complementary fasteners are located along the length of both sides of both the cover and sheet. 
         [0026]    Another aspect relates to a kit including a bedding cover and bedding sheet combination for covering a bed, the bedding cover and bedding sheet including complementary fasteners selectively operable to fasten the bedding cover and bedding sheet together in relatively overlying relation and to unfasten the bedding cover and bedding sheet to separated relation, and a fitted sheet of corresponding style to at least one of the bedding cover and bedding sheet. 
         [0027]    Another aspect relates to the above kit, wherein the kit may further include at least one: sheet, comforter, sham, bedskirt or pillowcase. 
         [0028]    Another aspect relates to the above kit, wherein additional coordinating sheet sets may be packaged separately for sale in designer sets of corresponding style. 
         [0029]    Another aspect relates to a method of covering a bed, comprising placing on the bed a bed cover and bed sheet combination having the bed cover and the bed sheet fastened together in generally parallel overlying relation. 
         [0030]    Another aspect relates to the above method, and further comprising fastening together the bed cover and bed sheet to form the combination. 
         [0031]    Another aspect relates to the above method, and further comprising tucking in the foot area beneath a mattress. 
         [0032]    Another aspect relates to the above method, and further comprising tucking sides of the combination beneath sides of the mattress. 
         [0033]    Another aspect relates to the above method, and further comprising placing portions of the combination in overhanging relation beyond at least one of the sides and foot portion of a mattress. 
         [0034]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
         [0035]    Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments. 
         [0036]    It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. 
         [0037]    Although the invention will be shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it will be obvious that equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. The present invention includes all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0038]      FIG. 1  is a schematic isometric view of a combination bedding cover and sheet combination in accordance with the invention; 
           [0039]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   d  are schematic fragmentary illustrations of an exemplary fastener mechanisms for fastening a bed cover and sheet as examples for use in the present invention. 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation section view of a bed having a bedding cover and sheet combination thereon with the foot portion of the bedding cover and sheet combination hanging over the foot of the bed; 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  is a schematic side elevation section view of the bedding cover and sheet combination on a bed with the foot portion of the bedding cover and sheet combination tucked under the mattress; and 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  is a schematic isometric view of a bedding cover and sheet combination on a bed. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0043]    Referring, now, to the drawings, which are not to scale, but are provided to show the invention in schematic form, like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the several drawing figures. 
         [0044]    A bedding cover and sheet combination in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is generally indicated at  10 . The bedding cover and sheet combination will be referred to below as cover-sheet combination. The word “cover” includes a comforter, blanket, quilt, afghan, and the like. The term sheet refers to a sheet typically used in connection with bedding, e.g., as an over-sheet used between a cover and a person lying or sleeping in a bed. 
         [0045]    The cover-sheet combination  10  includes a cover  11 , sometimes referred to as a bed cover, a sheet  12 , sometimes referred to as an over-sheet, and fasteners  13 . 
         [0046]    In  FIGS. 2   a - 2   d , there are four different exemplary fasteners that may be used for the fastener  13  shown in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 2   a  the fastener  13  is composed of a complementary pair of hook  14   a  and eye  14   b , one being attached to the top sheet  12  and the other being attached to the cover  11 , as is illustrated schematically at  14  in  FIG. 2   a.    
         [0047]    In  FIG. 2   b  the fastener  13  is shown as a snap fastener  15 . The snap fastener includes a complementary pair of a male member  15   a  that may be inserted into a female receptacle  15   b , the parts  15   a ,  15   b  being resiliently and interferingly connected in a conventional manner. Snap fasteners are conventional in the clothing field to hold together two parts of a garment, e.g., instead of a button and button hole, etc. The fasteners  13  may be buttons and button holes, VELCRO® fastener material ( FIG. 2   c ) including hook  16   a  and loop  16   b  type fasteners, for example, buttons  17   a  and loops or button holes  17   b  ( FIG. 2   d ), etc. The fasteners  14 ,  15  are exemplary and it will be appreciated that other types of fasteners may be used for the fasteners  13  in the invention. 
         [0048]    It will be appreciated that the cover  11  may be any fabric or other material, e.g., plastic, metallic material, or other material, that is suitable for use as a comforter, blanket, quilt, or the like. The sheet  12  may be any fabric suitable for a top sheet, as is well known, e.g., cotton, silk, polyester, metallic material, or other material. 
         [0049]    As is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the cover-sheet combination has a head end  20  and a foot end  21 . The head end typically is placed near the head of the bed and is intended to cover a person near the head, neck or shoulders, and the foot end  21  is intended to be located at or near the foot end of the bed near the feet of a person covered by the cover-sheet combination. 
         [0050]    As is seen in  FIG. 1 , the sheet  12  of the cover-sheet combination is mostly at the bottom or below the cover  11 . However, at the head end  20  the sheet may be folded as at  22  over the head end of the cover to form a flap-like portion  23 . In many instances people make up beds with the head end of the top sheet folded over the head end of the cover for a number of reasons, including appearance of neatness and also to facilitate pulling the top sheet and cover together over the shoulders, neck, etc. of a person as that person pulls the top sheet and blanket together over themself to sleep. The flap-like portion (flap)  23  also may help keep the cover clean at an area where the chin or arm of a person may rest on top of the cover-sheet combination  10  while the person is sleeping, for example. 
         [0051]    Complementary portions  14   a ,  14   b  or  15   a ,  15   b , etc. of respective pairs of fasteners may be attached to the cover  11  and to the top sheet  12  at respective paired locations along the perimeter of the cover and top sheet, for example, as is illustrated schematically in  FIG. 1 . The lateral (side-to-side) dimensions of the cover and top sheet may be approximately the same so that the complimentary portions of the fasteners are near the respective edges of the cover and sheet such that they do not ordinarily rub against the body of a person covered by the cover-sheet combination. However, if desired, the fasteners may be located elsewhere in addition to or instead of at the edges. At or near the head end  20  of the cover-sheet combination  10 , a number of fasteners  13   a  may be provided to hold the flap  23  of the sheet  12  in engagement with the cover  11  maintaining the fold  22  and flap  23 . The fasteners  13   a  may include only two, one at each lateral edge area  24  or may include several fasteners across the leading end of the sheet to engage with complementary fasteners located on the cover, e.g., as is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Similarly, at the foot end  21  of the cover-sheet combination, there may be two or more complementary pairs of fasteners  13   b , as is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 3  illustrates the cover-sheet combination  10  positioned on a bed  30 . The bed  30  includes a mattress  31  having head and foot ends  31   h ,  31   f , a box spring  32  having head and foot ends  32   h ,  32   f  that supports the mattress, and a bed frame  33  that supports the box spring and mattress in conventional manner. The bed frame  33  may have legs and/or wheels; alternatively legs and/or wheels may be attached directly to the box spring. As is seen in  FIG. 3  a bottom sheet  34  is on the top of the mattress. The bottom sheet  34  may be a fitted sheet or may be an unfitted sheet that is tucked in at the edges, head end, and foot end of the mattress, e.g., between the mattress and box spring. In the illustration of  FIG. 3 , the bed  30  includes a head board  35  and a foot board  36 . The foot end  21  of the cover-sheet combination  10  is urged down between the mattress and foot board, and the head end  20  is positioned near the head and head board  35  of the bed. 
         [0053]    To make up the bed  30  is quite easy. The cover-sheet combination  10  may be placed on top of the bed, aligned generally with the mattress  31  to cover the top of the mattress and the bottom sheet thereon, and the foot end  21  of the cover-sheet combination may be urged down between the mattress and foot board. If desired, the cover-sheet combination may be placed over the foot board in the manner illustrated schematically in dash lines in  FIG. 3 . Thus, there is no need to align a top sheet and blanket with each other, to tuck the two in, to readjust the cover and top sheet relative to each other so that lateral edges of the top sheet do not stick out from beneath the cover, etc. 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the cover-sheet combination  10  may be tucked in between the foot end of the mattress  31  and the foot end of the box spring  32 . If a box spring is not used, but rather the mattress is placed on a platform or on the floor, the foot end of the cover-sheet combination may be tucked in beneath the foot end of the mattress  31  and the platform or floor, etc. 
         [0055]    The lateral dimension (side-to-side) of the cover-sheet combination  10  may be the same as the lateral dimension of the mattress  31  in which case the cover-sheet combination easily may be placed directly over the mattress and aligned therewith without any need for separately aligning a top sheet and cover relative to the mattress. Alternatively, the lateral dimension of the cover-sheet combination may be larger than the lateral dimension of the mattress, and in such case, as is illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the sides  40  of the cover-sheet combination may overlap the sides  31   s  of the mattress and if even longer, the sides  32   s  of the box spring. If desired, the lateral dimensions of the cover-sheet combination may be smaller than those of the mattress or may be some other dimension. 
         [0056]    The cover  11  and sheet  12  may be assembled and separated, for example, as is described herein. A portion of the sheet  11  extends beyond the length of the cover  11  and is folded at  22  to cover head end of the cover, thus forming the flap  23 . If there is no flap at the foot end of the sheet  12 , then the foot end is aligned approximately at the foot end of the cover. The fasteners  13 ,  13   a  and  13   b  are fastened together to attach the cover and sheet together. The cover-sheet combination then can be placed on a bed in the various manners described above or in some other manner, as may be desired. A person may cover himself or herself with the cover-sheet combination  10  in a similar manner to the way a top sheet and blanket typically are used. However, since the cover and sheet are attached together, it is unlikely that the cover will come into direct engagement with the body of the person. Therefore, the cover would tend not to become somewhat soiled, e.g., from naturally occurring oils, etc., that may be on the person. Thus, the covers will be maintained clean for many days. As desired, though, the sheet  12  may be unfastened from and removed from the cover and either washed and replaced on the cover or replaced by a different sheet that is attached to the cover. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the sheet  12  may be of a material that is intended to be discarded after one or more uses, e.g., in a hospital setting or in some other environment where it is desired not to re-use the sheet  12 , and in such cases the sheet  12  may be discarded and another sheet used in its place. In such cases, too, the sheet  12  may be of relatively inexpensive fabric material, may be of paper or paper-type material, etc. An example of such use may be in a circumstance where a patient in a hospital has an infection and it is undesirable to remove the same top sheet for the same patient or for another patient even with the top sheet were washed.