Abstract:
A bed covering designed to inhibit movement of the bed covering when the bed covering is engaged with a conventional mattress and an individual is therebetween. The bed covering includes a body that substantially covers the mattress and is of the same size and shape. The bed covering further includes a left section and right section that drape over the edges of a conventional mattress and lie adjacent to the mattress sides when the bed covering is engaged with the mattress. Intermediate the left section and right section and completing covering one end of the mattress is an end panel. The end panel has integrally mounted thereon an attachment mechanism to releasably secure the bed covering to a mattress and inhibit movement when an individual is intermediate the bed covering and the mattress.

Description:
PRIORITY UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119(e) &amp; 37 C.F.R. §1.78  
       [0001]     This nonprovisional application claims priority based upon the following prior United States provisional patent application entitled: Sleep tite, Application No. 60/678,743, filed May 6, 2005, in the name of Tammy D. Marsh, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a covering, more specifically but not by way of limitation, a bed covering designed to partially engage with a mattress adjacent thereto in order to maintain the bed covering generally in a fixed position.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     The health of an individual is one of their primary concerns throughout their lives. An important part of maintaining ones health is ensuring that the proper amount of sleep is achieved on a daily basis. Millions of individuals sleep or rest on suitable horizontal support structures such as mattresses every day. It is estimated that over 40 million individuals experience restless sleep and do not achieve the recommended amount of sleep each day.  
         [0004]     One of the factors that influences those diagnosed with sleep deficiency is that the individual engages in a consistent motion while attempting to sleep. This motion or tossing during sleep activity typically results in the covering that the individual is using to cover themselves while attempting to sleep to become disheveled and gradually removes the covering from the individual. Furthermore, the displaced covering can become tangled in the individual&#39;s legs. This usually provides a source of discomfort and frustration thus resulting in the inability to attain a restful sleep.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there is a need for a bed covering that has the ability to have a portion thereof be releasably secured to the adjacent mattress to promote consistent positioning of the covering while an individual is intermediate the bed covering and the mattress.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is the object of the present invention to provide a bed covering that has a portion thereof that is releasably secured to an adjacent mattress that inhibits the bed covering from moving while an individual is intermediate the bed covering and the adjacent mattress.  
         [0007]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a bed covering that is releasably secured to an adjacent mattress that uses elastic as an attachment mechanism.  
         [0008]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bed covering that is releasably secured to an adjacent mattress that is made from a plurality of materials that increases the comfort level of the individual intermediate the bed covering and the mattress.  
         [0009]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a bed covering that is releasably secured to an adjacent mattress that inhibits the bed covering from moving that is relatively inexpensive.  
         [0010]     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the present invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being a part of the present invention, limited only by the slope of the claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]     A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description and appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawing wherein:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention engaged with a conventional mattress.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring now to the drawing submitted herewith wherein the various elements depicted therein are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 , there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of a bed covering  100 .  
         [0014]     The bed covering  100  comprises a body  10  that is configured in a substantially planar manner and is generally rectangular in shape. The body  10  is positioned generally adjacent and superposed a conventional mattress. The body  10  is of suitable material such as but not limited to silk, satin, cotton or polyester blend. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the body  10  could be a plurality of different shapes in order to be able to substantially cover an adjacent mattress  15 .  
         [0015]     Contiguous with the body  10  extending in a downward direction and generally perpendicular thereto is the left portion  35 . The left portion  35  extends down one side  16  of the mattress  15  and is positioned generally adjacent thereto. The left portion  35  extends downward from the body  10  proximate the left lateral peripheral edge  20 . The left portion  35  is manufactured from the same piece of suitable material as the body  10  and can be manufactured as one piece or the left portion  35  can be attached to the body  10  by conventional mechanical methods such as but not limited to sewing. While no specific length of the left portion  35  is required, good results have been achieved with a left portion  35  that extends approximately six inches in a downward direction from the left lateral peripheral edge  20 . It is desired within the scope of the present invention that the bed covering  100  be manufactured such that the left portion  35  is less than the length of the body  10  as shown in particular in  FIG. 1  submitted herewith. The length of the left portion  35  extends approximately intermediate the upper peripheral edge  70  and the end panel  50 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the length of the left portion  35  could vary depending on the size of the mattress  15  that the bed covering  100  is manufactured to cover.  
         [0016]     Opposite the left portion  35  and contiguously mounted to the body  10  is the right portion  40 . The right portion  40  extends downward from the right lateral peripheral edge  25  and is positioned adjacent to the side  16  of the mattress  15 . The right portion  40  is manufactured from the same suitable material as the body  10  and can be manufactured as one assembly or can be mechanically secured proximate the right lateral peripheral edge  25  by conventional methods such as but not limited to sewing. While no specific length of the right portion  40  is required good results have been achieved with a right portion  40  that extends approximately six inches downward from the right lateral peripheral edge  25 . Similar to the left portion  35 , the right portion  40  is manufactured such that the length of the right portion  40  is less than the length of the body  10 . The length of the right portion  40  extends approximately intermediate the upper peripheral edge  70  and the end panel  50 . Those skilled in the art will recognize that the length of the right portion  40  could vary depending on the size of the mattress  15  that the bed covering  100  is manufactured to cover.  
         [0017]     Intermediate the left portion  35  and the right portion  40  being generally perpendicular with the body  10  is the end panel  50 . The end panel  50  is positioned such that the end panel  50  is adjacent one end  17  of the mattress  15  and extends downward the entire side  16  of the mattress  15  and has a section  52  that engages with the underside of the mattress  15 . The end panel  50  extends downward proximate the bottom peripheral edge  22  and substantially covers one end  17  of the mattress  15 . The end panel  50  further includes at least two lateral sections such as lateral section  51  that extend toward the upper peripheral edge  70  and are connected with the left portion  35  and right portion  40  on either side  16  of the mattress  15 .  
         [0018]     This arrangement assists to inhibit the movement of the bed covering  100  when an individual is intermediate the bed covering  100  and the mattress  15 . The end panel  50  is manufactured from the same suitable material as the body  10  and is manufactured as a one piece assembly with the body  10  or can be mechanically fastened to the body  10  proximate the bottom peripheral edge  22  with conventional methods such as but not limited to sewing. The end panel  50  functions to engage one end of the mattress  15  to inhibit the movement of the bed covering  100  when an individual is intermediate the bed covering  100  and the mattress  15 . The end panel  50  is secured to the left portion  35  and right portion  40  by conventional mechanical methods such as but not limited to sewing. It is contemplated within the scope of the present invention that the end panel  50  enclose around one end  17  of the mattress  15  and extend towards the upper peripheral edge  70  approximately eight to twelve inches before engaging with the left portion  35  and right portion  40 . This facilitates the bed covering  100  maintaining its position while an individual is intermediate the bed covering  100  and the mattress  15 . Furthermore, it assists in maintaining the bed covering  100  in a flat and uniform appearance when not in use.  
         [0019]     Integrally mounted to the end panel  50  opposite the bottom peripheral edge  22  is an attachment mechanism  45 . The attachment mechanism  45  is contiguously mounted along the end panel  50  and substantially extends along the section  52  of the end panel  50 . The attachment mechanism  45  is mounted to the section  52  of the end panel  50  by conventional mechanical methods such as sewing. The attachment mechanism  45  functions to engage one end  17  of the mattress  15  and releasably secure the bed covering  100  to the mattress  15 . The attachment mechanism  45  is manufactured from conventional resilient material such as but not limited to elastic. Those skilled in the art will recognize that numerous different resilient materials could be utilized in manufacturing the attachment mechanism  45 . More specifically but not by way of limitation the attachment mechanism  45  could be manufactured from conventional hook and loop fasteners. Furthermore, it is contemplated within the scope of the present invention that the attachment mechanism need only be present along a portion of the section  52  of the end panel  50 .  
         [0020]     It is further contemplated within the scope of the invention that the bed covering be manufactured in numerous sizes in order to mateably engage with standard mattress sizes such as but not limited to king size, queen size, full size and twin size mattresses. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the bed covering could be manufactured in a plurality of different shapes in order to mateably engage with mattress of numerous different shapes.  
         [0021]     Referring now in particular to  FIG. 1 , a description of the operation of the bed covering  100  is as follows. An individual will place the body  10  of the bed covering  100  substantially over a conventional mattress. Subsequently, the end panel  50  is positioned such that it is placed adjacent one end  17  of the mattress  15  with the attachment mechanism  45  being stretched around the end  17  such that the bed covering  100  is releasably secured to the mattress  15 . The left portion  35  and right portion  40  are then placed in a generally perpendicular orientation with the body  10 . An individual can place themselves intermediate the bed covering  100  and the mattress  15  in order to rest with the bed covering  100  maintaining its positioned as it is releasably secured to one end  17  of the mattress  15  with the attachment mechanism.  
         [0022]     In the preceding detailed description, reference has been made to the accompanying drawing that forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration and description specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments, and certain variants thereof, have been described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that other suitable embodiments may be utilized and that logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The preceding detailed description is, therefore, not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.