Patent ID: 7552489

Claim:
A bed bug protective encasement for a mattress, said mattress having six sides, said encasement comprising: i. a fabric cover of a size for surrounding the six sides of a mattress, said cover formed of a bed bug impervious fabric; ii. an opening formed in said cover and being of a size for receiving the mattress; iii. a slide fastening mechanism disposed in said opening and operable to close said opening after the mattress has been received, said mechanism comprising: (a) a zipper head; and (b) a pair of zipper tracks having a longitudinal axis and terminating at an end location; iv. a unitary and continuous barrier disposed at said end location and extending for a distance along said zipper tracks said barrier disposed beneath said zipper tracks; and v. stitching attaching said barrier to said fabric cover, said stitching running relative to each side of said longitudinal axis of said zipper tracks, said stitching being formed so as to prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching; and vi. a channel between said barrier and said fabric cover, said channel formed by said stitching, said barrier and said zipper tracks, said channel slidingly receiving a portion of said zipper head and said channel becoming an enclosed channel when said zipper head at said end location; wherein said channel has a confined space of a size to thwart bug movement the channel when said zipper head is at said end location.