Patent ID: 7325263

Claim:
A fitted bed covering for a mattress, comprising: (a) an upper sheet having a top side and an underside, the upper sheet incorporating a rectangular area substantially the size of the sleeping surface of the mattress, wherein portions of the rectangular area define a first strip extending along a first side of the rectangular area and a second strip extending along a second side of the rectangular area, wherein the first and second strips are on opposite sides of the rectangular area; (b) a first elastic, planar panel positioned on the underside of the upper sheet and overlaying the first strip of rectangular area, whereby the first panel and the first strip define parallel planes in contact with each other, wherein the first panel is attached along three of its sides to the first strip of the rectangular area to form a first pocket having an opening towards a center of the rectangular area, wherein one side of the first pocket is comprised of the first strip of the rectangular area and the opposite side of the pocket is comprised of the first panel and the first pocket is capable of stretching to fit over an end of the mattress, the and wherein the depth of the first pocket, as measured perpendicular to the first side of the rectangular area, is greater than a thickness of the mattress and less than one-half of the distance from the first side of the rectangular area to an opposite side; and (c) a second elastic, planar panel positioned on the underside of the upper sheet and overlaying the second strip of the rectangular area, whereby the second panel and the second strip define parallel planes in contact with each other, wherein the second panel is attached along three of its sides to the second strip of the rectangular area to form a second pocket having an opening towards a center of the rectangular area, wherein one side of the second pocket is comprised of the second strip of the rectangular area and the opposite side of the pocket is comprised of the second panel and the second pocket is capable of stretching to fit over an end of the mattress, and wherein the depth of the second pocket, measured perpendicular to the second side of the rectangular area, is greater than a thickness of the mattress and less than one-half of the distance from the second side of the rectangular area to an opposite side.