A bedding cover device

Abstract

A bedding cover device 100 comprises an upper face, a lower face, and a seam (A), wherein the seam joins the upper face to the lower face, and the upper face provides a zipper 14 intermediate a first

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bedding cover device, in particular a device for covering bedding such as pillows and duvets. Background In many societies bedding is provided with dressing, for example pillows and duvets having covers which may be replaced when dirtied. However changing the covers in societies where there is also an increasing number of people who live alone and / or who have mobility limitations, can prove problematic. It can be difficult to insert the bedding, particularly for example a large and unwieldy duvet, into the cover. The person will need to ensure the duvet is correctly positioned within the cover and the cover closed around it. Prior Art GB 2018 15 412 (JAMES) discloses a duvet cover which comprises a rectangular aperture for allowing insertion of a duvet into the cover wherein the opening has a flap which may be attached at one end to the cover, and selectively fastened to or over the opening by means of different fastenings and the opening may be centrally located in a first face of the cover, and the fastenings may be snap fasteners, a zip, buttons, or hook and loop fasteners wherein the flap may be the same size as the opening, or alternatively may be larger than the opening such that it extends beyond the edges of the opening when in a closed position and the overlapping region may comprise a thicker material than the remainder of the flap. ON 204 617 731 (Zl) discloses a quilt cover, including the quilt cover body, be provided with the zip fastener on the quilt cover body, the zip fastener is used for realizing opening and shutting of quilt cover body, the zip fastener includes left side chain belt and right side chain belt, left side chain belt and right side chain belt are all connected on the quilt cover body, be provided with left side chain tooth on the chain belt of left side, be provided with right side chain tooth on the chain belt of right side, left side chain tooth with be provided with the pull head between the chain tooth of right side, be provided with the temperature and humidity sensing chip on the pull head, temperature and humidity sensing chip outside is provided with signal transmission device, signal analysis device and alarm device. CN 2018 70 237 (ZHOU) discloses a simple quilt cover which comprises a quilt cover body, characterized in that a zipper is arranged at the center line of the upper surface of the quilt cover. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a bedding cover device comprising an upper face, a lower face, and a seam, wherein the seam joins the upper face to the lower face, and the upper face provides a zipper intermediate a first set of opposing sides of the seam and joining a second set of opposing sides of the seam, and one or more plackets with one or more plackets covering the zipper. Embodiments of the device provide convenient and easy to sue means of dressing pillows or duvets or the like, requiring a simple zip opening, a placement of the pillow within the resulting hole and into the corners of the device, and a simple reclosure of the zipper. In this way the device of the present invention may be useful for persons having limitations to their mobility and / or time or patience. Additionally or alternatively the device provides an attractive and comfortable simple means to dress the pillow, duvet or the like. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises one or more plackets on the upper face. These plackets may be envisaged to cover the zipper from one or both sides, so as to provide greater coverage of the zipper for comfort or aesthetic hiding of the zipper. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises one or more plackets on the lower face, which may cover the zipper and / or reflect the zipper position. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a placket sewn at ends, so as to prevent the placket displacing and / or holding the placket in a flat position so as not to require ironing. In other embodiments the placket comprises an internal spine or structure / In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a placket that is over 20mm in width, so as to provide a wide coverage of the zipper and to provide a noticeable visual impact, ensure coverage of the zipper and / or prevent folding, deforming or creasing. In some embodiments of the device the device is rectangular wherein it may be envisaged that the zipper may be located centrally, between the long or the short sides. Other embodiments may be located proximate or at seams. In some embodiments of the device the zipper is arranged to extend longitudinally, such that the duvet may be inserted longitudinally and stretched out to the corners, and then the zipper closed. In some embodiments of the device the zipper is arranged to extend laterally. It may be envisaged that the duvet may be fed into the device when the zipper is open and top end corners arranged, then the bottom end corners. In some embodiments of the device the zipper is proximate the seam for the first set of opposing sides, for example so as to allow a pillow to be inserted into an end. In some embodiments of the device the faces comprise a border. It may be envisaged that in some embodiments the zipper may be located along the inner seam of a border for example so as to provide a neat location. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a stripe of a contrasting colour on the lower face in relation to and opposing the zipper. This may aesthetically reflect the zipper location on an opposed face of the device, and / or thereby aid the user in locating the region of the device where the zipper will be located so as to aid partially sighted users. In some such embodiments of the device the stripe is a coloured area of material, or is a sewn-on flap or panel of material in a different colour, or is itself a placket. According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising a pillow cover device and a duvet cover device, being substantially as described herein. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of bedding apparatus comprising embodiments of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan view with detail inset of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 3 shows a plan view with detail inset of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 4 shows a top and bottom view of one of the embodiments of the device shown in the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a diagrammatic view of the step of forming the placket for a zipper for an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; and Figure 6 shows embodiments of a pillow device according to the present invention. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to the figures there is shown embodiments 99,100 of a bedding cover device generally comprising an upper face, a lower face, and a seam A, wherein the seam A joins the upper face to the lower face, and the upper face provides a zipper 14,24 intermediate a first set of opposing sides of the seam and joining a second set of opposing sides of the seam, and the zipper comprises a placket 11,21. In particular reference to the pictured embodiments a first embodiment 99 comprises a pillow cover. This pillow embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, is rectangular and comprises a laterally extending, centrally provided zipper 24 extending between the short sides of the seam A. The embodiment of the device as pictured in Figure 4 comprises a surrounding border 22, which extends outwards from the seam A and may be a flat panel of material or a folded flap. The zipper 24 may be identified to be located on the upper face of the embodiment and on the lower face, or viceversa, there is provided a contrasting colour stripe 21 which is located laterally at the same height as the zipper 24. It may be envisaged that the stripe and the zipper provide a visual reflection of each other and / or a means to identify which of the faces is uppermost. It may be envisaged that the zipper and placket may be provided with a matching stripe in further embodiments. In this way the user will be able to easily identify the zone of the zipper (on the opposed face) so as to simply turn the device to access the zipper. It may be envisaged that in some embodiments that such an identification stripe may provide further information, for example a centre point and / or a gauge of distance from ends, arrows or wording such as BOTTOM. In relation to the pillow embodiment 99, it may be seen that the pillow embodiment may comprise a zipper 24 on one face and an identification stripe 21 on the opposed face that may be located centrally extending longitudinally across the rectangular device. As shown in Figure 6a the zipper and / or stripe may be located at the end along the seam, so as to extend along the edge of the border, in Figure 6b an embodiment may have a central vertical zipper and stripe, and as shown in Figure 6c embodiments may be envisaged having a side arranged zipper and stripe which may be spaced from the seam. As shown in Figure 2 the pillow cover embodiments 99 have two extending plackets 25,26 which provide a covered zipper 24, so as to minimise potential of contact with the user. Additionally such plackets may be envisaged to comprise heavy inserts or repeated folds, so as to provide greater comfort to the user. In relation to the duvet cover embodiment 100, the duvet cover is rectangular, and the zipper 14 is hidden by a single placket 11. This duvet cover placket is coloured so as to allow for easy identification of the zipper location, and is sewn at either end along the seams, so as to prevent displacement from over the zipper. The zipper extends longitudinally centrally on the rectangular face 10. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A bedding cover device comprising an upper face, a lower face, and a seam, wherein the seam joins the upper face to the lower face, and the upper face provides a zipper intermediate a first set of opposing sides of the seam and joining a second set of opposing sides of the seam, and one or more plackets with one or more plackets covering the zipper.

2. A bedding cover device according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises one or more plackets on the upper face.

3. A bedding cover device according to claim 2 wherein the device comprises one or more plackets on the upper face.

4. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim comprising a placket sewn at ends.

5. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim comprising a placket that is over 20mm in width.

6. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim wherein the device is rectangular.

7. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim wherein the zipper is located centrally between the long sides.

8. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim 1 to 6 wherein the zipper is located centrally between the short sides.

9. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim wherein the zipper is arranged to extend longitudinally.

10. A bedding cover device according to claim 1 to 8 wherein the zipper is arranged to extend laterally.

11. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim wherein the zipper is proximate the seam for the first set of opposing sides.

12. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim wherein the faces comprise a border.

13. A bedding cover device according to any preceding claim comprising a stripe of a contrasting colour on the lower face in relation to and opposing the zipper.

14. A bedding cover device according to claim 13 wherein the stripe is sewn on.

15. A bedding cover device according to claim 13 wherein the stripe is a placket.

16. A pillow cover device according to any preceding claim.

17. A duvet cover device according to any preceding claim 1 to 15.

18. Apparatus comprising a pillow cover device according to claim 16 and a duvet cover device according to claim 17.

19. Method of changing bedding comprising a device or apparatus.IntellectualPropertyOfficeApplication GB2405618.6Search report under Section 17 of the Patents Act 1977Date search completed: 24 September 2025Claims searched: 1-19International classificationSubclass and subgroup Valid from A47G9 / 02 01 / 01 / 2006Field of searchWorldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC:A47GDatabases used in the preparation of this search report:SEARCH-PATENTDocuments considered to be relevantPatent literatureCategory Relevant claims Document of relevance X 1-3, 5-10, 12-19 US 3241161 A DASHOSH, See figures and description. In particular zip 23 and panel (placket) 21.X 1-3, 5-10, 12-19 FR 2799358 A1 CHRISTINE, See figures and abstract. In particular opening 5 with finishing flap (Placket) 4. X 1-3, 5-10, 12-19 DE 202006015384 U1 GERMED GES, See figures. X 1-3, 5-10, 12-19 US 2015 / 0096122 A1 RABBANY &YADEGARI, See figures, abstract and description. X 1-19 US 2020 / o196685 A1 MELL &MELL, See figures and description. In particular sipper 24 and flap (placket) 22. A - US 2020 / 0196685 A1 WILLIAMS, See figures and description. In particular figure 4 Non-patent Category iterature Relevant claims Document of relevance Categories Letter or symbol DescriptionX Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step.Letter or symbol Description Y Document indicating lack of inventive step, if combined with another document of the same category. & Member of the same patent family. A Document indicating technological background. P Document published on or after the priority date but before the fling date of the present application. E Earlier application published on or after the filing date of the present application.

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