U.S. patent application number 12/255913 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-26 for mattress encasement for preventing bed bug escapement via a zipper opening.
Invention is credited to James A. Bell, Yueh-Jyh Chen, Ching-Yao Yeh.
Application Number | 20090049608 12/255913 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39521311 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090049608 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bell; James A. ; et
al. |
February 26, 2009 |
MATTRESS ENCASEMENT FOR PREVENTING BED BUG ESCAPEMENT VIA A ZIPPER
OPENING
Abstract
A mattress encasement made of bug impervious fabric provides a
zipper opening for removal of the mattress. A foam pad is stitched
at an end of the zipper closure such that when the zipper is
located at or near the end, a channel is provided to prevent or
obstruct the escapement of bed bugs via the channel and out from a
mattress encased by the mattress encasement.
Inventors: |
Bell; James A.; (Glencoe,
IL) ; Chen; Yueh-Jyh; (Shanghai, CN) ; Yeh;
Ching-Yao; (Shanghai, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MCANDREWS HELD & MALLOY, LTD
500 WEST MADISON STREET, SUITE 3400
CHICAGO
IL
60661
US
|
Family ID: |
39521311 |
Appl. No.: |
12/255913 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11756249 |
May 31, 2007 |
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12255913 |
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60895011 |
Mar 15, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/499 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 9/0238 20130101;
Y10S 5/939 20130101; Y10T 24/2514 20150115; A47C 31/105 20130101;
A47G 9/04 20130101; A47G 2009/001 20130101; A47C 31/007 20130101;
Y10T 29/49826 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/499 |
International
Class: |
A47C 31/00 20060101
A47C031/00 |
Claims
1. A bed bug protective encasement for a mattress, comprising: (a)
a fabric cover of a size for surrounding the six sides of a
mattress, said cover formed of a bed bug impervious fabric; (b) an
opening formed in said cover and being of a size for receiving the
mattress; (c) 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; and (b) a zipper
track having an end location; (d) a foam pad disposed at said end
location and extending for a distance along said zipper track, said
foam disposed beneath said zipper track; (e) stitching attaching
said foam paid to said fabric cover, said stitching running
relative to said zipper track and forming a channel between said
foam pad and said fabric cover, said channel slidingly receiving a
portion of said zipper, said stitching being formed so as to
prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching.
2. A bed bug protective encasement according to claim 1 wherein the
fabric cover when surrounding said mattress forms six sides of said
cover; and wherein said opening is formed across the entire width
of one of said sides.
3. A bed bug protective encasement according to claim 1 wherein
said foam pad is composed of a compressible material.
4. A bed bug protective encasement according to claim 3 wherein
said foam pad is of a thickness at least five times greater than
the thickness of said bed bug impervious fabric when said foam pad
is in an uncompressed state.
5. A bed bug protective encasement according to claim 1 wherein
said stitching draws said foam pad into contact with said zipper
track within said channel.
6. A method of guiding bed bugs housed within a mattress away from
an opening portion of a zipper closure of a mattress encasement,
said zipper closure having a zipper head and a pair of zipper
tracks, said opening portion constituting the unzipped portion of
said zipper tracks, comprising the steps: (a) providing a barrier
along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the zipper tracks and
the end location of said zipper tracks to prevent bugs from
approaching said portion of the axis; (b) providing a channel
between said zipper tracks and said barrier having a confined space
of a size to thwart bug movement into and along the channel; (c)
forcing said barrier toward said zipper track to guide bugs away
from entering said channel and for creating a constant force of
said barrier against said zipper track; and (d) moving said zipper
head along the channel toward the zipper end located at the end of
the channel.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of forcing said barrier
toward said zipper track is accomplished by providing stitching
between said barrier and said zipper closure along each side of the
longitudinal axis of said zipper track.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said stitching is formed so as to
prevent traversal by a bed bug across said stitching.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein said barrier provided is composed
of a compressible material.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein said barrier provided is a foam
pad.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the material of said barrier
provided is of a thickness at least five times as great as that of
the material comprising said mattress encasement.
12. A method of preventing bed bugs from escaping a mattress
comprising the following steps: (a) providing a mattress encasement
comprising: i. a fabric cover for surrounding the six sides of a
mattress, said cover formed of a fabric that is impervious to bed
bugs; ii. an opening for receiving a mattress; and iii. a slide
fastening mechanism disposed in said opening and operable to close
said opening comprising: 1) a zipper head; and 2) a zipper track
having a longitudinal axis and an end location; (b) surrounding
said mattress with said mattress encasement; (c) guiding bed bugs
housed within said mattress away from said opening portion of said
mattress encasement, comprising the steps: i. providing a barrier
along the end location and longitudinal axis of said zipper track
to prevent bugs from approaching said portion of the zipper track;
ii. providing a channel between said zipper track and said barrier,
said channel having a confined space of a size to thwart bug
movement into and along the channel; iii. forcing said barrier
toward said zipper track to guide bugs away from entering said
channel and for creating a constant force of said barrier against
said zipper track; (d) closing said opening by moving the zipper
head along the zipper tracks into said channel and toward said
zipper track end location located at the end of the channel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application makes reference to, and claims priority to,
U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 11/756,249 filed May 31,
2007 titled "Mattress Encasement For Preventing Bed Bug Escapement
Via A Zipper Opening," which, in turn, claims priority to U.S.
provisional application Ser. No. 60/895,011 filed Mar. 15, 2007
titled "Mattress Encasement For Preventing Bed Bug Escapement Via A
Zipper Opening". Both U.S. application Ser. No. 11/756,249 and
60/895,011 are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to an apparatus and method for
preventing bed bugs from escaping out of a bed mattress. More
particularly, the invention relates to a zipper closure structure
on a mattress encasement which, while allowing removal of the
mattress from the encasement, prevents the escapement of bed bugs
out of the mattress and past the encasement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Bed bugs, commonly known as cimex lectularis, are a type of
insect that commonly hides within bed mattresses. Such bed bugs are
found in homes, cruise ships, motels, hostels or boarding houses
where itinerant travelers find overnight lodging. Bed bugs will
feed off of the blood of humans sleeping on the mattresses that
harbor these insects. Typically, a bed bug will crawl out of the
mattress during the night, bite the sleeping victim, and then
return to the safe confines of the mattress.
[0004] To prevent the escapement of bed bugs from the mattress, and
thus contain and starve the bugs, a technique has been devised in
which the mattress is surrounded with a fabric cover or encasement
to seal the exit of the bugs. The encasement is slipped onto the
mattress and closed via a slide fastening mechanism such as a
zipper. Bugs escaping from the mattress will encounter the barrier
of the fabric cover, and thus will be prevented from reaching a
human sleeping on the mattress.
[0005] Problems exist, however, with the use of such protective
mattress covers or encasements. For example, a user may fail to
completely close the zipper on the encasement, or the zipper may
become partially unzipped through movement or rustling of the
mattress, as for example, when the bed is made and remade. This
results in an opening at the zipper end through which bed bugs may
escape. Indeed, even zippers that have been carefully and
completely closed may still leave a narrow opening at the end of
the zipper that is a large enough opening for a small bed bug to
crawl through and escape.
[0006] Accordingly, there exists a need to prevent the escapement
of bed bugs from a zipper opening in a mattress protective
encasement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a mattress encasement structure which prevents bed bug
escapement from the zipper opening of the encasement.
[0008] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a method of preventing bed bugs from exiting a mattress encasement
at the zipper end of the encasement.
[0009] These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a
mattress encasement having a zipper opening for receiving a
mattress. A barrier structure is disposed at the zipper end of the
encasement in order to thwart bed bug travel to any small opening
which may form at the zipper end.
[0010] In addition, objects of the invention are achieved in a
method for guiding bed bugs housed within a mattress relative to a
zipper portion of a mattress encasement. The bugs are channeled
away from the zipper end of the encasement using a barrier
structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a mattress
encasement covering a mattress.
[0012] FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view of a zipper end location of
the mattress encasement of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged end view of a zipper of the encasement
of FIG. 1.
[0014] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional end view of the zipper
end location of FIG. 2, taken along line 2/2 in FIG. 2.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional side view of the zipper end
location of FIG. 2, taken along line 3/3 in FIG. 2.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an enlarged top view of the zipper end location of
the mattress encasement of FIG. 1 in which the zipper is opened
providing an opening to the mattress.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a mattress encasement 100 surrounds a
conventional mattress 101. Mattress encasement 100 may be
constructed from a fabric 102 of a size and shape so as to surround
and engulf the entirety of mattress 101. Fabric 102 of the
encasement is woven so as to be impervious to bed bugs.
[0018] An opening 103 is shown in one form as being located at one
end 105 of the encasement, and extending along the entire width of
end 105 and a short distance along each of sides 107, 109 of the
encasement. In a second form the opening 103 extends along the
entire width of end 105 and along most of the two sides 107, 109,
so as to start and stop approximately six inches from the top end
106 of the encasement. Opening 103 allows mattress 101 to slide
into and out of encasement 100 so that the encasement may be
laundered from time to time.
[0019] Opening 103 may be closed by a zipper closure 111 to seal
the entire encasement opening 103. Zipper closure 111 includes a
zipper head 120 and a pair of zipper tracks 121, 123. Tracks 121,
123 are disposed around opening 103 in a confronting relationship
and are zipped together in a conventional fashion. Tracks 121, 123
have meshable teeth which interleave together as caused by zipper
head 120 guiding the two tracks 121, 123 together. The meshable
teeth are very tight fitting in order to prevent bed bugs from
moving between the meshed teeth.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 2, zipper head 120 is shown connected to
zipper tracks 121, 123 and disposed in a position near an end
location 125. End location 125 is where zipper head 120 is stopped
from further movement along tracks 121, 123. The tracks are shown
intermeshed behind zipper head 120, as indicated at 134, to close
opening 103 (FIG. 1), and form a seal by the closed tracks that is
impervious to bed bugs. Also as indicated at 136, zipper tracks
121, 123 located in front of zipper head 120 are not intermeshed,
and define an unzipped portion of the mattress encasement. A small
zipper opening 110 is thus formed in front of zipper head 120 in
the proximity of end location 125. Opening 110 extends between end
location 125 and zipper head 120.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, a rectangular shaped foam pad 140 is
disposed beneath fabric 102, and thus, beneath the zipper closure
at the proximity of end location 125. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
foam pad 140 is of a much greater thickness than fabric 102.
[0022] Foam pad 140 may be made from a flexible resilient foam
material, but other materials may be used as well. For example,
foam pad 140 may be a fabric material, a rubber material, or any
other material which may be stitched to fabric 102. In addition,
foam pad 140 may be compressible such that contact made by mattress
101 against the lower surface 141 of pad 140 causes the pad to
compress between the mattress and the encasement fabric 102,
forcing the top surface 143 of pad 140 into contact with fabric 102
as well as into contact with portions of the zipper structure
disposed above pad 140.
[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, foam pad 140 is stitched to fabric 102
in order to secure the foam pad in place. A pair of outer rows of
stitches 180, 182 are formed parallel to and along each side of the
zipper tracks 121, 123. Additionally, a pair of inner rows of
stitches 160, 162 may be formed parallel to and along each side of
zipper tracks 121, 123. A fifth row of stitches 164 runs
perpendicular to zipper tracks 121, 123 and connects all four
stitch rows 160, 162, 180, 182. Row 164 traverses end location 125
of zipper tracks 121, 123. Also, two rows of stitches 181, 183 run
perpendicular to zipper tracks 121, 123 and connect stitch rows
160, 180, and connect rows 162, 182, respectively. Stitch rows 181,
183 are co-linear and stop short of the zipper tracks, as
shown.
[0024] Stitching is applied so as to securely attach foam pad 140
to encasement fabric 102. The stitches are sufficiently close
together so as to prevent a bed bug from passing through any of the
stitched rows. For example, referring to FIG. 2, a bed bug may not
pass through stitched row 164, between pad 140 and fabric 102 to
get to opening 110.
[0025] Stitching patterns of a rectangular shape are thus formed on
each side of the zipper track, attaching foam pad 140 to encasement
fabric 102. As will suggest itself, other stitching patterns may be
used. For example a stitching pattern of an "X" shape, or diagonal
lines may also be employed. In addition, stitching may encompass
end location 125, as shown at 185. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the
fabric 102 may be folded at end location 125 to provide further
support, or the like.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 3, zipper closure 111 is shown separate
from encasement 100 and is a conventional design. Zipper head 120
includes a lower flat planar member 131 which lies below zipper
tracks 121, 123. Member 131 serves as one guiding surface to guide
the tracks together. The tracks are secured to respective pieces of
fabric or extensions 137, 139 which provide a means for securing
the tracks to the fabric 102. Fabric extensions 137, 139 are shown
in FIG. 2.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 4, flat planar member 131 of the
zipper head is shown below the two zipper tracks 121, 123. The
fabric extensions 137, 139 of the tracks are sewn to the casement
fabric 102 at respective locations 145, 147, and then fabric 102 is
folded back over itself leaving two end portions 149 of fabric
102.
[0028] As seen in FIG. 4, a space 151 is formed below the zipper
tracks 121, 123, and above foam pad 140. This space 151 provides a
channel along which the bottom portion 131 of zipper head 120
moves. As seen in FIG. 2, the stitching segments 160, 162 form the
outer extent of the sides of channel 151. The top of channel 151 is
bound by zipper tracks 121, 123 and the bottom of channel 151 is
bound by foam pad 140. Even if a bed bug were to crawl along the
entire length of channel 151 toward opening 110, the bug will be
confronted with a barrier posed by lower portion 131 of the zipper
head. To thwart the bug from crawling beneath portion 131 of the
zipper head, the top surface 143 of the foam pad is forced upwardly
into contact with the bottom surface 132 (FIG. 3) of portion 131 by
the compression of foam pad 140 caused by the mattress snugly
fitting within the encasement fabric 102.
[0029] Foam pad 140 is of a length such that when zipper 120 is at
a location at or near end point 125, channel 151 is relatively long
making it difficult for a bed bug to crawl through channel 151 to
reach the zipper end 125.
[0030] In order to prevent bed bugs from escaping through the
channel 151, it is preferred that the maximum height of the channel
be small relative to the height of a crawling bed bug and yet
provide a sufficient space to receive the lower portion 131 of
zipper head 120. Accordingly, depending on the material of the foam
pad 140 and the fabric cover 102, and the size of the zipper head
120 and zipper tracks 121, 123, the preferred distance between
stitching segments 160 and 162, and the zipper tracks will vary.
The size of the channel 151 may also vary depending on the size of
the bed bugs intended to be prevented from escaping the
mattress.
[0031] For example, the distance between stitching rows 160, 162,
and respective tracks 121, 123 may be 1/16 of an inch. The distance
between stitching rows 160, 162 may be 5/16 of an inch. The
distance between stitching rows 164, 181 may be 2-1/2 inches. The
height of lower portion 131 of the zipper may be 1/32 of an
inch.
[0032] Referring to FIG. 6, as zipper head 120 is moves along
zipper tracks 121, 123 and away from foam pad 140, opening 110
enlarges. As shown in FIG. 1, foam pad 140 is located a distance
away from end 105 so as to allow opening 110 to enlarge
sufficiently to insert and/or remove mattress 101. As will suggest
itself, encasement 100 may be constructed in pieces and sewn
together.
[0033] Accordingly, bed bugs attempting to escape the mattress
encasement are impeded from crawling through zipper opening 110
(FIG. 2) without first crawling through channel 151. When the
mattress encasement 100 is properly closed around a mattress, the
size of the encasement is such as to fit snugly around the mattress
allowing the mattress to abut against foam pad 140. Foam pad 140
will thus be forced against the tracks 121, 123, and lower portion
131 of the zipper head. The zipper head may be pulled along the
tracks and against this bias to open the encasement.
[0034] While the invention has been described with reference to
certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be
substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In
addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular
situation or material to the teachings of the invention without
departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the
invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed,
but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within
the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *