Systems and methods for forming handles in furniture

Abstract

Handles for furniture, and in particular handles for mattresses, may be made by, among other things, securing a piece of fabric along the perimeter of the mattress, and more particularly, by securing an excess section of border panel fabric to the side wall of the mattress so that the excess section of border panel forms a handle that can be gripped and manipulated by a user. Embodiments include furniture handles, such as handles for mattresses, cushions, futons and the like. In other aspects, methods for making such handles are shown including methods that secure an oversized border panel to the sidewall of a mattress such that a portion of the border panel can be folded over onto itself and formed into a handle.

1 . A method of forming a handle system for lifting and moving furniture, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a side border piece with dimensions larger than the dimension of the respective side border region of the furniture, and having at least one layer of upholstery and at least one layer of padding that are joined together,    attaching at least one side border piece to at least one respective side border region of the furniture such that an excess piece of side border material folds onto itself to form an overlapped flap,    joining a portion of the overlapped flap that is closer to the fold, to the side border region of the furniture leaving a remaining portion of the overlapped flap to be used as a handle, and    trimming the remaining portion of the overlapped flap with at least one layer of material.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the side border region of the furniture further comprises an attached side border piece.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the overlapped flap surrounds the periphery of the furniture.  
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the overlapped flap surrounds portions of the periphery of the furniture.  
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein a plurality of side border pieces are attached in opposing orientations to form a plurality of oppositely overlapped flaps.  
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the overlapped flap is split or separated or cut in at least one location along a direction parallel to the direction of lifting such that the continuum of handles is interrupted to form more than one discrete handle.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein a plurality of rectangular or ovular or any closed form polygonal cuts are made on the overlapped flaps and the material enclosed by the polygon is removed to form additional discrete gripping locations.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the furniture includes mattresses  
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein the mattress comprises at least one of open coils, pocketed coils, coils in foam, all foam units, one-sided mattresses and two-sided mattresses.  
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 8  wherein the at least one layer of upholstery and the at least one layer of padding are attached together by stitching, adhesive, or thermal bond.  
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 1  wherein the padding includes foam.  
     
     
         12 . A bedding system comprising: 
 a mattress, and    at least one side border piece with dimensions larger than the dimensions of the respective side border region of the mattress, and having at least one layer of upholstery and at least one layer of foam that are joined together and wherein an excess piece of side border material folds over onto itself to form an overlapped flap.    
     
     
         13 . A bedding system as in  claim 12  wherein the overlapped flap is used as a handle system to lift and move the bedding system, the handle system comprising a continuum of multiple uninterrupted handles with a plurality of gripping locations.  
     
     
         14 . A bedding system as in  claim 12  wherein the overlapped flap surrounds the periphery of the mattress.  
     
     
         15 . A bedding system as in  claim 12  wherein the overlapped flap surrounds portions of the periphery of the mattress.  
     
     
         16 . A bedding system as in  claim 13  wherein the overlapped flap is split or separated or cut in at least one location along a direction parallel to the direction of lifting such that the continuum of handles is interrupted to form more than one discrete handle.  
     
     
         17 . A bedding system as in  claim 12  wherein the at least one layer of upholstery and the at least one layer of foam are attached together by stitching, adhesive, or thermal.  
     
     
         18 . A bedding system as in  claim 12  wherein a plurality of rectangular or ovular or any closed form polygonal cuts are made on the overlapped flaps and the material enclosed by the polygon is removed to form additional discrete gripping locations.  
     
     
         19 . A bedding system as in  claim 12  wherein the mattress comprises open coils, pocketed coils, coils in foam, all foam units, one-sided mattresses and two-sided mattresses.