Bed Sheets and Securing Straps for Same

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to bedding, and more particularly to beddings that combines a fitted sheet and top sheet into a single unit and employs a set of straps to secure the same in place on a mattress in order to minimize sheet movement during sleep to maximize sleep comfort and ease the bed-making process.

1 . A bed sheet for a mattress having a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of first and second longitudinal sides, opposing head and foot ends, and corners defined between the longitudinal sides and the head and foot ends, the bed sheet comprising:
 a center fabric portion for overlying the top surface of the mattress;   a plurality of hanging portions including:
 hanging head and foot portions for hanging over the head and foot ends of the mattress from opposing ends of the center fabric portion; 
 first and second hanging side portions for hanging over the first and second longitudinal sides of the mattress from opposite sides of the center fabric portion; and 
   sheet fastener elements disposed on multiple ones of said hanging portions; and   flaps disposed on the multiples ones of said hanging portions and each being movable between a fastener-concealment position lying over at least one of the sheet fastener elements and a fastener-access position withdrawn from over said at least one of the sheet fastener elements.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet of  claim 1  in combination with securing straps having strap fastener elements thereon that are positioned adjacent ends of said securing straps and selectively engagable to the sheet fastener elements of the bed sheet, the securing straps being dimensioned to span under the bottom surface of the mattress and reach upward therefrom at some or all of the sides, ends and corners of the mattress for attachment of the strap fastener elements to the sheet fastener elements to secure the bed sheet in place on the mattress, wherein movement of the flaps between the fastener-access and fastener-concealment positions enables exposure of the sheet fastener elements for attachment of the strap fastener elements thereto and subsequent concealment of said attachment from sight. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet of  claim 1  wherein each flap has a flap fastener element thereon at a position that faces the sheet fastener element when said flap is in the fastener-concealment position over said sheet fastener element. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet of  claim 3  wherein the flap fastener element and the sheet fastener element are non-engagable with one another. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet of  claim 4  wherein the flap fastener element and the sheet fastener element are of a same one of either hook material or loop material of a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet of  claim 2  wherein a one of the flaps that is movable into and out of the fastener-concealment position over said sheet fastener element has a flap fastener element on a side of the flap that faces the sheet fastener element when said flap is in the fastener-concealment position, and a one of the securing straps for connecting to said sheet fastener element has a second strap fastener element on a side of said strap opposite the strap fastener element, the flap fastener element and the second strap fastener element being selectively engagable with one another. 
     
     
         7 . The sheet of  claim 6  wherein the sheet fastener elements and flap fastener elements are of a same first type of fastener element, and the strap fastener elements on both sides of each strap are of a second type of fastener element engagable with the first type of fastener element. 
     
     
         8 . The sheet of  claim 6  wherein the sheet fastener element and the strap fastener element are opposing ones of hook material and loop material to cooperatively form a first hook and loop fastener, and the flap fastener element and second strap fastener element are also opposing ones of the hook material and loop material to cooperatively form a second hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         9 . The sheet of  claim 8  wherein the sheet fastener element and the flap fastener element are the same one of either hook material or loop material. 
     
     
         10 . The sheet of  claim 9  wherein the sheet fastener element and the flap fastener element are both loop material. 
     
     
         11 . The bed sheet  claim 1  wherein the bed sheet is a combined top and bottom sheet in which the hanging foot portion is part of a top sheet of the combined top and bottom sheet and the hanging head and side portions are part of a bottom sheet of the combined top and bottom sheet, and the fastener elements include top sheet fastener elements on the top sheet and bottom sheet fastener elements on the bottom sheet. 
     
     
         12 . Securing straps for securing a bed sheet to a mattress by spanning of the straps beneath the mattress for connection of ends of said straps to the sheet at sheet fastener elements thereon at spaced apart positions around the perimeter of the mattress, the bed sheet having flaps movable into and out of fastener concealing positions over the sheet fastener elements and having flap fastener elements located on sides of the flaps that face the sheet fastener elements when the flaps are in the fastener concealing positions, wherein the securing straps comprise first and second strap fastener elements on opposite sides of each strap at a locations adjacent the ends of said straps, the first strap fastener element and the second strap fastener element being releasably engagable to the sheet fastener element and the flap fastener element, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . Combined top and bottom sheets for a mattress having a top surface, a bottom surface, a pair of first and second longitudinal sides, opposing head and foot ends, a top transverse edge defined between the top surface and the foot end, a bottom transverse edge defined between the bottom surface and the foot end, a top longitudinal edge defined between the top surface and each longitudinal side, a bottom longitudinal edge defined between the bottom surface and each longitudinal side, and upright corners defined between the foot end and the longitudinal sides, the combined top and bottom sheets comprising:
 a bottom sheet having a center portion for overlying the top surface of the mattress, head and foot portions for hanging over the head and foot ends of the mattress from opposing ends of the center portion, and first and second side portions for hanging over the first and second longitudinal sides of the mattress from opposite sides of the center portion;   a top sheet comprising a main portion overlying the central portion of the bottom sheet, lateral portions overlying the side portions of the bottom sheet on opposite sides of the main portion of the top sheet, and an end portion overlying the foot portion of the bottom sheet at a respective end of the main portion of the top sheet, the end portion of the top sheet spanning beyond sides of the foot portion of the bottom sheet to also overlie an end of each side portion of the bottom sheet adjacent the foot portion thereof so that the end portion of the top sheet has wrapped ends that wrap around the corners of the mattress from the foot end of the mattress to the longitudinal sides thereof, and each lateral portion of the top sheet comprising a folded-under end that underlies a remainder of the lateral portion of the top sheet and that overlies and forms a folded connection with a respective one of the wrapped ends of the end portion of the top sheet;   transverse stitching attaching the end portion of the top sheet to the foot portion of the bottom sheet in a transverse direction at a distance from the center portion of the bottom sheet so as to place the transverse stitching along the bottom transverse edge of the mattress; and   upper longitudinal stitching attaching the top sheet to the bottom sheet in a longitudinal direction at the folded connection between the folded-under end of each lateral portion of the top sheet and the respective one of the wrapped ends of the end portion of the top sheet so as to place the upper longitudinal stitching along the top longitudinal edges of the mattress adjacent the foot end of the mattress, the remainder of each lateral portion of the top sheet being free of the longitudinal stitching so that only the folded-under end of said lateral portion is attached to the bottom sheet by said longitudinal stitching;   wherein the bottom sheet and the top sheet are unattached to one another where the bottom sheet transitions from the central portion of the bottom sheet to the foot portion thereof so as allow relative movement between the sheets at the top transverse edge of the mattress.   
     
     
         14 . The combined top and bottom sheets of  claim 13  wherein there is provided lower longitudinal stitching attaching the wrapped ends of the end portion of the top sheet to the side portions of bottom sheet in the longitudinal direction at a distance further from the center portion of the bottom sheet than the upper longitudinal stitching so as to place the lower longitudinal stitching along the bottom longitudinal edges of the mattress, the lower longitudinal stitching only partially spanning a length of the side portions of the bottom sheet in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         15 . The combined top and bottom sheets of  claim 14  wherein the distances of the lower longitudinal stitching and the transverse stitching from the center portion of the bottom sheet are equal. 
     
     
         16 . The combined top and bottom sheets of  claim 14  wherein the lower longitudinal stitching at each side portion of the bottom sheet forms a continuous seam with the transverse stitching. 
     
     
         17 . The combined top and bottom sheets of  claim 13  wherein the transverse stitching fully spans the foot portion of the bottom sheet in the transverse direction.