Mattress Encasement Assembly

Abstract

A mattress encasement assembly an outer cover for an interior cushioning system of a mattress. The outer cover includes an upper section including a top wall having a top perimeter edge. An upper perimeter wall is coextensive with and extends downwardly from the top perimeter edge. A lower section includes a bottom wall having a bottom perimeter edge. A lower perimeter wall is coextensive with and extends upwardly from the bottom perimeter edge. A coupler is attached to the upper and lower sections to releasably secure the upper perimeter wall and the lower perimeter wall together such that the upper and lower sections encase a plurality of cushioning panels. The coupler allows a height between the top and bottom walls to be adjusted.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A mattress encasement assembly for covering a plurality of cushioning panels, the mattress encasement assembly comprising:
 an upper section including a top wall having a top perimeter edge, an upper perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending downwardly from the top perimeter edge;   a lower section including a bottom wall having a bottom perimeter edge, a lower perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending upwardly from the bottom perimeter edge;   the upper and lower sections each comprising a fabric material;   a coupler being attached to the upper and lower sections to releasably secure the upper perimeter wall and the lower perimeter wall together such that the upper and lower sections are configured to encase the plurality of cushioning panels, the coupler including;
 a first mating member being attached to the upper perimeter wall, the first mating member extending along a bottom edge of the upper perimeter wall; 
 a pair of second mating members each being releasably engageable with the first mating member, the second mating members including an upper mating member and a lower mating member, the upper mating member being attached to and extending along a top edge of the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being attached to and extending around the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being positioned between the upper mating member and the bottom wall; and 
 the first mating member being securable to the upper mating member to provide a first height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first mating member being securable to the lower mating member to provide a second height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first height dimension being greater than the second height dimension. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mattress encasement assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupler comprises a zipper having a slider body, the slider body being mounted on the first mating member and being selectively engageable with the upper mating member or the lower mating member. 
     
     
         3 . The mattress encasement assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the top and bottom perimeter edges includes a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a first end edge and a second end edge, each of the first and second end edges having an elongated slot extending therethrough and being positioned between the first and second lateral edges, the upper perimeter wall being attached to and extending along edges formed by the slots in the top wall, the lower perimeter wall being attached to and extending along edges formed by the slots in the bottom wall. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress encasement assembly according to  claim 3 , further including a plurality of reinforcing panels being attached to each of the top and bottom walls, the each of the slots terminating at one of the reinforcing panels. 
     
     
         5 . A mattress encasement assembly for covering a plurality of cushioning panels, the mattress encasement assembly comprising:
 an upper section including a top wall having a top perimeter edge, an upper perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending downwardly from the top perimeter edge;   a lower section including a bottom wall having a bottom perimeter edge, a lower perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending upwardly from the bottom perimeter edge;   the upper and lower sections each comprising a fabric material;   a coupler being attached to the upper and lower sections to releasably secure the upper perimeter wall and the lower perimeter wall together such that the upper and lower sections are configured to encase a plurality of cushioning panel, the coupler including;
 a first mating member being attached to the upper perimeter wall, the first mating member extending along a bottom edge of the upper perimeter wall; 
 a pair of second mating members each being releasably engageable with the first mating member, the second mating members including an upper mating member and a lower mating member, the upper mating member being attached to and extending along a top edge of the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being attached to and extending around the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being positioned between the upper mating member and the bottom wall; 
 the first mating member being securable to the upper mating member to provide a first height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first mating member being securable to the lower mating member to provide a second height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first height dimension being greater than the second height dimension; 
 the coupler comprising a zipper having a slider body, the slider body being mounted on the first mating member and being selectively engageable with the upper mating member or the lower mating member; 
   each of the top and bottom perimeter edges including a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a first end edge and a second end edge, each of the first and second end edges having an elongated slot extending therethrough and being positioned between the first and second lateral edges, the upper perimeter wall being attached to and extending along edges formed by the slots in the top wall, the lower perimeter wall being attached to and extending along edges formed by the slots in the bottom wall; and   a plurality of reinforcing panels being attached to each of the top and bottom walls, the each of the slots terminating at one of the reinforcing panels.   
     
     
         6 . A mattress system comprising:
 a plurality of cushioning panels;   an outer cover being removably positionable over and encasing the cushioning panels, the outer cover including:
 an upper section including a top wall having a top perimeter edge, an upper perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending downwardly from the top perimeter edge; 
 a lower section including a bottom wall having a bottom perimeter edge, a lower perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending upwardly from the bottom perimeter edge; 
 the upper and lower sections each comprising a fabric material; 
 a coupler being attached to the upper and lower sections to releasably secure the upper perimeter wall and the lower perimeter wall together such that the upper and lower sections encase the plurality of cushioning panels, the coupler allowing adjustment in a height from the top wall to the bottom walls. 
   
     
     
         7 . The mattress system according to  claim 6 , wherein the coupler includes:
 a first mating member being attached to the upper perimeter wall, the first mating member extending along a bottom edge of the upper perimeter wall;   a pair of second mating members each being releasably engageable with the first mating member, the second mating members including an upper mating member and a lower mating member, the upper mating member being attached to and extending along a top edge of the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being attached to and extending around the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being positioned between the upper mating member and the bottom wall; and   the first mating member being securable to the upper mating member to provide a first height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first mating member being securable to the lower mating member to provide a second height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first height dimension being greater than the second height dimension.   
     
     
         8 . The mattress system according to  claim 7 , wherein the coupler comprises a zipper having a slider body, the slider body being mounted on the first mating member and being selectively engageable with the upper mating member or the lower mating member. 
     
     
         9 . The mattress system according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the top and bottom perimeter edges includes a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, a first end edge and a second end edge, each of the first and second end edges having an elongated slot extending therethrough and being positioned between the first and second lateral edges, the upper perimeter wall being attached to and extending along edges formed by the slots in the top wall, the lower perimeter wall being attached to and extending along edges formed by the slots in the bottom wall. 
     
     
         10 . The mattress system according to  claim 9 , further including a plurality of reinforcing panels being attached to each of the top and bottom walls, the each of the slots terminating at one of the reinforcing panels. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a mattress comprising the steps of:
 stacking a plurality of cushioning panels on top of each other to define an interior cushioning system, each of the cushioning panels being resiliently compressible;   placing a mattress encasement around the cushioning panels such that the cushioning panels are encased by the mattress encasement, the mattress encasement including:
 an upper section including a top wall having a top perimeter edge, an upper perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending downwardly from the top perimeter edge; 
 a lower section including a bottom wall having a bottom perimeter edge, a lower perimeter wall being coextensive with and extending upwardly from the bottom perimeter edge; 
 the upper and lower sections each comprising a fabric material; 
 a coupler being attached to the upper and lower sections to releasably secure the upper perimeter wall and the lower perimeter wall together such that the upper and lower sections encase the cushioning panels, the coupler including;
 a first mating member being attached to the upper perimeter wall, the first mating member extending along a bottom edge of the upper perimeter wall; 
 a pair of second mating members each being releasably engageable with the first mating member, the second mating members including an upper mating member and a lower mating member, the upper mating member being attached to and extending along a top edge of the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being attached to and extending around the lower perimeter wall, the lower mating member being positioned between the upper mating member and the bottom wall; 
 the first mating member being securable to the upper mating member to provide a first height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first mating member being securable to the lower mating member to provide a second height dimension between the top and bottom walls, the first height dimension being greater than the second height dimension; and 
 
   selecting the upper mating member or the lower mating member depending up a height of the interior cushioning system.   
     
     
         12 . The method of forming a mattress according to  claim 11 , including the step of the coupler comprising a zipper having a slider body, the slider body being mounted on the first mating member and being selectively engageable with the upper mating member or the lower mating member.