Knit form-fit slipcover

• US 7,422,281 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bedding Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sure Fit Inc. (Hollander Sleep Products, LLC)
• Inventors: Miller, Brenda K.
• Primary Examiner(s): White; Rodney B.
• Application Number:
  US11/285,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20070114823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 297/224, 297/225, 297/228, 297/229, 297/228.1
• US Class Current: 297/224
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/11 for chairs for headrests only A47C7/386; removable protective covers for car seats B60N2/60

Abstract

A slipcover for a piece of furniture having a base, a back, and a seat portion, wherein the slipcover fabric has a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, with the minimum stretch in fabric width being 60%, the minimum stretch in fabric length being 40%.

Claims

1. A slipcover for a piece of furniture comprising:

a base;

a back; and

a seat portion, wherein

the slipcover includes at least one fabric panel for each of the base, the back and the seat portion, the at least one base panel, the at least one back panel and the at least one seat panel being assembled to form the slipcover, and wherein

each of the at least one base panel, the at least one back panel and the at least one seat panel exhibits a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, with the minimum stretch in fabric width being at least 60% while the minimum stretch in fabric length is at least 40%.

2. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein the slipcover is form-fit to the furniture when the stretch in fabric width of 60% is reduced by approximately 10% or more.

3. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein when the slipcover is form-fit to the furniture and the stretch in fabric width of 60% is reduced by 10%, the stretch in fabric length of 40% is reduced by 25%.

4. The slipcover of claim 3, wherein each fabric panel of the base, the back and the seat portion remains stretched in both width and length directions after the slipcover is form-fit to the furniture.

5. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein the slipcover fabric comprises a minimum of 5% spandex.

6. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein the slipcover fabric comprises a minimum of 5% elastic fiber.

7. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein the furniture has a T shaped-cushion, and the slipcover is specifically patterned to fit T-cushion furniture with at least one separate seat cushion.

8. The slipcover of claim 7, wherein the slipcover further comprises a T-cushion cover having at least one T-cushion panel, the at least one T-cushion panel having a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width,

with the minimum stretch in fabric width being at least 60% while the minimum stretch in fabric length is at least 40%.

9. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein the furniture has a box shaped-cushion, and the slipcover is specifically patterned to fit box-cushion furniture with at least one separate seat cushion.

10. The slipcover of claim 9, wherein the slipcover further comprises a box-cushion cover having at least one box-cushion panel, the at least one box-cushion panel having a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, with the minimum stretch in fabric width being at least 60% while the minimum stretch in fabric length is at least 40%.

11. The slipcover of claim 1, wherein the furniture has at least one arm, and the slipcover is specifically patterned to fit the at least one arm, the slipcover further comprising:

at least one arm panel, the at least one arm panel being assembled with the at least one base panel, the at least one back panel and the at least one seat panel to form the slipcover, wherein;

the at least one arm panel has a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, with the minimum stretch in fabric width being 60%, the minimum stretch in fabric length being 40%.

12. A slipcover for a piece of furniture comprising:

a base portion including a seat platform panel;

two arm portions each including an arm side panel and an arm front panel

a back panel having a rear edge, a front edge and two side edges; and

a seat cushion cover including a plurality of seat cover panels together defining a top, a bottom and a plurality of sides of the seat cushion cover, wherein;

each arm side panel is secured to one of the side edges of the back panel, a portion of each side edge of the back panel having a pleat positioned in proximity to the front edge of the back panel;

each arm front panel is secured to an arm side panel;

a rear edge of the seat platform is secured to the front edge of the back panel, and side edges of the seat platform are secured to the arm side panels and to the arm front panels; and

each of seat platform panel, the arm side panels, the arm front panels, the back panel and the plurality of seat cushion panels has a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, with the minimum stretch in fabric width being at least 60% while the minimum stretch in fabric length is at least 40%.

13. The slipcover of claim 12, further comprising an elastic band secured to portions at least of the seat platform panel, arm side panels and back panel at a bottom perimeter of the slipcover.

14. The slipcover of claim 12, wherein the seat cushion cover is patterned to fit box-cushion furniture with at least one separate seat cushion.

15. The slipcover of claim 12, wherein the seat cushion cover is patterned to fit T-cushion furniture with at least one separate seat cushion.

16. The slipcover of claim 12, wherein the plurality of seat cushion panels includes a top panel, a bottom panel, a side band panel and two sipper band panels, wherein a zipper and the side band panel are secured to the zipper band panels for forming side surfaces of the seat cushion cover.

17. The slipcover of claim 12, wherein the plurality of seat cushion panels includes a panel for covering top, bottom and front sides of the seat cushion, two side panels and two zipper band panels, wherein a zipper is secured to the zipper band panels and each of two ends of the sipper band panels is secured to one of the two side panels to form left, right and rear side surfaces of the seat cushion cover.

18. A method for assembling a slipcover for a piece of furniture, the method comprising the steps of:

preparing a seat platform panel, two arm side panels, two arm front panels, a back panel and a plurality of seat cushion panels from a material that has a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, with the minimum stretch in fabric width being 60%, the minimum stretch in fabric length being 40%;

providing a pleat at a portion of each of two side edges of the back panel, each pleat being positioned in proximity to a front edge of the back panel;

securing each arm side panel to one of the two side edges of the back panel;

securing each arm front panel to one of the two arm side panels;

securing a rear edge of the seat platform to the front edge of the back panel, and

securing side edges of the seat platform are to the arm side panels and to the arm front panels.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of seat cushion panels includes a top panel, a bottom panel, a side band panel and two sipper band panels, further comprising the steps of:

securing a sipper to the zipper band panels;

securing the side band panel to the zipper band panels for forming a side surface panel of the seat cushion cover; and

securing the side surface panel to each of the top panel and the bottom panel.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of seat cushion panels includes a panel for covering top, bottom and front sides of the seat cushion, two side panels and two zipper band panels, further comprising the steps of:

secured a zipper to the zipper band panels

securing each of two ends of the zipper band panels to one of the two side panels to form left, right and rear side panel of the seat cushion cover; and

securing the left, right and rear side panel to the panel for covering the top, bottom and front sides of the seat cushion.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the securing steps are performed by sewing the panels to be secured together along a seam positioned at adjacent edges of the panels to be secured.