Knit form-fit slipcover for a recliner

• US 7,959,227 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• 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 Kay
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/206,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 297/219.1, 297/224, 297/225, 297/226, 297/228, 297/228.1, 297/228.11, 297/228.12, 297/229
• 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 knit form-fit cover for a recliner chair having a base, a backrest, a seat, a pair of armrests and a footrest. The cover includes panels for covering the backrest, left and right armrests, the seat and the footrest. A seat panel includes a fastener having ends attached to lateral edges of the seat panel for positioning near a front edge of the seat of the recliner chair, which may be engaged to resistively fix a portion of the seat panel at the front edge of the seat. The seat panel is formed from an elasticized yarn material, and has pleated corners at lateral ends of a front edge of the seat panel for further securing the seat panel to the footrest. The seat panel also preferably has loops affixed to rear corners of the seat panel for securing a rear portion of the seat panel to the seat.

Claims

1. A slipcover for a recliner chair having a base, a backrest, a seat, left and right armrests and a footrest, wherein the backrest, seat and footrest are coordinatedly movable, the slipcover comprising:

backrest portion including one or more fabric panels for covering the backrest;

left and right armrest portions each including one or more fabric panels for respectively covering the left and right armrests;

a seat and footrest portion for covering at least a seating surface of the seat and the footrest, the seat and footrest portion including at least one fabric panel;

a first fastener having an end that is attached at a first lateral edge of the seat and footrest portion in proximity to a front edge of a seat portion of the seat and footrest portion; and

a second fastener having an end that is attached at a second lateral edge of the seat and footrest portion in proximity to the front edge of the seat portion of the seat and footrest portion,

wherein the first fastener and second fastener are configured to be selectively secured to one another beneath the seating surface of the seat of the recliner in order to resistively fix a portion of the seat and footrest portion to the seating surface at a front edge of the seat of the recliner.

2. The slipcover according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fabric panel of the seat and footrest portion further comprises:

pleated corners provided at lateral ends of a front edge of the at least one fabric panel, and

an elastic member secured to at least a front edge of the seat and footrest portion of the at least one fabric panel and to the lateral edges of the seat and footrest portion, wherein

the pleated corners and elastic members are configured to resistively fix the seat and footrest portion to the recliner.

3. The slipcover according to claim 2, wherein:

the first fastener and second fastener are formed by extending the elastic member to form loops at each of the lateral edges of the seat and footrest portion.

4. The slipcover according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fabric panel of the seat and footrest portion further comprises:

pleated corners at lateral ends of a rear edge of the seat and footrest portion; and

an elastic member secured to at least a rear edge of the seat and footrest portion and to the lateral edges of the seat and footrest portion for securing the seat portion to the seat.

5. The slipcover according to claim 1, wherein the at least one fabric panel of the seat and footrest portion further comprises:

a left pleated corner at a left lateral end of a rear edge of the seat and footrest portion;

a right pleated corner at a right lateral end of a rear edge of the seat and footrest portion;

a first loop having an end that is attached at the left pleated corner; and

a second loop having an end that is attached at the right pleated corner,

wherein the first loop and second loop are configured to be selectively attached to features of the recliner chair provided below the seat in order to resistively fix a portion of the seat and footrest portion to the seating surface at the rear edge of the seat.

6. The slipcover according to claim 5, wherein the first loop and second loop are configured to be selectively attached to legs of the recliner chair.

7. The slipcover according to claim 5, wherein the first loop and second loop are provided by extending an elastic member secured to a front edge of the seat and footrest portion of the at least one fabric panel and to the lateral edges at the seat portion to form loops at each of the pleated corners at the rear edge of the at least one fabric panel.

12. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the first fastener and second fastener are configured to be selectively secured to one other by a hook and loop fastening material.

13. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the first fastener and second fastener are configured to be selectively secured to one another by tying the first fastener to the second fastener.

14. The cover according to claim 1, wherein one of the left and right armrest panels includes a slit configured for receiving a handle of the recliner chair.

15. The cover according to claim 1, wherein one of the left and right armrest panels includes a storage pocket.

8. A slipcover for a recliner chair having a base, a backrest, a seat, left and right armrests and a footrest, wherein the backrest, seat and footrest are coordinatedly movable, the slipcover comprising:

a backrest portion including one or more fabric panels for covering the backrest;

left and right armrest portions each including one or more fabric panels for respectively covering the left and right armrests; and

seat and footrest portions for respectively covering the seat and the footrest, the seat and footrest portions together including at least one fabric panel; and

fasteners in the seat portion, the fasteners having ends that are attached at one or more of lateral edges and corners of the at least one fabric panel of the seat and footrest portions, the fasteners being configured to resistively fix a portion of the at least one fabric panel to the recliner,

wherein one or more of the fabric panels comprises a textile material providing at least a 40% fabric stretch in pattern width and at least a 60% fabric stretch in pattern length under ASTM D 2594 stretch testing.

9. The cover according to claim 8, wherein the textile material comprises an elasticized yarn material.

10. The cover according to claim 9, wherein the elasticized yarn material comprises a spandex material.

11. The slipcover according to claim 8, wherein each of the fabric panels comprises the material providing at least a 40% fabric stretch in pattern width and at least a 60% fabric stretch in pattern length under ASTM D 2594 stretch testing.

16. A method for manufacturing a slipcover for a recliner chair having a base, a backrest, a seat, left and right armrests and a footrest, wherein the backrest, seat and footrest are coordinatedly movable, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a backrest portion for covering the backrest;

forming left and right armrest portions for respectively covering the left and right armrests;

forming a seat and footrest portion for covering at least a seating surface of the seat and the footrest,

joining rear edges of each of the left and right armrest portions to opposing lateral edges of the backrest portion and the seat and footrest portion;

providing a first fastener and attaching an end thereof at a first lateral edge of the seat and footrest portion in proximity to a front edge of a seat portion of the seat and footrest portion;

providing a second fastener and attaching an end thereof at a second lateral edge of the seat and footrest portion in proximity to the front edge of the seat portion of the seat and footrest portion;

wherein the first fastener and second fastener are configured to be selectively secured to one another beneath the seating surface of the seat of the recliner in order to resistively fix a portion of the seat and footrest portion to the seating surface at a front edge of the seat of the recliner.

17. The method according to claim 16, comprising the steps of:

providing pleated corners at lateral ends of a front edge of the seat and footrest portion, and

providing an elastic member secured to at least the front edge of the seat and footrest portion and the lateral edges at the footrest portion, wherein

the pleated corners and elastic members are configured to resistively fix the seat and footrest portion to the recliner.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein:

the step of providing the first fastener further includes the step of forming the first fastener by extending the elastic member to form a loop the first lateral edge of the seat and footrest portion; and

the step of providing the second fastener further includes the step of forming the second fastener by extending the elastic member to form a loop at the second lateral edge of the seat and footrest portion.

19. The method according claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

providing pleated corners at lateral ends of a rear edge of the seat and footrest portion; and

providing an elastic member secured to at least the rear edge of the seat and footrest portion and to the lateral edges at the seat portion, wherein

the pleated corners and elastic members are configured to resistively fix the seat and footrest portion to the seat of the recliner.

20. A method for manufacturing a slipcover for a recliner chair having a base, a backrest, a seat, left and right armrests and a footrest, wherein the backrest, seat and footrest are coordinatedly movable, the method comprising the steps of:

forming a backrest portion for covering the backrest;

forming left and right armrest portions for respectively covering the left and right armrests;

forming seat and footrest portions for respectively covering the seat and the footrest;

joining rear edges of each of the left and right armrest portions to opposing lateral edges of the backrest portion and the seat portion; and

providing fasteners having ends secured at the lateral edges of the seat portion, the fasteners being operable to resistively fix an area of the seat portion to the recliner,

wherein the forming steps further comprise the step of;

providing one or more fabric panels to form one or more of the backrest, armrest, and seat and footrest portions, the one or more fabric panels each comprising a textile material providing at least a 40% fabric stretch in pattern width and at least a 60% fabric stretch in pattern length under ASTM D 2594 stretch testing.

21. 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 comprises a textile material that exhibits a stretch in length which behaves dynamically with respect to a stretch in width, wherein the stretch in fabric width is at least 60% under ASTM D 2594 testing.

22. The slipcover of claim 21, wherein the stretch in fabric length is at least 40% under ASTM D 2594 testing.

23. The slipcover of claim 21, wherein each fabric panel of the base, the back and the seat portion is configured to remain stretched in both width and length directions after the slipcover is form-fit to the furniture.

24. The slipcover of claim 21, wherein the slipcover is patterned to fit at least one arm of the furniture, 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, wherein the stretch in fabric width in the at least one arm panel is at least 60% under ASTM D 2594 testing.

25. The slipcover of claim 24, wherein the stretch in fabric length in the at least one arm panel is at least 40% under ASTM D 2594 testing.

26. 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, wherein the stretch in fabric width is at least 60% under ASTM D 2594 testing;

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.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the stretch in fabric length is at least 40% under ASTM D 2594 testing.