Apparatus and Method for Advertising and Display of Mattress Coverings

Abstract

An apparatus for displaying bedding at the point of sale of a mattress includes a fitted covering for positioning on a mattress. The covering includes a surface having a plurality of different bedding materials applied to the surface for display purposes. The covering includes a top wall and a side wall, and a plurality of panels or layers of bedding material may be coupled to the top wall. A method for advertising and displaying bedding for a mattress includes the steps of providing a covering having two or more different types of bedding material for partially covering a mattress and applying the covering to a mattress at the point of sale such that the different types of bedding materials are visible to a consumer. The covering does not completely obscure the top surface of the mattress. The types of bedding materials are sheets, mattress pads, blankets, and comforters.

1 . An apparatus for application to a mattress having a top surface, a side surface, and a lower surface, said apparatus comprising:
 a top member having an outer edge and a size that is smaller than the size of a top surface of a mattress;   a side member that is coupled to and extends downwardly from the top member along at least a portion of the outer edge of the top member, said side member having a size that allows the side member to extend at least partially over a side surface of a mattress;   a band member coupled at its ends to at least one of the side member and the top member and having a length sufficient to extend under a lower surface of a mattress,   wherein the apparatus has a size such that it partially covers a portion of a mattress and the top member and the side member are at least in part made of different materials.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top member is substantially rectangular, the outer edge includes four sides, and the side member extends downwardly from three of the four sides 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an elastic band that is coupled to an exposed edge of the side member. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the band member has a length such that it extends across a width of a mattress, and further comprising corner straps that are coupled to corners of the side member. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the band member comprises one or more corner straps that are coupled to the corners of the side member. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the band member is a continuous elastic strap that is coupled to the side member at either end of said strap. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an advertising strip positioned along at least part of the outer edge of the top member for displaying advertising indicia, wherein the advertising strip is a strip of elastic having a width wide enough to display advertising indicia. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sheet coupled to the top member for covering at least part of the top member. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the sheet is one of transparent or opaque and is movable relative to the top member. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sheet is vinyl and is coupled to the apparatus via fasteners, with the fasteners comprising one of buttons, snaps, rings, rivets, or hook and loop tape. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the side member comprises three panels, each of which extends downwardly from one of the four outer edges of the top member; the side member panels being sewn together at the corners of the top member; and further comprising an elastic strip coupled to at least part of the exposed edge of the side member, with the elastic providing a form-fitting quality to the apparatus when seated on a mattress. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a first section of the side member is at a first end, a second panel of the side member is at a second end, and a third panel of the side member is positioned between the first and second panels in the middle, and the panel in the middle comprises one or more of a first material and a different second material. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top member comprises a plurality of panels that comprise different materials from one another, said panels being sewn together to form the top member; and the side member comprises one or more panels that are joined together, with the joined panels being one of the same as or different materials from one another. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top member comprises a top wall and a plurality of layers of different bedding materials are positioned at least partially over the top wall, with the plurality of layers being arranged in a manner conducive to the display of the different bedding materials. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the top member comprises a top wall and a plurality of panels are coupled to the top wall and positioned at least partially over the top wall, and the top wall of the top member comprises one or more panels and the panels are one of the same as or different materials from one another, and the plurality of panels all comprise materials that are different materials from one another; and the plurality of panels are coupled to the top wall around at least a portion of the outer edges thereof. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus for displaying bedding at the point of sale of a mattress comprising:
 a fitted covering for positioning on a mattress, said covering including a surface having a plurality of different bedding materials applied to the surface for display purposes.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the fitted covering is an enclosure that at least partially encloses a mattress; and the different bedding materials represent one or more of sheets, mattress pads, blankets, and comforters. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the surface comprises a top wall that is configured for seating on an upper surface of a mattress, said top wall having coupled thereto the plurality of bedding materials; further comprising a side wall coupled to the top wall, wherein the side wall displays one or more different types of bedding materials; and wherein the plurality of bedding materials are arranged on the surface such that each different type of bedding is at least in part visible. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of bedding materials are fixedly arranged on the surface such that some of the different bedding materials are partially obscured by other bedding materials, with some of the bedding materials being movable relative to other bedding materials in order to more easily view larger sections of the respective bedding materials; and wherein the different bedding materials are one of removably affixed or permanently affixed to the top wall, and the removably affixed materials are affixed via a removable fastener. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a protective cover member positioned over the surface. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the protective cover member is removable and transparent; the protective cover member includes a plurality of button holes; and further comprising a plurality of rings that are coupled to the surface and to the button holes such that the protective cover member is rotatable around the rings. 
   
   
       22 . A method for advertising and displaying bedding for a mattress comprising:
 providing a covering for partially covering a mattress, said covering comprising at least two different types of bedding materials; and   applying the covering to a mattress at the point of sale for the mattress such that the different types of bedding materials are visible to a consumer on the mattress, but the covering does not completely obscure the top surface of the mattress,   wherein the types of bedding materials are one or more of sheets, mattress pads, blankets, and comforters.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the bedding materials include two or more of an anti-allergen mattress pad, a waterproof mattress pad, a breathable mattress pad, a first sheet having a first thread count, a second sheet having a second thread count, a third sheet having a third thread count, a fourth sheet having a fourth thread count, a blanket, and a comforter. 
   
   
       24 . The method of claim  29 , wherein the covering further comprises advertising indicia associated therewith, a pocket coupled to the covering for holding removable advertising materials, and a transparent member for covering at least a portion of said covering, with the transparent member being made of a vinyl material and being movable relative to the covering; and the method further comprises stocking advertising material in the pocket. 
   
   
       25 . The method of claim  29 , wherein the covering further comprises advertising indicia associated with the covering and a side display coupled to the covering, wherein advertising indicia is associated with the side display to describe the various bedding materials being displayed.