Encasements and methods of manufacture

Abstract

An encasement includes: a fabric cover that has an elongated opening including a first end location and a second end location; a zipper configured to seal the opening; and flaps attached to the fabric cover on a first side of the elongated opening. The fabric cover is for receiving a household item in the fabric cover. The flaps include a first flap and a second flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening. The first flap includes a first set of second hook or loop fasteners attached to a first inside of the first flap. The second flap includes a second set of the second hook or loop fasteners attached to a second inside of the second flap. The flaps are configured to secure to the fabric cover at a second side of the elongated opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An encasement for protecting a household item from bug intrusion or liquid spills, the encasement comprising:
 a fabric cover having an elongated opening with a first end location and a second end location, the fabric cover being of a size for receiving the household item in interior of the fabric cover;   a zipper configured to seal the opening; and   a plurality of flaps attached to the fabric cover on a first side of the elongated opening, wherein the plurality of flaps comprise:
 a first flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the first flap comprising a first set of second hook or loop fasteners attached to a first inside of the first flap; and 
 a second flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the second flap comprising a second set of the second hook or loop fasteners attached to a second inside of the second flap, wherein the plurality of flaps are configured to secure to the fabric cover at a second side of the elongated opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The encasement of  claim 1 , wherein the zipper comprises:
 a plurality of zipper tracks;   a first zipper head configured to open the zipper in a first direction and close the zipper in a second direction; and   a second zipper head configured to open the zipper in the second direction and close the zipper in the first direction, wherein the first zipper head and the second zipper head each have a zipper pull to pull the first zipper head and the second zipper head in either direction, wherein a first zipper track is attached to a first edge of the elongated opening of the fabric cover, and a second zipper track is attached to a second edge of the elongated opening of the fabric cover.   
     
     
         3 . The encasement of  claim 2  further comprises:
 a first inside securing member attached inside the fabric cover along the first edge of the elongated opening, the first inside securing member comprising a first set of first hook or loop fasteners; 
 a second inside securing member attached inside the fabric cover along the second edge of the elongated opening, the second inside securing member comprising a second set of the first hook or loop fasteners; and 
 an inside patch comprising the other of the first hook or loop fasteners, the inside patch configured to be attached to at least a substantial portion of the first inside securing member and the second inside securing member when the zipper is closed. 
 
     
     
         4 . The encasement of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a plurality of first outside securing members comprising a first set of the other of the second hook or loop fasteners, the plurality of first outside securing members attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening.   
     
     
         5 . The encasement of  claim 4 , further comprising a plurality of second outside securing members comprising a second set of the other of the second hook or loop fasteners, the plurality of second outside securing members attached to the fabric cover on the second side of the elongated opening, the plurality of first outside securing members and the plurality of second outside securing members together configured to secure the plurality of flaps when closed, the second side of the elongated opening being opposite the first side of the elongated opening, the elongated opening being formed between the first side of the elongated opening and the second side of the elongated opening. 
     
     
         6 . The encasement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 the fabric cover comprises a bug or liquid impervious fabric; or   the flaps are formed of a bug impervious material.   
     
     
         7 . The encasement of  claim 2 , wherein the first zipper head and the second zipper head are configured to be secured together via a locking component comprising at least one of an anchor tie, a mechanical locking component, and an electronic locking component, wherein at least one of:
 the zipper pulls each have a first aperture or eye configured to lock the zipper pulls together using the locking component; or the first zipper head and the second zipper head each comprise an arch shaped lug configured to secure the zipper pull, and a second aperture or eye configured to lock the first zipper head and the second zipper head together using the locking component.   
     
     
         8 . The encasement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
 a fabric weight of the fabric cover is in a range of about 10 gsm to 1000 gsm;   the fabric cover comprises at least one of cotton, polyester, nylon, or rayon yarns in either warp or weft direction;   the fabric cover comprises 100% polyester yarns;   the fabric cover is anti-microbial and water proof; or   the fabric cover comprises at least one of a woven, knitted, nonwoven, and an extruded base.   
     
     
         9 . The encasement of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric cover comprises about 95 gsm polyester knit fabric and 35 gsm of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating or lamination, wherein yarn density is a range of about 25D to 500D. 
     
     
         10 . A method of making an encasement for protecting a household item from bug intrusion or liquid spills, the method comprising:
 attaching a zipper to an elongated opening of a fabric cover, the fabric cover having the elongated opening with a first end location and a second end location, the fabric cover being of a size for receiving the household item in interior of the fabric cover; and   attaching a plurality of flaps to the fabric cover on a first side of the elongated opening, wherein the plurality of flaps comprise:
 a first flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the first flap comprising a first set of second hook or loop fasteners attached to a first inside of the first flap; and 
 a second flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the second flap comprising a second set of the second hook or loop fasteners attached to a second inside of the second flap, wherein the plurality of flaps are configured to secure to the fabric cover at a second side of the elongated opening. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the zipper is configured to completely seal the elongated opening, the zipper comprising:
 a plurality of zipper tracks;   a first zipper head configured to open the zipper in a first direction and close the zipper in a second direction; and   a second zipper head configured to open the zipper in the second direction and close the zipper in the first direction, wherein the first zipper head and the second zipper head each have a zipper pull to pull the first zipper head and the second zipper head in either direction, wherein a first zipper track is attached to a first edge of the elongated opening of the fabric cover, and a second zipper track is attached to a second edge of the elongated opening of the fabric cover.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 attaching a first inside securing member to an inside of the fabric cover along the first edge of the elongated opening, the first inside securing member comprising a first set of first hook or loop fasteners;   attaching a second inside securing member to the inside of the fabric cover along the second edge of the elongated opening, the second inside securing member comprising a second set of the first hook or loop fasteners; and   providing an inside patch comprising the other of the first hook or loop fasteners, the inside patch configured to be attached to at least a substantial portion of the first inside securing member and the second inside securing member when the zipper is closed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising attaching a plurality of first outside securing members to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the plurality of first outside securing members comprising a first set of the other of the second hook or loop fasteners. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising attaching a plurality of second outside securing members to the fabric cover on the second side of the elongated opening, the plurality of second outside securing members comprising a second set of the other of the second hook or loop fasteners, the plurality of first outside securing members and the plurality of second outside securing members together configured to secure the plurality of flaps when closed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
 the fabric cover comprises a bug or liquid impervious fabric; or   the flaps are formed of a bug impervious material.   
     
     
         16 . An encasement for protecting a mattress or box spring from bug intrusion or liquid spills, the encasement comprising:
 a fabric cover having an elongated opening with a first end location and a second end location, the fabric cover being of a size for receiving the mattress or the box spring in an interior of the fabric cover;   a zipper configured to seal the opening; and   a plurality of flaps attached to the fabric cover on a first side of the elongated opening, wherein the plurality of flaps comprise:
 a first flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the first flap comprising a first set of second hook or loop fasteners attached to a first inside of the first flap; and 
 a second flap attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening, the second flap comprising a second set of the second hook or loop fasteners attached to a second inside of the second flap, wherein the plurality of flaps are configured to secure to the fabric cover at a second side of the elongated opening. 
   
     
     
         17 . The encasement of  claim 16 , wherein the zipper comprises:
 a plurality of zipper tracks;   a first zipper head configured to open the zipper in a first direction and close the zipper in a second direction; and   a second zipper head configured to open the zipper in the second direction and close the zipper in the first direction, wherein the first zipper head and the second zipper head each have a zipper pull to pull the first zipper head and the second zipper head in either direction, wherein a first zipper track is attached to a first edge of the elongated opening of the fabric cover, and a second zipper track is attached to a second edge of the elongated opening of the fabric cover.   
     
     
         18 . The encasement of  claim 17  further comprising:
 a first inside securing member attached inside the fabric cover along the first edge of the elongated opening, the first inside securing member comprising a first set of first hook or loop fasteners; 
 a second inside securing member attached inside the fabric cover along the second edge of the elongated opening, the second inside securing member comprising a second set of first hook or loop fasteners; and 
 an inside patch comprising the other of the first hook or loop fasteners, the inside patch configured to be attached to at least a substantial portion of the first inside securing member and the second inside securing member when the zipper is closed. 
 
     
     
         19 . The encasement of  claim 16 , further comprising
 a plurality of first outside securing members comprising a first set of the other of the second hook or loop fasteners, the plurality of first outside securing members attached to the fabric cover on the first side of the elongated opening.   
     
     
         20 . The encasement of  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of second outside securing members comprising a second set of the other of the second hook or loop fasteners, the plurality of second outside securing members attached to the fabric cover on the second side of the elongated opening, the plurality of first outside securing members and the plurality of second outside securing members together configured to secure the plurality of flaps when closed.