Bed sheet retention systems, system components, and methods of making and using the same

Abstract

Bed sheet retention devices, bed sheet retention systems, and system components, are disclosed. Methods of making and using bed sheet retention devices, bed sheet retention systems, and system components are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bed sheet retention system for securing one or more bed sheets to a bed, said bed sheet retention system comprising:
 (I) one or more sheet-engaging channels positioned along one or more side surfaces of a mattress, each sheet-engaging channel comprising a sheet-locking member comprising (i) an upper sheet-locking channel member, and (ii) a lower sheet-locking channel member positioned below and spaced from said upper sheet-locking channel member, wherein each of said upper sheet-locking channel member and said lower sheet-locking channel member (a) are designed to engage with one or more sheet-locking strips inserted within the sheet-locking member and between the upper sheet-locking channel member and the lower sheet-locking channel member, and (b) together provide a channel track profile that extends along a given sheet-locking member; wherein each sheet-engaging channel of said one or more sheet-engaging channels comprises (1) an upper channel side wall extending away from said mattress, and forming a portion of said upper sheet-locking channel member, (2) a lower channel side wall extending away from said mattress, and forming a portion of said lower sheet-locking channel member, (3) an upper strip engaging member extending downward from said upper channel side wall and towards said lower sheet-locking channel member, and (4) a lower strip engaging member extending upward from said lower channel side wall and towards said upper sheet-locking channel member,   wherein the one or more sheet-engaging channels are (a) an integral component of a mattress, and form at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress, or (b) separate from and combinable with a mattress so as to cover at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress; and   (II) one or more sheet locking strips, each sheet locking strip being sized and designed to be inserted within the sheet-locking member and between (i) said upper sheet-locking channel member and (ii) said lower sheet-locking channel member.   
     
     
         2 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein said channel track profile has a cross-sectional shape at a given point along a length of a given sheet-locking member, said cross-sectional shape being a cross-sectional rectangular shape, or a cross-sectional pill shape, or a cross-sectional oval shape. 
     
     
         3 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 2 , wherein the channel track profile has a cross-sectional rectangular shape, or a cross-sectional pill shape. 
     
     
         4 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the channel track profile has a cross-sectional shape in which a track profile height H TP  is 2× greater than a track profile width W TP  of the channel track profile. 
     
     
         5 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 4 , wherein the channel track profile has a cross-sectional shape in which a track profile height H TP  is from 2× greater to about 8× greater than a track profile width W TP  of the channel track profile. 
     
     
         6 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the channel track profile has a cross-sectional shape that is symmetrical along opposite sides of a channel dissecting line L D  extending vertically through the channel track profile. 
     
     
         7 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the channel track profile is bound by (i) an inner surface of said upper channel side wall, (ii) an inner surface of said lower channel side wall, (iii) an inner surface of said upper strip engaging member, (iv) an inner surface portion of a gap between said upper strip engaging member and said lower strip engaging member, (v) an inner surface of said lower strip engaging member, and (v) an inner surface opposite said gap. 
     
     
         8 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more sheet-engaging channels are positioned along one or more corner brackets, and each of said one or more corner brackets (A) is separate from and combinable with a mattress so as to cover at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress, and (B) comprises (i) a first sheet-locking member extending along one side surface of the mattress, and (ii) a second sheet-locking member extending along an adjacent side surface of the mattress so that the first sheet-locking member and the second sheet-locking member are normal (i.e., perpendicular) to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 8 , wherein each of said one or more corner brackets (a) comprises a horizontally-extending bracket component sized and designed to extend between a bottom surface of a mattress and a support surface under the bottom surface; and (b) said one or more sheet-engaging channels are connected to said horizontally-extending bracket component, wherein each sheet-engaging channel (1) comprises a sheet-locking member extending along an outer surface of the corner bracket, and (2) extends substantially within a plane P parallel with said horizontally-extending bracket component or at an angle A to the plane P parallel with said horizontally-extending bracket component. 
     
     
         10 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more corner brackets comprises four or more corner brackets. 
     
     
         11 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more sheet-engaging channels are positioned along one or more side brackets, and each of said one or more side brackets (A) is separate from and combinable with a mattress so as to cover at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress, and (B) comprises at least one sheet-locking member extending along one side surface of the mattress. 
     
     
         12 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 11 , wherein each of said one or more side brackets (a) comprises a horizontally-extending bracket component sized and designed to extend between a bottom surface of a mattress and a support surface under the bottom surface;
 and (b) said one or more sheet-engaging channels are connected to said horizontally-extending bracket component, wherein each sheet-engaging channel (1) comprises a sheet-locking member extending along an outer surface of the side bracket, and (2) extends (i) substantially within a plane P parallel with said horizontally-extending bracket component or at an angle A to the plane P parallel with said horizontally-extending bracket component.   
     
     
         13 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more sheet-engaging channels are positioned along one or more side sheet portions, and said one or more side sheet portions (A) are separate from and combinable with a mattress so as to cover at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress, and (B) extend over from one to four side surfaces of the mattress. 
     
     
         14 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 13 , wherein said one or more side sheet portions are part of a mattress cover that extends over (i) all four side surfaces of a mattress, and (ii) an upper surface of the mattress. 
     
     
         15 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 14 , wherein the mattress cover extends over a lower surface of the mattress. 
     
     
         16 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sheet-engaging channels are an integral component of a mattress, and form at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress. 
     
     
         17 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 16 , wherein said upper sheet-locking channel member comprises an upper outermost member surface that extends along a side surface of the mattress, and said lower sheet-locking channel member further comprises a lower outermost member surface that extends along the side surface of the mattress, wherein each of said upper outermost member surface and said lower outermost member surface is either (i) within a plane P in which said side surface extends, or (ii) embedded within the mattress so as not to extend beyond the side surface of the mattress (i.e., not thru plane P). 
     
     
         18 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more sheet locking strips comprises four or more sheet locking strips. 
     
     
         19 . A bed sheet retention system for securing one or more bed sheets to a bed, said bed sheet retention system comprising:
 (I) one or more sheet-engaging channels positioned along one or more side surfaces of a mattress, each sheet-engaging channel comprising a sheet-locking member comprising (i) an upper sheet-locking channel member, and (ii) a lower sheet-locking channel member positioned below and spaced from said upper sheet-locking channel member, wherein each of said upper sheet-locking channel member and said lower sheet-locking channel member (a) are designed to engage with one or more sheet-locking strips inserted within the sheet-locking member and between the upper sheet-locking channel member and the lower sheet-locking channel member, and (b) together provide a channel track profile that extends along a given sheet-locking member; wherein each sheet-engaging channel of said one or more sheet-engaging channels comprises (1) an upper channel side wall extending away from said mattress, and forming a portion of said upper sheet-locking channel member, (2) a lower channel side wall extending away from said mattress, and forming a portion of said lower sheet-locking channel member, (3) an upper strip engaging member extending downward from said upper channel side wall and towards said lower sheet-locking channel member, and (4) a lower strip engaging member extending upward from said lower channel side wall and towards said upper sheet-locking channel member,   wherein the one or more sheet-engaging channels are (a) an integral component of a mattress, and form at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress, or (b) separate from and combinable with a mattress so as to cover at least a portion of one or more side surfaces of the mattress; and   (II) one or more sheet locking strips, each sheet locking strip being sized and designed to engage with said one or more sheet-engaging channels and extend from (i) said upper sheet-locking channel member to (ii) said lower sheet-locking channel member; and   (III) one or more attachable accessories, wherein each attachable accessory comprises: (a) at least one accessory connecting member, and (b) an accessory body connected to and extending from the at least one accessory connecting member, wherein the at least one accessory connecting member is configured (i.e., designed) to extend within and connect to said one or more sheet-engaging channels so as to position at least a portion of said accessory body (i) above the one or more sheet-engaging channels, and/or (ii) below the one or more sheet-engaging channels, and/or (iii) within a plane P containing said one or more sheet-engaging channels.   
     
     
         20 . The bed sheet retention system of  claim 19 , wherein the channel track profile has a cross-sectional rectangular shape, or a cross-sectional pill shape.