BACKGROUND  
       [0001]    The fitted sheet is the most problematic of the household linens. While it is sometimes difficult to put a fitted sheet on a mattress, it is always difficult to fold the fitted sheet for storage. Only the most accomplished domestic technician is able to fold a fitted sheet into a neat and compact rectangle. This difficulty is accentuated the larger the fitted sheet. Folding a standard king size sheet is cumbersome but even the average person can produce a reasonably uniform folded rectangle or square. But folding a king size fitted sheet is a recipe for frustration and resignation. Most people settle for a somewhat wadded trapezoid that can be stuffed into the linen closet underneath a neatly folded standard sheet. 
         [0002]    Various videos are available on the Internet that demonstrate proper techniques for producing a tightly and neatly folded fitted sheet of any size. However, these techniques are, frankly, outside the skill level and dexterity of the average person. Moreover, each of these video-demonstrated techniques require a greater degree of fastidiousness than most people are willing to commit just to fold a bed sheet. 
         [0003]    Nevertheless, most people would prefer to have fitted sheets that are folded as neatly as the standard sheets. A properly folded sheet is more compact and easier to store with other linens. As a practical matter, a well-folded sheet avoids wrinkles, particularly where the sheet is made of a material that is easily wrinkled, such as cotton. Moreover, there is a certain aesthetic appeal or satisfaction to a neatly folded sheet. 
         [0004]    In spite of all these benefits, most people continue to struggle with the unwieldy fitted sheet. Thus, there is a need for a device that can make folding a fitted sheet achievable by even the least adept among us. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The answer to the dilemma of folding a fitted sheet is met by a folding template. In one embodiment, the template is a generally rigid but foldable panel that is configured to match the unfolded size and shape of the fitted sheet. In one embodiment, the template is provided with pre-determined fold lines that automatically direct a person to make three folds that reduce any size fitted sheet into a tight and neatly folded rectangle. The template panel is thin enough so that it does not add significantly to the thickness of the folded sheet. The panel is formed of a material that does not buckle against the pressure of the elastic bands in the fitted sheet. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a folding template for linens according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the folding template shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a folding template according to the present invention disposed within a fitted sheet. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a first fold accomplished with the folding template shown in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the result following the first fold. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is an end view of a second fold accomplished with the folding template. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the result following the second fold. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a folding template according to a further embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written specification. It is understood that no limitation to the scope of the invention is thereby intended. It is further understood that the present invention includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the invention as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, a fitted sheet folding template includes a generally flat panel  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . The panel has a length l and width w that are generally equal to the dimensions of the fitted sheet when it is installed on a mattress. Due to the elastic bands in the fitted sheet, these dimensions of the panel  10  will be greater than the overall dimensions of the fitted sheet in its free state. 
         [0016]    As shown in the plan view of  FIG. 1 , the panel  10  includes an arrangement of fold lines  12 ,  14  and  16 . These fold lines are defined in the panel to permit repeated folding or pivoting about the fold line. Thus, the fold lines may be formed by a line of reduced thickness, by a line of reduced stiffness or by a mechanical hinge element. In one exemplary embodiment, the panel  10  has a thickness t ( FIG. 2 ) while each fold line  12 ,  14  and  16  can have a thickness of about ½t. Thus, the fold lines may be formed as a “living hinge”. This approach is particularly well-suited for a panel  10  formed of a polymeric or plastic material, such as polypropylene that can withstand multiple bends about the living hinge without failure or tearing. 
         [0017]    Alternatively, the fold lines may be defined by lines of reduced stiffness relative to the remainder of the panel  10 . In one exemplary embodiment, this approach may be achieved by a row of score lines or perforations. As with the “living hinge” approach, the line of reduced stiffness is better suited for a polymeric or plastic material than for a cellulosic material, for instance. 
         [0018]    The third approach of providing a mechanical hinge element may be implemented in panels formed of a wide range of materials. Each fold line may be provided with a plurality of hinge elements distributed along the length of the fold line, or by a hinge element spanning the length of the particular fold line. However, it is appreciated that a hinge element spanning an entire fold line can only be accomplished for the fold lines  16 . Hinge elements for fold line  14  must be discontinued at the location of the other fold lines  12  and  16 . Likewise, hinge elements for the fold line  12  must be discontinued at the fold line  14  to permit folding at that line. In a specific embodiment, the hinge elements may be thin plastic pintle-type hinges or may be “living hinge” strips that are affixed to the panel. With this approach the panel  10  itself is provided in segments corresponding to areas bounded by each of the fold lines  12 ,  14  and  16 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the three fold lines produce six panel segments that are connected by corresponding hinge elements. 
         [0019]    The hinge lines  12 ,  14  and  16  are arranged so that the panel  10  may be first folded over onto itself at the first hinge line  12 . The resulting folded panel is then again folded over onto itself along the second hinge line  14 . Finally, the resulting folded panel is folded over along the third hinge line  16 . More particularly, the fold lines are preferably defined parallel to a width or length dimension of the panel. Moreover, successive fold lines are defined orthogonal to each other. In other words, a successive fold is made at a perpendicular angle relative to the prior fold. 
         [0020]    It can be appreciated that after each fold, the next fold line must be capable of making the fold over an increased thickness. For instance, after the first fold is made along fold line  12 , the next fold along line  14  must be made with one half of the panel  10  overlapping the other half. Similarly, when the last fold is made along fold line  16 , four layers of panel  10  must be folded. Thus, it is contemplated that the fold line  14  be configured to permit folding of a thicker folded panel, and that the fold line  16  is configured for an even thicker folded panel. For example, in the configuration in which each fold line is defined by a “living hinge”, the line of reduced thickness may have a width of about 0.05 inches. For a panel  10  having a thickness t of 0.06 inches, the resulting folded panel will have a thickness of at least twice the panel thickness, or about 0.12 inches. The “living hinge” for the second fold line  14  must be sized to accept a fold in a 0.12 inch thick stack so that the “living hinge” may have a width of about 0.15 inches. Similarly, the living hinge for the last fold line  16  may have a width of about 0.30 inches to achieve the final fold. 
         [0021]    The folding template of the present invention provides a simple and virtually fail-safe method for neatly and compactly folding a fitted sheet. As shown in the sequence of  FIGS. 3-7 , the panel  10  is fully opened and laid into the fitted sheet  20 . In particular, the fitted sheet is stretched slightly to fit around the perimeter of the panel  10 , with the ends  21 ,  22  and sides  23 ,  24  snugly engaged around the panel. The corners  18  of the panel  10  may be rounded to correspond to the rounded corners  26  of the fitted sheet created by the elastic bands within the sheet. 
         [0022]    With the fitted sheet wrapped around the panel  10 , the first fold along fold line  12  is made by bringing end  22  in overlapping arrangement with end  21 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The resulting folded panel and sheet is shown in  FIG. 5 . It can be appreciated that the fold line  14  extends along the two overlapping portions of the panel  10 , so that the fold line  14  in each portion also overlap. The second fold is then made along fold line  14 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , resulting in a folded panel and sheet as depicted in  FIG. 7 . The final fold is made along fold line  16  so that the result is a fitted sheet folded into a generally rectangular shape. 
         [0023]    The panel  10  has a thickness t that is sufficient for the overall panel  10  to resist bending or buckling when the fitted sheet  20  is wrapped around the panel. On the other hand, this thickness t is sufficiently thin to accommodate three folds without adding significant thickness to the folded fitted sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the panel  10  is a polypropylene sheet having a thickness of about 0.06 or 1/16 inches. After three folds, the overall thickness of the folded panel is only about 0.24 or ¼ inches. A fitted sheet may have a thickness of half the folding template panel  10  and an overall folded thickness when pressed flat of less than about ⅛ inch. While the ¼ inches of the folded panel is twice the thickness of the folded sheet, even this increased thickness is significantly less than the overall thickness of a badly folded fitted sheet. The folding template of the present invention ensures a repeatable folding process resulting in a tightly folded fitted sheet having a total thickness of less than ½ inch. 
         [0024]    The folding template of the present invention can be sized for any size fitted sheet from king to single. The arrangement of fold lines  12 ,  14  and  16  is unchanged regardless of the size of the fitted sheet. The folding process is also unchanged, although it is certainly less cumbersome for a single size fitted sheet than for a king size sheet. 
         [0025]    In the illustrated embodiment, the fold lines are arranged so that the panel, and therefore the fitted sheet, is essentially folded in half with each fold. Alternatively, the fold lines may be modified to achieve other folding patterns. For instance, the first fold line  12  may include two fold lines so that the panel is folded in thirds. Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the modified folding template panel  30  may include two fold lines  32  and a single second fold line  34 . With this embodiment, the two sides of the panel  30 , and consequently the fitted sheet, are folded inward along fold lines  32  overlapping each other and the center third of the panel. The resulting folded panel is then fold over onto itself along fold line  34  so that the resulting folded fitted sheet is one-sixth its original size. This folding pattern may be preferable for smaller fitted sheets, such as single or double sized sheets. 
         [0026]    For any fold pattern, the folding template includes at fold lines to accomplish at least two orthogonal folds—i.e., successive folds that are at right angles to each other. Thus, in the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the panel  10  the first fold is along fold line  12 , while the second fold is perpendicular along fold line  14 . The final fold is perpendicular to the second fold along fold line  16 . Likewise, with the embodiment of  FIG. 8 , the initial folds along fold line  32  are perpendicular to the second fold along fold line  34 . This approach ensures a compact and uniform folded sheet, while also maintaining the fitted sheet tight across the folded panel portions. 
         [0027]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications and further applications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
A folding template for a fitted sheet includes is a generally rigid but foldable panel that is configured to match the unfolded size and shape of the fitted sheet. The template is provided with pre-determined orthogonal fold lines that automatically direct a person to make three orthogonal folds to reduce any size fitted sheet into a tight and neatly folded rectangle. The template panel is thin enough so that it does not add significantly to the thickness of the folded sheet. The panel is formed of a material that does not buckle against the pressure of the elastic bands in the fitted sheet.