CA1272815A - Ventilating mattress module systems for boats, recreational vehicles and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A mattress composed of various innerspring type mattress modules for use in boats, motorhomes, And recreational vehicles. each module has large-screened side opennings to match the side openings of adjacent modules to facilitate the exchange of air into the module or to facilitate air flow through a module to an isolated one.

Description

, BAt:K~aU OF THE I ~V~N~I 0 This pr~e~lt lllvention re1at~ to ~ t~q~Bt~8~ to b~
u6~d on b~ts, motorhomes, ~ecree~t~on~l v~hic~ d the llke, particularly ~nattre~e~q whi~ are ~o~po~ed o$ Arl 15 arr~y of ma~tre~ modull3s.

De~pite t`rs~:ir saxpon#e or ho~1y ~nær9y comsu~ption~
the populari~y o~ bo~t~, ei~her pow~ os ~ i,mo~orhom~, and recr~tior~al vehicl~6 hA~ ~:ontir~ued to be ~ popul~r ~0 f c~ f vacat ic:~nis~g .

Larg~ boata, motorhoma~ i~nd ~ecreAtional ~oh$~1e~
are de~i~3ned ~o 2:~e home~ aw~y $rom ~me. 'rhey uuually havs mo~t ~ i ~ not all o~ the ~no~ or~venl~nce~ ~ li ving 25 ~pa~e, fu11y ~qu~pp~d cooklng A~ea, ~ bath~oom or "h~d" ~
and al~pin~ A~ 3ecau~e o~ ~pace c:or~atr~ t~ many 4f ~e ~paces w~thin th~ ehic:les ~rv~ mor~ th~3Ln O~E3 purpo~f~. 'rhe ma~or r~t~3ri~ u~ d ~or detormlrlln~ e!p~ng ~rea~ in thee~ "homes Q.way ~ro~ 21ome" i~ ~p~co. ~ch ~yp~
30 o~ t, ~torhom~s, or ~e~r~ lon~ h~le wl~l hav~
ow~ ticulhr de~ng ~nd sle~plng ~rx~n~laent~ die~lgned ~cco2~lln~ to lt~ t~c~llar sh~po ~r~d ~1DZO o~ th~ ar~
~or instelr~ce, ~ pln~ l~r~a u~æd d~ln~ the ~ay ~or ~ing o~r ~o~ali~in~T ~Ay ~ o ~rv¢ 6~ a ro~ting ~u~
35 fo~ s1çl~p~rlg. Th~ ~nattr~ ul~ r cu~hior~ to be~ used I!or the~o pu~po~ ar~ u~u~lly C!UI~tQ~ o ~t ~he ~OAE~ avz~ bl~ wlth~n the Y~ r thoo~ pur~
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The g,ualiSie~ o ~ yood m~tt~o~ th~t ~t b~
resiliently ~t~ong, oof~, ~nsulating, ~n~ havo ~ i~oi~ure ab~orbing o~ ou~ ace~ A pro~l~m irJ prior art mattr~s structure ha3 b~n ~onden4ation of the mc~ ur~
in ~r6as of th~ m~kt~ which ar~ ~n~dequ~tely ventilated .

~ t i~ the ~tan~ard practice in the Ar~ o~ n~attre~s 10 making to corl t ~uct a ~ piny sur~ac~ ~uch ~ ~ mattre~a~
~y as~embl~ n0 ~ r~e~wo~k o~ lar~ al-sha~
inner~pr~ ng~ tied ~o~o~her with wir~ ~oindere ~n ~ri~like ~hion to ~orm a Esturdy but re~iliant weight uupporting lnner Dt~uctuxe~ U~UQ11Y ~ ~OaPI ~ubber or ~oAm 15 polyur~than~ y~re~ upon the ond~ o the ~pring~
~d th~ mRttr~4~ i~ thon cov~red u~in~ a 4hlck; o~rong, and porous ~c:vorirlg sn~ter~ uch a~ cotton. O~n in~te~ o~ tbe ~oam ru~e~ or ~o~m polyur~thane, a ~apok m~t~rial, i~ u ~d to ~orm th~ layer ~bove th~ ~p~ing~
~ T~lo unit i& ~ewn clo~ed~ ~o~et~m~ ~mall hole3 a~e ~p~e~
around the 8ides o~ th~ mattre~. Pull ~tring3 sewr through the m~ttr~e $n a qri~lik~ fashion ~e anchored to ~utton~ ~n the top and botto~ ~u~c~ ~t th~ ~nc:hor buteon~ .
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t,tsins~ the~e ~echn~que~ ~tron0 ~ nearly hollow~ an~
light-weight ~ aomi~or~ nattressle~ ~re constru&'c~d, It h~o ~een ~e pract~ce to u~e the~e rnllt'cl:e~B~ on boat, mc~torhomes, ar~l rs~re~t~onal vehicle~ . Howover, ~ ma je~r 3D probl~m using the~e ~t~e~es on tl~e~e typ~ o:l vehi~le~
i8 *hat the ~ttYe~ y li~ up~n ~ cold ~u~a~e. 13~e~u~e the ~a'ctre~ ~rouo, B ~ar~ p~rson ~leopins~ upon the n~t~es~ wiLl ~!lr~vo wa~, moi~t ~lr. ~wn thrs~gh~ the mattr~Y. This W~ t ~r wl~l ev~ntu~lly r6~ h ~ho 35 cc~ld under our~a~ o ~c~4 ~ th~ ~o; ll3tur0 w~ll aor~len~e. O~er gl p~rlod o~ t~, th~ o~tu~e wll~

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-~ccumula~e to the point wher~ ~he r~pid decomp~il;iorl c>f the bottom v~ the mattre0~ wil} oc:cu~. This pr~ m signi~icantly lowars t2~e u~e~ul l~e of mattr~e~ u~d in 5 boat~, motorhomes, ~ecre~tion~l vehlcles ~n~ th~ llk~. In ;~ddi~ion, a moi~t, dark ~re~ without ~:k circulation en~uras~R~ the growth ~ mold Antl mii~ow, rend~rq~ he ~nattr~ d. pads ~ the prio~ art unpleanant t5:~ U5~.

It is known that i~ nirElow ~an ~ induced th~ouS1}1 th~ es of the2 ma~res~ lnto the mattres~, th~ problem of bottoln oonclen~tiOn an~ ~old growth c~n be reduc~e~ or ~ll~ina~ad .

~at~res~e~ wlth op~n~n~ to l~t ~ir ent~r tha in~ori or ~r~ not new. Neverthele~s, l:he open~ng~ on ~he~e mattr~ses are typically ~all, ~nd are occluded i po~itioned ~dja~nt to other object~ or o~her mattres~
~y Abuttin~ mattre~ h ~ther m~ttxe~e~ the llir ;~0 f~x~h~nge w~hin eho ~ttre~s will b~ signi~i~Ant~y de~r~as~d or st4ppQd a~'c4gothe~.

There~re, it 1~ Rm obje~t of ~y irlven~ion to prc~viae mattre~ ~odul~ with la~g~ ~id~ op8ning m~an~
2S ~uch that ai~ w~ low ~ely in ~nd out o~ the irl~orio~
Ct~ the mattr~ odule, ~nd ii po3$tionod &dj~oent aimilar ~odule, from one ~attrees ~o~ul~ ~o ~nothor.

It is ~ ~ur her ob~o~t o~ ~y ~nv~ntlon to ~ OilltElte:
30 th~ flow of ~ir fro~ ~he ~nviron~ent ~o ~he lnte~io~ o~
m~tt~s ~odule which is ~d j~c:~nt to on~ o~ L
m~t~s~ mod~lle~

It i~ alno~her ob~-o~ o ~y lnvention to E~rov~de ~5 lar~ me~h eov~d op~n~ g a~t~ln z~do~ o~
~att~ dules to faa~lit~t~ She Air ~xc:h~n~ n t~
~nvi~orun~r~ th~ough c~no ~u~hion into ~noth~ ~u3hlon - - , . . .

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~ 5--ad jAC~nt thereto o~ to t31e open atmo~phere.

Thes~ ~nd other ob~c~3 and advantage~ o~ ~n~ention 5 will becom~ ræadily ~ppa~ent to one o~ ~kl~l ln t~l8 a~t upon a d~a~ailea exa~nlnation o~ ~h~ ~ppended drawing6 and ~t~ldy of th~ deYc:ription thereo~ wh~ch follow~ .

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~2~ 693~-53 SU~IMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention p~ovides a mattress module comprising:
a sof~ ~attress type upper surface with pliable porous coveriny;
a bot~om surface with pliable covering; an interior having a spring network weight support means; side elements interconnecting said upper surface and said bottom surface, at leas~ one of said side elements having a large air~low opening; a netting means extendlng the entirety o~ sald openlng, such that when in use said module is posltioned adja~ent and in contact with a like module ln an array at least one o~ said airflow openings on sald module will be in contact with and communicate directly with at least one of the air~low openings in said adjacent mattress module.
My mattress is composed of various such mattress modules. Some of the sides of the modules have large openlngs whi~h are screened with a coarse-weave cloth such as cheese cloth or nylon netting. The large openings on the sides are located to match corresponding openings on the sides of adjacent modules such that as the modules are placed together air easily interchanges betwaen ~ha modules and the environment.
Thus instaad of the moist air from the body being driven through the mattress to condense on bottom cold surfaces, the alr exchangas and mixes wlth air coming from other mattress modules and the environment. Because o~ the arrangement o~ the large side openlngs, the lnterior of ~he modules and their bottoms remain dry thereby discouraging the growth of mold and mildew.

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Fig. 1 i~ ~ p~rb;p~ctive view of e~ mattre~o ~no~ule with my inv2nti~n th~reln.

Fiy. 2 i~ sn enl~ry0d per~pec:tiv~ ~iew of an out~i~e rner o~ tht3 matt~e~s mc>dule E;hown in Flgure 1., F~g . ~ i6 an enlarge~l per0~ective vie~ frc~m th~
10 lnside ~or~eY o~ the mat~r~s module eho~n in ~igu~e 1.

~ iy. 4 15 ~ per~?ective ~lew oi ~n a~an~om~nt o~
re~o modul~s irlc:orporatin~ rny ~nven~io^n pl~csd ad~a&ent to e~Gh othor.
1~
~ ig . 5~ par~poc:tivq v~ ew of mat~re~ modu~e ~yst~m lr~corpo~atin~ my ~nv~ntion in ~ pa~ti~ul~r con~iqur~ n.

E`~,g. 5R i8 ~ 3rspectiv~3 view of th4 mattre~o mc~ule sygt~m AS shown ~n Fi~. 5A in a~other configur~tlon.

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- ~ -PE~AILE~ 3SCR~P~ON OF Tl~ PRE~'EP~RE;D EM~OI)IME~
B~cause ~ch ~attros~ ~odule ~y~tem i8 ~e~1S3ned se~ort~ln~ to tl~e con~ r~tlon and ~p~q Av~ilable, th~
S parti~llar configu~a~lons ~esc~i~ed h~rein ~re demon6;t~atlve of ~ow l~ge opæning3 on the side6 o~
~attr~ module~, correspon~ing to ~imil~r openln~6 on ~but ~n~a mattre~s modules, f~cilitate the 10w c~ air into a module or ~hrouyh ~n ~oinln~ nlo~ule lnto ~n i~olated 1~ one.

Pig. 1 ~how~ a perap~ctive Vi9W o~E an ~d~æli~ed mattre~ module 10 indicating ~ porou~3 fabric ~ovoring 12, cov~ring a foam rubb~X ~op pa~l 14. Fo~ ~om~or~ ~ th$~ foam ru)~be~ top pad should be at le~t ~wo ~nt~met~rs thic:k, pre~er~bly five. ~!he modul~ 10 i~ nsrally coversd in i~ en~rety by the pliable f~bric coYsring 12. Cottor~
g~ne~lly u~ed a~ the pliabl~ cover~n~ ~or thi~ purpos~
~nee ~ soft~ 8trOrlg, pO~OU~, ~nd in0ul~ting~ ~he fabr~ c covering 10 i~ geneX~lly st~tche~ ~t the ~eEIm lin~s `along the top edges 1~ and bo~tom ~dge3 18. The top 16 sn~l bottom la ~dg~s o~ the ~attre~ ~o~ule can be ~uared by tho u~e o~ ~ welt or wire-like ~tif~e~er 17 ~ewr~ within tl~e 8ea~1~8 16 ar~d 137 A netwos~ o~ h~l~c~ 4h~pe~i lnr~r ~prln~s 20 inJcex~onrl2cted to e~ch o~he~ by wir~ ~oir~ers 22 and axranged in a grldl~ke f~ehion ~ro~aghout the ~ntar~or c~
~ch mattrse~ ~o~ule 10 prov~ e~ nt, w~ight suppo~tlng ~eans, Pull ~ rlnga ~4 ~:ce ~ed to ~oln t~o ~op su~ e 26 to the ~otton sur i~ce 28 ~ ou~h the ~no~ul~ 10 in a ~rldlàX~ ~shle~n~ ~he 2 pUll ~tr~ 4 flatt~n the 'cop 26 and bo~om ~a fiur~ce~ 0~ ~che~ t~e~
~Qdul~ 10 inSC~ r~l~el cc~n~igur~t~on ~nd t~e~mln~te on tho llu~fac~ u~'con~; 3~9 ~rgo 2-ec:tion~ o~ ~h~ el~l3 32 o~ tt~ matS~sY ~dul~ h3v~ ~p~nlng~ 34 wh~oh ll~ro cot ~ar~lad . . . . . . ..... .
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g uBing air p~rm~ble netting m~ter~l 36 ~u~h ch~e~ecloth or nylon rlotting ~o ~cillta~e ~low ta~ Air into and out o~ ~ch~ mattre~3. Any c:~a~* wov~n fab~ic S h~ving ~ir p~rmeabilitY which can b~ ~e~n could be u~ed ~ th~s~ openings 34. ~h~ ai~e openirlg~ 34 facll~tA~e the ~o~e~ent of air ganer~lly i~al~Ated by arr~7w~3 38 ~rom one modul~ ~0 to another module ~2 when th~y ~ e pl~ ed ~dj~c~nt to ~ oth~, o~ dires~ly ~o tn8 e~visonment.
In ~e~gning eh~ Bpe~ s: modul~4 ~ t~e ~d~
openi~ 30c ~ ~h~ netl:inS~ ~at~ 6 aan be c:ut ~n~i stitched along Iseam lin~3 M ~o~ ~h~ ~nte~or of e~ch ~odu~e~ doing ~o ehe o~g~ 46 o~ the net~ing 3~
15 n~t oeen from the outsl~o, 6~hanclng tha ~ppeAr~nc~ of the modul~ .

Mattre~ module ayste~ c~n be ~escribe~ ~5 the ~oll~otion c~ varlouGly si~ed an~ ~h~ped ~at~ress el~enty dasi~ned to be placed int~ p~icular p~t~rn~ ~ccording to th~ir intenaed Uf~B- ~

~ h~ 5~ ~e and k~ap~ o~ ~he partioul~r ~odules will dspend upon th~ o ~nd ~3pac~ ilable. ~or exa~ple, in ~S t~e bow b-lnk o a boat . the: ~Ya~lable ~pa~e ~ay be a ~ri~rlgul~r ~h~pe 48. wh~ch can ro~lv~ ~n ~rray of t~eo~ modulo~ arran~e~ ao two oouch~aY ~po~ltely ~ac g co~npoaed of ~wo te~ h~dgon~hap~ m~t~res~ ~odul E3s 50 nnd ~2 wh~ ~h c!an be conYe~ed intc) a double bed a~Anga~nsnt ~y 30 the ~naert$on ~ a trians~ul~rly ~h~po~l m~ttr~ o~ule 54.
Each ch~ped moduls 50, 52 3 aln~l 54 hnvo m~tahin~ la~e open~n~ 56 to ~A~ te tl:3e ~re~ exch~r3g~ o~ at x, ~rom 54 to 50 ~n~ 52 An~ th~ envlxornme~t,.

8lmilAI~ 8n ~2~rAy of ma'ctro~ ule~ n b~
ned ln a llrlo~r ~a~hion, ~ oo~Cl o xec~t~ns~ulaa~
nat~rods ~ot~ul~lB 87 wi~h ~lm~ ~s ro~tarl~ulær ~ e~

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mod~ 5~ ac~ing a~ ~ck p~d~ wh~n t,he ~y~ce~ uaed ~or ~i~ting ~8 ln ~IG. 5~, 4r ~ additional ~leepin~3 ~urfa~a when th~: ~y~tem 1~ u~ed ~or ~lee~ing ~ ~h4wn in F~G. 5B.
5 S~en the ~ack pad~ 58 ~re us~d as ~leep~ng ~ur~ces, air i~ ~xch~ng~d into the back pads ~ throu~h the ~natt:hlng ~id~ op~ninga ~0 o~ the other ma~treEJ~ ~odul~ 57.. In ~he Rle~pin~ c;on~gur~tlon. air ente~4 the b~ck pie~e~ 58 ~rom ~h~ modu~es S7 and communl~toli t~ en~ 4nm~nt~l a~x A3 lO demons~ated by~ air flow l~ne~ 38.

It cal~ al~o b~3 noted tha~ as a u~er 1B - eith~r ~at~d or laying upon a mAttres~ module~ a c~rtain AmOU~t ~ ir pumping action as lndicate~ by arrow~ 38 ~ ~roducea by the ~ompre~sion o~ the top 16 ~nd b~tto~ 18 ~ur~ s, ~hereby helpln~ tho ~ir ci~ulate throughout th~ ~o~ulee in ~n acoordian-llke ~shlon.

It i~ r~adily apparent ~om ~h3se ~X~mples ~ow diff~rently con~igu~ multi-~haped mattre~s mo~ulo~ can be for~ed wi~h ~atchiny adj~con~ side openin~ to pxov~e ~r the ~xchange of a~r ~cco~lns to the obj~ctives of my inv~ntion, whothor or not ea~ ~oaule ~rv~ a unlquæ
purpo~s or d~l purpose~ Accordin~ly, the examp1e~ shown herein a~e only ~emon~trativ~ and are nQt ~o b~
interpreted 4~ itan~ ~y invention to only the~e particularly d~crib~d con~ig~r~tiOn~.

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Claims (9)

I CLAIM:
1. Claim 1 An array of mattress modules supported on a support means, each module lying adjacent and in contact with at least one other module, each module comprising:
   a soft mattress-type upper surface with pliable porous covering;
   a bottom surface with pliable covering;
   an interior having a spring network weight supporting means;
   side elements interconnecting said upper surface and said bottom surface, at least one of said side elements having a large airflow opening in contact with and communicating with a corresponding opening on the side of the adjacent module;
   a netting means extending the entirety of said opening.
2. Claim 2 The array of mattress modules as described in claim 1 where said soft mattress-type surface is a foam rubber pad about five centimeters thick.
3. Claim 3 The array of mattress modules described in claim 1 where said netting means is a coarse woven mesh permitting free flow of air into and out of said module.
4. Claim 4 An array of mattress modules supported on a support means, each module comprising:
   a soft mattress type upper surface with pliable porous covering;
   a bottom surface with pliable covering;
   an interior having a spring network weight supporting means;
   side elements interconnecting said upper surface and said bottom surface, at least one of said side elements having a large airflow opening ;
   a netting means extending the entirety of said opening, each mattress module being in contact with at least one other mattress module such that at least one of said airflow openings on one module is in contact with and communicates directly with at least one of the airflow openings on another mattress module.
5. Claim 5 The array of mattress modules as described in claim 4 where said soft mattress type surface is a foam rubber pad about five centimeters thick.
6. Claim 6 The array of mattress modules described in claim 1 where said netting means is a coarse woven mesh permitting free flow of air into and out of said module.
7. 7. A mattress module comprising:
   a soft mattress type upper surface with pliable porous covering;
   a bottom surface with pliable covering;
   an interior having a spring network weight support means;
   side elements interconnecting said upper surface and said bottom surface, at least one of said side elements having a large airflow opening;
   a netting means extending the entirety of said opening, such that when in use said module is positioned adjacent and in contact with a like module in an array at least one of said airflow openings on said module will be in contact with and communicate directly with at least one of the airflow openings in said adjacent mattress module.
8. 8. The mattress module as described in Claim 7 where said soft mattress type upper surface is a foam rubber pad about five centimeters thick.
9. 9. The array of mattress modules described in Claim 7 or 8 where said netting means is a coarse woven mesh permitting airflow of air into and out of said module.