CA2020005A1

CA2020005A1 - Self-inflating cushion

Info

Publication number: CA2020005A1
Application number: CA002020005A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Helmut Pfriender; Gunter Geisler
Original assignee: Metzeler Schaum GmbH
Current assignee: Metzeler Schaum GmbH
Priority date: 1989-06-28
Filing date: 1990-06-27
Publication date: 1990-12-29
Also published as: DE59005667D1; EP0405515A1; FI903199A0; IE902327L; IE902327A1; IE63916B1; EP0405515B1; DE8909741U1

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure:
A self-inflating cushion, especially a mattress, includes a foam panel formed of open-celled soft polyurethane foam. The foam panel has lateral edges, sides and openings extending at least partially through the foam panel. Continuous airtight cover strips are glued on both of the sides and at the edges of the foam panel and cover the openings. An air valve is disposed in the vicinity of one of the lateral edges of the foam panel.

Description

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SELF-INFLATING CUSHION

S~ecification:
The invention relates to a self-inflating cushion, in partic-ular a mattress, including a foam panel formed of open-celled soft polyurethane foam, which is glued on both sides and at the edges with airtight cover strips, and has an air valve at -one lateral edge.

Such cushions, which are mostly used in the form of mattress-es, have a size of approximately 190x60 cm and a thickness of 20 to 50 mm, for example. Since they can be tightly rolled when not in use, they are particularly suitable for hikers and mountain climbers because of their compact size.

In order to use them, a valve, which usually is disposed at a side, is simply opened. Due to of the tendency of the enclosed foam material to expand, the mattress unrolls itself and air is drawn into the mattress, so that it is automati-cally smoothed out and assumes a shape and a size correspond-inq to the expanded foam material. After it is filled with air and, if desired after additional air has been blown in, -the valve is closed. Thus the air can no longer escape and the cushion or mattress is ready for use and provides partic-ularly satisfactory heat insulation and cushioning with respect to the ground on which it has been placed.

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: :-It is not only important with such a cushion that it have ' satisfactory use and insulating properties, but also that it is as light as possible and can be rolled up into a thin roll. A compromise is generally made between sufficient insulating and cushioning effects in regard to the person lying upon it and the thickness of the required foam material panel.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a ~ -self-inflating cushion, particularly a mattress, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which does ;
so in such a way that an additional reduction of weight is made possible while at least maintaining the level of comfort already provided, so that handling is further improved.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provid-, ~
ed~, in accordance with the invention, a self-inflating cushion, especially a mattress, comprising a foam panel formed of open-celled soft polyurethane foam, the foam panel having lateral edges, sides and openings extending at least partially through the foam panel, continuous airtight cover strips being glued on both of the sides and at the edges of ~ -the foam panel and covering the openings, and an air valve disposed in the vicinity of one of the lateral edges of the foam panel.

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Through the use of such openings it is possible to consider-ably reduce the weight of the cushion or mattress, without diminishing its usefulness in any way.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the openings extend vertically through the foam material panel.

:. , In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the openings are disposed in rows being offset from each other, ~-they have a diameter of 10 to 50 mm, and their edges are 10 to 120 mm apart from each other.
~, In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the ~`
openings to extend horizontally through the cushion, in the form of approximately continuous channels.

, In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the openings extend crosswise or transversely relative to the longitudinal direction or in the longitudinal direction of the cushion or at an angle to the longitudinal direction.

In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the -.~ ?
openings extend in the longitudinal and lateral directions of - -~
the cushion and intersect each other. ~;

In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the openings extend approximately halfway up the thickness of the cushion. ~-In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the foam material panel is divided at the center into two layers being disposed on top of each other, so that at least one contact surface thereof has at least one profile resulting in continuous openings. ;

In accordance with yet an additional feature of the inven-tion, each of the two contact surfaces have such a profile.

In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the profile is approximately in the form of a corrugation with flutes extending over the entire length and/or width of the contact surfaces.

In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the profiles of the top and bottom layers extend parallel to each other in such a way that the crests of both profiles lie on top of each other.

In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, the profiles of the top and bottom layers extend at an angle relative to each other and form intersecting openings.

In accordance with again an additional feature of the inven-tion, the profiles of the top and bottom layers each have different shapes and/or sizes.

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, In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the the top and bottom layers are made from materials of different hardness.

In this way not only is a weight reduction achieved, but an adaptation to individual comfort is also possible.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in self-inflating cushion, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
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The construction-and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages ~
thereof will be best understood from the following descrip- ~ -tion of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, top-plan view of a ~ - , mattress with the upper cover strip left off; ~

,, i Fig. 2 is a longitudinal-section of the mattress with upper cover strip in place, which is taken along the line II-II of ~- ~
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Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows~

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Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a foam material panel with horizontally extending openings; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a foam material panel made from two layers, with profiles for the mattress.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is seen a mattress having a rectangular foam material panel 1 dis- ~ ~
posed in the interior thereof, which is made of of open- ~ ~ ' celled, highly flexible, soft polyurethane foam, having airtight, rubber-coated cover strips 2 and 3 glued to the upper and lower surfaces thereof. Laterally extending edges 4 of the cover strips 2 and 3 are also glued together in an airtight manner. A valve 5 extending through the two cover strips 2 and 3 is inserted at one corner of the mattress for filling the mattress with air or squeezing the air out of the mattress. :

The foam material panel 1 is provided with punched holes 6, 7, which fully extend through the foam material layer 1 but ;~
are covered by both cover strips 2 and 3. ~

In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, punched ~ -holes 6 and 7 of different diameters and at different dis~
tances are shown in each part of the panel so as to illus- ~ -trate possible variations more clearly. The punched holes 6, 7 preferably have diameters of approximately 10 to 50 mm and can be disposed at distances of 10 to 120 mm from each other. -2 ~ 0 ~

As shown in Fig. 1, the punched holes 6, 7 are disposed in a plurality of rows that are next to each other, in such a way that the punched holes of one row are offset by one-half the distance of the punched holes of the other row. This results in a very even distribution of the punched holes 6, 7 over ~
the entire surface. -Depending on their size and number, the punched holes 6, 7 can cause a total reduction in the weight of the mattress of up to 20 percent. Furthermore, when air beyond the normal amount that is automatically aspirated is blown in, there is --also an additional effect which is that cover strip portions or areas 9 of the cover strips 2 and 3 bulge outward above and below the punched holes 6 and 7, because they are not held from below by the foam material. The bulges result in two additional advantages. Firstly, the non-skid properties of the mattress are increased and secondly, the nap pattern which has been attained for all practical purposes has the effect of massaging the body of the person lying on it.
' ~ ' Purthermore, due to the reduction of the mass of the foam material by means of the punched holes, the mattress can be rolled up more tightly after use, since it is no longer necessary to compress as much foam material.

Punched holes that fully extend through the foam material panel are shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment.

However, it is also possible for the punched holes not to extend completely through the foam material panel, but _7_ ' ., :: ~:

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instead only to a certain depth, so that the illustrated bulges 9 then only form on one side.
~ ~' A further possibility for reducing the material in such a foam material panel is illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein a foam material panel 10 is provided with horizontal openings in the shape of continuous channels 11, 12. These openings can extend transverse to the longitudinal direction of the foam material panel in the form of the channels 11 indicated in broken lines or in the longitudinal direction of the foam material panel 10 as shown by the channels 12. If the channels 11 and 12 are furthermore provided in both direc-tions and cross each other, a greater reduction in material and thus weight becomes possible.

The channels 11 or 12 are preferably provided at about the center of the height of the foam material panel 10. The diameter thereof should not be more than approximately one ~;
third of the foam material panel. Besides a disposition wherein the channels 11 and 12 extend exactly longitudinally -and laterally, an orientation at an angle to the longitudinal direction, either in one direction or in crossing directions, is also possible. -. ~- -;
'~ , '' '.`' ' ;~ ', A further possibility for reducing weight results from a construction of the mattress as shown in Fig. 4. A foam material panel 20 is divided in the center and thus is formed of two layers 21 and 22, which lie on top of each other and which each have approximately the same thickness. In -8~

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accordance with the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the contact surfaces of the two foam material layers 21 and 22 axe provided with profiles 23 and 24. In the present case the profiles 23 and 24 are made in the form of corrugations approximately corresponding to a sinusoidal line, with the profiles 23 and 24 extending at right angles to each other, so that crests and troughs are formed that intersect each other.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a savings in materi-al of approximately 25% results with the profiling provided, i.e. the mattress is approximately 25~ lighter while having the same strength as a mattress without profiles.

With a foam material panel 20 having a total thickness of at least 15 to 20 mm, the width of the profiles, i.e. the distance between two crests of flutes or waves, should be no less than 5 mm. In general, the desired comfort provided by this mattress is also decisive for the size and type of profiling, i.e. the profiles should not be so large that a reduction of comfort or bending of the mattress results therefrom.

However, any wave-shaped or even a wedge-shaped construction other than an approximately sinusoidal extent of the profiles 23 and 24, is conceivable. ~he profiles can be disposed at any angle relative to each other, i.e. even obliquely rela- ~ ^
tive to each other, for example, up to the extreme case where they run parallel. If the profiles of the two layers 21 and ~;

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22 extend in the same direction, they should have the same height and configuration, so that the crests of flutes or waves of the top and bottom layers lie on top of each other.

In order to further increase comfort, the top layer 21 and the bottom layer 22 can be made from materials of different consistency, i.e. in particular of different hardness, so that softer or firmer cushioning is obtained, depending on which layer is on top.

Of course, it is also possible to provide only one of the two layers 21 or 22 with a profile and for the contact surface of the other layer to be smooth.

- -On the whole, the result is a cushion in the form of a seat cushion or a mattress which inflates automatically, has ;~
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considerably lower weight and thus has less bulk than mat~
tresses of conventional construction in its rolled-up state without loss of comfort. ~ i ~: ~
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Claims

Claims:

l. Self-inflating cushion, comprising a foam panel formed of open-celled soft polyurethane foam, said foam panel having lateral edges, sides and openings extending at least partial-ly through said foam panel, continuous airtight cover strips being glued on both of the sides and at the edges of said foam panel and covering said openings, and an air valve disposed in the vicinity of one of said lateral edges of said foam panel.
2. Cushion according to claim 1, wherein said openings extend vertically through said foam panel.
3. Cushion according to claim 2, wherein said openings are disposed in mutually offset rows.
4. Cushion according to claim 2, wherein said openings have a diameter of substantially between 10 and 50 mm.
5. Cushion according to claim 2, wherein said openings are mutually spaced apart by a distance of substantially between 10 and 120 mm.
6. Cushion according to claim 1, wherein said openings extend horizontally through said foam panel.
7. Cushion according to claim 6, wherein said openings extend transversely relative to the longitudinal direction of said foam panel.
8. Cushion according to claim 6, wherein said openings extend in the longitudinal direction of said foam panel.
9. Cushion according to claim 6, wherein said openings extend in the longitudinal and lateral directions of said foam panel.
10. Cushion according to claim 6, wherein said openings extend at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction of said foam panel.
11. Cushion according to claim 6, wherein said openings are disposed approximately at the center of the height of the thickness of said foam panel.
12. Cushion according to claim 1, wherein said openings are continuous, said foam panel is centrally divided into two layers lying on top of each other, said layers have contact surfaces, and at least one of said contact surfaces has at least one profile forming said continuous openings.
13. Cushion according to claim 12, wherein both of said contact surfaces of said layers have a profile.
14. Cushion according to claim 13, wherein said profiles are approximately corrugated and have corrugations extending entirely over at least one of the length and the width of said contact surfaces.
15. Cushion according to claim 13, wherein said profiles of said layers are mutually parallel and have flutes with crests of both profiles lying on top of each other.
16. Cushion according to claim 14, wherein said profiles of said layers are mutually parallel and have flutes with crests of both profiles lying on top of each other.
17. Cushion according to claim 13, wherein said profiles of said layers extend at an angle relative to each other and form said openings, and said openings intersect each other.
18. Cushion according to claim 14, wherein said profiles of said layers extend at an angle relative to each other and form said openings, and said openings intersect each other.
19. Cushion according to claim 13, wherein said profiles of said layers differ in at least one of shape and size thereof.
20. Cushion according to claim 12, wherein said layers are made of materials of different hardness.
21. Cushion according to claim 1, wherein said foam panel and said cover strips together form a mattress.