DE102010010200A1 - Foam core for e.g. mattress, has foam suspension layer including foam spring and arrangement of foam plates, where foam plates arrangement encloses foam springs that are connected in region of central section by lateral bar - Google Patents

Abstract

The core has a foam suspension layer (1) including foam springs (2) and an arrangement of foam plates (3), where the arrangement encloses the foam springs. The foam springs are connected in a region of a central section (4) by a lateral bar (6), where the lateral bar is formed as a partially perforated surface or uninterrupted surface. The foam springs include zones in form of a laterally branching lamellar structure (7), where the zones are arranged above and/or below the lateral bar.

Description

The invention relates to a foam core, comprising a foam spring layer with a total of foam springs with an arrangement of an upper and a lower foam plate sandwiching the foam springs according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such foam cores are used for mattresses or comparable sitting or lying areas. They consist of an elastic foam material, are provided in the columnar elastic foam body. Their longitudinal direction is oriented in the direction of the load of the mattress or the sitting or lying surface. The foam spring assembly thus formed is sandwiched by upper and lower foam sheets. The entirety of the foam springs forms the foam spring layer. A big advantage of such foam cores is their simple construction. In addition, they are easy to clean and can be disinfected comparatively easily. These properties are indispensable especially for mattresses and seating and lying areas in the medical and hygiene sector.

However, known foam cores of this type often have insufficient point elasticity. The mattresses or seating and lying surfaces made with such foam cores lie relatively quickly through and show relatively quickly remaining dents and depressions, which are caused by the recurring same load.

It is therefore the task of creating a foam core of the aforementioned type, the point elasticity is sustainably improved.

The object is achieved with a foam core having the features of claim 1. The subclaims contain advantageous and / or expedient embodiments of the foam core.

The foam core contains a composite of foam springs with an arrangement comprising an upper and a lower foam plate sandwiching the foam springs. According to the invention, the foam core is characterized in that the individual foam springs are connected to each other in the region of a substantially central portion via a lateral web.

The lateral connection in the form of the lateral web stiffens the entirety of the foam springs. An externally applied pressure load is distributed over the lateral connection to adjacent springs and is now not only absorbed by a foam spring. Thus, each loaded foam spring is more resistant to fatigue and thus in comparison to the conventional embodiments of the known foam cores much more point elastic. The foam spring core adapts particularly well to the body contour of the person lying on it. As a result, bad posture and tension are permanently avoided, the mattress has improved comfort.

The lateral web can be designed in various ways. In a first embodiment, it is designed as a gapless surface. In a second embodiment, it is designed as a partially perforated surface, thereby enabling improved air circulation in the foam spring layer.

The structure can be supplemented by a zoning of the foam springs. In this case, the foam springs have a laterally branching lamellar structure arranged above and / or below the lateral web, the lamellae of which have a length which increases in the direction of the foam plates and / or of the lateral web. As a result, the elastic deformations of the foam springs along its longitudinal axis can be better distributed, which further improves the point elasticity.

Conveniently, the foam springs and the lateral web of a continuous foam material. They are thus worked out of a foam block.

The foam core according to the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments. To clarify serve the 1 to 4 , The same reference numbers are used for identical or equivalent parts.

Show it:

1 a section through an exemplary foam core,

2 an entirety of the foam springs in a matrix-like arrangement in a perspective view,

2a an entirety of the foam springs in a line-like arrangement,

3 a number of possible designs of foam springs,

4 Foam feathers in a top view.

1 shows a section through an exemplary foam core. This consists of a foam spring layer 1 with a row or a matrix of foam springs 2 , These are sandwiched between an upper and lower foam plate 3 arranged and connected to this, in particular glued.

The foam sheets can be designed in the form of a latex foam sheet, a visco foam sheet or else as a foam sheet designed to be antibacterial by the addition of ions, in particular silver ions. Also advantageous are materials that have been tested and certified for their environmental compatibility. It is also possible to use cold foams and polyurethanes.

The foam springs each have a central portion 4 and two end portions adjacent to the foam sheets 5 on.

Each individual foam spring consists of an elastically deformable foam material and can thus absorb pressure forces that are exerted from the direction of the foam sheets. The entire arrangement of the individual foam springs is at their central portions via a lateral connection 6 connected with each other. This consists expediently of the same foam material as the foam springs themselves. The entire arrangement of the foam springs and the lateral connection can thus be made of a foam block, in particular cut out.

The foam springs 2 have one above and below the lateral connection 6 arranged zoning on. This is in the form of a lamellar structure 7 educated. The lamellar structure consists of individual, from the longitudinal axis of a foam spring body 8th laterally protruding lamellae 9 which are oriented substantially parallel to the lateral connection. As can be seen from the figure, the lamellae have different lengths. In the field of foam boards 3 at the end sections 5 and in the vicinity of the lateral connection, the fins are formed the longest. In between, their length decreases. The lamellae improve the elasticity properties of the foam springs and their compression behavior during an externally applied load. When the foam springs are compressed, the lamellae lie on top of one another and thus increase the effective cross section of the foam spring. The force acting on the foam spring thereby impacts in a smaller pressure on the foam spring and further compression is prevented. In addition, the lateral connection counteracts the further compression. The external compressive force is distributed over the entire surface of the lateral connection.

2 shows the foam spring layer 1 in a perspective view. The individual foam springs 2 are in this example matrix-like distributed in the foam spring layer and as already described on the lateral connection 6 connected in the middle section. The cross section of each foam spring is square or rectangular in this example. Of course, basically any cross-sectional shapes are possible. This applies above all to round cross-sectional shapes and cross-sectional shapes in the form of a polygon. These may also be provided in conjunction with hexagonal arrangements of the foam springs.

In the 2 The arrangement shown thus forms an ensemble of independently deformable individual foam springs. Their compression is by the lateral connection 6 The point elasticity of each individual spring is determined and improved by the interaction of the mentioned lamellar structure and the lateral connection.

2a shows another possible arrangement of the foam springs. In the example shown here, the foam springs are in the form of line-like arranged longitudinal structures. These expediently run transversely to the longitudinal direction of the mattress body. Of course, any orientation is possible in principle. In the 2a shown arrangement is particularly easy to manufacture.

3 shows possible embodiments of individual foam springs. Their shape can be designed differently within the foam spring layer. In the examples shown here foam springs are shown, which are mainly in the size of the cross section of the foam spring body 8th differ, with the lamellar structure 7 is different strongly pronounced. The foam spring shown on the far left in the figure can be compressed comparatively easily, the middle one is more resistant to compression, while the right foam spring is more easily compressible. Thus, the fact is taken into account that different sections of the foam core or the mattress are loaded differently by the person lying on it. Thus, for example, it is expedient to arrange stiffer foam springs in the back region than in the area of the head or the feet.

For an edge region of the foam spring layer also lamellar and thick foam springs can be provided. These exert there an additional shape-stabilizing effect for the mattress or the corresponding seat and lying cushions.

4 shows two exemplary sections of the foam spring layer in a plan view. The foam springs 2 have a square cross-section. In the embodiment shown on the left, the lateral connection 6 designed as a continuous surface, which has no openings. In comparison, in the embodiment shown on the right in the lateral connection there are a number of openings 10 intended. These are in the example shown here within the intersections of the matrix-like foam spring arrangement and ensure air circulation between the top and the bottom of the lateral connection within the foam spring layer. In addition, the foam springs in the embodiment shown on the right have a circular cross section and thus represent an example of a further possible embodiment of the foam springs.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Foam spring layer

2

foam spring

3

foam sheet

4

midsection

5

end

6

Lateral connection, lateral bridge

7

lamellar structure

8th

Foam spring body

9

lamella

10

breakthrough

Claims (5)

Foam core containing a foam spring layer ( 1 ) with a total of foam springs ( 2 ) and an arrangement comprising an upper and a lower foam plate sandwiching the foam springs ( 3 ) for a mattress or the like, characterized in that several or all of the foam springs in the region of a central portion ( 4 ) via at least one lateral web ( 6 ) are interconnected. Foam core according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral web ( 6 ) is formed as an uninterrupted surface. Foam core according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral web ( 6 ) is formed as a partially perforated surface. Foam core according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foam springs ( 2 ) one above and / or below the lateral web ( 6 ) arranged in the form of a laterally branching lamellar structure ( 7 ), wherein the lamellae in the direction of the foam plates ( 3 ) and / or the lateral web ( 6 ) have increasing length. Foam core according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foam springs ( 2 ) and the lateral bridge ( 6 ) are formed of a continuous foam material.

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