EP0385121A1 - Slatted mattress-type body-supporting surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The lying surface has an upper and a lower row of mutually parallel slats (5, 6). They are joined to one another by elastic elements (7, 8, 9) running at right angles to the slats, the elastic elements having tabs (10, 11) at the top and the bottom, into which tabs the slats are inserted.

Description

The invention relates to a lying surface in the manner of a slatted frame according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such a lying surface is already known from DE-GM 88 10 557. There the upper and lower rows of slats are connected to the elastic bodies by plugging or gluing and the like, which results in the disadvantage that the lying surface created in this way, in particular in its length, cannot be changed subsequently. The firm connection of the slats with the elastic bodies also has the further disadvantage that it is difficult to adapt the lying surface to different widths of a bed because the slats would have to be detached from the elastic bodies, which could damage the elastic bodies. In such known lying areas, if different dimensions of a bed are used, it is usually customary to also replace the lying area as a whole.

Another lying surface with an upper and lower row of slats is also known from European patent EP 0 151 218. The slats of each row are sewn into cloths there, and both rows are connected to one another by spacers or connecting elements, which in turn are also connected to one another by a cloth. The free ends of the slats are inserted into pockets in the fabric construction.

A disadvantage of this is in particular the relatively high production costs, due to the fabric body, which is difficult to manufacture, combined with the disadvantage that it is not possible to change the width of this known lying surface for the purpose of adapting to other bed widths, because the spring elements also face the front Cloth body are included. To adapt to a different bed width, the entire slats together with the spring elements must first be replaced there. In addition, a new cloth body must be used. Another disadvantage of the known lying surface is that it cannot be easily adapted to different bed lengths, because the known lying surface is only slightly compressible or compressible in length, so that there is only a small length variation range.

Furthermore, it is disadvantageous in this known lying surface that it requires a separate substructure with support spars that extend not only on the side edges of the lying surface, but also in the middle.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of developing a lying surface with the features mentioned at the outset in such a way that improved adaptation to different internal dimensions of the bed is ensured at substantially lower manufacturing costs.

To achieve this object, the features of the characterizing part of claim 1 are provided.

It is therefore only necessary to produce two or possibly more of these elastic bodies, which are then connected to the slats at a distance from one another, the slats being inserted into the tabs of the elastic body. The elastic bodies can be in one piece or are separate elastic bodies which are then connected to one another by other elements. The spacing of the slats from one another is thus determined by the elastic bodies with their tabs, and the two rows of slats are connected to one another in an elastically resilient manner via the elastic bodies.

A suitable number of elastic bodies is usually used, for example two elastic bodies in the edge region of the lying surface, on the End faces of the slats, preferably supplemented by a medium elastic body. The arrangement and number of elastic bodies can be used to adjust the elasticity of the lying surface as desired.

With the given technical teaching the essential advantage is achieved that a self-contained cloth body according to the subject of EP 0 151 218 is avoided. Instead of such a complex cloth body, only tabs are proposed into which the slats are inserted, these tabs being connected to the elastic body.

It is essential in the invention that the tab material is pulled downward approximately over an edge of the elastic body, so that in the area of the end faces of the slats a fabric stop is formed individually for each slat. The elastic body is thus completely surrounded by a fabric tube, an additional fabric pad being provided in the area of the support of the slats. From one side the slat is pushed into a flap and on the other side of the flap it is pulled down over the edge of the elastic body, so that the desired slat cannot emerge on the long sides of the lying surface in the manner of an end stop. This also prevents the slat from slipping in the longitudinal direction. However, for the assembly or removal of the slats, this stop can still be opened or raised and the slat can be pulled out or pushed in there.

There are various options for connecting these tabs to the elastic body:

According to a first preferred embodiment it is provided that the tabs consist of relatively thin strips and these strips surround the slats and are connected to the elastic body by gluing, sewing or other fastening means.

It is also advantageous if the — preferably relatively narrow — tabs are connected to a sheath that accommodates the respective partial elastic body. This ensures low manufacturing costs, because the casing can be produced in a separate manufacturing process by sewing appropriate cotton material, so that the tabs are directly worked on there and then the elastic body is then introduced into the casing. After completion of this manufacturing process, the slats are then simply pushed through the tabs in the direction of their longitudinal axis and thus fastened to the elastic body.

The use of relatively narrow tabs has the advantage that the lying surface can now be universally adapted to different bed widths. If you want to achieve a different lying surface width for a given lying surface width, for example to place this lying surface in another, wider bed, then you simply replace the existing slats by using longer slats. The exchange takes place in a simple manner in that the slats are pulled out of the tabs of the elastic body in the direction of their longitudinal axis and replaced by slats of greater length.
This completes the exchange process, and different widths of lying surfaces can be created with one and the same elastic body - but slats of different lengths.

This was not possible with the subject matter of EP 0 151 218 because the complete cloth body had to be exchanged because of the frontal enclosure by the cloth body.

Another advantage of the present invention is that because of the use of relatively narrow tabs and because of the avoidance of a cloth body which connects the elastic bodies to one another, the individual elastic bodies can now be adjusted relative to one another, that is to say in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the slats, so that with it a stepless one Adaptability to different weights of the person lying on it can be achieved. This means that the spring constant of the lying surface can be set.

If, for example, you want a harder support in the middle of the lying surface, you will move the outer elastic body in this area more towards the center, so that in the middle you have a harder support compared to the upper and lower support points (head and foot area ) to reach.

Such a universal adaptability of the spring hardness of the support to different weights was not possible with the subject of EP 0 151 218.

It is also easily possible with the subject matter of the present invention to replace the elastic bodies and thereby produce different hardnesses.

In another further embodiment it is provided that instead of the preferred number of three elastic bodies extending over the longitudinal axis of the lying surface, four or two are also used. The elastic bodies can be replaced very easily by simply pulling them off the slats. The use of an elaborate cloth body, which would also have to be replaced, is therefore eliminated.

In a further preferred embodiment it is provided that relatively large slats are used, e.g. consist of a solid wood material or a plywood, whereby the risk of fatigue of such slats due to long-term use is avoided and a high spring force is achieved.

With a lying surface of about 2 m in length, 40-42 slats are preferred on the top and the same number on the bottom used.

The lamellas on the top and bottom are preferably aligned with each other, because this allows the tabs to be easily sewn onto the elastic bodies.

All in all, the advantage of the present invention is that there is no need to use a complex substructure with support spars, but instead the side rails conventionally present in the bed can be used, on which the lying surface is placed. The use of medium support spars, as prescribed in European Patent 0 151 218, is therefore not required.

By creating a high-quality, resilient lying surface according to the described embodiment, it is therefore no longer necessary to use an equally high-quality, complicated and expensive mattress. Simple, inexpensive mattresses or mattresses of relatively small thickness are therefore sufficient, because the actual spring action is achieved by the lying surface itself.

The subject matter of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual patent claims, but also from the combination of the individual patent claims with one another. All information and features disclosed in the documents - including the summary -, in particular the spatial design shown in the drawings, are claimed.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of drawings which illustrate only one embodiment. Further features and advantages of the invention are evident from the drawings and their description.

• Figur 1: Stirnansicht einer Liegefläche nach der Erfindung in ihrer Einbaulage in einem Bett schematisiert, teilweise im Schnitt.
• Figur 2: vergrößerte Teildarstellung der Stirnseite der Latte nach Figur 1.
• Figur 3: Draufsicht auf einen Teil der Liegefläche nach Figur 1 in Richtung des Pfeiles III in Figur 1.
• Figur 4: vergrößerte Draufsicht im Vergleich zu Figur 3.
• Figur 5: perspektivisch eine abgeänderte Ausführungsform.

Show it:

• Figure 1: Front view of a lying surface according to the invention in its installation position in a bed schematized, partly in section.
• FIG. 2: enlarged partial representation of the end face of the slat according to FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3: top view of part of the lying surface according to FIG. 1 in the direction of arrow III in FIG. 1.
• Figure 4: enlarged plan view compared to Figure 3.
• Figure 5: Perspective of a modified embodiment.

A lying surface 1 according to the present invention is installed in a bed frame 2, the bed frame 2 consisting, in a manner known per se, of two mutually parallel side walls 3 which have corresponding side strips 4 running on the inside in the longitudinal direction of the bed. The lying surface 1 lies on the side strips 4.

The lying surface 1 according to the present invention consists of a plurality of slats 5, 6 arranged parallel to one another. The slats 5 form the underside 21 of the lying surface 1, while the slats 6 form the upper side 22 of the lying surface 1.

As stated at the outset, each lamella 5, 6 preferably consists of a solid wood material with a width of approximately 3 cm and a thickness of approximately 8 mm, the lamella 5, 6 being arranged at a mutual distance of approximately 1.5-2 cm .

To achieve a spring effect of the lying surface 1, elastic bodies 7, 8, 9 are used according to the invention, which run parallel to one another at a mutual distance from one another in the direction of The length of the lying surface 1 according to FIG. 3 runs.

Each elastic body 7, 8, 9 preferably has a square cross section with square side lengths of approximately 8 cm.

Solid latex material or another spring material is preferred as the preferred material for the elastic bodies.

In the previously described embodiment, which is no longer illustrated in the following, it is provided that simple tabs 10, e.g. Bands or the like, which surround the lamella 5, 6, these lugs 10, 11 then being connected to the elastic body 7, 8, 9. This connection can be made by sewing, gluing, snap fastener and the like.

FIG. 5 shows that there are tabs 23 on the top and tabs 24 on the bottom, which are connected directly to the respective elastic body 7, 8, 9 via darts 25. Figure 5 also shows that the elastic body can be rod-shaped and in one piece with attached tabs.

According to the further preferred embodiment, the elastic body 7, 8, 9 according to FIG. 2 is surrounded by a cover 12, which preferably consists of a cotton material. The sleeve 12 completely surrounds the elastic body. The cover can be closed on one side by a closure 13 and also opened again. The closure can e.g. be designed as a Velcro fastener, zipper, snap fastener or the like.

This makes it possible to remove the elastic body 7 from the casing 12 and to wash the entire casing together with the tabs 10, 11.

From Figure 2 it can be seen that in the area of the support of the slats 5,6 a cover 30 is provided on the elastic body 7, 8, 9 in order to avoid wear through of the casing 12.

Furthermore, the lamellae 10, 11 according to FIG. 2 are pulled over an edge of the elastic body 7, 8, 9, whereby a fabric stop 28 is formed for each end face of the slats 5, 6. This fabric stop 28 can be raised to pull the slat 5,6 out there or the fabric stop 28 is raised to push the slat 5,6 completely, e.g. using the elastic body 8 according to FIG. 1.

So that the slats 5, 6 do not slip in the longitudinal direction, according to the schematic illustration in FIG. 2, corrugation 29 is provided transversely to the longitudinal direction of the slats.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the tabs 10, 11 consist of relatively narrow strips of fabric which, according to the embodiment in FIG. 4, can be reinforced on the sides by bands 14, 15.

These bands give the material of the tabs 10, 11 increased strength against tearing out and protect the end faces, so that the slats can be inserted from the end faces into the receiving openings formed in this way very easily without the end faces of these tabs 10, 11 being damaged .

The relatively narrow tabs 10, 11 are each separated from one another at the side edges by darts 26, 27, so that this results in an intermediate space 16 which is formed only from the material of the tab 10, 11, in which area the darts 26, 27 are connected to the shell 12 of the respective elastic body 7-9. So here the connection between the tab 10, 11 and the sleeve 12 or the cover 30 of the respective elastic body 7-9 takes place.

It can thus be seen that the manufacturing costs are significantly reduced by this surprisingly simple structure and that by creation of tabs that can be opened on each end, it is very easy to insert the slats 5, 6 in the arrow directions 17, 18 into the tabs 10, 11, the slats 5, 6 abutting the fabric stop 28 on the end.

Furthermore, there is the possibility that e.g. shifts the middle elastic body 8 with its cover 12 and the tabs 10, 11 attached to it in the direction of the arrows 17, 18 so that the entire hardness of the lying surface can be adjusted.

A displacement of the external elastic bodies 7, 8 in the arrow directions 17, 18 shown is also possible.

It is also important that - because the space 16 between the slats consists of only one material - the length of the lying surface 1 can now be easily adjusted (i.e. in the direction of the arrows 19 according to FIG. 3). By pushing the slats together in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the lying surface, the length of the lying surface can thus be compressed, whereby the length can be adjusted in the length range from approximately 190 cm to 200 cm. So you can cover the standard sizes for lying surface lengths common in Europe with a single lying surface.

The present invention thus results in a lying surface which has been shown to be superior to all other lying surfaces with regard to its lying properties and which can be produced with significantly lower production costs.

The slats are easily interchangeable; the elastic bodies are also easily interchangeable and can be moved against each other. Instead of using three elastic bodies, as shown in the drawing, four or more elastic bodies can also be used. The introduction of a further elastic body is possible by simply moving one of the outer elastic bodies in the opposite directions to those shown Direction of arrows 17, 18 possible.

Particular advantages of the system according to the invention lie in the fact that the arrangement of an upper slat and a parallel, closely spaced surface below it results in an optimal pressure distribution on the body surface of the sleeper.

A pressure distribution similar to that of a water bed is achieved here. It is essential that the slat bodies are exactly square and have side lengths of 8 x 8 cm. This achieves the following advantage:

First a medium hardness of latex bodies is used, as they are also used in conventional mattresses. It is a latex with a medium density.

Experiments by the applicant have shown that with body weights in the range between 40 and 100 kg there is an excellent pressure distribution when latex bodies with this medium density and an edge dimension of 8 cm are used.

At the same time it is important that 86 slats are used over a length of 2 m; i.e. the slats are spaced about 1 cm apart.

So it gives you a practically continuous lying surface, where practically there is a support on every point, because the slats are laid so close to each other.

By choosing the latex body described here, an excellent adaptation to the body contour is achieved without this the upper slat layer 6 strikes the lower slat layer 5, that is to say comes into contact.

In the case of heavy people it now happens that the latex body 7, 8, 9 is compressed in this area at the highly stressed support points in the pelvic area and shoulder area. This means that the upper batten 6 no longer bounces, but hits the compressed latex body 7, 8, 9 in this area. Now the spring action of the lower slat layer 5 occurs. This means that the compressed latex body together with the upper slats spring down against the lower slat layer and this pushes upwards, which also gives an excellent spring effect in this area. This is the reason why two slats, which are vertically spaced one above the other, lead to these excellent results.

This is also the reason why a rigid substructure is not used in the present invention, but an elastically resilient substructure, which is given by the lower slat layer 5.

Such deflection - as described in the present invention - is not only achieved with hard compression of the latex body, i.e. So in the border area, but practically always takes place at a certain point with a print run of 10 kg. This means that the spring action of the slat base always comes into play and is independent of the weight.

It is also important in the present invention that, due to the features described here, the slatted frame adapts to the contours of the body even when a person lies diagonally on the slatted frame. This is caused by the fact that the pressure distribution due to the three latex bodies used here laid in the longitudinal direction is the same or similar to that of a person lying exactly parallel to the central longitudinal axis on the lying surface.

It is important that orthopedic support for the person takes place in the supine, prone and lateral positions. In other words, in the lateral position, the lumbar spine must lie as straight as possible on the lying surface up to the cervical spine and must not be bent or bent anywhere. This is achieved in an exemplary manner by the optimal pressure distribution as described above.

It is also important that optimal support takes place when the subject z. B. lies on the edge of the lying surface, because the slats of the superstructure and substructure ensure this support.

This was not the case with the subject of EP 0 151 218 because a rigid substructure is used there. If a person lies there on the side edge of the lying surface, there is a tilting effect, i.e. on one side the bed surface is pressed down and on the opposite side, where the person is not lying, the slats are pushed up and then tilted upwards so that the person gets an unsafe floating feeling on this bed surface.

The same advantages also result in the case of double beds, where two beds lying close together are used according to the invention. There, too, a person can lie directly on the connection level to the other lying surface and still achieve the optimal pressure distribution, as described above.

The properties of the lying surface according to the invention are retained even when a mattress is placed on it. The advantages are achieved in a special way if relatively thin mattresses are used, e.g. B. in a thickness of 5 to 8 cm.

It has been shown here that such a thickness is definitely sufficient, because the mattress placed on it should only further optimize the pressure distribution; the actual pressure distribution and the actual firm and supportive lying feeling takes place through the lying surface according to the invention itself.

The mattress only has a softening effect.

In addition, it is possible in a very simple manner with the present invention to achieve a further additional variation in the pressure distribution.

It has already been described previously that the slats are easily exchangeable by the features described above in appropriate loop bands on the elastic bodies or latex bodies.

It has now been shown that there is an individual possibility of adaptation up to the shoulder area, in that area in that area in the lower batten area, i.e. So remove the slats lying in the lower level, this allows the upper slats to bounce more and then there is not as much back pressure as at the other points on the lying surface.

This is a particularly important advantage for people on the cervical spine or accident injuries (e.g. whip trauma or sports injuries).

In addition, it can be provided in a development of the present invention that a foot wedge and / or a head wedge is placed on the bed support below the lying surface according to the invention. The lying surface is then raised approximately in these areas.

The use of a head wedge is suitable for people who want or need to be elevated in this area and the use of a Wedge is suitable for people with weak circulation who, for. B. suffer from venous diseases.

In addition, it is very important in the present invention that a so-called abdominal bridge is arranged in the central region of the bed; it is a lever system, which is described in the German utility model G 89 10 576, with this lever system a medium arching in the pelvic and abdominal area of the lying surface can be achieved. This bulge is particularly used for spine damage while sleeping in the prone position.

This ensures an orthopedically correct lying position, even while sleeping, in the prone position.

In addition, the abdominal bridge can be used for therapy purposes, because the abdominal bridge is adjustable in height and there is an optimal relief of the relief of the vertebral joints and intervertebral discs in a certain setting level.

The combination of such an abdominal bridge with the lying surface according to the invention thus brings these advantages and cannot be achieved with conventional slatted frames.

This is because the present invention uses a flexible substructure made of the same slat layer as is used on the lying surface above, thereby achieving the advantages according to the invention.

By using the latex body in the composition described and with the edge lengths of 8 cm, a total spring travel of about 8 cm is achieved when using the slatted frame or lying surface according to the invention. This is the main advantage that, especially in female people, The body's center of gravity lies more in the pelvic area due to the more pronounced pelvis, where an optimal spring travel of up to 8 cm (depending on the weight) is guaranteed. So there is a maximum possible drop of about 8 cm, which is required from the orthopedic side.

Another essential idea of the invention results from the fact that the outer elastic bodies 7, 9 have a continuous length over the entire length of the lying surface, while the middle elastic body 8 has a length of only 50-70 cm. It is positioned on the lying surface in the lumbar region of the sleeping person, so that in particular the head, neck, shoulder and upper body areas of medium elastic bodies 8 are not supported, as is the thigh area down to the foot. These non-supporting areas are therefore softer cushioned than the body areas of the sleeper supported by the middle elastic body 8. This results in a further adaptation to the body contour.

DRAWING LEGEND

• 1 lying surface
• 2 bed frames
• 3 side wall
• 4 sidebar
• 5 slats
• 6 slats
• 7 elastic body
• 8 elastic body
• 9 elastic body
• 10 tab
• 11 tab
• 12 case
• 13 closure
• 14 volume
• 15 volume
• 16 space
• 17 arrow direction
• 18 arrow direction
• 19 arrow direction
• 21 bottom
• 22 top
• 23 tab
• 24 tab
• 25 darts
• 26 darts
• 27 darts
• 28 end stop
• 29 corrugation
• 30 cover

Claims (8)

1. Lying surface in the manner of a slatted frame with an upper row of mutually parallel and spaced-apart slats and a spaced-apart lower row of mutually parallel and spaced-apart slats, the slats of both rows of slats extending in the transverse direction of a bed or the like and connecting elements provided as rod-shaped elastic bodies which connect the slats to one another at a distance, characterized in that the elastic bodies (7, 8, 9) in connection with darts (25, 26, 27) have tabs (10) on the top and further tabs (11) on the bottom The tabs (10, 11) are pulled down over an edge of the elastic body (7, 8, 9) so that a fabric stop (28) for the battens (5, 6) is located on the end face of the battens (5, 6). forms. 2. Lying surface according to claim 1, characterized in that the tabs (10, 11, 23, 24) are connected to the elastic body (7, 8, 9) by gluing or push-button holder or the like. 3. Lying surface according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic body (7,8,9) is completely surrounded by a cover (12) and on the support of the slats (5,6) by a cover (30), the cover (12) on one side has a closure (13) which is designed as a Velcro fastener, zipper, snap fastener or the like. 4. Lying surface according to claim 1, characterized in that the tabs (10, 11, 23, 24) consist of relatively narrow strips of fabric which have lateral reinforcements in the form of bands (14, 15). 5. Lying surface according to claim 1, characterized in that the tabs (10, 11) are separated from one another at the side edges by darts (26, 27), whereby an intermediate space (16) is formed, the darts (26 , 27) are connected to the sheath (12) of the respective elastic body (7, 8, 9). 6. lying surface according to claim 5, characterized in that the intermediate space (16) consists of a movable fabric part such that the lying surface can be changed in length by moving the slats (5,6). 7. lying surface according to claim 1, characterized in that transverse to the longitudinal direction of the slats (5,6) fine corrugations (29) are provided. 8. lying surface according to claim 1, characterized in that the tabs (10,11,23,24) are formed of cloth.

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