FR2738481A1 - Ergonomic mattress, esp. for therapeutic use - Google Patents

Abstract

The mattress (1) is made from foam in a number of modules with surfaces in the form of blocks (3), fitted to a supporting structure in the form of a supple panel (2) with cells (6) to hold the blocks on one side of the mattress. The panel can be in a number of hinged sections; their ends have reinforcing rails (14), and their sides have lugs (9) for transverse fastening straps (11). The mattress's supporting structure can be made from an elastomer material, polyurethane, neoprene or thermally-moulded foam. In a variant the mattress can have a central core of plates, with an end element of trapezoid section for raising the head or feet. It can also have a fitted and detachable cover.

Description

 The present invention relates to a mattress more particularly intended for a therapeutic use allowing in particular to avoid the formation of low back pain, back pain, cervical neuralgia, strong pressures undergone by the body, various sequelae, stress.

 The invention relates to mattresses of all sizes. It also relates to small mattresses or cushions, and even cushions with backsplash.

 The mattress according to the invention is in the form of a block of foam, the two sides of which have the appearance of a waffle maker, this block is preferably composed of individual removable modules formed from studs, these modules are associated with a confinement structure. which can serve as their support and additional means ensure the cohesion of the structure-module assembly, which means consist for example of a strap fixed on said structure, passing through grooves arranged in said modules.

 The invention allows, by a choice of the shapes of the studs constituting the modules, by the nature of the materials used, to produce a particularly ergonomic mattress, adaptable for therapeutic reasons to each subject and morphology. This design allows in particular to equalize the pressures on the patient's body.

 According to a first embodiment, the confinement structure consists of a flexible plate comprising, on the one hand, receiving and positioning cells for the foam modules and, on the other hand, arrangements for receiving the means generating cohesion of the whole, that is to say the strapping system.

 Still according to the invention, the mattress can be made up of several plates articulated with respect to each other, so as to be associated with a box spring of the articulated bed base type. Each plate has arrangements at its end flanges, to allow the installation of connecting rings for example, of the round or oval broken ring type, and / or the installation of a joint cover of the elastic type. , articulated or articulated and provided with attachment means on said flanges.

 Still according to the invention, the joining sides of the plates include reinforcements and means for anchoring the rings or joint covers, in the form of rails, arranged at the upper part and at the lower part of said sides, which rails cooperate with the rings and / or cover joint covers as appropriate, which are arranged at the top or bottom of the flanges according to the direction of articulation of the plates.

 Still according to the invention, the plates constituting the containment structure further comprise tabs arranged on the lateral sides with at least one hole allowing the passage and / or the attachment of a strap.

In this way straps can be arranged transversely or longitudinally, to fix and hold the modules, passing through the grooves which delimit the pads of said modules.

 According to a more economical alternative embodiment, the confinement structure consists of a frame which forms a belt around the foam modules, which frame has on its sides, thinning forms hinges and holes for the passage and the attachment of the straps, which hinges are located either at the level of the grooves, or between the grooves which delimit the studs.

 According to the invention, the belt is made in one piece or consists of an assembly of diamond-shaped parts connected by rings or the like.

 Still according to the invention, the confinement structure is produced using a material of the elastomer, polyurethane, neoprene, thermoformed foam type.

According to another possibility of the invention, modules of another material can be placed on the foam modules such as for example modules containing a gel, water, air. . . According to another particularity, the modules can receive one or more nosocomial pockets acting as hygienic basin, which pocket can moreover contain absorbent, gelling, deodorant powders
According to another variant, the foam block is of the composite type; it consists of a central core in the form of a foam plate or the like, arranged between the blocks whose external surface has the appearance of a waffle iron.

This central plate can consist of one or more juxtaposed pieces and it can also be shaped with a trapezoidal section so as to locally form a raised area either for the head or for the legs, etc.

 According to another arrangement of the invention, the structure and the foam blocks are arranged in a removable covering cover, waterproof or not, provided with means for being hung on said structure, also provided if necessary with bellows at the level of the articulation joints.

 The invention will be further detailed with the aid of the following description and of the attached drawings given for information only and in which - FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a mattress according to the invention without its cover according to a first embodiment of realization - FIG. 2 represents an alternative embodiment of the foam block - FIG. 3 represents the support structure and the blocks with articulations which allow its use on an articulated bed base - FIG. 4 represents in a more detailed manner, l articulation of two plates forming the support structure of the foam blocks - FIG. 5 represents an alternative embodiment of the transverse walls and means for fixing the plates - FIG. 6 represents a portion of mattress according to a second embodiment - FIG. 7 represents a variant of positioning of the belt of the mattress - FIG. 8 represents a portion d c '. an element constituting the belt of the mattress - Figure 9 represents an alternative embodiment of the block constituting the mattress - Figure 10 represents an arrangement of the block so as to locally raise the bearing surface - Figure 11 represents the cover used to dress the mattress consisting of its support structure and blocks.

 As shown in Figure 1, the mattress consists of a foam block 1 in the form of a waffle iron on its two faces, which block rests, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, on a structure 2 in the form of flexible honeycomb plate. Block 1 is reversible.

 This block 1 is preferably split; it consists of modules formed by several studs 3, which studs are separated by longitudinal grooves 4 and transverse grooves 5. The shape and density of the studs are related to the use. These studs or mushrooms can have a pyramidal or other shape and their height can vary on the same module or from one module to another.

Likewise, the density of the juxtaposed modules may be different.

 The support plate 2 has an embossed appearance and comprises cells 6 which receive the blocks 3. These cells 6 are delimited by longitudinal edges 7 and transverse edges 8 whose height is of the order of a few centimeters. The surface of the cells 6 is greater than the surface of the pads 3 so as to leave a possibility of movement to said pads on the plate 2.

 On its long sides, the support plate 2 has lugs 9 in the form of half-rings. These lugs 9 have a hole 10 which is located at the level of half the thickness of the block 1. This hole 10 makes it possible to pass a strap 11 whose role is to associate the block 1 with the support structure 2. These straps 11, elastic or not, are arranged in the transverse direction or in the longitudinal direction; they pass through the grooves 4 or 5 of the modules, as the case may be.

 These straps 11 are hung by any appropriate means, hook, knot on the legs 9 and also on the end walls 13 of the plate 2. They make it possible to achieve cohesion of the foam block 1 with the structure 2, that this block either monolithic or made up of individual modules. Each module comprises at least two pairs of studs 3 and a groove to allow the passage of a strap. In FIG. 1, the module on the left is of the type comprising nine studs on each side, while the other modules on the right, each have six studs on each side.

 According to Figure 2, the pads 3 above are offset from those below. In this case, the partitions 8 of the cells are located between the tabs 9 and not in line with the fixing orifices 10 according to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

 The support structure 2 rests on a conventional bed base, not shown, of the slatted type or the like.

This support structure 2 is flexible, made of an appropriate material of the elastomer, polyurethane, neoprene or other thermoformed foam type, for example.

 When the mattress is intended to be associated with an articulated bed base, it comprises, as shown in FIG. 3 and, in more detail, FIG. 4, several plates 12 forming the structure 2, which plates are articulated with respect to each other, at level of their adjacent ends.

 Each plate has a transverse end wall 13 whose height is of the order of half that of the block 1. This transverse wall is reinforced at its upper part and at its lower part by rails 14 whose cross section is in half moon shape.

 The wall 13 also includes, visible in FIG. 1, holes 15 arranged between the two rails 14. These holes 15 allow the passage of rings 16. These rings 16 are of the broken type, round or oval and they have the function of assembling two adjacent plates 12 while allowing movement of one relative to the other.

These rings 16 are situated at the level of the rails 14 situated at the upper part of the walls 13 or at the level of the rails 14 situated at the lower part depending on the direction which one wishes to give to the articulation between two plates 12.

 There is shown, Figure 5, in place of the rings 16, a kind of clip 17 also forming joint cover. This joint cover is elastic and has ends 18 shaped to be housed in the groove 19 formed in the rails 14. Holes 20, in the bottom of the groove 19, also allow the installation of rings, if necessary instead of joint cover 17.

 FIG. 6 represents a portion of mattress according to a second embodiment, consisting of a block 1 of the same type as that shown in FIG. 1. This block 1 is associated with a structure 2 ′ in the form of a frame or belt which goes around of block 1 at its median horizontal plane.

 This belt 2 ′ is made of an appropriate material, plastic or other of the same type as that used for the structure 2. It has thinnings 22 in order to offer great flexibility to the whole belt unit.

 Holes 23 are arranged in the belt 2 'to allow, as previously, the passage of straps 24 which achieve the cohesion of the belt-block assembly.

 FIG. 7 represents an alternative embodiment of FIG. 6. The belt 2 ′ is offset so as to place the hinges 22 at the level of the grooves.

 FIG. 8 represents a portion of a part 25 which can serve to constitute the belt 2 '. This diamond-shaped part has an orifice 26 at each end, which constitutes the hinge. This orifice 26 can for example accommodate a ring 27 which makes the junction of two adjacent parts. These parts 25 have orifices 23 which allow passage and attachment of the straps 24.

 FIG. 9 represents a variant of block 1.

This block, of the composite type, consists of a central core 30 in the form of a foam or other plate and of blocks 31 having the appearance of a waffle iron surface, disposed on each side of the plate. This plate 30 constitutes a kind of additional damper.

 10 shows an alternative embodiment of Figure 9 with a core 30 in several parts consisting of plates 32 and an element 33 with trapezoidal section which allows to raise the ends of the mattress for example, forming a pillow, falling the head or even raising the legs.

 FIG. 11 represents a cover used to protect the block-structure assembly. This cover 35 of the waterproof type or not, is made so as to be easily removable. It preferably comprises a zipper 36 with a part 37 forming a bottom flap. It may also include hooks, not shown, which allow it to be fixed more easily on the structure 2.

 The cover is shown with bellows 38 arranged at the articulation zones of the mattress.

 These bellows 38, three in number on each side, correspond to a conventional articulated box spring structure.

 At the bellows 38, provision can be made for the installation of a flexible strap 39 which makes it possible to improve the cohesion of the assembly in the articulation zones.

 The modular aspect of block 1 offers multiple possibilities linked in particular to the therapeutic application of this type of mattress. The modules can include studs of various shapes. The foam can also be shaped to accommodate, for example nosocomial bags, not shown comprising absorbent, gelling, deodorizing powders, which pockets replace the hygienic basins.

Claims (12)

- CLAIMS  1.- Mattress for therapeutic or other use, characterized in that it consists of: - a block of foam (1) with a double-sided waffle iron appearance, composed of modules provided with several pads (3), - a structure for confining said modules and - means ensuring the cohesion of the modules with each other in cooperation with said structure.  2.- Mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure (2) consists of a flexible plate comprising on the one hand cells (6) for receiving and positioning the pads (3), and on the other hand arrangements to receive the means generating cohesion of the assembly.  3.- Mattress according to claim 2, characterized in that the structure consists of several plates (12) articulated with respect to each other so as to be associated with an articulated bed base.  4.- Mattress according to claim 3, characterized in that each plate (12) has holes-shaped arrangements (15), arranged at the end flanges (13), to allow the installation of rings ( 16) of the round or oval broken ring type, and / or of articulated joint covers (17) of the clip type.  5.- mattress according to claim 4, characterized in that the sides (13) of the plates include reinforcements of the rail type (14), arranged at the top and bottom of said sides, to cooperate with the rings (16) or covers seals (17).  6.- Mattress according to claim 2, characterized in that the means generating cohesion of the block-structure assembly, consist of straps (11) arranged in the longitudinal and / or transverse direction between the studs (3), in grooves (4 or 5) which delimit said studs.  7.- Mattress according to claim 6, characterized in that the structure (2) comprises lugs (9) arranged on the lateral edges of the plates and holes (10) allowing the passage and / or the anchoring of the transverse straps ( 12).  8.- Mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure (2) consists of a frame (2 ') comprising, on its sides, thinning (22) forming hinges and, between these thinning, holes (23) for the passage and / or anchoring of the fastening straps of the assembly.  9.- Mattress according to claim 8, characterized in that the belt (2 ') consists of parts (25) in the form of a diamond, joined together by rings or the like.  10.- Mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the structure (2) constitutes a flexible support, made of material of the elastomer, polyurethane, neoprene, thermoformed foam type.  11.- Mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the block (1) comprises a central core (30) in the form of plates (31) and, at at least one of the ends, a element (32) of trapezoidal section for raising the head and / or the legs.  12.- Mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a covering cover (35) of the removable type, comprising assembly hooks and / or articulation bellows (38 ).