GB2430151A

GB2430151A - Upholstered unit

Info

Publication number: GB2430151A
Application number: GB0618170A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon Paul Spinks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-09-17
Filing date: 2006-09-15
Publication date: 2007-03-21
Also published as: GB0519012D0; GB0618170D0

Abstract

An upholstered unit such as a mattress comprises opposed layers of foam or latex material 4,6 between which is located at least one layer 8 of springs 10. The layer of springs is curved and the springs may be pocketed or double pocketed or a combination thereof. The upholstered unit can include two layers of springs, in this case the layers have opposite radii of curvature so that the unit can be used when turned over. The springs in the two layers may differ to give different characteristics, eg firmness, for the two sides of the unit. There may also be an additional straight layer of springs present between the two layers of springs.

Description

UPHOLSTERED UNITS

This invention relates to upholstered units such as, for example, mattresses.

According to the present invention there is provided an upholstered unit comprising opposed layers of foam or latex material between which is located at least one layer of springs.

The springs will preferably be pocketed springs or double pocketed springs, and said at least one layer of spnngs will be curved such that the springs of said layer lie in differing vertical planes.

In an embodiment of the invention, there will be two curved layers of springs, the radius of curvature of one layer being opposite to that of the other layer. The two curved layers of springs may have there- between one or more straight or planar layers of springs.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a cross-section through a part of an upholstered unit in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing an alternative embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is again a similar view to Figure 1, but showing a still further alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, an upholstered unit, indicated generally by reference numeral 2, comprises upper and lower layers 4 and 6 of a resilient material such as foam or latex, between which is located a layer 8 of springs 10. As will be seen, the layer 8 of springs 10 is curved, the radius of curvature being in an upwardly direction. Thus the springs lo of the layer 8 lie in differing vertical planes The springs 10 in the layer 8 will preferably be pocketed springs or double pocketed springs, or a combination thereof, although it will be appreciated that other types of springs may be used if preferred.

Reference to Figure 2 shows that the upholstered unit 2A, in addition to the layer 8 of springs 10, has a second layer 12 of springs 14, the radius of curvature of said second layer being opposite to that of layer 8. This enables the upholstered unit to be turned over such that each surface of the unit 2A has the same characteristics as regards firmness etc when the unit is in use. However, by having the springs 14 differing from the springs 10 in terms of form or spring count etc. the characteristics of the upholstered unit as regards firmness etc in use of the unit is variable depending upon which surface is uppermost.

In addition to the layers 8 and 12 of springs, referring now to Figure 3, the upholstered unit 2B has an additional third layer 16 of springs 18, it being observed that this layer is straight, i.e. all of the springs 18 lie in the same vertical plane. This additional layer 16 of springs 18 imparts additional firmness to the upholstered unit in use of the upholstered unit.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the layers 4 and 6 of the upholstered unit 2 as well as the layers 8 of springs 10, may extend to all of the edge surfaces of the unit, the whole being retained by the usual fabric or other material(s) associated with upholstered units. Alternatively, layers 4 and 6 may take the form of a box and lid, the lower layer 6 being in the form of a box having a base, end and sides, and the upper layer 4 being in the form of a lid sitting on top of and/or nestling inside the box formed by the lower layer.

The lower surface (in the drawing) of the upper layer 4 and the upper surface (in the drawing) of the lower layer 6 may be recessed to accommodate the layer 8 of springs 10, or alternatively the layer 8 of of springs may simply be sandwiched between the layers 4 and 6, the aforementioned surfaces being deformed to accommodate said layer 8.

Similar considerations apply to the embodiment of Figure 2, although it will be appreciated that the layer 20 of foam or latex between the layers 8 and 12 of springs will be a separate layer to the layers 4 and 6.

The layers 22 and 24 of foam or latex, referring again to Figure 3, will similarly be separate layers to the layers 4 and 6.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. An upholstered unit comprising opposed layers of foam or latex

material between which is located at least one layer of springs.

2. An upholstered unit according to Claim I, wherein said at least one layer of springs is curved such that the springs of said layer lie in differing vertical planes.

3. An upholstered unit according to Claim 2, wherein the upholstered unit has two layers of springs, said layers being curved in opposed radii of curvature.

5. An upholstered unit according to Claim 4, wherein there is a layer of foam or latex between said layers of springs.

6. An upholstered unit according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said two layers of springs have therebetween one or more straight or planar layers of springs.

7. An upholstered unit according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein said springs are pocketed springs or double pocketed springs or a combination thereof.

8. An upholstered unit according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the layers of foam or latex and the layer(s) of springs extend to the edges of the upholstered unit, the whole being retained by the usual fabric or other material associated with upholstered units.

9. An upholstered unit according to Claim 1, wherein the layers of foam or latex take the form of a box and lid.

10. An upholstered unit according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the layers of foam or latex are recessed to accommodate the layer(s) of springs.

11. An upholstered unit substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1, or Figure 1 as modified by Figure 2, or Figure 1 as modified by Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.