IE63916B1

IE63916B1 - Self-inflating cushion

Info

Publication number: IE63916B1
Application number: IE232790A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Helmut Pfriender; Gunter Geisler
Original assignee: Metzeler Schaum Gmbh
Priority date: 1989-06-28
Filing date: 1990-06-27
Publication date: 1995-06-14
Also published as: EP0405515B1; DE59005667D1; IE902327L; CA2020005A1; EP0405515A1; FI903199A0; DE8909741U1; IE902327A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a self-inflating cushion, in particular a mattress, having a foam panel (1) of open-cell polyurethane soft foam, which is bonded on both sides and at the edge to airtight covering webs (2, 3), and having an air valve on one side edge. It is claimed as novel to provide the foam panel (1) with holes (6, 7) which at least partially penetrate said panel and are covered by the continuous covering webs (2, 3).

Description

The invention relates to a self-inflating cushion, in particular mattress, having a foam pad composed of open-cell soft polyurethane foam, which is glued at each side to air-tight cover strips, and having an air vent on one side edge.

Cushions of this type, which are usually used in the form of mattresses, are known from US-A-4 261 776. They generally have a size of approximately 190 x 60 cm and a thickness of 20 to 50 mm. As they can be rolled up very tightly when not in use, they are particularly suitable for hikers and mountaineers on account of their small transport volume.

For use, the air vent, usually at the side, is simply opened, and due to the tendency of the enclosed foam material to expand, the mattress unrolls itself and air is sucked into the mattress, so that it automatically smoothes out and assumes a shape and volume corresponding to the expanded foam material. After filling with air, the vent is closed, optionally after 2u further blowing in of additional air. Thus the air can no longer escape and the cushion or mattress is ready for use and offers, in particular, good heat insulation and cushioning against the ground on which it is laid out.

The essential properties of such a cushion are, in addition to user-friendliness and good insulation, that it is as light as possible and can be rolled up into a thin roll. Generally, a compromise is made between adequate insulation and cushioning for the person lying thereon and the thickness of 3Q the necessary foam strip.

The object of the present invention is therefore so to form a cushion and in particular mattress of the type described in the introduction that, whilst retaining at least the available level of comfort, a reduction in weight is additionally possible, so that handling is further improved. -2To achieve this object, it is proposed according to the invention that the foam pad has holes passing right through it, parallel to the top and bottom face, said holes being located at a level of roughly half-way up the height of the foam pad and being sealed by the continuous cover strips.

With holes of this type, the weight of the cushion or mattress can be considerably further reduced without detracting from the user-friendliness in any way. lu Advantageously the holes have a diameter of not more than one third the thickness of the foam pad.

These holes extend transverse to the longitudinal extension of the foam pad, in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the foam pad, or both in the longitudinal and in the transverse direction of the foam pad.

A further option is that the holes extend at an angle to the longitudinal extension of the cushion.

A further possible embodiment consists in that the the foam pad is divided centrally into two layers lying one above the other, and at least one contact face thereof has profiles forming continuous holes.

In this case, the two contact faces of the foam layers lying one above the other may each have profiling.

Advantageously the profiling is approximately wave-like with waves extending over the entire length and/or breadth of the contact faces.

The sets of profiling of the upper and lower layers may extend parallel to one another in such a manner that the wave peaks of each set of profiles rest on one another. / -3However, it is also possible for the profiles of the upper and lower layers to extend at an angle to one another and form intersecting holes.

In this case, the profiles of the upper and lower layers may each have a different shape and/or size.

For further improvement, it is possible for the upper and lower layers of the foam pad to consist of materials of io different hardnesses.

Thus not only a reduction in weight is achieved, but it is possible to adjust the hardness to individual requirements.

The structure and modus operandi of embodiments according to the invention are explained in more detail with the aid of a schematic drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a foam pad with 20 horizontal holes passing through, Fig. 2, a longitudinal section through such a foam pad with corresponding cover layers, and Fig. 3, a perspective view of a foam pad consisting of two layers with corresponding wave-shaped profiles.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, a rectangular foam pad 10 is provided with through-channels 11 extending transverse to the longitudinal extension of the foam pad. However, it is also possible to provide channels 12 in the longitudinal direction of the foam pad 10. If the channels 11 and 12 are provided in ? both directions, so that they intersect, a more substantial reduction in material and therefore weight is possible.

Advantageously, these channels 11 and 12 are provided approximately half-way up the height of the foam pad 10. -4Their diameter should in this case not exceed one third of the foam pad. In addition to an exact longitudinal or transverse arrangement of these channels 11 and 12, they may extend at an angle to the longitudinal extension either only in one f direction or in intersecting directions.

• Fig. 2 shows this foam pad in longitudinal section, the air-tight, rubberised cover strips 2 and 3 being shown glued to the top and bottom of the foam pad 10. The laterally projecting edge 4 of these cover strips 2 and 3 is also glued together in an air-tight manner. At one corner of such a mattress, a vent penetrating the two cover strips 2 and 3 is inserted in order to fill the mattress with air or’ push air out of the mattress.

With such an arrangement of channels 11 and/or 12, due to the reduction in foam mass, this mattress can be rolled up smaller after use, as less foam material has to be compressed.

A further option for weight reduction is achieved by a configuration of the mattress as shown in Fig. 3. Here the foam pad 20 is divided centrally and consists of the two layers 21 and 22 lying one above the other, each possibly . having the same thickness. The contact faces of the two foam layers 21 and 22 are provided with profiling 23 or 24 according to the embodiment shown. This profiling 23 and 24 is formed in the embodiment shown as waves, and in particular approximately following a sine curve, the profiles 23 and 24 extending at right-angles, so that intersecting peaks and troughs are formed.

In this embodiment, there is a saving in material of approximately 25%, i.e. the mattress is approximately 25% ” lighter but with the same thickness as an unprofiled mattress. f In a foam pad 20 with a total thickness of at least 15 to mm, the breadth of profiling should be not less than 5 mm, -5i.e. the distance between two wave peaks. The size and type of profiling is governed by the desired level of comfort of the mattress, i.e. the profiles should not be so large that there is a reduction in comfort or sinking of the mattress.

As an alternative to the approximately sinusoidal curve of the profiling 23 and 24 shown, any other wave-shaped or wedge-shaped configuration is conceivable. In this case the profiles may be arranged at any angle relative to one another, i.e. obliquely to one another for example, and in an extreme case, parallel to one another. If the profiling of the two layers 21 and 22 extends in the same direction, it should then have the same size and configuration, so that the wave peaks of the upper and lower layer lie one above the other.

For an additional increase in comfort, the upper layer 21 and lower layer 22 may each consist of a material of a different property, i.e. in particular of a different hardness, so that, according to which layer is on top, a softer or harder cushion 2o is obtained.

Obviously, it is also possible to provide only one of the two layers 21 or 22 with profiling and to make the other layer smooth on its contact face.

In summary, a cushion is obtained in the form of a sitting cushion or mattress, which is self-inflating and has considerably less weight, whilst sacrificing nothing in the way of comfort, and which thus has a lower bulk when rolled up than mattresses of a conventional configuration.

Claims

1. Self-inflating cushion, in particular mattress, having a foam pad (10) composed of open-cell soft polyurethane foam, which is glued at each side to air-tight cover strips (2, 3), and having an air vent on one side edge, characterised in that the foam pad (10; 20) has holes (11, 12) passing right through it, parallel to the top and bottom face, said holes being located at a level of roughly half-way up the height of the foam pad (10) and being sealed by the continuous cover strips (2, 3).

2. Cushion according to claim 1, characterised in that the holes (11, 12) have a diameter of hot more than one third the thickness of the foam pad (10).

3. Cushion according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the holes (11) extend transverse to the longitudinal extension of the foam pad (10).

4. Cushion according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the holes (12) extend in the direction of the longitudinal extension of the foam pad (10).

5. Cushion according to claim 3 and 4, characterised in that the holes (11, 12) extend in the longitudinal, and transverse directions of the foam pad (10).

6. Cushion according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the holes (11, 12) extend at an angle to the longitudinal extension of the cushion.

7. Cushion according to claim 1, characterised in that the v foam pad (20) is divided centrally into two layers (21, 22) lying one above the other, and at least one contact t face thereof has profiles (23, 24) forming continuous holes. -78. Cushion according to claim 7, characterised in that the two contact faces of the foam layers (21, 22) lying one above the other each have profiling (23, 24).

8. 9. Cushion according to. claim 8, characterised in that the profiling (23, 24) is approximately wave-like with waves extending over the entire length and/or breadth of the contact faces.

9. 10. Cushion according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the sets of profiling (23, 24) of the upper and lower layers (21, 22) extend parallel to one another in such a manner that the wave peaks of each set of profiles (23, 24) rest on one another.

10. 11. Cushion according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the profiles (23, 24) of the upper and lower layers (21, 22) extend at an angle to one another and form intersecting holes.

11. 12. Cushion according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterised in that the profiles (23, 24) of the upper and lower layers (21, 22) each have'a different shape and/or size.

12. 13. Cushion according to one or more of claims 7 to 12, characterised in that the upper and lower layers (21, 22) of the foam pad (20) consist of materials of different hardnesses.

13.

14. A self-inflating cushion according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1-3 of the accompanying drawings,.