US20070000060A1

US20070000060A1 - Sag stopper

Info

Publication number: US20070000060A1
Application number: US11/174,309
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven Firestone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-07-01
Filing date: 2005-07-01
Publication date: 2007-01-04
Also published as: WO2007005850A2; WO2007005850A3

Abstract

A mattress system comprising a body having a three dimensional shape; said body further having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface, and said second side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside of a mattress and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness of a mattress wherein the upper (sleeping or sitting) surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mattress system, particularly, a mattress system which minimizes the sagging of a mattress.
It is known to both the consumer and the industry that a mattress will begin to sag from the first use even though it is not noticeable to the naked eye at first, yet over a period of time the sag therein becomes increasingly visible to the naked eye, but more importantly, increasingly noticeable to the human body typically manifesting itself, inter alia, in a sore back and even sleeplessness. As such, the consumer is eventually confronted with the ultimate issue of not if, but rather when to discard the mattress, and/or the mattress and box spring. Some individuals may even attempt to defer this replacement issue, for a plethora of reasons, by inserting a piece of plywood between the mattress and box spring, however, the benefit of this effort is, at best, typically limited to the mere stiffening of the mattress, and preventing the further sagging of the mattress, more succinctly, this effort merely prevents further decay of the problem, but does not entirely resolve the issue, particularly when the square footage of wood is the same or greater than that of the mattress and/or box spring.
A recent trend and development in the mattress industry has been the increase in sales of a flipless mattress, although the popularity and sales of this type of mattress is greater than the traditional mattress, issues still remain regarding sagging.
Moreover, analogously, the same problem exists in furniture items, such as couches and chairs. For example, owners of furniture are eventually confronted with the issue of when to reupholster luster a loveseat, or discard it and replace the loveseat. As in the mattress embodiment, beginning with the first use of the furniture and continuing throughout the duration of use, the cushion (aka mattress), and/or the supporting mechanisms will begin to sag.
Hence, it would be beneficial therefore to provide a mattress system and device that restores the sleeping and/or a sitting surface to the original plane the mattress was in when in the mattress was in brand new or virgin condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first object of the present invention to provide a mattress system comprising a body having a substantially elliptical three dimensional shape and volume wherein the length of said body is greater than the width of said body; which is greater than the height of said body, said body further having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface, and said second side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside of a mattress and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness of a mattress wherein the sleeping surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.
It is a second objection of the present invention, to provide a mattress system wherein said body is made from a rubber-based material.
It is a third objection of the present invention; to provide a mattress system wherein said body is made from a plastic based material.
It is a fourth objection of the present invention, to provide a mattress system wherein said body is made from foam.
It is a fifth objection of the present invention; to provide a mattress system wherein said body is made from a wood based material.
It is a sixth objection of the present invention, to provide a mattress system wherein said body is inflatable.
It is a seventh objection of the present invention, to provide a mattress system wherein said shape is substantially rectangular.
It is an eighth object of the present invention, to provide a mattress system to be used in conjunction with a mattress, and optionally a box spring and/or a floor or other supporting structure.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel device which is of relatively noncomplex construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and easy to use.
Lastly, other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts, are provided for illustration of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention in any manner whatsoever.
FIG. 1 is an exploded plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sleeping surface is restored to be substantially a planar surface;
FIG. 2 is top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded plan view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sleeping surface is restored to be substantially a planar surface; and
FIG. 4 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following descriptions of the preferred embodiments are presented to illustrate the present invention and are not to be construed to limit the claims in any manner whatsoever.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural elements of the device set forth herein, is illustrated by FIG. 1, a mattress system 1 comprising a body 10 having a substantially elliptical three dimensional shape and volume wherein the length 12 of the body 10 is greater than the width 14 of the body 10 which is greater than the height 16 of the body 10. The length 12 of the body 10 is less than or equal to the length of the mattress, although it is preferred to be less than the mattress, however, it is the volume of the concaveness of the mattress which ultimately defines the length 12. Moreover, the width 14 of the body 10 is likewise less than or equal to the width of the mattress, although it is preferred that such width 14 be less than the width of the mattress, however, it is the volume of the concaveness of the mattress which ultimately defines the width 14.
The body 10 further having a first side 18 and a second 20 side, wherein said first side 18 is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface 30, such as a box spring, a floor, or any other surface where a mattress is positioned to be used by an individual. For example, typically, a mattress is used in combination with a box spring, however, it is not necessary to use a box spring, for example, a mattress may be positioned directly on the floor, a platform, or even some other supporting surface. Nonetheless, the second side 20 is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside 24 of a mattress 26 and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness 24 of a mattress 26 wherein the sleeping surface 28 of the mattress 26 is restored to a substantially planar surface. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the mattress system 1 is inserted in between a mattress 26 and a box spring 32, as illustrated in a twin-sized embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The mattress system 1 is positioned such that the convex contour of the body 10 mates with the concave contour of the underside 24 of the mattress 26, yielding a restoration of the sleeping surface substantially within the same plane. Optimally, the volume of the body 10 is identical to the total loss of volume of the depression (i.e., the lost or change in volume). For example, once a virgin mattress is used, the topside of the mattress 26 eventually develops a sag (not shown). Whether the mattress 26 is flipped such that the original topside is orientated downward, or whether the mattress 26 remains unflipped (whether a flipless mattress or a conventional mattress), a loss of volume exists such that the sleeping surface 28 is no longer within the a single plane. Thus, the total loss of volume of the mattress 26, which includes both the loss of volume of the topside and the loss of volume of the underside thereof, defines the volume of the body 10 that should be used to remedy the sagging issue on the sleeping surface 28.
In regards to the material, the mattress system 1 is made from a material based on rubber, plastic, foam, wood, an inflatable enclosure filled with a gas, such as air, and/or a fluid, such as water and/or a gel. However, in alternative embodiments, it is envisioned that the mattress system 1 may be prefabricated, e.g., factory installed, in either the mattress 26 and/or a box spring 32. This would be particularly well suited for the inflatable enclosure, wherein the consumer may increase/decrease the volume of the enclosure as needed over the life (now extended) of the mattress 26.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another preferred embodiment, wherein the mattress system 100 is shaped substantially rectangularly, although it is envisioned that other shapes may be incorporated into the system 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a plurality of bodies 110 used in combination adjacently with a queen size mattress 126 and box spring 132; however, such embodiment may be incorporated into a variety of mattress sizes, such as twin, full, queen, king, and/or any other commonly known sizes in the industry whether domestic or international. Moreover, although FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate identical sized bodies 110, it is envisioned that they need not be, for example, statistically, sleeping partners typically are not identical in statute, such as height, weight, girth, and hence, the mattress 126 generally wears differently, and typically requires different volumed bodies 110.
Furthermore, although not illustrated, it is envisioned that a plurality of bodies 10, 110 may be incorporated therein, for example, the bodies 10, 110 may be stacked with various alignment features, have interlocking features, and may be different sized and/or shaped bodies. For example, a second body may be inserted between the box spring and the first body forming essentially two layers of bodies, wherein the second body may be rectangular, and the first may be elliptical, such that the second body may function as a wider foundation, and increase the height, width, and length of the first body. A further example includes, wherein there is only one layer having only one body, wherein the only one body, e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, however, the body comprises a plurality of pieces that are positioned adjacent to each other forming a substantially elliptical body as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which may also be alternatively shaped as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Additionally, each layer or body may comprise one or more pieces, optionally interlocking together. Furthermore, each layer is of a predetermined thickness/height, such as ¼″, ½″, ¾″ 1″ etc. enabling a customer/end user to incrementally adjust the height as needed.
In a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated), a mattress system comprising: a body having a substantially three dimensional shape and volume, said body further having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface, and said second side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside of a mattress and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness and volume of a mattress wherein the upper (sitting and/or sleeping) surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface. It is envisioned that the body is made from a material such as foam, rubber, plastic, and wood, but may also be inflatable, which may be inflated containing a gas, a gel, and a fluid. Moreover, the body may be made from a plurality of pieces, of equal or different sizes, may optionally include stackable, and/or alignment features such that the pieces and bodies may be cooperatively connected together. For example, one body on a given layer may comprise a plurality of pieces, and a plurality of layers may be integrated.
Furthermore, each the dimension of each layer is configured and dimensioned to be less than or equal the area of the mattress/cushion. For example, if a mattress/cushion on the couch is 30 inches in length by 30 inches in width, then the corresponding length and width of the body or bodies would be equal to or preferably less than such length and width.
Moreover, analogous to the implementation of the mattress system in a sleeping arrangement, the body in the sitting arraignment may be independent and inserted between the supporting surface and the cushion, it may be incorporated into the cushion itself, and/or it may be incorporated into the supporting surface.
All of the above referenced patents; patent applications and publications are hereby incorporated by reference. Many variations of the present invention will suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above detailed description. All such obvious modifications are within the full-intended spirit and scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A mattress system comprising:

a body having a substantially elliptical three dimensional shape and volume wherein the length of said body is greater than the width of said body which is greater than the height of the body; said body further having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface, and said second side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside of a mattress and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness and volume of a mattress wherein the sleeping surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.

2. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said body is made from a rubber based material.

3. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said body is made from a plastic based material.

4. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said body is made from foam.

5. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said body is made from a wood based material.

6. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said body is inflatable.

7. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said shape is substantially rectangular.

8. A mattress system as in claim 1, wherein said body is comprised of a plurality of pieces.

9. A mattress system as in claim 8, wherein each piece is cooperatively connected together.

10. A mattress system as in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of stackable layers.

11. A mattress system as in claim 10, wherein each layer includes an alignment feature.

12. A mattress system comprising:

a plurality of stackable layers wherein each layer comprises at least one body having a shape and volume, wherein the length of said body is greater than the width of said body which is greater than the height of the body; said body further having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface, and said second side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside of a mattress and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness and volume of a mattress wherein the sleeping surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.

13. A mattress system as in claim 12, wherein said body is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: a foam, rubber, plastic, and wood.

14. A mattress system as in claim 12, wherein said body is inflatable.

15. A mattress system as in claim 14, wherein said body is inflated by a member selected from the group consisting of: gas, a gel, and a fluid.

16. A mattress system comprising:

a mattress having a substantially planar sleeping surface and an underside; and

a body cooperatively connected to said mattress having a shape and volume wherein the length of said body is greater than the width of said body which is greater than the height of the body; wherein the volume of said body is adjustable.

17. A mattress system as in claim 16, wherein the volume of said body is adjustable to substantially match the volume of the concaveness and volume of said mattress wherein the sleeping surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.

18. A mattress system as in claim 12, wherein said body is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: a foam, rubber, plastic, and wood.

19. A mattress system as in claim 12, wherein said body is inflatable.

20. A mattress system as in claim 14, wherein said body is inflated by a member selected from the group consisting of: a gas, a gel, and a fluid.

21. A mattress system comprising:

a supporting surface for a mattress having a substantially planar sleeping surface and an underside; and

a body cooperatively connected to said supporting surface, said body having a shape and volume wherein the length of said body is greater than the width of said body which is greater than the height of the body; wherein the volume of said body is adjustable.

22. A mattress system as in claim 21, wherein the volume of said body is adjustable to substantially match the volume of the concaveness and volume of the mattress wherein the sleeping surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.

23. A mattress system as in claim 21, wherein said body is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: a foam, rubber, plastic, and wood.

24. A mattress system as in claim 21, wherein said body is inflatable.

25. A mattress system as in claim 24, wherein said body is inflated by a member selected from the group consisting of: a gas, a gel, and a fluid.

26. A mattress system comprising:

a body having a substantially three dimensional shape and volume, said body further having a first side and a second side, wherein said first side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with a supportive surface, and said second side is configured and dimensioned to be in contact with the underside of a mattress and contoured to substantially match the volume of the concaveness and volume of a mattress wherein the upper surface of the mattress is restored to a substantially planar surface.

27. A mattress system as in claim 26, wherein said body is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: foam, rubber, plastic, and wood.

28. A mattress system as in claim 26, wherein said body is inflatable, and may be inflated via a gas, a gel, and a fluid.

29. A mattress system as in claim 26, wherein said body is made from a plurality of pieces, and may optionally include features selected from the group consisting of: stackable, and alignment features.

30. A mattress system as in claim 26, wherein said body may be incorporated into the system selected form the group consisting of: a cushion, and a supporting surface.