WO1995002977A1

WO1995002977A1 - Mattress

Info

Publication number: WO1995002977A1
Application number: PCT/DE1994/000850
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rolf Wesemann; Are Ahrens; Rüdiger Baretti
Original assignee: Rolf Wesemann; Are Ahrens; Baretti Ruediger
Priority date: 1993-07-21
Filing date: 1994-07-20
Publication date: 1995-02-02
Also published as: DE4324425C2; DE4324425A1; AU7226194A

Abstract

In order to advantageously design a mattress with a core made of elastic material with numerous different characteristics and variant embodiments, the elastic material is arranged in several layers (L1, L2... ) and each layer (L1, L2) is provided with numerous ondulations (1) that cause the formation of air gaps (5).

Description

mattress

The invention relates to a mattress with a core made of elastic material.

Numerous embodiments of mattresses with elastic cores are known. A spring mattress is a complex form of mattress, in which the elastic core is formed by spiral springs of different thicknesses. In an even more complex version, the coil springs are accommodated in individual pockets.

It is also known to form the core from a uniform elastic material, for example from a latex.

To increase lying comfort, provision has already been made to form zones of different spring hardnesses over the length of the mattress, in order, for example, to ensure a greater depth of penetration into the mattress in the lateral position in the shoulder and pelvic region, as a result of which the spinal column should be as straight as possible. With the elaborate innerspring mattresses, this design can be achieved by using spiral springs of different hardness. When using mattresses, the core of which essentially consists of a uniform, elastic material, latex foams of different densities, for example, have to be joined to form a uniform mattress in order to achieve the different spring hardnesses.

A common base for mattresses are slatted frames, the spring slats of which are also designed to achieve the healthiest possible resting position with different spring hardnesses can. With the usual wooden slatted frames, curved wooden slats are used, the spring hardness of which can be adjusted by the width and / or thickness of the slats or by variable lateral clamping. r>

From DE 40 24 646 AI a slatted frame system is known in which the crossbars are formed by tubes arranged in pairs, which are pivotable about a common axis and are attached to hydraulic cylinders. By coupling the hydraulic cylinders to one another, automatic adaptation to the respective person can be achieved.

In particular for such sophisticated slatted frame systems, it is desirable not to mitigate or cancel the effect of the slatted frame settings by counter forces of the mattress. A course of the support that deviates from the straight line generally leads to an extension of the effective contact surface, which counteracts the restoring forces of the mattress. This applies to innerspring mattresses in a special way, but also to mattresses with a core made of an essentially uniform elastic material.

One argument against segmentation of the mattresses itself is that cold bridges are formed which naturally impair the well-being of the person resting on the mattress.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a mattress structure with which different spring hardnesses can be achieved without the formation of cold bridges and which leads to a mattress which is particularly suitable for adjusting the mattress topper.

According to the invention, a mattress with a core made of elastic material is characterized in that the elastic material is arranged in several layers and is formed with numerous corrugations in each of the layers, which lead to the formation of air gaps. The mattress according to the invention is made up of layers which are shaped according to the accordion principle and can easily be changed in length due to the corrugations. The change in the length of this elastic material leads to a change in the resulting spring hardness.

The corrugations can preferably be designed such that when the material is compressed transversely to the corrugations, the spacing of the corrugations is reduced substantially uniformly.

The material for the layers is preferably a foam, which is cut to the appropriate shape with the corrugations. It is expedient for the mattress if the elastic material in the mattress is prestressed transversely to the corrugations in the sense of a compression. The layers of material thus have a tendency to increase the length of the mattress to achieve the initial length that was present when the layers were made. It is readily apparent that such a pre-tensioned mattress has a bend leading to a

Extension due to an outer radius does not oppose any restoring forces, since the corresponding extension accommodates the tendency of the layers in question to assume a greater length. The mattress layers therefore preferably have a degree of pretension such that the elastic material is not subjected to tensile stress when the mattress is adjusted in the usual way. In the event of a train load, this would only be possible against an elastic restoring force. The design according to the invention prevents the strain on the train, and thus the creation of restoring forces.

The mattress structure according to the invention also allows the spring characteristics to be set in that at least two different spring hardnesses are formed in the several layers of the elastic material. This spring hardness can in particular be formed by compressions of different strengths. If the mattress has local compressions of different strengths in the direction transverse to the corrugations, different spring hardnesses are set in the direction transverse to the corrugations, that is to say regularly in the direction of the length of the mattress. This setting is readily possible from a starting material and can generally be changed again without any problems.

A desired zone distribution, for example with different spring hardness, can be achieved by attaching strips, which are aligned parallel to the corrugations, on the underside of the mattress and can be inserted into the interstices of a slatted frame. The distribution of the strip spacing can be selected accordingly to form the desired local upsets.

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The mattress according to the invention can be constructed with a relatively small thickness and allows a high level of comfort. The formation with at least three layers of the elastic material is preferred, the three layers preferably being formed with 0 different spring hardnesses.

A preferred embodiment of the corrugation consists in that the elastic material for the formation of the corrugation with horizontal upper and lower contact surfaces and essentially

25 straight and sloping connecting pieces between the bearing surfaces is cut. The resulting air gaps are preferably approximately triangular in shape, so that the straight-line connectors on the underside of the web forming the bearing surface are pointed together.

"Running, whereby a considerable stability of the support surface is achieved.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. Show it: Figure 1 schematically shows a mattress with three layers in the un-compressed state and in differently strong compression states

2 shows a mattress according to FIG. 1 on a straight support and the mattress after a step-like deformation

3 shows a mattress with strips attached to the underside in the initial state, in a compressed state, in a compressed state and mounted on a slatted frame with hydraulic cylinders, and in the assembled state under the load of a person lying down

FIG. 4 shows a representation according to FIG. 3 with strips which are arranged at irregular intervals and which lead to the formation of locally different compressions during assembly

Figure 5 is a mattress formed by locally different compressions with different spring hardness zones, consisting of six layers

FIG. 6 shows a mattress according to FIG. 5, in which an inelastic insert which is inelastic in the longitudinal direction of the mattress is inserted between three upper and three lower layers and is connected to the adjacent layers for maintaining shape

FIG. 7 shows a mattress placed on an adjustable base without adjustment and after adjustment in a reclining-sitting position

FIG. 8 shows a spring characteristic field for three layers with different spring hardnesses with different load weights. Figure 9 - a spring characteristic field for three layers with different spring hardness with different degrees of compression of the mattress.

Figure 1 illustrates the basic structure of a mattress according to the invention, which consists of three layers L1, L2, L3. The layers in the top line in FIG. 1 are shown as they are formed by cutting. Each layer has corrugations 1 formed transversely to the longitudinal direction, which form an upper flat support surface 2 and a lower flat support surface 3 in the illustrated embodiment. An obliquely extending connecting web 4 is arranged between the two contact surfaces 2, 3. A triangular air gap 5 is formed between each two connecting webs 4. The layers L1, L2, L3 can be connected to one another in that bearing surfaces 2, 3 that come into contact with one another are glued together. The first layers L1, L2, L3 have their original length (100%). The mattresses shown below are shown in the compressed state, namely compressed to 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% and 50% of the original length. This results in an inversely proportional spring hardness, which when compressed to 50% of the original length is twice as large as the spring hardness in the non-compressed state.

It is readily apparent that the spring hardness of a mattress constructed with the layers L1, L2, L3 is easily adjustable by adjusting the degree of compression. Since the material of the mattresses is uniform over the length, the formation of different spring hardnesses does not result in cold bridges.

FIG. 2 shows in line a a mattress made of the material according to FIG. 1 by forming a suitable degree of compression and lying on a flat surface. In line b, a bulge of the mattress is shown below, which is caused, for example, by the fact that a slatted frame on which the mattress lies under the load of a person lying down yields below. Figure 2b illustrates that enters into the step-like transitions Ü a ^'increase in length in the layers Ll, L2, L3, which leads into the transition regions Ü to a "Entstauchung" of the layers Ll, L2, L3. The ^* - * corresponding bulge of the mattress is therefore not counteracted by the mattress, rather the bulge is rather supported due to the pre-tension in the mattress. The mattress shown is therefore particularly suitable for practically following such bulges on a base of the mattress 10 without restoring forces.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a mattress which is provided on its underside with strips 6 running parallel to the corrugations 1. In the non-compressed state, which is shown in line 15 a of FIG. 3, the strips 6 are at the same distance from one another.

Line b shows a compressed condition of the mattress, in which the distances between the strips 6 have been reduced evenly. The distance has been reduced so that the strips can be clamped in the space between two tubes forming a pair. The tubes 7 of each pair are connected in the middle to a hydraulic cylinder 8.

^' . :, Line c of Figure 3 shows the assembled state in which the compression of the mattress is automatically maintained due to the clamped strips 6.

Line d of Figure 3 shows the assembled arrangement according to line c. '• • j in the loaded state, for example in the supine position of a

Person. It is clear that on the one hand the hydraulic cylinders 8 yield to the loading pressure, on the other hand the pairs of tubes 7 can be tilted according to the shape of the curvature and that the mattress only differs according to the pressure load. : ■ is strongly compressed. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment which essentially corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 3. In the non-compressed state, which is shown in line a of FIG. 4, the strips are spaced unevenly. In the compressed state of the mattress, as shown in lines b and c, the strips 6 are aligned equidistantly, so that zones ZI to Z6 of different degrees of compression, that is to say of different levels of spring hardness, are illustrated in the mattress - as illustrated in FIG. 1 is - arise. If the compression distribution is matched to the burdening person, the depth of penetration of the person over the entire length of the body is largely the same, which subjectively increases the "comfort" of lying down.

FIG. 5 shows a mattress consisting of six layers L1 to L6, which is designed for use without a flexible underlay. It essentially has five zones ZI, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5, through which different depths of penetration of the lying person P can be realized, as the stressed state in FIG. 5 shows.

FIG. 6 shows a variant of the mattress according to FIG. 5, in which a fabric layer G is inserted between the three upper layers L1 to L3 and the three lower layers L4 to L6 and connected, for example glued, to the adjacent layers L3, L4 in order to in this way to maintain the different local upsets for zones ZI to Z5 and to prevent a compensation of the upsets across zones ZI to Z5.

FIG. 7 shows an articulated adjustable support U with segments U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, which are connected to one another via rotary joints D1, D2, D3, D4. The swivel joints are mounted approximately at the top or bottom of the mattress so that the usual adjustment of the segments U1 to U5, as shown in line b of FIG. 7, always extends the positions L1 to L6 of the mattress ren, and not - as usual and disadvantageous - to a shortening. The mattress according to the invention, which consists of compressed accordion-like layers L1 to L6, is particularly suitable for such a support U because it can follow the deformations without restoring forces.

FIG. 8 illustrates characteristic curves of a mattress with three layers L1, L2, L3, of which the top layer L1 has a small spring hardness, the middle layer L2 has a medium spring hardness and the bottom layer L3 has a high spring hardness. A pressure exerted by a person lying down therefore leads to a relatively strong deformation in position L1, plotted as a path in FIG. The slope of the deformation as a function of the pressure becomes smaller for the middle layer L2 and again considerably flatter for the lower layer L3.

The six plotted curves 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 show curves for increasing hardness of the starting materials of the mattress when subjected to a person.

FIG. 9 shows spring characteristics of a mattress with three layers L1, L2, L3 with different degrees of compression of the mattress. Curve 11 'corresponds to the un-compressed material and, as the initial curve, corresponds to curve 12 in FIG. 8. Curves 12' to 16 'show changes in hardness due to increasing compression of the starting material according to curve 12 in FIGS. 8 and 11' in FIG. 9.

The differently sized spring hardnesses can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction within the mattress according to the load profile of a person, whereby different contact pressures for legs, trunk and head have to be taken into account.

If one selects a slatted frame arrangement according to FIG. 3, this slatted frame already ensures the complete contour adaptation to the person. In this case, the mattress only "forms the comfortable support and should correspond to that Load profile, i.e. the pressure distribution of the person in the longitudinal direction, be designed or pre-compressed. A subjectively constant hardness of the mattress in the longitudinal direction is created for the person and an almost constant depth of impression is achieved in the mattress, thereby increasing the comfort and durability of the mattress. In such a system, the mattress would be designed in the leg area, that is to say for a low contact pressure, without compression, that is, according to curve 11 ', in the torso area with a large compression, that is, corresponding to curve 16'.

If you do not use a slatted base or a conventional slatted base as a base for the mattress, you can e.g. by measuring the pressure distribution and the geometry of the person equally consider the contour and load profile of the person lying down and develop the compression distribution of the mattress according to these two criteria.

It is readily apparent that by swapping the order of the spring hardness the global spring hardness of the mattress remains unchanged in the area in question, but that a different impression behavior can be achieved locally, whereby the subjective impression of comfort can be optimized.

It can thus be seen that the multi-layer structure of the mattress according to the invention with the layers L1, L2 ... which are formed with the corrugations 1, the most varied characteristics of the mattress can be implemented without the basic structure being affected the mattress changes a little. The mattress also has the advantage that it can follow a resilient mattress topper without any restoring forces and is therefore particularly suitable for highly developed slatted frame systems that react to local loads to form a lying position that is as healthy as possible.

Claims

claims

1. Mattress with a core made of elastic material, characterized in that the elastic material is arranged in several layers (Ll, L2, ...) and that each of the layers (Ll, L2, ...) with numerous corrugations (1st ) is formed, which lead to the formation of air gaps (5).

2. Mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the corrugations (1) are designed such that a substantially uniform reduction in the spacing of the corrugations (1) occurs when the material is compressed transversely to the corrugations (1).

3. Mattress according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the elastic material in the mattress is biased transversely to the corrugations (1) in the sense of a compression.

4. Mattress according to claim 3, characterized by such a degree of pretension that the elastic material is not loaded on train with conventional adjustments of the mattress.

5. Mattress according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least two different spring hardnesses are formed in the several layers (L1, L2,...) Of the elastic material.

6. Mattress according to claim 5, characterized in that the different spring hardnesses are formed by compressions of different strengths.

7. Mattress according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the direction transverse to the corrugations (1) different local hardnesses of different compressions are set in the direction.

8. Mattress according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by attached to the underside of the mattress, parallel to the corrugations (1) aligned strips (6) which can be inserted into the interstices of a slatted frame.

9. Mattress according to claim 7 and 8, characterized in that the distribution of the bar spacing is carried out according to the desired local compression.

10. Mattress according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by at least three layers (L1, L2, L3) of the elastic

Materials.

11. Mattress according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the elastic material for forming the corrugation with horizontal upper and lower support surfaces (2, 3) and essentially straight and oblique connecting pieces (4) between the Auflag¬ surfaces (2, 3) is cut.

12. Mattress according to claim 11, characterized in that the air spaces (5) are approximately triangular.