WO1995011606A1

WO1995011606A1 - Bedding and related materials

Info

Publication number: WO1995011606A1
Application number: PCT/GB1994/002358
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dawna Henson
Original assignee: Dawna Henson
Priority date: 1993-10-29
Filing date: 1994-10-26
Publication date: 1995-05-04
Also published as: GB2283169A; GB2283169B; AU7998694A; GB9322374D0; ZA948450B; GB9416643D0

Abstract

An item of bedding, for example, a cot mattress, comprises an outer envelope formed of a material, such as cotton, which is pervious to air and, within the envelope, one or more layers of woven wool. The woven wool comprises wool slivers or 'rough top' (12) which forms the weft of the weave while the warp comprises strings or tapes (11).

Description

BEDDING AND RELATED MATERIALS

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to bedding and related materials and the term 'bedding' as used herein includes such items as mattresses, overlays, futons, quilts, pillows, cushions, wheel chair liners and mats.

Research studies have shown that the use of wool bedding produces more relaxed sleep, with health and therapeutic advantages. Wool bedding is especially recommended for the very young and for the very old; for premature babies, low weight gainers, and sufferers from rheumatism and arthritis.

Early in the sleep process, we start to perspire at a rate such that an adult can lose up to half a litre of perspiration. At the same time, the body temperature starts to drift as the body's temperature control mechanism shuts down. These two factors can give rise to discomfort for the sleeper who may be partially wakened as a result of becoming too hot, too cold or uncomfortable due to the large volume of perspiration at or close to the surface of the skin. Wool fibre has a considerable capacity to absorb moisture without itself feeling damp. It will thus absorb moisture in the vicinity of a sleeper and conduct it away without causing chilling. At the same time, the natural crimp of the wool fibre traps air to form an insulating layer which stabilises the temperature in the bed. Wool bedding thus produces a stable micro-climate giving rise to less disturbed sleep.

Despite, however, the perceived advantages of wool bedding, it is not widely used since the woollen bedding materials currently available tend to become lumpy and uncomfortable.

One form of woollen bedding which has been proposed is that shown in British Patent Specification No. 448275 and comprises a filling layer of wool fibres covered on both sides with a relatively thin layer of cotton fibres. The filling layer may be a knitted fabric and the three layers are stitched together to form, for example, a quilt.

Another proposal is that shown in British Patent Specification No. 216278 which comprises warp and weft ropes or strings and bunches of, for example, lengths of wool secured in position by the interlaced ropes or strings. These proposals do not, however, lend themselves to volume production of woollen bedding which is attractive in appearance and comfortable in use.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of woollen bedding.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved form of cot mattress which offers improved comfort and security for a small baby.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided bedding comprising an outer envelope formed of a material which is pervious to air and, within the envelope, one or more layers of woven material of which at least the weft is woollen slivers or 'rough top' .

Woollen slivers or "rough top" comprises wool which has been repeatedly washed and then gently industrially carded so as to produce an elongated strand or rope of wool fibres in the form of a long cylinder or roll having a diameter of the order of 20 to 30 mm. The wool slivers or 'rough top' may have a weight of the order of 15 to 20 gms. per metre. The 'rough top' is taken off the wool treatment machines before it has been combed too finely so as to become denser. The wool slivers or 'rough top' may be woven on to a support comprising a plurality of parallel strings or tapes which, on completion of the weaving process, are cut and tied together or a band attached laterally to hold the woven layers or weave tightly in place.

The wool is preferably given an "ultrafresh" treatment (which prevents the growth of bacterial and fungal micro¬ organisms on the wool fibres, avoids the risk of cross- infection and gives resistance to mildew) and given a shrink- resistant treatment.

There may be, for example, three layers of woven wool in an item such as a cot mattress. The three layers may be formed in a single weaving operation to produce an elongated layer which is then folded. The strings or tapes will extend longitudinally and the 'rough top' or slivers will be woven so that they extend laterally. On completion of the weaving operation, i.e. when a filling of the desired length has been produced, the lateral weavings will be pushed apart at the positions at which the filling is to be folded so as to leave spaces at the fold lines and a band will be fixed laterally against each woven edge to hold the weave in place. The filling will then be readily foldable to form the required three layers without any ridges or bumps along the fold lines. Some articles, such as pram mattresses, overlays, wheel chair liners and camping mats, may be formed of a single layer of woven wool of the required size.

Other articles, such as cot mattresses or bed mattresses, may include a pair of woven layers with a stiffening layer interposed between them. The stiffening layer may be, for example, of coir and will serve to prevent the woven layers from stretching or from becoming compressed.

The envelope within which the woven wool filling is placed may be of calico and, in the case of a mattress, the envelope will have top and bottom portions, two side portions and two end portions so that the finished mattress has the conventional "oblong" appearance. In use, the envelope and its filling may be contained within an outer cover, which is readily removable to facilitate washing. The envelope and its woven wool filling can also be washed and, in such case, will not lose its shape as would be the case with other woollen mattresses.

The use of one or more woven woollen layers avoids the problem of lumpiness normally encountered with wool bedding which results from the natural propensity of wool to felt and compact when subjected to pressure and movement in an atmosphere of higher than average humidity. The woven woollen filling can have smoothly rounded corners and provides a support which retains its shape without any requirement for buttons or the like. Thus, when used as a cot mattress or as a mattress for an invalid, there will be no pressure points which might cause bedsores.

The bedding may be in the form of a cot mattress or, as mentioned above, any of the other bedding or related items which have been mentioned. With a larger item, such as a mattress for a double bed, the individual layers will be woven separately and the layers then secured together using the end portions of the longitudinal strings and a band fixed laterally across to hold the weave in place.

One advantage of the present invention is that the filling can be pre-made and applied to a wide variety of products including upholstery, wheel chair pads, pillows and under and over bedding products.

A further advantage is that woollen fillings can be mass- produced and stored, making wool in this form convenient to use by manufacturers and consumers.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 Is a plan view of part of the filling of a mattress for a "Moses" basket, and Figure 2 is an isometric view, partly broken away, of a mattress for a single bed.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The mattress filling 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a number of parallel cotton tapes or strings 11, which form the warp of the woven material, and a length 12 of 'rough top' woven so as to form the weft of the woven material.

The length 12 of 'rough top' is produced by a woollen yarn forming machine and is taken off the machine at an early stage after a number of cleaning and carding operations have been carried out but before the wool has been combed too finely and become denser. The 'rough top' is in the form of a long strand having a diameter of the order of 20 to 30 mm. , typically 25 mm. and a weight of about 15 to 20 grams per metre, preferably about 15 grams per metre.

The woven mattress filling 10 is produced by assembling the array of tapes or strings 11 on a weaving machine and then moving the length 12 of 'rough top' to and fro across the array so as to pass under and over the tapes or strings 11. In the drawing, to illustrate the pattern which is formed, alternate strands of the 'rough top' are shaded in opposite directions and the parts of the tapes or strings 11 which are beneath the strands of 'rough top' are shown in broken lines. After the 'rough top' has been woven across the tapes or strings 11 the appropriate number of times, the tapes or strings 11 are cut off and the ends of adjacent tapes or strings 11 are tied or riveted together. The ends of the tapes or strings 11 have been shown in the drawing as being spaced from the adjacent length 12 of 'rough top'. This is purely for Illustrative purposes and it will be appreciated that the 'rough top' will expand as far as possible and that the ends of the tapes or strings 11 will be in contact with the adjacent length 12 of 'rough top' and will not be very noticeable when looking at the completed array.

The size of the weaving which is formed will depend on the size of the article to be produced. The number of layers will be determined by the use to which the woven article is to be put. Thus, for a mattress for a "Moses" basket, there will be a single layer of such size that it fits neatly within the basket. For a mattress for, for example, a single bed, there may be two woven layers of equal size with a layer of coir interposed between them to provide additional stability serving to maintain the shape of the mattress.

A mattress filling produced as described above will be encased within a calico envelope which is pervious to air and Is treated with a fire rεtardant material such as boric acid. The calico envelope is intended to remain permanently on the woven material and is itself contained within an outer cover formed of cotton ticking which has been treated to render it water-proof and stain-resistant.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows a mattress 13 for a single bed. The mattress 13 is of conventional oblong form in appearance and has an outer cover 14 of water-proof, stain resistant cotton ticking. The outer cover 14 is removable and, within it, there is a calico inner envelope 15 within which there is a filling produced in the manner described above.

The filling comprises a central sheet 16 of coir which serves to stiffen the mattress and woven layers 17 and 18 which are formed by weaving wool slivers or "rough top" which form the weft and with the warp of the weave formed from strings or tapes.

Other items which can be produced in this way Include pillows, cushions, and the like.

It has been found that a mattress in accordance with the present invention reduces a number of the risks associated with the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Thus, it avoids over-heating of the infant while providing increased softness of the infant's bedding thus reducing the likelihood of excessive compression of a baby's nose. The "Ultrafresh" treatment effectively prevents microbiological contamination of the bedding and PVC coverings are not employed. With PVC coverings, there is the possibility of a household fungus, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, reacting with the fire retardants in the PVC coverings releasing a number of harmful gases, one of which is phosphine, which is potentially lethal at one part in 50 million. The fire retardant chemicals which are used thus do not include phosphorus, antimony or arsenic compounds.

Wool is cool to sleep on in hot and humid climates. The preferred embodiment includes two covering layers of cotton, the outer one of which is water and stain resistant, but the woven wool itself is not sealed and the free circulation of air is permitted throughout the entire mattress.

Wool Itself has natural flame-retardant properties; it has self-extinguishing properties and is difficult to ignite. Wool can thus form an effective barrier between the source of a flame and a flammable product.

It will thus be seen that "bedding" in accordance with the present invention has many advantages.

Claims

Claims : -

1. Bedding comprising an outer envelope formed of a material which is pervious to air and, within the envelope, one or more layers of woven material of which at least the weft is woollen slivers or "rough top".

2. Bedding as claimed in Claim 1, in which the wool slivers or 'rough top' has a diameter of the order of 20 to 30 mm. and a weight of the order of 15 to 20 gms. per metre.

3. Bedding as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the warp of the woven material is afforded by parallel strings or tapes.

4. Bedding as claimed in Claim 1, comprising a pair of woven layers and a stiffening layer interposed between the two woven layers.

5. Bedding as claimed in Claim 4, in which the stiffening layer is of coir.

6. Bedding as claimed in Claim 1, in which the envelope is of a material treated so that it is of a fire-retardant nature and the envelope is contained within a removable outer cover.

7. Bedding as claimed in Claim 6, in which the envelope is of calico and the outer cover is of cotton.

8. Bedding as claimed in Claim 1, which includes a plurality of layers of woven material which are secured together using the end portions of strings or tapes which form the warps of the woven layers.

9. A mattress having a filling formed of woven wool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

10. A method of producing bedding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.