WO2002085165A1

WO2002085165A1 - Mattress with cavities for nesting protruding body parts

Info

Publication number: WO2002085165A1
Application number: PCT/GR2002/000026
Authority: WO
Inventors: Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos
Original assignee: Calino S.A.
Priority date: 2001-04-24
Filing date: 2002-04-23
Publication date: 2002-10-31
Also published as: EP1387631A1; GR1004198B; GR20010100215A; ATE314815T1; EP1387631B1

Abstract

This invention describes a type of mattress intended to relieve the pressure that is applied to protruding body members during sleep. This mattress includes cavities into which protruding body parts (shoulder, arm, hip) enter and rest. This way, these parts are not overly pressured during the course of sleep, resulting in comfortable and restful sleep. The same principle applies to protrusions, which are added to the mattress and support concave members of the human body.

Description

MATTRESS WITH CAVITIES FOR NESTING PROTRUDING BODY

PARTS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention . refers to a new type of mattress, which has cavities or protrusions at locations where body parts protrude or are concave respectively or need to extend, like shoulders, arms, legs, etc. The body parts that enter the cavities or are supported by the protrusions form a uniform, plastic contact surface between body and mattress, so that the weight of the body is distributed uniformly over the whole surface of the mattress, thus creating the highest possible comfort during sleep. This is the result of not overly pressing only certain parts of the body.

STATE OF THE ART

Over the years, a great number of types of mattresses have been invented, aiming at making sleep more comfortable.

The main problem in lying down that all mattress manufacturers try to solve, is that a mattress is flat, but the human body has irregularities, particularly when a person lies on his/her side. In this position (side) the shoulder and arm form and abrupt bump over the plane formed by the outer side of the thoracic cage. This bump has a height of 8 to 12 cm (depending on built) when the arm is in contact with the torso, while it increases to more than 30 cm when the arm with the elbow folded extends perpendicular to the trunk.

All mattress manufacturers try to build mattresses in such a way that the protruding body parts sink into the mattress.

- One type of mattress is made of springs connected to each other in such a way that when one spring is depressed, it pulls with it all of its adjacent springs without allowing the mattress to follow the shape of the human body.

- Another type of mattress, which is more comfortable than the previous one is made of springs, which are pocketed in cloth or non-woven. This is the "pocket spring" type. - Other types of mattresses use latex, foam or similar materials for springiness.

- Other methods use combinations of springs and several layers of the above materials.

- Furthermore, there are water- and air-beds. DISADVANTAGES OF THE CURRENT PRODUCTS

All mattresses have a flat surface. The stiffness of the different materials, especially that of the springs, has a constant, which dictates that the resistance of all springs doubles for every centimeter of compression.

This way, the protruding part of the body which first comes in contact with the mattress sinks into the mattress first and is subjected to a continuously increasing pressure. In the course of sleep. This pressure becomes painful and even unbearable, while other body parts may stay completely out of the mattress.

When lying on his/her side, a person keeps his/her arms on his/her sides. The arm and shoulder are the first ones to sink into the mattress and a short time later the arm takes up all of the body's weight This is accentuated by the fact that sinking is impeded by the materials used as padding and covers (ticking) for the mattress, which are not elastic enough to stretch by 10 or 20 cm at the point of the highest stress.

hi order for the person lying down to avoid or reduce the unpleasant consequences, he/she leans his/her arm and shoulder forward. However, this results in pressuring the thoracic region and impeding breathing. Further consequences are, shoulder pain, numbness of the arm and frequent turning. All of the above have a negative effect on continuous and relaxing sleep.

The invention of the mattress evidently was not made on the basis of the anatomic needs of the human body. This way, all of man-kind, but especially the elderly and the ones suffering from body and joint aches suffer during sleep from the non-uniform weight distribution over the parts of the body that contact the mattress.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention presented here is to solve all of the above problems and produce a pleasant and comfortable sleep. Moreover, it intends to highlight the new possibilities that rise from the fact that the mattress adapts to the protrusions and cavities of the human body.

To meet this end, a new mattress has been constructed with cavities of the right depth, width and length at points of highest pressure to the human body. This way, the mattress assumes a form, which is a copy of the human body contours before even the mattress starts to deform under the pressure of the body. The most important cavity is situated at shoulder height. This is because the shoulder and arms are the two body parts protruding the most from the trunk. This cavity may span the whole width of the mattress.

The depth of the cavity is adjustable to the length of the upper arm. This depth may reach 35 cm. The width of the cavity is also adjustable to the user's arm size and may reach 15 cm.

The cavity ends up splitting the mattress in two. This way, we still have the same length as the usual mattresses, which is 190 cm, divided in two parts. The one part is approximately 160 cm long for supporting the body. The other part is approximately 30 cm long for supporting the head.

The person lying on his/her side inserts his/her elbow in the cavity and rests it on the bottom of the cavity. The body, from the feet to the arm pit, rests comfortably on the mattress without the pressure of the protruding shoulder and arm.

Normally, when lying on their side, people use a number of pillows to bring their head up to the level of the body, raising their head even 15 cm. By entering his/her arm in the cavity, one does not need the pillows anymore. Nevertheless, the head is lined up with the spinal column.

The smaller of the two parts of the mattress, which supports the head, has the freedom to move back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the bed. This results in increases and decreases of cavity width. This way, the cavity can even disappear to aid sleeping on one's back.

This movement of the smaller mattress part can be aided by a spring. The spring will not act if the person's head rests on the bed. As soon as the head is lifted during turning, the spring is released, thus pulling the smaller part towards the main part of the mattress and closing the cavity. The smaller mattress part can also be adjusted in height.

The depth of the cavity can be adjusted by a number of ways, two of which are the following: according to the one of them, a flat surface located on the bottom of the cavity can move up and down, thus altering the depth of the cavity. The second method calls for a piece of cloth, fastened to the edges of the two pieces of the mattress that form the cavity lips. This way, a pouch for supporting the arm is formed with adjustable depth. More cavities can be formed in the mattress at locations where body parts need to be relieved from pressure. The respective member of the human body enters the cavity and is comfortably supported without being pressured.

Besides cavities, a mattress can, also, have bumps. The bumps work in the opposite way of the cavities. Instead of providing space for protruding body parts, they now protrude in order to fill and support cavities of the human body. They can, also, be adjusted in height.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The support of the arm or other protruding body parts by the cavities has the following positive effects:

- The human body assumes a natural, not forced posture. This way, the spinal column is not deformed, it remains straight and as a result, there is no pain or other unpleasant consequences, regardless of how a person sleeps. - During inhalation the air can really fill up the lungs because there is no substantial pressure on the chest.

- The shoulders and the shoulder blades do not ache because there is no pressure, or distorting loads on them.

- A person can remain in the same position for a long period of time without being tired, thus enjoying a long, comfortable sleep without turning and tossing.

- After lying down on one of these mattresses, a person has a pleasant feeling as if having lain on water.

- Rest is achieved through considerably less time in bed than on a conventional bed.

- The only disadvantage that has been noted is that if the forearm remains horizontal at the bottom of the cavity for a long period of time, the arm becomes numb. This feeling disappears if the forearm is lifted to a vertical position. - In general, this invention gives a feeling of healthiness and rest on a daily basis.

- When woken up, a person can immediately stand up.

- A person can assume all sleep positions, feeling the same comfort.

- When using this invention, a person does not need a pillow anymore. The main purpose of the pillow is to support the head when a person sleeps on his/her side and there is a substantial distance between head and mattress. This distance is approximately 10 to 15 cm depending on built. When a person sleeps on his/her back or in the prone position, the pillow is not needed anyhow because all the pillow does is produce an irregularity in the plane of the spinal column. People only keep the pillow when sleeping in this position because they are not conscious enough in their sleep to remove it. With the sleep method described here, the arm and shoulder are out of the way when a person sleeps on his/her side, the head does not have significant height difference form the rest of the body anymore, and therefore a pillow is not needed.

- When turning, the whole body, including the arms, has to rotate. This perimeter is 115 to 130 cm. With the method of this invention, the arms are excluded from the perimeter of the body, the perimeter is now smaller and the resulting displacement is smaller.

- An important advantage of the mattress described here is that snoring is reduced because a person can now remain lying on his/her side for much longer periods of time than before.

- This invention provides a great relief especially to the elderly and those who suffer periodically or permanently from shoulder, back, or spinal column pain.

- An additional possibility for couples lying down, is that shoulders and arms enter the cavity and the two come very close to each other, thus taking advantage of the closeness.

Claims

1. Mattress having cavities into which cavities enter protruding body members of the persons lying down and out of which cavities the one cavity is perpendicular to the length of the body, it extends vertically and is adjustable in depth, length and width, taking up part or all of the width of the mattress, thus separating the mattress in two parts, the main part that supports the body, and the part that supports the head, the latter of which parts is adjustable in height and can move along the longitudinal axis of the mattress in order to broaden or narrow the cavity into which the shoulder and arm can enter, while the next cavity, which is, also, variable in depth and width, starts at the level of the hip, takes the required shape of the leg, be that straight or bent, and into which cavity the leg may enter, other cavities may, also, be added for serving similar needs of other body members.

2. Mattress for beds according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the cavity at shoulder level may extend underneath the main or the small part of the mattress so that the user can select the most comfortable position.

3. Mattress for beds with cavities, according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that bumps can come out of the cavities, such bumps being characterized by the fact that they have the appropriate shape and height to match the corresponding cavities of the human body.

4. Mattress for beds according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the cavities are adjustable in depth, width and length by means of common mechanisms in order to produce the needed space for in-coming body members.