Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
  • A47C27/14—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with foamed material inlays
  • A47C27/20—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with foamed material inlays with springs moulded in, or situated in cavities or openings in foamed material
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
  • A47C27/08—Fluid mattresses or cushions
  • A47C27/081—Fluid mattresses or cushions of pneumatic type
  • A47C27/084—Fluid mattresses or cushions of pneumatic type self inflating
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
  • A47C27/08—Fluid mattresses or cushions
  • A47C27/088—Fluid mattresses or cushions incorporating elastic bodies, e.g. foam
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
  • A47C27/14—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with foamed material inlays
  • A47C27/15—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with foamed material inlays consisting of two or more layers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C27/00—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
  • A47C27/14—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with foamed material inlays
  • A47C27/18—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with foamed material inlays in combination with inflatable bodies

Definitions

• This invention relates to an interactively modulable support apparatus, such as a mattress, having a layer of pressure adjustable self-inflating, open- cell, flexible polyurethane foam core and a layer of mattress spring coils. Both layers are independently adjustable as to softness/hardness, but also interactively modulable in the way that adjustment of the foam core layer modifies the characteristics of the coil spring layer.
• This invention is a multiple layer combination mattress.
• One or more layers are self-inflating elastomeric open-cell polyurethane foam and another layer is a section having mechanical coil springs therein.
• Both layers are individually, as well as interactively adjustable as to their hardness and softness (indentation force deflection - IFD) and support (density).
• IFD indentation force deflection - IFD
• support density
• Prior art mattressess exists having a coil spring core and one or more foam zones.
• the foam layers typically have different density and IFD ratings to accommodate the weight of various parts of the body, such as the head, shoulders, middle body, and feet.
• the coil spring core supports the layers of foam and is surrounded by a quilted fabric or ticking which is serves as outer decoration as well as holds the parts of the mattress together as one whole mattress.
• Arpin discloses a firmness adjustment for mattresses involving a standard coil spring mattress wherein standard coil springs are enclosed by a loosely fitting airtight cover.
• Arpin does not mention any open-cell, self-inflating foam varieties, nor does he teach any combination of coil and foam cores in a mattress.
• US Patent No. 3,872,525 and No. 4,025,974 to Lea discloses a self- inflating air mattress/mat including an airtight flexible envelope which encloses a core of resilient, open cell, lightweight foam material, substantially the entire upper and lower portions of which are bonded to the envelope. The air within can be removed by compressing the structure whereby the foam layer collapses, allowing the mat to be rolled up into a compact package.
• US Patent No. 4,944,060 illustrates a mattress having a plurality of discrete, air permeable cells which are to some extent hydrophobic.
• the mattress uses pressurized air to inflate the mattress, and does not use any foam core.
• US Patent No. 6,098, 378 discloses a method of packaging a single mattress to a small size to be conveniently carried.
• the foam mattress is compressed to fit into a hard container for shipment.
• the mattress is extracted and expands to its original shape.
• the present invention modulates
• the invention results from the realization that a combination of a self-inflating,
• adjustable density, variable IFD, open-cell flexible polyurethane foam core with a mattress layer having coils therein greatly enhances the versatility of mattress combinations, offering great variety in adjustable levels of comfort.
• the present invention uses, in the context of mattress manufacturing, the fact that the Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) and density properties of a certain
• 105 quality range of flexible open-cell polyurethane foam can be modulated by removing some of the air from within the foam cells and altering the cellular structure of the foam core.
• High density foam (such as visco-elastic foam) provides great comfort but is significantly more expensive.
• the focal teaching of this invention is how to
• IFD and density modulation are achieved by manipulating flexible polyurethane foam or material of similar characteristics.
• This art teaches that this material is fashioned in a particular form and that it has to be of a composition as to permit the extraction of air in the alveolate structure in a
• This invention involves different reversible mattress combinations that one or more users may adjust differentially and individually to his or her liking, depending which side of the
• the present invention can use a fan-style vacuum pump to draw air out of the foam core to double its density and to reduce its IFD value considerably. After only a few seconds of the pump's operation the foam feels like a high density, resilient foam with an IFD of under 20, supported by an equally
• the structure of this combination allows the mattress cores to be used in two horizontally juxtaposed orientations. Either the foam part of the mattress faces upwards or the coil part of the mattress faces upwards. This is decided by the user of the mattress. In particular, air can be exhausted from the foam
• the coil core combination of the mattress combination may additionally be compressed by evacuating the air of the chamber containing the coils which would result in increasing the hardness of that part of the mattress but would also affect the adjacent foam core. This interactivity in adjustability contributes greatly to the versatility of such a mattress
• the basic configuration of this invention which comes in a broad variety of combinations between foam and spring coil cores and compartments, takes the form of a mattress with layer combinations comprising an airtight cover chamber enclosing at least one core of self-
• the mattress combination comprises two cores of self-inflating polyurethane foam placed
• At least one core of self- inflating polyurethane foam of the mattress combination just described is
• the coil spring core is enclosed in a further additional airtight chamber having a same valve 200 arrangement as the other additional airtight chambers, all additional airtight chambers being enclosed in the airtight cover chamber.
• the core of self-inflating polyurethane foam is vertically subdivided into at least two longitudinal or 205 transversal sections, and the additional airtight chamber for said core is replaced by individual additional airtight chambers for each of said sections, each chamber having a same valve arrangement as full size additional airtight chambers.
• valve or valves fitted to each additional 210 airtight chamber and to the airtight cover chamber may comprise one or more air permeable distancing elements, keeping any adjacent materials from obstructing airflow through the valve or valves.
• Fig. 1 shows one airtight chamber, two cores and a single valve with an air permeable distancing element
• Fig. 2 shows one airtight chamber, three cores with a single valve with an air permeable distancing element
• 220 Fig. 3 shows two airtight chambers, two cores, two valves, and two air permeable distancing elements
• Fig. 4 shows three airtight chambers, three cores, three valves and three air permeable distancing elements
• Fig. 5 shows three airtight chambers, two cores, three valves and three air 225 permeable distancing elements
• Fig. 6 shows subdivided chambers with a valve each;
• Fig. 7 shows a 4-chamber mattress in a cut-away view;
• Fig. 8 shows a coil foam mattress in the present invention with weights placed on the surface;
• 230 Fig.9 shows a coil foam mattress in the present invention when weights are removed from the surface with the valve closed;
• Fig.10 and 11 shows the same combination mattress in different states of self-inflation with one or more valves and one or more air permeable distancing elements;
• Fig. 1 shows one airtight chamber with two cores inside.
• Chamber (A) is the main airtight cover chamber constituting the overall mattress.
• 240 section (B) is a self-inflating foam core (SF1), above which is placed a coil spring core (C) with a number of coil springs (11), normally placed in individual fabric sleeves (not shown). Above and below the coil spring core, protective layers (14) are provided to prevent the ends of the coil springs from protruding into a person lying on top of the chamber (A) and into the foam
• An air permeable distancing element (13) prevents adjacent materials from obstructing the valves. When air is exhausted through the valve, the foam core (SF1) will be
• Fig. 2 shows a combination mattress with one airtight cover chamber
• Fig. 3 shows a mattress combination with two chambers: an airtight cover chamber (A) with wall (30), and an additional airtight chamber (B) inside.
• (B) is completely self-contained and envelopes a self-inflating foam core (SF1).
• the upper part of chamber (A) contains a coil spring core (37)
• Valve (34) leads to the interior of chamber (B) by penetrating both wall (30) of the overall chamber and wall (36) of chamber (B). Both valves have air permeable distancing elements (32 and 35) attached to their interior end to prevent valve-clogging by foam or cover material.
• This mattress combination can be used on both sides. If so desired, the coil spring core can be used to lay on because of a desire of reclining on a harder surface, or the foam core side can be used because of a softer surface. When air is evacuated from the foam core (SF1) in chamber (B), both chambers will be rendered softer because of the falling IFD value in
• Fig. 4 shows a mattress combination with three chambers.
• the first (A) is an airtight cover chamber (40).
• Inside (A) are two additional airtight chambers (B and C), each having a self-inflating polyurethane core (SF1 and
• Chambers (B and C) also have independent valves (45 and 46), which pass through both chamber walls into the interior of their respective foam core chamber, and each valve has an air permeable distancing element (47 and 48) attached. Through these air can be evacuated either from both chambers (B and C) simultaneously or
• the sandwiched coil spring layer will be interactively modulated, since compression of either or both chambers (B) and (C) will result in a further extension of the springs.
• Fig. 5 shows a three chamber (A, B and C) combination mattress. (A)
• the 305 is the overall chamber enveloping the other two (B and C) and has sealed wall (50).
• the lower chamber (B) is filled with a self-inflating polyurethane foam core (SF1), enveloped in its own hermetically sealed cover (59).
• SF1 self-inflating polyurethane foam core
• Inside the upper chamber (C) is a traditional coil spring core (51) and it also is hermetically sealed by its own cover (58).
• the coil spring core (51) has a
• the overall chamber (A) has a valve (56) placed therein and through its own wall (50), fitted with an air permeable distancing element (57) on the interior, which prevents the cover (58) of chamber (C) from being drawn into the valve when the air is being evacuated from this chamber.
• Chamber (C) also has its own
• valve with air permeable distancing element (52) which passes through both walls (50) of chamber (A) and (58) of (C).
• Chamber (B) also has its own valve (54) passing through wall (50) of chamber (A) and wall (59) of chamber (B).
• Valve (54) is equally fitted with an air permeable distancing element to prevent the foam and covering from being drawn into the valve when air is
• 320 evacuated from the foam core (SF1), and it serves, in the opposite case, to distance the foam and cover from the valve when the foam core is allowed to self-inflate.
• the versatility of this mattress combination resides in the fact that all three valves can be operated selectively to increase or decrease the respective softness and hardness of the various cores or to decompress the
• both chambers (B) and (C) will be compressed by the outer cover (50) and expel air, provided the respective chamber valves are open, resulting in the coil springs being harder to compress while the foam core will soften.
• the mattress can be used on either side if so desired.
• Fig. 6 shows a mattress combination with 5 chambers which are hermetically sealed from each other.
• Overall chamber (A) with side wall (60) encloses four other chambers (B, C1 , C2 and C3).
• Chamber (B) envelopes a traditional coil spring core (61) within its own sealed wall. .Below it are placed three smaller self-inflating foam (SF) sections (C1 , C2 and C3), each
• Chamber (A) has its own valve (62), combined with an air permeable distancing element (62a).
• Chamber (B) has its own valve (63) which passes through wall (60) of the outer chamber and through its own wall.
• modulable foam core chambers control various areas of hardness and softness of the coil spring layer, corresponding to upper, middle and lower body, thus greatly enhancing the versatility of the mattress.
• Fig. 7 shows a mattress combination in a cut-away view, consisting of four chambers.
• An outer chamber with wall (70) fully encloses and
• A, B, and C hermetically seals three inner chambers (A, B, and C).
• B is the lower chamber with its own wall (72), enclosing a self-inflating foam core (SF1). So is upper chamber (C) with wall (71), enveloping self-inflating foam core (SF2).
• the fourth chamber (A) with its own wall (79) envelops a traditional coil spring core, and it is sandwiched between chambers (B) and (C).
• 360 core has protective layers (74) placed one above and one below the spring ends.
• valves All four chambers are fitted with valves to selectively evacuate air.
• Valve (75) in cover (70) is fitted with an air permeable distancing element (75a) to avoid being blocked by wall (79) of chamber (A) when air is
• 370 chamber (C) with sealed cover (71) completely envelopes the self-inflating foam core (SF2). It has valve (76) with anti-clogging, air permeable, distancing element (76a), leading from its interior through its own wall (71) and through outer wall (70), so that only air from this chamber can be evacuated.
• Fig. 8 shows one configuration of the present invention with weights
• Fig. 9 shows the same configuration as in Fig. 8 but with one weight removed (W1), the valve (94) is closed, and the foam core (92) and surface
• valve 400 Fig. 10 shows a foam coil combination mattress in its compressed and deflated state with one or more valves (101) (102) fitted onto the chamber wall (100) and one or more air permeable distancing elements (103 shown only) to prevent clogging.
• Valve (102) is larger than valve (101) and may be used for rapid inflation whereas valve (101) may be used to modulate the
• Fig, 11 shows the same foam coil combination mattress in its inflated state with one or more inflation valves (1101 & 1102) and one or more air permeable distancing elements (1103 shown only) to prevent clogging.

Landscapes

• Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging Apparatus (AREA)
• General Induction Heating (AREA)
• Magnetic Treatment Devices (AREA)
• Materials For Medical Uses (AREA)
• Biological Treatment Of Waste Water (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=32104591

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (8)

• 2002
  • 2002-09-23 CN CN02829640.0A patent/CN1668229A/zh active Pending
  • 2002-09-23 EP EP02772641A patent/EP1569540B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-09-23 JP JP2004544509A patent/JP2005537902A/ja active Pending
  • 2002-09-23 WO PCT/IB2002/003936 patent/WO2004034852A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-09-23 DE DE60226519T patent/DE60226519D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-09-23 AU AU2002337399A patent/AU2002337399A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-09-23 AT AT02772641T patent/ATE394048T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (8)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events