Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C21/00—Attachments for beds, e.g. sheet holders, bed-cover holders; Ventilating, cooling or heating means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses
  • A47C21/04—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating
  • A47C21/042—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating for ventilating or cooling
  • A47C21/046—Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating for ventilating or cooling without active means, e.g. with openings or heat conductors
• • 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
  • A47C27/002—Mattress or cushion tickings or covers
  • A47C27/007—Mattress or cushion tickings or covers permeable to liquid or air in a special way
• • 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
  • A47C27/12—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with fibrous inlays, e.g. made of wool, of cotton
  • A47C27/124—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with fibrous inlays, e.g. made of wool, of cotton with feathers, down or similar inlays

Definitions

• Mattress comprising an active heat absorbing/releasing layer in combination with a spacer material layer
• the present invention relates to a mattress.
• the human body goes through different phases, and in these phases the body temperature varies both as a result of internal temperature changes in the body during sleep and because of variations of the temperature in the surroundings. These temperature variations disturb the sleep. It is especially important in connection with the sleep that the most important phase - the REM phase - is undisturbed, because in this phase the brain is recharged and prepared for the next waken period.
• Another effect of the tem- perature changes is that the quilt covering the person is kicked of during sleep, which often results in the person waking up later by freezing. Further, the temperature changes might also result in a sweaty, wet mattress. In both cases the temperature change does not only disturb the sleep, but might also result in sickness.
• microencapsulated phase change materials have been described as a suitable component for substrate coatings when exceptional heat transfer and storage capabilities are desired.
• microencapsulated phase change materials have been described as a suitable component for inclusion in fibres, when excep- tional heat transfer and storage capabilities are desired.
• a fibre with integral micro spheres filled with phase change material or plastic crystals has enhanced thermal properties at predetermined temperatures. This document further teaches that such fibres may be woven to form a fabric having the enhanced thermal storage properties.
• phase change materials have the capability of absorbing or releasing thermal energy to reduce or eliminate heat transfer at the temperature stabilizing range of the particular temperature stabilizing material.
• the phase change material inhibits or stops the flow of thermal energy through the coating during the time where the phase change material is absorbing or releasing heat, typically during the material's change of phase. This action is transient, i.e. it will be effective as a barrier to thermal energy until the total latent heat of the temperature stabilizing material is absorbed or released during the heating or cooling process.
• Thermal energy may be stored or removed from the phase change material, and can effectively be recharged by a source of heat or cold.
• a substrate can be coated or a fibre manufactured incorporating a phase change material for use in a particular application where the stabilization of temperatures is desired.
• phase change material has the ability of absorbing and releasing heat to/from said body depending on the temperature of the body during sleep and by using phase change material in the mattress, it is the intention that temperature variations of the body should be minimised during sleep.
• a problem with this solution is that during sleep moist from the body is generated and the moist is then absorbed in the layer following in the phase change material which typically either is the core of the mattress or a layer of synthetic filling between the core and the phase change material. The moist decreases the effect of the phase change material considerably, whereby the introduction of the phase change material does not sufficiently solve the problem of minimising the temperature variations during sleep.
• US 2002/0164474 describes a composite material for cooling and insulating a user in a cold environment where the material i.a. provides a path for evaporation or direct absorption of perspiration from the skin of the wearer an where one application of the composite material is described as a metabolic heating or cooling blanket useful for treating hypothermia or fever patients and therapeutic heating or cooling orthopaedic joint supports.
• WO 2005/016074 describes a temperature regulating mat having a basic mat structure with compartments filled with Phase Change Materials which allow the mat to operate at a stable temperature defined by the mat's use being, principally, to keep people cool in hot environments.
• a mattress comprising a support element, wherein said support element is covered by a first layer of a material having temperature regulating properties by absorbing and releasing heat and a second layer of spacer material.
• the temperature regulating material can be used to fulfill the quite strict requirement to temperature variation which is necessary in order to get an undisturbed sleep - and especially an undisturbed REM sleep.
• the temperature regulating material in the mattress it is avoided that the user gets sick, both because a better sleep improves the immune system and because the risk of the person unintentionally kicking of the quilt or making the mattress wet because of sweat is reduced. Further, since the risk of the mattress getting sweaty is reduced, the frequency of which the mattress and/or mattress covers have to be cleaned can be reduced.
• spacer material examples include distance mess, a 3mesh® product from M ⁇ ller Textil. By using this product it is possible to adjust the hardness and the spring characteristics.
• the temperature regulating material comprises a phase change material. This material has proven to be a good material to be used on a mattress and can be adapted to optimally minimize the temperature variations in temperature ranges around the human body temperature.
• the mattress further comprises a third layer of down above said second layer.
• down filling has very good moist absorbing properties, and this therefore further reduces the moist and improves the functionality of the phase change layer.
• the mattress further comprises a fourth layer of spacer material, said fourth layer positioned on the opposite site of the support element than the second layer, whereby each spacer material covers each side of said support element. This ensures that moist from both sides of said mattress is minimized because of a possible air circulation around the mattress.
• the third layer of down comprise goose downs.
• Goose downs have proven to be very good at absorbing moist, whereby the functionality of the temperature regulating material is improved.
• the second layer has a thickness between 3 mm and 50 mm.
• the third layer has a thickness between 1 mm and 20 mm.
• the mattress further comprises at least one cover layer. This protects the layer of phase change material
• figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a mattress according to the present in- vention
• figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of a mattress according to the present invention
• figure 3 illustrates the functionality of the mattress according to the present invention
• figure 4 illustrates the human body temperature variations when using a mattress according to the present invention compared to the human body tem- perature variations when using prior art mattresses
• figure 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a mattress according to the present invention
• figure 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a mattress according to the present invention
• figure 7 illustrates the functionality of the mattress according to the embodiment of the mattress illustrated in figure 6.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a mattress according to the present invention.
• the mattress 101 is in contact with a large part of the human body 103 during sleep.
• a cross section of the mattress 101 is illustrated at 102.
• the mattress comprises a support element 105, e.g. a core based on foam and/or springs, wherein the support element is covered by a first layer of a material having temperature regulating properties such as phase change material 107 and a second layer of spacer material 109
• a top mattress to be placed on top of an existing spring based mattress could comprise the second layer of spacer material and the first layer of temperature regulating material. Further, a layer could be provided above the temperature regulating material 107 to protect the temperature regulating layer.
• FIG 2 another embodiment of a mattress according to the present inven- tion is illustrated, here beside the first layer of temperature regulating material 207, the mattress comprises a third layer of down 201 positioned between the spacer material layer 209 and the support element 205.
• the functionality of the mattress according to the present invention is illustrated.
• the human body is illustrated at 301
• the temperature regulating material is illustrated at 303
• the spacer material layer is illustrated at 305.
• the temperature of the human body 301 increases, the extra heat is stored in the temperature regulating layer 303, and the body temperature is lowered.
• the body temperature of the human body 301 decreases, the stored extra heat is released from the temperature regulating layer 303 whereby the body temperature is raised.
• the spacer material layer makes it possible for air circulation, which minimises moist from the surroundings and moist released from the human body 301.
• the human body temperature variations when using mattresses according to the present invention are compared to the human body temperature variations when using prior art mattresses.
• the body temperature is shown on the horizontal axis.
• the body temperature when using a prior art mattress is illustrated by the curve 405, whereas the body temperature when using a mattress according to the present invention is illustrated by the curve 403.
• the interval 401 on the vertical axis is the interval defined as the optimal sleeping tem- perature.
• FIG 5 another embodiment of a mattress according to the present invention is illustrated, here, beside the first layer of temperature regulating material 507, the mattress comprises a third layer and a fourth layer of spacer material 501 , 503 on each side of the support element 505.
• cover layers 601 , 603 are positioned as the outer parts on each side of the mattress
• FIG 7 the functionality of the mattress according to the embodiment of the mattress shown in figure 6 is illustrated.
• the human body is illustrated at 701
• the temperature regulating material is illustrated at 703
• the down layer is illustrated at 705.
• the third and fourth layers of spacer material 707, 709 are illustrated on each side of the support element 708.
• the stored extra heat is released from the temperature regulating layer 703 whereby the body temperature is raised.
• the down layer being a very effective moist absorber, absorbs moist from the surroundings and moist released from the human body 701.
• the spacer material layers 707, 709 allow air circulation through the mattress and thereby further minimize the amount of moist.
• the mattresses can be filled uniquely, e.g. based on the climate in which the mattress is to be used and based on the comfort temperature of the human being intending to use the mattress.

Landscapes

• Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)
• Bedding Items (AREA)
• Invalid Beds And Related Equipment (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=42937862

Family Applications (2)

Family Applications After (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (15)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (18)

• 2005
  • 2005-05-19 DK DK200500729A patent/DK176827B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-05-19 DK DK200500728A patent/DK176826B1/da not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-12-06 US US11/294,898 patent/US20060260058A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2006
  • 2006-05-17 WO PCT/DK2006/000267 patent/WO2006122556A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-05-17 AU AU2006246831A patent/AU2006246831B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-05-17 EP EP06742422A patent/EP1895874B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-05-17 AU AU2006246830A patent/AU2006246830B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2006-05-17 JP JP2008511557A patent/JP5242383B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-05-17 US US11/659,522 patent/US20080028517A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-05-17 JP JP2008511556A patent/JP2008539997A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-05-17 EP EP06722949A patent/EP1898751B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2006-05-17 WO PCT/DK2006/000266 patent/WO2006122555A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
• 2007
  • 2007-12-06 NO NO20076293A patent/NO330552B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-12-06 NO NO20076289A patent/NO330551B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (7)

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