Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C23/00—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases
  • A47C23/04—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases using springs in compression, e.g. coiled
  • A47C23/05—Frames therefor; Connecting the springs to the frame ; Interconnection of springs, e.g. in spring units
• • 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
  • A47C27/04—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with spring inlays
  • A47C27/05—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with spring inlays with padding material, e.g. foamed material, in top, bottom, or side 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
  • A47C27/001—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with several cushions, mattresses or the like, to be put together in one cover
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C23/00—Spring mattresses with rigid frame or forming part of the bedstead, e.g. box springs; Divan bases; Slatted bed bases
  • A47C23/007—Edge stiffeners
• • 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
  • A47C27/04—Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas with spring inlays
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/04—Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
  • C08L23/06—Polyethene

Definitions

• the invention relates to a mattress.
• the invention relates, but is not limited, to a flexible mattress which has articulating edge supported side walls for use on adjustable bed bases, or the like.
• Mattresses are often used on bed bases, or the like, for resting and sleeping. There are various mattress constructions providing different characteristics. Innersprung mattresses, which are formed of a plurality of springs arranged between a mattress base and upper, have been found to be particularly popular.
• Such mattresses may have an edge support that improves rigidity and durability of the mattress.
• the edge support can take many forms, from an edge wire of the springs, to a full perimeter border constructed from dense polyurethane foam.
• Such edge supports aim reduce 'roll-out' and provides a durable seating edge on the sides and/or ends of the mattress.
• One fairly unique way of providing edge support comprises thermally-welded polyethylene side walls to a polyethylene base to form a single integrated base and edge support system.
• Adjustable bed bases where one or more portions of the bed base, typically one of the ends, can be raised and lowered, are increasing in popularity. Such adjustable bases have been known in the hospital industry for some time, but, they are now becoming available in the domestic bedding market.
• the mattress As the adjustable bed base changes shape, the mattress is bent from a substantially flat planar shape towards one that generally matches the contours of the bed base.
• a problem of attempting to adjust a mattress with edge support is that the edge support is designed to be rigid and is not well suited to being bent. Although this issue applies to all edge support systems, it has been identified as being particularly problematic for the aforementioned polyethylene side walls edge support systems.
• a mattress comprising:
• end walls are affixed to the base.
• side walls are affixed to the base.
• the plurality of edge segments are affixed to the base.
• the base comprises a polyethylene plank.
• at least one of the end walls and side walls are made from polyethylene.
• the edges are made from a low density polyethylene foam.
• the edges are thermally welded to the base.
• each of the edge segments comprise a side wall portion and a transverse portion.
• the transverse portion curves from the side wall portion.
• the transverse portion is substantially perpendicular to the side wall portion.
• the transverse portion extends into the cavity of the mattress.
• the transverse portion forms a trailing edge of the edge segment, and preferably a leading edge of the edge segment is tapered.
• the leading edge of the edge segment is resiliently flexible.
• each of the edge segments comprise an anchor.
• the anchor is configured to anchor the edge segment to the mattress support.
• the anchor extends transverse to the side wall portion.
• the anchor extends substantially parallel to the transverse portion.
• the anchor comprises a stem portion and a head portion.
• the stem portion is elongated.
• the head portion is enlarged relative to the stem portion.
• the head portion comprises at least one barb.
• the head portion comprises two barbs.
• the head portion comprises two opposed barbs.
• the anchor is substantially arrow shaped.
• the head portion of the anchor is resiliently flexible.
• each of the edge segments is integral.
• each of the edge segments is formed from a low density polyethylene foam extrusion.
• the transverse portion is recessed from at least one of the top and bottom of the side wall.
• the anchor is recessed from at least one of the top and bottom of the side wall.
• the transverse portion and anchor are both recessed from both the top and bottom of the side wall.
• edge segments are affixed to the base such that the leading edge of an edge segment overlaps at least a portion of the transverse portion of an adjacent edge segment.
• edge segments are fixed relative to each other adjacent the base and are movable relative to each other adjacent the upper surface.
• adjacent edge segments are movable relative to each other along substantially the entire length of their leading and trailing edges.
• the edge segments are located between corner members.
• the corner members comprise anchors.
• the anchors are the same as, or at least substantially the same as, the anchors for the edge segments.
• the corner members extend along a portion of one end wall and one side wall.
• the base and upper surface are substantially rectangular.
• the side walls are substantially parallel to each other.
• the end walls are substantially parallel to each other.
• the side walls are longer than the end walls.
• the side walls and end walls extend around a perimeter of the base and the upper surface.
• the mattress support comprises a spring unit.
• the spring unit comprises a plurality of springs.
• the springs comprise helical wires biased between the base and the upper surface.
• the base, side walls, and end walls form an integral casing that contains the spring unit.
• the spring unit is encased on five of its sides by the integral casing.
• Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a base, side walls, and end walls of a mattress including articulating edge segments along both the side walls and the end walls;
• Figure 2 illustrates a top plan view of the side walls and end walls of figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of a single edge segment of figure 1 ;
• Figure 4 illustrates a top plan view of the edge segment of figure 3;
• Figure 5 illustrates a top plan view of an edge segment being inserted into a portion of a spring unit
• Figure 6 illustrates the edge segment of figure 5 after insertion into the spring unit
• Figure 7 illustrates the edge segment of figure 6 resisting withdrawal from the spring unit
• Figure 8 illustrates a side elevation view of three overlapping edge segments in a flat configuration
• Figure 9 illustrates a top plan view of the three edge segments of figure 8.
• Figure 10 illustrates a side elevation view of three overlapping edge segments in a curved configuration
• Figure 1 1 illustrates a top plan view of the three edge segments of figure 1 0.
• Figures 1 and 2 illustrates a portion of a mattress 10 having a base 100, two substantially parallel side walls 200, and two substantially parallel end walls 300 defining a cavity 400 therein.
• the side walls 200 and end walls 300 are affixed to the base 100, preferably thermally welded thereto, to form a substantially rectangular shaped integral casing for a suitably shaped mattress support (not shown) which is preferably in the form of a spring unit comprising a plurality of helical coil springs biased between the base the an upper surface (not shown for clarity).
• both the side walls 200 and end walls 300 comprise edge support system 500 having a plurality of overlapping edge segments 510.
• the overlapping edge segments 510 are located between corner members 550 that each extend partially along one side wall 200 and one end wall 300.
• the overlapping edge segments 510 may be provided in only one of the side walls 200 and end walls 300. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the size and shape of the mattress 10 can be altered by adjusting the number of edge segments 510 in the side walls 200 and end walls 300. In this regard, for a single sized bed the edge segments 510 in the end walls 300 of the mattress 1 0 illustrated in figures 1 and 2 are removed entirely such that adjacent the corner members 550 meet along, and define, the end walls 300.
• FIGS 3 and 4 show an edge segment 510 in greater detail.
• Each edge segment 51 0 comprises a side wall portion 512 and a transverse portion 514 that curves inward into the cavity 400 of the mattress 10, as seen in figures 1 and 2, from the side wall portion 51 2.
• the transverse portion 514 is substantially perpendicular to the side wall portion 512 and forms a trailing edge of the edge segment 51 0.
• At an opposite side of the edge segment 51 0 to the transverse portion 514 is a leading edge 51 6 which is tapered.
• the edge segment 51 0 also has an anchor 51 8 that extends substantially perpendicularly from an inner side of the side wall portion 51 2.
• the anchor 518 has an elongated stem portion 520 and a head portion 522 that is enlarged relative to the stem portion 520.
• the head portion has two opposed barbs 524 configured such that the anchor 518 is substantially arrow shaped.
• the edge segment 510 is integral, preferably formed from a single piece of extruded low density polyethylene foam. Both the transverse portion 514 and anchor 518 are recessed from the top and bottom of the side wall portion 512.
• the edge segment 510 is resiliently flexible, with the thinner tapered portion of the leading edge 516 being a region of increased flexibility.
• Figure 5 to 7 illustrate an edge segment 510 being inserted and withdrawn from a portion of a spring unit 600.
• the anchor 518 of the edge segment 510 is inserted between two adjacent spring coils 610.
• the barbs 524 fold backwards and compress as they are forced between the spring coils 61 0 to enable the enlarged heard portion 522 to fit therebetween.
• the stem portion 520 is located between the spring coils 610, and the resiliently flexible head portion 522 returns to its original shape such that the barbs 524 extend beyond, and retain, the spring coils 610.
• the anchor 518 prevents withdrawal and separation of the edge segment 510 from the spring unit 600 as illustrated in figure 7.
• Figures 8 and 9 illustrate three edge segments 51 0 when the mattress 10 is in a flat, substantially planar, configuration.
• the edge segments are aligned linearly (as seen in figure 8) with the leading edge 516 of one segment overlapping the transverse portion 514 of an adjacent segment (as seen in figure 9).
• Figures 1 0 and 1 1 illustrate what happens when the mattress 10 is bent, such as due to an adjustable bed base being inclined, the edge segments 510 articulate to follow the bend.
• the edge segments 51 0 are affixed to the base 100 and, accordingly, the edge segments 510 are fixed relative to each other adjacent the base.
• the edge segments 510 are not affixed along their leading edges 51 6 or transverse portions 514 and, accordingly, the edge segments 510 are movable relative to each other along substantially the entire length of their leading and trailing edges. This enables the amount of overlap 510' between adjacent edge segments 510 to be increased as illustrated in figure 10.
• Figure 1 1 illustrates how the edge segments 510 deform and overlap during such a bend while retaining a relative flat side wall.
• the edge support system 500 provides the mattress 10 with a well supported flat side wall 300 in both a flat configuration (e.g. as shown in figures 8 and 9) and a bent configuration (e.g. as shown in figures 1 0 and 1 1 ). This is achieved by having overlapping edge segments 510 that can vary the amount of overlap 510' as the mattress 10 is bent (e.g. compare figures 8 and 10).
• the base 1 00 can bend as desired, typically by responding to movement of an adjustable bed base, and the edge segments 510 can vary the overlap 510' to accommodate the bend without bulging or rolling out.
• the mattress 1 0 of the present invention provides an edge support feature that remains firmly supportive throughout bending of the mattress on an adjustable foundation, while also providing a flat, tailored finish for the side of the mattress.
• the anchors 51 8 also enable the side walls 200 and end walls 300 to be held securely to the spring unit 600, at all times, even during bending, or the like.
• the terms 'comprises', 'comprising', 'includes', 'including', or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method, system or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Mattresses And Other Support Structures For Chairs And Beds (AREA)

Priority Applications (11)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=61299547

Family Applications (1)

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Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (20)

• 2017
  • 2017-08-25 MY MYPI2019001060A patent/MY193499A/en unknown
  • 2017-08-25 JP JP2019512686A patent/JP7086941B2/ja active Active
  • 2017-08-25 AU AU2017322092A patent/AU2017322092B2/en active Active
  • 2017-08-25 GB GB1903258.0A patent/GB2568010B/en active Active
  • 2017-08-25 WO PCT/AU2017/050910 patent/WO2018039708A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2017-08-25 NZ NZ751658A patent/NZ751658A/en unknown
  • 2017-08-25 US US16/328,868 patent/US11160387B2/en active Active
  • 2017-08-25 CN CN201780062157.9A patent/CN109803562B/zh active Active
  • 2017-08-25 KR KR1020197008716A patent/KR102398238B1/ko active Active
  • 2017-08-25 SG SG11201901680TA patent/SG11201901680TA/en unknown
• 2019
  • 2019-02-28 PH PH12019500448A patent/PH12019500448A1/en unknown
  • 2019-03-04 ZA ZA2019/01343A patent/ZA201901343B/en unknown

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