WO2019098818A1

WO2019098818A1 - Multilayer mattress

Info

Publication number: WO2019098818A1
Application number: PCT/MX2018/050023
Authority: WO
Inventors: María José HACES CASTRO
Original assignee: Shop Latino Network, S. De R.L. De C.V.
Priority date: 2017-11-17
Filing date: 2018-11-09
Publication date: 2019-05-23
Also published as: UY4708U; CN213757502U

Abstract

The invention relates to a multilayer mattress of polymer foams with microfibre-filled load cells, which prevent localised loads from being transmitted to the internal elements of the mattress to prevent the components thereof from deforming, and which, at the same time, facilitate the ventilation of the mattress, preventing the accumulation of moisture.

Description

MULTILAYER MATTRESS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a multilayer mattress and in particular, to a novel multilayer mattress that has a series of structural modifications that allow to distribute the weight of the user to provide greater comfort and to avoid the transmission of punctual loads on the internal layers thereof.

Background of the Invention

The vast majority of mattresses currently available on the market, are designed to include in its construction a series of internal reinforcements such as springs, straps or load cylinders, which prevent the mattress from collapsing due to the weight of the user. However, these reinforcements considerably increase the weight of the mattress and make it very rigid; for this reason the transfer of conventional mattresses is cumbersome and in many cases it is necessary to perform complicated maneuvers to be able to introduce them in small rooms.

On the other hand, the inclusion of said reinforcements often causes the mattress to deform with the passage of time, because some of the springs are dismembered and depressions are formed on its surface, or because they protrude from it. In addition to the above, the presence of these metallic elements causes internal corrosion with time and It makes cleaning operations very difficult, since the materials from which the mattress is built tend to retain moisture, and therefore accelerate the corrosion of internal reinforcements.

In order to overcome some of the inherent disadvantages of mattresses with internal reinforcement frame, a series of structural modifications have been developed to conventional mattresses which cover the internal reinforcements individually with waterproof materials or the use of plastic materials, to mention some examples. However, these alternatives still present wear problems associated with the transmission of point loads of conventional mattresses. To overcome this, the internal construction of the mattresses has been modified to use only sheets of cushioned materials that are stacked one on top of the other in order to form a sandwich structure and these mattresses have the advantage of being much lighter than frame mattresses of internal reinforcement. These mattresses commonly referred to as multilayer mattresses, has the advantage of being much more flexible than conventional mattresses, so they can be easily folded to allow their transport and storage, so they become an ideal option for small spaces. Examples of this type of development are shown, for example, in the patent application US 20140338131 which describes a multilayer mattress constituted by superimposed layers of polyurethane foams of decreasing densities. East sandwich type arrangement, is covered by a lining that prevents relative displacement between its components. However, this arrangement has serious technical disadvantages since it does not have means for the distribution of the load, so the user lying on the mattress easily transmits any movement to its entire surface; In addition, the upper layer does not have any type of modification that improves aeration, so moisture is retained in the mattress. Also, due to the lack of structural rigidity, the mattress lacks the adequate support to guarantee the rest of its user.

The patent application US 20090165213 Al, describes a laminated mattress that uses an arrangement of interleaved layers in which the lower layer has a much higher density than the subsequent layers. In addition to the above, it is specified that the mattress can be contained within a special enclosure to prevent its deformation. The construction of said mattress, however, does not allow to control the generation of point loads in the mattress, much less prevents the movements of the user to affect the entire surface thereof.

The patent US 8025964 B2, protects a viscoelastic foam mattress comprising at least three layers of materials of decreasing hardness and a cover covering the whole. However, due to its construction, the user when laying down applies enough pressure so that the effort reaches the lower layers, so in the long run The mattress will lose its initial shape, arising depressions on its upper layer.

The patent application US 20150082549 Al describes a multilayer mattress with an array of subsequent layers of increasing densities, in which the layers are covered by a liner that holds them in place. However, in this configuration there is no means to avoid the transfer of point charges to the internal layers, much less the use of memory layers that allow the mattress to return to its resting state after use.

Utility Model CN 2525880 Y, discloses a mattress having an intermediate layer of hollow fibers enclosed between two layers of fabric joined together by sutures. This mattress is a mattress that is not very resilient since it does not have structures that provide greater support, which could be considered more as a soft mattress. Also, this mattress has the disadvantage of not being able to be placed on a conventional bed base since it is not rigid enough to support the user without it feeling the reliefs of the surfaces where it is placed.

Utility Model CN 2838418 Y, describes a mattress with zero gravity effect, consisting of a fabric layer, a microfiber layer and a slow rebound sponge layer. Said mattress although it can mold to the contours The user does not have enough structural rigidity to act as a conventional mattress since it is easily deformable, which in the long run creates stability problems that trigger deformations in the slow rebound foam layer, since there is no type of layer resilient that allows the mattress to return to its original state.

The patent CN 103315560 B describes a mattress with an upper buffer layer, formed by two cap layers that enclose inside it a layer of hollow fibers that serves as a compressible element that allows the mattress to mold itself to the body of the user. However, this hollow fiber layer, when it is enclosed within the cap layers, can not conform adequately to the contours of the user, since the cap layers increase the rigidity of the structure because they are made of an elastomeric resin. Thermoplastics can not be molded correctly, let alone distribute loads in an adequate way along the entire surface of the mattress. In addition to this there is no reinforcing layer that prevents deformation of the mattress, much less there are subsequent layers that limit the transfer of movement to the other layers of the mattress.

The Utility Model CN 204970435 U describes a mattress to improve the blood circulation of the user, which is composed of 5 layers of different structural characteristics joined together by a system of tightening by straps. In said mattress the upper layer is made of a breathable material in sheet form that does not provide any structural advantage or load transfer; the second layer is a layer of Silicon foam with a density of between 60 to 80 Kg / m3, which as is well known in the state of the art, is a material too rigid so it can not be molded properly to the contours of the user. Moreover, this foam is conventionally used as a load base for other types of mattresses and not as a body support layer since its degree of stiffness is such that it transmits any movement to its entire surface. In addition to the above, said mattress presents a second layer of high resilience made of a density sponge between 30, 40 and 80 Kg / m3, so that the whole becomes too rigid to allow it to bend at will for its transport.

The patent application US 20130283537 Al, discloses a multilayer mattress that uses gel fibers to improve the absorption of loads by the mattress arrangement. In this arrangement, the upper layer is a conventional layer of fabric under which a layer of gel fibers is placed, these gel fibers are arranged in a disordered manner within said layer, so that the transfer of charges is not all symmetric In addition to this, because there are no limitations to the movement of said fiber layer, the mattress can lose its shape over time, leaving spaces with depressions caused by the migration of the fibers along the upper layer. Likewise, in said mattress there are no means for aerating the inferior layers, nor means to avoid the transfer of loads towards the base of the mattress.

None of the aforementioned mattresses can avoid the transfer of point loads to the inner layers of the same, much less have structural modifications that allow a free flow of air within their outer layers in order to facilitate the evacuation of moisture. Furthermore, the mattresses described above can not be adapted to the contours of the user's body and transmit the movement of the user in an uncontrolled manner over the entire surface.

In view of the above problems, there is a need to provide a low weight multilayer mattress that has structural modifications that allow it to avoid the transfer of point loads to the internal layers of the same, and that also allows to effectively evacuate the received humidity . Additionally, there is a need to provide a multi-layer mattress with an upper layer that fits perfectly to the user's contours in order to provide better support to its column and at the same time prevent the transmission of movement to other regions of the mattress.

Summary of the Invention

In order to overcome the disadvantages of the available mattresses, the present invention is aimed at provide a novel multilayer mattress that has load cells that avoid the transfer of point loads to the internal layers of the mattress.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide a multilayer mattress having means for spreading the load forces to which it is subjected by structural modifications in its upper layer.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a multilayer mattress that has air flow cells that allow evacuation of moisture from the mattress in order to prevent the passage of moisture towards the internal layers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multilayer mattress whose outer layers conform to the contours of the wearer's body and which can return to their original configuration once the user leaves the mattress.

The aforementioned objects, as well as others and the advantages of the present invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof.

Description of the Figures of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the mattress of the present invention in which a cut has been made to show the internal layers thereof. Figure 2 shows a top view of the mattress of the present invention in which the pattern formed on the load diffusion layer can be observed.

Figure 3 shows a bottom floor view, in which the anti-skid surface of the load diffusion layer is observed.

Figure 4 shows the system for opening the load diffusion layer of one of the embodiments of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention provides a novel multilayer mattress that has means to prevent the transfer of point charges to its internal layers and which also allows the weight of its user to be distributed in order to avoid the formation of pressure zones. Also, the present invention provides a novel mattress with the ability to allow a free passage of air in its upper layer that limits the accumulation of moisture and at the same time serves as a cushioning mechanism that allows the upper layer to adapt to the contours of the body of the body. user.

To achieve the above, the mattress of the present invention is formed by four consecutive layers which are: a base layer (1), an intermediate support layer (2), a top support layer (3) and a charge diffusion layer (4). These layers, as well as their construction and function will be described in more detail below.

Base layer

The base layer (1) is located in the lower part of the multilayer mattress arrangement of the present invention and is formed by a polymeric foam material having a density between 58 and 62 kg / m3 and a high resilience. Said base layer (1) has a thickness between 5 to 30 cm, said thickness being preferably between 10 and 15 cm. This layer provides structural rigidity to the mattress and prevents it from deforming; likewise, in case of folding the mattress for example during its transport, this base layer (1) returns the assembly to its resting state, so that the mattress maintains its shape independently of the substrate where it is placed. Also, in case the mattress is rolled to facilitate its transport, this layer allows the mattress to be returned to its fully extended state since it maintains a state memory in its internal cells that allows this layer to return to its original state.

Intermediate support layer,

The intermediate support layer (2) is attached directly to the base layer (1) by means of an adhesive or by thermal fusion; said layer is of a polymeric foam of density of between 30 to 34 Kg / m3 and a thickness of between 1 to 10 cm, preferably between 4 and 8 cm that serves as a central load element, distributing along all its surface any force received from the upper support layer (3) without deforming because it is a memory layer and also prevents the transmission of forces towards the base layer (1) preventing the latter from being deformed if an excessive weight is applied.

Top support layer

The upper support layer (3) is made of a polymeric foam with gel spheres, preferably of polyurethane foam with gel spheres, with a density of between 26 to 30 Kg / m3 and has a thickness of between 1 and 10 cm , preferably between 2 and 6 cm. This is located on the intermediate support layer (2). Said layer fulfills the function of adapting to the contours of the user returning to its original state once it rises and prevents the transmission of movement to other regions of the mattress. Additionally, this layer conforms to the contours of the user selectively compressing only those sites that receive the pressure of an object placed on it, without transmitting lateral forces.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the upper support layer (3) has a series of cylindrical cavities distributed throughout its entire surface. These cavities serve as flow paths for air and furthermore prevent the transmission of movement along the surface of the upper support layer (3). Likewise, said cavities allow the upper support layer (3) to conform better to the contours of the user's body in order to provide better support to his column.

Load diffusion layer

The load diffusion layer (4), in a preferred embodiment of the invention, completely covers the other three layers of the mattress and is hypoallergenic so it prevents the accumulation of mites and other allergens on its surface. Said load diffusion layer (4) in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises a lower base (a) having a non-skid pattern of siliconized material, which comes into direct contact with the base layer (1); four retaining sides (b), of textile material, which preferably but not limitatively have a height equal to the overall height of the three foam layers of the mattress and; an upper surface (c) formed by a bilayer of textile material having lines with a "V" shaped pattern (d) of aeration cells, with an opening angle of between 100 ° to 106 °, the length being the "V" posts between 13cm to 15cm so that a series of load cells containing a micro-fiber gel filling with a diameter of 8-9.85pm are delimited to the interior of the bilayer. The function of this layer is to prevent the transmission of point charges to the load layer superior at the same time that distributes the weight of the user along its entire surface molding to the user's body contours. Likewise, the load diffusion layer (4) allows a free flow of air through the aeration cells, so that the moisture that passes through the textile bilayer can be expelled from the filled interior, keeping the mattress cool. In this layer the distance between each pattern in the form of "V" can go from 17cm to 19cm, being preferably between 18.3 and 18.7cm.

In one of the embodiments of the present invention, the load diffusion layer (4) has an opening system (e) that runs along its entire perimeter; said system allows to remove the load diffusion layer in order to be able to wash it or exchange it for another one in case of wear. The opening system (e) can be any suitable or can be selected from the group consisting of closure, buttons, snaps, insurance, tapes, elastic tape, and sailboat. In this embodiment, the three internal layers of the mattress are covered by a textile lining (not shown) that keeps the set of internal layers joined together and also serves as a secondary barrier that prevents the passage of liquids inside the mattress, in case of that they cross the load diffusion layer (4).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the bilayer of textile material is treated to render it impermeable in order to prevent the passage of spilled liquids towards the layers internal mattresses.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the charge diffusion layer (4) comprises only the top surface (c) and a perimeter skirt having a height substantially less than the height of the internal layers of the mattress. Said perimeter skirt has at its free end means for fastening to the internal layers, such as ribbons, sailboat, brooches or an elastic band that compresses its walls in order to mold them to the end surfaces of any of the internal layers of the mattress.

In another embodiment of the invention, the load diffusion layer (4) comprises clamping strips that allow fixing said layer to the inner layers of the sucker so that most of the free surfaces of the sides of the three internal layers is uncovered, allowing a better aeration of the mattress.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the mattress comprises two load diffusion layers (4) arranged one above the other.

In a further embodiment of the mattress of the present invention, the load diffusion layer (4) can be placed on any mattress independently of its internal construction.

In order to demonstrate the technical characteristics of the mattress of the present invention, a comparative test was carried out between the multilayer mattress of the present invention against a conventional multilayer mattress marketed under the LUUNA® brand.

To carry out the comparative test between the two mattresses, a Tactilus® brand scanner was used to detect the pressure distribution. The sampling group consisted of a panel of 30 volunteers with a weight between 58 and 112 kg; each of the volunteers lay down for 20 minutes on each of the mattresses. The volunteers were asked to assess some of the properties of the mattresses, such as the mobility they allowed, the feeling of freshness and the adaptability of the mattress to their body. 86% of the volunteers did not generate significant pressure points on the mattress of the present invention, while 78% of the volunteers generated high pressure zones from the beginning of the test on the LUUNA® mattress. On the other hand, 69% of the volunteers rated that the mattress of the present invention maintained its position more actively without hardly requiring any effort on their part to maintain the posture selected for their rest; In contrast, the volunteers when testing the LUUNA® mattress argued that it was difficult to maintain a certain position on the mattress, since it moved too much, with 10% of them saying that the mattress absorbed them. All the panelists rated both mattresses as fresh and with no apparent heat generation. In addition to the above, the volunteers try to fall asleep in the mattresses sampled, the percentage of volunteers who found sleep in the mattress of the present invention being 76.6%, while only 20% of the volunteers managed to sleep over the LUUNA® mattress.

In conjunction with the aforementioned study, a comparison was made of one of the embodiments of the present invention in which the load diffusion layer (4) was placed on a conventional mattress with internal support structure of the Spring Air brand. ® against the same mattress without the layer and against the mattress of the present invention. As in the previous test, a Tactilus® brand scanner was used to detect the pressure distribution. The sampling group consisted of a panel of 30 volunteers with a weight between 75 and 80 kg; each of the volunteers lay down for 20 minutes on each of the mattresses. In this case, 79.4% of the volunteers expressed feeling more comfortable in the conventional mattress with the load diffusion layer placed; however, 86% of the volunteers generated pressure points on shoulders, heels and waist in said mattress without the load diffusion layer (4), while the same percentage of volunteers did not generate any significant pressure on the mattress of the present invention; comparatively 98% of the volunteers generated low specific points of pressure in the pelvic and lower lumbar area with the use of the load diffusion layer (4) on the conventional mattress. On the other hand, even when at the beginning of the test was not recorded high pressure points in the conventional mattress, at the end of the same 78% of volunteers generated high pressures in the regions corresponding to the pelvic and lumbar area. Regarding mobility on the mattress, 69% of the volunteers reported receiving better support in the conventional mattress; however, they reported fatigue after the test. Even so, 81.3% preferred the conventional mattress with the addition of the load diffusion layer (4) of the mattress of the present invention, for providing better support and a better sense of comfort.

The present invention has been described according to its preferred embodiments; however, it will be apparent to a technician with average knowledge in the matter, that modifications to the invention may be made, without departing from its spirit and scope.

Claims

RE IVINDICATIONS

1. A multi-layer mattress comprising a plurality of layers of polymeric foam, characterized in that it comprises: a) A base layer (1) of polymeric material having a density of between 58 and 62 kg / m3 and a thickness of between 5 a 30 cm;

b) an intermediate support layer (2) of polymeric material having a density of between 30 to 34 Kg / m3 and a thickness of between 1 to 10 cm;

c) a top support layer (3) of polymeric foam with gel spheres, having a density of between 26 to 30 Kg / m3 and a thickness of between 1 and 10 cm and;

d) a load diffusing layer (4) which is hypoallergenic and comprises: a lower base (a) having a non-skid pattern of silicone material; four retaining sides (b), of textile material, which preferably but not limitatively have a height equal to the overall height of the three foam layers of the mattress and; an upper surface (a) formed by a bilayer of textile material having lines with a pattern in the form of "V" (b) of aeration cells, with an opening angle of between 100 ° to 106 °, being the length of the "V" posts between 13cm to 15cm so that a series of load cells containing a micro-fiber gel filling with a diameter of 8-9.85pm are delimited to the interior of the bilayer.

2. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper support layer (3) has a series of cylindrical cavities distributed along the length and width of its entire surface that form air flow paths.

3. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between each pattern in the form of "V" is between 17cm to 19cm.

4. The mattress according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance between each pattern in the form of "V" is between 18.3 to 18.7cm

5. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the load diffusion layer (4) has an opening system (e) that runs along its entire perimeter.

6. The mattress according to claim 5, characterized in that the opening system (e) is selected from the group consisting of closure, buttons, fasteners, locks, tapes, elastic band, and sailboat.

7. The mattress according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that the three internal layers of the mattress are covered by a textile lining that keeps the set of internal layers joined together and also serves as a secondary barrier that prevents the passage of liquids inside the mattress.

8. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the bilayer of textile material is impermeable in order to prevent the passage of spilled liquids towards the internal layers of the mattress.

9. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the load diffusion layer (4) comprises only the upper surface (C) and a skirt. perimeter that has a height substantially less than the height of the internal layers of the mattress.

10. The mattress according to claim 9, characterized in that the perimeter skirt has at its free end means for fastening to internal layers, such as ribbons, sailboat, snaps or an elastic band that compresses its walls in order to mold them to the extreme surfaces of any of the inner layers of the mattress.

11. The mattress according to claim 9, characterized in that the load diffusion layer (4) comprises clamping strips that allow said layer to be fixed to the inner layers of the mattress in such a way that the greater part of the free surfaces of the mattress. the sides of the three inner layers is uncovered, allowing a better aeration of the mattress.

12. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the mattress comprises two load diffusion layers (4) arranged one on top of the other.

13. The mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the load diffusion layer (4) can be placed on any mattress independently of its internal construction.