U.S. patent application number 11/294898 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-23 for sleeping device comprising an active heat absorbing/releasing layer in combination with a spacer material layer.
Invention is credited to Hans Erik Schmidt.
Application Number | 20060260058 11/294898 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42937862 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060260058 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schmidt; Hans Erik |
November 23, 2006 |
Sleeping device comprising an active heat absorbing/releasing layer
in combination with a spacer material layer
Abstract
The present invention relates to a sleeping device, such as a
mattress, quilt or pillow, wherein the sleeping device is adapted
to be used by a person during rest and comprises a core element,
wherein said core element is covered by a first layer of a material
having temperature regulating properties by absorbing and releasing
heat and a second layer of down. By using a material with
temperature regulating properties together with a layer of down
filling, very good properties of minimizing temperature variations
are obtained.
Inventors: |
Schmidt; Hans Erik;
(Sommersted, DK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PITNEY HARDIN LLP
7 TIMES SQUARE
NEW YORK
NY
10036-7311
US
|
Family ID: |
42937862 |
Appl. No.: |
11/294898 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/690 ; 5/502;
5/636 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/124 20130101;
A47C 27/007 20130101; A47C 21/046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/690 ;
005/502; 005/636 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/08 20060101
A47C027/08; A47G 9/00 20060101 A47G009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 19, 2005 |
DK |
PA 2005 00728 |
Claims
1. A sleeping device comprising a core element, characterized in
that said core 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.
2. A sleeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that
the temperature regulating material comprises a phase change
material.
3. A sleeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that
the sleeping device further comprises a third layer of down above
said second layer.
4. A sleeping device according to claim 3, characterized in that
the sleeping device 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.
5. A sleeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that
the third layer of down comprises goose downs.
6. A sleeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that
the second layer has a thickness between 3 and 50 mm.
7. A sleeping device according to claim 2, characterized in that
the third layer has a thickness between 1 mm and 20 mm
8. A sleeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that
the mattress further comprises at least one cover layer.
9. A sleeping device according to claim 1, characterized in that
the sleeping device is a mattress, quilt or pillow.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a sleeping
device, such as a mattress, pillow or quilt.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] During sleep 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 temperature changes is that the quilt covering the
person is kicked off 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.
[0002] New materials have been developed in an attempt to address
special clothing and other thermal regulating system requirements.
For example, microencapsulated phase change materials have been
described as a suitable component for substrate coatings when
exceptional heat transfer and storage capabilities are desired.
[0003] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,904 substrates are described, which
are coated with a binder containing microcapsules filled with
energy absorbing phase change material. These microcapsules enable
the substrate to exhibit extended or enhanced heat retention or
storage properties.
[0004] Also by way of example, microencapsulated phase change
materials have been described as a suitable component for inclusion
in fibres, when exceptional heat transfer and storage capabilities
are desired. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,958 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.
[0005] Generally speaking, 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. By selecting an appropriate phase change
material, 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.
[0006] One approach of solving the above-mentioned sleeping problem
is by introducing a layer of phase change material above the core
of the sleeping device such as the mattress, pillow or quilt. A
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 sleeping
device 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 the phase change material
which typically could be the core of a 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.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a sleeping device solving the above-mentioned problems.
[0008] This is obtained by a sleeping device, such as a quilt,
pillow or mattress comprising a core element, wherein said core
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.
[0009] By using a material with temperature regulating properties
together with a layer of spacer material, very good properties of
minimizing temperature variations are obtained. By using a spacer
material, moist can easily vanish because of air circulation from
the surroundings, and by minimizing the moist tests have shown that
the functionality of temperature regulating materials such as e.g.
phase change materials is improved considerably. Thereby, the
temperature regulating material can be used to fulfill the quite
strict requirements to temperature variation which is necessary in
order to get an undisturbed sleep--and especially an undisturbed
REM sleep. Further, by using the temperature regulating material in
the sleeping device, such as 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
off 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
has/have to be cleaned can be reduced.
[0010] Examples of spacer material are distance mess, a 3mesh.RTM.
product from Muller Textil. By using this product it is possible to
adjust the hardness and the spring characteristics.
[0011] In an embodiment the temperature regulating material
comprises a phase change material. This material has proven to be a
good material to be used in a sleeping device and can be adapted to
optimally minimize the temperature variations in temperature ranges
around the human body temperature.
[0012] In an embodiment the sleeping device further comprises a
third layer of down above said second layer. Compared to e.g. fiber
filling, down filling has very good moist absorbing properties, and
this therefore further reduces the moist and improves the
functionality of the phase change layer.
[0013] In an embodiment the sleeping device further comprises a
fourth layer of spacer material, said fourth layer being positioned
on the opposite site of the core element in relation to the second
layer, whereby each spacer material covers each side of said core
element. This ensures that moist from both sides of said sleeping
device is minimized because of a possible air circulation around
the sleeping device.
[0014] In an embodiment 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.
[0015] In an embodiment the second layer has a thickness between 3
mm and 50 mm.
[0016] In an embodiment the third layer has a thickness between 1
mm and 20 mm.
[0017] In an embodiment the sleeping device further comprises at
least one cover layer. This protects the layer of phase change
material
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention
will be described referring to the figures, where
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a sleeping device being
a mattress according to the present invention,
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a sleeping device
in the form of a mattress according to the present invention,
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates the functionality of the sleeping device
according to the present invention,
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates the human body temperature variations
when using a sleeping device according to the present invention
compared to the human body temperature variations when using prior
art sleeping devices,
[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a sleeping device
according to the present invention,
[0024] FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of a sleeping device
according to the present invention,
[0025] FIG. 7 illustrates the functionality of the sleeping device
according to the embodiment of the sleeping device illustrated in
FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a sleeping device 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 core element
105, e.g. a support element based on foam and/or springs, wherein
the core 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
[0027] As an alternative, 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.
[0028] In FIG. 2, another embodiment of a sleeping device according
to the present invention 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 core element 205.
[0029] In FIG. 3, the functionality of the sleeping device
according to the present invention is illustrated. The human body
is illustrated at 301, the temperature regulating material is
illustrated at 303 and the spacer material layer is illustrated at
305. When 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. When 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. Further, the spacer material layer makes it possible for
air circulation, which minimises moist from the surroundings and
moist released from the human body 301.
[0030] In FIG. 4, the human body temperature variations when using
sleeping devices according to the present invention are compared to
the human body temperature variations when using prior art sleeping
devices. On the horizontal axis the time is shown, and on the
vertical axis the body temperature is shown. The body temperature
when using a prior art sleeping device is illustrated by the curve
405, whereas the body temperature when using a sleeping device
according to the present invention is illustrated by the curve 403.
Further, the interval 401 on the vertical axis is the interval
defined as the optimal sleeping temperature. By using a sleeping
device according to the present invention, the body temperature
variations are minimized and kept within the optimal sleeping
temperature interval 401, whereas when using a prior art sleeping
device large temperature variations occur.
[0031] In FIG. 5, another embodiment of a sleeping device according
to the present invention is illustrated, here, besides 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 core element 505.
[0032] In FIG. 6, a further embodiment of a sleeping device
according to the present invention is illustrated; here cover
layers 601, 603 are positioned as the outer parts on each side of
the mattress
[0033] In FIG. 7, the functionality of the sleeping device
according to the embodiment of the sleeping device shown in FIG. 6
is illustrated. The human body is illustrated at 701, the
temperature regulating material is illustrated at 703 and the down
layer is illustrated at 705. Further, the third and fourth layers
of spacer material 707, 709 are illustrated on each side of the
core element 708. When the temperature of the human body 701
increases, the extra heat is stored by the temperature regulating
layer 703, and the body temperature is lowered.
[0034] When the body temperature of the human body 701 decreases,
the stored extra heat is released from the temperature regulating
layer 703 whereby the body temperature is raised. Further, 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.
[0035] 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 person intending to use the
mattress.
[0036] In the above description, mattresses comprising down filling
are described. In this connection the word down relates to both
down, feathers or a combination thereof and should therefore be
interpreted correspondingly.
[0037] Examples have been given where the sleeping device is a
mattress, alternatively the sleeping device could also be a pillow
or a quilt and other elements having contact with a user during
sleep. In case of a pillow the core element could be the inner down
filled core or it could be a foam piece in case of a foam pillow.
In case of a quilt the core element could be a piece of core fabric
or it could be the inner down filled core.
[0038] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments
illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled
in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments
without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the
claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be
construed as limiting the claim. The word `comprising` does not
exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed
in a claim. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware
comprising several distinct elements, and by means of a suitably
programmed computer. In a device claim enumerating several means,
several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of
hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in
mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a
combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
* * * * *