U.S. patent application number 11/913557 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-07 for mattress with integrated foam component.
Invention is credited to Trond Sunde.
Application Number | 20080184492 11/913557 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35277006 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080184492 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sunde; Trond |
August 7, 2008 |
Mattress With Integrated Foam Component
Abstract
A mattress, preferably for use on a bed, comprising a plurality
of springs (2) arranged in a mattress body. The mattress is
characterized in that at least a part of the mattress body is
formed of an insert element (5) of foam plastic material. This
insert element is preferably positioned at the end of the
mattress.
Inventors: |
Sunde; Trond; (Alesund,
NO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHRISTIAN D. ABEL
ONSAGERS AS, POSTBOKS 6963 ST. OLAVS PLASS
NORWAY
N-0130
omitted
|
Family ID: |
35277006 |
Appl. No.: |
11/913557 |
Filed: |
May 4, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
May 4, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/NO06/00166 |
371 Date: |
February 26, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/717 ; 5/718;
5/720 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/15 20130101;
A47C 27/144 20130101; A47C 27/053 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/717 ; 5/718;
5/720 |
International
Class: |
A47C 23/00 20060101
A47C023/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 4, 2005 |
NO |
20052205 |
Claims
1. A mattress, preferably for use as part of a bed, comprising a
plurality of springs arranged in a mattress body, characterized in
that at least a part of the mattress body is formed of an insert
element of foam plastic material and that this insert element is
preferably positioned at the end of the mattress, the insert
element being detachably fastened to the mattress body.
2. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the
insert element is replaceable and optionally reversible.
3. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that one side
face of the insert element is substantially flush with the surface
of the mattress body or with an upper mattress placed on top of the
mattress body.
4. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the
springs are arranged in one or more layers and/or that the springs
have different spring characteristics.
5. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that some of
the springs are individually enveloped by enveloping material.
6. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the
mattress body is reversible.
7. A mattress according to claim 4, characterized in that one foam
plastic component is integrated into one of the spring layers
whilst a second foam component is integrated into the other spring
layer.
8. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a
box mattress.
9. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at
least one rounded corner.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a mattress, preferably for
use on a bed. The bed may be a conventional bed or a bed of the box
mattress type.
[0002] The invention may also be used in other areas of application
where it is appropriate to use a mattress of the spring mattress
type.
[0003] A spring mattress is in accordance with the prior art
constructed of a plurality of springs which are encased in a
mattress body. The springs provide the main elasticity of the
mattress. Reference is made to DE 2744412, which shows an example
of a mattress with an insert material.
[0004] The springs in a mattress are dimensioned to provide good
comfort to a person in a lying position. Many beds today are also
used as sitting furniture. This is particularly the case in hotels,
on board cruise ships etc. However, the springs in a bed mattress
are not designed to withstand the load from a person in a sitting
position. Because some parts of the beds appear as most convenient
for sitting, these parts are especially subjected to wear. Repeated
sitting activity on these chosen parts causes deterioration of the
elastic properties of the springs that are in the chosen area. The
result is that the bed emerges as having one or more sagging or
uneven portions.
[0005] It is thus a problem that the springs in a small area of the
bed are worn out long before the other springs in the mattress, and
there is a great need to find solutions capable of reducing the
local wear to which a spring mattress according to today's solution
is subjected.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple
solution which remedies the drawbacks described in connection with
the aforementioned problem.
[0007] One solution to this problem is to replace the part or parts
of the spring mattress that is/are most subjected to sitting with
an insert element having material properties which better withstand
the load applied to the mattress when it is constantly used as
something to sit on.
[0008] According to the present invention, at least one part of the
mattress body is formed of an insert element of foam plastic
material. The insert element is preferably positioned at the end of
the mattress, for example the foot end which is often chosen as
something to sit on. The insert element may of course also be
positioned at other locations in the mattress, for example, in the
middle of the mattress. The incorporation of the insert material
into the area of the mattress that is anticipated to be used as
something to sit on prevents local wear of the mattress. The foam
plastic material has material properties which withstand sitting
load, and the elasticity of the insert element is little reduced in
the course of a given period, compared with the mattress
springs.
[0009] As one of skill in the art will understand, the insert
element can be integrated into the mattress in different ways
depending on the type of mattress and the conditions in which the
mattress is to be used. According to the invention, the insert
element is arranged so as to be detachably fastened to the mattress
body, thus allowing the insert element to be replaced as required
and allowing the mattress body to be turned independently of the
insert element. The insert element may also be arranged to be
reversible, it being possible, for example, to provide the insert
element with two sides of different firmness.
[0010] Various foam plastic materials can be used in the insert
element. One example of such a material is porolon.
[0011] The springs in the mattress may be arranged in different
ways and they may have either the same or different spring
characteristics. In one embodiment, the springs may be arranged in
one layer and in another embodiment they may be arranged in several
layers, the springs in the different layers having the same or
different spring characteristics. Each individual spring may be
pocketed. The spring in that case is enveloped by an enveloping
material, and this arrangement counteracts transmission of the
motion of each individual spring to the surrounding springs.
[0012] To provide a reversible mattress, the mattress may be
provided with two layers of springs, the springs in each layer
being so arranged that the two sides have differing degrees of
softness. The mattress may be a box mattress or a mattress for
placing in a frame for a bed. Furthermore, the mattress or box
mattress may be configured with one or more rounded corners in case
it is to be used in small rooms or in rooms in which there is
little space between the pieces of furniture. Furthermore, the
mattress may be provided with an upper mattress and covers of
different types in accordance with the prior art.
[0013] As one of skill in the art will appreciate, the insert
element can be integrated into the mattress in different ways
depending on the type of mattress and the conditions in which the
mattress is to be used. The insert element may be arranged so as to
be replaceable and optionally reversible, it being possible to
provide the insert element with two sides of different
firmness.
[0014] The insert element when installed in the mattress may have a
thickness that is equivalent to the thickness of the mattress, that
is to say that the insert extends throughout the mattress in the
thickness direction thereof. Alternatively, the insert element may
constitute a part of the total thickness of the mattress when the
insert element is mounted in the mattress.
[0015] The insert element may be positioned in the mattress so that
one side face thereof is substantially flush with the surface of
the mattress body. Alternatively, the insert element can be
positioned deeper in the mattress, it then being possible to place
additional elements on top of the insert element in order to obtain
a level mattress surface.
[0016] When the mattress is reversible and constructed of two
spring layers, one insert is integrated into one of the spring
layers whilst a second insert is integrated into the other spring
layer.
[0017] An example of one embodiment of the invention will be
described below with reference to the drawings, wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the invention.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a view of a spring mattress body in accordance
with the invention that is to be used in a box mattress. The spring
mattress body 1 in this figure is shown configured with a rounded
corner so that it will fit into a frame that is configured with a
rounded corner. The spring mattress body 1 consists of a main
mattress incorporating first spring layer 2 and an under-mattress
incorporating second spring layer 3. The spring mattress body 1 is
equipped with an upper mattress 4. A replaceable and optionally
reversible insert element 5 is formed of a foam plastic material
and is positioned at the foot end of the mattress. The insert
element 5 does not extend throughout the mattress in the thickness
direction thereof, but has a thickness which constitutes a part of
the thickness of the mattress, the insert element extending down to
the under-mattress which forms the bottom of the bed.
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a spring mattress body 1 like the one shown in
FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 the spring mattress body 1 is placed in frame 6
which forms the side walls of the box mattress. The other reference
numerals are the same as those used in FIG. 1.
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