U.S. patent application number 12/981692 was filed with the patent office on 2012-04-19 for printed warp knit and process of making the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Springs Creative Products Group, LLC. Invention is credited to George E. Booth, Scott FRISCH, Jon Penninger.
Application Number | 20120090096 12/981692 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45932808 |
Filed Date | 2012-04-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120090096 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FRISCH; Scott ; et
al. |
April 19, 2012 |
PRINTED WARP KNIT AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME
Abstract
The invention relates to a mattress fabric constructed of a warp
polyester/spandex or nylon/spandex knit that may be imprinted with
at least one aesthetically pleasing design, and a process for
manufacturing the printed warp knit fabric.
Inventors: |
FRISCH; Scott; (Tega Cay,
SC) ; Booth; George E.; (Rock Hill, SC) ;
Penninger; Jon; (Charlotte, NC) |
Assignee: |
Springs Creative Products Group,
LLC
Rock Hill
SC
|
Family ID: |
45932808 |
Appl. No.: |
12/981692 |
Filed: |
December 30, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61393112 |
Oct 14, 2010 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/737 ; 66/202;
66/84R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/002
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/737 ; 66/202;
66/84.R |
International
Class: |
A47C 17/86 20060101
A47C017/86; D04B 23/00 20060101 D04B023/00; D04B 21/00 20060101
D04B021/00 |
Claims
1. A mattress comprising: a fabric configured to be arranged on the
external surface of the mattress comprising at least one of:
polyester and spandex combination content; nylon and spandex
combination; spandex; and said fabric further comprising one of a
warp knit and circular knit construction.
2. The mattress ticking of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises
one of a Tricot and Rachel.
3. The mattress ticking of claim 2, wherein the fabric comprises a
jersey stitch.
4. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein the jersey stitch
comprises a reverse jersey stitch.
5. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein the jersey stitch
comprises a top stitch configuration of 2-3, 1-0.
6. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein the jersey stitch
comprises a bottom stitch configuration of 1-0, 1-2.
7. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein the jersey stitch
comprises a top stitch configuration of 2-3, 1-0 and a bottom
stitch configuration of 1-0, 1-2.
8. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein the ticking fabric
spans the width and length of the mattress surface of at least one
side of a sleeping surface.
9. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein at least one image
design is incorporated onto the fabric substrate through printing
technology.
10. The mattress ticking of claim 3, wherein said ticking is a
removable cover.
11. The mattress ticking cover of claim 3, wherein said cover is a
replacement cover for the original mattress ticking cover.
12. A mattress comprising: a fabric configured to be arranged on
the external surface of the mattress and at least one image design
incorporated onto the fabric substrate through printing
technology.
13. The mattress ticking of claim 12, wherein the image design
covers at least one of: one sleeping side; two sleeping sides; and
mattress depth connecting the two sleeping sides.
14. The mattress ticking of claim 13, wherein the fabric is
configured to be arranged on the external surface of the mattress
comprising at least one of: polyester and spandex combination
content; nylon and spandex combination; spandex; and said fabric
further comprising one of a warp knit and circular knit
construction.
15. The mattress ticking of claim 13, wherein said ticking is a
removable cover.
16. The mattress ticking cover of claim 13, wherein said cover is a
replacement cover for the original mattress ticking cover.
17. A process for manufacturing fabric configured for an external
surface of the mattress comprising: knitting the fabric having at
least one of polyester/spandex combination content; nylon/spandex
combination content, and spandex; and arranging the fabric on the
external surface of the mattress, wherein the fabric comprises one
of a warp knit and circular knit construction.
18. The process of claim 17, further comprising knitting one of a
Tricot and Rachel fabric.
19. The process of claim 17, further comprising forming a reverse
jersey stitch.
20. The process of claim 17, further comprising forming a reverse
jersey stitch with at least one of a top stitch configuration of
2-3, 1-0, a bottom stitch configuration of 1-0, 1-2, and both
configurations.
21. The process of claim 17, further comprising applying an image
using imaging technology.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority and the benefit thereof
from a U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/393,112, filed on Oct.
14, 2010 and entitled NEW MATTRESS TICKING, the entire contents of
which are herein incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a mattress fabric constructed of a
warp polyester/spandex or nylon/spandex knit that may be imprinted
with at least one aesthetically pleasing design, and a process for
manufacturing the printed warp knit fabric.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Fabrics currently used to encase a mattress include circular
knits, woven and warp knits without spandex. These mattress fabrics
have a limited comfort level for the consumer using the mattress.
In addition, mattress covers, commonly known as mattress ticking,
are typically manufactured in solid colors such as white, cream,
and tan, and are typically not very aesthetically stimulating or
inviting to the consumer. A need exists to manufacture a mattress
ticking that allows for better stretch and recovery properties
thereby improving the consumer's overall comfort when using the
mattress, and promote mattress sales by offering mattresses with
attractive prints, colors, and other visually stimulating
covers.
[0004] A person sleeping on a mattress may lie in a prone or
semi-prone position for much of the night, for an estimated six to
ten hours. Pressure accumulates on the points where the person's
body lies is in contact with the mattress. Persons who sleep on
their sides face greater pressure on their shoulder and hip regions
that may result in less optimal spinal alignment and possibly
greater discomfort during sleep. In addition to greater pressure
points, the areas surrounding the body's contact with the mattress
may face increased temperature and warmth, and greater body
perspiration, which may be unable to dissipate from the body.
[0005] Mattress manufacturers have attempted to address the
problems of differential pressure by creating multi-zone support
elements and use of new types of foams, latexes, gels and other
mattress components to improve mattress comfort. These elements
have ranged from altered patterns on the mattress surface, varying
depths and concentrations of convolutions in foam layers,
variations in types of foam, variations in steel spring coil
geometry, spacing and independence, to use of varying modular
elements that can be specified to provide more or less support
according to a person's height, weight, and body type.
[0006] Current mattress ticking fabrics, the strong and tightly
woven fabrics or the circular knits used to make mattress
coverings, are limited by its stretch and recovery properties which
dampen the feel of the mattress components underneath the mattress
ticking. This limitation to the mattress ticking serves to enhance
pressure points on the consumer's body when the consumer is using
the mattress. This also creates an insulation layer because of the
nature of the construction that reduces breathability and so
on.
[0007] There is a need for fabrics that allow consumers to better
feel the foam, latexes, gels, and other mattress components
unencumbered by stiffness in the mattress ticking, allow for better
stretch and recovery of the fabric to reduce pressure points along
the body, promote the mattress's fashionable style and market
appeal and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention, as described below discloses a mattress
fabric, specifically, the mattress ticking, including fabrics
having at least one of polyester/spandex combination content or
nylon/spandex combination content which optimizes a user's comfort
when sleeping on the mattress due to the greater stretch and
recovery properties of the fabrics and the like. This invention
also discloses at least one design incorporated onto the mattress
ticking including at least one printed image which provides visual
stimulation to the consumer and promotes the mattress' aesthetic
appeal.
[0009] The invention may be implemented in a number of ways.
According to one aspect, the invention is directed to a mattress
that includes a fabric configured to be arranged on the external
surface of the mattress having at least one of polyester and
spandex combination content, nylon and spandex combination,
spandex; and the fabric further having one of a warp knit and
circular knit construction.
[0010] Accordingly, in another aspect of the invention, a mattress
includes a fabric configured to be arranged on the external surface
of the mattress and at least one image design incorporated onto the
fabric substrate through printing technology.
[0011] According to another aspect of the invention, a process for
manufacturing fabric configured for an external surface of the
mattress includes knitting the fabric having at least one of
polyester/spandex combination content; nylon/spandex combination
content, and spandex, and arranging the fabric on the external
surface of the mattress, wherein the fabric comprises one of a warp
knit and circular knit construction
[0012] Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the
invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the
detailed description and drawings. Moreover, it is to be understood
that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following
detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further
explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as
claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention, are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the detailed description serve to
explain the principal of the invention. No attempt is made to show
structural details of the invention and the various ways in which
it may be practiced. In the drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows an example of a mattress ticking having a warp
knit polyester spandex and/or nylon spandex combination content,
with a print image of a city landscape on the sleeping side of the
mattress;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows an example of a mattress ticking having a warp
knit polyester spandex and/or nylon spandex combination content,
with a print image of an electric guitar on the sleeping side of
the mattress; and
[0016] FIG. 3 shows an example of a flow diagram for a process of
manufacturing a printed warp knit, according to an aspect of the
invention.
[0017] The present invention is further described in the detailed
description that follows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The embodiments of the invention and the various features
and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with
reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are
described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and
detailed in the following attached description. It should be noted
that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily
drawn to scale, and features of one embodiment may be employed with
other embodiments as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if
not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components
and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily
obscure the embodiments of the invention. The examples used herein
are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which
the invention may be practiced and to further enable those of skill
in the art to practice the embodiments of the invention.
Accordingly, the examples and embodiments herein should not be
construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Moreover, it is
noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts
throughout the several views of the drawings.
[0019] The invention set forth describes a mattress ticking having
increased comfort as a result of the type of materials and/or type
of manufacturing. The invention may use at least one of a polyester
and spandex combination content fabric, nylon and spandex
combination fabric, or blends of both. Additionally, the invention
may use blends with other fibers. Furthermore, the invention may
use blends of fibers with spandex that offer special and improved
comfort. The fabric of the invention may have further increased
comfort through the manufacturing process. The process may include
an approach where the fabric is made on a warp knit machine, either
Tricot or Rachel. Additionally, the fabric may be constructed using
a jersey stitch. Further, the jersey stitch may be a reverse jersey
stitch. The top bar of the warp knit machine may have a stitch
configuration of 2-3, 1-0. The bottom bar of the warp knit machine
may have a stitch configuration of 1-0, 1-2. Although these are
specific configurations, the fabric may have other stitch
formations that give a similar result.
[0020] A fabric constructed as noted above is similar to fabric
constructions used in making active apparel, has better stretch and
recovery than other mattress ticking fabrics currently on the
market, and will reduce the person's pressure points and improve
overall comfort when using the mattress such as by wicking moisture
away from the body. Treatments such as antimicrobial, phase-change
material and the like may be added to further enhance the comfort.
Other treatments may be added to enhance or improve the useful life
of the mattress ticking fabric.
[0021] Mattress ticking available today is typically offered in
solid, neutral colors such as white, cream, or light brown. The
mattress ticking can play a vitally important role with consumers
and retailers from a sales and marketing perspective because
consumers may be attracted to the design, color, and visual
stimulation that the mattress ticking can generate. The invention
is additionally or alternatively directed to updating the look and
style of the mattress by incorporating a print image onto the
fabric substrate and offers mattress manufacturers and retailers a
new and limitless design medium to attract the consumer in the
purchase of a fashionable mattress. The print may be on one
sleeping side of the mattress, both sleeping sides of the mattress
and/or the mattress depth bordering the sleeping sides of the
mattress.
[0022] The image, such as for example a digital image, may be
applied to the mattress ticking using ink jet, stamping, stencil,
lithographic, offset, heat transfer, electrophotography, gravure,
rotary printing, screen printing (rotary, flat-bed, etc.) or like
technology, or any combination thereof. The image itself may
undergo some type of pre-treatment to enhance the visual aspects of
the print or reduce image fading over time, prior to being applied
to the mattress ticking. The mattress ticking may undergo some type
of pre-treatment before the image is applied to the fabric possibly
to increase the useful life of the fabric or introduce other
benefits. Alternatively, or in addition to pre-treatment, the
mattress ticking and/or image may undergo some type of
post-treatment after the image is applied to the fabric possibly to
increase the useful life of the fabric or introduce other benefits.
The mattress ticking may also be manufactured without any type of
treatment.
[0023] A customer may select from a number of image choices
maintained by the manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer as a
library of images, or the customer may customize the image by
providing at least one customer generated image to the
manufacturer. Nevertheless, the ticking of the invention does not
require image printing and can be simply used plain or dyed to
create a desired color.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows an example of a mattress ticking having a warp
knit polyester spandex and/or nylon spandex combination content,
with a print image of a city landscape on the sleeping side of the
mattress.
[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, the mattress ticking selected by the
customer is an image of a city landscape that may have originated
from a library catalog of the manufacturer or provided by the
consumer. The city landscape 110 was digitally imprinted on the
sleeping surface of the mattress 100 but no image was selected for
the mattress depth 120. The warp knit is made on a warp knit
machine with fabric consisting of polyester spandex and/or nylon
and spandex combination as discussed in detail above.
Alternatively, the customer may select multiple prints and create a
collage of images to be imprinted on the mattress ticking. The
mattress 100 in this FIG. 1 is twin size, but may be California
king, king, queen, full, toddler bed or any other commercially
available size and configuration.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows an example of a mattress ticking having a warp
knit polyester spandex and/or nylon spandex combination content,
with a print image of an electric guitar on the sleeping side of
the mattress.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, the mattress ticking selected by the
customer is an image of an electric guitar that may have originated
from a library catalog of the manufacturer or provided by the
consumer. The guitar 210 was digitally imprinted on the sleeping
surface of the mattress 200 but no image was selected for the
mattress depth 220. The warp knit is made on a warp knit machine
with fabric consisting of polyester spandex and/or nylon and
spandex combination as discussed in detail above. Alternatively,
the customer may select multiple prints and create a collage of
images to be imprinted on the mattress ticking. The mattress 200 in
this FIG. 2 is twin size, but may be California king, king, queen,
full, toddler bed or any other commercially available size and
configuration.
[0028] This invention also involves a process for manufacturing a
mattress ticking including at least one of polyester/spandex
combination content or nylon/polyester combination content
described above in combination with an image design as described
above. The invention also contemplates use of the image on any
mattress ticking.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows an example of a flow diagram for a process of
manufacturing a printed warp knit, according to an aspect of the
invention.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 3, the process may begin when a mattress
ticking is manufactured 310. The mattress ticking may have one of a
polyester and spandex combination content, nylon and spandex
combination, or such blends with other fibers and spandex as
described above. The mattress ticking may be manufactured on a warp
knit machine 310, preferably Tricot or Rachel, in a common industry
stitch configuration as mentioned above.
[0031] The knit fabric may be pre-treated 320 using industry
standard pre-treatment technologies with antimicrobial,
phase-change materials, or other enhancements to improve the
fabrics useful life or consumer's comfort. This pre-treatment may
also take place prior to manufacture of the ticking 310.
[0032] Consumers wanting to personalize their mattress may select a
print image from the manufacturer's or retailer's library of
images, or may submit their own print image or images 330 to be
applied to the mattress ticking. At consumer's option, the selected
print image(s) may be pre-treated 340 using industry standard
pre-treatment technologies to better enhance the quality and
improve the images of the print before the prints are applied to
the mattress ticking. The print images may then be applied to the
knit fabric 350. Consumers may select an image or a collage of
images to apply to the knit fabric to be placed on the sleeping
surface of the mattress ticking. In addition, consumers may also
select an image or a collage of images to apply to the kit fabric
that will cover the mattress depth. Also, the manufacturer may
simply select an image to be applied to the fabric.
[0033] At the consumer's option, and for additional fees, the knit
fabric may be post-treated 360 using industry standard treatment
technologies with antimicrobial, phase-change materials, or the
like. Other enhancements to improve the fabrics useful life or
consumer's comfort are also contemplated.
[0034] Finally, the knit fabric may be conformed to the mattress
370 of the consumer's choice. Alternatively, the consumer may have
selected an "off-the-shelf" pre-maid mattress with mattress ticking
design available at the retail establishment rather than customize
its own mattress ticking and mattress. In addition, the consumers
may also select a mattress with mattress ticking of a
polyester/spandex combination, nylon/spandex combination, or other
such blends with fibers and spandex manufactured without a digital
print.
[0035] The above-noted process and arrangement is also contemplated
for use with mattress pads, sheets, pillows, pillow covers,
mattress covers, blankets, comforters, duvets, and the like.
[0036] While the invention has been described in terms of exemplary
embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the
invention can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and
scope of the appended claims. These examples given above are merely
illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all
possible designs, embodiments, applications or modifications of the
invention.
* * * * *