Adjustable Mattress Topper

Abstract

An adjustable body support system for accommodating the needed or desired support of multiple users. The system comprises an enclosure for housing a first support member and a second support member in respective first and second chambers. The first support member has a first foam layer secured to a second foam layer, wherein the first and second foam layers have different support characteristics. The second support member has a third foam layer secured to a fourth foam layer, wherein the third and fourth foam layers have different support characteristics. The first and second support members are removable from and securable in the first and second chambers, respectively.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] Embodiments of the invention relate to body support products formed from foam materials. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to an adjustable, foam-based mattress topper.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Conventional body supports can be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and are often adapted for supporting one or more parts of a user's body. Examples of body supports include mattresses, pillows, and other cushion-type products. Many body supports are generally constructed out of foam materials, such as polyurethane foam. The foam materials may include visco-elastic properties, such foam materials being known in the art as "memory foam," which provides the body support with an increased ability to conform to a user and thereby distribute the weight of the user.

[0005] Although there are a multitude of foam materials that exhibit specific properties and different degrees of support, e.g. some foam materials being soft and others firm, many body supports are constructed entirely out of a single foam material. A single conventional body support product is thus not adjustable for use by multiple users who have a different needed or desired amount or quality of support. Based on the limitations of existing products and the high consumer demand for body supports, there is a continuous need for new and improved adjustable body support type products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Embodiments of the invention include a body support system comprising a housing having a first chamber and a second chamber; a first support member having a first foam layer secured to a second foam layer, wherein the first and second foam layers have different support characteristics; and a second support member having a third foam layer secured to a fourth foam layer, wherein the third and fourth foam layers have different support characteristics, and wherein the first and second support members are removable from and securable in the first and second chambers, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] So that the manner in which the above recited features can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a body support system according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Embodiments of the invention relate to a mattress topper, also known as a pillow top mattress pad. A mattress topper is generally placed on top of an existing bed or mattress for additional comfort. The mattress topper may be covered with the same or different sheets as the existing bed or mattress. Although described herein as a mattress topper, embodiments of the invention are not limited to mattress toppers, but may include mattresses and other body support type products.

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a body support system 100, such as a mattress topper, according to one embodiment. The body support system 100 includes a first support member 10, a second support member 20, and an enclosure 30 for housing the first and second support members 10, 20. A user may easily insert and remove the support members 10, 20 to and from the enclosure 30 to adjust the body support system 100 as further described herein. The system 100 may be placed on top of an existing bed or mattress to provide additional comfort and/or support.

[0011] The first support member 10 may be positioned in a first chamber 32 of the enclosure, and the second support member 20 may be positioned in a second chamber 34 of the enclosure. The first and second chambers 32, 34 may be separated by a wall or partition 33 to provide a physical barrier between the support members 10, 20 when disposed in the enclosure 30. The first and second chambers 32, 34, may each have an access side 31, 35, respectively, that can be opened and closed for inserting, removing, and securing the support members 10, 20 therein. The access sides 31, 35 may be disposed on opposite sides of the enclosure 30. The access sides 31, 35 may be opened and closed using a zipper arrangement or other similar fastening mechanisms.

[0012] When the support members 10, 20 are secured in the respective chambers 32, 34 of the enclosure 30, the support members 10, 20 are disposed adjacent to each other such that they jointly form a substantially flat and continuous top and bottom surface for positioning on a bed or mattress for supporting one or more users. Although the enclosure 30 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as a rigid, rectangular housing, the entire enclosure 30 or one or more portions thereof may be formed from a flexible cloth or sheet-type material, a woven fabric material, and/or a pre-shrunk quilted fabric material. The enclosure 30 may be formed from other types of bedding materials known in the art.

[0013] The enclosure 30 may conform to the shapes of the support members 10, 20. The support members 10, 20 may be formed in numerous shapes and sizes. In one embodiment, the support members 10, 20 may have a rectangular shape. In one embodiment, the support members 10, 20 when placed adjacent to each other may substantially form the size of a full, queen, and/or king size mattress.

[0014] The first support member 10 may be formed by a first foam layer 12 that is secured to a second foam layer 14 using an adhesive 13, such as glue. Similarly, the second support member 20 may be formed by a third foam layer 22 that is secured to a fourth foam layer 24 using an adhesive 23, such as glue. The foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may be made out of "memory foam" or polyurethane foam having visco-elastic properties. One or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have a density of about 1-5 lbs/ft.sup.3. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have a density that is different or the same as the density of one or more of the other layers 12, 14, 22, 24. One or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have a thickness of about 1-5 inches. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have a thickness that is different or the same as the thickness of one or more of the other layers 12, 14, 22, 24.

[0015] One or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have an indention load deflection ("ILD") rating of about 1-25 lbs. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers, 12, 14, 22, 24 may have an ILD rating of about 1-4 lbs, about 1-15 lbs, about 4-15 lbs, about 4-20 lbs, and about 20-25 lbs. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have an ILD rating of about 11 lbs, an ILD rating less than about 11 lbs, or an ILD rating greater than about 11 lbs. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have an ILD rating that is about 2-3 lbs greater than or less than the ILD rating of one or more of the other foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have an ILD rating that is different or the same as the ILD rating of one or more of the other layers 12, 14, 22, 24.

[0016] In one embodiment, the foam layer 24 of the second support member 20 may be infused with a gel material 25, such as a polyurethane based gel. The gel material 25 may comprise polyether or polyol. In one embodiment, the gel material 25 may be formed by reacting a polyol with an isocyanate in the presence of a catalyst. The gel material 25 may be in the form of particles or beads embedded in the foam layer 24. The gel material 25 may be a polymer such as elastomeric polymers, thermosetting polymers, thermoplastic elastomers, and combinations thereof. Suitable gels include polyurethane gels, silicone gels, PVC gels, polyorganosiloxane gels, polyol gels, polyisocyanate gels, and combinations thereof. The gel material 25 may provide additional support and/or increase the thermal conductivity of the foam layer 24 to effectively remove or absorb the body heat of a user, thereby providing a cool or colder temperature support than a non-gel-infused layer. The opposite foam layer 22 of the second support member 20 may be a non-gel-infused layer. Although the gel-infused layer is illustrated as foam layer 24 in FIG. 1, embodiments of the invention include one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 having a gel component. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may have a thermal conductivity that is different or the same as the thermal conductivity of one or more of the other foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may include a layer of gel material laminated or disposed across substantially all or a portion of the upper surfaces of the foam layers. In one embodiment, one or more of the foam layers 12, 14, 22, 24 may include one or more gel discs or squares spaced across the upper surfaces of the foam layers.

[0017] In one embodiment, the foam layers of the support members 10, 20 may have different support characteristics, including different material properties, so that a user may lie on one of the foam layers for a specific degree of comfort or support, and may flip or adjust the support member 10, 20 to lie on the opposite foam layer for a different degree of comfort or support. In one example, the first foam layer 12 of the first support member 10 may be relatively soft and have an ILD rating of about 7 lbs, while the second foam layer 14 may be relatively firm and have an ILD rating of about 14 lbs. In one embodiment, the first foam layer 12 may have an ILD rating that is about 2-3 lbs greater than or less than the ILD rating of the second foam layer 14. The foam layers of the second support member 20 may be similarly situated. In this manner, when the support members 10, 20 are secured adjacent to each other in the enclosure 30, a user may position or adjust one of the support members 10, 20 with the softer foam layer facing up, while positioning or adjusting the other support member 10, 20 with the firmer foam layer facing up for another user. In another example, the support members 10, 20 may each have one gel-infused foam layer, and an opposite non-gel-infused foam layer, so that one user may lie on a gel-infused foam layer, while another user may lie on a non-gel-infused layer of the same body support system 100. Since the support members 10, 20 can be readily inserted and removed to and from the enclosure 30, the body support system 100 is adjustable to accommodate multiple comfort and support preferences of one or more users.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates the first foam layer 12 of the first support member 10 as the top layer disposed in the first chamber 32, and the fourth foam layer 24 of the second support member 20 as the top layer disposed in the second chamber 34. As described above, one or both of the support members 10, 20 may be adjusted so that that the second foam layer 14 and/or the third foam layer 22 form the top layers for supporting a user. Embodiments of the invention include multiple variations of the above recited foam layer characteristics and materials.

[0019] In another embodiment, at least one of the support members 10, 20 may contain only one foam layer. For example, the first support member 10 may include a gel infused foam layer and the second support member 20 may include a foam layer having a different ILD rating than the foam layer of the first support member 10.

[0020] In one embodiment, a body support system includes an enclosure having a first chamber and a second chamber; a first support member having a first foam layer secured to a second foam layer, wherein the first and second foam layers have different support characteristics; and a second support member having a third foam layer secured to a fourth foam layer, wherein the third and fourth foam layers have different support characteristics, and wherein the first and second support members are removable from and securable in the first and second chambers, respectively.

[0021] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, the support characteristics include at least one of density, indention load deflection, thermal conductivity, firmness, softness, and material type.

[0022] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, the first foam layer includes an indention load deflection rating that is about 2-3 lbs greater than an indention load deflection rating of the second foam layer.

[0023] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, the third foam layer includes an indention load deflection rating that is about 2-3 lbs greater than an indention load deflection rating of the fourth foam layer.

[0024] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, one of the foam layers of the first and second support members includes a gel-infused foam layer, and wherein the other one of the foam layers of the first and second support members includes a non-gel-infused foam layer.

[0025] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, one of the foam layers of the first and second support members is softer than the other one of the foam layers of the first and second support members.

[0026] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, one of the foam layers of the first and second support members is firmer than the other one of the foam layers of the first and second support members.

[0027] In one or more of the embodiments described herein, the first and second support members are disposed in the enclosure such that the first foam layer and the third foam layer jointly form a substantially continuous upper support surface, and wherein the first foam layer has different support characteristics than the third foam layer.

[0028] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A body support system, comprising: an enclosure having a first chamber and a second chamber; a first support member having a first foam layer secured to a second foam layer, wherein the first and second foam layers have different support characteristics; and a second support member having a third foam layer secured to a fourth foam layer, wherein the third and fourth foam layers have different support characteristics, and wherein the first and second support members are removable from and securable in the first and second chambers, respectively.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the support characteristics include at least one of density, indention load deflection, thermal conductivity, firmness, softness, and material type.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first foam layer includes an indention load deflection rating that is about 2-3 lbs greater than an indention load deflection rating of the second foam layer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the third foam layer includes an indention load deflection rating that is about 2-3 lbs greater than an indention load deflection rating of the fourth foam layer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the foam layers of the first and second support members includes a gel-infused foam layer, and wherein the other one of the foam layers of the first and second support members includes a non-gel-infused foam layer.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the foam layers of the first and second support members is softer than the other one of the foam layers of the first and second support members.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the foam layers of the first and second support members is firmer than the other one of the foam layers of the first and second support members.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second support members are disposed in the enclosure such that the first foam layer and the third foam layer jointly form a substantially continuous upper support surface, and wherein the first foam layer has different support characteristics than the third foam layer.