U.S. patent application number 14/007259 was filed with the patent office on 2014-10-02 for mattresses.
This patent application is currently assigned to KIT FOR KIDS LIMITED. The applicant listed for this patent is Jan Van der Velde. Invention is credited to Jan Van der Velde.
Application Number | 20140289968 14/007259 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44067386 |
Filed Date | 2014-10-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140289968 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Van der Velde; Jan |
October 2, 2014 |
MATTRESSES
Abstract
Mattresses for cots and infant beds include a mattress core
having first and second faces. Each face is overlayered by a
comfort layer and a cover layer. The mattress core includes a
relatively firm core layer and a relatively soft core layer.
Suitably, the firm core layer includes an array of helical springs
or a foamed polymeric or fibrous material.
Inventors: |
Van der Velde; Jan; (Kent,
GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Van der Velde; Jan |
Kent |
|
GB |
|
|
Assignee: |
KIT FOR KIDS LIMITED
Kent
GB
|
Family ID: |
44067386 |
Appl. No.: |
14/007259 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 22, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2012/050628 |
371 Date: |
December 23, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/716 ;
5/690 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/22 20130101;
A47C 27/20 20130101; A47C 27/05 20130101; A47D 15/001 20130101;
A47C 27/005 20130101; A47C 27/056 20130101; A47C 27/15
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/716 ;
5/690 |
International
Class: |
A47D 15/00 20060101
A47D015/00; A47C 27/05 20060101 A47C027/05; A47C 27/15 20060101
A47C027/15; A47C 27/22 20060101 A47C027/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 25, 2011 |
GB |
1105066.3 |
Claims
1. An infant mattress comprising a mattress core having first and
second faces each face overlayered by a comfort layer and a cover
layer; wherein the mattress core comprises a relatively firm core
layer and a relatively soft core layer.
2. A mattress as claimed in claim 1 wherein the firm core layer
comprises an array of helical springs.
3. A mattress as claimed in claim 2 wherein the firm core layer
comprises an array of open coil springs, preferably arranged at a
density of at least 87 springs per square metre.
4. A mattress as claimed in claim 2 wherein the firm core layer
comprises an array of individually pocketed springs, preferably,
the springs are arranged in a density of at least 169 springs per
square metre.
5. A mattress as claimed in claim 2 wherein the array of springs of
the firm core layer is further provided with a surround or border
of a compressible material, suitably a foamed polymeric
material.
6. A mattress as claimed in claim 1 wherein the firm core layer
comprises a foamed polymeric material or fibrous material.
7. A mattress as claimed in claim 1 wherein the soft core layer is
formed of a foamed polymeric material; a polymeric fibrous
material; or a natural material, such as wool.
8. A mattress as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least the firm core
layer is overlayered on both faces thereof by a boundary layer.
9. A mattress as claimed in claim 8 wherein each said boundary
layer is formed of a fibrous layer material; preferably a non-woven
fibrous layer material.
10. A mattress as claimed in claim 9 wherein the boundary layer is
formed of a felt or polypropylene material.
11. A mattress as claimed in claim 1 wherein the comfort layer is
formed of a foamed polymeric material; a polymeric fibrous material
or a natural material such as woven or non-woven wool.
12. A mattress as claimed in claim 1 having a depth of 15 cm or
less in a middle portion of the mattress.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to mattresses. In particular,
it relates to mattresses for cots and infant beds.
[0002] Traditionally, as a child grows and develops from a baby, it
moves from sleeping in a cot to sleeping in a conventional bed. A
cot mattress should be soft in comparison with a bed mattress to
avoid damage to the developing bone structure of the child, such as
flattening of the skull (positional plagiocephaly). A bed mattress
is then firm in comparison with a cot mattress in order to provide
good support for the child as their weight increases.
[0003] However, in recent years, there has been an increase in
demand for cots which are convertible into beds as the child grows
so that the need to purchase both a cot and a bed can be avoided.
Nevertheless, although the frame can be converted from a cot to a
bed, a replacement mattress has to be provided when the child moves
from the cot configuration to the bed configuration. It is not
possible to provide a single mattress that is both soft and firm
due to safety legislation limiting the depth for cot mattresses,
currently to 15 cm in the middle of the mattress and 10 cm at the
edges.
[0004] The present invention seeks to provide a solution to this
problem.
[0005] Accordingly, in its broadest sense, the present invention
provides an infant mattress comprising a mattress core having first
and second faces each face overlayered by a comfort layer and a
cover layer. The mattress core comprises a relatively firm core
layer and a relatively soft core layer.
[0006] Preferably, at least the firm core layer is overlayered on
both faces thereof by a boundary layer.
[0007] Advantageously, the firm core layer comprises an array of
helical springs.
[0008] Alternatively, the firm core layer comprises a foamed
polymeric material or a fibrous material.
[0009] In one embodiment, the firm core layer comprises an array of
open coil springs, preferably at a density of at least 87 springs
per square metre.
[0010] In an alternative embodiment, the firm core layer comprises
an array of individually pocketed springs Preferably, the springs
are arranged in a density of at least 169 springs per square
metre.
[0011] Preferably, the springs are formed of spring steel wire.
Preferably, the wire of an open coil spring has a diameter between
about 1.6 mm and 2.4 mm, more preferably from 1.9 to 2.2 mm.
Preferably, the wire in a pocketed spring core has a diameter of
between about 1.4 mm and 2.2 mm, more preferably from 1.5 to 1.9
mm.
[0012] Optionally, the array of springs of the firm core layer is
further provided with a surround or border of a compressible
material, suitably a foamed polymeric material.
[0013] Preferably, the soft core layer provides a soft,
compressible surface. More preferably the soft core layer is formed
of a foamed polymeric material; a polymeric fibrous material; or a
natural material, such as wool.
[0014] Advantageously the firm core layer has a thickness of about
4 cm to 5 cm and the soft core layer has a thickness of about 3 cm
to 5 cm.
[0015] Preferably, each boundary layer acts, in use, to distribute
weight evenly over the firm core layer.
[0016] Preferably, each said boundary layer is formed of a fibrous
layer material; more preferably a non-woven fibrous layer material.
The boundary layer is advantageously formed of a felt or
polypropylene material which may be woven or non-woven.
[0017] Suitably, the comfort layer is formed of a foamed polymeric
material; a polymeric fibrous material or a natural material such
as woven or non-woven wool.
[0018] Suitably, each comfort layer is at least about 1.5 cm in
thickness, preferably up to about 2.5 cm in thickness.
Advantageously, the comfort layers are of different
thicknesses.
[0019] Suitably, at least one of the cover layers is formed of a
breathable polyurethane sheet material.
[0020] The above and other aspects of the present invention will
now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment
of a mattress in accordance with the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment
of a mattress in accordance with the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a mattress 10 in accordance
with the present invention. The mattress has a mattress core 11,
comprising a relatively firm core layer 12, bounded on upper and
lower surfaces by boundary layers 13, 13', and a relatively soft
core layer 14.
[0024] In the preferred embodiment shown, firm core layer 12 is
formed of a plurality of helical compression springs 15 each
retained in individual pockets 16 between the pair of opposed
boundary layers 13, 13'. In alternative embodiments, (not shown), a
low-height open coil spring layer is used.
[0025] The springs are typically formed of spring steel wire.
Preferably, the wire of an open coil spring has a diameter between
about 1.6 mm and 2.4 mm, more preferably from 1.9 to 2.2 mm and the
array of open coil springs has a density of at least 87 springs per
square metre. Preferably, the wire in a pocketed spring core has a
diameter of between about 1.4 mm and 2.2 mm, more preferably from
1.5 to 1.9 mm and the springs are arranged in a density of at least
169 springs per square metre. Advantageously, each spring has an
uncompressed length of between 2.5 and 6 cm.
[0026] Optionally, the array of springs of the firm core layer is
further provided with a surround or border of a compressible
material, suitably a foamed polymeric material.
[0027] Soft core layer 14 provides a soft compressible surface,
particularly intended for a baby or younger child. It may be made
of any correspondingly suitable material such as foamed
polyurethane; polyester fibre or wool.
[0028] Advantageously, the soft core layer is formed of a foamed
polymeric material; a polymeric fibrous material; or a natural
material, such as wool.
[0029] Advantageously the firm core layer has a thickness of about
4 cm to 5 cm and the soft core layer has a thickness of about 3 cm
to 5 cm.
[0030] Core 11 thereby has two surfaces, a first surface 20 to the
soft core layer and a second surface 21 to the firm core layer. To
each face 20, 21 of core 11 is provided a respective comfort layer,
first comfort layer 22, associated with first core face 20, and
second comfort layer 23, associated with second core surface 21. In
preferred embodiments, first comfort layer 22 is substantially
thicker than second comfort layer 23. This allows the surface of
the mattress having the first comfort layer 22 to provide a softer,
more compressible surface, suitable for a baby; and that having the
second comfort layer 23 to provide a firmer surface, more suitable
for an older child.
[0031] Comfort layers 22,23 can be formed from fire-retardant
foamed materials of the type conventionally used in child
mattresses and complying with relevant safety requirements.
Suitably, the comfort layer is formed of a foamed polymeric
material; a polymeric fibrous material or a natural material such
as woven or non-woven wool. Suitably, each comfort layer is at
least about 1.5 cm in thickness, preferably up to about 2.5 cm in
thickness.
[0032] Boundary layers 13, 13' act to distribute the weight of a
body more evenly over the spring layer and prevent the springs from
breaking into or through the comfort layers 22,23 or the soft core
layer 14. Suitably, the boundary layers are formed of woven or
non-woven material such as felt or polypropylene. For an older
child, the boundary layer may be formed by a coir slab, to provide
additional stiffness or firmness to the mattress. In a pocketed
spring firm core layer 12, boundary layers 13, 13' are typically
inherent in the construction of the spring pocketing.
[0033] First and second comfort layers 23,24 are then provided with
respective first and second covers 24,25. First cover 24 is
appropriately formed from a conventional waterproof breathable
polyurethane sheet material, as is conventional in mattresses for
babies. Second cover 25 is suitably formed from a more comfortable
woven fabric material, which becomes more appropriate for an older
child as the risk of leaking nappies and so on diminishes.
Additional covers may be provided as required and the covers may be
removable.
[0034] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment 30 in which the
mattress core 31 is formed with a firm core layer 32 of a
relatively firm foamed polymeric material or a more densely packed
fibrous material, whether natural or synthetic, than is provided
for the soft core layer. The other components of the mattress are
as provided and described above in respect of the embodiment of
FIG. 1. Firm core layer 32 can be formed from fire-retardant foamed
materials of the type conventionally used in child mattresses and
complying with relevant safety requirements, such as foamed
polyurethane, a polymerica fibrous material or a natural material
such as woven or non-woven wool.
* * * * *