RETICULATED MATERIAL BODY SUPPORT AND METHOD

• US 20090165213A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tempur World LLC (Tempur Sealy International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tempur-Pedic Management Incorporated (Tempur Sealy International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Kenneth E., Mikkelsen, Tom D., Chandler, Kelly W., Collins, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,418,297 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/740
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/122 with special fibres, such as acrylic thread, coconut, horsehair
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/029 of non-adjustable shape adapted to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/742 for ventilating or cooling A47C31/116 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/10 Pillows pillow holders A47C21/00, A47C21/026; specially adapted for preventing snoring A61F5/56
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 Foamed or expanded material encased

Abstract

A support cushion including a top surface, a bottom surface opposite top surface, a layer of flexible foam having plurality of cells defining a reticulated cellular structure, the reticulated cellular structure cells comprising a skeletal plurality of supports through which substantially open cell walls establish fluid communication between interior of the cell and interiors of adjacent cells, the layer of flexible foam having density no less than about 30 kg/m³ and no greater than about 175 kg/m³, and hardness of no less than about 20 N and no greater than about 150 N at 40% indentation force deflection measured at about 22 degrees Celsius, the layer of flexible foam comprising visco-elastic foam having at least one material property responsive to temperature change in range of 10-30° C., and layer of polyurethane foam located beneath layer of flexible foam, the layer of polyurethane foam having hardness of at least about 50 N.

Claims

1. A support cushion, comprising:

a top surface;

a bottom surface opposite the top surface and separated from the top surface by a distance defining a thickness of the support cushion;

a layer of flexible foam having a plurality of cells defining a reticulated cellular structure, the cells of the reticulated cellular structure comprising a skeletal plurality of supports through which substantially open cell walls establish fluid communication between an interior of the cell and interiors of adjacent cells, the layer of flexible foam having a density no less than about 30 kg/m³ and no greater than about 175 kg/m³, and a hardness of no less than about 20 N and no greater than about 150 N at 40% indentation force deflection measured at about 22 degrees Celsius, the layer of flexible foam comprising visco-elastic foam having at least one material property responsive to a temperature change in a range of 10-30°

C.; and

a layer of polyurethane foam located beneath the layer of flexible foam, the layer of polyurethane foam having a hardness of at least about 50 N;

wherein at least one of the layer of flexible foam and the layer of polyurethane foam has a profiled surface at least partially defining a plurality of air flow paths between the layer of flexible foam and the layer of polyurethane foam.

2. The support cushion claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer of flexible foam has a density no less than about 50 kg/m³ and no greater than about 130 kg/m³.

3. The support cushion claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer of flexible foam has a density no less than about 60 kg/m³ and no greater than about 110 kg/m³.

4. The support cushion claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer of polyurethane foam has a hardness of at least about 80 N.

5. The support cushion claimed in claim 1, wherein the layer of flexible foam is a first layer of flexible foam, the support cushion further comprising a second layer of flexible foam supporting the first layer of flexible foam, the second layer of flexible foam having a plurality of cells defining a reticulated cellular structure and having a temperature change responsiveness of no greater than 10% change in hardness within a temperature range of 10-30 degrees Celsius.

6. The support cushion claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one of the first and second layers of flexible foam has a profiled surface at least partially defining a plurality of air flow paths between the first and second layers of flexible foam.

7. The support cushion claimed in claim 5, wherein the layer of polyurethane foam is located beneath the first and second layers of flexible foam.

8. The support cushion claimed in claim 5, wherein the layer of polyurethane foam is located between the first and second layers of flexible foam, the layer of polyurethane foam having a hardness of at least about 80 N.

9. A support cushion, comprising:

a top surface;

a bottom surface opposite the top surface and separated from the top surface by a distance defining a thickness of the support cushion; and

a first layer of flexible foam having a plurality of cells defining a reticulated cellular structure, the cells of the reticulated cellular structure comprising a skeletal plurality of supports through which substantially open cell walls establish fluid communication between an interior of the cell and interiors of adjacent cells, the first layer of flexible foam having a density no less than about 30 kg/m³ and no greater than about 175 kg/m³, and a hardness of no less than about 20 N and no greater than about 150 N at 40% indentation force defection measured at about 22 degrees Celsius, the first layer of flexible foam comprising visco-elastic foam having at least one material property responsive to a temperature change in a range of 10-30°

C.; and

a second layer of flexible foam comprising a non-reticulated visco-elastic cellular structure having a density no less than about 30 kg/m³ and no greater than about 150 kg/m³;

a hardness of no less than about 30 N and no greater than about 175 N at 40% indentation force defection measured at about 22 degrees Celsius; and

at least one material property responsive to a temperature change in a range of 10-30°

C.

10. The support cushion claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one of the first and second layers of flexible foam has a profiled surface at least partially defining a plurality of air flow paths between the first and second layers of flexible foam.

11. The support cushion claimed in claim 9, wherein the second layer of flexible foam supports the first layer of flexible foam.

12. The support cushion claimed in claim 11, further comprising a third layer of flexible foam supporting the first and second layers of flexible foam, the third layer of flexible foam having a plurality of cells defining a reticulated cellular structure and having a temperature change responsiveness of no greater than 10% change in hardness within a temperature range of 10-30 degrees Celsius.

13. The support cushion claimed in claim 11, further comprising a layer of polyurethane foam located beneath the first and second layers of flexible foam, the layer of polyurethane foam having a hardness of at least about 50 N.

14. The support cushion claimed in claim 9, wherein the first layer of flexible foam supports the second layer of flexible foam.

15. The support cushion claimed in claim 14, further comprising a third layer of flexible foam supporting the first and second layers of flexible foam and comprising a non-reticulated visco-elastic cellular structure having

a density no less than about 30 kg/m³ and no greater than about 150 kg/m³;

a hardness of no less than about 30 N and no greater than about 175 N at 40% indentation force defection measured at about 22 degrees Celsius; and

at least one material property responsive to a temperature change in a range of 10-30°

C.

16. The support cushion claimed in claim 14, further comprising a third layer of flexible foam supporting the first and second layers of flexible foam, the third layer of flexible foam having a plurality of cells defining a reticulated cellular structure and having a temperature change responsiveness of no greater than 10% change in hardness within a temperature range of 10-30 degrees Celsius.

17. The support cushion claimed in claim 14, further comprising a layer of polyurethane foam located beneath the first and second layers of flexible foam, the layer of polyurethane foam having a hardness of at least about 50 N.

18. A support cushion, comprising:

a first layer of flexible material having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the first layer of flexible material comprising a reticulated cellular foam; and

a second layer of flexible material having top and bottom surfaces on opposite sides of the second layer of flexible material, the second layer of flexible material located adjacent the first layer of flexible material, at least partially supported by the first layer of flexible material, and comprising a non-reticulated visco-elastic cellular foam; and

a layer of polyurethane foam having a hardness of at least about 50 kg/m³ measured at about 22 degrees Celsius and at an indentation force deflection of 40%;

wherein the first layer of flexible material is supported by the second layer of flexible material; and

wherein the layer of polyurethane foam is located between the first and second layers of flexible material.

19. The support cushion claimed in claim 18, wherein the first layer of flexible material has a hardness of at least about 50 N and no greater than about 300 N measured at about 22 degrees Celsius and at an indentation force deflection of 40%.

20. The support cushion claimed in claim 18, wherein the first layer of flexible material has a hardness of at least about 80 N and no greater than about 250 N measured at about 22 degrees Celsius and at an indentation force deflection of 40%.