Mattress structure

• US 6,687,935 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Stolpmann, James R., Reeder, Ryan A., Westerfeld, Steven R., Dalton, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US10/186,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178503A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 569/0, 569/1, 572/2, 572/3, 572/7, 573/0, 573/7, 573/8, 573/9, 574/0, 592/2, 592/5, 592/6, 541/1
• US Class Current: 5/691
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/922 with hook and loop type fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/926 Low friction, e.g. slippery material

Abstract

A mattress (900) provides a user with three-dimensional firmness zoning, the mattress (900) cooperating with a mattress shell (720). The mattress (900) includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending resilient blocks (910) being independently movable relative to one another, an inflatable bladder (914) positioned to lie upon the top side of at least one of the blocks (910), and a topper (912) positioned to lie upon the inflatable bladder (914), the topper including opposite ends configured for attachment to the shell (720).

Claims

1. A bed including a foundation and a mattress, each of the foundation and the mattress including a top, a bottom, opposite ends, opposite sides and a region defined generally between the top, the bottom, the opposite ends and the opposite sides, the mattress including at least one attachment mechanism provided on at least one of the mattress sides or mattress ends, and the foundation including a cooperating attachment mechanism provided on the foundation bottom adjacent to a respective one of the foundation sides or foundation ends, the mattress attachment mechanism and foundation attachment mechanism cooperating to releasably attach the mattress to the foundation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one mattress attachment mechanism includes two mattress attachment mechanisms, one on each of the mattress sides.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the at least one foundation attachment mechanism includes two foundation attachment mechanisms, adjacent to each of the foundation sides.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the foundation includes an articulating foundation, articulation of the foundation when the mattress attachment mechanism and foundation attachment mechanism are cooperating to attach the mattress to the foundation permitting relative movement between a respective one of the mattress ends and a respective one of the foundation ends.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one foundation attachment mechanism includes two foundation attachment mechanisms, adjacent to each of the foundation sides.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one mattress attachment mechanism includes two mattress attachment mechanisms, one on each of the mattress ends.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one foundation attachment mechanism includes two foundation attachment mechanisms, adjacent to each of the foundation ends.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one foundation attachment mechanism includes two foundation attachment mechanisms, adjacent to each of the foundation ends.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mattress attachment mechanism includes a loop formed on at least one of the mattress sides or at least one of the mattress ends, a strap for threading through the loop, the strap including first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the loop.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the foundation attachment mechanism includes third and fourth cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the foundation.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the foundation attachment mechanism includes a strap extending from the mattress, the strap including a first engagement mechanism and the foundation including a second cooperative engagement mechanism for engaging the first engagement mechanism to secure the strap to the foundation.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap and the foundation, respectively.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further including a second mattress including opposite ends, opposite sides and a region defined generally between the opposite ends and between the opposite sides, the second mattress including at least one attachment mechanism provided on at least one of the second mattress sides or second mattress ends.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the mattress attachment mechanism includes a loop formed on at least one of the mattress sides or at least one of the mattress ends, a strap for threading through the mattress loop, the strap including first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the mattress loop, and the second mattress attachment mechanism includes a loop formed on at least one of the second mattress sides or at least one of the second mattress ends, the strap for threading through the second mattress loop to secure the second mattress between the mattress and the foundation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the foundation attachment mechanism includes third and fourth cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the foundation.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mattress includes first, second and third materials having at least first and second different compressibilities, the first and second materials being vertically adjacent each other, the first, second and third materials being oriented in the mattress with respect to each other so that the first and second materials support a first region of the body of a person reclining on the mattress and the third material supports a second region of the body of the person, the first and second materials having two different compressibilities presenting a first compressibility to a person reclining on the first region during a first interval of compression and a second compressibility to the person reclining on the first region during a second interval of compression.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the mattress further includes a region of compressible material surrounding the first, second and third materials, the surrounding region including material having a lower compressibility and greater firmness than at least one of the first and second compressibilities.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the mattress further includes a fourth material having a compressibility different from the compressibility of the third material, the third and fourth materials being vertically adjacent each other, the first, second, third and fourth materials being oriented in the mattress with respect to each other so that the first and second materials support a first region of the body of a person reclining on the mattress and the third and fourth materials support a second region of the body of the person, the third and fourth materials presenting a first compressibility to a person reclining on the second region during a first interval of compression and a second compressibility to the person reclining on the second region during a second interval of compression.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the mattress further includes a region of compressible material surrounding the first, second, third and fourth materials, the surrounding region including material having a lower compressibility and greater firmness than at least one of the first and second compressibilities.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the mattress further includes a fifth material having a compressibility different from at least one of the first and second compressibilities, the fifth material being oriented in the mattress with respect to the first and second materials and the third and fourth materials so that the first and second materials support a first region of the body of a person reclining on the mattress, the third and fourth materials support a second region of the body of the person, and the fifth material supports a third region of the body of the person.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the mattress further includes a region of compressible material surrounding the first, second, third, fourth and fifth materials, the surrounding region including material having a lower compressibility and greater firmness than at least one of the first and second compressibilities.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the mattress further includes a sixth material having a compressibility different from the compressibility of the fifth material, the fifth and sixth materials being vertically adjacent each other, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth materials being oriented in the mattress with respect to each other so that the first and second materials support a first region of the body of a person reclining on the mattress, the third and fourth materials support a second region of the body of the person, and the fifth and sixth materials support a third region of the body of the person, the fifth and sixth materials presenting a first compressibility to a person reclining on the second region during a first interval of compression and a second compressibility to the person reclining on the second region during a second interval of compression.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the mattress further includes a region of compressible material surrounding the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth materials, the surrounding region including material having a lower compressibility and greater firmness than at least one of the first and second compressibilities.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mattress includes first, second, third and fourth materials having at least first and second different compressibilities, respectively, the first and second materials, second and third materials and third and fourth materials being oriented adjacent each other in the mattress and defining a substantially continuous surface upon which a person reclines, the first material supporting a first region of the body of the person reclining on the mattress, the second material supporting a second region of the body of the person, the third material supporting a third region of the body of a person reclining on the mattress, and the fourth material supporting a fourth region of the body of a person reclining on the mattress.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further including a fifth material, the fourth and fifth materials being oriented adjacent each other in the mattress, the fifth material supporting a fifth region of the body of the person, the fifth region having a compressibility different from the fourth region.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 further including anti-shear material between two adjacent materials permitting relative movement up and down of the two adjacent materials with respect to each other as a person reclines on the mattress.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the anti-shear material includes a sleeve for receiving one of the two adjacent materials.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the anti-shear material includes sleeves for receiving both or all of the materials.

31. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the second region has a compressibility different from at least one of the first region and the third region.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the third region has a compressibility different from at least one of the second region and fourth region.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the fourth region has a compressibility different from at least one of the third region and the fifth region.

34. The apparatus of claim 31 further including anti-shear material between adjacent regions of the mattress permitting relative movement up and down of the adjacent regions of the mattress with respect to each other as a person reclines on the mattress.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the anti-shear material includes a sleeve for receiving one of the adjacent regions of the mattress.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the anti-shear material includes sleeves for receiving all of the regions of the mattress.

37. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein at least one of the regions includes vertically adjacent materials having two different compressibilities presenting a first compressibility to a person reclining on the at least one of the regions during a first interval of compression and a second compressibility to the person on the at least one of the regions during a second interval of compression.

38. The apparatus of claim 26 further including a region of compressible material forming an outer perimetral region of the mattress, the perimetral region including material having a lower compressibility and greater firmness than at least one of the first and second compressibilities.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the surrounding region includes a material having a lower compressibility and greater firmness than any of the other compressibilities.

40. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mattress includes first and second regions having first and second different compressibilities, respectively, the first and second regions defining a substantially continuous surface upon which a person reclines, the first region supporting a first region of the body of the person reclining on the mattress, the second region supporting a second region of the body of the person, and an anti-shear material between the first and second regions permitting relative movement between the first and second regions.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the anti-shear material includes a sleeve for receiving one of the first and second regions.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein the anti-shear material includes sleeves for receiving both of the first and second regions.

43. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein at least one of the regions includes vertically adjacent materials having two different compressibilities presenting a first compressibility to a person reclining on the at least one of the regions during a first interval of compression and a second compressibility to the person on the at least one of the regions during a second interval of compression.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 further including anti-shear material between each pair of adjacent regions or materials permitting relative movement of the adjacent surfaces with respect to each other as a person reclines on the mattress.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the anti-shear material includes a sleeve for receiving the region or material which defines one of the two adjacent surfaces.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the anti-shear material includes sleeves for receiving both or all of the regions or materials which define both or all of the adjacent surfaces.

47. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein each region or material has a compressibility different from at least one next adjacent region or material.

48. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the mattress has first and second ends and first and second sides, the first region lying closer to the first end and the second region lying closer to the second end.

49. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the mattress has first and second ends and first and second sides, the first region lying closer to the first side and the second region lying closer to the second side.

50. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mattress includes a cover, a first filling material and a second filling material, the cover defining first and second oppositely facing sides, the first filling material oriented adjacent the first side, the second filling material oriented adjacent the second side, the first filling material having greater compressibility than the second filling material so that the mattress can be oriented with the first side facing upward when greater compressibility is desired, and can be oriented with the second side facing upward when less compressibility is desired.

51. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the cover is quilted.

52. The apparatus of claim 50 wherein the cover includes a textile material.

53. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mattress has first and second ends and first and second sides, the mattress including first and second regions having first and second different compressibilities, respectively, the first and second regions defining between the first and second ends and between the first and second sides a substantially continuous surface upon which a person reclines, the first region lying closer to the first side and the second region lying closer to the second side.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein the mattress is a pillow top.

55. A bed including a foundation and a mattress, each of the foundation and the mattress including opposite ends, opposite sides and a region defined generally between the opposite ends and between the opposite sides, the mattress including at least one attachment mechanism provided on at least one of the mattress sides or mattress ends, and the foundation including a cooperating attachment mechanism provided on a respective at least one of the foundation sides or foundation ends, the mattress attachment mechanism and foundation attachment mechanism cooperating to attach the mattress to the foundation, wherein the mattress attachment mechanism includes a loop formed on at least one of the mattress sides or at least one of the mattress ends and a strap for threading through the loop, wherein the strap includes first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the loop, wherein the first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap, wherein the foundation attachment mechanism includes third and fourth cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the foundation, and wherein the third and fourth cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap and the foundation.

56. A bed including a foundation and a mattress, each of the foundation and the mattress including opposite ends, opposite sides and a region defined generally between the opposite ends and between the opposite sides, the mattress including at least one attachment mechanism provided on at least one of the mattress sides or mattress ends, and the foundation including a cooperating attachment mechanism provided on a respective at least one of the foundation sides or foundation ends, the mattress attachment mechanism and foundation attachment mechanism cooperating to attach the mattress to the foundation, the bed further including a second mattress including opposite ends, opposite sides and a region defined generally between the opposite ends and between the opposite sides, the second mattress including at least one attachment mechanism provided on at least one of the second mattress sides or second mattress ends, wherein the mattress attachment mechanism includes a loop formed on at least one of the mattress sides or at least one of the mattress ends and a strap for threading through the mattress loop, the strap including first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms for engaging each other to secure the strap to the mattress loop, the second mattress attachment mechanism includes a loop formed on at least one of the second mattress sides or at least one of the second mattress ends, the strap being configured to thread through the second mattress loop to secure the second mattress between the mattress and the foundation, wherein the first and second cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap, and wherein the third and fourth cooperative engagement mechanisms include complementary regions of hook-and-loop fastener material provided on the strap and the foundation.

57. A bed including a foundation and a mattress, each of the foundation and the mattress including opposite ends, opposite sides and a region defined generally between the opposite ends and between the opposite sides, the mattress including at least one attachment mechanism provided on at least one of the mattress sides or mattress ends, and the foundation including a cooperating attachment mechanism provided on a respective at least one of the foundation sides or foundation ends, the mattress attachment mechanism and foundation attachment mechanism cooperating to attach the mattress to the foundation, wherein the mattress includes a cover, a first filling material and a second filling material, the cover defining first and second oppositely facing sides, the first filling material being oriented adjacent the first side, the second filling material being oriented adjacent the second side, the first filling material having greater compressibility than the second filling material so that the mattress can be oriented with the first side facing upward when greater compressibility is desired, and can be oriented with the second side facing upward when less compressibility is desired, and wherein the mattress is a pillow top.