Mattress with mattress age indicator

• US 8,939,379 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Myers, Terrance L., Garrett, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thien M
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US13/709,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20130219627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/487, 235/494, 403/20, 406/31, 368/278
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/00 Details or accessories for chairs, beds, or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass, e.g. upholstery fasteners, mattress protectors, stretching devices for mattress nets

Abstract

A mattress age indicating device includes an enclosure and an indicating assembly contained within the enclosure. The age indicating device may be configured to present an indication related to the mattress'"'"'s age and may be coupled to the mattress or other bedding or seating product.

Claims

1. In combination, a mattress and a mattress age indicating device, the combination comprising:

the mattress,

the mattress age indicating device coupled to the mattress and comprising an enclosure;

an indicating assembly contained within the enclosure, the indicating assembly including a test button, a visual indicator, a timer, a controller, a light sensor, and a power source; and

wherein the visual indicator is at least one light emitting diode of at least one color configured to present a colored visual indication related to the mattress'"'"' age, different colors indicating different ages of the mattress, as determined by the timer, the timer being initially activated by a user pressing the test button multiple times.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a back and a cover, and the indicating assembly is positioned between the back and the cover.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein after the timer is initially activated, the visual indicator may be activated by the controller at any time by a user pushing the test button.

4. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a label providing information used in conjunction with the indication.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the device is attached to a surface of a mattress.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the device is attached to a side surface of a mattress.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a frame portion, and the device is configured to be attached to the mattress by stitching.

8. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a barcode.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein the barcode includes a QR code.

10. In combination, a mattress and a mattress age indicating device, the combination comprising:

the mattress,

the mattress age indicating device coupled to the mattress and comprising an enclosure;

an indicating assembly contained within the enclosure, the indicating assembly including a test button, a colored visual indicator, a timer, a controller, a light sensor, and a power source, wherein upon the test button being pressed multiple times, the controller initially activates the timer for the first time and upon the test button being pushed after the timer has been initially activated, the controller causes the colored visual indicator to undergo a single sequence of activating and deactivating the colored visual indicator, different colors of the colored visual indicator indicating different ages of the mattress.

11. The combination of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator comprises at least one LED.

12. The combination of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator includes at least one LED, and the controller selectively activates the at least one LED to provide the single sequence.

13. The combination of claim 10, wherein the enclosure includes a frame portion, the frame portion being sewn to the mattress.

14. The combination of claim 10, wherein the device is attached to a side surface of the mattress.

15. The combination of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator includes color changing dyes.

16. The combination of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator includes color changing materials.

17. In combination, a bedding product and an age indicating device, the combination comprising:

the bedding product,

the age indicating device comprising an indicating assembly including a test button, a light sensor, a timer, a controller, and an indicator;

an enclosure surrounding the indicating assembly, the enclosure having a frame portion for coupling the age indicating device to the bedding product;

wherein the light sensor, timer, controller, and indicator cooperate to present a colored visual indication related to the bedding product'"'"'s age, different colors indicating different ages of the bedding product, and wherein the timer is initially activated by a user pushing the test button.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator and includes at least one LED.

19. The combination of claim 17, further comprising a label providing information used in conjunction with the indication.

20. The combination of claim 17, further comprising a QR code.

21. In combination, a bedding product and an age indicating device, the combination comprising:

the bedding product,

the age indicating device coupled to the bedding product and comprising an indicating assembly including a test button, a light sensor, a timer, a controller, and an indicator;

an enclosure surrounding the indicating assembly;

wherein the light sensor, timer, controller, and indicator cooperate to present a colored visual indication related to the bedding product'"'"'s age, different colors indicating different ages of the bedding product, wherein the timer is initially activated by a user pressing the test button multiple times.

22. The combination of claim 21, wherein the indicator includes at least one LED.

23. The combination of claim 22, wherein the indicator comprises multiple LEDs, each LED being a different color.

24. In combination, a bedding product and an age indicating device, the combination comprising:

the bedding product,

the age indicating device coupled to the bedding product and comprising an indicating assembly including a test button, a light sensor, a timer, a controller, and an indicator;

wherein the light sensor, timer, controller, and indicator cooperate to present a colored visual indication related to the bedding product'"'"'s age, different colors indicating different ages of the bedding product, wherein the timer is initially activated by a user pressing the test button.

25. The combination of claim 24, wherein the indicator includes at least one LED.

26. The combination of claim 25, wherein the indicator comprises multiple LEDs, each LED being a different color.