Adjustable mattress with interchangeable foam springs

• US 9,072,277 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hsiu Chen Liao
• Original Assignee: Hsiu Chen Liao
• Inventors: Rawls-Meehan, Martin B
• Primary Examiner(s): IRVIN, THOMAS W
• Application Number:
  US13/095,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 572/2, 572/3, 572/7, 571/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/0353 Dog beds
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 23/002 with separate resilient support elements, e.g. elastomeric springs arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/065 of special shape
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/14 with foamed material inlays
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/148 of different resilience
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/20 with springs moulded in, or situated in cavities or openings in foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/003 Magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/123 for beds or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/027 with elastomeric springs A47C7/282 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/35 Combinations of different types of springs; Adjustable springs; Attachment of springs to other springs or to the base frame ; Springs for seat parts not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 3/093 the springs being of different materials, e.g. having different types of rubber F16F1/3835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/953 Comprising structurally defined foam material or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/48 Upholstered article making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 : with prestressing of part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 : by applying separate fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49948 : Multipart cooperating fastener [e.g., bolt and nut]

Abstract

An aspect of the present invention relates to a method and system of receiving information of a user'"'"'s support facility comfort requirements; using a software application to determine a proper support facility firmness configuration to match the user'"'"'s requirement; selecting foam springs with the proper user required firmness as determined by the software application; and configuring the selected foam springs within the support facility to match the user'"'"'s firmness requirements.

Claims

1. An adjustable mattress adapted to support a human while sleeping, comprising:

a containment facility;

an upper foam panel defining an upper face and a lower face;

a lower foam panel defining a top face and a bottom face;

at least one of the foam panels having a plurality of openings defined therein;

a plurality of foam springs each having an upper and a lower end;

an end of each of the plurality of foam springs being received in one of the openings in the at least one foam panel such that, when installed in the containment facility to support a human while sleeping, (i) the plurality of foam springs are disposed in a generally vertical orientation between the upper foam panel and lower foam panel, (i) the plurality of foam springs include regions that extend at least one of upwardly above the top face of the lower foam panel or downwardly below the lower face of the upper foam panel, and (iii) the plurality of foam springs are not physically surrounded by the upper foam panel or the lower foam panel in the regions that extend upwardly above the top face of the lower foam panel or downwardly below the lower face of the upper foam panel;

the foam springs being individually removable and replaceable so as to alter the firmness of the adjustable mattress; and

the foam springs being disposed in a plurality of zones of foam springs having different integrated firmnesses.

2. The adjustable mattress of claim 1, wherein the foam spring includes latex foam.

3. The adjustable mattress of claim 1, wherein the foam spring includes visco-elastic foam.

4. The adjustable mattress of claim 1, wherein the foam spring includes urethane foam.

5. The adjustable mattress of claim 1, wherein the foam spring includes polyurethane foam.

6. The adjustable mattress of claim 1, wherein the plurality of foam springs includes at least one foam spring characterized by a first firmness and at least one foam spring characterized by a second firmness, wherein the first firmness is different from the second firmness.

7. The adjustable mattress of claim 6, wherein the at least one foam spring characterized by the first firmness includes a first visually observable indicia and wherein the at least one foam spring characterized by the second firmness includes a second visually observable indicia.

8. The adjustable mattress of claim 7, wherein the first visually observable indicia and the second visually observable indicia are different.

9. The adjustable mattress of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of foam springs defines a cylindrical geometry that extends from the upper end to the lower end thereof.

10. An adjustable mattress adapted to support a human while sleeping, comprising:

a containment facility;

an upper foam panel defining an upper face and a lower face;

a lower foam panel defining a top face and a bottom face;

a plurality of elongated locators disposed on one of the foam panels, the locators intersecting and forming a grid of openings;

a plurality of foam springs each having an upper and a lower end;

an end of each of the plurality of foam springs being received in one of the openings defined by the locators such that, when installed in the containment facility to support a human while sleeping, (i) the plurality of foam springs are disposed in a generally vertical orientation between the upper foam panel and lower foam panel, (ii) the plurality of foam springs include regions that extend at least one of upwardly above the top face of the lower foam panel or downwardly below the lower face of the upper foam panel, and (iii) the plurality of foam springs are not physically surrounded by the upper foam panel or the lower foam panel in the regions that extend upwardly above the top face of the lower foam panel or downwardly below the lower face of the upper foam panel,

the foam springs being individually removable and replaceable so as to alter the firmness of the adjustable mattress; and

the foam springs being disposed in a plurality of zones of foam springs having different integrated firmnesses.

11. An adjustable mattress adapted to support a human while sleeping, comprising:

a containment facility;

an upper foam panel defining an upper face and a lower face;

a lower foam panel defining a top face and a bottom face;

at least one of the foam panels having a plurality of openings defined therein;

a plurality of independent foam springs each having an upper and a lower end;

an end of each of the plurality of foam springs being received in one of the openings in the at least one foam panel such that, when installed in the containment facility to support a human while sleeping, (i) the plurality of foam springs are disposed in a generally vertical orientation between the upper foam panel and lower foam panel when disposed in the containment facility, (ii) the plurality of foam springs include regions that extend at least one of upwardly above the top face of the lower foam panel or downwardly below the lower face of the upper foam panel, and (iii) the plurality of foam springs are not physically surrounded by the upper foam panel or the lower foam panel in the regions that extend upwardly above the top face of the lower foam panel or downwardly below the lower face of the upper foam panel;

the foam springs being disconnected from each other and individually removable and replaceable so as to alter the firmness of the adjustable mattress; and

the foam springs being disposed in a plurality of zones of foam springs having different integrated firmnesses.