Resilient foam springs mountable to foam panel base

• US 9,345,336 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• 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): Sosnowski, David E
• Application Number:
  US11/876,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,137 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 574/0, 572/7, 571/7, 571/8, 571/9, 572/0, 573/9, 570/6, 568/5, 267/142, 267/245
• 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 foam spring system, comprising:

a plurality of foam springs formed from resilient foam material;

an internal opening formed in each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs;

a foam panel base; and

a plurality of individual vertical locators attached to the foam panel base, each individual vertical locator of the plurality of individual vertical locators is positioned on the foam panel base in a substantially evenly spaced apart relation to adjacent individual vertical locators of the plurality of individual vertical locators;

wherein each internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is adapted to removably and replaceably mount to one individual vertical locator of the plurality of individual vertical locators attached to the foam panel base.

2. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein the internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is formed at a top of each respective foam spring.

3. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein the internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is formed at a bottom of each respective foam spring.

4. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein the internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is formed at a side of each respective foam spring.

5. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein a height of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs equals a height of a mattress outer case of a human support facility.

6. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein a height of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is less than a height of a mattress outer case of a human support facility.

7. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein each internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is round.

8. The foam spring system of claim 1, wherein each internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is centered on a surface of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs.

9. The foam spring system of claim 1, further comprising a fabric wrapping that partially encases each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs.

10. The foam spring system of claim 1, further comprising an attachment device for joining a first foam spring of the plurality of foam springs with a second foam spring of the plurality of foam springs.

11. The foam spring system of claim 1, further comprising an attachment device for connecting one or more foam springs of the plurality of foam springs to a human support facility.

12. An foam spring system, comprising:

a plurality of foam springs formed from resilient foam material;

an internal opening formed in each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs;

a foam panel base; and

a plurality of individual vertical locators attached to the foam panel base, each individual vertical locator of the plurality of individual vertical locators is positioned on the foam panel base in a substantially evenly spaced apart relation to adjacent individual vertical locators of the plurality of individual vertical locators;

wherein each internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is adapted to mount to one individual vertical locator of the plurality of individual vertical locators attached to the foam panel base;

wherein first and second foam springs of the plurality of foam springs are characterized by a first firmness and a first firmness pattern embodied in at least a top face of the first and second foam springs that correlates to the first firmness; and

wherein third and fourth foam springs of the plurality of foam springs are characterized by a second firmness and a second firmness pattern embodied in at least a top face of the third and fourth foam springs that correlates to the second firmness.

13. The foam spring system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of foam springs are each individually removably and replaceably mounted to one individual vertical locator of the plurality of individual vertical locators attached to the foam panel base.

14. The foam spring system of claim 12, wherein the first firmness and the second firmness are different from each other, and wherein the first firmness pattern and the second firmness pattern are different from each other.

15. The foam spring system of claim 12, wherein each internal opening of each foam spring of the plurality of foam springs is adapted to removably and replaceably mount to one individual vertical locator of the plurality of individual vertical locators attached to the foam panel base.