Bedding product with age indicator

• US 9,773,436 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): Paik, Steven S
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, APRIL ALICIA
• Application Number:
  US14/982,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 235375, 235487, 235494
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/00 Attachments for beds, e.g. sheet holders, bed-cover holders bed tables supported on the bedstead A47B23/02; for children's beds A47D7/00, A47D15/00; Ventilating, cooling or heating means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/00 Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses or cushions specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/002 Mattress or cushion tickings or covers bed linen, blankets or counterpanes A47G9/02
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 9/10 Pillows pillow holders A47C21/00, A47C21/026; specially adapted for preventing snoring A61F5/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0297 including a machine-readable marking, e.g. a bar code digitally marked record carriers in general G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/201 Enclosures enveloping completely the labels G09F3/203 - G09F3/207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/208 Electronic labels, Labels integrating electronic displays

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 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 configured to present a visual indication related to the mattress'"'"' age and wherein the timer is initially activated by the light sensor.

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 is activated by the controller at any time by a user pushing a 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 combination 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 controller, a test button, a visual indicator, a timer and a light sensor, wherein upon the timer being initially activated by the light sensor, 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 visual indicator to undergo a sequence of activating and deactivating the visual indicator.

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 mattress age indicating 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 a timer, a controller, a power source, a light sensor and a visual indicator comprising at least one light emitting diode;

an enclosure surrounding the indicating assembly;

wherein the timer, controller and visual indicator cooperate to present a visual indication related to the bedding product'"'"'s age and the timer is initially activated by the light sensor.

18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the timer may be activated by a user pressing a test button.

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 light sensor, a timer, a controller, and an indicator;

an enclosure surrounding the indicating assembly;

wherein the timer, controller, and indicator cooperate to present an indication related to the bedding product'"'"'s age, wherein the timer is initially activated by the light sensor.

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

25. The combination of claim 21, wherein the indicator comprises multiple LEDs, each LED being a different color.