Mattress with flexible pressure sensor

• US 9,833,081 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dreamwell Limited (Serta Simmons Bedding LLC)
• Original Assignee: Dreamwell Limited (Serta Simmons Bedding LLC)
• Inventors: DeFranks, Michael S., Golin, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G
• Application Number:
  US15/352,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20170135494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 5690, 5694, 5727, 5728, 3405731, 340575
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/002 Mattress or cushion tickings or covers bed linen, blankets or counterpanes A47G9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/05 with padding material, e.g. foamed material, in top, bottom, or side layers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/121 with different inlays
• 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: A47C 31/123 for beds or mattresses

Abstract

Mattresses including a polymeric contact sensor configured to provide real-time dynamic contact information, which can then be used to report sleep quality, body position and/or pressure distributions to the user. The polymeric contact sensors could also be used to control parameters of the mattress and/or foundation with adjustable firmness for a given position and/or body shape/type/size. The polymeric contact sensor includes a plurality of flexible strips formed of a polymeric material and a conductive filler, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is in electrical communication with a data acquisition terminal, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is disposed on or within the upholstery layer, or on or within the quilt layer, or on a top surface of the innercore unit.

Claims

1. A mattress comprising:

a base layer;

an innercore layer overlaying the base layer, the innercore comprising coil springs, foam, and combinations thereof;

an upholstery layer overlaying the innercore layer;

a quilt or fabric layer overlaying the upholstery layer; and

a polymeric contact sensor comprising a plurality of intersecting flexible strips formed of a polymeric material and a conductive filler, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is in electrical communication with a data acquisition terminal, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is disposed on or within the upholstery layer, or on a top surface of the innercore layer, and wherein the polymeric sensor is configured to determine pressure, movement, and coordinate position of a user on the mattress.

2. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the conductive filler is less than 10% by weight relative to the polymeric material.

3. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the polymeric material comprises polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyester resins, or epoxy resins.

4. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the conductive filler comprises carbon black, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, chromium, nickel, platinum, tungsten, titanium, iron, zinc, lead, molybdenum, selenium, indium, bismuth, tin, magnesium, cobalt, titanium germanium, or mercury.

5. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible strips further comprises a filler.

6. The mattress of claim 5, wherein the filler comprises a ceramic.

7. The mattress of claim 5, wherein the filler comprises aluminum oxide, zirconia, calcium, silicon, fibrous fillers, carbon fiber or glass fibers.

8. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition terminal comprises data acquisition circuitry comprising at least one multiplexer in electrical communication with a microcontroller via the data acquisition circuitry.

9. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible strips are perpendicularly oriented in different opposing directions to form virtual cross points at intersections thereof.

10. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible strips are oriented parallel to one another.

11. A mattress comprising:

a base layer;

an innercore layer overlaying the base layer, the innercore comprising coil springs;

an upholstery layer overlaying the innercore layer;

a quilt or fabric layer overlaying the upholstery layer; and

a polymeric contact sensor comprising a plurality of intersecting flexible strips formed of a polymeric material and a conductive filler, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is in electrical communication with a data acquisition terminal, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is disposed on or within the upholstery layer, or on or within the quilt layer, or on a top surface of the innercore layer, and wherein the polymeric sensor is configured to determine pressure, movement, and coordinate position of a user on the mattress.