Beds – Mattress – Having confined gas
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-17
2004-06-08
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3673)
Beds
Mattress
Having confined gas
C005S710000, C005S654000, C005S655700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745420
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FED SPONSORED R & D
(none)
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an interactively modulable support apparatus, such as a mattress, having a layer of pressure adjustable self-inflating, open-cell, flexible polyurethane foam core and a layer of mattress spring coils. Both layers are independently adjustable as to softness/hardness, but also interactively modulable in the way that adjustment of the foam core layer modifies the characteristics of the coil spring layer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a multiple layer combination mattress. One or more layers are self-inflating elastomeric open-cell polyurethane foam and another layer is a section having mechanical coil springs therein. Both layers are individually, as well as interactively adjustable as to their hardness and softness (indentation force deflection—IFD) and support (density).
Various designs have been made in the past to control the hardness, softness, and support firmness of foam layers within a mattress by using different zones of foam layers for different parts of the body, or by controlling the firmness or responsiveness of coil springs in mattresses, but to control both layers so that they can be adjusted by the user, foam and coil independently and interactively in one mattress, has not been achieved and is not found in the prior art in the manner of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,779,034 to Arpin discloses a firmness adjustment for mattresses involving a standard coil spring mattress wherein standard coil springs are enclosed by a loosely fitting airtight cover. A vacuum pump can be applied to the cover in order to compress the coil springs within the mattress to make them harder. Although the disclosure of Arpin mentions ‘rubber foam’ or similar material, it does not involve any open-cell, self-inflating foam varieties, nor does Arpin teach that the respective density and IFD values, which are determined by the cellular structure of the foam or foam-like material he may have had in mind, may be modulated to result in a softer or harder mattress without sacrificing support-firmness in the process of multiple comfort adjustments. The present invention, however, modulates the foam core layers' characteristics in a way as to bring pressure resulting from that modulation to bear onto the coil spring layer, thus interactively and incrementally increasing this layer's firmness in a predetermined range of modulation, whereas Arpin only applies a vacuum to the coil spring section to increase indentation force deflection (increasing firmness) of the coil spring layer.
A further fundamental difference lies in the fact that the present teaching does the opposite and still at the same time increases support. This effect is achieved by utilization of the properties of special foam material which is manufactured and applied expressly for the purpose of modulating indentation force deflection and density from maximum firm state to a chosen state of softness without weakening the desirable effect of high support.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,524 illustrates a method of assembling a mattress. The disclosure involves a ready-made mattress either of the coil spring type or foam type which is initially wrapped in an airtight sheet of plastic and a vacuum pump is applied to the wrapped combination and the coil spring mattress or the foam mattress will collapse under the force of the vacuum and either of the collapsed forms can now be inserted into a finishing cover. Once the vacuum in either mattress is released, either one of the mattresses will expand to snugly fit within the outer covering. This disclosed invention is designed for a one time use only. Moreover, there is a teaching within this reference that the preliminary wrapping sheet should be removed. In contrast to this, the invention at hand can be used time and time again to adjust the various levels of firmness desired. No disclosure within U.S. Pat. No. 3,611,524 is made that the aim is to adjust comfort levels. A manufacturing process is described wherein a filling material is reduced in volume by removing air from it to be able to quickly and efficiently introduce it in a sleeve before it has time to expand again. This method is now used worldwide by upholsterers and furniture manufacturers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,525 to Lea discloses a camping mat using a self-inflating foam within an airtight outer cover that is vulcanized to the inner foam layer. The air within can be removed by compressing the structure whereby the foam layer collapses, allowing the mat to be rolled up into a compact package. The firmness (IFD) or density can not be modulated freely because of the thinness and light weight of the foam layer used in camping mats. Furthermore, compressing the camping mat by hand does not expel the air uniformly from all the foam cells but only in the area being compressed by hand. Clearly, modulating comfort and firmness were not in the mind of the inventors, but a method of decreasing the mat's volume for easy packing and transport
The invention at hand uses a thicker, higher density foam core to start with, which can be adjusted infinitely to multiple levels of firmness and support not found in the prior art and thus adjusts the coil spring layer accordingly. Its priority lies with comfort modulation and should not be considered a method of packaging a camping mat into a small size to be carried in a backpack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,974 discloses a self-inflating air mattress/mat including an airtight flexible envelope which encloses a core of resilient, open cell, lightweight foam material, substantially the entire upper and lower portions of which are bonded to the envelope. Heated platens are applied to this lay-up, followed by creating a vacuum in the interior, cooling and pressurizing the assembly, then moderately pressurizing the whole. The invention at hand does not bond any outer coverings to the enclosed foam layer. On the contrary, this invention uses a device to distance the foam from the cover in order to enhance airflow and to prevent the foam or cover from obstructing the valve when air is drawn out of the mattress or when it is self-inflating.
Again, the aim of the teaching in this patent is to compress the mat for easy transport in a backpack. Furthermore, there is no indication of a further objective to intentionally modulate the foam density or IFD within the foam core with the aid of a vacuum to obtain multiple levels of firmness and support. Lastly, Lea proposes to utilize foam types with a density not greater than 1.2 or 1.5 in their original state. No mention is made of interactivity with other mattress layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,067 teaches the packaging of a mattress wherein the thickness of an elastic structure of a mattress is reduced. An extra cover is fitted over the mattress which is fitted over the structure of a pressing device. This procedure will completely flatten the mattress for roll-up. There is no disclosure to control any comfort level or to apply a vacuum pump to do so, nor of any interactivity with other mattress layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,060 illustrates a mattress having a plurality of discrete, air permeable cells which are to some extent hydrophobic. In opposition to the invention at hand there is no block of a foam core of any kind, no covering encasing or envelope and there is no teaching of complete air evacuation, nor mention of interactivity with other mattress layers.
The invention at hand does not use any pressurized air but a vacuum only, whereas the above art teaches the opposite, namely pressurization of a chamber to increase the hardness of the support surface. If air were allowed to escape from the chamber, the support surface would collapse and cause a hammock effect.
In the invention at hand interactive foam core never exhibits a collapsing hammock effect when air is removed from within the foam cells, but adjusts to the body's pressure points locally as density within the foam core increases to offer more support, and exerts less pressure on the adja
Giori Gualtiero G.
Giori Janine
Conley Fredrick
Luu Teri Pham
Noonan William E.
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