Beds – Support for users body or part thereof – Spring containing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-25
2003-12-09
Shackelford, Heather (Department: 3673)
Beds
Support for users body or part thereof
Spring containing
C005S716000, C005S727000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658682
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to bedding or seating products and more particularly to a bedding or seating product having a topper resting on a base.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bedding or seating products comprising an array of coil springs for years have been covered with a padding and wrapped in an upholstery material. The padding located on the top of the spring core of the bedding or seating product may be made of numerous material including but not limited to pieces of foam. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,803 utilizes a high density, high Indentation Load Deflection (ILD) convoluted polyurethane foam topper as a transition layer between the top of the spring core and the upholstery surrounding the mattress. Such a topper may cover only one side of the spring core or both sides of the spring core as in the mattress disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,803. A two-sided mattress such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,803 has an identical feel on both sides and may be used accordingly.
Another type of topper commonly used in bedding or seating products is a topper which is removable from the bedding or seating product. Such a topper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,579. This patent discloses a down-filled topper member which is secured to a featherbed below it with straps. Such removable toppers have also been known to be used with mattresses or bedding products having an innerspring core.
Seating products have been developed which have a topper covering a spring core, the topper having a plurality of springs incorporated therein. Such toppers have been used in seat cushions in order to soften or cushion the load placed on the cushion. U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,607 discloses a seat cushion with an innerspring topper located above a base, the base comprising a plurality of individually pocketed coil springs. The topper disclosed in this patent comprises a top piece of fabric and a bottom piece of fabric sewn together around the periphery of the topper with individually pocketed coil springs between the pieces of fabric. The springs used in this topper are of a substantially lighter gauge wire than the springs of the base of the cushion in order to provide a yielding initial soft surface when one sits on the cushion. Although this patent discloses a topper comprising a plurality of pocketed coil springs incorporated therein, the topper has a uniform construction throughout and therefore imparts a uniform degree of firmness to the user.
Consequently, it has been one objective of the present invention to provide a posturized topper for use in a bedding or seating product, the topper having a plurality of coil springs incorporated therein to impart differing degrees of firmness to different regions of the bedding or seating product.
It has further been an objective of the present invention to provide a bedding or seating product having a topper incorporating a plurality of continuous bands of coil springs held together with helical lacing wires.
It has further been an objective of the present invention to provide a bedding or seating product having a topper comprising alternating sections of filler and sections of springs in order to impart different degrees of firmness to different regions of the product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention of this application which accomplishes these objectives comprises a bedding or seating product having a base and a topper located above the base, the topper and base being surrounded in an upholstered covering. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the topper comprises a plurality of parallel bands of coil springs held together with helical lacing wires. The bands of coil springs may extend longitudinally from end to end of the product, or alternatively from side to side, transversely. In this preferred embodiment, the topper covers the entire upper surface of the base of the bedding or seating product.
The base of the bedding or seating product may comprise a plurality of individually pocketed coil springs, a plurality of unpocketed springs or any other similar structure. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the topper rests directly on top of the fabric encasing the pocketed coil springs of the base. Because the springs of the base are individually pocketed, “noise” or spring-to-spring contact between the springs of the topper and the springs of the base is avoided.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, an insulator pad is located between the base and the topper in order to prevent spring-to-spring contact which creates “noise.” Such an insulator pad may be connected to the coil springs of the base with hog rings or any other type of fastener. Additionally, the insulator pad may be connected to the bands of springs of the topper with hog rings, other types of fasteners, adhesive or other type of bonding material. Such a connection between the base, the insulator pad and the topper prevents the topper from moving relative to the base and the base from moving relative to the topper.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the topper is posturized, i.e., has different degrees of firmness in different regions thereof. This embodiment of topper provides increased support in the lumbar or lower back region of a bedding product which has an increased load relative to the head and leg regions of the product. The topper has at least one spring core segment and at least one filler segment. Each spring core segment comprises a plurality of springs joined together. The springs may be parallel continuous bands of coil springs or individual springs. Each filler segment preferably comprises a piece of foam which may be polyurethane foam, latex foam or polyurethane foam impregnated with latex. Alternatively each filler segment may be a piece of fibrous material, a bladder filler with air or water or any other structure. The topper is divided into regions or zones, each region or zone comprising one filler segment or one spring core segment. The regions or zones are arranged to alternate as they extend from front to back of the bedding or seating product.
In an additional preferred embodiment of the present invention, the topper which rests upon the base comprises a generally rectangular spring core segment and a filler segment surrounding the spring core segment.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the topper comprises a generally rectangular filler segment centrally located and spring core segment surrounding the filler segment. In each of these last two preferred embodiments the base and topper are surrounded with an upholstered covering.
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Conley Frederick
L&P Property Management Company
Shackelford Heather
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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