INNERSPRING MATTRESS WITH SHREDDED FOAM FILL

Abstract

Disclosed is an innerspring bed mattress with shredded fill inside the mattress central spring core, around, between, in and inside the springs. The shredded fill is generally particulate, and may be of conventional types, sizes and shapes of resilient and compressive materials. Preferably, the fill is shredded organic latex rubber foam fill, obtained from the scrap of organic latex rubber mats used in conventional mattress upholstery layers manufacture. Alternatively, the fill may be specially designed and manufactured to obtain specific dampening characteristics for a specific combination of spring, upholstery and fill types, for example.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

This application claims priority of my prior, co-pending provisional patent application, Ser. No. 61/622,927, filed on Apr. 11, 2012, entitled “Innerspring Mattress With Shredded Fill”, which application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

This disclosed technology relates generally to mattresses, and more specifically to innerspring bed mattresses with shredded foam fill, preferably shredded organic latex rubber foam fill, inside the core of the mattress, and around, between, in and inside the springs.

RELATED ART

A common innerspring mattress has a central spring core, a bottom foundation, foundation sides, and top upholstery layers. The spring core supports the sleeper's body by supporting the bottom of the top upholstery layers. Modern spring mattress cores, called “innersprings” are typically made of steel coil springs, called “coils”, inside the core. There are several types and shapes of conventional mattress coils. The gauge of the wire for the coils generally determines the firmness of the mattress. Structural connections between and/or among the coils are often used to help retain the mattress' shape. For example, many coils are interconnected by wires. For coils “encased” or wrapped with fabric, or surrounded closely by other materials, the coils are usually not interconnected.

There are several types and shapes of conventional innerspring foundations and upholstery layers. Generally, the foundation is rigid and supports and helps form a frame like a rectangular box around the spring core. Therefore, the foundation usually has a bottom and side walls. The foundation may also have a top. The upholstery layers typically cover the spring core and the top of the foundation frame sides and top if present, and provide cushioning for comfort.

Modern innerspring mattresses often have foam components, especially in the upholstery layers. The foam mats, for example, used therein may be made of polyurethane or latex rubber, or other natural or synthetic materials and mixtures or blends thereof. As a result, in many modern mattress factories there is an ample supply of foam components for mats, and there is also an ample supply of the scrap of these foam components from cutting the mats to fit into the upholstery layers.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,720 (Antinori et al.) discloses a mattress with a center convoluted foamed base latex layer having upwardly directed peaks and upwardly opening valleys, the valleys being filled with randomly sized pieces of foamed latex.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,533 (Dimitry et al.) discloses specially-formed extruded foam reinforcement pieces configured to engage mattress spring coils, and spaces between the spring coils and framing borderwires.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,728,986 (Williams '986) discloses a folding mattress with a lower spring base part having a filling of a resilient and compressive material provided between the springs at the pivot area. Also, Williams '986 discloses an array of springs for a folding mattress, with the spaces between the springs at the folding area being filled with resilient and compressible material.

U.S. Published Patent Application #2005/0166330 (Williams '330) discloses a particulate filler mattress without springs in an envelope affixed to the top of a foam base.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,636,971 (DeMoss) discloses specially-formed dampening inserts of foam pieces which fit closely integrally within the coils of an innerspring mattress.

Still, there is a need for a convenient and effective means to add dampening to the springs in an innerspring mattress. This way, two persons may sleep in the bed, and the movement of one person does not disturb the rest of the other, due to the dampening action on the springs. This disclosed technology addresses that need.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

Disclosed is an innerspring bed mattress with shredded fill, preferably shredded organic latex rubber foam fill, inside the mattress core, and around, between, in and inside the springs. The innerspring mattress may be of conventional design and manufacture. The mattress springs may also be of conventional design and manufacture. The shredded fill is generally particulate, typically in the ½″-3½ size range, and may be of conventional, included mixed, types, sizes and shapes of resilient and compressive materials. Preferably, the shredded fill is a foam product.

Preferably, the fill is shredded organic latex rubber foam fill, obtained from the scrap of organic latex rubber foam mats used in conventional mattress upholstery layers manufacture. The scrap for the fill may be shredded in conventional manner in conventional shredding machines, resulting in more or less random fill sizes and shapes. Alternatively, the fill may be specially designed and manufactured for a specific spring/upholstery/fill combination, in order to obtain specific dampening characteristics. For example, a general dampening effect may be obtained when the shredded fill is homogeneous and of one size and shape, as in uniform spheres or cubes. A generally more aggressive dampening effect may be obtained when the shredded fill is of mixed different sizes and shapes. Also, a generally more aggressive dampening effect may be obtained when the shredded fill has additional and/or irregular edges, or facets. Also, if the shredded fill has a capability for intertwining, then an even more aggressive dampening effect may be obtained. For example, if the shredded fill has substantially square edges, and the effective or average l/d (length over diameter) of the shred is high, for example, about 3-10, then the dampening effect may be substantially increased. For example, a relatively large dampening effect may be obtained if the shred is present in intertwined square rods of l/d of about 3-10.

Typically, the fill is added to the open central spring core of the bottom foundation before the top of the foundation and/or the top upholstery layers are installed. However, any conventional method of adding the fill may suffice. For example, the fill may be added by a simple gravity loading to the open inside of the core of the foundation. Or, the fill may be loaded and then tamped, or shaken or pressed into the places around, between, in and inside the springs within the core to provide, for example, substantial spring dampening. A particularly aggressive dampening effect may be obtained when the individual pieces of foam fill are pressed firmly or specifically enough and become secured between the coils of the same spring.

The shredded fill may also be added inside around, between, in and inside “encased” springs, and around, between, in and inside springs interconnected by wire and other supports, for example, at least to the extent that the fill may be conveniently or effectively added and fit into the relevant available void spaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic, top view of one embodiment of a prior art innerspring mattress.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the prior art embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, along line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a schematic, top perspective view of an inventive mattress embodiment of the presently disclosed technology.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the inventive embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, along line 4-4 thereof.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the circled area marked FIG. 5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a schematic, side cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of an inventive mattress according to the presently disclosed technology, showing partial filling of particulate foam pieces inside the mattress core.

FIG. 7 is a reduced, schematic top view of the alternative inventive embodiment depicted in FIG. 6, but with the top upholstery layers removed to show the partially filled core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

Referring to the Figures, there are shown several, but not all, embodiments of the presently disclosed technology.

FIGS. 1 and 2 schematically depict a conventional innerspring bed mattress 10 according to the prior art. Mattress 10 is generally rectangular in the top and side views. Mattress 10 has top upholstery surface 12, and rolled seam piping 14 around top surface 12's perimeter. Also, top surface 12 shows circular upward projections 16 above each inner spring 18. Central spring core volume 20 surrounds cylindrical coil springs 18 within an interior envelope created by foundation 22's bottom, side and, if present, top walls. Central spring core volume 20 is generally empty, according to the prior art, except for the springs 18, and possibly interconnecting wires. Foundation 22 is surrounded by cover 24.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 schematically depict an inventive innerspring bed mattress according to the presently disclosed technology. Inventive mattress 100 is typically generally rectangular when viewed from the top and from the side. Mattress 100 has top upholstery surface 112 which surface shows circular upward projections 116 above each inner spring 118. Also, mattress 100 has rolled seam piping 114 around top surface's 112 perimeter. Central spring core volume 120 surrounds springs 118 within an interior envelope created by the foundation 122's bottom, side and, if present, top walls. The top of central volume 120 may be the bottom of the top wall of foundation 122, or the bottom of upholstery top surface 112. Foundation 122 may be surrounded by cover 124.

Central spring core volume 120 is generally full of foam fill shreds 126, including around, between, in and inside springs 118. As depicted, fill shreds 126 are of generally randomly shaped foam rectangular blocks, some of which blocks may have an irregular shape. Core volume 120 contains generally as many pieces of fill shreds 126 as the volume can conveniently accommodate by gravity filling, or by gravity filling plus shaking or tamping to urge the shreds 126 into as much void space as possible within core volume 120, including around, between, in and inside springs 118. After filling core volume 120 with particulate shreds 126, some empty void spaces 128 may still exist within core volume 120. For maximizing dampening effect generally, the amount of void spaces 128 should be minimized, subject to the geometry of the fill material 126, and the way the fill material is added within core volume 120.

Then, after core volume 120 is filled with shreds 126, the foundation envelope 122 is sealed closed, and optionally surrounded by cover 124. The top upholstery layer, including top surface 112, may be part of, or affixed on top of, cover 124.

FIGS. 6 and 7 schematically depict an alternate embodiment 200 of an inventive innerspring bed mattress according to the presently disclosed technology. In FIGS. 6 and 7 the central spring core volume 220 is not completely full of particulate foam pieces 226. By partial filling of the core volume 220, the total dampening effect of the added foam fill 226 may be accordingly adjusted. Also, as shown the core volume 220 may be more full of foam fill 226 in some regions than others. This way, a dampening gradient may be intentionally created within the mattress, according to the design of the mattress manufacturer. The dampening gradient may be localized and stabilized, for example, by providing partitions (not shown) within core volume 220 to establish specific and secure zones of different dampening.

Although this disclosed technology has been described above with reference to particular methods, means, materials, and embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosed technology is not limited to these disclosed particulars, but extends instead to all equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An innerspring mattress with a mattress central spring core, comprising shredded fill inside the central spring core and around and between the springs.

2. The mattress of claim 1 wherein the shredded fill is also inside the springs.

3. The mattress of claim 1 wherein the shredded fill is also in the coils of the springs.

4. The mattress of claim 1 wherein the fill is generally particulate.

5. The mattress of claim 1 wherein the fill is shredded foam fill.

6. The mattress of claim 5 wherein the shredded foam fill is latex rubber.

7. The mattress of claim 6 wherein the shredded foam fill is organic latex rubber.

8. The mattress of claim 5 wherein the mattress has a top upholstery layer comprising a foam mat, and the shredded foam fill is obtained from scraps of the foam mat.

9. The mattress of claim 1 wherein the central spring core is completely filled with shredded fill.

10. The mattress of claim 1 wherein the central spring core is partially filled with shredded fill.