Patents by Inventor Michael S. DeFranks

Michael S. DeFranks has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11957251
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of air bladders followed a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of air bladders to provide a massaging action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar
  • Publication number: 20230180944
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems and processes of operating the bedding systems generally include a variable firmness control. The active comfort controlled bedding system can include a control unit in electrical communication with a signal generating layer configured to generate heat and alter a firmness property of at least one viscoelastic foam layer, wherein the amount of heat is based on a decrease of the glass transition temperature as a function of the percentage of humidity in the environment. In other embodiments, the bedding system is provided with at least one foam layer comprising a phase change material stratified in a foam structure of the at least one foam layer; and the at least one foam layer is heated to a temperature greater than a melt temperature of the paraffin wax to soften the at least one foam layer. In other embodiments, ambient humidity conditions can be changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Brian Mark Anderson, William Andrew Pahner, Victor Ray Prince, JR.
  • Patent number: 11583101
    Abstract: A mattress or a mattress pad with one or more gel sections. The gel section may provide improved support and comfort at a localized area of a mattress or a mattress pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Richard F. Gladney, Corey Westerman, Michael S. DeFranks
  • Patent number: 11297954
    Abstract: Mattress assemblies including fiber panels generally include bicomponent fibers including optically active particles within a core thereof. The bicomponent fibers can be treated with a fire retardant or untreated and blended with fire retardant fibers. The bicomponent fibers are configured to transform radiant body heat of an end user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Sheri L. McGuire
  • Publication number: 20220087442
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of air bladders followed a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of air bladders to provide a massaging action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar
  • Patent number: 11266352
    Abstract: Mattress assemblies and pillows are provided that include a flexible biosensor array provided on a layer of the mattress assembly for sensing an electrical conductivity associated with sweat emitted from an end user of the mattress assembly and producing an ionic concentration of at least one electrolyte; and a processor connected to the flexible biosensor array for interpreting the ionic concentration of the at least one electrolyte. Also disclosed are processes for monitoring and analyzing sweat from an end user of the mattress assemblies and pillows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Mackenzie Prestera, John-David Velilla, Brian Anderson, Kevin Chirackal, Martin Ramsden, Taneka Fields
  • Publication number: 20220007846
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems and processes include an air blower assembly for variable climate control. The air blower assembly generally includes a unidirectional air blower configured to flow air to and from a mattress surface overlaying the bucket assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar, Martin Ramsden
  • Patent number: 11202515
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of the air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of the air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of the air bladders followed by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of the air bladders to provide a massaging action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar
  • Patent number: 11134789
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems and processes include an air blower assembly for variable climate control. The air blower assembly generally includes a unidirectional air blower configured to flow air to and from a mattress surface overlaying the bucket assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar, Martin Ramsden
  • Patent number: 11105040
    Abstract: A composite layer for use in a bedding product such as a mattress and a method of manufacture are disclosed. The composite layer generally includes an extruded three dimensional fibrous layer and a foam material, e.g., polyurethane, latex or the like, disposed within the fibrous layer and occupying at least a portion of the free volume in the layer. Also disclosed are processes for manufacturing a foam-fiber composite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Sheri L. McGuire
  • Patent number: 11058228
    Abstract: Flame retardant panels generally include an adaptive cover layer and underlying batting layer. The cover layer includes a moisture vapor permeable synthetic fibrous layer, and a liquid impermeable but moisture vapor permeable thermoplastic layer disposed on an outer face of the cover layer, wherein the liquid impermeable but moisture vapor permeable thermoplastic layer is in an amount of about 2 to 15% by weight based on a total weight of the synthetic fibrous layer and the thermoplastic layer. The underlying batting layer can have a top surface and a bottom surface, the layer comprising a plurality of substantially vertically oriented flame retardant treated fibers extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; and a binder material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, James P. Ross
  • Patent number: 11019934
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar, John S. McKenzie, William E. Rabbitt, Gary R. Stephan, James E. Szpak, Jeff S. Taggart
  • Publication number: 20200260882
    Abstract: Mattress assemblies including at least one panel or layer including a preformed capsulate sheet including a plurality of cells, and a phase change material within at least a portion of the cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher F. Chunglo, Michael S. DeFranks
  • Publication number: 20200187670
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems and processes of operating the bedding systems generally include a variable firmness control. The active comfort controlled bedding system can include a control unit in electrical communication with a signal generating layer configured to generate heat and alter a firmness property of at least one viscoelastic foam layer, wherein the amount of heat is based on a decrease of the glass transition temperature as a function of the percentage of humidity in the environment. In other embodiments, the bedding system is provided with at least one foam layer comprising a phase change material stratified in a foam structure of the at least one foam layer; and the at least one foam layer is heated to a temperature greater than a melt temperature of the paraffin wax to soften the at least one foam layer. In other embodiments, ambient humidity conditions can be changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Brian Mark Anderson, William Andrew Pahner, Victor Ray Prince, JR.
  • Patent number: 10631657
    Abstract: Cushions include a chassis core having a rigid or semi-rigid base sheet; and a plurality of paired flat springs coupled to the rigid or semi-rigid base sheet, wherein each paired flat spring comprises a lower flat spring including a first terminal end, a second terminal end, and a flexible arcuate member extending from the first terminal end to the second terminal end, and an upper flat spring including a first terminal end, a second terminal end, and a flexible arcuate member extending from the first terminal end to the second terminal end, wherein the first and second terminal ends of the upper flat spring are fixedly attached to respective first and second terminal ends of the lower flat spring such that the upper flat spring is inverted relative to the lower flat spring. Also disclosed are processes for manufacturing the core chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar
  • Patent number: 10575653
    Abstract: Mattress assemblies and processes that provide user comfort include at least one thermally conductive foam layer consisting essentially of a polymeric elastomer foam matrix and a plurality of thermally conductive particles disposed therein, wherein the plurality of thermally conductive particles are selected from the group consisting of carbon, graphene, graphite, platinum, aluminum, gold, silver, silicon, copper, iron, nickel, stretched polyethylene nanofibers, and mixtures thereof; and a base core layer, wherein the at least one thermally conductive foam layer overlays the base core layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Michael A. Golin
  • Patent number: 10517407
    Abstract: Hybrid coil and air chamber assemblies for cushioning supports generally include pressurized air chambers that are positioned intermediate strings of pocketed coils. In this manner, the coils and air chambers can move independently but can be made to cooperate to provide firmness control, contouring and/or support of a user thereof. Air pressure within the air chambers can be independently adjusted to manipulate firmness and/or contour properties in specific zones defined by the presence and location of the air chambers, e.g., pressure of the air chambers corresponding to the lumbar region can be adjusted to eliminate high pressure points. Still further, the pressure within the air chambers can be automatically adjusted to different applied loads as a function of movement. Also disclose are processes for adjusting a mattress including the hybrid coil and air assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Michael J. Duwell, Michael S. DeFranks
  • Publication number: 20190365328
    Abstract: Mattress assemblies and pillows are provided that include a flexible biosensor array provided on a layer of the mattress assembly for sensing an electrical conductivity associated with sweat emitted from an end user of the mattress assembly and producing an ionic concentration of at least one electrolyte; and a processor connected to the flexible biosensor array for interpreting the ionic concentration of the at least one electrolyte. Also disclosed are processes for monitoring and analyzing sweat from an end user of the mattress assemblies and pillows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Mackenzie Prestera, John-David Velilla, Brian Anderson, Kevin Chirackal, Martin Ramsden, Taneka Fields
  • Publication number: 20190208918
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems and processes include an air blower assembly for variable climate control. The air blower assembly generally includes a unidirectional air blower configured to flow air to and from a mattress surface overlaying the bucket assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar, Martin Ramsden
  • Publication number: 20190174930
    Abstract: Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of air bladders followed a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of air bladders to provide a massaging action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks, Rahul Kirtikar