Mattress having a light-transmissive cover and method of using
A mattress with a light-transmissive cover directed at preventing the hiding of contraband in institutional facilities. The mattress has a solid or partially solid core and a light-transmissive cover that envelops the core. A light-transmissive reinforcement section may be provided in the cover. When provided as a mattress for an inmate in a confinement area, the mattress permits visual inspection for contraband hidden in the mattress by looking through the light-transmissive cover of the mattress.
Institutional facilities, including correctional institutions, hospitals, schools, and the like, accommodate persons during sleeping hours. Some of these facilities provide regular beds that include a frame and mattress. In the interest of cost, space, or other factors, other institutional facilities merely provide a simple mattress on which an inmate, student, or patient may rest or sleep. Persons detained or residing within these institutional facilities often look to unusual places in which to store contraband such as drugs, weapons, or other un-permitted items.
Existing mattresses are typically constructed of a core which provides the support for mattress. The mattress also includes an opaque cover that surrounds the core. The cover may also function to maintain the position of the elements that comprise the core. These types of mattresses may provide a hiding place for contraband for inmates housed in institutional facilities. Since the cover that envelops the core is opaque, contraband can be hidden inside the mattress by cutting or tearing an access hole in the cover, thereby providing access to the interior of the mattress as a hiding place for contraband. The contraband may be drugs, weapons, tools, utensils, or some innocuous item that is otherwise forbidden in the institutional facility. A cursory search of the mattress by institution personnel will generally not reveal the contents of the mattress and the contraband will remain safely hidden. Further, the contraband may be small in size so that a pat down of the mattress by institution personnel might not reveal the mattress contents either. A handheld metal detector might be used to locate forbidden metallic items, but would not be suitable for drugs or other nonmetallic paraphernalia. Similarly, a metal detector may not be of value where the interior of the mattress includes metal coil springs that will always trigger the metal detector alarm. Thus, about the only way to accurately reveal the contraband is to destroy the mattress by pulling back the exterior cover to reveal the contents within. Naturally, destructive inspections of this nature will tend to be costly and time consuming. Accordingly, an improved mattress design is disclosed herein.
Transparent or translucent covers have been used on waterbed mattresses to observe the liquid contained therein. However, the reasons for including such a transparent or translucent cover on a waterbed are completely different than the need to see into the interior of an institutional mattress. For a waterbed, the usefulness of a transparent or translucent mattress cover is centrally related to the liquid-bearing nature of the mattress. End users of waterbeds can more easily detect leaks, remove air bubbles from the mattress, or determine when to add water purification chemicals to the water all as a result of the translucent or transparent nature of the mattress cover. In contrast, the need to see within a mattress in an institutional facility is directed less at the intended contents of the mattress (e.g., liquid, foam, springs, etc . . . ) and more at unintended contents (e.g., contraband) placed in the mattress.
SUMMARYThe present invention is directed to a mattress with a light-transmissive cover. The mattress can be used in institutional facilities to aid in preventing the hiding of contraband. The mattress has a solid or partially solid core and a light-transmissive cover that envelops the core. In one embodiment, seams joining sections of the cover may be light-transmissive, minimally opaque, or of minimal size so as not to interfere with the light-transmissive nature of the cover. When provided as a mattress for an inmate in a confinement area, the mattress permits visual inspection for contraband hidden in the mattress by looking through the light-transmissive cover of the mattress. The visual inspection for contraband may occur from a location exterior to the confinement area.
The mattress may include a liquidless core that is at least partially solid or completely solid. The mattress cover may be seamless or may comprise a plurality of sections, with each section joined together. A variety of permanent or detachable joining techniques may be used to attach the sections together.
The mattress may have a cover with a light-transmissive section exterior to a solid portion of the mattress core to allow visual observation of the solid portion. A side or section of the cover may be opaque or substantially the entire cover may be light-transmissive. The cover may comprise a single or multiple plies. A light-transmissive reinforcement section may be provided in the cover.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of a mattress, illustrated as 10 in
The cover 26 functions to allow visual observation of the core 20. In one embodiment, the cover 20 is positioned directly against the core 20 to allow visual observation of the core and interior of the mattress 10. In one embodiment, the cover 26 directly contacts each of the separate core members 45. The cover 26 also functions to contain or bind the core 20 by keeping the separate core members 45 in relative position to form the overall dimensions of the mattress 10. Without the binding cover 26, the core 20 would be exposed, and the separate core members 45 would not be maintained in position. Even in embodiments where the core 20 is comprised of a single member, cover 26 may function to bind the core 20 to maintain the shape and integrity of the mattress 10.
In one embodiment, foam pads are constructed of highly flame resistant polymerized synthetic open celled cushioning foam. One embodiment of the foam pad is FIRE SEAL available from Foamex of Compton, Calif. In one embodiment, cotton pads comprise re-cycled post industrial denim and cotton fibers bonded together by poly fibers (maximum 10%). One embodiment of the cotton pad is available from Bonded Logic of Chandler, Ariz. In one embodiment, the cotton pad is composed of re-cycled post industrial denim and cotton fibers with a ply fiber (maximum of 10%) that binds and solidifies the cotton matrix. Batting 36 may also be included within mattress core 42. In one embodiment, batting is a sheet-like member that is wound around the pads. One embodiment of batting materials is boric acid treated 100% virgin cotton batting manufactured by Trace Industries.
In one embodiment, a polyester pad is constructed of thermally bonded polyester fiber available from Cumulus Fibre of Statesville, N.C. In one embodiment, the polyester pad is made of thermally bonded polyester fiber. The polyester fibers are processed through either a garneting operation or air-layering.
The mattress core 20 shown in
The light-transmissive cover 26 shown in the embodiment of
In one embodiment, the light-transmissive cover 26 is made of multiple plies of light-transmissive material. In one embodiment, the light-transmissive cover 26 is made of a single ply of light-transmissive material. The light-transmissive cover may be constructed of a vinyl or flexible PVC film material. The light-transmissive material is fire resistant as determined using NFPA-701 Large Scale Test. A flexible PVC material used for constructing the cover 26 is available from TMI Incorporated of Pittsburgh, Pa. The thickness of the light-transmissive material may vary, and embodiments include material thickness within the range of about 15 mil-26 mil, and may have a weight in ounces per yard ranging from about 7.0 to about 13.0. In one embodiment, the light-transmissive material is a 2-ply flexible PVC sheet with a thickness of about 20 mils.
In
Where a single piece or various pieces are joined together using a stitching or similar method, it may be desirable to hide the stitch at the seam 138 to inhibit access to the interior of the cover. Various techniques are known to those skilled in the art of textile manufacturing to accomplish this task. For instance, the various pieces of light-transmissive material may be joined together while the cover is in an inside out orientation. Prior to inserting the core 20 into the cover, the cover is re-inverted so as to hide the stitches. Other stitching techniques, such as a blind stitch or a tuck stitch may also be used.
In another embodiment shown in
In another embodiment, such as that shown in
The embodiment of cover 150 shown in
Section 152 in
Section 152 may also be constructed of a strengthening or reinforcing material to improve the strength of the cover 150. The reinforcing material may be an opaque material such as Kevlar or a light-transmissive material such as scrim. The term scrim is understood in the textile industry to mean a durable, loosely woven cotton or linen fabric used for curtains or upholstery lining. In the theatrical arts, the word scrim is used to describe a transparent fabric used as a drop to create special lighting or atmosphere effects. In the present context, scrim should be understood to mean a combination of these definitions. That is, the durable, loosely woven characteristics and the transparent characteristic of the material are relevant to the present discussion. In one embodiment, the reinforcing material is a three-layer fabric, constructed of a light-transmissive vinyl top and bottom layer, and an intermediate scrim layer that consists of a loosely woven grid forming half inch apertures and having a weight of about 7 ounces per square yard. When provided in this manner, the reinforcing material is light-transmissive in that it permits transmission of light in the visible spectrum so as to distinguish objects behind the material. One embodiment of the reinforcing material is WATERCLEAR scrim material available from Herculite Products, Inc. of Emigsville, Pa.
The reinforcing material may be incorporated into those areas of the light-transmissive cover that are high-stress areas as depicted in the embodiment of
The term “mattress” herein is used broadly to include a pad, bag, cot, sack, cushion, mat, or similar item of any shape on which a person may rest or sleep. In one embodiment, the mattress includes an arrangement of coiled springs.
The present invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and essential characteristics of the invention. For instance, manufacturing considerations may determine the overall shape and quantity of sections needed to form the light-transmissive cover. Thus, combinations other than those specifically shown in the Figures are certainly possible. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
Claims
1. A mattress comprising:
- a liquidless core that is at least partially solid; and
- a cover that binds and envelops the core, the cover being light-transmissive to allow visual inspection of the core.
2. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the core is completely solid.
3. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a plurality of sections, each section joined to another section at a seam.
4. The mattress of claim 3, wherein the seam is positioned substantially on a vertical side of the mattress.
5. The mattress of claim 3, wherein the seam is light-transmissive.
6. The mattress of claim 3, wherein at least one of the sections is a reinforcing section.
7. The mattress of claim 6, wherein the reinforcing section is comprised of scrim.
8. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the core is constructed of a plurality of pieces aligned and contained by the cover.
9. A mattress comprising:
- a core at least partially including a solid material; and
- a cover that envelops the core, the cover having a light-transmissive section in direct contact with the solid material to allow visual observation of the solid material.
10. The mattress of claim 9, wherein the cover further comprises an opaque section.
11. The mattress of claim 9, wherein substantially the entire cover is light-transmissive.
12. The mattress of claim 9, wherein the cover comprises a light-transmissive scrim.
13. The mattress of claim 9, wherein the cover is comprised of a multiple pieces, at least one of which is a reinforcing material.
14. The mattress of claim 9, wherein the cover binds the core.
15. The mattress of claim 14, wherein the core is comprised of multiple members.
16. A method of preventing the hiding of contraband in a mattress in institutional facilities, comprising the steps of:
- providing a mattress for an inmate in a confinement area;
- visually inspecting for contraband in the mattress by looking through a light-transmissive cover of the mattress;
- wherein the light-transmissive cover allows visual detection of contraband within the mattress.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of visually inspecting for contraband occurs from a location exterior to the confinement area.
18. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing any contraband detected during the visual inspection.
19. A mattress for use in institutional facilities comprising:
- an interior means within the mattress for supporting the weight of a body; and
- a cover for enveloping the interior means, the cover including means for permitting visual inspection of the contents within the cover.
20. A mattress comprising:
- a partially solid core; and
- a cover that envelops the core, the cover being at least partially light-transmissive to allow visual inspection of the contents within the cover, the cover being at least partially comprised of scrim.
21. The mattress of claim 20 wherein the scrim is light-transmissive.
22. The mattress of claim 20 wherein the scrim is positioned at a high stress area of the mattress.
Type: Application
Filed: May 26, 2004
Publication Date: Dec 1, 2005
Inventor: Norma Miller (Fuquay-Varina, NC)
Application Number: 10/853,786