Mattress With Integrated Foam Component

Abstract

A mattress, preferably for use on a bed, comprising a plurality of springs (2) arranged in a mattress body. The mattress is characterized in that at least a part of the mattress body is formed of an insert element (5) of foam plastic material. This insert element is preferably positioned at the end of the mattress.

Description

The present invention relates to a mattress, preferably for use on a bed. The bed may be a conventional bed or a bed of the box mattress type.

The invention may also be used in other areas of application where it is appropriate to use a mattress of the spring mattress type.

A spring mattress is in accordance with the prior art constructed of a plurality of springs which are encased in a mattress body. The springs provide the main elasticity of the mattress. Reference is made to DE 2744412, which shows an example of a mattress with an insert material.

The springs in a mattress are dimensioned to provide good comfort to a person in a lying position. Many beds today are also used as sitting furniture. This is particularly the case in hotels, on board cruise ships etc. However, the springs in a bed mattress are not designed to withstand the load from a person in a sitting position. Because some parts of the beds appear as most convenient for sitting, these parts are especially subjected to wear. Repeated sitting activity on these chosen parts causes deterioration of the elastic properties of the springs that are in the chosen area. The result is that the bed emerges as having one or more sagging or uneven portions.

It is thus a problem that the springs in a small area of the bed are worn out long before the other springs in the mattress, and there is a great need to find solutions capable of reducing the local wear to which a spring mattress according to today's solution is subjected.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple solution which remedies the drawbacks described in connection with the aforementioned problem.

One solution to this problem is to replace the part or parts of the spring mattress that is/are most subjected to sitting with an insert element having material properties which better withstand the load applied to the mattress when it is constantly used as something to sit on.

According to the present invention, at least one part of the mattress body is formed of an insert element of foam plastic material. The insert element is preferably positioned at the end of the mattress, for example the foot end which is often chosen as something to sit on. The insert element may of course also be positioned at other locations in the mattress, for example, in the middle of the mattress. The incorporation of the insert material into the area of the mattress that is anticipated to be used as something to sit on prevents local wear of the mattress. The foam plastic material has material properties which withstand sitting load, and the elasticity of the insert element is little reduced in the course of a given period, compared with the mattress springs.

As one of skill in the art will understand, the insert element can be integrated into the mattress in different ways depending on the type of mattress and the conditions in which the mattress is to be used. According to the invention, the insert element is arranged so as to be detachably fastened to the mattress body, thus allowing the insert element to be replaced as required and allowing the mattress body to be turned independently of the insert element. The insert element may also be arranged to be reversible, it being possible, for example, to provide the insert element with two sides of different firmness.

Various foam plastic materials can be used in the insert element. One example of such a material is porolon.

The springs in the mattress may be arranged in different ways and they may have either the same or different spring characteristics. In one embodiment, the springs may be arranged in one layer and in another embodiment they may be arranged in several layers, the springs in the different layers having the same or different spring characteristics. Each individual spring may be pocketed. The spring in that case is enveloped by an enveloping material, and this arrangement counteracts transmission of the motion of each individual spring to the surrounding springs.

To provide a reversible mattress, the mattress may be provided with two layers of springs, the springs in each layer being so arranged that the two sides have differing degrees of softness. The mattress may be a box mattress or a mattress for placing in a frame for a bed. Furthermore, the mattress or box mattress may be configured with one or more rounded corners in case it is to be used in small rooms or in rooms in which there is little space between the pieces of furniture. Furthermore, the mattress may be provided with an upper mattress and covers of different types in accordance with the prior art.

As one of skill in the art will appreciate, the insert element can be integrated into the mattress in different ways depending on the type of mattress and the conditions in which the mattress is to be used. The insert element may be arranged so as to be replaceable and optionally reversible, it being possible to provide the insert element with two sides of different firmness.

The insert element when installed in the mattress may have a thickness that is equivalent to the thickness of the mattress, that is to say that the insert extends throughout the mattress in the thickness direction thereof. Alternatively, the insert element may constitute a part of the total thickness of the mattress when the insert element is mounted in the mattress.

The insert element may be positioned in the mattress so that one side face thereof is substantially flush with the surface of the mattress body. Alternatively, the insert element can be positioned deeper in the mattress, it then being possible to place additional elements on top of the insert element in order to obtain a level mattress surface.

When the mattress is reversible and constructed of two spring layers, one insert is integrated into one of the spring layers whilst a second insert is integrated into the other spring layer.

An example of one embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view of a spring mattress body in accordance with the invention that is to be used in a box mattress. The spring mattress body 1 in this figure is shown configured with a rounded corner so that it will fit into a frame that is configured with a rounded corner. The spring mattress body 1 consists of a main mattress incorporating first spring layer 2 and an under-mattress incorporating second spring layer 3. The spring mattress body 1 is equipped with an upper mattress 4. A replaceable and optionally reversible insert element 5 is formed of a foam plastic material and is positioned at the foot end of the mattress. The insert element 5 does not extend throughout the mattress in the thickness direction thereof, but has a thickness which constitutes a part of the thickness of the mattress, the insert element extending down to the under-mattress which forms the bottom of the bed.

FIG. 2 shows a spring mattress body 1 like the one shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 the spring mattress body 1 is placed in frame 6 which forms the side walls of the box mattress. The other reference numerals are the same as those used in FIG. 1.

Claims

1. A mattress, preferably for use as part of a bed, comprising a plurality of springs arranged in a mattress body,

characterized in that at least a part of the mattress body is formed of an insert element of foam plastic material and that this insert element is preferably positioned at the end of the mattress, the insert element being detachably fastened to the mattress body.

2. A mattress according to claim 1,

characterized in that the insert element is replaceable and optionally reversible.

3. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that one side face of the insert element is substantially flush with the surface of the mattress body or with an upper mattress placed on top of the mattress body.

4. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the springs are arranged in one or more layers and/or that the springs have different spring characteristics.

5. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that some of the springs are individually enveloped by enveloping material.

6. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that the mattress body is reversible.

7. A mattress according to claim 4, characterized in that one foam plastic component is integrated into one of the spring layers whilst a second foam component is integrated into the other spring layer.

8. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a box mattress.

9. A mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least one rounded corner.