Apparatus and Method for Compressing a Mattress to a Uniform Firmness
Various embodiments of this invention disclose an apparatus and method for compressing a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress.
This invention generally relates to bedding devices. Specifically, it pertains to an apparatus and method for compressing a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress.
A mattress is an important device in obtaining a good night's sleep and getting the rest a body needs each night. Mattresses come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles and they vary widely in firmness. Typically, a mattress has a spring core that is covered with a padding layer to increase the comfort of the mattress user. Mattresses frequently are one of three basic designs: firm; plush (which is softer than firm); and pillow-top (which is softer than plush). Modern springs are extremely durable and essentially keep their spring tension forever. A mattress typically keeps an even spring tension even if certain springs are consistently used more than others. Padding, on the other hand, is much less durable, and starts to break down after only a short time. Frequently, the padding, due to consistent sleep patterns, will break down in those areas that are used the most. This breakdown of padding affects all three types of mattresses: firm, plush, and pillow top. This padding breakdown causes the mattress to become lumpy and uncomfortable.
For years, mattress manufactures have attempted to solve the problem of the lumpy mattress. One common solution is integrating a padded topper on both sides of the mattress. This is called a double sided pillow-top mattress. The pillow top portions of the mattress are not removable. With this configuration, the bottom pad is compressed to an even firmness by the weight of the mattress and user. Thus, each time the mattress is flipped the padded-top portion of the mattress provides even padded support. Unfortunately, this solution only works for a short time because eventually the padded toppers on each side completely break down and stop providing the comfort desired by the user. Furthermore, flipping a mattress is not an easy task. Frequently, the owner of the mattress may delay flipping the mattress and this can cause irrevocable damage to the padding of the mattress.
Another solution is for the user to buy a separate padded topper and simply overlay the mattress with the separate padded topper. However, this solution is flawed because underneath the added separate padded topper the mattress is still lumpy and this lumpiness translates through the padded topper to become apparent to the user. Thus, the problem is only partly masked, poorly, rather than solved.
Another solution is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,340,788, issued to Traub. Traub describes a method of increasing the firmness of a mattress, and thereby reducing the lumpiness of a mattress, by wrapping the mattress in a sheet of material using fasteners. Although this solution may increase the firmness of the mattress and thereby reduce lumpiness, the mattress is completely stripped of a padded topper and is thus a less comfortable mattress than was originally manufactured. Moreover, because the Traub method does not disclose the use of a stiff partition to create even compression, the Traub method does not evenly compress the mattress, and therefore, the “solution” of Traub actually causes new lumps to form due to the uneven compression.
Indeed, there is no device currently available that both compresses a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress. Thus, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and method for compressing a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTo minimize the limitations in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the present invention discloses an apparatus and method for compressing a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress. The mattress compression device can be used with any type of mattress, including: firm, plush, or pillow-top.
One embodiment of this invention is a mattress compression device, comprising: a top portion; a soft support portion; a firm support portion; a skirt portion; and one or more binding portions. The binding portions firmly bind the mattress compression device to a mattress and compress the mattress uniformly. The top portion, the soft support portion, and the firm support portion are stacked such that the soft support portion is between the top portion and the firm support portion. The firm support portion is divided to allow for folding of the mattress compression device. The firm support portion compresses a top of the mattress to provide an even surface for the soft support portion and the top portion. The one or more binding portions are adjustable to allow the user to increase or decrease the firmness of the mattress.
Another embodiment of the invention is a method for compressing a mattress, the steps comprising: providing a mattress; providing a mattress compression device, wherein the mattress compression device comprises a top portion, a soft support portion, a firm support portion, a skirt portion, and an one or more binding portions; covering the mattress with the mattress compression device; turning the mattress so that the one or more binding portions are on top of the mattress; coupling the one or more binding portions together such that the binding portions are on a bottom side of the mattress and the top portion, the soft support portion, and the firm support portion are on a top side of the mattress; and tightening the one or more binding portions together such that the mattress is compressed to a uniform firmness and the top portion and the soft support portion provide a new mattress pillow top or an additional mattress pillow top. The firm support portion is divided to allow for folding of the firm support. The top portion, the soft support portion, and the firm support portion are stacked such that the soft support portion is between the top portion and the firm support portion. The firm support portion compresses a top of the mattress to provide an even surface for the soft support portion and the top portion. The one or more binding portions are adjustable to allow the user to increase or decrease the firmness of the mattress. The mattress is a pillow top mattress.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method that will overcome the deficiencies of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that will compress a lumpy mattress to give the mattress a uniform firmness.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that will add an additional pillow topper or add a new pillow topper to a mattress.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a durable mattress compression device that will work on a wide variety of mattresses.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and easy to use mattress compression device.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of compressing a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress.
Another object of this invention is to make a firm mattress softer.
Another object of this invention is to make a soft mattress firmer.
Another object of this invention is to protect a new mattress from developing imperfections.
Another object of this invention is to inexpensively add years of usage to a mattress. This would be particularly useful to the hotel industry, where, instead of buying new mattresses, the old mattresses could be revitalized by the present invention.
Another object of the present invention is to fix an old mattress that has one or more body impressions.
Other features and advantages are inherent in the mattress compression device and method claimed and disclosed will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown, by way of illustration, a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
In the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, one or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of embodiments of the invention.
Although
Although firm support portion 70 is preferably thin and made from a firm (yet still giving) material such as plastic or wood, firm support portion 70 can be any thickness and may be made from any material so long as the springs of the mattress still provide comfort to the user.
In summary, the present invention is an apparatus and method for compressing a mattress to a uniform firmness and providing a new or additional pillow top to the mattress.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the above detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the detailed description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, although not explicitly recited, one or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced in combination or conjunction with one another. Furthermore, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment of the invention shall not be interpreted to limit the scope the invention. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims that are appended hereto.
Claims
1. A mattress compression device, comprising:
- a top portion;
- a firm support portion;
- a skirt portion; and
- an one or more binding portions.
2. The mattress compression device of claim 1, further comprising:
- a soft support portion;
- wherein said one or more binding portions firmly bind said mattress compression device to a mattress and compress said mattress uniformly.
3. The mattress compression device of claim 2, wherein said top portion, said soft support portion, and said firm support portion are stacked such that said soft support portion is between said top portion and said firm support portion.
4. The mattress compression device of claim 3, wherein said firm support portion is divided to allow for folding of said mattress compression device.
5. The mattress compression device of claim 4, wherein said firm support portion compresses a top of said mattress to provide an even surface for said soft support portion and said top portion.
6. The mattress compression device of claim 5, wherein said one or more binding portions are adjustable to allow the user to increase or decrease the firmness of said mattress.
7. A mattress compression device, comprising:
- a top portion;
- a soft support portion;
- a skirt portion;
- a firm support portion; and
- an one or more binding portions;
- wherein said top portion, said soft support portion, and said firm support portion are stacked such that said soft support portion is between said top portion and said firm support portion.
8. The mattress compression device of claim 7, wherein said firm support portion compresses a top of a mattress to provide an even surface for said soft support portion and said top portion.
9. The mattress compression device of claim 8, wherein said one or more binding portions firmly bind said mattress compression device to said mattress and compress said mattress uniformly.
10. The mattress compression device of claim 9, wherein said firm support portion is divided to allow for folding of said mattress compression device.
11. The mattress compression device of claim 10, wherein said one or more binding portions are adjustable to allow the user to increase or decrease the firmness of said mattress.
12. A method for compressing a mattress, the steps comprising:
- providing a mattress;
- providing a mattress compression device, wherein said mattress compression device comprises a top portion, a soft support portion, a firm support portion, a skirt portion, and an one or more binding portions;
- covering a top of said mattress with said mattress compression device;
- turning said mattress so that said one or more binding portions are on top of an underside of said mattress;
- coupling said one or more binding portions together such that said binding portions are on said underside of said mattress and said top portion, said soft support portion, and said firm support portion are on said top side of said mattress; and
- tightening said one or more binding portions together such that said mattress is compressed to a uniform firmness and said top portion and said soft support portion provide a new mattress pillow top or an additional mattress pillow top.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said firm support portion is divided to allow for folding of said firm support.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said top portion, said soft support portion, and said firm support portion are stacked such that said soft support portion is between said top portion and said firm support portion.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said firm support portion compresses said top of said mattress to provide an even surface for said soft support portion and said top portion.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said one or more binding portions are adjustable to allow the user to increase or decrease the firmness of said mattress.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said mattress is a pillow top mattress.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 19, 2008
Publication Date: Jun 24, 2010
Inventor: Fernando Fratovich (Santa Monica, CA)
Application Number: 12/340,266
International Classification: A47C 17/86 (20060101);