MATTRESS FOUNDATIONS
A mattress foundation for inclusion as part of a bed, to support a mattress, such as one of the type made of foam material and usually marketed and shipped in a compressed, reduced-sized configuration. The mattress foundation is configured to be marketed and shipped to a purchaser as a set of subassemblies and parts that are contained together in a compact package and can be assembled without use of tools. The set of mattress foundation subassemblies and parts can be packed and shipped in a rectangular box made of material such as corrugated cardboard that may be flattened out and incorporated in the mattress foundation. The package in which the subassemblies and parts are contained is small enough to be carried up stairways and through passageways to a bedroom where a bed incorporating the mattress foundation is to be set up for use.
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This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/143,942, filed on Jan. 7, 2021 and entitled SELECTIVELY ELEVATED FOUNDATION FOR A MATTRESS, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/732,124, filed on Dec. 31, 2019 and entitled FOUNDATION FOR A MATTRESS. The complete disclosures of the above applications are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present application relates to a foundation for a mattress for a bed, and in particular relates to a foundation that can be shipped in a ready-to-assemble configuration in a compact, easily-handled package.
Traditional inner-spring mattresses are large and bulky and therefore are difficult and awkward to move. In recent years increasing numbers of mattresses being sold are made of a resilient foam and spring construction, with an appropriate protective and decorative outer cover. Such mattresses can be shipped in a compact, compressed configuration. The package containing such a compressed mattress is small enough to be carried easily to a buyer's bedroom, where the package can be opened to allow the mattress to expand to full size.
While a foundation is typically used with such mattresses, these supporting platforms are typically made of wood with an attractive outer cover. Such a mattress foundation, unlike the compressed mattress, is a large, unwieldy, piece that must be moved into place to support the mattress. Such mattress foundations have conventionally included structural frame portions providing vertical support along the top end and bottom end, both sides, and along a central longitudinal line.
Because of the size and volume of the conventional mattress foundation for use with a mattress, even though the weight of such a foundation is not particularly great, shipping and handling costs for an assembled foundation can be a significant part of the retail price of beds including mattresses. While foundations for beds including mattresses can be constructed near a market area, there are undesirable costs for foundation assembly in locations far from the bed manufacturer's base location, including costs of local delivery and installation.
What is desired, then, is a mattress foundation that can be transported economically, that can be packed so as to be handled relatively easily during shipment and during movement within a purchaser's home, and that can be assembled and installed easily to support a newly-purchased mattress.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention, as defined by the claims which form a part of the present disclosure, provides a mattress foundation that can be shipped in a compact package and that can be quickly assembled and easily readied for use to support a mattress without the use of tools.
In one embodiment, the mattress foundation disclosed herein includes a frame with end assemblies and side beam assemblies that are fastened together by easily-installed connectors.
In one embodiment, the end assemblies and the side beam assemblies of the frame of the mattress foundation disclosed herein can all be nested and fastened together in a compact package, small enough to be carried conveniently to a location where a bed incorporating the mattress foundation is to be set up.
In one embodiment of the mattress foundation disclosed herein, transversely-oriented mattress-supporting members are supported and held in place by hangers attached to the side beam assemblies of the outer frame of the mattress foundation.
In one embodiment of the mattress foundation disclosed herein, packaging material, in which subassemblies of the mattress foundation frame are contained during shipment, can be incorporated in the mattress foundation.
In one embodiment, the mattress foundation disclosed herein includes a cover that fits over the assembled mattress foundation frame and helps to hold the end assemblies and side beam assemblies together, while providing a pleasing appearance and a smooth, durable outer surface.
The foregoing and other objectives and features of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the drawings that form a part of the disclosure herein, in
As may be seen in
Each of the opposite frame end assemblies and opposite frame side beam assemblies includes respective top rails 46 and bottom rails 48 aligned parallel with one another, separated and interconnected by vertical spacer members 50 that establish the height 52 of the mattress foundation frame 26 and keep the top and bottom rails 46 and 48 parallel with each other in each of the frame end assemblies 28 and 30, the stub side beams 40 and 42, and the frame side beam assemblies 32 and 34. The top rails 46 and bottom rails 48 may be of suitable dimensional lumber having uniform dimensions for each of the several segments included in the mattress foundation 24. In the mattress foundation 24 shown in
As may be seen in
Several transversely-extending (or transverse) mattress support members 60 having a narrow surface and a wide surface in relation to the narrow surface are located between and supported by the top rails 46 of the side beam assemblies 32 and 34 and the stub side beams 40 and 42. The mattress support members 60 are preferably parallel with each other, and remain largely parallel to the width of the mattress and mattress foundation, and are spaced apart from one another by an appropriate distance 62. The distance 62 between transversely-extending mattress support members 60 will be determined by the foundation manufacturer, and may generally be between 3 and 8 inches, for example, along the length 63 of the frame 26 of the mattress foundation 24. Mattress support members 60 may be supported by hangers 64 that will be described in greater detail below. In a preferred embodiment, the transverse mattress support members extend between the side beam assemblies, and each mattress support member may have a pair of opposite ends, and a narrow surface and a wide surface in relation to the narrow surface. Further, each of the opposite ends may be supported by a respective one of the side beam assemblies, and multiple hangers may be mounted on each of the side beam assemblies, and the hangers may carry respective ends of the transverse mattress support members, where the narrow surface of the support members face upward.
There are enough mattress support members 60, and the distance 62 between adjacent mattress support members is small enough, so that there is ample support for a mattress with people supported on the mattress. Since about 70% of a person's weight is typically supported by the center third of the length of a mattress, the spacing 62 may desirably be less in the center third of the length of the foundation, thus in the side beam assemblies 32 and 34, than in the stub side beams 40 and 42. This provides better support for a mattress in that part of the bed so that the mattress has an apparent increase in firmness.
Referring again to
Thus, in a foundation 24 for a queen size mattress, nominally 60 inches wide and 80 inches long, the length 44 of each stub side beam may be 25 inches, including the widths of the rails 46 and 48 of the frame end assemblies 28 and 30, and the length 70 of each side beam assembly 32 and 34 may be 30 inches. The nominal size for a king size mattress is a width of 76 inches and a length of 80 inches. For a California king size mattress the nominal measurements are 72 inches wide by 84 inches long. The nominal size for a twin size mattress is 39 inches wide by 75 inches long. A twin extralong is nominally 39 inches wide by 80 inches long. The nominal size for a full, or double, bed mattress is 54 inches wide by 75 inches long. As shown in the following TABLE 1, the frame end assemblies 28 and 30, stub side beams 40 and 42, and frame side beam assemblies 32 and 34 may have respective lengths that will enable the subcomponents of the mattress foundation frame 26 to be arranged for shipment and delivery in a compact package 12 of the dimensions mentioned above.
As may be seen in
As shown in
In assembling the frame 26 the connectors 56 may initially be pushed a small distance onto the ends of the top and bottom rails 46 or 48 to loosely connect the frame side beam assemblies 32 and 34 with the frame end assemblies 28 and 38. The frame end assemblies may then be pushed toward each other until the top and bottom rails 46 and 48 all extend fully into the connectors 56 and are abutted closely against one another, to complete assembly of the frame 26.
The hangers 64 that locate and support the transversely oriented mattress support members 60 are attached to the top rails 46 of the stub side beams 40 and 42 and the top rails 46 of the frame side beam assemblies 32 and 34, as may be seen in
The hangers 64, shown clearly in
The mattress support members 60 are supported with their respective ends held in the hangers 64, either simply by gravity, or possibly by an elastic grip of the side members 84 of the pocket against the wider surfaces of the mattress support members 60. The mattress support members 60 may be of dimensional lumber, such as nominal 1″×4″ or 1″×2″ boards (with actual thickness and width dimensions somewhat smaller), of the appropriate length. The particular size may be determined by the foundation manufacturer. The mattress support members 60 are held in the hangers 64 with their narrower (e.g., nominal 1″) surfaces facing upward, i.e., on edge, so that the mattress support members can act as deep beams to resist bending downwardly under the weight of a person on a bed including the foundation 24. The bending strength obtained by this orientation makes it unnecessary to have a central longitudinally extending beam located in the foundation between and parallel with the frame side beams, thus significantly reducing the cost of the foundation 24 in comparison with a prior wooden mattress foundation having central longitudinally extending beams. As such, the design of eliminating the need of central longitudinally extending beams in the foundation structure has a number of significant benefits, as it can greatly increase the ease of shipping and assembly, all while promoting sustainability and reducing the use of wood materials.
The upper faces of the top rails 46 of the frame end beam assemblies and the upper surfaces of the transversely oriented mattress support members 60 are preferably coplanar. As may be seen in
Also in
As shown in
When the foundation 24 is incorporated in a bed to support a mattress 100, as shown in
Referring to
Given that about 70% of a person's weight is typically supported by the center third of the length of a mattress, in some embodiments elevation components 65 may be placed in locations corresponding to the center third of the mattress length. The raised height provided by the elevation components allow the mattress to be raised, such that the raised portion (not shown) of the mattress provides additional contact and support to a user. For example, users requiring additional lumbar support may find that the raised portions in the lumbar area of the mattress helps alleviate pain. For users with other height preferences, the elevation members allow a user to easily customize their mattress. Additionally, the elevation components solve the issue of relying on the transverse mattress support members to provide an additional height, as the elevation components keep the overall weight of the mattress foundation low and alleviate the need for the transverse support members themselves to be of a taller height. Together with the elimination of the central longitudinally extending beams in the foundation structure, this allows for material costs to be kept low, and also allows for the overall weight of the mattress foundation to be significantly lower, which is a critical issue for shipping and transit of the foundation.
Referring to
Mattress foundation 124 includes a frame 126 that includes a pair of opposite first and second frame end assemblies, a head frame assembly 128 and a foot frame end assembly 130, and a pair of oppositely located first and second frame side beam assemblies 132 and 134. Frame end assemblies 128 and 130 each includes an end beam assembly 136 having a width 138, in a direction corresponding with the width of a mattress to be supported by mattress foundation 124, that may be equal to the full width of frame 126 of mattress foundation 124. Stub side beam assemblies (or end-to-side beam assemblies) 140 and 142 extend at right angles from respective ends of end beam assemblies 136 and are thus parallel with each other and extend in a direction corresponding with a length of a mattress to be supported on mattress foundation 124. Stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142 are thus spaced apart from each other so as to determine the width of frame 126 of mattress foundation 124. While stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142 are shown herein as extending by equal lengths 144 away from end beam assemblies 136, equal length is not critical so long as the corresponding side beam assemblies 132 and 134 are respectively of appropriate lengths. In some embodiments, side beam assemblies 132 and 134 may interconnect first and second frame end assemblies with each other, where each side beam assembly may extend in a lengthwise direction with respect to the mattress foundation, and each side beam assembly may have a pair of opposite ends, and each of the opposite ends of each of the side beam assemblies may be interconnected with one of the frame end assemblies.
Each of the opposite frame end assemblies and opposite frame side beam assemblies includes respective top rails 146 and bottom rails 148 aligned parallel with one another, separated and interconnected by vertical spacer members 150 that establish height 152 of frame 126 and keep the top and bottom rails parallel with each other in each of frame end assemblies 128 and 130, stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142, and frame side beam assemblies 132 and 134. Top rails 146 include a top surface 147 that at least partially supports a mattress. In other words, top surface 147 contacts the mattress supported by the mattress foundation. The top and bottom rails may be of any suitable dimensional lumber having uniform dimensions for each of the several segments included in mattress foundation 124. Bottom rails 148 of side beam assemblies 132 and 134 and stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142 extend longitudinally, with their respective ends located beneath the transversely-extending bottom rails 148 of the head and foot frame end assemblies. Similarly, the transversely-extending top rails 146 of the head and foot frame end assemblies overlap and rest atop the ends of top rails 146 of stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142.
As may be seen in
Several transversely-extending (or transverse) mattress support members 160 having a narrow surface and a wide surface in relation to the narrow surface are located between and supported by side beam assemblies 132 and 134 and the stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142. The mattress support members 160 are preferably parallel with each other, and remain largely parallel to the width of the mattress and mattress foundation, and are spaced apart from one another by an appropriate distances. The distances between transversely-extending mattress support members 160 will be determined by the foundation manufacturer, and may generally be between 3 and 8 inches, for example, along length 163 of the frame 126 of the mattress foundation 124. In the example shown in
Mattress support members 160 are supported by longitudinal support members 167 of side beam assemblies 132 and 134 and stub side beam assemblies 140 and 142, which are described in greater detail below. In one embodiment, the transverse mattress support members extend between the side beam assemblies and the stub side beams, and each transverse mattress support member may have a pair of opposite ends, and a narrow surface and a wide surface in relation to the narrow surface. Furthermore, each of the pair of opposite ends are supported by the longitudinal support members of the side beam assemblies and stub side beam assemblies, where either the wide surface or the narrow surface of the mattress support members faces upward. In the example shown in
In the example shown in
Additionally, longitudinal support members 167 of side beam assemblies 132 and 134 are attached such that most of mattress support members 160 supported on longitudinal support members 167 with its narrow surface facing upwards are flush with top rails 146 of those assemblies (as shown in
In the example shown in
In some embodiments, mattress foundation 124 includes a plurality of elevation members 179, which may be supported on longitudinal support members 167. The elevation members may be shaped similar to longitudinal support members and may be sized the same or slightly smaller (e.g., length and/or width) such that the elevation members are easily supported on those longitudinal support members. In the example shown in
In some embodiments and as shown in
Thus as may be seen from the disclosure herein, a mattress foundation having a length and a width includes a first frame end assembly having a width corresponding with a width of a frame of the mattress foundation; a second frame end assembly having a width corresponding with the width of the frame of the mattress foundation; a pair of spaced-apart elongate side beam assemblies interconnecting the first and second frame end assemblies with each other, each side beam assembly extending in a lengthwise direction with respect to the mattress foundation, each side beam assembly having a pair of opposite ends, and each of the opposite ends of each of the side beam assemblies being interconnected with a respective one of the frame end assemblies; a plurality of transverse mattress support members extending between the side beam assemblies, each mattress support member having a pair of opposite ends, and a narrow surface and a wide surface, and each of the opposite ends being supported by a respective one of the side beam assemblies, where a plurality of hangers are mounted on each of the side beam assemblies and the hangers carry respective ends of the transverse mattress support members, where the narrow surface of the support members face upward; and a connector fastening each end of each side beam assembly to a respective one of the frame end assemblies, forming a frame of the mattress foundation.
Thus as may further be seen from the disclosure herein, a set of components for a mattress foundation suitable for supporting a mattress having a mattress length and a mattress width includes a first frame end assembly having a width corresponding with a width of the mattress foundation; a second frame end assembly having a width corresponding with the width of the mattress foundation; a first side beam assembly having a length less than the mattress length; a second side beam assembly having a length less than the mattress length; a plurality of transverse mattress support members each having a length and a pair of opposite ends; a plurality of mattress support member mounting devices including a plurality of hangers mounted on each of the side beam assemblies, where the hangers receive the supporting members; and a plurality of connectors each adapted to fasten a respective one of the first and second frame end assemblies to a respective one of the first and second side beam assemblies, to form a frame of the mattress foundation.
Thus as may further be seen from the disclosure herein, an embodiment of this disclosure of a mattress foundation having a length and a width includes a first frame end assembly and a second frame end assembly, the two end assemblies having a width corresponding to the width of the foundation, each end assembly having a pair of opposite ends and a pair of end-to-side beam assemblies perpendicularly extending from each opposite end, the end-to-side beam assemblies having a length that is less than one-third the length of the foundation; a pair of side beam assemblies, each side beam assembly extending in a lengthwise direction with respect to the mattress foundation, each side beam assembly having a pair of opposite ends, and each of the opposite ends being selectively connectable to a respective end of an end-to-side beam assembly; a plurality of connectors of molded plastic material having a length, opposing ends and a channel extending through the length, the channel being wide enough at the ends to incorporate each end of each side beam assembly to a respective one of the frame end assemblies; a plurality of transverse mattress support members each having a narrow surface, a wide surface in relation to the narrow surface, a length and a pair of opposite ends, where the support members extend between the side beam assemblies parallel to the foundation width, the narrow surface facing upwards so that the support members significantly resist bending downwardly under the weight of a person on a bed including the foundation, where the bending strength from the support members makes it unnecessary for the foundation to have a central longitudinally extending beam located in the center of the foundation and parallel with the length of the foundation; a plurality of hangers having a pair of parallel side members, a back member, and a bottom member, the side members and bottom member extending perpendicularly from the back member forming a pocket that is open upwardly and toward the interior of the foundation frame, in which to receive the end of a mattress support member, where the side members are trapezoidal in shape and wider at the bottom of the hanger so that the pocket is deeper at the bottom of the hanger; and an elevation component of a molded plastic material having a height and a width, the width corresponding to the width of the pocket of the hanger, where the elevation component is used to support and raise the transverse support members.
The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.
Claims
1. A mattress foundation having a length and a width, comprising:
- (a) a first frame end assembly and a second frame end assembly, the first and second frame end assemblies having a width corresponding to the width of the foundation, each of the first and second frame end assemblies having an end beam portion with a pair of opposite ends and a pair of end-to-side beam assemblies perpendicularly extending from each opposite end, the end-to-side beam assemblies each having a length that is less than one-third the length of the mattress foundation and having a first longitudinal support member extending across at least a portion of the length of each of the end-to-side beam assemblies;
- (b) a pair of side beam assemblies each extending in a lengthwise direction with respect to the mattress foundation, each of the pair of side beam assemblies having a pair of opposite ends and a second longitudinal support member extending therebetween, each of the pair of opposite ends being selectively connectable to a respective end of one of the end-to-side beam assemblies of the first and second frame end assemblies, each of the pair of side beam assemblies further including a plurality of spaced slats that extends transverse of the second longitudinal support member and that forms a slot between each pair of adjacent slats of the plurality of spaced slats;
- (c) a plurality of connectors each having a length, opposing ends, and a channel extending through the length, the channel being wide enough at the ends to incorporate each end of each of the pair of side beam assemblies to a respective one of the end-to-side beam assemblies; and
- (d) a plurality of transverse mattress support members each having a narrow surface, a wide surface relative to the narrow surface, and a pair of opposite ends, wherein each end of the pair of opposite ends of a mattress support member of the plurality of transverse mattress support members is received in a respective slot formed by the plurality of spaced slats and is supported on the second longitudinal support member such that the plurality of transverse mattress support members extend between the pair of side beam assemblies parallel to the width of the foundation, the narrow surface of the plurality of transverse mattress support members facing upwards.
2. The mattress foundation of claim 1, wherein the first and second end frame assemblies include a top surface that supports a mattress, and wherein the second longitudinal support member of each of the pair of side beam assemblies supports the plurality of transverse mattress support members such that the narrow surface of the plurality of transverse mattress support members received in the slots are co-planar with a plane of the top surface of the first and second end frame assemblies.
3. The mattress foundation of claim 2, wherein a top surface of each of the second longitudinal support members includes a plurality of ridges.
4. The mattress foundation of claim 2, further comprising a pair of elevation members sized to be each removably supported on a respective second longitudinal support member, the pair of elevation members supporting the plurality of transverse mattress support members such that the narrow surface of the plurality of transverse mattress support members received in the slots extend above the plane of the top surface of the first and second end frame assemblies.
5. The mattress foundation of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of each of the pair of elevation members include a plurality of ridges.
6. The mattress foundation of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposite ends of two or more transverse mattress support members of the plurality of transverse mattress support members are supported on the first longitudinal support member of opposed end-to-side beam assemblies of each of the first and second frame end assemblies with the wide surface of the two or more transverse mattress support members facing upwards.
7. The mattress foundation of claim 6, wherein the pair of opposite ends of four transverse mattress support members of the plurality of transverse mattress support members are supported on the first longitudinal support member of the end-to-side beam assemblies of each of the first and second frame end assemblies with the wide surface of the four transverse mattress support members facing upwards.
8. The mattress foundation of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of side beam assemblies further includes a top rail, a bottom rail, and at least one vertical spacer member connecting the top and bottom rails in a spaced relationship.
9. The mattress foundation of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of spaced slats includes opposed first and second end portions, the first end portion being attached to the top rail and the second end portion being attached to the bottom rail.
10. The mattress foundation of claim 9, wherein the second longitudinal support member is attached to the plurality of spaced slats such that the plurality of spaced slats is disposed between the second longitudinal support member and the top and bottom rails.
11. A side beam assembly connectable to frame end assemblies to form a mattress foundation, the side beam assembly comprising:
- a top rail;
- a bottom rail parallel to the top rail;
- at least one vertical spacer member connecting the top and bottom rails in a spaced relationship;
- a plurality of spaced slats attached to the top and bottom rails, the plurality of spaced slats extending transverse of the top and bottom rails and forming a plurality of slots between each pair of adjacent slats of the plurality of spaced slats; and
- a longitudinal support member that is a parallel to the top rail and is attached to the plurality of spaced slats.
12. The side beam assembly of claim 11, wherein the longitudinal support member is positioned on the plurality of spaced slats such that, when a plurality of transverse mattress support members is received in the plurality of slots, a narrow surface of the plurality of transverse mattress support members is co-planar with a plane of a top surface of the top rail.
13. The mattress foundation of claim 12, wherein a top surface of the longitudinal support member includes a plurality of ridges.
14. The mattress foundation of claim 12, further comprising an elevation members sized to be removably supported on the longitudinal support member, the elevation member being sized such that, when the plurality of transverse mattress support members is received in the plurality of slots, the narrow surface of the plurality of transverse mattress support members extends above the plane of the top surface of the top rail.
15. The mattress foundation of claim 14, wherein opposed top and bottom surfaces of the elevation member include a plurality of ridges.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 2, 2021
Publication Date: Dec 23, 2021
Applicant: Get To Industries LLC (Columbia City, OR)
Inventor: William B. Hutton (Columbia City, OR)
Application Number: 17/464,927