Abstrict A mattress of an adjustable bed is readily bendable at joints connecting
non-bendable sections. Each non-bendable section is composed of
a non-bendable assembly of rows and columns of spring coils held
in place by top and bottom border wires, edge support elements between
the border wires and longitudinal straps on the top and bottom of
each column of coils to provide a durable spring assembly with uniform
support throughout. A bag assembly of sturdy fabric has a series
of pockets to hold the spring assemblies in place spaced apart from
one another by a fixed gap defined by a transverse hinge portion
of the bag assembly positioned at the mid thickness of the mattress
so that the joints formed by the hinge may bend either way for reversing
the mattress top to bottom. Resilient foam bars fill the gaps between
pockets and conventional mattress padding and covering are secured
to the bag assembly.
Claims I claim:
1. An articulated mattress comprising:
A) a plurality of substantially non-bendable, rectangular coil
spring assemblies, each assembly including:
1) a plurality of coil springs arranged in an array of rows and
columns;
2) top and bottom border wires connected to the outermost columns
of springs;
3) top and bottom border wires connected to at least one outermost
row of springs;
B) a bag assembly including:
1) a plurality of pocket means for receiving and securely holding
in place said spring coil assemblies with a single coil assembly
fitted into a single pocket means, each said pocket means having
sides and at least one side being adjacent and in confronting relationship
with a side of another, adjacent pocket means;
2) a transverse hinge portion connecting confronting sides of adjacent
pocket means, said hinge portion disposed at a midpoint of the thickness
of said mattress and spacing said pocket means apart by a fixed
distance gap;
C) a plurality of resilient foam spacer bars connected to said
bag assembly, with a pair of said spacer bars fitted into the fixed
distance gap between adjacent pocket means, with one of said pair
attached to a top face of said hinge portion and another of said
pair attached to a bottom face of said hinge portion; and
D) covering means for covering and cushioning said mattress secured
in multiple layers to said bag assembly to thereby construct a mattress
having the support and durability of a non-bendable innerspring
mattress while providing for bending at said hinge portions.
2. The mattress according to claim 1 further comprising edge support
elements connecting said top and bottom border wires for enhanced
edge support.
3. The mattress according to claim 2 further comprising top and
bottom longitudinal strap members fastened along the columns of
coils.
4. The mattress according to claim 1 further comprising top and
bottom longitudinal strap members fastened along the columns of
coils.
5. An articulated mattress comprising:
A) a plurality of substantially non-bendable, rectangular coil
spring assemblies, each assembly including:
1) a plurality of coil springs arranged in an array of rows and
columns;
2) Top and bottom border wires connected to the outermost columns
of springs;
B) a bag assembly including:
1) a plurality of pocket means for receiving and securely holding
in place said spring coil assemblies with a single coil assembly
fitted into a single pocket means, each said pocket means having
sides and at least one side being adjacent and in confronting relationship
with a side of another, adjacent pocket means;
2) a transverse hinge portion connecting confronting sides of adjacent
pocket means, said hinge portion disposed at a midpoint of the thickness
of said mattress and spacing said pocket means apart by a fixed
distance gap;
C) a plurality of resilient foam spacer bars connected to said
bag assembly, with a pair of said spacer bars fitted into the fixed
distance gap between adjacent pocket means, with one of said pair
attached to a top face of said hinge portion and another of said
pair attached to a bottom face of said hinge portion; and
D) covering means for covering and cushioning said mattress secured
in multiple layers to said bag assembly to thereby construct a mattress
having the support and durability of a non-bendable innerspring
mattress while providing for bending at said hinge portions.
6. The mattress according to claim 5 further comprising edge support
elements connecting said top and bottom border wires for enhanced
edge support.
7. The mattress according to claim 6 further comprising top and
bottom longitudinal strap members fastened along the columns of
coils.
8. The mattress according to claim 5 further comprising top and
bottom longitudinal strap members fastened along the columns of
coils.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to mattresses and more particularly to articulated
innerspring mattresses for adjustable beds. Hospital beds are frequently
made with four sections that may be adjusted relative to one another
for comfort and therapeutic purposes. Beds of this type are now
often found in homes as well. Mattresses for these adjustable beds
should have all of the body supporting properties of flat mattresses
while also being bendable at the joints of the articulated sections.
Because of the additional requirements put on mattresses to make
them bendable at the joints, prior art mattresses made for these
beds have a very short useful life. They rapidly lose their support
at the joints and at the edges.
Conventional innerspring mattresses are supplied with sturdy border
wires along top and bottom edges to prevent sagging. Further support
may be provided by side edge supports between top and bottom wires.
The individual coils are further stabilized by top and bottom longitudinal
straps joining all the coils in longitudinal rows. These stabilizing
and reinforcing structures make the mattress uniformly resilient
in the direction required to support the horizontal body.
However, these same structures resist bending as required on an
articulated bed. Consequently, they are not provided on mattresses
of the prior art designed for articulated beds. As a result, articulated
mattresses of the prior art have very short useful lives and do
not provide the uniform body support necessary for this application.
The springs distort at the folds from bending and at the edges from
the reduced coil support and extra forces from sitting on the edge
of the bed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an articulated
innerspring mattress that provides the uniformity of support, stability,
and durability of high quality non-bendable innerspring mattresses.
It is another object that the mattress have border wires and edge
support elements and longitudinal strap members while still being
readily folded for use on articulated and folding beds. It is yet
another object that the mattress resist distortion at the joints,
both of the spring support structure and of the various layers covering
the springs. It is yet another object that the mattress be bilaterally
symmetrical so that it can be turned over without any loss of function.
The mattress of the invention comprises a plurality of rectangular
spring segments. Each segment corresponding to the sections of the
articulated bed on which it will be used. Each segment is constructed
using the quality supporting construction found on non-bendable
innerspring mattresses including border wires, because no segment
will be subjected to bending. The individual spring segments are
held in place by a bag assembly formed of sturdy fabric. The bag
assembly has a plurality of pockets, each pocket shaped to receive
a spring assembly to which it is firmly stapled. The bag assembly
holds the spring segments in alignment and spaced apart from one
another about two inches by a hinge strap portion of the bag assembly
at a level that is at the mid point of the mattress thickness. Two
resilient foam spacer bars fasten to the top and bottom of the hinge
strap to fill the gap between spring segments. The bag assembly
with all the gaps between segments filled with spacer bars is then
covered top, bottom and sides with various layers in the fashion
well known in the art to provide a mattress which bends readily
at the hinge straps with the resilient foam spacer bars preventing
distortion of the covering materials as well as holding the spring
assemblies in correct position.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention
will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied
in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mattress of the invention with
portions broken away.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a spring segment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bag assembly of the invention.
FIGS. 3a and 3b show details of portions of the bag assembly of
FIG. 3.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through line 4--4 of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now first to FIGS. 1 and 4 an articulated innerspring
mattress 1 of the invention comprises four rectangular, non-bendable
sections. Head 2 trunk 3 thigh 4 and foot 5 sections are connected
by flexible joints 6 all covered with padding and covering materials
to provide a smooth surface with uniform body support throughout
that is very durable and resistant to distortions and failure from
frequent bending at the joints. The support in each section is provided
by a rectangular innerspring segment 7 as shown in FIG. 2. The segment
7 is constructed with top and bottom border wires 8 and rows 23
and columns 24 of coil springs 11. Certain transverse border wires
may be omitted where there is low stress as at knee joint.
Each innerspring segment 7 may be provided with any or all of the
well known structures to enhance durability and uniformity of support
including Bonnel, Offet, continuous wire or pocketed configuration.
Anson, U.S. Pat. No. 3256535 and Thynic U.S. Pat. No. 3242505
exemplify innerspring mattress structure. The supporting structures
may include edge support elements 9 between border wires and top
and bottom longitudinal strap members 10. These support elements
resist bending, but provide greater uniformity of support over the
entire surface and prevent distortion of the springs which leads
to early failure.
As best seen in FIGS. 3 3a and 3b, a bag assembly 12 formed of
a sturdy fabric, is provided to hold the individual innerspring
segments 7 in correct position, while providing controlled articulation.
The bag 12 has pockets 13 each one arranged to securely receive
an innerspring segment 7 to which it is secured by hog ring type
staples 15. Joining each pocket is a transverse hinge portion 14
of the bag assembly that is positioned on adjacent and confronting
sides 25 at the midpoint of the mattress thickness so that the mattress
will be bilaterally symmetrical, bending either way at the joints
6 formed by the transverse hinge portions 14. The mattress may then
be reversed top for bottom for greater mattress life.
The hinge portions 14 space the pockets and innerspring segments
7 apart about two inches. Resilient foam spacer bars 16 fill this
space. They are cemented to the upper and lower surfaces of the
hinge portions. By filling this space with a resilient material,
covering layers are prevented from being distorted as the joint
is flexed, while the joint retains support consistent with adjacent
non-bendable areas.
The various covering layers are applied to the bag assembly in
the conventional fashion of high quality innerspring mattress construction,
including, for example, the stiffening insulator pad 17 the topper
or cushioning pad 18 and the quilted cover 19. These methods are
well known and need not be repeated here.
The bag assembly may be constructed in various ways, such as by
sewing top and bottom layers together selectively as shown. As shown
in FIG. 3 each pocket 13 may be provided with separate flanges
20 and 21 which are grommetted together by grommets 22 to form the
hinge portion 14.
The above disclosed invention has a number of particular features
which should preferably be employed in combination although each
is useful separately without departure from the scope of the invention.
While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my
invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied
otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described,
and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and
the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made within
the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope
of the appended claims. |