Claims
- 1. In a body support device including upper and lower structures defining generally parallel planes, the improvement that comprises
- a) at least one of said upper and lower structures including a first tensionable member,
- b) first means extending at the periphery of the device and connected with the first tensionable member to interact therewith and transmit force for tensioning the tensionable member,
- c) means for adjusting the tension exerted by said first means,
- d) said c) means comprising a rotor operatively connected with said member, a rotor housing and means carried by the housing and operatively connectible with the rotor for blocking rotor rotation when the said member is tensioned and for allowing rotor rotation as during lessened tensioning of the member, said housing carried by said device.
- 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said tensionable member comprises a grid.
- 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the other of said upper and lower structures includes a second tensionable member.
- 4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said second tensionable member is operatively connected with said first means so as to be adjustably tensionable in conjunction with adjustable tensioning of the first tensionable member.
- 5. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said second tensionable member comprises a sheet.
- 6. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said second tensionable member comprises a grid.
- 7. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said first tensionable member includes two sections, each independently tensioned by said c) means.
- 8. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said b) first means comprises rod means extending along the side of the device, and about which an extension of said first member is wrappable.
- 9. The improvement of claim 4 wherein said b) means comprises elongated rod mean extending along one side of the device and about which extensions of said first and second members ar wrappable.
- 10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said device comprises a mattress.
- 11. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said device comprises a trampoline.
- 12. In a body support device including upper and lower structures defining generally parallel planes, the improvement that comprises
- a) at least one of said upper and lower structures including a first tensionable member,
- b) first means extending at the periphery of the mattress and connected with the first tensionable member to interact therewith and transmit force for tensioning the tensionable member,
- c) and means for adjusting the tension exerted by said first means,
- d) said second tensionable member being operatively connected with said first means so as to be adjustably tensionable in conjunction with adjustable tensioning of the first tensionable member,
- e) said b) means comprising elongated rod means extending along one side of the device and about which extensions of said first and second members are wrappable,
- f) said c) means comprising a clutch rotor connected with said rod means, a housing for said rotor, and manually manipulable dog means carried by the housing for engaging said rotor to prevent rotation thereof when the first and second members are tensioned, and for disengaging said rotor to allow rotation thereof as during decreased tensioning of said first and second members, said housing carried by said extensions.
- 13. The improvement of claim 12 including a crank having operative connection with said rotor to effect rotation thereof.
- 14. The improvement of claim 12 wherein said rotor has teeth engageable by said dog means to allow rotation of the rotor in one direction as during tensioning of said first member, and to block rotation of the rotor in the opposite direction unless the dog means is retracted relative to the rotor.
- 15. The improvement of claim 12 including second rod means extending along another side of the device, generally perpendicular to said one side of the device, and third and fourth tensionable members associated with said first and second structures and having extensions that are wrappable about said second rod means.
- 16. The improvement of claim 15 including a second clutch rotor associated with said second rod means, said housing also housing the second rotor, and second manually manipulable dog means carried by the housing for engaging the second rotor to prevent rotation thereof when the third and fourth members are tensioned, and for disengaging the rotor to allow rotation thereof as during decreasing tensioning of said third and fourth members.
- 17. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said rod means includes two parallel metallic rods.
- 18. The improvement of claim 15 wherein said first rod means includes two parallel rods, and said second rod means includes two parallel rods.
- 19. The improvement of claim 18 wherein said device comprises a mattress, said first rod means extending along one side of the mattress, and said second rod means extending along one end of the mattress.
- 20. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said c) means comprises actuator means.
- 21. The improvement of claim 20 wherein said actuator means comprises one of the following:
- a) a mechanical means
- b) an hydraulic means
- c) a pneumatic means
- d) an electrical means.
- 22. A mattress having, in combination,
- a) first and second tensionable sleeping sections,
- b) and means to selectively adjust the hardness of at least one of said sleeping sections,
- c) said b) means comprising a rotor operatively connected with one of said sections, a rotor housing and means carried by the housing and operatively connectible with the rotor for blocking rotor rotation when said one section is tensioned and for allowing rotor rotation as during lessened tensioning of said one section, said housing carried by said mattress.
- 23. A mattress having, in combination,
- a) first and second sleeping sections respectively having first and second sheets,
- b) and means to selectively adjust the tensioning of at least one of said sheets,
- c) said b) means comprising a rotor operatively connected with said one sheet, a rotor housing and means carried by the housing and operatively connectible with the rotor for blocking rotor rotation when said one sheet is tensioned and for allowing rotor rotation as during lessened tensioning of said one sheet, said housing carried by said mattress.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 335,508 filed Apr. 10, 1989 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,459.
This invention relates generally to mattresses, and more particularly to easily operable means to increase the "firmness" of mattresses. It can be applied to any structure or mechanism which supports the body, i.e., seats, sofas, etc.
There is need for mattress constructions in which the firmness or hardness of the mattress is determined by means other than the strength or number of coil springs used. While it is known to provide a wire mesh overlying the coil springs of the mattress, no way was known to employ a sub-frame and to tension it by interaction with the periphery of the mattress, and in the simple, easily adjustable manner provided by the present invention. Also, no way was known to enable ready detachment of a mattress stiffening wire mesh from the main mattress.
It is a major object of the invention to provide an improved mattress construction meeting the above need.
It is another object to provide an adjustably tensionable grid or sheet mechanism for application to a mattress, the grid or sheet being easily attachable to the mattress.
The invention is incorporated in a mattress construction including upper and lower structures defining generally parallel planes, and coil springs operatively connected to the structures and located between the planes, and includes:
a) at least one of the upper and lower structures defining a first tensionable sheet,
b) first means extending at the periphery of the mattress and connected with the first tensionable sheet to interact with it and to transmit force for tensioning the tensionable sheet,
c) and means for adjusting the tension exerted by the first means.
As will appear, an adjustable crank/ratchet mechanism may be used to control firmness, lift, stretch, rebound, and decompression of the person's spine and associated anatomy. In this regard, there is a need for patients with spinal compression to have a variable adjustable mattress surface to reduce or increase surface lift, tension or rebound on the surface, trampoline, grid or surface structure to decompress the patient's spine and associated anatomy, to reduce spinal compression and alleviate pain resulting from spinal disc, nerve, vascular, and associated anatomical compression. Burn victims and patients who must lie in bed due to illness or other reason often suffer from vascular, neurological and soft tissue injury, including decubitis ulcers and other such compression syndromes due to the pressure of their mattress. This can be alleviated, controlled or altered to improve proper physiological response, including increased circulation and neuromuscular reeducation and homeostasis, through the use of a mechanically altering and adjustable surface tension made possible by the crank/ratchet mechanism associated with a mattress.
Further, the principles of the invention are particularly applicable to hospital beds which must bend at varied locations of the mattress. By using a hand crank/ratchet, electrical, or pneumatic/hydraulic system, pressure upon the surface top/bottom of the mattress can be altered, bent or positioned to create firmness, tensioning, or lift, and can be controlled for the physiological benefits of the patient.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved grid which incorporates a looping sub-frame to which grid wires are attached, the sub-frame then being easily attachable to the main outer frame of a mattress. In this regard, non-metallic band means may be employed for securing such attachment in an easy, load distributing manner for tensioning the grid and its sub-frame. This also facilitates ease of removal of the grid by ready detachment of the band means.
As will appear, the band means may include multiple bands which are spaced apart and extend to different locations of support at the periphery of the mattress; the bands may consist of flat, flexible fabric of high tensile strength or metal band or other materials to produce greater rigidity; and they may easily be secured to the main frame by looping connection about a frame member.
It is a further object to provide band connection configurations that interact with both upper and lower outer frames of the mattress; and a third such frame may be employed between the upper and lower outer frames to interact with the bands, as during imposition of loading on the mattress to tension the grid and its sub-frame.
Both upper and lower grids, and sub-frames, may be provided, and the bands may interconnect them in a tensioning mode, with band interaction via the main frame members of the mattress, as will be seen.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 709755 |
May 1965 |
CAX |
| 40407 |
Aug 1887 |
DE2 |
| 91462 |
Mar 1896 |
DE2 |
| 1417878 |
Dec 1964 |
FRX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
335508 |
Apr 1989 |
|
Patent Grant
5063625
