Patent Application
20190150631
Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to elastomeric cushioning elements for compressible cushions, including mattresses, seat cushions, pet beds etc. including multiple cushion zones, methods of forming cushions including multiple cushion zones, and methods of forming cushion zones from a single cushioning element.
Cushioning materials have a variety of uses, such as for mattresses, seating surfaces, shoe inserts, packaging, medical devices, etc. Cushioning materials may be formulated and/or configured to reduce peak pressure on a cushioned body, which may increase comfort for humans or animals, and may protect objects from damage. Cushioning materials may be formed of materials that deflect or deform under load, such as polyethylene or polyurethane foams (e.g., convoluted foam), vinyl, rubber, springs, natural or synthetic fibers, fluid-filled flexible containers, etc. Different cushioning materials may have different responses to a given pressure, and some materials may be well suited to different applications. Cushioning materials may be used in combination with one another to achieve selected properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,730,566, “Multi-Walled Gelastic Material,” issued Jun. 8, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, describes cushion structures having interconnected walls that buckle. A first wall buckles when a threshold force is applied. Buckling of the first wall may cause buckling of a second wall, which may decrease the chance that the first wall will “bottom out.” Bottoming out would increase pressure on the portion of the cushioned object over the buckled portion of the cushion. One side of the cushion has walls spaced relatively close together, and the opposite side has walls spaced farther apart. That is, some walls of the cushion extend only partially through the cushion. The wider-spaced portions of the walls may buckle more easily than the closer-spaced portions of the walls when an irregularly shaped object presses against the walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,919,750, “Cushioning Elements Comprising Buckling Walls and Methods of Forming Such Cushioning Elements,” issued Dec. 30, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, describes a cushioning element having a top cushioning surface and a bottom base surface, and which includes an elastomeric material and a stabilizing material. Interconnected buckling walls formed of the elastomeric material are connected to the stabilizing material.
Cushioning elements may be formed using injection molding. A molding system capable of molding large parts, such as cushions for use with mattresses in their various sizes, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,446,542, “Small Footprint Apparatus, Method, and Tooling for Molding Large Thermoplastic Parts,” issued Sep. 20, 2016, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. The molding system may include platens, linear actuators, toggle clamps, injection heads, and molds. The molds for large cushioning elements are expensive due to their large size. As a result, manufacturers may purchase the largest mold they need (e.g., a mold for a king size mattress) and use that mold to form all the different sizes that they manufacture. For example, they may fabricate a king size mattress, and trim the mattress to form queen, full, and twin sized mattresses. The excess material is typically recycled or discarded.
Methods of forming a cushioning element are disclosed. The method includes forming a king size elastomeric cushion. The king size elastomeric cushion may include a plurality of intersecting buckling walls defining a plurality of hollow columns in an expanded form. The king size elastomeric cushion may be separated into four equal sized cushioning elements. The cushioning element may then be selected from the four equal sized cushioning elements.
Methods of forming a cushion are also disclosed. The method includes forming a first element comprising a compressible material and a second element comprising a compressible material. The first element may be formed surrounding a void. The second element may be formed by molding a large cushioning element from a compressible material and then separating the large cushioning element into four small cushioning elements. The four small cushioning elements may have substantially the same dimensions. At least one of the four small cushioning elements may then be selected as the second element. The method further includes inserting the second element into the void surrounded by the first element.
While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming what are regarded as embodiments of the present disclosure, various features and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure may be more readily ascertained from the following description of example embodiments of the disclosure when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular cushion, cushioning element, reinforcing element, or component thereof, but are merely idealized representations employed to describe illustrative embodiments. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Elements common between figures may retain the same numerical designation.
As used herein, the term “cushioning element” means and includes any deformable device intended for use in cushioning one body relative to another. As a non-limiting example, cushioning elements (e.g., mattresses, seat cushions, pet beds, etc.) include materials intended for use in cushioning a person, animal, or object relative to another object (e.g., a bed frame, chair seat, floor, etc.) that might otherwise abut against the person, animal, or object.
As used herein the term “foam” means and includes foam materials that deflect or deform under load. Foam materials may include, by way of example and not limitation, polyethylene or polyurethane foams (e.g., convoluted foam), latex foam, or viscoelastic polyurethane foam (e.g., memory foam, open cell memory foam, or gel memory foam).
As used herein, the term “elastomeric polymer” means and includes a polymer capable of recovering its original size and shape after deformation. In other words, an elastomeric polymer is a polymer having elastic or viscoelastic properties. Elastomeric polymers may also be referred to as “elastomers” in the art. Elastomeric polymers include, without limitation, homopolymers (polymers having a single chemical unit repeated) and copolymers (polymers having two or more chemical units).
As used herein, the term “elastomeric block copolymer” means and includes an elastomeric polymer having groups or blocks of homopolymers linked together, such as A-B diblock copolymers and A-B-A triblock copolymers. A-B diblock copolymers have two distinct blocks of homopolymers. A-B-A triblock copolymers have two blocks of a single homopolymer (A) each linked to a single block of a different homopolymer (B).
As used herein, the term “plasticizer” means and includes a substance added to another material (e.g., an elastomeric polymer) to increase a workability of the material. For example, a plasticizer may increase the flexibility, softness, or extensibility of the material. Plasticizers include, without limitation, hydrocarbon fluids, such as mineral oils. Hydrocarbon plasticizers may be aromatic or aliphatic.
As used herein, the term “elastomeric material” means and includes elastomeric polymers and mixtures of elastomeric polymers with plasticizers and/or other materials. Elastomeric materials are elastic (i.e., capable of recovering size and shape after deformation). Elastomeric materials include, without limitation, materials referred to in the art as “elastomer gels,” “gelatinous elastomers,” or simply “gels.”
As used herein, any relational term, such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., is used for clarity and convenience in understanding the disclosure and accompanying drawings and does not connote or depend on any specific preference, orientation, or order, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “and/or” means and includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter means and includes to a degree that one skilled in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a small degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. For example, a parameter that is substantially met may be at least about 90% met, at least about 95% met, or even at least about 99% met.
The present disclosure describes a cushion that may be roll-packed, folded, or otherwise compressed for display, storage, and/or shipping to a customer. For example, the cushion may be roll-packed into a cylindrical shape. The roll-packed cushion may be provided in a cylindrical bag. Cylindrical bags for shipping roll-packed cushions are described in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/063,114, “A Bag for Shipping a Cushion and Related Methods,” filed Mar. 7, 2016, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference. Cushions compressed and disposed in cylindrical bags may be easier to handle than cushions, such as mattresses that are traditionally packaged, shipped, and sold in a flat configuration.
In some embodiments, the top layer 104 and the bottom layer 106 may comprise a foam material. In other embodiments, the top layer 104 may comprise a stretchable material secured to or integral with the elastomeric cushioning element 102. Such a stretchable material is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/062,621, “Mattresses and Mattress Toppers Including Knitted Fabric, and Related Methods,” filed Mar. 7, 2016, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. In yet other embodiments, the cushion 100 may comprise additional layers.
The buckling walls 108 may be formed of an elastomeric material. Elastomeric materials are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,450, “Gelatinous Elastomer and Methods of Making and Using the Same and Articles Made Therefrom,” issued Nov. 30, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 7,964,664, “Gel with Wide Distribution of MW in Mid-Block” issued Jun. 21, 2011; U.S. Pat.No. 4,369,284, “Thermoplastic Elastomer Gelatinous Compositions” issued Jan. 18, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 8,919,750, “Cushioning Elements Comprising Buckling Walls and Methods of Forming Such Cushioning Elements,” issued Dec. 30, 2014; the entire disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by this reference. The elastomeric material may include an elastomeric polymer and a plasticizer. The elastomeric material may be a gelatinous elastomer (also referred to in the art as gel, elastomer gel, or elastomeric gel), a thermoplastic elastomer, a natural rubber, a synthetic elastomer, a blend of natural and synthetic elastomers, etc.
The elastomeric polymer may be an A-B-A triblock copolymer such as styrene ethylene propylene styrene (SEPS), styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS), and styrene ethylene ethylene propylene styrene (SEEPS). For example, A-B-A triblock copolymers are currently commercially available from Kuraray America, Inc., of Houston, Tex., under the trade name SEPTON® 4055, and from Kraton Polymers, LLC, of Houston, Tex., under the trade names KRATON® E1830, KRATON® G1650, and KRATON® G1651. In these examples, the “A” blocks are styrene. The “B” block may be rubber (e.g., butadiene, isoprene, etc.) or hydrogenated rubber (e.g., ethylene/propylene or ethylene/butylene or ethylene/ethylene/propylene) capable of being plasticized with mineral oil or other hydrocarbon fluids. The elastomeric material may include elastomeric polymers other than styrene-based copolymers, such as non-styrenic elastomeric polymers that are thermoplastic in nature or that can be solvated by plasticizers or that are multi-component thermoset elastomers.
The elastomeric material may include one or more plasticizers, such as hydrocarbon fluids. For example, elastomeric materials may include aromatic-free food-grade white paraffinic mineral oils, such as those sold by Sonneborn, Inc., of Mahwah, N.J., under the trade names BLANDOL® and CARNATION®.
In some embodiments, the elastomeric material may have a plasticizer-to-polymer ratio from about 0.1:1 to about 50:1 by weight. For example, elastomeric materials may have plasticizer-to-polymer ratios from about 1:1 to about 30:1 by weight, or even from about 1.5:1 to about 10:1 by weight. In further embodiments, elastomeric materials may have plasticizer-to-polymer ratios of about 4:1 by weight.
The elastomeric material may have one or more fillers (e.g., lightweight microspheres). Fillers may affect thermal properties, density, processing, etc., of the elastomeric material. For example, hollow microspheres (e.g., hollow glass microspheres or hollow acrylic microspheres) may decrease the thermal conductivity of the elastomeric material by acting as an insulator because such hollow microspheres (e.g., hollow glass microspheres or hollow acrylic microspheres) may have lower thermal conductivity than the plasticizer or the polymer. As another example, metal particles (e.g., aluminum, copper, etc.) may increase the thermal conductivity of the resulting elastomeric material because such particles may have greater thermal conductivity than the plasticizer or polymer. Microspheres filled with wax or another phase-change material (i.e., a material formulated to undergo a phase change near a temperature at which a cushioning element may be used) may provide temperature stability at or near the phase-change temperature of the wax or other phase-change material within the microspheres (i.e., due to the heat of fusion of the phase change). The phase-change material may have a melting point from about 20° C. to about 45° C.
The elastomeric material may also include antioxidants. Antioxidants may reduce the effects of thermal degradation during processing or may improve long-term stability. Antioxidants include, for example, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate), commercially available as IRGANOX® 1010, from BASF Corp., of Iselin, N.J. or as EVERNOX®-10, from Everspring Corp. USA, of Los Angeles, Calif.; octadecyl-3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate, commercially available as IRGANOX® 1076, from BASF Corp. or as EVERNOX® 76, from Everspring Chemical; and tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenyl)phosphite, commercially available as IRGAFOS® 168, from BASF Corp. or as EVERFOS® 168, from Everspring Chemical. One or more antioxidants may be combined in a single formulation of elastomeric material. The use of antioxidants in mixtures of plasticizers and polymers is described in columns 25 and 26 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,994,450, previously incorporated by reference. The elastomeric material may include up to about 5 wt % antioxidants. For instance, the elastomeric material may include from about 0.10 wt % to about 1.0 wt % antioxidants.
In some embodiments, the elastomeric material may include a resin. The resin may be selected to modify the elastomeric material to slow a rebound of the cushioning element 102 after deformation. The resin, if present, may include a hydrogenated pure monomer hydrocarbon resin, such as those commercially available from Eastman Chemical Company, of Kingsport, Tenn., under the trade name REGALREZ®. The resin, if present, may function as a tackifier, increasing the stickiness of a surface of the elastomeric material.
In some embodiments, the elastomeric material may include a pigment or a combination of pigments. Pigments may be aesthetic and/or functional. That is, pigments may provide the cushioning element 102 with an appearance appealing to consumers. In addition, a cushioning element 102 having a dark color may absorb radiation differently than a cushioning element 102 having a light color.
The elastomeric material may include any type of gelatinous elastomer. For example, the elastomeric material may include a melt-blend of one part by weight of a styrene-ethylene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEEPS) elastomeric triblock copolymer (e.g., SEPTON® 4055) with four parts by weight of a 70-weight straight-cut white paraffinic mineral oil (e.g., CARNATION® white mineral oil) and, optionally, pigments, antioxidants, and/or other additives.
The elastomeric material may include a material that may return to its original shape after deformation, and that may be elastically stretched. The elastomeric material may be rubbery in feel, but may deform to the shape of an object applying a deforming pressure better than conventional rubber materials, and may have a durometer hardness lower than conventional rubber materials. For example, the elastomeric material may have a hardness on the Shore A scale of less than about 50, from about 0.1 to about 50, or less than about 5.
The elastomeric cushioning element 102 may be formed using injection molding. A molding system capable of molding large cushions for use with mattresses in their various sizes, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,446,542, “Small Footprint Apparatus, Method, and Tooling for Molding Large Thermoplastic Parts,” issued Sep. 20, 2016, the entire disclosure of which was previously incorporated by reference. The molding system may include platens, linear actuators, toggle clamps, injection heads, and molds.
Applicant has found that during production of molded cushioning elements significant amounts of cushioning material are wasted. The molds used to create molded cushioning elements can represent a large expense for cushion manufacturers. Often a single mold will be used to create multiple different sizes of cushioning elements to avoid the expense of purchasing multiple different molds. When a larger mold is used to create a smaller cushioning element the excess cushioning material must be removed and discarded. The discarded material may be reused to produce other cushioning elements; however the act of removing and discarding the material represents significant labor expense, and reduces the yield for each molding process. This significant expense often represents a lower expense with respect to the expense of purchasing and changing out different sized molds. More efficient methods of using a single mold for multiple different sizes of cushions would help reduce costs and increase product yield.
In some embodiments, a cushion may include a cushioning element that is constructed in different zones (e.g., areas, portions, elements).
In some embodiments, the perimeter cushion 210 may be a unitary structure (e.g. constructed from a single piece of material, formed in a single process). In some embodiments, the perimeter cushion 210 may be formed from a single piece of material by removing material from a central area of the single piece of material to form the voids 214. In another embodiment, the perimeter cushion 210 may be formed using a mold which defines the voids 214. The mold may positively define the voids 214, such that the material used to form the perimeter cushion 210 forms around the voids 214.
In another embodiment, the perimeter cushion 210 may be constructed from multiple pieces of material. In some embodiments, the multiple pieces of material may be formed from the same material. One large piece of material may by separated into smaller pieces that may be used to construct the perimeter cushion 210. In other embodiments, the multiple pieces of material may be formed from different materials. The different materials may be selected for different regions of the perimeter cushion 210. Different materials may exhibit different characteristics that may be advantageous in particular regions of the perimeter cushion 210.
In some embodiments, the perimeter cushion 210 may be formed from foam materials. The stiffness of foam materials may be measured by indentation load deflection (ILD). Foams used in the different regions of the perimeter cushion 210 may have a stiffness between about 10 ILD and about 70 ILD, such as between about 10 ILD and about 55 ILD, or between about 15 ILD and about 25 ILD. In some embodiments, each region may be formed from different foam materials, where the different foam materials may also exhibit various different levels of stiffness.
In some embodiments, the cushion insert 212a by be formed from other cushioning materials, such as, vinyl, rubber, springs, natural or synthetic fibers, or fluid-filled flexible containers.
The cushion inserts 212 may be formed to be complimentary to the voids 214. The cushion inserts 212 may have dimensions smaller than the external dimensions of the cushioning element 202 into which the cushion inserts 212 are inserted. In some embodiments, the cushion inserts 212 may have dimensions smaller than the voids 214. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the cushion inserts 212 may be substantially smaller than the voids, such that, multiple cushion inserts 212 may be used to fill the voids 214. In other embodiments, the dimensions of the cushion inserts 212 may be only slightly smaller than the voids 214 to facilitate easy insertion and removal of the cushion inserts 212 from the voids 214. In some embodiments, the dimensions of the cushion inserts 212 may be substantially the same or larger than the voids 214, such that, once inserted the cushion inserts 212 may be secured in place due to mechanical interference between the cushion insert 212 and the perimeter cushion 210.
The cushioning element 202 may have any selected dimensions based on the intended use. For example, if the cushion 200 is a mattress for a king size bed, the cushioning element 202 may be about 76 inches (193 cm) by about 80 inches (203 cm), with a thickness of about 2 inches (5.08 cm). If the cushion 100 is a mattress for a queen size bed, the cushioning element 202 may be about 60 inches (152 cm) by 80 inches (203 cm), with a thickness of about 2 inches (5.08 cm). If the cushion 100 is a mattress for an extra-long twin size bed, the cushioning element 202 may be about 38 inches (96.5 cm) by 80 inches (203 cm), with a thickness of about 2 inches (5.08 cm). If the cushion 100 is a small pet bed, the cushioning element 202 may be about 19 inches (48.2 cm) by about 26 inches (66 cm) with a thickness of about 1 inch (2.54 cm). If the cushion 100 is a medium pet bed, the cushioning element 202 may be about 29 inches (73.6 cm) by about 38 inches (96.5 cm) with a thickness of about 1 inch (2.54 cm). If the cushion 100 is a large pet bed, the cushioning element 202 may be about 38 inches (96.5 cm) by about 50 inches (127 cm) with a thickness of about 1 inch (2.54 cm). In some embodiments, the cushioning element 202 may have any other selected thickness, such as about 3 inches (7.62 cm), about 1 inch (2.54 cm), or about 4 inches (10.16 cm).
Referring to
Referring to
In some embodiments, the voids 214 in the perimeter cushion 210 may be formed to complimentary dimensions to the cushion inserts 212. In embodiments where the cushion inserts 212 are substantially the same size regardless of the intended use, the same cushion inserts 212 may be inserted into the voids 214 of the perimeter cushion of the cushioning element 202 whether the cushioning element 202 is intended for use in a twin sized mattress, a king sized mattress, or any other size of cushion. In some embodiments, a larger cushion may have multiple voids 214 defined by the perimeter cushion 210. For example, in some embodiments, the perimeter cushion 210 may define two voids 214 as shown in
In some embodiments, the elastomeric cushion inserts 212 may be formed by the injection molding process described above. In some embodiments, the elastomeric cushion insert 212 may be formed using a mold that is the same size as the elastomeric cushion insert 212 to form each elastomeric cushion insert 212 by an individual process.
Referring to
In embodiments where the elastomeric cushion inserts 212 are formed using a large mold, the dimensions may depend upon the large mold being used. In some embodiments, by way of example and not limitation, a king size mattress mold may be used. A king sized mattress mold may have a width between about 76 inches (193 cm) and about 82 inches (208 cm), such as, between 78 inches (198 cm) and about 81 inches (205.75 cm) (e.g., about 80 inches (203.2 cm)), and a length between about 80 inches (203 cm) and about 84 inches (213 cm), such as, between about 81 inches (205.75 cm) and about 83 inches (210.8 cm) (e.g., about 82 inches (208 cm)). In some embodiments, the king size mattress mold may have dimensions larger than the final dimensions of a king size cushioning element. The large elastomeric cushioning element 211 may have substantially the same dimensions as the large mold. For example, if the large mold is a king size mattress mold, the large elastomeric cushioning element 211 may have a width between about 76 inches (193 cm) and about 82 inches (208 cm), and a length between about 80 inches (203 cm) and about 84 inches (213 cm). In some embodiments, after molding the large elastomeric cushioning element 211 the smaller elastomeric cushion inserts 212 may be separated.
In some embodiments, the dimensions of the elastomeric cushion inserts 212 may be selected to maximize the yield of elastomeric cushion inserts 212 from each large elastomeric cushioning element 211.
Three of the elastomeric cushion inserts 212 may be oriented side-by-side in the longitudinal direction relative to the elastomeric cushioning element 211 and extending from one end of the elastomeric cushioning element 211, as shown in
When the cushioning element 211 is separated into four sections there may be a small scrap portion 213 remaining. In some embodiments, the scrap portion 213 may be used to form a smaller independent cushioning element, such as, by way of example and not limitation, a pet bed, seat cushion, or a pillow. In other embodiments, the scrap portion 213 may be used in conjunction with other scrap portions and assembled to fill the voids 214 (
In yet other embodiments, the small scrap portion 213 may simply be recycled or discarded.
In some embodiments, the cushioning element 211 may be separated horizontally (e.g., on the horizontal plane). For example, a cushioning element 211 that is 4 inches (10.16 cm) thick may be separated into two cushioning elements 211 which are each 2 inches (5.08 cm) thick. In another example, a cushioning element 211 may be separated into two cushioning elements 211, where one cushioning element 211 is about 3 inches (7.62 cm) thick and the other cushioning element 211 is about 1 inch (2.54 cm) thick. Cushioning elements 211 with other thicknesses (e.g., 3 inches (7.62 cm), 2 inches (5.08 cm)) may also be separated horizontally to form cushioning elements 211 of smaller thicknesses (e.g., 1 inches (5.08 cm), 2 inches (7.62 cm), and 0.5 inches (1.27 cm). In some embodiments, the elastomeric cushion inserts 212 may be separated horizontally after they have been separated from the cushioning element 211.
In some embodiments, the cushioning element 211 may be separated horizontally through a cutting process (e.g., a wet saw process, a dry saw process, a hot wire process, a hot knife process).
The top portion 302 and the bottom portion 304 may also have side walls 312 which may secure the side portions of the cushioning element 211 (
The jig 300 may be formed from a substantially rigid material, such as wood, metal (e.g., aluminum, steel, etc.), composites (e.g., fiberglass, carbon fiber, etc.), or any combination thereof
Now referring to
In some embodiments the cushion insert 212 may be attached to the perimeter cushion 210 using adhesives, thermal boding, or mechanical fasteners. For example, a side surface 230 of the cushion insert 212 may be attached to a side surface 232 of the perimeter cushion 210 using glue (e.g. hot glue, water-based glue etc.), hook and loop adhesives, heat fusing, staples, stitching, fabric covers, etc. In some embodiments, the cushion insert 212 may be attached to the perimeter cushion 210 through the top layer 204 and/or the bottom layer 206. For example, the top layer 204 and/or the bottom layer 206 may be attached to both the cushion insert 212 and the perimeter cushion 210 using glue (e.g. hot glue, water-based glue etc.), hook and loop adhesives, heat fusing, staples, stitching, fabric covers, etc.
In some embodiments, a stabilizing material (e.g. scrim material) may be used to attach (e.g. adhere, glue, secure, etc.) the cushion insert 212 to at least one of the other elements, for example, the perimeter cushion 210, the top layer 104, and/or the bottom layer 106. The stabilizing material is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/662,934, “Mattresses Including Spacer Fabric and Related Methods,” filed Jul. 28, 2017, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference. In some embodiments, the stabilizing material may only be placed over the cushion insert 212 and used to attach the cushion insert to the surrounding elements. In another embodiment, the stabilizing material may be placed over the assembled cushioning element 202 including both the cushion insert 212 and the perimeter cushion 210. The stabilizing material may then be used to attach the cushioning element 202 to the surrounding elements such as the top layer 204 and or the bottom layer 206.
In some embodiments, the cushion insert 212 may not be attached to the perimeter cushion 210. The cushion insert 212 may be removable and/or replaceable. In some embodiments, the cushion insert 212 may be attached through a releasable attachment method (e.g., hook and loop fasteners, VELCRO®, snaps, buttons, etc.). In other embodiments, the cushion insert 212 may rest on the bottom layer 206 with no attachment. The cushion insert 212 may be secured by surrounding the cushion insert 212 with the other elements of the cushion 200. The side surfaces 232 of the perimeter cushion 210 may secure the cushion insert 212 through contact with the side surfaces 230 of the cushion insert 212. The top layer 204 may secure the cushion insert 212 through contact with the top surface 224 of the cushion insert 212.
In some embodiments, the cushioning element 202 may be compressed. For example, the cushioning element 202 may be roll-packed into a cylindrical shape. Methods of roll-packing a mattress are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,046,973, “Machine for Packaging Mattresses,” issued Nov. 1, 2011; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0074863, “Method for Roll Packing Foam Cores,” published Apr. 24, 2003; U.S. Patnet Publication No. 2015/0203221, “System and Method for Packaging a Foam Product,” published Jul. 23, 2015; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/063,114, “A Bag for Shipping a Cushion and Related Methods,” filed Mar. 7, 2016, assigned to the assignee of the present application; the entire disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
In some embodiments, the roll-packing machine may apply a load sufficient to transform the cushioning element 202 to a compressed form. As used herein, the term “compressed form” means and includes a state in which the cushioning element 202 has a size and shape different from its original size and shape, wherein the adjacent buckling walls 228 in the cushion insert 212 are substantially pressed together and may be collapsed such that hollow columns 230 may be minimized or may not substantially exist. As described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/063,114, previously incorporated herein, the cushion 200 including the cushioning element 202 in compressed form may be packaged, such as in a cylindrical bag, and shipped to a customer. To use the cushion 200, the customer may remove the cushion 200 from the packaging and allow the cushion 200 and the cushioning element 202 to return to its original size and shape.
It has been observed that the elastomeric material, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, may be sufficiently sticky such that the cushion insert 212 may not return to the expanded form after the cushion 200 is removed from the bag. That is, the buckling walls 228 may stick to one another or remain stuck to one another after the cushion 200 is removed from the bag. In some embodiments, the cushion insert 212 may not return to the expanded form within a reasonable amount of time (e.g., less than about eight hours). In other embodiments, the elastomeric cushion insert 212 may not return to the expanded form without manually or mechanically manipulating (e.g. pulling on) the cushion insert 212 to separate the buckling walls 228. When the cushion insert 212 is inserted into the perimeter cushion 210 and covered by the top layer 204 and/or the bottom layer 206 of the cushion 200, the layers 204 and/or 206 may inhibit direct access to the elastomeric cushion insert 212 and may hinder manipulation of the elastomeric cushion insert 212 in order to separate the buckling walls 228. This sticking together of polymeric materials is referred to in the art as “blocking.” To enable the elastomeric cushion insert 212 to return to the expanded form from the compressed form, a surface of the elastomeric cushion insert 212 may have a coating material (e.g. anti-tack material, anti-stick material) on surfaces of the buckling walls 228. Coating materials may include a thin film covering all portions of the buckling walls 228 as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/654,948, “Cushions Including a Coated Elastomeric Cushioning Element and Related Methods,” filed Jul. 20, 2017, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference. Coating materials may also include powders as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/062,674, “Cushions Including a Coated Elastomeric Cushioning Element and Related Methods,” filed Mar. 7, 2017, assigned to the assignee of the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
In some embodiments, the coating composition may be used as a lubricant for a wet saw. That is, after the cushioning element 211 (
Forming cushions from multiple different materials in different zones and/or regions may significantly reduce the amount of wasted materials during the production process. Additionally, the amount of labor required for each cushion may also be reduced by making the process more efficient and improving the yield for each process. The increased efficiency with respect to materials and labor as well as the improved yield for each process may result in a significant cost savings for manufacturers of cushions.
While the present disclosure has been described herein with respect to certain illustrated embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and appreciate that it is not so limited. Rather, many additions, deletions, and modifications to the illustrated embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure as hereinafter claimed, including legal equivalents thereof. In addition, features from one embodiment may be combined with features of another embodiment while still being encompassed within the scope of the disclosure as contemplated by the inventor.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/588,211, filed Nov. 17, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62588211 | Nov 2017 | US |
