A mattress is an important purchase and is intended to provide the user with a sleeping surface that can last for years. However, like any piece of furniture, a mattress during normal use, may be exposed to a substantial amount of wear, as well as to accidental spillage that can stain and/or degrade the mattress upholstery and the mattress core. During normal use, the mattress is typically protected only by a sheet and an optional mattress pad, and as such, the mattress is subject to damage due to perspiration from a sleeping occupant, coffee spills and the like. Although an impervious top sheet, made for example of plastic, can be placed over the top mattress upholstery, as is customary in hospital settings and with children, such sheet is uncomfortable to sleep on because perspiration cannot be absorbed. Normal bed sheets offer little protection for the mattress, because fluids easily pass through the sheets into and possibly through the top portion of the mattress. Once soiled, a mattress can be flipped over, but will eventually have to be cleaned which is difficult, uneconomical and rarely satisfactory. At this time, disposal of the soiled mattress and replacement with a new mattress is the most effective procedure to obtain a clean mattress, which is particularly important in hotels, motels, dormitories, barracks, some hospitals, some nursing homes, institutions of various natures, furnished apartments, and any similar environment having a relatively high turn-over of persons using the mattresses.
Mattress covers, including removable mattress covers that attach to the body of the mattress, have been made and sold over the years. Typically, these mattress covers provide some moisture protection for the mattress core by providing a removable cover that extends across the sleeping surface. One example of such a mattress is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,322, and includes a waterproof outer panel that includes a foam pad and that has a zipper for attaching to the body of the mattress. This waterproof outer panel may be removed when necessary and cleaned. Another example of a mattress having a removable cover is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,375 and discloses a mattress pad that is waterproof, removable and has fill material that may be selected by the user to achieve a desired level of firmness at the sleeping surface.
Although, these mattresses provide a useful removable waterproof cover, they themselves are bulky and difficult to clean, and very difficult to clean effectively.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a removable cover for a mattress that efficiently protect the mattress, is easy to clean, offers comfort for the sleeping occupant, and allows the mattress to breathe.
The systems and methods described herein are directed, inter alia, to bedding articles, such as mattresses, with a mattress body having an upper and a lower deck and at least one perimeter section encircling at least the upper deck, wherein the upper and lower deck are impervious to moisture and air. The mattress further includes a removable panel disposed on at least the upper deck of the mattress body, and a fastener for removably attaching a perimeter of the removable panel to at least the perimeter section of the upper deck. The removable panel is composed of at least a top layer of breathable fabric, a bottom layer of a fabric that forms a moisture barrier, and a batting layer, wherein at least said top layer and batting layer being are quilted together to form a comfortable sleeping surface.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following features. The top layer of fabric may include fibers with channels dimensionally adapted to enhance air and moisture permeability. The batting layer may include a polyester fiber material, a flame retardant fabric and/or a flame retardant fiber batting. The bottom layer may include filaments, attached to fibers, that repel liquids and oils at a molecular level. The fastener may include one or more a zippers, loop and hook fasteners and/or Velcro®.
A removable padding layer may be disposed between the bottom layer of the removable panel and the upper deck. Advantageously, the removable padding layer can be placed in a recess or pocket formed between the bottom layer of the removable panel and the mattress deck, with the pocket having a depth corresponding to the thickness of the removable padding layer.
The removable panel can be cleaned in an inverted configuration which exposes the top layer of the removable panel to a cleaning fluid for cleaning and/or to drying air. For example, the fastener can be implemented as a zipper having two zipper section. The top zipper section is attached along the perimeter of the removable panel can have two starting pins and the bottom zipper section is attached to the upper mattress deck. After the panel has been removed from the mattress deck and folded with the top layer facing outwardly and the bottom layer facing inwardly, one end of the top zipper section can engage with the opposite end of the top zipper section so that the panel, when removed from the mattress deck, is zipped together in an inverted configuration, with the top layer facing outwardly and the bottom layer facing inwardly. In an alternative embodiment, the fastener can be implemented as two zippers, with each zipper extending approximately halfway around the perimeter of the removable panel. After the panel has been folded as before, the top zipper section of the first zipper attached to the removable panel can engage with the top zipper section of the second zipper attached to the removable panel, so that the panel can be zipped together in an inverted configuration for cleaning.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated more fully from the following further description thereof, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein;
To provide an overall understanding of the invention, certain illustrative embodiments of a mattress construction with a removable, quilted and machine-washable top layer will now be described. However, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that other embodiments of the invention may be realized and that the embodiments described herein are for purposes of illustration.
In one particular embodiment, the mattress includes a top layer that may be attached to the upper deck of the mattress by a releasable fastener, such as a zipper, and can be washed multiple times, including in hot water wash and hot air dry cycle. To this end, the top layer may include a fastener that, in one mode of use, secures the top layer to the mattress, and in a second mode of use, secures the fastener to the top layer, so that the fastener does not harm the top layer while being machine washed. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the mattress construction and top layer described herein may be adapted and modified and applied in other applications, such as cushions, car seats, sofa coverings, and other articles of furniture, and that such other additions, modifications and uses will not depart from the scope of the invention.
The depicted removable panel 14 substantially overlies the top surface 18 of the mattress 12, protecting the inner spring and/or foam core from damage or soiling. The depicted removable panel 14 is removably fastened to the top surface 18 of the mattress 12, for example, by a zipper 20 that preferably extends around the entire periphery of the mattress body, as shown in
As mentioned above, a mattress 12 may eventually have to be cleaned. Moreover, the mattress core, i.e., the foam or coil spring core, benefits from being protected from moisture and/or spills which can degrade the core material. Several approaches may be implemented, with protection of the mattress core being provided either by a water-impermeable sheet placed between the panel 14 and the mattress deck 18, or by incorporating into the mattress deck 18 a layer acting as a water/moisture barrier. Use of a separate sheet that may be laid on top of the deck 18, may also be used, but it is understood that this technique has certain disadvantages: for example, if the water-impermeable sheet is a separate item, it must be carefully placed on the mattress deck 18 before the panel 14 is applied so as to prevent bunching, folding or creasing, which can be uncomfortable to the occupant. There is also the risk that a water-impermeable sheet may accidentally be misplaced. Further, placing water/moisture barrier directly over a nylon layer on the mattress deck 18 may obstruct air circulation and may cause, for example, formation of mildew, if it is not removed and cleaned periodically.
It would therefore be preferred, but not required, to form a bottom layer of panel 14 as a water/moisture barrier, as shown in the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 to 3. This allows the water/moisture barrier to be removed with the top layer 14 and cleaned as desired.
As indicated in
The batting layer 24 may be polyester fiber, polyurethane foam or any suitable material, and may further include a halogenated fiber component or other fire retardant or flame resistant material that resists an open flame to reduce the likelihood of combustion. Alternatively, the batting layer 24 may be encased in a flame resistant bag or pouch. These embodiments are depicted in
Although foam may be used in the batting layer 24, a batting material such as polyester fiber, is preferred as it provides greater durability over multiple washings. The batting layer 24 may comprise Coolmax®, alone or in combination with some other batting material, or any other suitable batting material. In addition, the cellular nature of foam tends to retain water when washing or when soiled, making it difficult to dry thoroughly, resulting in liquid retention and subsequent mold and/or mildew growth. These other materials shed water quickly and can shed a substantial volume of water during the washing machine spin-cycle, making the panel 14 more easy to lift from the washing machine. The bottom layer 25 may be made of a water or moisture resistant material, such as Nanopel™ material from Burlington House, serving as a moisture barrier, and may be sealed to the top layer 23 at the peripheral edges to preserve the imperviousness to moisture of the removable panel 14. This peripheral seal eliminates needle holes caused by stitching through the moisture barrier, and reduces the likelihood that water will pass through to the mattress core.
In one embodiment, the removable panel 14 includes at least three layers of fabric, each serving a function. One layer includes a channeled fiber material, such as Coolmax®, and may serve to wick away moisture as the user sleeps and to allow the removable panel 14 to dry quickly in the laundry. A layer of fabric that may trap or impede fluids, such as Nanotex® or a similar material, may trap fluids and particles before they pass into the mattress body, allowing them to be washed away. Optionally, a layer of terry cloth treated with Teflon® fabric protector may be used to provide an extra layer of protection.
The upper deck 38 may optionally comprise a moisture resistant fabric layer, that is spread across the upper deck 18 and sealed at the peripheral edge of the mattress 32. The moisture resistant layer may be nylon, Weblon available from the Weblon, Inc. company or any other suitable material. Additionally and optionally, the upper deck 38 may comprise a sheet of flame resistant material that extends across the upper surface of the mattress 32. The flame resistant material on the upper deck 38 may join with, either integrally as a single layer or otherwise, a layer of flame resistant material that surrounds the sidewalks of the mattress 32 and the bottom of the mattress 32. The flame resistant material used in the mattress may be Kevlar®, a halogenated fabric, Basofil fiber, a flame-resistant melamine fiber commercially available from BASF, a flame-retardant Ultem polyetherimide resin or any other suitable material that can resist or reduce combustion of the mattress when exposed to a flame or heat source. These materials may be used as liners, layers and fabric enclosings that can be disposed within the mattress 32 to reduce likelihood or ability to combust or ignite.
In the embodiment depicted in
In an optional embodiment, the fastener employed to join the removable top 14 to the peripheral edge of the mattress 12 may include a zipper mechanism of the type described above, and a length of hook and loop fastener that extends along a portion of the peripheral edge of the removable panel 14 and the peripheral edge of the mattress 12. In particular, in some embodiments, the zipper may extend along substantially the entire length of the peripheral edge of the mattress 12 and the removable panel 14. A gap may be left that provides a section, typically a half inch to six inches in length, on the peripheral edge of the mattress 12 and removable panel 14, where a hook and loop fastener may be placed. When securing the removable panel 14 to the mattress 12, both the zipper and the hook and loop fasteners will be employed to secure the removable top 14 to the full length of the peripheral edge of the mattress 12. The hook and loop fastener provides some adjustability to the length of the fastener. From time to time the user may get a replacement top for the mattress and the number of teeth in the zipper strip 28 may not match exactly with the number of teeth in the zipper strip 27. Consequently, the zipper 20 may not be able to join completely the two zipper strips 27 and 28. In those cases the hook and loop fastener may be disposed so as to overlap a portion of the zipper strips 27 and 28, and provide for an auxiliary fastener at this section. Moreover, in those cases when the removable panel 14 has been recently laundered, it may be that when it is first placed onto the mattress, it fits tightly enough that it is difficult for the user to zipper the removable completely to the mattress 12. In those cases, the user may employ the hook and loop fastener to fasten a final section of the peripheral edge of the panel 14 to the mattress 12.
The removable panel 14 optionally may have a controllable and predictable amounts of shrinkage over the multiple wash and dry cycles. This may be achieved by pre-washing the top layer 23 made of CoolMax® fabric before assembling the panel 14. Shrinkage data obtained for the CoolMax® fabric over multiple wash cycles show that the shrinkage depends on the orientation of the fabric (weft/warp), with an average shrinkage of approximately 1.5% after 12 washings. The removable layer 23 can therefore advantageously be preshrunk before being attached, for example by quilting, to the batting 23 and bottom layer 25 with an appropriate level of tightness, to provide a tightly fitting panel 14 for the mattress 12.
While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
This application claims the benefit to U.S. provisional Patent Application No. 60/588,521, filed Jul. 16, 2004, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60588521 | Jul 2004 | US |