Patent Application
20120159715
There are no applications related to this application.
The present invention is directed to mattresses and sleep systems and sleep sets.
Mattresses have been manufactured with handles attached to the vertical side panel or “border” upholstery material which covers the side of the mattress; between the top and bottom surfaces. Such border mounted handles are most commonly in the form of rope or elastic cord or strip of material, with the ends extending through grommets in the border material and knotted or stapled inside the mattress or sewn directly to the border material. Conventionally there has been provided two handles, approximately six to eight inches in length, on each long side of the mattress, spaced at approximately one third and two thirds of the length of the mattress. The handles are most commonly oriented horizontally or parallel with the resting surface of the mattress, but can also be oriented vertically; transverse to the top and bottom surfaces of the mattress. Mattresses have also been made with handles on the head and foot ends of the border.
With the increased size and weight of mattresses over the years, handles are a necessity to enable efficient handling and adjustment of position on a foundation. Providing only two relatively short length handles per side limits this ability.
The mattresses of the present: invention provide an upholstery assemblage which includes handles of extended lengths for improved handle construction and increased ease of handling and adjustment. In one representative embodiment, a mattress core, in combination with one or more padding layers, is covered with an upholstery layer that envelops the mattress core and one or more padding layers. The mattress has a top surface, a bottom surface which is opposite and parallel to the top surface, a left side wall, a right side wall, a top side wall and a bottom side wall, the left, right, top and bottom side walls being perpendicular to and extending between the top and bottom surfaces. The mattress further includes at least two mattress handles horizontally disposed and attached along at least two apposing side walls of the mattress, the at least two mattress handles having a length that extends along a substantial length of the side wall or border of the mattress to which it is attached. The at least two mattress handles are each attached to the mattress at two or more attach merit points or areas, and each preferably attached to the border at at least three attachment point or areas.
In a second representative embodiment, a mattress comprises a top surface, a bottom surface which is opposite and parallel to the top surface, and a border which is perpendicular to and extends between the top and bottom surface creating a substantially rectangular structure. The border includes a left side wall, a right side wall, a top side wall and a bottom side wall. A first handle is attached at afirst end to a first end of the mattress border, extending along the right wall of the mattress border and attached at a second end to an opposite end of the mattress border. A second handle is attached at a first end to the first end of the mattress border, extending along the left side wall of the mattress border and attached at the opposite end of the mattress border.
These and other embodiments of the disclosure and inventions are further described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The mattress 100 according to the present invention is generally square or rectangular shaped having a substantially planar top surface and a substantially planar bottom surface which is opposite and parallel to the top surface, and four substantially planar side walls that are parallel to and extend between the top and bottom surfaces of the mattress. The top and bottom side walls 12, also referred to herein as “end walls”, are the head and foot ends of the mattress, are parallel. The right and left side walls 10 (or “longitudinal sides”) are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the top and bottom side walls 12. The side walls 10 and 12 are formed by a separate piece of material referred to as a “border”, which is an upholstery or quilt material which is wrapped around the perimeter of the mattress core, or padding or other materials which surround the mattress core. The extended length mattress handles described herein are attached to the border which forms side walls 10 and 12, either by stitching or other fastening means.
The outer surfaces of the mattress are formed by one or more layers of quilt material or quilt package, also referred to as “ticking”, “upholstery” or “upholstery tick” which is sewn together to enclose the inner components of the mattress such as an innerspring and internal layers of padding, foam or other components. The mattress core may be in the form of an innerspring comprising a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix and attached to one another with helical lacing wire. Alternatively, the mattress core may be comprised of one monolithic piece of foam or have several foam layers. The present disclosure and related inventions is applicable to all different types and sizes of mattresses, including upholstered mattresses with different types of cores, i.e., spring, foam or wire and foam combinations.
In one embodiment, as shown in
The first and second opposing ends 16 and 18 of each handle are attached to a side wall 10 of the mattress 100. The handle body 14 is further attached to the mattress 100 at several additional connection or attachment points 20 along the corresponding side wall 10 of the mattress 100. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment points 20 may be comprised of thread which is stitched through the handle and mattress wall in a pattern or defined area, as shown for example in
In a second embodiment, as shown in
In yet another embodiment, shown in
Attachment of the horizontal handles along the sides of the mattress may be sewn on by hand or by an automated process, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,579, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Extending a single extended length mattress handle along the entire length of two sides of the mattress provides a gripping position at practically any point along the length of the mattress. The horizontal placement of the handles also better facilitate movements such as lifting or turning of the mattress.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifitations may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Other features and aspects of this invention will be appreciated by thOse skilled in the art upon reading and comprehending this disclosure. Such features, aspects, and expected variations and modifications of the reported results and examples are clearly within the scope of the invention where the invention is limited solely by the scope of the following claims.
