Mattress topper, occupant support assembly and occupant support system with thermosensitive vapor transfer characteristics

An occupant support assembly comprising:

• a mattress and a topper resting atop the mattress, the topper comprising an exterior cover having a top panel and a bottom panel, which define an interior volume, and a filler residing in the interior volume, at least part of the top panel comprising a fabric having a temperature dependent vapor permeability such that when the temperature of the fabric is within a first temperature range consistent with the presence of an occupant the fabric exhibits a first vapor permeability sufficiently high to accommodate vapor transport across the fabric, and when the temperature of the fabric is lower than the first temperature range and consistent with the absence of an occupant the fabric exhibits a second vapor permeability lower than the first vapor permeability.

An occupant support system comprising:

• a mattress, a filler material resting atop the mattress, and a coverlet resting atop the filler material, at least part of the coverlet comprising a fabric having a temperature dependent vapor permeability such that when the temperature of the fabric is within a first temperature range consistent with the presence of an occupant the fabric exhibits a first vapor permeability sufficiently high to accommodate vapor transport across the fabric, and when the temperature of the fabric is lower than the first temperature range and consistent with the absence of an occupant the fabric exhibits a second vapor permeability lower than the first vapor permeability.

A mattress topper comprising:

• an exterior cover comprised of a top panel and a bottom panel, the cover defining an interior volume, at least part of the exterior cover comprising a fabric having a variable vapor transfer property such that when the temperature of the fabric is within a first temperature range consistent with the presence of an occupant the fabric exhibits a first vapor transfer rate sufficiently high that the fabric is permeable to vapor transport across the fabric, and when the temperature of the fabric is lower than the first temperature range and consistent with the absence of an occupant the fabric exhibits a second vapor transfer rate lower than that of the first vapor transfer rate.