US 7,845,035 B2Granted

Pressure dispersion support systems

AssigneeSealy Technology, LLC

InventorsAlan Letton, Julius Nagy, Larry K. DeMoss

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A pressure dispersion system includes a pressure dispersion pad and a pressure dispersing mattress system for body support and sleep. The pressure dispersion pad and pressure dispersing mattress systems reduce pressure points from a supported body to less than approximately 32 mm Hg to reduce or eliminate capillary closing and a resultant reduction in pressure concentration and resultant discomfort and repositioning during sleep. Empirical design from human body pressure mapping is used to identify support zones for which components are selected and assembled in the pressure dispersion support systems for pressure dispersion and relief. In a pressure dispersion support system in the form of a mattress, multiple zones are defined by arrangement of different kinds of support materials, including foam tops such as memory foam or moderate to low density polyurethane, and secondary foam layers or foam base of relatively higher density polyurethane and latex. Different types of foam and foam constructs are provided in different zones of the pressure dispersion pad. Incorporation of the pressure dispersion pad in a mattress system, and in combination with foam dampening inserts in an innerspring of the mattress system, translate the pressure relieving properties of the zoned pressure dispersion pad into a mattress system.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A pressure dispersing mattress system comprised of:

an innerspring having a plurality of coils interconnected in an array of columns and rows, the columns of coils being generally equally spaced apart, and the rows of coils being generally equally spaced apart, each coil having a generally helical wire form body with openings between helical turns of wire of the helical wire form body;
a base support pad, having seven distinct zones or areas of support being integral and coextensive with each other and extending transversely and being arrayed from a head of said pressure dispersion pad to a foot of said pressure dispersion pad wherein four zones are part of the base support pad and three foam inserts are made from latex, visco, NuForm, or combinations thereof to form an additional three zones, the three foam inserts having a planar top and bottom surface that are placed in three predefined countersunk cut-outs in the base support pad,
at least one foam dampening insert located in the innerspring between coils of the array, the at least one foam dampening insert having a central core which fits in a space between a row or column of coils of the array, and at least five segments which extend laterally from the central core and into one or more openings between the helical turns of wire of the helical wire form bodies of at least two adjacent coils of the array the at least five segments having three segments that extend in a first direction from the central core and into an opening region of a first spring to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the first spring and two segments that extend in a second direction from the central core and into an opening region of a second spring which is adjacent to the first spring and to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the second spring, each of the at least five segments being located at a different elevation than every other segment.

A pressure dispersing mattress system comprising:

an innerspring having a plurality of springs connected together in an array wherein the springs are arranged in rows and columns, each spring having a body with a first end and a second end, the body of each spring being generally cylindrical and having a longitudinal axis and an outer diameter, the springs being spaced apart in the rows and columns and connected together in a spaced apart arrangement with each spring being spaced from each spring in the array;
a first layer insulator pad positioned upon a supporting surface formed by the innerspring, a second layer positioned on top of the first layer, the second layer containing at least one polyurethane or latex foam pad, a pressure dispersion pad positioned on top of the second layer, and at least one additional layer positioned on top of the pressure dispersion pad;
the pressure dispersion pad comprising a base support pad, seven distinct zones or areas of support being integral and coextensive with each other and extending transversely and being arrayed form a head of said pressure dispersion pad to a foot of said pressure dispersion pad, wherein four zones are part of the base support pad and three foam inserts are made from latex, visco, NuForm, or a combination thereof, to form an additional three zones, the three foam inserts having a planar top and bottom surface that are placed in three predefined countersunk cut-outs in the base support pad;
at least one foam dampening insert engaged with the innerspring, the at least one foam dampening insert having a central core which fits between the bodies of adjacent springs, and a first segment which extends from the central core and into an opening region of a first spring to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the first spring, a second segment which extends from the central core and into an opening region of a second spring which is adjacent to the first spring and to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the second spring, a third segment which extends in the first direction from the central core and into an opening region of the first spring to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the first spring, a fourth segment which extends in the second direction from the central core and into an opening region of the second spring to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the second spring, and a fifth segment which extends in the first direction from the central core and into an opening region of the first spring to at least partially intersect a longitudinal axis of the first spring, each segment of the at least one foam dampening insert being located at a different elevation than every other segment of the at least one foam dampening insert.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/248,607Filed 9 Oct 2008 · continuation in part
Priority: 9 Oct 2007
Published: US 2009/0089933 A19 Apr 2009
Granted: 7 Dec 2010
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A47C 27/056
With padding material, e.g. foamed material, in top, bottom, or side layers: with different layers of foamed material
A47C 27/061
Spring inlays or spring units therefor: of adjustable resiliency
A47C 27/144
With projections, depressions or cavities: inside the mattress or cushion
A47C 27/148
With foamed material inlays: of different resilience

Family

Application60/978,551Us provisional application · filed 9 Oct 2007
Application12/016,374Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Jan 2008
US 2009/0089933 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Apr 2009
US 7,636,971 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2009/0183315 A1Published application
US 7,845,035 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.