Abstract:
A mattress system, sofa, cushioned seat, and the like, having top surface made from rigid material which is divided into plurality of polygonal columns or spherical shapes and configured into a geometrical pattern in various size and shape which has the transversal width and the longitudinal length adding or reducing according to the user&#39;s preference. The top surface elements are correspondingly supported by plurality of resilient elements, which are pneumatic in general, adjustable to provide the preferable comfort, desirous top surface contour and prescriptive pressure at particular spots. The top surface elements and resilient elements are individually replaceable and exchangeable. The mattress, sofa, cushioned seat and the like can be retrofit or modified three dimensionally.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to mattress, sofa, cushioned seat and the like, more particularly to the improvement of body supporting device adjustable three dimensionally. Before the invention of the modern spring mattress and sofa, human had slept on rigid hard surface such as wood planks. The comfort and warmness were generally provided by using layers of natural fibers. This original way of sleeping had contributed to the evolution of human body figure, the bone structure, the spine contour and the human sleeping habit over the past thousands of years. 
     Several industrial revolutions have changed our living condition, daily habit, mentality, and medication. The brain of human being is able to adapt changes in a pace much faster than the physical body thereof. 
     While our brain is enjoying or working on modern technological achievements, our body is actually suffering. While our brain is evolving with the development of modern technology, our physical body condition is deteriorating. 
     As already mentioned that it had taken a million years to evolve a human being physical structure, and it had taken a few thousands years to build up our sleeping habit; one hundred year history of spring mattress has been merely the beginning for our body to accept this modern way of sleeping. It may take the next few hundred years, if not a few thousand years, to evolve our bone structure to fully adapt this modern way of sleeping, which has brought us the separation of our brain and our body, has brought us imbalance, has brought us chronic back pain. 
     Certainly, the spring mattress is comfortable, but we are compromising our health for it. A better way of sleeping, a better body supporting device is necessary for us. New, better mattress have been introduced and produced. But most of them are merely the improvement of the spring or foam types. This unhealthy way of sleeping continues. Currently, there is a back to nature, back to original, back to classics movement; also, the environment protection has become ever urgent. Alternative treatment is getting popular. The invention of a healthy body supporting device is inevitable. An innovative way of sleeping is bound to happen. The present invention of this modular mattress serves this purpose. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One of the many objectives of this invention is the combined benefit of health and comfort. It does not sacrifice one for the other. 
     The upper section of the invention embodiment is an assembly of rigid elements, which offers the hardness, acupressure and ventilation. The lower section of the invention embodiment is an assembly of resilient elements correspondingly bears the upper section rigid elements, offers variable top surface outline to track human body figure contour, providing the uniform support to every parts of the body. The firmness of the mattress can be adjusted, varies from spot to spot, from one section to another section. 
     As denoted in its title, the invention attains its main objective by providing the convenience of being easily customizing and retrofiting by employing differential elements, which are integrated together into the preferable size and shape of user&#39;s choice. Horizontally, in transverse and longitude, adding or reducing the discrete elements will modify the size and the shape thereof. Vertically, changing the pneumatic pressure of the resilient elements will modify the firmness of the mattress either sectionally or entirely. It is dynamic in three dimensions. The advantage of this device also exhibits on the easiness of relocation. It can be totally dismantled, fit into a box and quickly reassembled in a new destination. 
     This invention has another objective by presenting an aesthetic geometric pattern to its surroundings. As revealed in the drawings, the top surface rigid elements are hexagonal columns integrated into a honeycomb mosaic. 
     The top surface rigid elements, in general, are made from wood, expressing its natural grain. It can further be colored, offers additional beauty. 
     This invention has another important stated objective by providing an easy access to every component of the embodiment. Beside that, every component is durable and long lasting, it can be quickly exchanged, swapped or replaced in case one component is found defective. Every component of the present invention embodiment is washable. It can be washed individually or washed as a whole assembly. 
     This invention offers an advantageous objective of being extremely cost effective. With its durability, it is also easily repairable. These distinguishing qualities of this invention embodiment makes itself a virtually perpetual furniture. It should last one&#39;s life time or generations. The initial expense is from mediocre to average. It is broadly affordable. Considering that, a third of human life time is spent on bed. Dividing the initial expense from the total bedding time, the cost per hour of bedding time is a virtual zero. 
     This invention offers a further objective of using reproducible natural ingredients, mostly soft wood and rubber, the consumption of metal and plastic is reduced to a minimum. It is environmentally friendly. This invention presents an extra particular objective that it is an all seasonal furniture. The wooden, well ventilated top surface gives a relievable comfort in the hot summer nights. Natural fiber such as cotton, palm fiber or goose down padding is utilized to increase the top surface smoothness and softness or to increase the warmness during the cold weather condition. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG.  1 : a top view of the “full-size” mattress platform, the longitudinal extension and the hardware. 
     FIG. 1 a : a vertical end view of a “queen-size” mattress platform. 
     FIG.  2 : a partial top view of the mattress surface, a vertical side view and a vertical cross-sectional view, completion of assembly. 
     FIG.  3 : a vertical view and a top view of the rigid element; a vertical view and a top view of the resilient element. 
     FIG.  4 : a belt and two couplers. 
     FIG.  5 : two corner edge elements. 
     FIG.  6 : a transversal extension edge element and a longitudinal extension edge element. 
     FIG.  7 : a transversal edge element and a longitudinal edge element. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A modular mattress, sofa system presents an innovative embodiment comprising numerous components divided into four groups. 
     The first group is the platform, which serves the purpose of raising and retaining the mattress from the floor. As shown in FIG. 1, it consists two sections  11 , identical except the four pre-carved diamond shape receptacles  12  that are symmetrical to the counterparts. The two sections  11 , jointed together by four diamond shape adapters  16  on the receptacles  12 , become a standard “full-size” frame. Although this invention attains its title by being able to integrate discrete components to any size and shape of the user&#39;s choice having an intention to be a “modular system”; standard sizes gives an advantage of utilizing the existing standard sizes bedding sheets in the early stage, before the consumer fully accepting this “modular system” concept. For this reason, the frame section  11  is made to the longitudinal length as a standard one, instead of being divided in the middle to become two separated sections. There is another advantage of this undivided one fill length section, considering the center of weight of the common user is in the lumbar area, which applied to the middle of the mattress and the supporting frame. A divided frame reduces its own strength. To compensate this arrangement, an extension section  14  is added for extra length requirement. Joiner  17  is used to link section  11  and section  14  together at receptacle  13 . Pre-drilled holes  18  are on joiner  17  and adapter  16  for screw  19 . For the “queen-size” and “king-size”, bridges  15  are used to expand the transversal width thereof Wheels  10  are used, giving better mobility and better appeal. There are six wheels under each section  11 , and four wheels under each extension section  14 . 
     FIG. 1 a  shows an assembled “queen-size”; bridge section  15  are installed between two main sections  11 . Without installation of extension section  14 , the receptacles  13  exposed. Adapters  16  are in the receptacles  12  with screws  19  in places. Wheels  10  are visible. Board  20  is in same width and length as the main frame section  11 . For a “queen-size”, an expander board  21  is inserted between two boards  20 . Board  20  and board  21  are same in their length-wise that cover the entire longitude of the main section  11  giving un-interrupted continuity of support to the main mattress embodiment. A tongue and groove method  22  is utilized for better joint of the boards. Bridge  15  for the “king-size” are also available, which are bigger than the “queen-size” bridge. For the “twin-size”, one frame section  11  is narrower than the three footer transversal width of the “twin-size” board, leaving six inch of board overhanging on both side of the frame section  11 . This is the only cantilevered situation. For this, standard hardware fastener is used to secure them together. 
     This completed the assembly of the Group one preferred embodiment. This modular mattress system can also be assembled and used on a leveled floor, without using a platform described above, same way as those conventional spring mattress. 
     FIG. 2 further displays the “platform” in longitudinal side view without the extension  14 . From the bottom up, wheels  10 , main frame section  11  and board  20  underlay the Group two, Group three and Group four preferred embodiments. View  1 — 1  illustrates the entire complete assembled longitudinal side view of the preferred embodiment of this invention. Group four components, edge units  50 ,  51 ,  52  and  59  (shown in view  2 — 2 ) circumferentially wrap Group two and Group three components. Channel  60 , in the middle of edge units along the entire length thereof, provides a steady place for the belts and couplers (discuss in FIG.  4 ). 
     View  2 — 2  illustrates the cross-sectional complete assembled preferred embodiment of this invention. At the head end and the toe end, the transversal edge unit  59  are displayed, channel  60  is visible at the middle thereof. Between the edge units  59 , there are Group two components—the rigid elements  30  and Group three components—the resilient elements  40 , which are the main novelty of this invention. The surface of the mattress would track the human body contour to every fine point, if the surface was divided infinitesimally into minima elements. As already mentioned, for the interest of general public, combine the comfort, the health, the economic and the practical use, four rigid elements per foot is the optimal division. For this honeycomb pattern top surface configuration, twenty-four/twenty-five rigid elements per six footer standard length mattress is the favorable arrangement. 
     Again, in FIG. 2, the partial horizontal top view reveals the favorable honeycomb mosaic pattern that offers not only the handsome appearance but also the structural stability and durability. The over all advantage of honeycomb construction is broadly recognized, it may not be necessary to discuss further in the scope of this invention. But it is not exclusive of other geometric patterns. Triangle, rectangle, arrangement may be used as well. In the future, consumer may choose a cylinder, an oval or a sphere instead of a polygonal column shape for the surface rigid elements. To assemble this modular mattress is not difficult. 
     While FIG. 2 displays the entire preferred embodiment of present invention at the completion of integration, details of the novel rigid element and resilient element are given on FIG.  3 . 
     For a honeycomb surface configuration, the rigid element  30  is a regular hexagonal column that has the top and bottom sides in regular hexagonal shape; the six vertical sides  32  are identical regular rectangles. A thin resin coating stripe  34  is applied to near the right margin of the vertical side  32  across the entire height of the rigid element  30 . This resin stripe  34  is applied to all six sides of all rigid element  30 , identical in their length, width, thickness and location. When two adjacent rigid elements  30  encounter as in the mattress assembly, these resin stripe  34  will keep a micro gap between two opposite sides  32 , providing ventilation for the mattress and lubrication against friction of two opposite sides  32 , allowing individual differential vertical movement of the rigid element  30  from each other. 
     Horizontal movement of the rigid element  30  is limited by its six adjacent peers, also limited by the combination binding of all peripheral elements and the belts and couplers, the tightening means. For the comfort of the mattress user, the six protrusive corners of top and bottom sides are filed away, giving six slopes. The six top side corners having unified larger degree of slope  36  offer smoother mattress surface than six bottom corners having unified smaller degree of slope  37 . The user has two choices of surface smoothness. 
     When the bottom side of rigid element  30  with slope  37  is chosen, the user will have a slightly acupressure feeling while lying on the mattress, due to its six more protrusive corners. The top view of the rigid element  30  reveals a inscribed circle  31  appeared when the six corners were filed away; a same diameter circle should appear at the bottem as well. As mentioned above, approximately four rigid elements per each longitude foot length is the optimal solution to figure out the numbers of rigid elements required. For a standard “full-size”, which is six feet by four feet; approximately four hundred rigid elements are needed. These rigid elements are generally made from reproducible soft wood, such as fir or pine. Diversification is encouraged to offer variable options, inlaying cedar wood element to give natural scent; other raw material may be used to reduce wood consumption; non-flamable material may be used to give safety for smoking people; magnetic elements can be arranged to give a field treatment; as a few examples. Various shape of elements may be used for various needs. 
     FIG. 3 further presents the Group three component, the resilient element  40  that is made from rubber or similar resilient material. Its diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the inscribed circle  31  of the rigid element  30 . A pneumatic air chamber  41  is in the center thereof. Via an one way air valve  42  on the top, the air chamber  41  is pumped to offer a pressurized center that determines the firmness of the mattress. Each rigid element  30  is bore by a resilient element  40 . By tuning the air pressure to various degree, the mattress offers various firmness from region to region, from point to point; or by harmonizing the air pressure to same degree to unit the firmness. The vertical movement allowance of the upper array rigid elements are determined by the firmness. A circumference of waist  48  is added to the middle of the resilient element  40  to increase the dynamic range. The base  44  in conjunction with concave indentation  43  gives the resilient element  40  a better grasp on the board  20 ,  21 . A notch indentation  46  on the top center gives an entrance to the air valve  42  sing in the center lowest point thereof. During the deepest compression of the resilient element  40 , the bottom of the rigid element  30  should not have contact with the air valve  42 . The initial cost could be lower, if the resilient element  40  was made of solid rubber without a cavity, but had no choice of variable firmness. The air valve  42  is a low lost valve reducing the periodical re-pump of air. An air pump with air gauge indicater and predetermined output level setting may be included in this modular mattress system kit giving the user convenience to regulate and monitor the pneumatic pressure. 
     The Group four components are illustrated in details from FIG.  4  through FIG.  7 . Swing with FIG. 4, the belt  68  is made from semi-elastic material wrapped with fiber in a lewd covering from one third to one half of the length of the mattress, two permanent closed loops  62  are on the two ends thereof, fixed by two metal clamps  61 .The loops  62  are the receptacles for the hooks  65  of the couplers  63  and  66  made from rigid material. Coupler  63  has a ninety degree bent fitting into the channel  60  of the corner edge elements  51  or  52 . Coupler  66  is linear straight fitting into the channel  60  of linear edge element  50 ,  59 ,  53  and  54 . Hooks  65  and loops  62  are produced to accompany each other with minimum wear and tear. Couplers and belts are connected alternately to firm a secure loop tying all discrete components into an integrated modular mattress. The semi-elastic material of the belt  68  gives a certain degrees of flexibility to the enclosed modular mattress making it to be more comfortable. The channel  60  can be replaced by a tunnel inside the edge elements, invisible from outside of the assembled modular mattress system. Or to make the tightenning means as a part of the edge elements, but that will cost more. 
     FIG. 5 introduce the corner edge element with two side views; and an opposite corner edge element  52 , for which the two side views are identical to the edge element  51 &#39;s turning one hundred eighty degrees. The channel  60  is carved along the middle of all the peripheral edge elements and around the corners thereof. The corner of the channel  60  of the corner edge elements  51 ,  52  are all smoothly rounded avoiding sharp projections. The sawtooth  57  encounters the rigid elements  30  on the longitudinal sides and the trapezoid  58  encounters the rigid elements  30  on the traversal sides. Semi-circle columns  56  plug into semi-circle columns receptacle  55  form “tongue and groove” joints, enforcing binding of the peripheral loop. For the “tongue and groove” column joints, using the semi-circle or trapezoid shape, having a gradual changing in cross-sectional area reducing the broken tendency thereof, are better than other cross-sectional shapes. The differences between corner edge element  51  and  52  are the opposite arrangement of the sawtooth  57 , trapezoid  58 , plug  56  and receptacle  55 ; for the opposite corners of the mattress. Again, for the “tongue and groove” joints, the plugs  56  and receptacles  55  of all peripheral edge elements are toward one direction for forming a closed loop. 
     Two edge elements are exhibited in FIG. 6; one is the longitudinal extension linear edge element  53  and the other one is the transversal extension linear edge element  54 , with side views for both edge elements. The plug and receptacle columns  55 ,  56  are toward the same direction as described above. The channel  60  is visible as marked. The edge element  53  has four sawteeth to mesh with five rigid elements  30 , this is for one foot length of longitude extension. The edge element  54  has two trapezoid to mesh with three rigid elements  30 , this is for three quarter foot length of transverse extension. 
     FIG. 7 reveals the standard longitudinal linear edge element  50  with two side views and the standard transversal linear edge element  59 . These two elements are the longer version of edge elements  53  and  54  discussed in FIG  6 . Noticeably, the plugs and the receptacles are toward same direction as all other version of edge elements. All the peripheral edge element are made from semi-resilient material. 
     A good assembly process of this innovative modular mattress is linking all necessary peripheral edge elements on the platform or on the floor first, fill the interior with resilient elements and rigid elements, tie the entire assembly with belts and couplers thereafter to complete the task.