DUAL CORE MATTRESS

A dual-core mattress with removable and replaceable components of different firmness which can be configured to have different heights and which allows the cover to be removed and washed. The upper portion of the mattress can be removed and replaced.

Common mattresses include integrated spring mattresses, such as those with chain spring nets and independent pocket springs. Such conventional mattresses have an integrally sutured internal arrangement and can be divided into pure innerspring mattresses, brown spring mattresses, foam and innerspring mattresses, and spring and latex mattresses.

Conventional mattresses are non-replaceable, non-removable and washable, and cannot be cleaned easily. During long-term use, dust and human dander will continue to be deposited on the mattress fabric and inner cushion materials, which may breed bacteria and mites that can endanger the health of users. According to manufacturer specifications, mattress should be considered for replacement after about five years of use, though the lifespan of a mattress is generally more than ten years. Replacing a mattress this frequently results in a high cost to the user.

In addition, mattresses with a fixed internal configuration and structure cannot meet the needs of users who may simultaneously need mattresses having a different firmness. Such mattresses therefore lack the flexibility for users to choose a mattress suitable for their own comfort when used by two people.

SUMMARY

There remains a need for a mattress that can be replaced, washed, detached, and easily adjusted and replaced. The present mattress design fulfills this need by providing modular and standardized mattress components, which can be separated and replaced to reduce the user's cost. The use of modular components also makes it more convenient for the user to clean, dry, and replace a mattress and to provide different comfort levels.

The present dual core mattress includes a removable upper cover, an upper mattress layer below the upper cove, and a bottom mattress layer below the upper mattress layer. The upper cover has an upper cover zipper portion which extends around the lower periphery of the upper cover on a lower peripheral edge and includes downwardly extending zipper teeth. The upper mattress layer is positioned below the upper cover and lies on the upper surface of the bottom mattress layer. The bottom mattress layer further includes a waterproof material on the upper surface, an upper strip tape with an upper positioning zipper portion, and a lower strip tape with a lower positioning zipper portion. The upper positioning zipper portion and upper strip tape extend around the periphery of the bottom mattress layer at an upper end, and the lower positioning zipper portion and lower strip tape likewise extend around the periphery of the bottom mattress layer but vertically below the upper strip tape. In this way, the upper cover zipper portion can be removably secured to the upper positioning zipper portion when the upper mattress layer is positioned on the upper surface of the bottom mattress layer, and can be removably secured to the lower positioning zipper portion when the upper mattress layer is positioned on the upper surface of the bottom mattress layer, thereby allowing the dual core mattress to be have two different vertical heights.

The upper and lower mattress layers can be made from different materials and have a different firmness. In one embodiment, the upper mattress layer comprises two separate pieces, so that each piece can be formed from different materials and have a different firmness. For example, the upper mattress layer pieces can each be made from a material selected from the group consisting of gel memory foam, high-resilience foam, and natural latex cotton. The bottom mattress layer on the other hand can comprise high-resilience foam, chain net springs, or pocketed coils.

The reference numbers in the drawings designate the following components of the present appliance:

ReferenceNumberComponent01removable and replaceable upper cover02upper cover zipper03upper mattress layer (e.g., gel memory foam)04waterproof material layer05upper mattress assembly positioning zipper06upper strip tape07lower mattress assembly positioning zipper08lower strip tape09bottom layer of the mattress (e.g., high-resilience foam, chain net spring, or pocketedcoil)10left side upper layer (e.g., replaceable gelmemory foam or natural latex cotton mattress)11right side upper layer (e.g., replaceable gelmemory foam or natural latex cotton mattress)12right side13left side14top side15bottom side16upper surface17lower surface

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a modular mattress having components which are standardized, detachable and replaceable in order to reduce the long term cost of the mattress. The present mattress is also convenient for the user to maintain, including easier drying and replacement. In addition, a user of the present mattress can experience different a firmness and/or mattress height with the present mattress assembly in order adjust the mattress for the user's comfort, which can be accomplished by changing or removing one or more mattress components. Firmness can be measured according to measures used in the industry, for example according to ASTM standard F1566 or by Indentation Force Deflection (IFD) Testing according ASTM standard D3574 (promulgated by ASTM International), and mattresses with different firmnesses preferably differ in firmness by at least 5-10% or more.

One embodiment of the present dual core mattress is shown inFIGS. 1-5. As shown inFIG. 2, the mattress is divided into three modules, namely a removable and washable upper cover01(FIG. 3), a replaceable upper mattress layer03(FIG. 4, or10and11inFIG. 6), and a bottom mattress layer09(FIG. 5). The fabric of the upper cover01is washable and replaceable. The upper cover01has an outer, upper surface16and a lower surface facing the upper mattress layer03, and around the lower periphery of the upper cover01is an upper cover zipper02comprising downwardly facing zipper teeth attached to a lower peripheral edge of the upper cover01, or to a piece of strip tape (the part of the zipper made from fabric or other material and to which zipper teeth are secured) which is secured to the upper cover01. The upper cover zipper02can engage and be zipped with an upper mattress assembly positioning zipper05or a lower mattress assembly positioning zipper07as described below.

The upper mattress layer03is paced on a bottom mattress layer09, as shown for example inFIGS. 1 and 2. In order to secure the upper mattress layer03to the mattress assembly, the upper cover01is placed over the upper mattress layer03, and upper cover zipper02is secured to upper positioning zipper05, which comprises upwardly facing zipper teeth that can mesh with the downwardly facing zipper teeth of upper cover zipper02(such as through the use of a zipper pull and slider). The upper positioning zipper05is attached to an upper strip tape06which extends around the periphery of the bottom mattress layer09and is secured to the bottom mattress layer09at an upper end of the bottom mattress layer. The upper cover zipper02likewise extends around the periphery of the lower end of the upper cover01. The upper cover zipper02and upper positioning zipper05can be unzipped to allow the upper cover01to be removed from the present mattress and either washed or replaced with another cover.

The upper replaceable mattress03(FIG. 4) is not secured to the other components of the mattress or is reversibly secured (i.e., removed without damaging the upper mattress layer03) so that it can be replaced, for example with a mattress layer formed from a different material having a different firmness. The upper mattress layer03can alternatively comprise two or more different pieces10,11, as shown inFIG. 6.FIG. 6illustrates the placement of a single upper mattress layer03(shown at the top left) onto a bottom mattress layer09(middle left), after which an upper cover01is placed on top to complete the mattress. On the right side ofFIG. 6, two mattress layers10and11(top right) are placed onto a bottom mattress layer09(middle right), after which an upper cover01is placed on top to complete the mattress. The two mattress layers10and11can be separate pieces for convenience, or can be provided as a single combined unit, with the layers securely attached to each other. The use of separate mattress layers10and11allows for combinations of mattresses of different firmness and materials, in order to provide for the different needs of users, who can select the different mattress materials. For example, the mattress layers10and11can be made from gel memory foam, high-resilience foam, or natural latex cotton, respectively.

The bottom mattress layer09(FIG. 5) includes an upper surface layer04which is preferably formed from a waterproof material and covers the upper surface16of the bottom mattress layer09. The sides of the bottom mattress layer09further comprise a band of lower strip tape08which extends around the periphery of the bottom mattress layer09below the upper positioning zipper05and is secured to the bottom mattress layer09. Attached to the lower strip tape08is a lower mattress assembly positioning zipper07, which extends around the periphery of the bottom mattress layer09and comprises upwardly facing zipper teeth that can mesh with the downwardly facing zipper teeth of upper cover zipper02(such as through the use of a zipper pull and slider). The lower positioning zipper07can be attached to the upper cover zipper02when the upper mattress layer03is removed, as shown inFIGS. 9-10and described further below.

As shown inFIGS. 7-10, the present mattress can be converted into two different heights through the removal of the upper mattress layer03. The upper mattress layer03is included in the mattress ofFIGS. 7 and 8, thereby forming a mattress assembly which extends vertically higher than the assembly shown inFIGS. 9 and 10. The upper mattress layer03is not included in the mattress ofFIGS. 9 and 10, so that the mattress assembly shown in these figures is vertically lower than the assembly shown inFIGS. 7 and 8.

The bottom mattress layer09can be a different type of mattress, or can be formed from a different material, than the upper mattress layer (03,10, and11). For example, the bottom mattress layer09can be a high-resilience foam, chain net spring, or pocketed coil mattress. The complete mattress assembly (FIGS. 7-8) can therefore comprise two mattresses having at least two different firmnesses.

Compared with a traditional integrated mattress, the present mattress has the following beneficial effect of reducing the cost and expenses to a user because the mattress components can be standardized while still allowing customization of the mattress. The mattress components can also be detached and replaced, so that it is convenient for the user to clean, air-dry, and replace the mattress. Mattress components can also be replaced with components made from different materials or constructions, so that the user can experience different comfort levels. The mattress thus has a flexible design and is convenient for hygienic care and replaceability.

The examples set forth herein are provided to illustrate certain concepts of the disclosure. The apparatus, devices, or components illustrated above may be configured to perform one or more of the methods, features, or steps described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will comprehend that these are merely illustrative in nature, and other examples may fall within the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims. While the above descriptions contain many specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as examples of specific embodiments thereof.

The terms “above,” “below,” “higher, “lower,” “between,” and other terms of relative position or orientation as used herein refer to a relative position of one layer with respect to other layers, generally with reference to a support surface on which the present mattress is supported, such as a floor. “Vertical” and “horizontal” are likewise used in relation to such a support surface.

The term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising” and “comprises,” are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” and similar referents used herein are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural unless their usage in context indicates otherwise. Ranges which are described as being “between” two values include the indicated values.