Patent Publication Number: US-10323345-B2

Title: Mattress with casing having a quilted layer of high density foam method and system for making same

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to mattresses and more particularly, a mattress casing having a specially quilted top layer with one or more layers of high density foam. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A typical mattress includes a body, generally rectangular in shape, sandwiched between a covering or casing having a top sleep panel and a bottom panel that rests against a box spring or other support. The top sleep panel and bottom panel are connected by a peripheral band that surrounds the side edges of the mattress body. The top sleep panel normally includes a padded material sandwiched between an inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer. The padding is integrated with the inner fabric layer and outer fabric layer by lines of stitching placed across the entire area of the upper sleep panel, thereby creating a quilted panel. The bottom panel may also have a similar construction. 
     Conventional methods of quilting panels are dependable when using material, such as cloth, batting and foam, having a low density that allows the needles performing the stitching to freely pass through the plurality of layers at a relatively high rate of speed. 
     However, such conventional methods cannot be used on panels having layers with a high density foam, such as Talalay foam. When attempting to quilt high density foams using conventional methods, the layers will bind, bunch, break needles and in some cases break the quilting machine. 
     Therefore, a need exists for a method and system for creating a mattress casing having a quilted top sleep panel and/or quilted bottom panel having one or more layers of high density foam. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide mattress casing having a quilted top sleep panel and/or quilted bottom panel having one or more layers of high density foam. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and system of making the above mattress casing. 
     The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing a mattress casing having a quilted top sleep panel wherein one or more layers of high density foam are stacked and quilted between an outer layer of fabric and an inner layer of fabric. The high density foam is preferably a foam made using the Talalay process and the panel may have multiple layers of high density foam and other materials such as wool, cotton batting and so forth. The inner layer of fabric, outer layer of fabric and at least one layer of high density foam are secured or quilted together by placing a plurality of stitched lines across the area of the upper sleep panel. A bottom panel of the casing may also comprise one or more layers of quilted high density foam sandwiched between an inner lay of fabric and an outer layer of fabric. 
     The mattress casing further includes a peripheral band connecting perimeter edges of the top sleep panel and bottom panel. The peripheral band surrounds side edges of the mattress body. 
     The method and system of the present invention includes stretching the inner layer, outer layer and one or more layers of high density foam prior to and during the quilting process, forming the stitched lines at a slower rate of speed and other steps to prevent binding of the materials and/or deflection of the needles being used to quilt the layers of material. 
     The method and system of the present invention also includes preparing elongated strips of high density foam from formed blocks of high density foam wherein multiple sections of sliced foam having a desired thickness are glued end to end to form rolls of high density foam. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a mattress body encased within a mattress casing of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an outer layer, elongated strip of high density foam and inner layer being fed into a sewing machine; and 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an outer layer, elongated strip of high density foam and inner layer being fed into a sewing machine with outward tension being applied thereto. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered accessories in the drawings is as follows: 
       1 . mattress casing, generally 
       2 . top sleep panel 
       3 . high density foam 
       4 . outer layer of panel 
       5 . inner layer of panel 
       6 . alternative material 
       7 . stitched line 
       8 . bottom panel 
       9 . peripheral band 
       10 . perimeter edge of panel 
       11 . mattress body 
       12 . side of mattress body 
       13 . sliced panel of high density foam 
       14 . elongated strip of high density foam 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , the mattress casing  1  of the present invention comprises a quilted top sleep panel  2  wherein one or more layers of high density foam  3  are stacked and quilted between an outer layer  4  of fabric and an inner layer  5  of fabric. The at least one layer of high density foam  3  is preferably a Talalay foam or equivalent foam having a density measuring between 1.5-8 pounds per 1 cubic foot. The top sleep panel  2  may have multiple layers of high density foam  3  and additional layers of alternative materials  6 , such as wool, cotton batting and so forth. The inner layer  5  of fabric, outer layer  4  of fabric and at least one layer of high density foam  3  are secured or quilted together by placing a plurality of stitched lines  7  across the area lengthwise and/or widthwise of the top sleep panel  2 . A bottom panel  8  of the casing  1  may also comprise one or more layers of quilted high density foam  3  sandwiched between an outer layer  4  of fabric and an inner layer  5  of fabric. 
     The mattress casing  1  further comprises a peripheral band  9  connecting perimeter edges  10  of the top sleep panel  2  and bottom panel  8 . The peripheral band  9  surrounds sides  12  of a rectangular-shaped mattress body  11 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     High density foam, such as Talalay foam, is normally formed into large blocks during the molding process. In order to ready the high density foam for the quilting process, the blocks of high density foam must be sliced into panels having a desired height or thickness. The panels of high density foam comprise a front edge, a rear edge and side edges. The sliced panels  13  of high density foam are then formed into elongated strips of high density foam  14  by securing a rear edge of a first panel of high density foam to a front edge of a second panel of high density foam using an attachment means, such as an adhesive, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . This may be accomplished by laying the second panel of high density foam on top of the first panel of high density foam, applying adhesive to the edges being secured to each other and then flipping the second panel of high density foam over so that the front edge of the second panel of high density foam abuts the rear edge of the first panel of high density foam. This process may then be repeated as necessary using additional panels of high density foam to obtain an elongated strip of desired length. An elongated strip of high density foam is necessary for the manufacturing process so that a sewing machine can be constantly fed the outer surface of fabric, inner surface of fabric and one or more elongated strips of high density foam. 
     In addition, the same process may be used to increase the width of the elongated strip of high density foam by adhering additional sliced panels of high density foam to the first panel, second panel and so forth to obtain a desired width. 
     With conventional foam and other materials, sewing needles freely pierce the layers without encountering any excess amounts of friction. This allows conventional materials to be freely fed into a sewing machine without tension being placed on the materials. In contrast, high density foams are more difficult to pierce, thereby causing deflection or bending of sewing needle. After a needle does puncture the high density foam, the friction from the compression of the foam may cause binding of the materials. Therefore, outward tension must be applied to the side edges of the materials being quilted, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , thereby stretching the inner layer, outer layer and one or more layers of high density foam prior to and during the quilting process. This allows the one or more needles to pierce the high density foam and prevents binding. This further reduces the likelihood of the one or more needles deflecting when piercing the high density foam and/or binding. The bottom panel may be constructed using the same method and system. 
     Finally, the quilted top sleep panel  2  and bottom panel  8  are each cut to a desired size (if necessary) and attached to the peripheral band  9  around a rectangular-shaped mattress body  11 , thereby encasing the rectangular-shaped mattress body  11 . 
     It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.