Patent Publication Number: US-10779658-B1

Title: Mattress top for innerspring mattress

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 14/545,002 filed Mar. 15, 2015. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     A mattress top comprising an inner foam layer and an array of micro-springs integrally formed for use in the construction of an innerspring mattress. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     Mattresses generally comprise three components: an innerspring support system, comfort layers and exterior fabric covering. Some mattresses may also include box springs. The innerspring support system is constructed from a series of wire coils or springs. There are four different types of springs used in mattresses: Bonnell, offset, continuous, and pocket system. Generally, the springs are attached to each other by wire. However, a pocket spring system comprises a plurality of small or micro-springs each disposed with a separate pocket formed by an upper and lower fabric. An insulator is secured directly to the innerspring such as inflexible wire mesh and foam. The insulator prevents the cushioning layer from molding to the springs. The cushioning layer is applied next and is comprised of different densities of foam, polyester and other natural fibers such as cotton pads. The number of cushioning layers applied depends on the quality of the mattress. The top comfort layer, called the quilt, may be constructed of light foam or fibers attached to the ticking. The ticking is the cover that is applied to the mattress. This and the quilted top layer of the mattress are sewn. This material is cut into the covering for the top, bottom and sides of the mattress and flanges are attached to the sides with fabric staples or to the innersprings by hog rings. These flanges are used to connect the mattress cover to the innersprings. Once this is done the mattress ticking is sewn together using border tape. This is fed through a specially designed machine that sews the material closed and gives the mattress its final finish. 
     Typical examples of the prior art are discussed below. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,964,074 discloses a sleep set and process of forming thereof comprises a mattress and box spring each having an allergen-impermeable barrier layer incorporated within. The mattress comprises a support apparatus, a top and bottom panel, first and second flanges, a border, a foam layer and a barrier layer. The border is positioned around the support apparatus and is attached to the top and bottom panels. The foam layer is positioned between the support apparatus and the top and bottom panels. The barrier layer comprises a material configured to be impermeable by allergens attached at its outer periphery to the interior facing sides of the top panel, the bottom panel and the border. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,917,980 relates to a mattress embodying a foam encasement surrounding individually wrapped coils. Border material is affixed to sidewalls forming the foam encasement and the upholstery layer is tacked to a base of the foam encasement. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,975,437 shows a pad wider than the wider frame the sisal pad. The over lapped end portion are joined together by the staples. The staples pass through the top part of the sisal pad and wire frame and the bottom part of sisal pad. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,944,900 discloses a mattress having an inverted top panel/border seam. An inverted seam secures the top panel to the border portion of a mattress cover to eliminate bumps and creases found in conventional welted top seam. Alternatively, a conventional tape edge machine can be used with reduced tape/welting material as all the stitches and welting are hidden inside the mattress by the inverted seam. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,511 shows an improved method and apparatus for the assembly of pillow-top mattress covers. The gussets for a pillow-top mattress cover are prepared in a single step in which the gusset material is folded longitudinally, and the flange material is attached thereto and the gusset material is sewn together in one stitch. Thereafter, a gusset is attached to each of the top and bottom panels of the cover along its outer edge. Each gusset is secured to the underside of its associated top or bottom panel at the folded edge using a blind stitch which is not visible externally of the panel. No gluing is required. During the step of attaching the gusset to its associated mattress cover panel, precisely positioned mitered corners are formed on the gusset where the gusset is to be attached to the corner of its associated panel. A conventional blind stitch machine is modified to accept thicker work by providing a wider cam for urging work into the needle area, top and bottom feed rollers disposed even with the needle, and pneumatic control of the lower support arm. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,815 relates to an attachment gusset with ruffled corners and method and machinery for manufacture provides a gusset formed of a continuous strip of material which is pleated at corners or turns in direction of the gusset to form ruffles which are attached to an adjacent layer of material. The ruffled gusset lies substantially flat against adjacent layers of material to which it is attached in a pressed state, and can be expanded to accommodate dimensional structures, such as cushioned pads. The number and spacing of pleats can be adjusted according to the radius of the corners or turns in the gusset. In a method of construction of the gusset, the pleats are formed as the material to which the gusset is attached is turned relative to the sewing point of attachment. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,628 shows a rubber pad from one to two inches in thickness and both wider and longer than the spring unit so that when assembled with the spring unit overhanging the marginal wires on all sides by about one inch. The pad is protected by a cloth casing to which it should be secured immovably without interference with flexing of the pad and to this end a heavy cotton duck or other porous cloth sheet is stretched over the top of the pad while a similar or even heavier fabric sheet is stretched over the bottom of the pad with both sheets being stitched to together. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,587,112 relates to a covering pad of sisal extending over the upper ends of the springs. This pad is folded at its longitudinal edges to extend about the top rectangular spring frame to which the upper ends of the springs are connected. The rectangular frame extends about the periphery frame of the spring structure and acts as a means of connecting the various springs and holding them in proper relation. The edge of the sisal pad is wrapped about the frame member to provide a folded edge underlying a portion of the sisal pad inwardly of the spring frame. Staples or other suitable fastening means extend through the body of the pad to hold the edge folded about the spring frame. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,721 discloses a mattress construction and method in which an extremely wide, deep stitch flange permits a more uniform and tighter mattress construction. A mattress cover is sewn to an apron or flanging material with a wide border or flange with the thread being deeply set in the cover by the thick foam padding between the flange material and the cover. This construction allows the apron to be very tightly pulled over a coil spring and stapled through sisal padding to the coil spring rim or border. The stretching of the flange skirt and cover creates a bow in the coil spring pulling the rim toward the center. The wide flange then permits the skirt or side cover to be tightly stitched with edging tape or binding material to produce a very firm and flat mattress construction. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,737 shows a pad arranged on the upper and lower sides of a spring unit to provide a laminate structure. The laminate structure is covered with an outer cover body comprising top and bottom layers covering the corresponding pads and a side layer covering the laminate structure. A joining member of heat-shrinkable synthetic resin has one end width portion joined to the inner surfaces of the whole marginal edge portions of the top and bottom layers. The other end width portion of the joining member covers the corresponding outer marginal edge portions of the pads. The joining member, upon being heat shrunk, have another end width portion brought into firm engagement with the spring unit so that the pads and outer cover body are firmly held relative to the spring unit. 
     Additional examples of the prior art are found in the following documents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,412,036; 6,874,214; 3,068,495; 2,887,693; 2,627,902; 2,621,713; 2,615,504; 2,560,018; 2,359,047; 2,134,363; 1,781,086; 1,557,483; 1,336,525; 1,323,370; 1,291,773; 0,884,708; 0,854,161 and 4,476,595. 
     While some of the prior art may contain some similarities relating to the present invention, none of them teach, suggest or include all of the advantages and unique features of the invention disclosed hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a mattress top for an innerspring mattress including an innerspring system consisting of a plurality of coil springs and a cushioning system consisting of a plurality of resilient layers of foam. 
     The mattress top comprises an upper cushioning section and a lower micro-spring support section. 
     The upper cushioning section comprises an outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric and an inner layer of resilient cushioning material. 
     The lower micro-spring support section comprises an array of micro-springs disposed within corresponding pockets arranged in substantially equally spaced rows and columns. A peripheral margin is formed at the edge of the lower micro-spring support section. 
     The various components of the mattress top are assembled into an integrated unit by aligning the components in overlaying relationship relative to each other. Once properly positioned, the outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric in the inner layer of resilient cushioning material and the lower micro-spring support section are stitched or surged around the peripheral edges or margins. The peripheral margin formed at the edge of the lower micro-spring support permits the stitching without obstruction from the outermost micro-springs of the lower micro-spring support section. 
     The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded side view of the mattress top of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial side view of the mattress top of the present invention assembled. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the mattress top of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of an alternate embodiment of lower micro-spring support section of the mattress top of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded side view of an alternate embodiment of the mattress top of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial side view of the alternate embodiment of the mattress top of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3  assembled. 
         FIG. 7  is a partial side view of the attachment flange of the mattress top of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic side view of a quilting machine and rolls of material to be integrated into the mattress top cover of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of a quilting machine and rolls of materials to be integrated into the mattress top of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of  FIG. 4  with the materials sewn together by the quilting machine before the peripheral edges are sewn or surged together. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present invention relates to a mattress top generally indicated as  10  for an innerspring mattress generally indicated as  12  including an innerspring system generally indicated as  14  consisting of a plurality of coil springs each indicated as  16  and a cushioning system generally indicated as  18  consisting of a plurality of resilient layers of foam each indicated as  20 . The sides  22  and ends  24  and the bottom of the innerspring mattress  12  are encased or enclosed by a fabric border  28  extending about the periphery thereof. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the mattress top  10  comprises an upper cushioning section generally indicated as  30  and a lower micro-spring support section generally indicated as  32 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the upper cushioning section  30  comprises an outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  34  and an inner layer of resilient cushioning material  36  such as foam separated by a layer of fire retardant material  38 . A layer of backing material  40  may be disposed between the inner layer of resilient cushioning material  36  of the upper cushioning section  30  and the lower micro-spring support section  32 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the lower micro-spring support section  32  comprises an array of micro-springs each micro-spring indicated as  42  disposed within a corresponding pocket each indicated as  44  disposed between an upper layer of gauze-like fabric  46  and a lower of gauze-like fabric  48  arranged in substantially equally spaced rows and columns. The outer most rows and columns of micro-springs  42  disposed within the corresponding pocket  44  of the lower micro-spring support section  32  are spaced inwardly from the sides and ends of the upper layer of gauze-like fabric  46  and a lower of gauze-like fabric  48  to form a peripheral margin  50  at the edges  52  of the upper layer or sheet of gauze-like fabric  46  and the lower layer or sheet of gauze-like fabric  48 . 
     Assembly of the various components of the mattress top  10  into an integrated unit is best understood with reference to  FIG. 2 . Specifically, the components of upper cushioning section  30  and the lower micro-spring support section  32  are aligned in overlaying relationship relative to each other as depicted. Once properly positioned, the outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  34 , the inner layer of resilient cushioning material  36  and the lower micro-spring support section  32  are stitched or surged together as  54  around the peripheral edges or margins. The peripheral margin  50  formed at the edges  52  of the upper layer of gauze-like fabric  46  and lower layer of gauze-like fabric  48  permit the stitching  54  allowing movement of adjacent pocket springs  42  of the lower micro-spring support section  42  without obstruction from the outermost micro-springs  42  disposed about the outer periphery of the lower micro-spring support section  32 . 
     Rigid or solid encasements typically comprising spring supports restrict or prevent the flow of air through the spring supports. Among other benefits of not requiring a rigid or solid encasement around the pocket springs  42  air is able to circulate through the pocket springs  42 . as in the instant invention. 
     The layer of fire-retardant material  38  may be placed between the outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  34  and the inner layer of resilient cushioning material  36  assembly before stitching. In addition, the layer of backing material  40  may be placed between the inner layer of resilient cushioning material  36  and the lower micro-spring support section  32  during assembly and glued as at  56  before stitching. 
       FIG. 4  shows an alternate array of micro-springs  42  are arranged into a plurality of rows forming a plurality of sections each indicated as  60  separated by space each indicated as  58 . This permits the upper layer of gauze-like fabric  46  and a lower layer of gauze-like fabric  48  to be stitched along the spaces  58  as at  62 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  show an alternate embodiment of the generally indicated as  110  for an innerspring mattress generally indicated as  112  including an innerspring system generally indicated as  114  consisting of a plurality of coil springs each indicated as  116  and a cushioning system generally indicated as  118  consisting of a plurality of resilient layers of foam each indicated as  120 . The sides  122  and ends  124  and the bottom  126  of the innerspring mattress  112  are encased or enclosed by a fabric border  128  extending about the periphery thereof. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the mattress top  110  comprises an upper cushioning section generally indicated as  130  and a lower micro-spring support section generally indicated as  132 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the upper cushioning section  130  comprises an outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  134  and an inner layer of resilient cushioning material  136  such as foam separated by a layer of fire retardant material  138 . A layer of backing material  140  may be disposed between the lower micro-spring support section  132  and the innerspring mattress  114 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lower micro-spring support section  132  comprises an array of micro-springs each indicated as  142  disposed within corresponding pockets each indicated as  144  formed between an upper level of gauze-like fabric  146  and a lower layer of gauze-like fabric  148  arranged in substantially equally spaced rows and columns. A peripheral margin  150  is formed at the edges  152  of the upper layer or sheet of gauze-like fabric  146  and the lower layer or sheet of gauze-like fabric  148  of lower micro-spring support section  132 . 
     Assembly of the various components of the mattress top  110  into an integrated unit is best understood with reference to  FIG. 6 . Specifically, the components of upper cushioning section  130  and the lower micro-spring support section  132  are aligned in overlaying relationship relative to each other as depicted. Once properly positioned, the outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  134 , the inner layer of resilient cushioning material  136  and the lower micro-spring support section  132  are stitched or surged together at  154  around the peripheral edges or margins. The peripheral margin  150  formed at the edges  152  of the upper layer of gauze-like fabric  146  and lower layer of gauze-like fabric  148  permit the stitching  154  without obstruction from the outermost micro-springs  142  disposed about the outer periphery of the lower micro-spring support section  132 . 
     The layer of fire retardant material  138  may be placed between the outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  134  and the inner layer of resilient cushioning material  136  assembly before stitching. In addition, the layer of backing material  140  may be glued to the lower micro-spring support section  132  during assembly. 
     The mattress top  10 / 110  is attached or secured to the innerspring mattress  12 / 112  by a flanging process. 
     For example, the lower micro-spring support  32 / 132  of the mattress top  10 / 110  may be glued to the cushioning system  18 / 118  of the innerspring system  14 / 114 . 
     Alternatively, a flange of fabric may be used to attach or secure the mattress top  10 / 110  to the innerspring mattress  12 / 112 . Specifically, a fabric flange extension  164  may extend outwardly from the periphery of the outer decorative upholstery fabric  34  or  134  respectively of the upper cushioning section  30  and  130  respectively. The outer portion  66  or  166  is tacked or stapled to the fabric border  28  or  128  respectively of the innerspring mattress  12 / 112  of the innerspring system  14 / 114 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a fabric flange  168  stitched to the lower layer of gauze-like fabric  148  of the lower micro-spring support section  132  of the mattress top  10  during assembly of the mattress top  110 . The outer portion  170  of the fabric flange  168  is secured to the innerspring mattress  112  by stitching, stapling or gluing. 
       FIG. 8  depicts an alternative embodiment of the mattress top  10  of the present invention. Specifically, the micro-spring support section  32  is integrated or sewn into the mattress top  10  during the quilting process. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , rolls of backing material  40 , micro-springs  42  disposed between the upper and lower layers of fabric previously identified as  46  and  48  respectively, resilient foam  20  and fire retardant material  38  indicated as  172 ,  174 ,  176  and  178  respectively are operatively aligned with a quilting machine  180  to supply these components to the quilting machine  180  to be sewn or quilted together with the outer layer of decorative upholstery fabric  34  fed from a roll  182  or similar supply base. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the mattress top  10  is sewn or stitched  184  into longitudinally disposed panels each generally indicated as  186  such that the micro-springs  42  are sewn into the interior of the mattress top  10  before the outer periphery or margin  188  of the mattress is sewn or serged. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 
     Now that the invention has been described,