Patent ID: 8590075

Claim:
A mattress assembly structured for support of a newborn infant and for use in an infant care appliance, said mattress assembly comprising: a support section disposed to at least partially support a remaining portion of said mattress assembly on a support surface, said support section comprising at least one portion comprising a viscous material and at least one other portion comprising a rigid material, a particulate section disposed in overlying relation to at least part of said support section, said particulate section comprising a casing formed of a flexible material and including a plurality of silicone beads loosely disposed therein in moveable relation to one another and structured and dimensioned to reduce frictional engagement between said mattress assembly and the sensitive skin of an infant, a placement area dimensioned and configured to correspond substantially to the size of an infant and defined along at least a portion of said particulate section, a contact section formed of a sufficiently shear resistant material disposed in overlying relation to at least said particulate section to minimize frictional engagement with and substantially eliminate damage to the sensitive skin of an infant placed thereon, and wherein each of said support section, said particulate section, said placement area, and said contact section comprise outer peripheries dimensioned to fit within an infant care appliance.