Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from provisional application No, 61/248,668, filed on Oct. 5, 2009. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a mattress expander used in a care-giving environment. The mattress expander is designed to overlie and attach to a standard hospital bed mattress, and provide a wider supporting surface on which a person may lie. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Often it is desirable to provide a larger than standard supporting surface for a person to lie on. For example, in a care-giving situation, bariatric patients may require a supporting surface that is wider than a standard hospital bed mattress. In such situations, it is also desirable to provide a seamless supporting surface to reduce the likelihood of irritation and decubitus sores associated with such seams. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    In general, the present invention provides a mattress expander used in connection with a mattress, the mattress expander including a top pad that has a width greater than the mattress forming overhanging portions that extend laterally outward of the mattress; a pair of side members depending downwardly from the top pad and defining a channel there between, the side members extending downward an extent such that a lower surface of the side member is about level with a lower surface of the mattress; a flap extending from each side member and tuckable beneath the mattress to hold the side members against the mattress and beneath respective of the overhanging portions. 
         [0005]    The present invention further provides a mattress expander used to increase a width of a mattress, the mattress expander including a top pad extending laterally outward of the mattress on either side to define overhanging portions, a pair of side members, a cover housing the top pad in a top portion and the side members in the side portions, where the side portions of the cover are attached to respective lower lateral outward extremities of the top portion by cover material that forms a hinge between the top pad and the side members; a pair of flaps extending from each side member and attachable to each other to hold the side members under the respective overhanging portions defining a mattress receiving channel there between. 
     
    
     
       A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is an end elevational view of a mattress expander according to the concepts of the present invention shown installed on a mattress. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a mattress expander according to the concepts of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a partially schematic perspective view of a mattress expander according to the concepts of the present invention housed within a cover and installed on a mattress supported on a standard hospital bed frame. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of a mattress expander according to the concepts of the present invention housed in a cover and installed on a mattress showing details of mattress flaps used to attach a mattress expander to the mattress. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a partially fragmented enlarged perspective view of one end of a mattress expander according to the concepts of the present invention housed in a cover showing further details of the mattress flaps used to attach the mattress expander to the mattress. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a partially fragmented perspective few similar to  FIG. 5  showing details of an end portion of the mattress expander cover including an end flap that attaches to the mattress flaps to cover an end of the mattress. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a partially fragmented partially cut away enlarged end elevational view of a mattress expander and cover according to the concepts of the present invention inverted to show details of the positioning of side members of the mattress expander relative to the mattress. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a partially fragmented end elevational view similar to  FIG. 7  shown inverted to show details of placement of the side members of the mattress expander against the mattress in the fully installed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    As best shown in  FIG. 1 , a mattress expander  10  according to the present invention includes a top pad  12  that overlies a top surface T of a standard mattress M. Standard mattresses in care-giving settings typically are 80-84 inches long, 36 inches wide, and 6 inches in height. These dimensions are examples and should not be considered limiting. Top pad  12  is wider than the standard mattress M, i.e. greater than 36 inches wide, and therefore provides a wider supporting surface or top surface  14 . Top surface  14  is a constant surface free from seams, folds, or other joints that could create discomfort or lead to decubitus sores. The length of top pad  12  is sized to be the same as or close to the length of the mattress M that is being expanded so that the mattress expander  10  fits between the headboard and footboard of the bed to which the mattress expander  10  is applied. It will be appreciated that greater length could be provided by mattress expander  10  by extending its length. Top pad  12  may be constructed of foam, as shown, or other suitable padding material including natural fiber, open or closed cell foam, synthetic fiber, air or other fluid containing bladders, among others. As shown, top pad  12  may have a constant thickness. As shown, top pad  12  may be a monolithic member. In the example shown, top pad  12  has an uninterrupted lower surface  15  that extends laterally outward of the mattress M to form overhanging portions indicated at  18 . 
         [0015]    A pair of side members  16  are attached to top pad  12  as described in more detail below. Side members  16  lie below overhanging portions  18  of top pad  12  that extend laterally outward of mattress M. Side members  16  have a height similar to that of standard mattress M and may extend below the lower surface L of mattress M, as necessary. Side members  16  generally have the same lateral dimension as the overhanging portions  18  of top pad  12 , and extend longitudinally to the same extent as top pad  12 . It will be appreciated, however, that side members  16  do not have to have the same length and width as the top pad  12  and do not have to have the same width as overhanging portions  18 . For example, the lateral and longitudinal dimensions of side members  16  may be smaller or larger than overhanging portions  18  of top pad  12 . The material used to construct the side members  16  may be selected from the same types of padding materials used to construct top pad  12 , but may not necessarily be the same material as top pad  12 . For example, to provide additional support under overhanging portions  18  of top pad  12 , a more dense material may be used to construct side members  16 . While, in the example shown, side members  16  are separate from top pad  12 , the top pad  12  and side members  16  may be constructed as a unitary member or monolithic member. 
         [0016]    As shown, side members  16  extend downward relative to top pad  12  and are laterally spaced from each other to define a mattress receiving channel  20  between the interior surfaces  24  of each side member  16 . The channel  20  has lateral and longitudinal dimensions that conform closely to a standard mattress M. In the example shown, channel  20  has a width of about 36 inches. Channel  20  may be slightly smaller than the width of the mattress M to create an interference fit between the side members  16  and mattress M. In the example shown, side members  16  are held against the mattress M and under overhanging portions  18  by a flap that may be tucked beneath the mattress M on either side. As described more completely below, opposing flaps or a single flap may be used to connect side members  16  to each other. 
         [0017]    As best shown in  FIGS. 3-8 , a cover  30  fits over top pad  12  and side members  16  and may be used to attach top pad  12  and side members  16  to mattress M, as discussed more below. As best shown in  FIG. 3 , cover  30  may have a seamless top surface  31  that overlies top pad  12  such that the expanded top surface of mattress expander  10  has no seams. As best shown in  FIG. 7 , cover  30  may encompass top pad  12  and side members  16  individually such that each pad is housed within its own covering. Alternatively, a single cover may house all of the pads. As shown in  FIG. 7 , cover  30  may be used to attach top member  12  to side members  16 . In particular, cover  30  may include a top portion  34  that envelopes the top pad  12  and side portions  32  (one shown) that extend downward from the top portion  34  of cover  30 . The side portions  32  may be sewn to or otherwise attached to the side  35  of top portion  34  of cover  30 . In the embodiment shown, side portions  32  extend downward from the underside of top portion  34  of cover  30  surrounding top pad  12  forming a hinge-like connection  33  between top pad  12  and side members  16 . This hinge-like connection  33  may facilitate positioning of mattress expander  10  in relation to mattress M. 
         [0018]    As best shown in  FIG. 3 , since the standard bed frame F is only the width of the standard mattress M, side members  16  may be unsupported. To that end, side members  12  may be attached to each other or secured by a flap that extends under the mattress such that the weight of the mattress M holds the side members  12  in place. To that end, a mattress flap  36  may be operatively attached to one or more side members  12  and tuckable beneath mattress M. Alternatively, the mattress flap  36  may extend from one side member and attach to another portion of mattress expander  10 , for example, an opposite side member  12 , to secure the side members beneath the overhanging portions  18  of top pad  12 . In the example shown, since top pad  12  and side members  16  are housed within a cover, operative attachment of mattress flap  36  may be achieved by attaching a mattress flap  36  to a portion of the cover  30 . For example, with reference to  FIGS. 4-6 , one or more mattress flaps  36  may extend inward from one or more of side portions  32  of cover  30  to extend beneath mattress M. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , a pair of mattress flaps  36  extends inward from opposite side portions  32  of cover  30  and attach to each other beneath mattress M. Mattress flap  36  may be any member that can be tucked or otherwise extended under the mattress M to help secure the mattress expander  10 . The mattress flaps  36  do not need to attach to each other and may rely on the weight of the mattress M to secure mattress expander  10 . As depicted, to provide further security, first and second mattress flaps  36  may attach to each other , another portion of mattress expander  10  to cover  30 . To that end mattress flaps  36  may include members that attach to each other such as belts, ties, straps, or include a fastener to attach the members together. Attachment of mattress flaps  36  to each other may be accomplished with any fastener  38  including but not limited to ties, buckles, toggles, snaps, clips, D-loops, buttons and hook and loop fasteners. For example, hook and loop fastener strips attached to the respective mattress flaps  36  may be used as shown in the depicted embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 5 , mating hook and loop fastener strips  38 A,  38 B are provided on flaps  36  and are located to overlap each other when the mattress flaps  36  are extended beneath a mattress M. To account for variations on mattress M, strips  38 A,  38 B may have an appreciable width. For example, a width greater than 1 cm may be used. The strips  38 A,  38 B shown have a width of approximately 5-10 cm. 
         [0019]    Mattress flaps  36  may be located anywhere along the length of mattress expander  10  and multiple flaps  36  may be used. It will be appreciated that a single flap  36  extending between side members  16  may be used to secure mattress expander  10  or opposing flap pairs, as shown, may be used. In the example shown in  FIG. 4 , a first pair of mattress flaps  36 A are located centrally along the longitudinal axis of mattress expander  10 . A second pair of mattress flaps  36 B are located at one end of mattress expander  10 , and a third pair of mattress flaps  36 C are located at the opposite end of mattress expander  10 . Each mattress flaps may have a different shape or construction. In the example shown, each pair of mattress flaps has a similar shape and construction, and therefore the description of the mattress flaps  36  will apply generically to each of the mattress flap pairs  36   a,    36 B,  36 C. Differences between the individual pairs will be noted. 
         [0020]    The mattress flaps  36  may have any width that facilitates attachment to secure mattress expander  10  such that side members  16  are held in a supporting relationship to overhanging portions  18 . In terms of longitudinal dimension, mattress flaps  36  may have any dimension. In the example shown, the longitudinal dimension of mattress flaps  36  is greater than 10 cm, and may be about 30 cm. 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , cover  30  may further include end portions, generally indicated by the number  40 . End portions  40  generally include one or more end flaps  44 , that wrap around one of the ends E of mattress M to further secure mattress expander  10 . In the example shown, end portions  40  work with the second and third pairs of mattress flaps  36 B,  36 C that extend inward from the sides of the longitudinal ends of cover  30  ( FIGS. 4-6 ) to underlie a portion of the end E of mattress M. An end flap  44  extends downward from each end of cover  30  covering a longitudinal edge (i.e., the head or foot) of mattress M. End flap  44  is fastened to flaps  36 , as by a hook and loop or other suitable fastener as discussed with respect to flaps  36  above. 
         [0022]    In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , lateral edges  48  of mattress flaps  36  are provided with hook and loop fasteners to attach the mattress flaps  36  to each other. Longitudinal edges  50  of mattress flaps  42  have hook fasteners  52  on their outward facing surface that engage loop fasteners  54  provided on the inward facing surface  56  of end flap  44 . In this way mattress flaps  36  and end flap  44  join together to form a cap-like end portion  40  at end E of mattress M. In the embodiment shown, end portions  40  at either end of mattress expander  10  are constructed in the same manner, and therefore the same reference numbers are used to refer to the structures at the head portion  61  and foot portion  62  of mattress expander  10  ( FIGS. 3 and 4D ). 
         [0023]    Cover  30 , mattress flaps  36 , and end portions  40  may be constructed of any natural or synthetic fiber. In the example shown, a fluid resistant or fluid proof material is used to protect the underlying foam and/or mattress M. 
         [0024]    As best shown in  FIG. 4 , when attached, cover  30  holds side members  16  against the outer walls of mattress M placing side members  16  in supporting relation to overhanging portions  18  of top pad  12  and securing mattress expander  10  to mattress M. In this configuration, top pad  12  provides a seamless supporting surface that is wider than the underlying mattress M. With the end portions  40  of cover  30  attached, mattress expander  10  encapsulates mattress M providing greater security and allowing cover  30  to fully protect mattress M from fluids. 
         [0025]    A new and useful mattress expander according to the concepts of the present invention has been shown and described herein. The above description describes various embodiments of the invention as examples and is not limiting. For an appreciation of the scope of the invention, reference should be made to the following claims.

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