US2815516A - Safety mattress - Google Patents

Description

5 F. c. HOLTON ,81 ,5

SAFETY MATTRESS Filed Nov. 29, 195.4

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l N VEN TOR WWACQSCIA QLWM ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1957 F. c. HOLTON 2,815,516

SAFETY MATTRESS Filed NOV. 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent SAFETY MATTRESS Francis C; Holton, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Application November 29, 1954, Serial No. 471,845 12 Claims. (Cl. 5'-345) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mattress structures and more particularly to suspensiontype mattresses formed of a base element upon which is supported a weight receiving member formed of flexible porous web material which is supported in tension across a frame element.

It has, heretofore, been suggested that many advantages can be achieved by replacing conventional mattr'esses', including those Covered with either porous or non-porous materials, with a receiving member on which the users body reposes formed of porous web material which is supported in tension with an air space located beneath the porous material. The use of suspended porous web mattresses eliminates the possibility of infants and young children suffocating when sleeping face downward on the suspended porous web material and also serves to eliminate or materially reduce infant respiratory disorders, brain injuries and the like resulting from restricted breathing. In addition, such structure prevents the formation of pools of undesired liquids such as body expelled fluids, milk or other fluid leakage from a babys bottle, and the like, which may cause the infant or child to choke or become asphyxiated. Further, suspended porous web mattresses permit the infants or childs pores to breathe and enhances air circulation around the body to eliminate unevenness of body temperature and the build up of moisture from perspiration and condensation which occur when conventional mattresses are used, particularly those formed with plastic or other waterproof type coverings. Suspended porous web mattresses are frequently prescribed by medical authorities for use by older children and adults suifering from ailments, the treatment of which necessitates continual and (efficient drainage of body discharges, maintenance of even body temperature and a body and head receiving surface of selected rigidity.

In addition to the above advantages, suspended porous web mattresses may be formed with base members positioned beneath the suspended web having exposed surfaces which can readily be cleaned and disinfected. Also the body and head receiving porous web material may be laundered and thus the mattress structure can be maintained in a sanitary condition with but a small part of the efiort required to clean and decontaminate a conventional filled mattress.

While the advantages of the aforementioned mattresses have heretofore been understood, at least to a partial extent, attempts to provide satisfactory mattress structures to achieve such results have failed due to the difliculties encountered in the removal and re-assembly of the porous Web material in respectto the frame when it was necessary to launder the material and due, in part, to the fact that large and complicated suspension systems were necessitated even for infants mattresses. For older children and adults much larger suspension structures were found necessary, and as "a result all known a't'teinpt's to commercialiie such mattresses of poi-611s suspended ma- 2,815,516 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 terial failed irrespective of the advantages to be received therefrom.

My co-pending application Serial No. 297,427, filed July 7, 1952, now Patent No. 2,695,415, of which this application is a continuation-in-part, discloses a mattress structure which achieves in part the above-discussed adf vantages since it includes a relatively thin porous head supporting section positioned in the plane of the upper surface of the body supporting section, which latter section comprises a conventional filled mattress. Such mattress structure as described in my co-pending application provides the above-recited advantages insofar as the head and shoulders of a child utilizing the mattress are concerned, but fails to provide these advantages throughout the entire length and width of the mattress in view of the fact that conventional filled mattress structure is em ployed in the body supporting section.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved mattress structure wherein the receiving portions for both the users body and head are formed of relatively thin porous flexible web material which is suspended by simplified structure on a frame member supported by a base member and serves to receive and to support in co-operation with said base member the entire weight of the users combined head and body.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mattress structure formed by a base member to which upstanding cushion-type spacers are connected, on the upper surface of which a frame is supported which has a body and head receiving and supporting web of porous materialremovably suspended in tension on a frame ther'ebetween.

Another objectof the invention is to provide an inrproved mattress structure which comprises in combination a suspended body and head receiving portion formed of a relatively thin porous and flexible web material and a co-operating auxiliary supporting element for the nsers body which, preferably, is fixed to or forms a part of the base of the mattress.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sim-' plified structure for maintaining the combined body and head receiving porous web material in tension and suspended in spaced relation above the base of the mattress and the auxiliary body supporting element.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mattress structure comprising a suspended combined body and head receiving portion and an auxiliary supporting element which is positioned to co-operate with and to receive a portion of the users weight which is transferred from the suspended Web due to the downward flexure thereof resulting from the mattress users weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved and combined body and head receiving flexible, porous web which may be easily and quickly secured to and removed from a co-operating frame element.

Another object of the invention is to provide an intprovedbase member for supporting in suspended relation a flexible, porous web material stretched across a frame member, which base member is of symmetrical configuration and can be used with either side of the memberfac ing toward the suspended web material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irn proved base member for supporting in suspended relation a tensional web member, which base is formed of resiliant material having a flat surface on one face thereof whereby upon inverting the base to position the fiat surface in an upward position, a conventional bed mattr'ess surface is provided.

Another object of theinvention is toprovide a mattress base for 'a' suspended porousweb including cushioned spacers which form a part thereof, which are provided with waterproof surfaces located in facing relation to the Suspended web of the combined body and head receiving material; I

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved suspension-type mattress comprising a base element, cushion-type spacer members by which a flexible porous web is suspended in tension above a base member and an auxiliary body supporting member projecting above the upper surface which may be fabricated in a range of sizes from an infant basket size to a standard bed size by simple operations in order to provide a durable mattress structure.

The invention also resides in certain novel structural characteristics and features which facilitate the carrying out of the foregoing objects and which contribute both to the simplicity of the improved mattress structure and to its sanitary maintenance and to the safety features thereof. 1' I With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an exploded perspective view of one form of my improved mattress structure. Figure 2 is a section taken across the central part of Figure 1 with the frame and porous web shown in full lines in assembled relation with respect to the base element, andin addition, the positions tended to be assumed by these elements when a load is applied in the direction indicated by the arrow are shown in dotted lines.

Figures 3 and 4 are cross sectional means of modified embodiments of the base members of my improved mattress structure.

4 Figures 5 to 8 inclusive, are plan views of base members disclosing modified configurations of auxiliary body supporting elements, which project above the base member in the direction of the tensioned porous web member.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiments. It will be understood, however, that I do not intend to limit the invention by such disclosures for I aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Reference is made to Figures 1 and 2 wherein reference numeral 10 indicates receiving member for the users body and head which member is formed of relatively thin flexible porous web material, indicates a generally rectangular frame member formed of rigid material across the internal opening of which the web material extends n a tensioned condition. Reference numeral 30 generally indicates a mattress base member having a generally rectangular configuration which is provided with spaced apart upstanding spacer elements 40 and 50 which are located at opposite sides thereof and which serve to support the assembled frame member 20 and stretched web material 10 between the spacer elements a spaced distance above the upper surface 32 of the base member. Spacer elements 40 and 50 may be physically formed integral with or separately of base member 30. If formed: separately, additional means (not shown) are requird -tatasten the spacers in position relative to the base ineniher and for this reason it is preferable to form the seam ess base, Y

a unitary member as is best shown inFigures l, to 4- inclusive. The remaining element of myimprovedmattress structure combination is an auxiliary supporting element 60 for the users body whiohrelement is formed of resilient material and extends or projects above the upper surface 32 of base member 30 and terminates a distance beneath the lower surface of the tensioned porous web 10 as is best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

In more particularity, member 10 which receives the entire weight of the user, including both body and head, is formed of relatively thin, flexible, porous web material exemplified by textile material which is woven of either absorptive or non-absorptive flexible filaments with the openings or interstices between the woof and warp filaments formed sufficiently large to permit liquid flow therethrough. The size and strength of the filaments are dependent upon the span of frame 20 upon which the porous web is suspended with the filaments in tension. However, it is desirable that the size and strength of the filaments be selected so that the web material which extends across the span of the frame will be slightly deformed or stretched by the weight of the mattress user in order to bring a portion of the users weight to bear upon the auxiliary body supporting element 60 which is positioned centrally beneath the suspended web material.

It will be apparent that the tensioned receiving member for the users body and head may be formed of one or more layers of porous material. The construction disclosed in Figures 1 to 4 employs double layers, i. e. an upper and a lower layer of material, but this number may be increased or decreased depending upon the loading and span of the web. If the porous web is made of fluid absorptive elements, a relative small portion of liquid may be absorbed as the liquid passes through the web without injury to the mattress user and without destroying the advantages of the structure. If non-absorptive filaments are used, all of the liquid will flow by gravity through the web material and onto the receiving surface therebelow from which it may be removed.

Frame member 20 is preferably formed of rigid metallic wire which is suitably coated to prevent oxidation and to prevent discoloration of the porous fabric in contact therewith. The stiif wire is preferably formed into a closed loop of generally rectangular form with the corners suitably rounded. Preferably the porous flexible fabric 10 is formed by a line of stitching 12 passing through a binding strip 14 into an open-ended bag or envelope which is slipped over frame 20 with sufiicient stretching of the material to place it in tension cross-wise of the frame as indicated by the X-X arrow of Figure 1. In order to stress the porous web material in direction of the elongated axis, tie-strips 16 are secured at their inner ends interiorly of the open end of the bag or envelope adjacent to hem line 18. After frame member 20 is inserted in place in the envelope, the outer ends of tie-strips 16 are tied over and around the frame member to place the porous web under tension in a direction parallel to the Y--Y arrow shown in Figure 1. By this construction, the porous and flexible web which receives the body and head of the mattress user is formed of double thickness material maintained in a stressed condition both cross-wise and lengthwise of the material.

The mattress base member 30 of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is formed by an upper covering member 22 and a lower covering member 24 and edge panels 26 and 28. The covering members and panels are secured together by stitching to provide spacer elements 40 and 50 at opposite sides of the base member. Binding strips indicated generally by reference numeral 48 are positioned over the secured and end edges. The spacer elements 40 and 50 which are shown in Figures 1 and 2 f as having-a generally square configuration and a flat upper urface, are filled with a batting material such, for example, as closely packed cellulose fibers or other similar flexible and resilient packing material which can withstand repeated compressional loadings.

The coverings 2,2 and 24 and edge panels 26 and 28 are preferably formed of textile material which has been treated with a waterproofing agent or, even more deals able, these parts may be formed by waterproof sheeted plastic material which'may -readily be cleaned and sterilized with well known detergents and sanitizingagents.

The end portions 34 of base member 30 contain no packing or filling material intermediate the covering members 22 and 24. The auxiliary supporting element or portion 60 is formed by inserting packing or filling material of the aforedescribed characteristics between the upper and lower covering members and intermediate lines of stitching 62 and 64. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the auxiliary body supporting element 64 has a generally rectangular formation and the upper surface 66 thereof projects above the plane of the upper surface of end portions 34 of base member 30 in the direction of the flexible, porous, tensioned member 10. However, when the mattress is assembled a space exists between the tensioned porous web and the surface 66 of the auxiliary body supporting element as is clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

When the body of the mattress user is positioned upon the upper surface of the flexible, porous and tensioned web member 10, shown in Figure 2, a force directed downwardly as indicated by arrow 68 is applied to the mattress structure. The applied force causes the filaments of the web to stretch and flex at the points of greatest applied force in the manner indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2 to cause the receiving member to contact and push downwardly upon the auxiliary supporting element 60 by which action a part of the mattress users weight is transferred to and borne by the auxiliary element 60. Due to the resilient characteristic of spacer elements 40 and 50, they are slightly compressed in a manner to facilitate the positioning of members 10 and 60 as above discussed.

The provision of dividing the applied load and supporting a portion thereof on the auxiliary supporting element 60 located beneath the suspended member, enables supporting elements and base members of practical size to be used for which reason safety mattresses of this invention dimensioned to fit within a babys basket may readily be fabricated at reasonable cost as well as those dimensionecl to be used by older children and adults in junior size or full size beds.

As the person reclining on my improved mattress moves about, different portions of the porous web contact the auxiliary supporting element and, consequently, air in the space beneath the porous member is enabled to reach the various lower body surfaces through the porous material.

The auxiliary supporting element positioned beneath the stretched porous web may be provided with different configurations as best shown in Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, wherein rectangular, circular and ovaloid shapes are disclosed. Further, the upper surface 66 of the auxiliary supporting element 6% may be provided with a relatively flat contour as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or it may be provided with a generally convex formation as indicated by reference numeral 70 in Figure 4 and this generally convex or dome shape may be utilized on the above-discussed rectangular, round and ovaloid elements of Figures 5 to 8 inclusive. It will be apparent from an examination of the figures that the cross-sectional dimensions of the auxiliary supporting element taken along the base thereof are greater than the height of the element above the upper surface of the base member.

The base member of Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 is provided with a symmetrically shaped upper and lower surface and accordingly, may be reversed in use when one side thereof becomes discolored from stains or the like.

'The modified base member 30 shown in Figure 3 is generally similar to base member 30 in construction except that it is provided with a flat lower surface 82 and a stiffened member 84 which is positioned between and connects spacer elements 40 and 50. Any of the previously described auxiliary body supporting elements may be utilized with this form of base member which is not reversible since it does not have a symmetrical cross-sectional shape. V

The modified base member shown in Figures 4, 7 and 8 is preferably formed as a single unit from foam rubber. It has been found that foam rubber of the closed cell type is preferable and when using this material base member 90 may readily be molded or cast into a rectangular form with the body supporting element 60 molded as an integral part thereof. The outside surfaces of base member 94 are formed with a skin during the molding process which formation serves to close the surface voids and results in smooth continuous base surfaces. In this embodiment the upwardly directed spacer elements or walls 92 and 94 are located at the ends of the mattress base and are provided in addition to the previously described spacer elements or walls which were described as being located at the sides of the base. The upper surfaces of both the side and end upwardly directed spacer elements of this embodiment are provided with a ledge 96 formed by a wall 98 upon which rests the frame member and tensioned porous web.

The base member 90 shown in Figures 4, 7 and 8 is well suited for the construction of the larger sizes of mattresses since the base may be dimensioned in a similar manner to conventional foam rubber mattresses and, in addition, the base has a dual use in that it may be turned upside down and the smooth bottom surface 99 thereof utilized to receive the body of the mattress user in the manner of conventional foam rubber mattresses.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous web material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said receiving member extends in a tensioned condition, a base member having an upper surface, upstanding spacer elements positioned at opposite sides of said base member, upon which said frame member rests to position the tensioned body and head receiving member above the base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed of resilient material projecting above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminating a spaced distance from said receiving member.

2. A mattress structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary supporting element is formed with a rectangular configuration.

3. A mattress structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary supporting element is formed with a round configuration.

4. A mattress structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary supporting element is formed with an ovaloid configuration.

5. A mattress structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the auxiliary supporting element is formed with a lower portion having a greater cross-sectioned dimension than the height of the element.

6. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress, which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous web material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said receiving member extends in a tensioned condition, a base member having an upper surface, upstanding spacer elements positioned at opposite sides of said base member, upon which said frame member rests to position the tensioned body and head receiving member 7 above the base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed of resilient material projecting with a convex shape above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminating a spaced distance from said receiving member.

7. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress, which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous web material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said receiving member extends in a tensioned condition, a base member having a waterproof upper surface, upwardly directed spacer elements formed integral with said base member and positioned at opposite sides thereof, upon which said frame member is supported to position the tensioned body and head receiving member above the base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed integral with said base member and comprising resilient material which projects above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminates a spaced distance from said receiving member.

8. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress, which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous web material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said receiving member extends in a tensioned condition, a base member formed of upper and lower coverings composed of flexible waterproof material, upstanding spacer elements filled with resilient packing material positioned at opposite sides of said base member, upon which said frame member is supported to position the tensioned body and head receiving member above the base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed of packing material between said coverings, which element projects above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminates a spaced distance from said receiving member.

9. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress, which member is formed of a plurality of layers of a relative thin, flexible, porous textile material, a frame member formed of wire shaped in closed-loop configuration across the opening of which said layers extend in a tensioned condition, a base member having an upper surface formed of plastic material, upwardly directed spacer elements formed of cushioning material positioned at opposite sides of said base member, upon which said frame member is supported to position the tensioned layers of textile material above the upper surface base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed of resilient material projecting above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminating a spaced distance from the lower surface of said textile layers.

10. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress, which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous web material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said receiving member extends in a tensioned condition, a base member having a relative fiat bottom and a waterproof upper surface, upwardly directed spacer elements forming a part of and positioned at opposite sides of said base member, upon which said frame member is supported to position the tensioned body and head receiving member above the base member, and an auxiliary body supporting element formed of resilient material projecting above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminating a spaced distance from said receiving member.

11. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress, which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous textile material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said textile material extends in a tensioned condition, a rectangular base member formed of resilient material having an upper surface and upwardly directed wall elements positioned at the sides of said base member, upon which Wall elements said frame member is supported to position the tensioned body and head receiving member above the upper surface of the base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed integrally with said base member and projecting above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminating a spaced distance from said receiving member.

12. In a mattress, the combination comprising a receiving member for the body and head of a person using the mattress which member is formed of a relative thin, flexible, porous textile material, a frame member formed of rigid material across the opening of which said textile material extends in a tensioned condition, a rectangular base member molded of foam rubber having an upper surface, and upwardly directed wall elements positioned at the sides of base member, upon the top of which wall elements said frame member rests upon a ledge to position the tensioned body and head receiving member above the upper surface of the base member, and an auxiliary supporting element formed integrally with said base member and projecting above the upper surface of the central portion of said base member and terminating a spaced distance from said receiving member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,736,341 Eiser Nov. 19, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS 200,620 Switzerland Apr. 17, 1939 407,630 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1934

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