MATTRESS COVER FITTING DEVICE
United States Patent 3601826
A two-panel zipper-connected resilient core compressing sleeve for compressing and inserting said core in a cover. Panel tape release means attached to the zipper and extending outside said cover wherein the core is release from the sleeve and the sleeve is withdrawn from the cover.
US Patent References:
Automatic cushion stuffer with belt conveyer and reciprocating follower
Stauffer - May 1952 - 2597397
Slide fastener
Urban et al. - January 1959 - 2867879
Improved mattress assembly
Bell - April 1962 - 3027573
Slide fastener operator
Dierks - October 1962 - 3059301
Foam cushion material packaging
Slemmons - April 1966 - 3246443
Automatic cushion stuffer with belt conveyer and reciprocating follower
Stauffer - May 1952 - 2597397
Slide fastener
Urban et al. - January 1959 - 2867879
Improved mattress assembly
Bell - April 1962 - 3027573
Slide fastener operator
Dierks - October 1962 - 3059301
Foam cushion material packaging
Slemmons - April 1966 - 3246443
Application Number:
04/818689
Publication Date:
08/31/1971
Filing Date:
04/23/1969
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
53/523, 53/524, 5/496
International Classes:
A47G9/02; B65B1/20; A47G9/00
Field of Search:
5/335,351,339,342,355 29/91-91.8 53/124T 100/275,241 141/224T 150/52
US Patent References:
| 3346934 | Head rest | October 1967 | Davidson |
Primary Examiner:
Gilliam, Paul R.
Claims:
1. A mattress cover fitting device for use in compressing and releasing a compressible mattress core in the fitting of a tailored cover on a said compressible mattress core or the like of predetermined length and girth and comprising;
2. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said release means comprises a flexible band having one end connected to said fastening means and the other end attached to one end of said sleeve means.
3. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said releasable fastening means includes interengageable fastener portions, and movable fastener slide means engageable therewith, and slidable there along to procure engagement and disengagement thereof.
4. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 including resilient spine means in said sleeve means adjacent to said fastening means.
5. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 including two panel members together comprising said sleeve means, each said panel member being of rectangular shape in plan having long and short sides, said fastening means being attached along said long sides for joining same together to form said sleeve means.
6. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 including two pairs of complementary fastener portions attached to adjacent long sides of said panel members, and fastener slide means attached to one of said fastener portions in each said pair, and being releasably interengageable with the other fastener portion in each said pair, and being slidable therealong to engage and disengage said fastener portion.
7. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 including separate manually operable release means along each pair of long sides of said panel members, both said release means extending to the same end of said panel members for releasing of said fastening means from said ends.
8. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said panel members is of width equal to somewhat less than one-half of the girth of said core.
9. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 including resilient spine members attached to said panel members along the long sides thereof. 10A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sleeve means defines an essentially continuous tubular member of regular diameter from end to end, and wherein both said ends are open and free of obstruction.
2. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said release means comprises a flexible band having one end connected to said fastening means and the other end attached to one end of said sleeve means.
3. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said releasable fastening means includes interengageable fastener portions, and movable fastener slide means engageable therewith, and slidable there along to procure engagement and disengagement thereof.
4. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 including resilient spine means in said sleeve means adjacent to said fastening means.
5. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 including two panel members together comprising said sleeve means, each said panel member being of rectangular shape in plan having long and short sides, said fastening means being attached along said long sides for joining same together to form said sleeve means.
6. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 including two pairs of complementary fastener portions attached to adjacent long sides of said panel members, and fastener slide means attached to one of said fastener portions in each said pair, and being releasably interengageable with the other fastener portion in each said pair, and being slidable therealong to engage and disengage said fastener portion.
7. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 including separate manually operable release means along each pair of long sides of said panel members, both said release means extending to the same end of said panel members for releasing of said fastening means from said ends.
8. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said panel members is of width equal to somewhat less than one-half of the girth of said core.
9. A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 5 including resilient spine members attached to said panel members along the long sides thereof. 10A mattress cover fitting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sleeve means defines an essentially continuous tubular member of regular diameter from end to end, and wherein both said ends are open and free of obstruction.
Description:
This invention relates to a device for fitting a mattress cover around a mattress cushion, and is particularly directed to the fitting of a cover of ticking or the like over a mattress cushion consisting of a solid polyurethane foam block.
The construction of a mattress requires the cover to be fitted tightly around the cushion or core so that it is stretched and tensioned in all directions and presents a pleasing appearance free of wrinkles. When the fitting of the cover around the core is performed in a factory, it is usual to employ relatively complex expensive machines, of which there are many examples in granted patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,397, E. J. Stauffer. However, in many cases such machinery is not available. For example, in hospitals and other like institutions it is frequently necessary to remove the mattress cover for cleaning after which it must be replaced. In such cases, the work is usually performed entirely by hand requiring the efforts of two or three persons to complete the operation. The problem is more acute in the case of more up-to- date mattresses such as those formed of foam rubber and polyurethane foam. The very nature of these materials creates greatly increased friction between the core and the cover and increases the difficulty of fitting the cover around the core.
It is therefore a general objective of the present invention to provide a mattress cover fitting device which may be manufactured and sold within a price range suitable for purchase by a wide range of users such as hospitals, institutions and the like, and which can be operated by one person working alone with only a minimum of instruction.
More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a device having the foregoing advantages which provides a smooth substantially frictionless sleeve which can readily be fitted around the core and which subjects the core to a certain degree of contraction thereby reducing the cross-sectional dimensions of the core and facilitating the introduction of the core into the cover, after which it may be released from the core and withdrawn from the cover.
More particularly, it is an objective of the invention to provide a device having the foregoing advantages which provides a sleeve having two or more separable parts which is adapted to be fitted around the mattress core and contract the mattress core, and which is adapted to be separated into its separate parts while it is contained within the mattress cover by an operator, after which the separate parts may be individually moved, leaving the core in position in the cover.
The invention seeks to achieve the foregoing and other objectives by the use of a composite sleeve device consisting of two or more sleeve portions which may be fastened around the mattress core, and defines in cross section a peripheral dimension which is less than the periphery of the cross section of the mattress core, thereby causing a predetermined degree of compression in the cross section of the mattress core, and at the same time provides a smooth outer surface with reduced degree of friction between itself and the mattress cover. Means are provided on the sleeve portions for releasing them from one another after the core has been inserted into the cover, thereby permitting the core to spring out to its natural size and stretch the cover in all directions, the various sleeve portions being capable of being pulled out of the cover one by one without any difficulty.
The foregoing and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which like reference devices refer to like parts thereof throughout the various views and diagrams and in which:
FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a mattress core encompassed by a mattress cover fitting device according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mattress cover fitting device shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a section along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1, and,
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mechanism for releasing the mattress-fitting device and showing a further embodiment in phantom.
Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a typical mattress core C is shown which consists essentially of a rectangularly shaped block of polyurethane foam, of a type which exhibits an outer surface having a very high degree of friction or grip when applied to a material such as mattress ticking or the like used in a mattress cover. It is believed that the construction of mattress covers themselves is so well known and conventional that it is unnecessary to illustrate such a cover here, but it will be understood that it consists merely of a rectangularly shaped fabric cover tailored to fit precisely and snugly around the core C and if such dimensions that when in position around the core C it is stretched and tensioned tightly in all directions to avoid any wrinkles. One end thereof may be opened and provided with buttons or tapes, or may be zippered so that it may be opened up for removal from the core C.
The cover-fitting device according to the invention consists, according to this preferred embodiment, of two separate portions, designated as the upper panel 10 and the lower panel 11. Both panels 10 and 11 are made of identical material which is either a smooth fabric having a surface characterized by reduced friction, or is alternatively a synthetic woven material or even in some cases of synthetic plastic sheet or film material, or even a material of glass fibers or woven metallic filaments. Obviously, in addition to these characteristics the material of panel 10 and 11 should preferably be substantially unstretchable, at least along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the core C for obvious reasons.
Panels 10 and 11 are, according to this preferred embodiment, adapted to be attached together to one another to form a composite sleeve by heavy-duty zippers indicated as 12 along either side thereof. Obviously, other forms of attachment may be employed, so long as, generally speaking, such attachment means are capable of being progressively attached, and released from one end to the other of panels 10 and 11, and also that such attachment means be capable of being at least released by remote means operable from the open end of the mattress cover. The zippers 12 according to this preferred embodiment are of conventional construction, and are of a caliber such as are employed on large pieces of luggage, or for outdoor use for example in tents or truck body covers and the like adapted to withstand heavy usage. Preferably, according to this preferred embodiment the zippers 12 are of the type which can be completely released and separated from one another, and for this purpose, he zippers 12 are formed in two separate portions 12a and 12b and are provided with conventional interengaging slots and lugs indicated generally as 13 adapted to engage with one another and to disengage to separate the two halves of the zippers. Zipper slides 15 are provided for fastening and releasing the zippers 12, being provided with operating tongues 16 in the usual manner. Tongues 16 are themselves provided with remote operating means such as the tapes or bands 17, one end of which is attached to a respective tongue 16, and the other end of which is preferably according to this embodiment fastened by sewing or the like to the end of the lower panel 11, or upper panel 10 as the case may be adjacent to the slots and lugs 13 described above. Zipper slides 15 may optionally be modified by the attachment of a slide plate 18 to the underside thereof whereby to control the movement thereof, plate 18 lying against the sidewall surface of core C, which it will be understood at this point is substantially compressed and is attempting to expand outwardly and might otherwise tend to jam between the fastening devices of the zippers 12.
Preferably according to this embodiment of the invention where the mattress core C requires any substantial compressive force, is founds of assistance that some additional control and stiffness be provided to ensure that the zippers 12 operate freely in both directions. For this purpose, flexible spine members 19 are sewn along each side of upper and lower panels 10 and 11 immediately adjacent to the zippers 12. The spines 19 are preferably of resilient springly material such as a fairly stiff wire cable, or a resilient plastic rod for example such that it tends to hold the adjacent edges of panels 10 and 11 together and facilitates the movement of the zipper slide 15 along the zippers 12 in both directions.
Preferably panels 10 and 11 have a length equal to the average length of mattresses, cores or the like on which they will be used, and a width dimension which, in aggregate, equals somewhat less than the total measurement around or girth of the transverse cross section of the mattress or core whereby to ensure adequate compression thereof.
In operation, the lower panel 12 is laid flat on a table and the core C is placed on top of the panel 11 and the upper 10 is then placed on top of the core C. Along one side of core C the adjacent edges of panels 11 and 12 are then drawn together by hand and a lug is inserted into the respective slot and the zipper slide 15 is then forced along the zipper 12 thereby progressively closing those side edges together. Since panels 10 and 11 have width dimensions which together define a cross-sectional dimension less than the normal cross-sectional dimension of core C, the remaining free edges of panels 10 and 11 will be some distance apart. However, it is a relatively easy matter to compress the core C in the region of the lug 14 and slot 13 and to force the two together and fasten them. After that it is simply a matter of forcing the zipper slide 15 gradually forward while compressing the portion of the core C immediately in front of the zipper slide 15 with the other hand. In the cases of an unusually resilient core C, it may be necessary for a second person to assist in this operation, although in the case of the average mattress, this has been found to be unnecessary. Once both the zipper slides 15 are drawn out to the opposite end of panels 10 and 11, the bands or tapes 17 will be found to have been drawn out more or less taught, and the entire core C will then have been enclosed within a sleeve which compresses the core C to a cross-sectional dimension less than its normal cross section. It is then of course a simple matter to introduce the core C into a mattress cover (not shown). It will of course be understood that lugs and slots 13 must remain at the outer end of the core C, i.e. the end of the core C which will be adjacent to the opening of the mattress cover when the same has been drawn over the remainder of the core. When in this position it will be appreciated that the zipper slides 15 cannot be reached by hand since they are in the closed end of the cover. However, all that is required is for the operator to grasp the bands 17 and draw the zipper slides back towards him and then with the zipper slides completely withdrawn, the lugs can be withdrawn from the slots thereby completely separating panels 10 and 11 from one another. The core C will of course expand to its normal size and completely fill the mattress cover and stretch it tightly in all directions. However, since panels 10 and 11 are of smooth relatively frictionless construction, and are separated from one another and are themselves no longer tensioned around core C, they can easily be withdrawn by hand, leaving the core C located within the mattress cover. All that is then required is to fasten the open end of the mattress cover by whatever means are provided.
Obviously, there are a number of variations which can be incorporated in the device without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus the panels 10 and 11 can in fact be of metallic construction, and can be fastened by a form of piano hinge whereby a piece of wire (not shown) can be progressively introduce through hingelike edges formed on panels 10 and 11 of metallic construction, and once the core C has been introduced into the cover the wire member can then be withdrawn. Similarly the zipper 12 and zipper slide 15 can be replaced merely by resilient strips or beading formed along the adjacent edges of panels 10 and 11 which are then held together by a plastic strip of U-shaped construction which is adapted to fit around the beading. Obviously, once the core is introduced into the cover this U-shaped channel member is then simply withdrawn on each side leaving the upper and lower panels 10 and 11 free to be removed again. It will be understood that the invention described in connection with conventional zippers merely because such zippers are readily available on the market, and are readily understood to persons skilled in the art, and the operation of such zippers is familiar to almost all classes of persons who may ever be required to use such a device without any explanation whatever.
It will also be understood that while the invention has been described as embodied in two such panels 10 and 11, it may in certain circumstances be possible to use only a single panel which is adapted to wrap right around the core and is fastened in only one place, although obviously, such a device might be somewhat more difficult to remove from the core once the core had been released from constriction. On the other hand, in some cases it may be desirable to go to three or more such panels.
The construction of a mattress requires the cover to be fitted tightly around the cushion or core so that it is stretched and tensioned in all directions and presents a pleasing appearance free of wrinkles. When the fitting of the cover around the core is performed in a factory, it is usual to employ relatively complex expensive machines, of which there are many examples in granted patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,397, E. J. Stauffer. However, in many cases such machinery is not available. For example, in hospitals and other like institutions it is frequently necessary to remove the mattress cover for cleaning after which it must be replaced. In such cases, the work is usually performed entirely by hand requiring the efforts of two or three persons to complete the operation. The problem is more acute in the case of more up-to- date mattresses such as those formed of foam rubber and polyurethane foam. The very nature of these materials creates greatly increased friction between the core and the cover and increases the difficulty of fitting the cover around the core.
It is therefore a general objective of the present invention to provide a mattress cover fitting device which may be manufactured and sold within a price range suitable for purchase by a wide range of users such as hospitals, institutions and the like, and which can be operated by one person working alone with only a minimum of instruction.
More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a device having the foregoing advantages which provides a smooth substantially frictionless sleeve which can readily be fitted around the core and which subjects the core to a certain degree of contraction thereby reducing the cross-sectional dimensions of the core and facilitating the introduction of the core into the cover, after which it may be released from the core and withdrawn from the cover.
More particularly, it is an objective of the invention to provide a device having the foregoing advantages which provides a sleeve having two or more separable parts which is adapted to be fitted around the mattress core and contract the mattress core, and which is adapted to be separated into its separate parts while it is contained within the mattress cover by an operator, after which the separate parts may be individually moved, leaving the core in position in the cover.
The invention seeks to achieve the foregoing and other objectives by the use of a composite sleeve device consisting of two or more sleeve portions which may be fastened around the mattress core, and defines in cross section a peripheral dimension which is less than the periphery of the cross section of the mattress core, thereby causing a predetermined degree of compression in the cross section of the mattress core, and at the same time provides a smooth outer surface with reduced degree of friction between itself and the mattress cover. Means are provided on the sleeve portions for releasing them from one another after the core has been inserted into the cover, thereby permitting the core to spring out to its natural size and stretch the cover in all directions, the various sleeve portions being capable of being pulled out of the cover one by one without any difficulty.
The foregoing and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is given here by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings in which like reference devices refer to like parts thereof throughout the various views and diagrams and in which:
FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a mattress core encompassed by a mattress cover fitting device according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mattress cover fitting device shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a section along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1, and,
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the mechanism for releasing the mattress-fitting device and showing a further embodiment in phantom.
Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a typical mattress core C is shown which consists essentially of a rectangularly shaped block of polyurethane foam, of a type which exhibits an outer surface having a very high degree of friction or grip when applied to a material such as mattress ticking or the like used in a mattress cover. It is believed that the construction of mattress covers themselves is so well known and conventional that it is unnecessary to illustrate such a cover here, but it will be understood that it consists merely of a rectangularly shaped fabric cover tailored to fit precisely and snugly around the core C and if such dimensions that when in position around the core C it is stretched and tensioned tightly in all directions to avoid any wrinkles. One end thereof may be opened and provided with buttons or tapes, or may be zippered so that it may be opened up for removal from the core C.
The cover-fitting device according to the invention consists, according to this preferred embodiment, of two separate portions, designated as the upper panel 10 and the lower panel 11. Both panels 10 and 11 are made of identical material which is either a smooth fabric having a surface characterized by reduced friction, or is alternatively a synthetic woven material or even in some cases of synthetic plastic sheet or film material, or even a material of glass fibers or woven metallic filaments. Obviously, in addition to these characteristics the material of panel 10 and 11 should preferably be substantially unstretchable, at least along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the core C for obvious reasons.
Panels 10 and 11 are, according to this preferred embodiment, adapted to be attached together to one another to form a composite sleeve by heavy-duty zippers indicated as 12 along either side thereof. Obviously, other forms of attachment may be employed, so long as, generally speaking, such attachment means are capable of being progressively attached, and released from one end to the other of panels 10 and 11, and also that such attachment means be capable of being at least released by remote means operable from the open end of the mattress cover. The zippers 12 according to this preferred embodiment are of conventional construction, and are of a caliber such as are employed on large pieces of luggage, or for outdoor use for example in tents or truck body covers and the like adapted to withstand heavy usage. Preferably, according to this preferred embodiment the zippers 12 are of the type which can be completely released and separated from one another, and for this purpose, he zippers 12 are formed in two separate portions 12a and 12b and are provided with conventional interengaging slots and lugs indicated generally as 13 adapted to engage with one another and to disengage to separate the two halves of the zippers. Zipper slides 15 are provided for fastening and releasing the zippers 12, being provided with operating tongues 16 in the usual manner. Tongues 16 are themselves provided with remote operating means such as the tapes or bands 17, one end of which is attached to a respective tongue 16, and the other end of which is preferably according to this embodiment fastened by sewing or the like to the end of the lower panel 11, or upper panel 10 as the case may be adjacent to the slots and lugs 13 described above. Zipper slides 15 may optionally be modified by the attachment of a slide plate 18 to the underside thereof whereby to control the movement thereof, plate 18 lying against the sidewall surface of core C, which it will be understood at this point is substantially compressed and is attempting to expand outwardly and might otherwise tend to jam between the fastening devices of the zippers 12.
Preferably according to this embodiment of the invention where the mattress core C requires any substantial compressive force, is founds of assistance that some additional control and stiffness be provided to ensure that the zippers 12 operate freely in both directions. For this purpose, flexible spine members 19 are sewn along each side of upper and lower panels 10 and 11 immediately adjacent to the zippers 12. The spines 19 are preferably of resilient springly material such as a fairly stiff wire cable, or a resilient plastic rod for example such that it tends to hold the adjacent edges of panels 10 and 11 together and facilitates the movement of the zipper slide 15 along the zippers 12 in both directions.
Preferably panels 10 and 11 have a length equal to the average length of mattresses, cores or the like on which they will be used, and a width dimension which, in aggregate, equals somewhat less than the total measurement around or girth of the transverse cross section of the mattress or core whereby to ensure adequate compression thereof.
In operation, the lower panel 12 is laid flat on a table and the core C is placed on top of the panel 11 and the upper 10 is then placed on top of the core C. Along one side of core C the adjacent edges of panels 11 and 12 are then drawn together by hand and a lug is inserted into the respective slot and the zipper slide 15 is then forced along the zipper 12 thereby progressively closing those side edges together. Since panels 10 and 11 have width dimensions which together define a cross-sectional dimension less than the normal cross-sectional dimension of core C, the remaining free edges of panels 10 and 11 will be some distance apart. However, it is a relatively easy matter to compress the core C in the region of the lug 14 and slot 13 and to force the two together and fasten them. After that it is simply a matter of forcing the zipper slide 15 gradually forward while compressing the portion of the core C immediately in front of the zipper slide 15 with the other hand. In the cases of an unusually resilient core C, it may be necessary for a second person to assist in this operation, although in the case of the average mattress, this has been found to be unnecessary. Once both the zipper slides 15 are drawn out to the opposite end of panels 10 and 11, the bands or tapes 17 will be found to have been drawn out more or less taught, and the entire core C will then have been enclosed within a sleeve which compresses the core C to a cross-sectional dimension less than its normal cross section. It is then of course a simple matter to introduce the core C into a mattress cover (not shown). It will of course be understood that lugs and slots 13 must remain at the outer end of the core C, i.e. the end of the core C which will be adjacent to the opening of the mattress cover when the same has been drawn over the remainder of the core. When in this position it will be appreciated that the zipper slides 15 cannot be reached by hand since they are in the closed end of the cover. However, all that is required is for the operator to grasp the bands 17 and draw the zipper slides back towards him and then with the zipper slides completely withdrawn, the lugs can be withdrawn from the slots thereby completely separating panels 10 and 11 from one another. The core C will of course expand to its normal size and completely fill the mattress cover and stretch it tightly in all directions. However, since panels 10 and 11 are of smooth relatively frictionless construction, and are separated from one another and are themselves no longer tensioned around core C, they can easily be withdrawn by hand, leaving the core C located within the mattress cover. All that is then required is to fasten the open end of the mattress cover by whatever means are provided.
Obviously, there are a number of variations which can be incorporated in the device without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus the panels 10 and 11 can in fact be of metallic construction, and can be fastened by a form of piano hinge whereby a piece of wire (not shown) can be progressively introduce through hingelike edges formed on panels 10 and 11 of metallic construction, and once the core C has been introduced into the cover the wire member can then be withdrawn. Similarly the zipper 12 and zipper slide 15 can be replaced merely by resilient strips or beading formed along the adjacent edges of panels 10 and 11 which are then held together by a plastic strip of U-shaped construction which is adapted to fit around the beading. Obviously, once the core is introduced into the cover this U-shaped channel member is then simply withdrawn on each side leaving the upper and lower panels 10 and 11 free to be removed again. It will be understood that the invention described in connection with conventional zippers merely because such zippers are readily available on the market, and are readily understood to persons skilled in the art, and the operation of such zippers is familiar to almost all classes of persons who may ever be required to use such a device without any explanation whatever.
It will also be understood that while the invention has been described as embodied in two such panels 10 and 11, it may in certain circumstances be possible to use only a single panel which is adapted to wrap right around the core and is fastened in only one place, although obviously, such a device might be somewhat more difficult to remove from the core once the core had been released from constriction. On the other hand, in some cases it may be desirable to go to three or more such panels.