BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to components and to an arrangement thereof

which can be used by a user while sleeping.

[0002] It is known that elevating an end of a mattress relative to an opposing end thereof can have beneficial effects while sleeping. A user who, for example, has a medical condition such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, better known as GORD, can be advised to sleep on an inclined mattress to at least partly alleviate the symptoms of this condition, e.g. by limiting the amount of stomach acid which may flow into the oesophagus.

[0003] Sleeping on a mattress which has an inclined or partially inclined upper surface carvfeel unnatural or awkward. This may result in a user being reluctant to sleep on such a mattress.

[0004] The invention attempts to address at least partly the aforementioned situation.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0005] The invention provides a mattress component which includes a first end and an opposed second end, and a sloping surface which extends between the first and second ends, and wherein the first end is raised relative to the second end so that the sloping surface is at an angle relative to the horizontal which is greater than 4.5°.

[0006] The angle may be in a range of 4.5 ^° and 7.5° and is preferably in a range of 5.1" and 6.1 °. Preferably the angle is 5.6 ^° .

[0007] The sloping surface may be formed by elevating the first end relative to the second end by a distance in a range of 16cm to 25cm.

[0008] The sloping surface, when the mattress component is viewed in cross section, may have a profile which is curved. The profile is preferably convex.

[0009] The mattress component may be manufactured from any suitable material and preferably is formed from a suitable foamed material.

[0010] The mattress component may be manufactured from a plurality of foam layers. Preferably one of the layers has a convex upper surface which provides the shape to the sloping surface.

[0011] The mattress component may be in the form of a mattress with the sloping surface being for.med by an upper side of the mattress.

[0012] The invention further provides a cushion component which includes a body with an upper recess on an upper surface, a lower recess on a lower surface, a first bulbous formation at a first end and a second bulbous formation at an opposed second end.

[0013] The cushion component may be manufactured from any suitable material and preferably is formed from a suitable foamed material.

[0014] The cushion component may include a strap.

[0015] The cushion component may include a sleeve, a resilient body which is located inside the sleeve and a strap which is attached to the sleeve. Preferably the strap is attached to the sleeve so that the strap extends across a respective recess in the resilient body. The strap may be attached to the sleeve using any suitable technique such as stitching.

[0016] The invention also provides an arrangement which is used by a user while sleeping, the arrangement including a mattress component, of the kind as described hereinbefore, on which the user lies, and a cushion component, of the kind as described hereinbefore, which is placed between the user's legs so that a first leg of the user is located, at least partly, in the upper recess and a second leg of the user is located, at least partly, in the lower recess so that when the cushion component is positioned between the user's legs, the bulbous formations project from opposing sides of the user's legs.

[0017] A strap may be used to secure the cushion component to at least one of the legs of the user. ^•

[0018] The invention also provides an arrangement for aiding a user to sleep which includes a mattress which has a continuously sloping upper surface on which the user lies, and a knee cushion which is placed, at least partly, between the user's legs, and which includes bulbous formations at opposed ends thereof which cause the user to turn on his side when lying on the mattress.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a user sleeping on a conventional mattress;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a user using an arrangement according to the invention with a mattress component in a first form;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are side views of the mattress component in respectively a first form, a second form and a third form;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cushion component according to the invention used in the arrangement of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a side view of the user using the arrangement and sleeping on the mattress component which is in the second form,

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are side views of different constructions of the' mattress component in the second form; and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cushion component in a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Figure 1 illustrates a user 10 who is sleeping on a conventional bed 12 which includes a mattress 12A which is supported by a base 12B and which includes an upper surface 14 which is substantially horizontal so that the user, while lying on the upper surface, sleeps in a substantially horizontal position.

[0021] In Figure 2 the user 10 is asleep using an arrangement 16, according to the invention, which includes a cushion component or knee cushion 18 which is placed between the user's legs and a mattress component 20 which includes a continuously sloping surface 22 on which the user lies. The sloping surface is formed by elevating a first end 2OA of the mattress component relative to an opposed second end 2OB thereof.

[0022] The sloping surface 22 can be formed in a number of ways. In a first form 24A of the mattress component 20 a conventional mattress 12 is used in the arrangement 16 and the first end 2OA of the mattress is raised by a predetermined extent, for example, by using one or more bed risers, e.g. bricks — see Figure 3.

[0023]- -Figures- 4 and 5 show more preferred second and third forms of the mattress component 20, designated 24B and 24C respectively. In these forms the mattress component is manufactured preferably from a suitable foam having a predetermined density.

[0024] In the second form 24B the mattress component 20 is a wedge member 26 which is placed on an upper surface 14A of the base 12B. It is to be noted that the wedge member can be equally placed on the upper surface 14 of the mattress 12A if so desired.

[0025] In the third form 24C the mattress component 20 is a foam mattress 28 which has an integral base section.

[0026] Figure 6 shows the knee cushion 18 in greater detail. Upper and lower recess formations 30 and 32 are formed on respective upper and lower sides 34 and 36 of the knee cushion so that, after the knee cushion has been positioned between the user's legs, part of a first leg 10A of the user can be

located in the upper recess and part of a second leg 10B of the user can be located in the lower recess. First and second bulbous formations 38A and 38B are located on respective opposed sides 4OA and 4OB of the cushion. A strap 42 is attached to the cushion using any suitable technique such as stitching, or hook and eye fastening (Velcro™).

[0027] In use the knee cushion 18 is strapped onto a leg of the user 10. The knee cushion can be positioned at any selected location along the legs of the user at which the placement of the cushion between the legs of the user feels most comfortable. The bulbous formations 38A and 38B project from opposed sides of the user's legs (forwardly and rearwardly) making it difficult for the user to lie on his back or stomach. As a result the user turns on a side and may bend his legs] at least slightly, to prevent the user from rolling forwardly or backwardly. The user may draw the legs upwardly if so desired.

[0028] The first end 2OA is raised relative to the second end 2OB so that the sloping surface 22 lies at an angle 44, see Figure 7, relative to the horizontal, which is greater than 4.5°. Thus the first end is elevated relative to second end by a distance which is greater than >λ 6cm when the mattress component has a length 46 of 191cm. Preferably the angle is 5.6° so that the head portion is elevated relative to the foot portion roughly by 19cm. If the head portion is elevated by a smaller distance the benefits of using the

arrangement 16 are reduced. Conversely, if the head position is elevated to a greater extent the discomfort which the user 10 may experience is increased.

[0029] Figures 8, 9 and 10 schematically show different constructions of the mattress component 20 in the second form 24B.

[0030] In Figure 8 the mattress component 20 includes a first layer 48 of foamed material, such as memory foam, which has a low density. This allows the mattress component to conform, at least to some extent, to the shape of a body lying on the mattress and provides a softer layer of material immediately under the user. A second layer 50 is located below the first layer and is used to provide support to the first layer. The second layer is made from a denser foam which has a density which is determined based on operational requirements such as. the. maximum weight to be supported, yieldability,. and. life span of the mattress component.

[0031] In Figures 9 and 10 the mattress component 20 has a sloping surface 22A which, when the mattress component is viewed in cross section, has a profile which is convex. The convex shape of the sloping surface can be achieved in a number of ways and the examples used herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting.

[0032] In Figure 9 the second component 50 has an upper surface 52 which is convex shaped. The first layer 48 /informs to the shape of the upper surface 52 and shapes the sloping surface 22A.

[0033] In Figure 10 the mattress component 20 includes an intermediate component 54 which has a different density than that of the first and second layers 48 and 50. This makes it possible to increase the hardness of the layers progressively towards a lower side 56 of the mattress component. The intermediate component includes an upper surface 52A which is curved and which provides the sloping surface 22A its curvature.

[0034] A central part of the curved sloping surface 22A between the first and second ends 20A and 2OB contains the apex of the sloping surface so that the apex is at a position at which the heaviest portion of the user's body, i.e. the abdominal part, is located. Thus, when the mattress component is compressed under the weight of the user, the convex shape of the mattress component allows the sloping surface to straighten to a degree. This reduces tha likelihood that the sloping surface wfff be coπcavelyshapedwhen the user rests on the mattress component. Additionally, a lower surface 58 of the intermediate component 54 can be suitably convexly shaped so that the profile of the lower surface is substantially an inverted image of the upper convex surface 52A. Thus, a cross section of the intermediate component is at a maximum below the apex so that the intermediate component provides the most support at this area.

[0035] A preferred embodiment 18A of the knee cushion is shown in Figure 11. A sleeve 58 encloses a resilient or foamed body 60 to which a strap 42A is attached.

[0036] The applicant has unexpectedly found by using a knee cushion of the kind described, in combination with a sloping surface, that the degree of discomfort which may be experienced by the user while sleeping on the sloping surface is reduced.

[0037] The invention provides an arrangement which allows a user to sleep on a sloped surface without experiencing undue discomfort