The present invention relates to a cushion, mattress or analogous element comprising a top layer, a bottom layer and an intermediate layer located between said top and bottom layers and composed of distinct resilient elements, disposed next to one anothe .

Such an element, in particular a spring mattress, is known from the practice. This known mattress is composed of two foam layers mutually connected through metal coil springs. The extremities of these springs are moulded in the respective top or bottom foam layer, more particularly in an open mould wherein the extremities of these springs are disposed and wherein a foaming reaction mixture is poured subsequently.

A drawback of this known spring mattress consists first of all in that the springs may cause annoying noises. Further, it has been observed that the resiliency of the metal springs drops relatively quickly. Thirdly, due to the fact that the top and bottom layers are moulded foam layers, they have a reduced moisture permeability due i.a. to the formation of a natural skin during the foaming process. For mattresses, cushions, etc., it is however very important to be moisture permeable, especially when used for bedridden persons, to avoid bedsores on the back.

An object of the present invention is

now to provide an element, in particular a mattress or cushion structure which enables to obviate the above drawbacks of the known spring mattress.

The cushion, mattress or analogous element according to the present invention is characterized thereto in that said resilient elements are made of a resilient foam material and have an overall diameter decreasing from both of said top and bottom layers towards the respective opposite layer of these two layers.

The use of resilient elements of foam material avoids annoying noises and enables a resiliency which diminishes less quickly. Further, as it appears hereinafter, the top layer can easily be made moisture permeable. Due to the disposition of the resilient element and their decreasing diameter, any liquid such as sweat, urine, etc. which may possibly penetrate through the top layer can easily be removed by blowing for example air through the space between the resilient elements. Such a control or conditioning of the mattress is especially important for bedridden persons. Due to the presence of the open space between the resilient elements, a natural evacuation of the moisture penetrating in the mattress is also possible avoiding thereby fungal development.

In a preferred embodiment of the element according to the invention, said resilient elements are moulded foam elements.

In a first particular embodiment of the element according to the invention said resilient elements have a top and a bottom portion, the top and bottom portions of the resilient elements being laterally fixed to the top and bottom portions of adjoining resilient elements so as to form said top and bottom layers.

When fixing the resilient elements laterally together, moisture penetration openings can easily be provided between the different resilient elements. An important advantage of using such resilient elements is further that the rigidity of the mattress or cushion can be varied in two dimensions simply by using resilient elements of different rigidities.

In a second particular embodiment of the element according to the invention, said resilient elements are fixed to said top and bottom layers, in particular by gluing.

The material of these latter layers may in this way be chosen freely. Use can for example be made of moisture permeable so-called "rubber hair plates" or also of open-cell flexible foam plates without natural skin, obtained for example by cutting such plates out of block foam.

Further, in this second particular embodiment also, a two-dimensional variation of the rigidity is easy to achieve by using resilient elements of different rigidities.

Further particularities and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of some particular embodiments of the cushion, mattress or analogous element according to the invention and of the resilient elements used therein. This description is only given by way of illustrative example and is clearly not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The reference numerals relate to the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mattress according to the invention with partial cut away; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a

resilient element from the mattress of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the resilient element shown in Figure 2; Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevational view and a cross-section according to line V-V in figure 4 of a side element of the mattress according to Figure 1; and

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevational view and a cross-section according to line VII-VII in figure 6 of a corner element of the mattress according to Figure 1.

In the different figures, the same reference numerals relate to the same or to analogous elements.

The present invention relates to a cushion, a mattress or an analogous element which may have all kinds of different shapes such as for example a car seat etc.. The element according to the invention, for example the mattress shown in Figure 1, comprises a top layer 1, a bottom layer 2 and an intermediate layer 3 located between these latter two layers 1 and 2. The intermediate layer 3 is composed of distinct resilient elements 4 disposed next to one another and made of resilient foam material.

In the particular embodiment shown in Figure 1, the mattress is composed of central resilient elements 4 (Figure 2) , side elements 5 (Figures 4 and 5) and corner elements 6 (Figures 6 and 7) . In this particular embodiment, the elements 4, 5, 6 have a top 7 and a bottom portion 8 forming said top 1 and bottom layer 2. The elements 4, 5, 6 are hereto laterally fixed to one another both by their top and bottom portions 7, 8. As can be seen in the figures, the

elements 4, 5, 6 have a central portion between the top 7 and bottom portions 8. This central portion may have the shape of a solid of revolution, as for the elements 4, but other shapes are also possible as explained further hereinafter. In contrast to the central resilient elements 4, the central portion of the side elements 5 (Figures 4 and 5) and the corner elements (Figures 6 and 7) is not a solid of revolution. These elements 5 and 6 have respectively one or two flat lateral surfaces 9, 10 forming the closed lateral sides of the mattress. In this case, the central portions of the elements 5 and 6 extend up to respectively one or two of their lateral surfaces 9, 10.

The mutual connections between the top and bottom portions 7, 8 of the elements 4, 5, 6 can for example be achieved by mechanical links between eyelets anchored in the elements 4, 5, 6. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the resilient elements 4, 5, 6 are glued to the adjoining elements 4, 5, 6 preferably only over part of their circumference, so as to leave opening between the elements 4, 5, 6 at least in the top layer 1. In this way, moisture can penetrate through these openings into the open space in the intermediate layer 3. An essential feature of the invention is the shape of the resilient elements 4. These elements 4 have more particularly an overall diameter D decreasing from both of said top 1 and bottom layers 2 towards the respective opposite layer 2 and 1 of these two layers 1 and 2. It was found that in this way a saving of material could be achieved with a minimum loss of strength. Further, an open space is obtained between the different resilient elements 4, 5, 6 which is very important for the evacuation of moisture penetrating through the top layer 1 and therefore for

the prevention of fungal growth.

The evacuation of moisture may occur either naturally or by a forced blowing of air through the intermediate layer 3. In this latter case, the air may be cooled or heated to control the temperature of the mattress. In case of a car seat, such a seat can for example be preheated in this way. Further, disinfectants may be sprayed or otherwise distributed into the intermediate layer 3 to disinfect the mattress, especially in case of hospital beds.

As mentioned hereinabove, the elements 4, 5, 6 are made of a resilient foam material, preferably a high-resilient or cold-cure foam material, which may be cut out of a foam block but which are easier to be made by a moulding process. Use can be made of foam qualities which remain better their resiliency than metal springs. In some cases, it may however be appropriate to incorporate a metal or synthetic spring in the elements 4, 5, 6 so as to increase the hardness thereof. By using resilient elements 4, 5, 6 of different rigidities, the hardness of the mattress can easily be varied in two dimensions.

The resilient elements 4, 5, 6 can be made for example of polyurethane foam, latex, foam rubber etc.. In certain cases, for example in hospitals, use is preferably made of hydrofobic foam materials which do not absorb moisture. Alternatively, the elements 4, 5, 6 could be coated with a moisture impervious layer. Penetration of moisture through the top layer 1 into the open space in the intermediate layer 3 is possible through the openings between the different elements 4, 5, 6.

A second particular embodiment differs from the one described hereinabove by the fact that the top 1 and bottom layers 2 are formed by separate layers

1, 2 while the resilient elements 4, 5, 6 are fixed between these two layers 1, 2, in particular by gluing. This embodiment offers the important advantage that use can be made of different top and bottom layers. For the top layer 1, use is preferably made of a water permeable layer, for example of a so-called "rubber hair layer" or of a layer of open-cell flexible foam material. This foam material is preferably a hydrofobic material, such as certain foam rubbers, which is permeable for water but which does not absorb moisture.

The bottom layer 2, on the contrary, is preferably water impervious or coated with a water impervious layer so that moisture accumulated on this bottom layer 2 may be evacuated through the open space between the resilient elements 4, 5, 6.

The embodiment shown in figure 3 offers further the advantage of allowing the hardness of the mattress or analogous element to be adjusted two- dimensionally not only by using resilient elements 4, 5, 6 of different rigidities but also by varying the spacing between those resilient elements.

From the above description, it will be clear that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments but that many modifications can be applied thereto without leaving the scope of the annexed claims.

The shape of the resilient elements 4 does not necessarily have to be conical but could for example also be pyramidal. Further, all kinds of grooves, recesses or protrusions may possibly be provided on the central portion of these elements 4 as long as the overall diameter thereof decreases in a direction away from both extremities.