Background of the invention

The invention relates to a motorized bed, stiffening part for a motorized bed and method of forming a motorized bed.

Brief description of the invention

A motorized bed consists of a self-supporting frame structure, supported by which a pivoted slat bottom raised and lowered by a motor is fixed. On the slat bottom, a mattress is placed on top of which a mattress pad is placed. The mattress comprises at least one spring assembly. Advantageously a spring assembly is used, which consists of so-called module springing in which the springing may be selected/changed zone-by-zone along the length of the frame mattress bed. The frame of a frame mattress bed is provided with screw-on legs, for example. The motor or motors adjust the height or tilting position of the movable slat bottom through a mechanism.

The bed is equipped with an adjustable elastic bottom whose stiffness and consequently elasticity may advantageously be linearly adjusted according to the sleeper and the length of the frame mattress bed. The elastic bottom is advantageously formed of a slat bottom the elasticity of which may be adjusted.

At least one separate slat is used in connection with the actual bottom slat. The location of the connection points of the separate slat in relation to a second, so-called fixed slat, that is, the actual bottom slat, is adjustable and so the spring leaf type of elasticity of the set of slats may be adjusted. A slat therefore comprises a second slat in connection with it, the fastening position or connection position in relation to the actual bottom slat is adjustable. This adjustment takes place by means of a sleeve member, advantageously two sleeve members, which sleeve member may be freely moved along the length of the slats, the sleeve member thus determining the combined elasticity of the interconnected slats.

The slats are set to a suitable level of elasticity in relation to each other, and so a stiffer structure, for example, is accomplished at a particular location along the length of the frame mattress bed.

It is an aim of this application aims to further improve sleep comfort. For elasticity adjustment, the application discloses, in addition to the sleeve members, a covering, that is, a strip or stiffening part to be locked to the slats, which at the same time locks the slats within its scope to each other and further stiffens the structure and slat bottom for their part and at their location.

It is suggested that a plastic band, felt, fabric or cotton wool be used as the strip or stiffening part, comprising on its surface an adhesive glue coating. The other side of the strip advantageously also comprises a layer of adhesive glue. The strip is pressed against a plurality of slats. In such a case, it locks the slats to each other and stiffens the spot in question in the area of the slats in question. The sleeves may be located under the strip. If there is a layer of glue on both sides of the strip, one layer of glue attaches the mattress to a desired position in relation to the slats, and the second one keeps the mattress in place.

The strip may be also be fixed to the slats mechanically, advantageously by rivets or screws. The strip is advantageously of a nonwoven fabric, fabric, plastic, or cotton wool, with the thickness advantageously in the region from 1 mm to 40 mm.

The shape of the strip is chosen on the basis of a sleeper's pressure profile on the surface of the mattress, so according to a surface pressure chart. The pressure profile is acquired by measuring it on a measuring mattress. The greatest stiffness is placed in the spots where the lowest surface pressure from a person's body falls on the surface of the mattress. The strip is advantageously an inelastic and flexible structural part. When the strip is inelastic, it stiffens the slat bottom at the spots where it detachably connects to the slats. When the strip is flexible, it may be fastened between different slat bottom portions in the slat bottom, where the direction of the slat changes.

The motorized bed, stiffener, and method according to the invention are characterised by what is disclosed in the independent claims.

Brief description of the figures

In the following, the invention will be described with reference to preferred embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings without, however, exclusively restricting it to them.

Figure 1A shows a motorized bed and mattress in a raised position of the slat bottom.

Figure IB shows a motorized bed with a mattress removed from the top of the slat bottom.

Figure 1C illustrates a raising mechanism of the slat bottom. Figure ID shows a motorized bed from an end. Figure IE shows a slat bottom of a motorized bed, which comprises an adjustable springing.

Figure IF shows a cross-section I-I of Figure ID.

Figure 2A shows a fastening arrangement of two slats to an inner side surface of the body or the frame of the bed. The view is from below the sets of slats.

Figure 2B shows a slat solution, where the mutual support of the slats to each other may be adjusted by moving the sleeve members. The view is also from below, as in 2A.

Figure 2C is a principled view of two slats and the sleeve member. Figure 3 shows the solution according to the invention in which a detachable strip which locks and stiffens the slats has been placed in connection with the slats.

Figure 4A shows the strip separately.

Figure 4B shows an embodiment where the strip comprises a layer of adhesive glue on both of its surfaces.

Figure 5 shows an embodiment where the strip is fastened to the slats with rivets or screws.

Figure 6A illustrates a strip shaped according to a sleeper's pressure chart.

Figure 6B shows an embodiment of shaping the strip, where the strip has been shaped according to the pressure chart of a specific sleeper, with the sleeper's spine straight when he is sleeping.

Figure 6C shows an embodiment of the shaping of the strip.

Detailed description of the invention Figures 1A and IB show a motorized bed 10 axonometrically. It comprises a body, that is, a frame 12 and on top of which a mattress 11 of the frame, the height and tilting of which are adjustable by means of a motor or motors Ml and M2 and a mechanism 100 by adjusting the position of the slat bottom 13 with the motor Ml and M2, advantageously with an electric motor. On top of the mat- tress 11 there is a mattress pad P.

Figures 1A and IB show an adjustment position of the position adjustment of the slat bottom.

Figure IB show a stiffening strip 21 according to the invention on the slat bottom.

Figure 1C illustrates a moving mechanism 100 of the slat bottom. The motor Ml rotates an axle 81, and the motor M2 axle 82, which turn support arms 91 and 92 or the moving mechanism 100. The support arm 91 connects to bottom portions 130a and 130bn of the slat bottom 13. The support arm 92 connects to a bottom portion 130d and bottom portion 130e. The bottom por- tions 130a and 130b are pivoted to each other. The bottom portion 130d is pivoted to the bottom portion 130c and 130e. The bottom portion 130b is pivoted to the frame 12. The bottom portion 130c is a non-moving portion and fixed to the frame 12. The support arms may be independently moved separately with the motors Ml and M2, which are advantageously electric motors.

The moving mechanism 100 is supported to the lower part of the frame

12 of the motorized bed 10 with tubular support arms Tl and T2.

Figure ID is an end view of the motorized bed 10.

Figure IE shows the frame 12 and slat bottom 13 of the motorized bed. The sleeves for adjusting stiffness are placed in an exemplary manner, only, at dif- ferent positions along the length of a slat. The strip 21 according to the invention is placed on top of the slats.

Figure IF shows a cross-section I-I of Figure ID. The motor M adjusts the height position and tilting of the slat bottom 13 through the mechanism 100.

The motorized bed 10 comprises a mattress 11, a self-supporting body of the motorized bed, which is a frame-like part comprising side frame parts 12al, 12a2, 12a3, 12a4 and a slat bottom 13 consisting of slats 13al, 13a2...13bl, 13b2... shown in Figure IB. The legs 01, 02, 03 and 04 connect to the frame 12 and may be detachably screwed on it.

The motorized bed 10 comprises in the mattress 11 a spring assembly 15 formed with modular springs 15al, 15a2... placed in a bag 16 and selectable zone-by-zone according to the weight/build of a sleeper. The replaceable spring assembly 15 is located within the foam plastic wall structure 17 of the mattress 11. The tick 18 surrounds the frame 15, spring assembly 17, and the foam plastic parts 17 all over. The spring assembly 15 is advantageously a structure which consists of springs 15al, 15a2... in the bags 16 and which may be chosen zone-by-zone to suit the sleeper's build. Below the spring assembly is the slat bottom 13 the elasticity of which may be adjusted. Below the slat bottom 13 there is a free space D.

Figure 2A shows the fastening of the bottom part slats 13al, 13a2... of the frame mattress bed by a fastening structure 20, a so-called plastic sleeve part, to the inner surface 12' of the frame structure of the side frames 12al, 12a3 of the frame 12. The view is from below towards the slat bottom 13. The bottom 13 consists of slats 13al, 13a2..; 13bl, 13b2...

Figures 2B and 2C show a second slat 13bn on the surface of the slat 13an, and the sleeve part/sleeve parts 14 surrounding them. The sleeve part 14 forming the adjustment mechanism may be freely slid as shown by arrows SI to the desired position along the length of the slats 13an, 13bn, whereby the desired elasticity is achieved. The figure represents an example. When the sleeves 14 are on the side of the slat, in relation to its length, the stiffest bundle of slats 13an, 13bn is obtained. When the sleeves 14 are moved towards the centre, there will be more elasticity for the bundle of slats 13an, 13bn. There are advantageously two or more sleeve parts 14 used for fixing the slat 13bn to the slat 13an. There may be a sleeve part 14 and slat 13bn in connection with all the slats 13an or just some of them. This way, different variations are achieved for linearly adjusting the stiffness for the set of slats 13al, 13bl, 13a2, 13b2, 13a3, 13b3... 13an, 13bn. The slats 13al, 13a2...; 13bl, 13b2... are advantageously of plywood. The sleeve part 14 advantageously comprises a locking tongue 14', which by its own spring force connects the sleeve 14 to a particular position along the length of the slats 13an, 13bn (arrows SI). The sleeve 14 may also be around the slats by a press-on fit, in which case the tongue 14' is not needed. The position of the sleeves 14 determines the combined spring factor, or elasticity, of the bundle of slats. The legs may be detachably attached to the frame 12.

Figures 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6A, 6B, 6C show the inventive solution to further stiffen a slat bottom.

Figure 3 shows a strip 21, that is, the stiffening part, fixed to a slat bot- torn of a frame mattress bed In Figure 4A, the strip 21 is shown separately. The strip 21 is advantageously of felt, plastic, fabric, nonwoven fabric, or cotton wool, or a combination thereof. The basic material of the strip is inelastic. Its thickness d is advantageously in the region from 1 mm to 40 mm. The basic material layer of the strip 21 is denoted by 21a, and the layer of glue on the strip is denoted by 21b. Advantageously the glue is adhesive glue. The layer 21 is pressed onto the surfaces of the slats. This way, the strip 21 locks the slats to each other and stiffens the slat bottom 13 at the spot in question.

In the embodiment disclosed in this context, the bottom slats 13al, 13a2, 13a3,...in the structure are at the top side, and separate second slats 13bl, 13b2, 13b3 attached to them are on the bottom side, and the strip 21 is on the top side of the bottom slats 13al, 13a2, 13a3,... and locks the desired adjacent bottom slats 13al, 13a2, 13a3,... to each other. An embodiment is also possible where the strip 21 is on the bottom side of separate second slats 13bl, 13b2, 13b3,... and thereby locks the desired adjacent separate slats 13bl, 13b2, 13b3,... to each other. Likewise, such embodiments are possible where the bottom slats 13al, 13a2, 13a3,...in the slat structure are on the bottom side, and separate second slats 13b 1, 13b2, 13b3, ... attached to them are at the top side. The strip 21 may therefore by either on the top side of the separate slats 13bl, 13b2, 13b3,... or on the bottom side of the bottom slats 13al, 13a2, 13a3,...

In the embodiment 4B the strip comprises a layer of adhesive glue 21c on its second surface, too. In such a case, the surface layer in question fixes the mattress in the desired position in relation to the slats and keeps the mattress there. The layer 21b placed against the surface of the slats fixes the strip 21 to the slats, and the second top layer 21c fixes the mattress to the strip 21, whereby the mattress stays in the desired position in relation to the slats, as explained.

The adhesive glue substance is such that the locking may be released and then the locking may again be re-applied. In connection with adhesive glue, it is advantageous to use felt as the basic layer, because glue absorbs well into felt and feeds adhesive glue as surface layers for the entire time the strip is in use.

Felt feeds glue well onto the surface of the basic layer. The strip 21 may thus be removed and re-attached to the slats in the desired position. The strip 21 is cut into form in accordance with the sleeper's surface pressure profile. By means of the strip 21, surface pressures and surface pressure chart are evened out, and an even surface pressure distribution is achieved all over the sleeper's area. Therefore the strip 21 is inelastic and flexible. A straight position of the spine of the sleeper is achieved.

Figures 4A and 4B present embodiments where the strip 21, as regards its basic material and basic material layer 21a, is of inelastic material and structure, such as nonwoven fabric, cotton wool, fabrics, plastic, or felt. The advantage of felt is that absorbs glue well, advantageously adhesive glue. The strip 21 is advanta- geously attached to the slats with adhesive glue. The strip 21 in the embodiment of Figure 4B comprises layers of adhesive glue 21b and 21c on both its surfaces. In such a case, they are the top layers. An embodiment of Figure 5 is also possible, where the strip 21 is fixed to the slats with rivets 22 or screws 23. The thickness d of the strip 21 in all the embodiments is advantageously in the region from 1 mm to 40 mm. Figure 6A illustrates the shaping of the strip 21. The strip 21 is cut according to the measured surface pressure chart of each individual sleeper, measured with a measuring mattress. The strip 21 fixes slats to each other in particular at those spots where the sleeper's surface pressure on the mattress is at its mini- mum. The shape of the strip 21 is cut to have the surface pressure profile of the sleeper's surface pressure chart as even as possible and the sleeper's spine straight. The shape of the strip 21 is in the exemplary shaping of Figure 6A pointy and oval- shaped.

In Figure 6B, the shape of the strip 21 is pointy at both ends and circu- larly curved in the middle. Figure 6C shows a mushroom-like shape. The shape of the strip 21 is chosen sleeper-specifically according to the surface pressure chart. The accompanying shapes are presented by way of example.

A person skilled in the art will find it obvious that, as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the above-described examples but may vary within the scope of the claims.