TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a mattress cover and, more particularly, to a mattress cover having panels that can be removed from a lower portion of the mattress cover to allow a mattress, or portions thereof, surrounded by the mattress cover to be easily accessed.

BACKGROUND

[0002] To protect a mattress and prevent it from becoming stained, torn, or otherwise damaged, mattresses are often surrounded by a mattress cover that completely covers the top, sides, and the bottom of the mattress. In most mattress covers, a zipper or other similar fastener is used to enclose the mattress cover on a single side or around a bottom portion of the mattress. Such mattress covers are more than sufficient for traditional mattresses, where the mattress cover can be placed over the mattress and there is seldom, if ever, a need to remove the mattress cover from the mattress. However, in customizable mattresses, such as those that make use of internal air bladders, the use of a typical mattress cover is not ideal as the location of the zipper on a single side of the mattress cover or around a bottom portion of the mattress cover prevents the mattress cover from being easily removed, and thereby limits access to such a mattress.

SUMMARY

[0003] The present invention is a mattress cover having panels that can be removed from a lower portion of the mattress cover to allow a mattress, or portions thereof, surrounded by the mattress cover to be easily accessed.

[0004] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mattress cover is provided that includes a lower portion having a bottom panel and a border that together define a well capable of receiving a mattress or a portion thereof. The mattress cover further includes a first

1 panel that is positioned over the lower portion and is configured to cover the well. A first fastener connects the perimeter of the first panel to an upper rim of the border of the lower portion. The mattress cover also includes a second panel that is positioned over the First panel, as well as a second fastener that connects the perimeter of the second panel to the upper rim of the border of the mattress cover,

[0005] The first fastener and the second fastener are generally zippers that extend around the upper rim of the border of the mattress cover and allow the first panel and the second pane l of the mattress cover to easily removed. Additionally, the first fastener and the second fastener are generally positioned on the mattress cover such that, upon connecting the first panel and the second panel to the upper rim of the border of the mattress cover, the second fastener is positioned below the first fastener and the second panel thus covers both the first panel and first fastener. To conceal the second fastener upon connecting the second panel to the upper rim of the lower portion, the second panel further includes piping that extends around the perimeter of the second panel and that, upon connecting the second panel to the upper rim, extends downwardly and conceals the second fastener.

[0006] Further provided, in some exemplary embodiments of the present invention, are mattress assemblies incorporating the mattress covers described herein. In some embodiments, an exemplary mattress assembly is comprised of: a mattress having a body supporting portion and a base portion; and a mattress cover that includes a lower portion having a bottom panel and a border with an upper rim, a first panel configured to cover the base portion and the well, a first fastener that connects the perimeter of the first panel to the upper rim, a second panel that is positioned over and configured to cover the body supporting portion, and a second fastener that connects the perimeter of the second panel to the upper rim. In the mattress assembly, the bottom panel and the border of the lower portion together define a well for receiving the base portion of the mattress, with the border having an upper rim that is positioned adjacent to the upper edge of the base portion of the mattress.

2 [0007] By positioning the upper rim of the border adjacent to the upper edge of the base portion, the mattress cover is positioned to allow the various parts of the mattress to be accessed upon removing the first panel and second panel. For example, in certain embodiments, the first panel is interposed between the body supporting portion and the base portion, such that the base portion of the mattress that is housed in the lower portion of the mattress cover can be readily accessed by initially removing the second panel and then subsequently removing the body supporting portion and the second panel. In other embodiments, the first panel can be positioned over both the body supporting portion and the base portion, such that the second panel and the first panel are initially removed and then the body supporting portion is removed to access the base portion of the mattress housed in the lower portion of the mattress cover.

[0008] Regardless of the arrangement of the first and second layers relative to the base portion and body supporting portion of the mattress, the base portion of the mattress is generally a support layer providing a relatively stiff substrate upon which the body supporting portion lies, while still having a degree of deformability to provide comfort to a user resting on the mattress. In certain embodiments, the base portion is comprised of a bottom layer and side walls that define a cavity for housing one or more air bladders positioned below the body supporting portion of the mattress as well as below the first and second panels of the mattress cover. By including the air bladders in the mattress assembly below the body supporting portion, the first panel, and the second panel, the air bladders can be easily accessed by simply disconnecting the first and second panels from the lower portion of the mattress cover and then removing or peeling back the first and second panels along with the body supporting portion.

[0009] With further respect to the base portion and body supporting portion of the mattress assembly, the base portion and the body supporting portion are generally comprised of a flexible foam. The flexible foam comprising the body supporting portion is typically of a sufficient density and hardness for supporting the air bladders and the body supporting portion

3 of the mattress assembly. The flexible foam comprising the body supporting portion, on the other hand, typically has a density less than that of the frame and is suitable for distributing pressure from a user's body, or a portion thereof, across the body supporting portion.

Preferably, the flexible foam comprising the body supporting portion is a visco-elastic foam that has a desired density and hardness, and allows pressure to be absorbed uniformly and distributed evenly across the body supporting portion of the mattress assembly. In this regard, in some embodiments, the body supporting portion can further include a comfort layer as an upper layer of the body supporting portion that provides an additional level of comfort to a user, or a portion thereof, that is resting on the mattress assembly. Such a comfort layer is also preferably comprised of a visco-elastic foam. However, the comfort layer typically has a density, hardness, or both that is less than that of the body supporting portion of the mattress, and thus provides a softer surface on which to rest the body of the user or a portion thereof.

[0010] To provide an additional level of protection to the foam comprising the body supporting portion and base portion of the mattress, above that provided by surrounding the mattress in the mattress cover itself, the mattress cover also preferably incorporates one or more flame retardant materials into either the first panel, the second panel, or both. For instance, in embodiments of an exemplary mattress assembly that include a first panel interposed between the body supporting portion and the base portion, the first panel and the lower portion of the mattress cover are typically comprised of a flame retardant material, such that a flame retardant barrier surrounds the base portion of the mattress. In these embodiments, the lower portion of the mattress cover also includes a flap that is comprised of a flame retardant material and that extends from the upper rim of the lower portion to cover and provide protection to the upper edge of the base portion, which may otherwise be susceptible to flames through the first fastener or second fastener of the mattress cover. Furthermore, in such embodiments, a flame retardant cover is used to surround the body supporting portion and provide an additional level of protection to that portion of the mattress cover as well.

4 [0011] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after a study of the description, figures, and non-limiting examples in this document.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary mattress cover made in accordance with the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a side view of the exemplary mattress cover of FIG. 1, but showing the mattress cover partially-assembled;

[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary mattress assembly incorporating an exemplary mattress cover made in accordance with the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the exemplary mattress assembly of FIG. 3, but showing the mattress assembly partially-assembled with a portion of the mattress assembly removed;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a side view of the exemplary mattress assembly of FIG. 3, but showing the mattress assembly fully-assembled;

[0017] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of another exemplary mattress assembly incorporating an exemplary mattress cover made in accordance with the present invention; and

[0018] FIG. 7 is another perspective view of the exemplary mattress assembly of FIG. 6, but showing the mattress assembly partially-assembled with a portion of the mattress assembly removed.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The present invention is a mattress cover having panels that can be removed from a lower portion of the mattress cover to allow a mattress, or portions thereof, surrounded by the mattress cover to be easily accessed.

5 [0020] Referring first to FIGS. 1-2, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mattress cover 10 is provided that includes a lower portion 20 having a bottom panel 22 and a border 24 having an upper rim 25. The border 24 extends from the bottom panel 22 and has a height such that, together with the bottom panel 22, the border 24 defines a well 26 that is capable of receiving a mattress or a portion thereof, as described in further detail below. The mattress cover 10 further includes a first panel 30 having a perimeter 32 and a second panel 50 having a perimeter 52. The first panel 30 is positioned over the lower portion 20 and is dimensionally-sized and configured to cover the well 26, while the second panel 50 is positioned over the first panel 30 and is dimensionally-sized and configured to cover the first panel 30.

[0021] The mattress cover 10 further includes a first fastener in the form of a first zipper 40 and a second fastener in the form of a second zipper 60 that, respectively, connect the first panel 30 and the second panel 0 to the upper rim 25 of the border 24 of the lower portion 20.

The first zipper 40 and the second zipper 60 extend around the upper rim 25 of the border 24 of the lower portion 20 as well as around the perimeter 32 of the first panel 30 and the perimeter

52 of the second panel 50, and thus allow the first panel 30 and the second panel 50 to be easily removed from the lower portion 20. Additionally, the first zipper 40 and the second zipper 60 are positioned on the mattress cover 10 such that, upon connecting the first panel 30 and the second panel 50 to the upper rim 25 of the border 24 of the lower portion 20, the second zipper

60 is positioned below the first zipper 40, and the second panel 50 thus covers both the first panel 30 and first zipper 40 to create a more uniform appearance for the mattress cover 10, as best shown in FIG. 2. Of course, numerous other arrangements for the zippers 40, 60 can also be readily selected for a particular mattress cover or application as desired, including arrangements where the first zipper 40 is positioned above the second zipper 60. Similarly, numerous other fasteners, including snaps, hook and loop fasteners, and the like that allow the first panel 30 and the second panel 50 of the mattress cover 10 to be easily attached to and

6 removed from the lower portion 20 can also be incorporated into an exemplary mattress cover without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.

[0022] Referring still to FIGS. 1-2, the second panel 50 further includes piping 62 comprised of a fabric strip and that extends around the perimeter 52 of the second panel 50. The piping 62 assists in defining the perimeter 52 of the second panel 50 and allows a user to readily identify the location of the perimeter 52 of the second panel 50 and, consequently, the second zipper 60. Furthermore, upon connecting the second panel 50 to the upper rim 25 with the second zipper 60, the piping 62 extends downwardly toward the lower portion 20 of the mattress cover 10 and conceals the second zipper 60 to provide a finished appearance to the mattress cover 10.

[0023] Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, in another embodiment of the present invention, a mattress assembly 100 is provided that includes another exemplary mattress cover 110. The mattress assembly 100 also includes a mattress 170 having a body supporting portion 1 0 and a base portion 180. The base portion 180 is positioned below the body supporting portion 190 and includes an upper edge 183. The base portion 180 further includes a bottom layer 182 and side walls 184 that define a cavity 186, which houses an air bladder 188. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3-5, the air bladder 188 is divided into three discrete compartments 180a,

180b, 180c, such that the positioning of the discrete compartments 180a, 180b, 180c corresponds to certain areas of the body supporting portion 190. However, it is appreciated that air bladders having a single unitary construction can also be housed within the cavity 186.

Additionally, although the mattress covers of the present invention are particularly suited for covering mattresses having internal customizable features, such as air bladders that may need to be serviced or removed as described in further detail below, it is appreciated that the base portion of an exemplary mattress assembly need not include cavities or air bladders at all, but can be comprised of a single, solid form (e.g., a single foam slab) without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.

7 [0024] Turning now to the mattress cover 110 included in the mattress assembly 100, the mattress cover 110 includes a lower portion 120 having a bottom panel 122 and a border 124 with an upper rim 125. Similar to the mattress cover shown in FIGS. 1-2, the bottom panel 122 and the border 124 of the lower portion 120 together define a well 126 for receiving the base portion 180 of the mattress 170, with the border 124 having an upper rim 125. The mattress cover 110 further includes a first panel 130 having a perimeter 132 and dimensionally-sized and configured to cover the base portion 180 and the well 126, and a second panel 150 having a perimeter 152 and positioned over and configured to cover the first panel 130. The mattress cover 110 also includes a first zipper 140 that connects the perimeter 132 of the first panel 130 to the upper rim 125 of the lower portion 120, and a second zipper 160 that connects the perimeter 152 of the second panel 1 0 to the upper rim 125 of the lower portion 120.

[0025] Also like to the mattress cover 10 in FIGS. 1-2, the first zipper 140 and the second zipper 160 are positioned on the mattress cover 110 such that, upon connecting the first panel 130 and the second panel 150 to the upper rim 125 of the border 124, the second zipper 160 is positioned below the first zipper 140, and the second panel 150 covers both the first panel 130 and first zipper 140. The second panel 150 also similarly includes piping 162 that extends around the perimeter 152 of the second panel 150, and conceals the second zipper 160 upon connecting the second panel 1 0 to the lower portion 120.

[0026] As not readily apparent from FIGS. 1-2, however, and referring still to FIGS. 3-5, the border 124 of the mattress cover 110 has a height that is substantially equal to that of the base portion 180 of the mattress 170, which allows the upper rim 125 of the mattress cover 110 to be positioned adjacent to the upper edge 183 of the base portion 180 of the mattress 170.

Additionally, in the mattress assembly 100, the second panel 150 is dimensionally-sized such that it is configured to be positioned over and cover the body supporting portion 190 of the mattress 170, and the first panel 130 is interposed between the body supporting portion 190 and the base portion 180. In this regard, by positioning the upper rim 125 of the border 124

8 adjacent to the upper edge 183 of the base portion 180^ the second panel 150 over the body supporting portion 190, and the first panel 130 between the body supporting portion 190 and the base portion 180 and over the well 126, the mattress cover 110 allows the various parts of the mattress 170 to be easily accessed upon removing the first panel 130 and second panel 150.

More specifically, by positioning the first panel 130 and the second panel 150 in such a manner, the body supporting portion 190 can be readily accessed by unzipping the second zipper 160 from the lower portion 120 and peeling back or otherwise removing the second panel 150, and can be accessed in a manner that does not require removing the first panel 130 or disturbing the base portion 180 housed in the lower portion 120 of the mattress cover 110.

Moreover, by positioning the first panel 130 and the second panel 150 in such a manner, the base portion 180 and the air bladder 188 housed within the base portion can readily be accessed by unzipping the second zipper 160 from the lower portion 120, removing or peeling back the second panel 150, removing or peeling back the body supporting portion 190, and then unzipping the first zipper 140 from the lower portion 120 to remove or peel back the first panel

130 from over the base portion 180.

[0027] Turning now to FIGS. 6-7, in another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a mattress assembly 200 is provided that includes a mattress 270 and a mattress cover 210. Similar to the mattress 170 of the mattress assembly 100 shown in FIGS. 3-5, the mattress 270 includes a body supporting portion 290 and a base portion 280, with the base portion 280 positioned below the body supporting portion 290 and including an upper edge 283 as well as a bottom layer 282 and side walls 284 defining a cavity 286 for housing an air bladder 288. Likewise, the mattress cover 210 includes a lower portion 220 having a bottom surface 222 and a border 224 defining a well 226 for receiving the base portion 280, with the border 224 having an upper rim 225 positioned adjacent to the upper edge 273 of the base portion 280 of the mattress 270. The mattress cover 210 also includes: a first panel 230 that has a perimeter 232 and is configured to cover the well 226; a first zipper 240 for connecting

9 the perimeter 232 of the first panel 230 to the upper rim 225; a second panel 250 having a perimeter 252 with piping 262 extending around the perimeter 252; and a second zipper 260 for connecting the perimeter 252 of the second panel 250 to the upper rim 225.

[0028] Unlike the mattress assembly 100, however, in the mattress assembly 200 shown in FIGS- 6-7, the first panel 230 is not interposed between the body supporting portion 290 and the base portion 280. Rather, in the mattress assembly 200, the first panel 230 is positioned over the body supporting portion 290, such that, when the first zipper 240 is connected to the upper rim 225 of the lower portion 220, the first panel 230 and the lower portion 220 of the mattress cover completely surround both the body supporting portion 290 and the base portion 280 of the mattress 270. The second panel 250 is then positioned over the first panel 230 and, upon using the second zipper 260 to connect the perimeter 252 of the second panel 250 to the upper rim 225, covers the first panel 230 to provide the mattress assembly 200 with a uniform appearance. In this regard, by positioning the first panel 230 and the second panel 250 in such a manner, not only can the second panel 250 be removed from the mattress assembly 210 (e.g., such as for cleaning purposes) without exposing any portion of the mattress 270, but the second panel 250 and the first panel 230 can still be easily removed or peeled back to access the body supporting portion 290, the base portion 280 (including the air bladder 288), or both.

[0029] Regardless of the particular arrangement of the panels in the mattress assemblies

100, 200 of the present invention, and referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, the body supporting portions 190, 290 and the base portions 180, 280 of the exemplary mattresses 170, 270 are generally comprised of a flexible foam. The flexible foam comprising the base portions 180,

280 is of a sufficient density and hardness for supporting the air bladders 188, 288 as well as the body supporting portions 190, 290 of the mattresses 170, 270. The flexible foam comprising the body supporting portion 190, 290 of the mattresses 170, 270, on the other hand, typically has a density less than that of the base portion 180, 280 and is suitable for distributing pressure from a user's body, or portion thereof, across the body supporting portion 190, 290.

10 Such flexible foams include, but are not limited to, latex foam, reticulated or non-reticulated visco-elastic foam (sometimes referred to as memory foam or low-resilience foam), reticulated or non-reticulated non-visco-elastic foam, polyurethane high-resilierice foam, expanded polymer foams (e.g., expanded ethylene vinyl acetate, polypropylene, polystyrene, or polyethylene), and the like. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the body supporting portions 190, 290 are comprised of a visco-elastic foam that has a low resilience as well as a sufficient density and hardness, which allows pressure to be absorbed uniformly and distributed evenly across the body supporting portions 190, 290 of the mattresses 170, 270. Generally, such visco-elastic foams have a hardness of at least about 10 N to no greater than about 80 N, as measured by exerting pressure from a plate against a sample of the material to a compression of at least 40% of an original thickness of the material at approximately room temperature (i.e., 21°C to 23°C), where the 40% compression is held for a set period of time as established by the International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 2439 hardness measuring standard. In some embodiments, the visco-elastic foam included in the body supporting portions 190, 290 has a hardness of about 10 N, about 20 N, about 30 N, about 40 N, about 50 N, about 60 N, about 70 N, or about 80 N to provide a desired degree of comfort and body-conforming qualities.

[0030] The visco-elastic foam described herein for use in the mattresses 170, 270 can also have a density that assists in providing a desired degree of comfort and body-conforming qualities, as well as an increased degree of material durability. In some embodiments, the density of the visco-elastic foam used in the body supporting portions 190, 290 has a density of no less than about 30 kg/m ³ to no greater than about 150 kg m ³ . In some embodiments, the density of the visco-elastic foam used in the body supporting portions 190, 290 of the mattresses 170, 270 is about 30 kg/m ³ , about 40 kg/m ³ , about 50 kg/m ³ , about 60 kg/m ³ , about

70 kg m ³ , about 80 kg/m ³ , about 90 kg/m ³ , about 100 kg/m ³ , about 110 kg m ³ , about 120 kg/m ³ , about 130 kg/m ³ , about 140 kg/m ³ , or about 150 kg/m ³ . Of course, the selection of a

11 visco-elastic foam having a particular density will affect other characteristics of the foam, including its hardness, the manner in which the foam responds to pressure, and the overall feel of the foam, but it is appreciated that a visco-elastic foam having a desired density and hardness can readily be selected for a particular application or mattress assembly as desired.

[0031] Referring still to FIGS. 3 and 6, the body supporting portions 190, 290 of the mattresses 170, 270 further include a comfort portion or layer 192, 292 that form the top of body supporting portions 190, 290 and provide a level of comfort to a body of a user or a portion of thereof that is resting on the mattresses 170, 270. The comfort layers 192 , 292 can also be comprised of a visco-elastic foam. However, the comfort layers 192, 292 typically have a density, hardness, or both that is less than that of the body supporting portions 190, 290 of the mattresses 170, 270, such that the comfort layers 192, 292 provide a softer surface on which to rest the body of a user or a portion thereof, while also providing a further soft barrier between the body of a user and the air bladders 188, 288 of the mattress assemblies 100, 200. For example, in certain embodiments, the mattresses 170, 270 include body supporting portions 190, 290 that are comprised of visco-elastic foam with a density of about 80 kg/m ³ and a hardness of about 13 N, while the comfort layers 192, 292 are comprised of a visco-elastic foam with a density of about 35 kg/m ³ and a hardness of about 10 N.

[0032] With further regard to the body supporting portions of the mattress assemblies of the present invention, as indicated above, the body supporting portions are generally comprised of one or more layers of visco-elastic foam having a density and hardness suitable for distributing pressure from a user's body, or portion thereof. However, it is additionally contemplated that an exemplary body supporting portion can be further comprised of one or more different or additional layers having various densities and hardnesses. For instance, it is contemplated that a layer of high-resilience polyurethane foam can be secured to a lower surface of a layer of low-resilience visco-elastic foam used in a body supporting portion. Such multi-layered body supporting portions are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos.

12 7,469,437; 7,507,468; 8,025,964; and 8,034,445, as well as in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0252562, each of which is incorporated herein by this reference.

[0033] With respect to the mattress covers of the present invention, and referring now to FIGS. 3-7, the mattress covers 110, 210 are typically comprised of a sufficiently soft and durable material that provides a suitable surface on which a user, or portion thereof, may rest, but yet also helps to prevent damage to the mattresses 170, 270. To provide an additional level of protection to the foam comprising the body supporting portions 190, 290 and base portions 180, 280 of the mattresses 170, 270, above that provided by simply surrounding the mattresses 170, 270 with the mattress covers 110, 210 _s the mattress covers 110, 210 preferably incorporate one or more flame retardant materials into either the lower portions 120, 220, the first panels 130, 230, the second panels 150, 250, or combinations thereof. For instance, in the mattress assembly 100, where the first panel 130 is interposed between the body supporting portion 190 and the base portion 180, the first panel 130 and the lower portion 120 of the mattress cover 110 are typically comprised of a flame retardant material, such that a flame retardant barrier surrounds the base portion 180 of the mattress 170. In this regard, the lower portion 120 of the mattress cover 110 also includes a flap 128 that is comprised of a flame retardant material and extends from the upper rim 125 of the lower portion 120 to cover and provide protection to the upper edge 183 of the base portion 180, which may otherwise be susceptible to flames through the first zipper 140 or second zipper 160 of the mattress cover 110. Furthermore, in the mattress cover 110, a flame retardant cover 191 is used to surround the body supporting portion 190 and provide an additional level of protection to that portion of the mattress 170 as well.

[0034] Throughout this document, various references are mentioned. All such references are incorporated herein by reference.

[0035] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments or implementations are possible without departing from the teachings of the present invention or the scope of the claims which follow. This detailed description, and particularly the specific

13 details of the exemplary embodiments and implementations disclosed herein, is given primarily for clarity of understanding, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention.

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