COMBINED RESTING STRUCTURE

Abstract

A combined and/or composite resting structure comprising a mattress suitable to be normally disposed on a net anchored to a support structure to define a bed on which a person sleeps or rests and at least one mattress cover coupled on top of the mattress through a connector. In particular, the mattress cover comprises at least two padded linen items, facing and opposite each other and mutually connected through a main junction in such a way as to define between the linen items at least one hygroscopic interstitial air chamber which identifies a free volume and is suitable for imparting breathability and thermoregulation to the combined resting structure.

Claims

1. Combined resting structure comprising: a mattress suitable to be normally disposed on a net anchored to a support structure to define a bed on which a person sleeps or rests; at least one mattress cover coupled on top of said mattress through a connection, wherein said mattress cover comprises at least two padded linen items, facing and opposite each other and mutually connected through a main junction in such a way as to define between said linen items at least one hygroscopic interstitial air chamber suitable for imparting breathability and thermoregulation to said combined resting structure.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein each of said linen items is quilted according to a scheme with modular squares or sectors and internally comprises a plurality of inner spacer tabs which are stably connected with said linen items and separate each other said quilting squares of each of said linen items.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said spacer tabs of at least one of said linen items presents one or more through holes which place in mutual communication at least two of said quilting squares adjacent each other and belonging to one of said linen items, in such a way that the air circulation inside at least one of said linen items and/or said interstitial air chamber is maximized or optimized.

4. The structure according to claim 3, wherein of said through holes has a circular profile with a diameter of value in the range of 2-5 cm.

5. The structure according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said spacer tabs includes a movable and flexible portion, arranged in correspondence of at least one of said through holes to partly close it in such a manner as to allow said circulation of said air between said quilting squares and prevent accidental and uncontrolled migration of the padding from one to another of said quilting squares.

6. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said connection comprise a zip coupled with said mattress and removably with said mattress cover to be joined together and suitable to be arranged by a user between a closed position, in which said mattress cover is firmly coupled and completely spread above said mattress, and an opening position in which said mattress cover is at least partly decoupled from said mattress and the intermediate space defined between said mattress cover and said mattress is accessible to said user.

7. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said connection are arranged in proximity of said main junction are partly fixed to said mattress cover through an auxiliary junction.

8. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said mattress cover has a height of value in the range of 5-8 cm while said mattress has a height of value in the range of 15-20 cm.

9. The structure according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a transpiring laminar reinforcement support, interposed between said mattress cover and said mattress, facing the upper surface of said mattress and permanently coupled with the lower surface of said mattress cover through an auxiliary junction.

10. The structure according to claim 9, wherein said transpiring laminar support comprises a three-dimensional wide-mesh net, with a honeycomb-like appearance, made of a synthetic technical fabric and suitable to accentuate the breathability feature of said mattress cover.

11. The structure according to claim 9, wherein said transpiring laminar support has greater dimensions in plan than those ones of said mattress cover from which it projects laterally for a perimetric portion with which said connection are firmly coupled through said auxiliary junction.

12. The structure according to claim 11), wherein said auxiliary junction comprise: a perimetrical band made of fabric and enveloping a side edge of said transpiring laminar support so as to substantially cover said perimetric portion of said transpiring laminar support; at least one perimetric seam section which makes said perimetrical band integral with said transpiring laminar element, said mattress cover and said connection.

13. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said main junction is applied to the side flaps of each of said padded linen items.

14. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said main junction comprise at least one perimetric seam section.

15. The structure according to claim 1, wherein said main junction comprises: a perimetrical tape provided with a first face facing outwardly and with a second face facing said hygroscopic interstitial air chamber; at least two perimeter seam sections, applied one along the upper edge and the other along the lower edge of said perimetrical tape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] The aforesaid objects and advantages, as well as others which will emerge later on, will become more apparent from the following description, relating to a preferred embodiment of the combined resting structure of the invention, given by way of explanation but not by way of limitation, with the help of the attached drawings in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 is the axonometric and explanatory view of the combined resting structure of the invention;

[0042] FIGS. 2 and 3 are two distinct truncated, partial and explanatory axonometric views of a construction detail of FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 4 is an axonometric view from below of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0044] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a construction detail of FIGS. 2 and 3;

[0045] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a construction detail of FIG. 4;

[0046] FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the upper component (i.e., of the mattress cover) of the combined resting structure of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] The combined resting structure of the invention is shown in FIG. 1 where it is overall numbered 1.

[0048] As noted, the combined resting structure 1 comprises: [0049] a mattress 2 suitable for being normally placed on a net anchored to a support structure (such as a frame) to define a bed on which a person sleeps or rests (net, frame and bed are not shown in the figures); [0050] a mattress cover 3 coupled on top and, preferentially, in a removable manner, to the mattress 2 through connection means, overall numbered 4. In accordance with the invention, the mattress cover 3 comprises, in this specific case, two padded linen items 5, 6, facing and opposite each other and mutually connected through main junction means, overall indicated with 7, in sch a way as to define between the linen items 5, 6 a hygroscopic interstitial air chamber 8 suitable for imparting breathability and thermoregulation to the combined resting structure 1 intended to form the bed.

[0051] Preferably but not necessarily, each of the linen items 5, 6 is quilted according to a scheme with modular squares or sectors 9 and internally comprises a plurality of inner spacer tabs 10, visible in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 7, which are permanently connected to the linen items 5, 6 and separate the quilting squares 9 of each of said padded linen items 5, 6 from one another.

[0052] Advantageously, each of these spacer tabs 10 of both linen items 5, 6 is preferably, but not exclusively, made of cotton and has two through holes 11 which place the modular quilting squares (or sectors) 9 adjacent to each other and belonging to one of said linen items 5, 6 in mutual communication, so that the air circulation A not only inside of the hygroscopic interstitial air chamber 8 defined by the linen items 5, 6, but also of the linen items 5, 6 themselves is maximized or optimized.

[0053] In particular, each of the aforesaid through holes 11, clearly visible in FIG. 7, has, preferably, but not limitedly, a circular profile with a diameter of value in the range of 2-5 cm.

[0054] Even more preferably, but not limitedly, the diameter of each of the through holes 11 is equal to 3 cm.

[0055] The aforesaid through holes 11, therefore, have the function of further increasing the breathability and the thermoregulation capacity of the combined resting structure of the invention with respect to the equivalent combined resting structures of the known type, even of more advanced production conception, which, also, are largely lacking on this point.

[0056] The combined resting structure of the present invention offers, therefore, thermoregulation levels higher with respect to those provided by the combined resting structures equivalent thereto, allowing, with respect to the latter, to maintain more efficiently constant the body temperature of the person who uses it for spending moments of rest or, more frequently, for sleeping.

[0057] In other optional embodiments of the combined resting structure of the present invention, not shown in the following drawings, only one or only some of the spacer tabs of at least one of the linen items may have one or more of the through holes as just constructively and functionally defined.

[0058] Furthermore, other production solutions of the combined resting structure of the present invention, not shown below, may provide that the through holes are distributed unevenly on the various spacer tabs of at least some of the padded linen items: in other words, in some executive variants of the invention, one or more of the spacer tabs may be without through holes or, in some other embodiments of the invention, one or more of the spacer tabs may have a number of through holes which is different from that of one or more of the remaining spacer tabs.

[0059] It should be noted in this regard that the number of through holes obtained on at least one of the inner spacer tabs of at least one of the linen items belonging to the mattress cover of the combined and/or composite resting structure claimed herein—so that, in some solutions of the invention, some spacer tabs may lack such through holes—is variable depending on the design choices starting from a minimum of one.

[0060] Preferably and advantageously, each of the inner spacer tabs 10 comprises a movable and flexible portion (in this case, for example, not affected by the main junction means 6 of the type described below), not shown for simplicity of display, arranged at least one of the through holes 11 to close it extensively but not totally, so that, on the one hand, the air circulation A is allowed between the quilting squares 9 and, on the other hand, suitably, the migration, the transfer or the fortuitous, accidental and uncontrolled passage of the padding (of the type that will be highlighted in the continuation of the description) is prevented from one to the other of the quilting squares 9 of the linen items 5, 6.

[0061] Such movable and flexible portion may belong to one or more of the spacer tabs 10 (with which it is therefore monolithic) or, less frequently, may be only partially constrained thereto by means of suitable joining means or, possibly, be held in position (at the relevant through hole) by means of part of the aforesaid main junction means applied at the quilting of the modular squares or sectors.

[0062] Alternative variants of the combined resting structure of the invention, not shown below, may provide that the mattress cover has a simpler and more conventional conformation, different from the one with squares described above: for the purposes of the technical concept of the invention, the presence of at least one hygroscopic interstitial air chamber is, in fact, essential between the linen items of the mattress cover combined with the mattress, regardless of the shape and production composition of each of such linen items.

[0063] In further embodiments of the combined resting structure of the present invention, not shown in the attached drawings, the mattress cover may still have a quilted structure with fixed squares defined and delimited by stitching/quilting and without spacer tabs (or straps).

[0064] In general, each of the padded linen items 5, 6 preferably includes a fabric casing 12, 13 and filamentary elements which fill the fabric casing 12, 13 itself and are suitable for imparting softness, elasticity, hypoallergicity, thermoregulation, hygroscopicity, breathability features to each of such padded linen items 5, 6. More in detail, the fabric casing 12, 13 is made of a material comprising cotton, pleasing both to the touch and to the view.

[0065] Preferably, but not necessarily, the material of the fabric casing 12, 13 also comprises silver yarns inserted in the weft of the cotton, thus giving rise to a silver fabric fiber which is an innovation already introduced some years ago in the latest generation of linen sector products, to meet the growing need for health, well-being and hygiene of the end user: in fact, the properties of silver fabric fiber allow a considerable increase in the comfort level of the people who actually rest their body on the upper linen item 5.

[0066] This stems from the fact that silver ions have significant sanitizing and antibacterial properties and are therefore used to make different types of objects, including fabric fibers.

[0067] Silver fabric fibers are obtained by the permanent and homogeneous junction of a layer of pure silver which, by means of the use of nanotechnologies, is firmly bonded to the surface of the fiber: it is a process which allows the fiber to maintain, at the same time, the conventional features of fabric and tactile consistency thereof.

[0068] Silver fabric fiber is: [0069] antibacterial, antifungal, anti-mite: silver significantly reduces the proliferation of bacteria and fungi by eliminating 99% of bacteria in a short time—less than an hour); [0070] anti-odor: silver neutralizes the microbial flora responsible for the formation of bad odors; [0071] hypoallergenic, natural, non-toxic: the fiber is covered with pure natural silver and does not present toxicity risks; [0072] antistatic: the high conductivity of silver allows the rapid dissipation of electrostatic charges; [0073] transpiring: this fabric fiber ensures the optimal passage of air and steam.

[0074] In alternative embodiments of the combined resting structure of the present invention, not shown in the attached drawings, the cotton, which forms the material of the fabric casing of the padded linen items (or cloths or portions) of the mattress cover, may be subjected to a specific antibacterial treatment in silver solution, performed in the finishing step to guarantee an antimicrobial, hypoallergic and anti-odor action on the cotton: such treatment totally prevents the uncontrolled proliferation of bacteria on the surface of the fabrics.

[0075] With reference to the filamentary elements contained in the fabric casing 12, 13, they include any of the padding elements selected from the group consisting of down, wool, horsehair, feathers and synthetic fibers (polyesters, microfibres and the like).

[0076] In particular, the down is of the Siberian, Tibetan, Canadian, Hungarian and/or similar type, suitable for absorbing moisture to allow the fabric casing 12, 13, with which the body of a person comes into contact, to stay dry.

[0077] Down (for example of the types just mentioned) is thermoregulating, offering a good thermal insulation (by virtue of the air which circulates between the barbs of the feathers themselves), which allows to keep the temperature of the body of the person constant and to spread the heat homogeneously.

[0078] More specifically, each of the feathers consists of an extremely light three-dimensional puff which comprises a central core from which a plurality of barbs branch, suitable for creating a multiplicity of air chambers in which the air is retained, responsible for the thermal insulation useful for maintaining the body temperature.

[0079] The ensemble of the down puffs gives the mattress cover 3 of the combined resting structure 1 of the invention advantageous elasticity, volume and lightness features, unlike the conventional down structure (still falling within the inventive concept underlying the present invention purely referring to a possible variant thereof) which is rigid, flat, heavy and with little capacity to absorb air.

[0080] The down contained in the fabric casing 12, 13 is in a predetermined and adequately calibrated quantity, correlated to the support function performed by the mattress cover 3 integrated in the combined resting structure 1 of the invention.

[0081] It is apparent that the composition just described of the padded linen items 5, 6 of the mattress cover 3 of the combined structure 1 of the invention also contributes to achieve the pre-established purposes of the present invention and to attain the advantages previously listed, already achievable with the minimal and essential technical features as per the attached main and independent claim.

[0082] With regard to the modular squares or sectors 9 of the mattress cover 3, they are preferably equal to one another and placed side by side along at least a plurality of first linear directions X and also along a plurality of second linear directions Y, orthogonal to the first linear directions X.

[0083] However, it is understood that in other (less usual and less probable) embodiments of the combined and/or composite resting structure of the invention, not shown below, the modular squares may be placed side by side only along a single linear direction, to form, for example, a combined resting structure of a particular elongated shape.

[0084] Furthermore, each of the modular squares or sectors 9 is formed by an upper surface 14 and by a lower surface 15 spaced apart from one another at the opposite ends 14a, 15a, 14b, 15b by means of a first length of a value lower with respect than that of a second length which separates the central areas 14c, 15c respectively of the upper surface 14 and of the lower surface 15: therefore, a convex shape is obtained for each of the modular quilting squares 9 of the padded linen items 5, 6, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0085] As a result, by recalling the inner spacer tabs 10 described above, each of these is applied internally at the opposite ends 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b respectively of the upper surface 14 and of the lower surface 15 of the modular squares 9.

[0086] From what has been described so far, it emerges therefore that the only hygroscopic interstitial air chamber 8, identified in this specific and preferred case, by the padded linen items 5, 6: [0087] is comprised between the side flaps 5a, 6a respectively of the first linen item 5 and of the second linen item 6; [0088] substantially extends over the entire dimensions of such side flaps 5a and 6a, coinciding with the closed and empty volume defined thereby.

[0089] According to the preferred embodiment of the invention described herein, the connection means 4 comprise a zip 16, coupled to the mattress 2 and removably with respect to the mattress cover 3, to be joined thereto, and suitable to be arranged by a user between a closed position, in which the mattress cover 3 is firmly coupled and completely spread on top of the mattress 2, and an opening position, in which the mattress cover 3 is at least partly decoupled (see FIG. 1 for reference) from the mattress 2 and the intermediate space 17 defined between the mattress cover 3 and the mattress 2, and accessible to the user, for example, for a first quick but useful cleaning.

[0090] The mattress cover 3 is completely decoupled and removed from the mattress 2 when it is necessary to perform a thorough cleaning of the upper surface 2b of said mattress 2 and, above all, the cleaning, by means of a suitable and advantageous washing, of the mattress cover 3.

[0091] Indeed, the mattress cover 3 of the combined and/or composite resting structure 1 of the invention may be simply washed with water and neutral soap and may therefore be rinsed and dried in the air and in the shade, unlike what happens for the equivalent combined structures of the known type.

[0092] For a perfect drying, it is necessary, in particular, to shake the mattress cover 3 and frequently separate the content of the fabric casing 12, 13 from the casing itself, thus preventing undesired and unpleasant stains from forming on it.

[0093] Furthermore, it is possible to wash the mattress cover 3 even at the dry cleaner's, with water at 60° C., neutral soap and accurate rinsing, ensuring high hygienic conditions over time, which safeguard against mites, bacteria, mold and dust, often the cause of allergic and infectious diseases.

[0094] The drying of the mattress cover 3 of the combined resting structure 1 of the invention may occur with a drying machine (or dryer).

[0095] More particularly, the connection means 4 are arranged in proximity of the main junction means 7 and are partly fixed to the mattress cover 3 by means of auxiliary junction means, overall indicated with 18.

[0096] The mattress cover 3 has a height of value in the range 5-8 cm while the mattress 2 has a height of value in the range of 15-20 cm, so that, as a whole, the combined resting structure 1 has a height H, indicated in FIG. 1, of a value in the range of 23-25 cm which comprises the values currently required or appreciated by the market for a mattress of a simple type (and not found, instead, in the combined resting structures of the prior art, the height of which reaches 30 cm). FIGS. 2-5 show that, preferably but not limitedly, the combined resting structure 1 comprises a transpiring laminar reinforcement support 19 interposed between the mattress 2 and the mattress cover 3 at the lower face 3a of which it is permanently coupled by means of the aforesaid auxiliary junction means 18 (those which allow to connect the connection means 4 to the mattress cover 3).

[0097] Preferably, the transpiring laminar support 19 comprises a three-dimensional wide-mesh net, with a honeycomb-like appearance, made of a synthetic technical fabric and suitable to accentuate the breathability feature of the mattress cover 3.

[0098] In particular, such synthetic technical fabric of the transpiring laminar support 19 is a polyester (nylon® thread), better known under the trade name of “Airnet”, which has an excellent resistance to abrasion and is commercially available in various grammages (for example, 230 gr/m.sup.2) and colors (although the preferred color, proposed and used by the applicant in the products thereof, is a neutral or transparent color).

[0099] Appropriately, from the production point of view, the transpiring laminar support 19 has greater dimensions in plan than those of the mattress cover 3 from which it projects laterally for a perimetric portion 20 to which, appropriately, the connection means 4 are permanently coupled through the auxiliary junction means 18.

[0100] More in detail, the auxiliary junction means 18 comprise, purely by way of explanation and of preference: [0101] a perimetrical band 21 made of fabric and enveloping a side edge 19c of the transpiring laminar support 19 so as to substantially cover the aforesaid perimetric portion 20 of such transpiring laminar support 19; [0102] a perimetric seam section 22 which makes the perimetrical band 21 integral with the transpiring laminar element 19, the mattress cover 3 and the connection means 4.

[0103] The aforesaid arrangement of the transpiring laminar support 19 with respect to the mattress cover 3, on the one hand, and the aforesaid production concept of the auxiliary junction means 18, on the other hand, allows the connection means 4 to be coupled in a permanent and effective manner—namely the strip of fabric 23 (left or right, depending on the observation point of the plane of the attached figures) of the zip 16≠to the perimetric portion 20 of the transpiring laminar support 19 and, in return, to the mattress cover 3 without damaging (by tearing it) the fabric casing 12, 13 of the upper linen item 5, made of a delicate fabric such as, as mentioned above, preferably cotton.

[0104] In further embodiments of the combined resting structure of the invention, not shown in the attached figures, the auxiliary junction means may comprise a number of perimetric seam sections other than one, such number being able to vary according to the production requirements precisely starting from one. As far as the main junction means 7 are concerned, they are applied to the side flaps 5a, 6a of each of the padded linen items 5, 6 of the mattress cover 3 of the combined resting structure 1.

[0105] In particular, the main junction means 7 (diagrammatically indicated in FIG. 7) comprise a perimetric seam section, not visible.

[0106] Similarly to what has just been said for the main junction means, optional solutions of the combined resting structure of the invention, not accompanied by explanatory figures, may provide that the main junction means include a number of perimetric seam sections other than two, being possible, also in this case, that such number varies according to production choices starting from one.

[0107] In alternative variants, not shown below, of the combined resting structure of the invention, the main junction means may comprise: [0108] a perimetrical tape provided with a first face facing outwardly and with a second face facing the hygroscopic interstitial air chamber of the mattress cover; [0109] at least two perimetric seam sections, applied one along the upper edge and

[0110] the other along the lower edge of the aforesaid perimetrical tape. Finally, it should be noted that the mattress 2 of the combined resting structure 1 of the invention is of the type per se known to the person skilled in the art, since it may be formed, for example, by a spring mattress, a “memory foam” mattress (with the addition of at least one polyurethane layer), a latex mattress, a water mattress, a horsehair mattress or a wool mattress.

[0111] By virtue of the description just provided above, it is therefore understood that the combined resting structure, object of the present invention, achieves the objects and embodies the above mentioned advantages.

[0112] Upon execution, changes could be made to the combined resting structure of the invention, consisting, for example, in connection means between the mattress and the mattress cover (also commonly identified with the term “topper”) of a different concept from that described above and visible in the following figures.

[0113] In addition to this, other alternative embodiments of the combined resting structure of the invention may exist, not shown in the attached drawings, in which the main junction means which connect the padded linen items to one another may identify more than one interstitial hygroscopic air chamber, such number being able to vary even in this case according to the production requirements precisely starting from one.

[0114] Furthermore, in further embodiments of the combined resting structure which is claimed exclusively herein, not shown below, the number of mattress covers joined to the mattress may be greater than one (for example, in the case in which they are arranged side by side, on top of the mattress, with respect to which they will thus have smaller dimensions), which does not invalidate the advantage basically provided by the present invention.

[0115] Finally, it is clear that numerous other variants may be applied to the combined resting structure concerned, without departing from the novelty principles inherent in the inventive idea, as it is clear that, in the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials, the shapes and the dimensions of the details shown may be any according to the requirements, and may be replaced with other technically equivalent ones.

[0116] Where the construction features and the techniques mentioned in the following claims are followed by reference signs or numbers, such reference signs have been introduced with the sole aim of increasing the intelligibility of the claims themselves and, consequently, they do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified, purely by way of explanation, by such reference signs.