Modular Mattress

Abstract

A mattress is disclosed, comprising two layers—a first layer and a second layer—each layer comprising a top surface and a bottom surface that are distinct in firmness, feel, and/or other parameters relevant to sleeping. The first layer and the second layer are stacked on top of each other and may easily be flipped and re-stacked by a user in the home.

Claims

1. A modular mattress, comprising: a first layer, wherein the first layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface; a second layer, wherein the second layer comprises a top surface and a bottom surface; wherein a length of the first layer is approximately the same as a length of the second layer, and a width of the first layer is approximately the same as a width of the second layer; wherein the top surface of the first layer has a firmness level that is different from the bottom surface of the first layer; wherein the top surface of the second layer has a firmness level that is different from the bottom surface of the second layer, the top surface of the first layer, and the bottom surface of the first layer.

2. The modular mattress of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the first layer has a visual appearance that is distinct from the bottom surface of the first layer, and wherein the top surface of the second layer has a visual appearance that is distinct from the bottom surface of the second layer, wherein the visual appearance may be one or more of the following group: color, pattern.

3. The modular mattress of claim 1, further comprising: a non-slip sheet, said non-slip sheet intended to be placed between the first layer and the second layer when the first layer and the second layer are stacked on top of each other.

4. The modular mattress of claim 3, wherein the non-slip sheet is one of the following: Velcro, non-skid pad.

5. The modular mattress of claim 1, wherein: the top surface of the first layer is one of the following group: innersprings, memory foam, latex foam, gel, memory foam, firm high-density foam, soft high-density foam; the bottom surface of the first layer is one of the following group, and distinct from the top surface of the first layer: innersprings, memory foam, latex foam, gel, memory foam, firm high-density foam, soft high-density foam; the top surface of the second layer is one of the following group, and distinct from the top surface of the first layer and the bottom surface of the first layer: innersprings, memory foam, latex foam, gel, memory foam, firm high-density foam, soft high-density foam; and the bottom surface of the second layer is one of the following group, and distinct from the top surface of the first layer, the bottom surface of the first layer, and the top surface of the second layer: innersprings, memory foam, latex foam, gel, memory foam, firm high-density foam, soft high-density foam.

6. The modular mattress of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer comprises at least one handle.

7. The modular mattress of claim 6, wherein each one of the first layer and the second layer comprises a first long side and a second long side parallel to the first long side, wherein each one of the first layer and the second layer comprises two handles located at approximately ⅓ and ⅔ points of a length of the first long side and the second long side.

8. The modular mattress of claim 1, wherein each one of the top layer and a bottom layer comprises a thickness, wherein the sum of the thickness of the top layer and the thickness of the bottom layer is approximately equal to the thickness of a standard mattress.

9. The modular mattress of claim 1, wherein the mattress does not comprise any fasteners connecting the first layer and the second layer.

10. The modular mattress of claim 1, wherein the mattress does not comprise a mattress cover encasing both the first layer and the second layer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen, a mattress 100 is provided that comprises a first layer 110 and a second layer 120. The first layer 110 and the second layer 120 are roughly parallelepiped in shape. The first layer 110 is stacked on the second layer 120. A friction-enhancing sheet (not shown) is placed between the two layers; in some embodiments, the friction-enhancing sheet is not used.

[0017] As can be seen in the Figure, each layer has a top side and a bottom side, which are distinct from each other in feel and/or surface hardness. Each layer may be placed on top or on the bottom, depending on consumer preference; i.e. the first layer 110 may be placed on top of the second layer 120 or the second layer 120 may be placed on top of the first layer 110. This results in eight possible mattress configurations with no parts left over. The only work that the consumer has to do to reconfigure the mattress is to flip over and/or re-stack the two layers.

[0018] In the preferred embodiment, the dimensions of the two layers, when stacked together, are preferably the same as the dimensions of a standard mattress, to make it easier to use standard sheets on the mattress of the present invention. Any standard mattress dimensions—i.e. twin, full, queen, king, California king, or any other standard dimensions—may be used for the present invention.

[0019] While it is understood that the first layer and the second layer can have any softness/hardness levels or any other parameters on their top and bottom sides, FIG. 2 shows one possible embodiment of the present invention. The first layer is labeled as Part #1 in the Figure, and comprises a latex sleeping surface on the top side and a gel memory sleeping surface on the bottom side. The second layer is labeled as Part #2 in the Figure, and comprises a firm high-density foam on the top side and a soft high-density foam on the bottom side. As shown in the Figure, this allows the user to easily create eight different mattress types—a firm high-density foam mattress with a gel base, a firm high-density foam mattress with a latex base, a soft high-density foam mattress with a gel base, a soft high-density foam mattress with a latex base, a latex-topped mattress with a firm base, a latex-topped mattress with a soft base, a gel-topped mattress with a firm base, and a gel-topped mattress with a soft base. The only thing the user has to do to change the mattress type is flip one or both of the layers or move one from bottom to top or vice versa.

[0020] In the preferred embodiment, one or more nonslip sheets (labeled as Part #3) are placed between the first layer and the second layer to prevent slipping. The nonslip sheets are preferably non-skid pads such as those used for carpeting or furniture, but could also be Velcro or any other material that prevents one layer from slipping on the other layer.

[0021] In the preferred embodiment, the top and bottom sides of each layer are different colors to indicate which texture/softness is which. As shown in the Figure, the latex side of the first layer has a dark top panel and the gel side of the first layer has a light top panel; the first layer has a light side border. The firm side of the second layer has a dark top panel and the soft side of the second layer has a light top panel, and the second layer has a dark side border. It will be understood that this is simply an example of the type of color labeling that could be used, and that any colors, patterns, or combinations of colors and patterns, may be used to distinguish the different sides.

[0022] While the first layer as shown in the Figure comprises gel and latex as the two types of sleeping surface, it will be understood that any other sleeping surfaces may be used on either or both sides of either layer. For example, innersprings, memory foam, latex foam, and so on may all be used. Furthermore, while the second layer in the Figure comprises hard foam and soft foam as the two sides, it may also comprise innersprings, air or water compartments, gel, memory foam, and so on. In the preferred embodiment, half of the thickness of each layer is used for each texture—i.e. for a given layer, half the thickness may be comprised of gel and half of memory foam, and so on. In some embodiments, different percentages of the total thickness of each layer are used for each texture—for example, 75% of a layer may be comprised of innersprings and 25% of gel, and so on.

[0023] In an embodiment (not shown), one or more of the layers may comprise handles to make the layer easier to flip. The handles may be made of strapping material or any other material that is strong enough to support the weight of the layer in question. The handles are preferably located in such a way as to provide two points of support for the layer as it is being flipped—for example, at ⅓ and ⅔ the length of the long side of the layer.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment, no fasteners are used to attach the two layers to each other; this simplifies the design and makes it easier for the two layers to be used in either configuration. Similarly, no mattress cover is used in the preferred embodiment; rather, the two layers are simply stacked on top of each other. Putting a mattress cover on a mattress is generally a very difficult task for a consumer in the home, so omitting the mattress cover simplifies the steps of reconfiguring the mattress.

[0025] Exemplary embodiments are described above. It will be understood that the present invention encompasses other reasonable equivalents to the embodiments described above, as is evident to a person of reasonable skill in the art of mattress design.