COVER FOR A MATTRESS OR A CUSHION AS WELL AS A MATTRESS OR CUSHION WITH SUCH A COVER

Abstract

A cover (8) for a mattress (6) or a cushion (3) of a piece of furniture (1) with a utilized side (10) and a back side (11), wherein on the back side (11) there is a receiving device for bottom spring cushioning (12) which has spring strips (15), wherein at least one spring strip (15) is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic material with a preferably pultruded fiber core (16) and a plastic jacket (17) which surrounds the fiber core (16). It is provided that on opposite sides of the jacket (17) one jacket side (18) at a time sticks out for an enlarged support surface of the spring strip (15).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A cover for a furniture mattress or cushion, comprising a utilized side and a back side, wherein on the back side there is a receiving device for a bottom spring cushioning having spring strips, wherein at least one spring strip is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic material with a fiber core and a plastic jacket which surrounds the fiber core, a jacket side sticking out from each of opposite sides of the jacket for providing an enlarged support surface of the spring strip.

17. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the jacket sides have a length which is greater than or equal to a diameter of the fiber core.

18. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the jacket sides have a maximum thickness that is less than half a diameter of the fiber core.

19. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the jacket sides extend over substantially the entire length of the spring strip.

20. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the jacket side is strip-shaped with a thickness which is substantially constant in a width direction.

21. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spring strip is mirror-symmetrical at least one of around a center axis of the side and around a center axis of the core which runs perpendicular to the center axis of the side.

22. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receiving device is on an outer side of the backside.

23. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receiving device has a pocket arrangement with a plurality of pockets for arranging the spring strips.

24. The cover as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is one spring strip per pocket.

25. The cover as claimed in claim 23, wherein the pocket arrangement has at least two fastening strips, which extend at least essentially over the length of the back side, which run parallel to one another, and which are each permanently joined the back side via a plurality of connecting sites, between adjacent connecting sites there being a respective connection-free segment for forming a pocket receiver of a pocket.

26. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receiving device comprises at least one pocket receiver that has a through opening for insertion of a respective one of the spring strips.

27. The cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein the receiving device comprises a pair of pocket receivers, each of which is closed on one end and has a receiving opening on an opposite end, the receiving opening of one of the pocket receivers faces the receiving opening of the other of the pocket receivers.

28. The cover as claimed in cover as claimed in claim 16, wherein, the pocket arrangement has a single fastening strip which extends at least essentially over the length of the back side and which is permanently joined to the back side via a plurality of connecting sites and whose width corresponds to at least 30% of the width of the back side, between adjacent connecting sites there being a respective connection-free segment for forming a pocket having a opening for insertion of a spring strip.

29. The cover as claimed in cover as claimed in claim 28, wherein the pocket is closed or closable on at least one end.

30. A mattress or cushion, with a cover and an elastic core which is accommodated in the cover, the cover comprising a utilized side and a back side, wherein on the back side there is a receiving device for a bottom spring cushioning having spring strips, wherein at least one spring strip is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic material with a fiber core and a plastic jacket which surrounds the fiber core, a jacket side sticking out from each of opposite sides of the jacket for providing an enlarged support surface of the spring strip.

31. The mattress or cushion as claimed in claim 30, wherein on the back side of the cover there is bottom spring cushioning with a plurality of said spring strips with the spring strips running parallel to one another.

32. The mattress or cushion as claimed in claim 31, wherein the bottom spring cushioning is in the form of a lath grid.

33. The mattress or cushion as claimed in claim 30, wherein the receiving device has a pocket arrangement with a plurality of pockets for arranging the spring strips, and wherein each spring strip is held by frictional resistance in a respective one of the pockets.

34. The mattress or cushion as claimed in claim 30, wherein the spring strips have a length that extends over at least 80% of a width of the back side of the cover.

35. The mattress or cushion as claimed in claim 30, wherein the mattress or the cushion together with the bottom spring cushioning is rollable.

36. A piece of furniture, comprising a furniture foundation, a mattress or a cushion on the furniture foundation, the mattress or cushion having a cover and an elastic core which is accommodated in the cover, the cover comprising a utilized side and a back side, wherein on the back side there is a receiving device for a bottom spring cushioning having spring strips, wherein at least one spring strip is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic material with a fiber core and a plastic jacket which surrounds the fiber core, a jacket side sticking out from each of opposite sides of the jacket for providing an enlarged support surface of the spring strip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] FIG. 1 is, a perspective view of a piece of furniture in accordance with the invention in the form of an armchair,

[0049] FIG. 2 is a perspective cross sectional view of another piece of furniture in accordance with the invention in the form of a bed,

[0050] FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of a mattress in accordance with the invention with the cover partially broken away,

[0051] FIG. 4 is a view of a detail of the mattress from FIG. 3,

[0052] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a mattress in accordance with the invention with the cover partially broken away,

[0053] FIG. 6 shows a detail of the mattress fromFIG. 5,

[0054] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a mattress in accordance with the invention with the cover partially broken away,

[0055] FIG. 8 shows a detail of the mattress from FIG. 7,

[0056] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of another embodiment of a mattress in accordance with the invention with the cover partially broken away,

[0057] FIG. 10 is a view of a detail of the mattress from FIG. 9,

[0058] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of a cushion in accordance with the invention with the cover partially broken away,

[0059] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of part of the cushion shown in FIG. 11,

[0060] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross sectional view of a spring strip,

[0061] FIG. 14 is a top view of the spring strip from FIG. 13,

[0062] FIG. 15 is a view of a casing for a spring strip of the cover in accordance with the invention,

[0063] FIG. 16 is a representation of the casing with the spring strip of FIG. 15 inserted,

[0064] FIG. 17 shows a view of another embodiment of a casing without the spring strip corresponding to FIG. 15,

[0065] FIG. 18 a view of the casing with the spring strip of FIG. 17 inserted,

[0066] FIG. 19 a view of a cover in accordance with the invention with a mattress with inserted spring strips which are surrounded by a casing,

[0067] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a cushion with spring strips received in pockets, and

[0068] FIG. 21 is an enlarged detail of the area of one of the spring strips shown in FIG. 20.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a piece of furniture 1 which in this case is an armchair. The piece of furniture 1 has a furniture foundation 2 and a cushion 3 which is placed on the furniture foundation 2. Edges on the furniture foundation 2 onto which the cushion 3 is placed are not shown here. The cushion 3 can be removed from the furniture foundation 2.

[0070] FIG. 2 schematically shows a bed as a piece of furniture 1. The bed likewise has a furniture foundation 2 in the form of a frame, there being edges 4, 5 on the sides of the furniture foundation 2 which are opposite one another. A mattress 6 is placed on the edges 4, 5.

[0071] The edge and/or frame arrangement which is not shown for the piece of furniture 1 shown in FIG. 1 corresponds fundamentally to the edge and/or frame arrangement shown in FIG. 2, and the edges 4, 5 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can run both parallel and also transversely to the backrest 7 of the furniture foundation 2.

[0072] FIGS. 3 to 10 show different embodiments of a mattress 6. The following statements on the mattress 6 relate in the same manner to the cushion 3, as is shown by way of example in FIG. 11.

[0073] The mattress 6 has a cover 8 and an elastic core 9 which is accommodated in the cover 8. The core 9 is in particular a foam core of any foam. But, other elastic materials can be used as the core material of the mattress 6 are possible. The core 9 has an essentially cuboidal body shape and the cover 8 which has been slipped onto the core 9 corresponds in terms of its cover interior at least essentially the shape of the core 9. The cover 8 has a utilized side 10 as a top side or outer side which is conventionally facing the user when being used. When being used, the user ultimately sits or lies on the utilized side. Furthermore, the cover 8 on the side opposite the utilized side 10 has a back side 11. The back side 11 faces away from the user when it is being used.

[0074] At this point it is important in this invention that on the back side 11 of the cover 8 there is a receiving device for bottom spring cushioning 12. The receiving device is located on the outer side of the back side 11, therefore is accessible from the bottom of the mattress 6. The receiving device which is provided on the outer side of the back side 11 is made as a pocket arrangement 13 with a plurality of pockets 14. The pockets 14 are each made for accommodating and arranging the spring strips 15, as follows from the figures there being one spring strip 15 per pocket 14. By the spring strips 15 the bottom spring cushioning 12 is ultimately made as a lath grid which is connected to the cover 8 and thus is integrated into the mattress 6. The individual spring strips 15 run parallel to one another and transversely to the longitudinal axis L of the mattress 6.

[0075] In the illustrated embodiments, the bottom spring cushioning 12 which is integrated into the cover 8 has ten spring strips 15 at a time. All spring strips 15 have the same hardness and/or stiffness. It is also possible though for there to be different spring strips 15. Thus for example in the middle region of the mattress 6 there can be harder and/or stiffer spring strips 15, while at the head and/or foot end of the mattress 6 there can be rather softer, less stiff spring strips 15. It goes without saying that the number of spring strips 15 of the bottom spring cushioning 12 can fundamentally vary. While the spring strips 15 in the illustrated embodiments are each spaced uniformly apart, there can fundamentally also be a difference spacing between individual spring strips 15.

[0076] As follows in particular from the detailed representations according to FIGS. 4, 6, 8 and 10 and otherwise from FIG. 12, the spring strips 15 are located in the pockets 14 with little play in the direction of the longitudinal axis L. Implementing little play of the spring strips in the respective pockets 14 makes it possible for the spring strips 15 to be able to move to a limited degree even under load. Preferably the play of the spring strips 15 in the pockets 14 is between 0.1 to 1.0 times the width of the spring strip 15. In particular, the play is between 0.2 to 0.5 times the width of the spring strip.

[0077] In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, all spring strips 15 of the bottom spring cushioning 12 are made structurally identical. In this respect, reference is made in particular to FIGS. 13 and 14. Each of the spring strips 15 has a fiber core 16 of glass fibers or GFK, therefore glass fiber-reinforced plastic, and a jacket 17 of thermoplastic material which surrounds the fiber core 16. The jacket 17 consists of polypropylene here. The jacket 17 is ring-shaped based on the fiber core 16 which is circular here. One jacket side 18 at a time sticks out on opposite sides of the jacket 17. The jacket sides 18 which are joined to the jacket 17 as a result lead to an enlarged support surface of the spring strips 15.

[0078] The jacket sides 18 preferably have a length which is equal than or greater to the diameter of the fiber core 16. Conversely, the maximum thickness of the jacket side 18 is less than half the diameter of the fiber core 16. The relatively narrow, elongated jacket sides 18 which extend ultimately over the entire length of the spring strip 15 yields only a relative low material demand in a relatively wide bearing surface.

[0079] In addition, FIG. 13 illustrates that the spring strip 15, viewed in cross section, is mirror-symmetrical around a center axis x of the side placed through the jacket sides 18 and around a center axis y of the core which is placed through the fiber core 16 and which runs perpendicular to the center axis x of the side. This symmetry simplifies the insertion of the spring strips 15 into the pockets 14 of the pocket arrangement 13 since a certain alignment of the spring strips 15 need not be observed when being inserted into the pockets 14 of the pocket arrangement 13.

[0080] Furthermore, FIGS. 13 and 14 show that the jacket sides 18 are made undulatory on the top and bottom with grooves 19 and projections 20 which extend in the longitudinal in spring strip direction.

[0081] As follows from the individual embodiments of the mattress 6, the length of the spring strips 15 corresponds at least essentially to the width of the mattress 6 and/or the back side 11 of the cover 8. In the embodiments which are shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 and in which the pockets 14 are open on the end side, the spring strips 15 can be somewhat longer than in the embodiments which are shown in FIGS. 5 and 9 and in which the pockets 14 are closed on the end side. In the embodiment with opened pockets 14, the length of the spring strips 15 can correspond roughly to the width of the mattress 6 and/or can be slightly smaller, namely between 1% to 5%. For pockets 14 which are closed on the end side there is a length of the spring strips 15 which has been reduced generally between 1% to 20% with reference to the width of the mattress 6 and/or of the back side 11 of the cover 8. In all cases, it is however such that the length of the spring strips 15 is always greater than the clear distance of the edges and/or the frame 4, 5 of the furniture foundation 2.

[0082] In the embodiment which is shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the pocket arrangement 13 has two attachment strips 21, 22 at a time which run parallel to one another and lengthwise to the longitudinal axis L of the cover 8 and which extend over the entire length of the back side 11. The fastening strips 21, 22 can fundamentally have the same distance to the longitudinal axis L, but also, as shown, they can be spaced at different distances away from it. The fastening strips 21, 22 are permanently connected to the back side 11 of the cover 8 via a plurality of connecting sites 23. Here the fastening strips 21, 22 are sewn to the back side 11, while cementing would also be fundamentally possible. Between adjacent connecting sites 23 there is one connection-free segment which forms a pocket receiver 24 of a pocket 14. For two fastening strips 21, 22 one pocket 14 is formed by two pocket receivers 24 which are opposite one another. Here an opposite arrangement means that the pocket receivers 24 which are assigned to one another lie on a transverse axis which runs at a right angle to the longitudinal axis L.

[0083] It goes without saying that instead of the illustrated embodiments with two fastening strips 21, 22, there can also be a larger number of such strips.

[0084] The pocket receiver 24 in the embodiment which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has a through opening 25 for inserting a spring strip 15. In the embodiment which is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the pocket receiver 24 on the end side, namely towards the edge of the mattress 6 and/or towards the cover 8, is closed such that a receiving opening 26 results on the respective fastening strip 21, 22. The assigned receiving openings 26 each point in the direction of the other fastening strip.

[0085] FIGS. 7 to 10 show embodiments in which the pocket arrangement 13 has a single fastening strip 27 which extends at least essentially over the length of the back side 11 and which is permanently connected to the back side 11 via a plurality of connecting sites 23. In this embodiment the fastening strip 27 is also sewn to the back side 11. In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, the fastening strip 27 extends over the entire back. Between adjacent connecting sites 23 there is one connection-free segment at a time for forming the respective pockets 14.

[0086] In the embodiments which are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each of the pockets 14 has a through opening 25. In the embodiment which is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the pockets 14 are closed on one end. The pockets 14 are openable on their other end. For this purpose, the fastening strip 27 has an edge strap 28 which can be attached on a longitudinal side 29 of the cover 8. The attachment can take place, for example, via a VELCRO hook-and-loop connection 30.

[0087] It goes without saying that instead of a VELCRO connection there can also be other possibilities for closing of the end of the pockets 14. Thus, the pockets 14 can also be buttoned up on the end, and push-button, snap or zipper connections are also possible.

[0088] In FIG. 11, a cushion 3 is shown schematically which corresponds in terms of its fundamental structure to the mattress 6. Differences consist solely in the dimensions compared to the mattress 6. The cushion 3, like the mattress 6, likewise has a cover 8 and a core 9 and is made in the same way as the above described mattress 6, also with respect to all described mattress-embodiments so that all preceding statements about the mattress 6 apply in the same way to the cushion 3.

[0089] After pulling the cover 8 over the core 9 of the cushion 3 or the mattress 6, depending on the embodiment the spring strips 15 are pushed into the pockets 14 and/or pocket receivers 24. In the embodiment according to FIG. 9, the pockets 14 are closed in conjunction with the VELCRO connection 30 after the spring strips 15 have been pushed through the edge strap 28. In the embodiment according to FIG. 5 the spring strips 15 with their one end are inserted into one pocket receiver 24, while the mattress 6 or the cushion 3 are then moved due to elasticity such that the other end of the spring strips 15 can likewise be inserted into the respectively opposite pocket receiver 24. This then yields a positive or fixed arrangement of the spring strips 15 in the individual pockets 14.

[0090] It is not shown that a mattress 6 or also a cushion 3, in particular in the vacuumed state, together with the bottom spring cushioning 12, therefore together with the spring strips 15 which have been provided on the cover 8, can be made rollable.

[0091] FIG. 15 shows a casing 31 for a spring strip 15. The casing 31 at least essentially surrounds the spring strip 15. In the casing 31 there is a recess 32 which in terms of its external shape constitutes a negative of the cross section of the spring strip 15. This means that the recess 32 in terms of its dimensions corresponds at least essentially to the dimensions of the width and height of the spring strip 15. The recess 32 is accessible via a slit 33. The length of the casing 31 corresponds at least essentially to the length of the spring strip 15. If necessary, the casing 31 can be somewhat longer than the spring strip 15 so that the face-side ends of the spring strip 15 ultimately do not project on the face side over the casing 31. Preferably, the spring strip 15 in terms of length is somewhat smaller, specifically between 0 to 1 cm, than the length of the casing 31. Conversely, the height H and the width B of the casing 31 are each greater by a factor of 1.1 to 3.0 than the corresponding height h and/or width b of the spring strip 15. Ultimately, by this configuration the spring strip 15 is completely surrounded by the material of the casing 31 except for the slit 33 which extends in particular over the entire length of the casing 31.

[0092] The casing 31 itself is made of an elastic foam which can be compressed. The dimensions of the casing 31 are geared to the volume of the pocket 14 so that the spring strip 15 with the surrounding casing 31 at least essentially fills the pocket 14 after inserting the spring strip 15. In this way not only is the spring strip 15 prevented from moving back and forth in the pocket 14, but chafing of the edges of the spring strip 15 on the material of the pocket 14 is also avoided.

[0093] In the embodiment which is shown in FIG. 15, the casing 31 is produced as a separate body with the insertion slit 33. For insertion of the spring strip 15 the casing 31 on its lateral sides 34, 35 is turned up so that insertion of the spring strip 15 is possible. FIG. 16 shows the inserted state.

[0094] In FIG. 17, one embodiment is shown in which the casing 31 has a semielliptical shape. In this embodiment, the casing 31 is likewise produced as a foamed body from an elastic, compressible foam into which the spring strip 15 is pushed. FIG. 19 shows the inserted state. But, it is also fundamentally possible to foam-in the spring strip 15, in particular, immediately after its manufacture, i.e., as an endless strand or also as a finished spring strip which has been cut off from the endless strand so that, subsequently, the state shown in FIG. 19 results. It goes without saying that there can fundamentally be one slit in the casing 31 which is shown in FIG. 18.

[0095] The illustrated casings 31 are mirror-symmetrical with respect to the center axis y of the core in both embodiments. But it is also fundamentally possible to choose a symmetrical shape in which there is also symmetry with respect to the center axis x of the side. In this case the sides 34, 35 would then be symmetrical to the foundation of the casing in both embodiments.

[0096] FIGS. 20 and 21 show an alternative to arrangement described about related to FIGS. 7 & 8 in which a single fastening strip 27 extends at least essentially over the length of the back side and is permanently joined to the back side via a plurality of connecting sites 23. The width of this fastening strip is at least 30% of the width of the back side. In particular, the width of the fastening strip corresponds at least essentially to the width of the back side. Finally, the arrangement of the pockets 14 then extends over the entire back side of the cover and thus of the mattress 6 and/or the cushion 3, wherein it conventionally has an essentially rectangular shape. In this embodiment, there is a connection-free segment for forming a pocket 14 between adjacent connecting sites 23. In this embodiment, each of the pockets can also have a through opening or can be closable or closed on at least one or even both ends. In any case, it is preferable if the spring strips 15 of the pocket arrangement can be removed so that, if necessary, cover 8 can also be removed from a mattress or a cushion and, for example, cleaned.