Ergonomic mattress pad with polyester fill

Abstract

A mattress pad for supporting a human body includes an upper layer, a lower layer, and a wadding layer therebetween including three distinct zones arranged along the length of the pad for varying support of the human body; the first zone is configured to support a head portion and a neck portion; the second zone is configured to support an upper body portion and a lumbar portion; and the third zone is configured to support a lower back portion and leg portion wherein thickness and length in these zones varies for providing the varying support.

Claims

1. A mattress pad, comprising (a) an upper layer defining a first exterior surface on a first side of the mattress pad, a lower layer defining a second exterior surface on a second side of the mattress pad opposite the first side, and a wadding layer comprising wadding located between the upper layer and the lower layer; (b) wherein the upper layer, the lower layer, and the wadding layer are quilted together to form a quilt cake having a plurality of regions for supporting a human body on the first side of the mattress pad; (c) wherein the plurality of regions comprises, (i) a head region for supporting a head portion of a human body, (ii) a neck region for supporting a neck portion of a human body, (iii) an upper body region for supporting an upper body portion of a human body, and (iv) a lumbar region for supporting a lumbar portion of a human body; (d) wherein the head region has a thickness that is different from a thickness of the upper body region, the difference in thickness resulting at least in part from a variance in an amount of the wadding that is in each of the head region and the upper body region; and (e) wherein each of the neck region and the lumbar region has no quilting pattern applied therein and each has a thickness that is greater than each of the thickness of the head region and the different thickness of the upper body region.

2. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of regions extends the width of the first side of the mattress pad.

3. The mattress pad of claim 1, further comprising a drop extending from the first side of the mattress pad for fitting the mattress pad on top of a mattress.

4. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein a quilting pattern is applied in the upper body region that demarcates the upper body region, and wherein a quilting pattern is applied in the head region that demarcates the head region.

5. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein the lumbar region has a greater lengthwise extent than a lengthwise extent of the neck region.

6. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein the head region has a greater lengthwise extent than a lengthwise extent of the neck region.

7. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein the upper body region has a greater lengthwise extent than a lengthwise extent of the lumbar region.

8. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein the upper body region has a greater lengthwise extent than a lengthwise extent of the head region.

9. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein the lumbar region has a greater lengthwise extent than a lengthwise extent of the neck region.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the head region is different from the thickness of the upper body region at least in part from a variance in a density of the wadding in each of the head region and the upper body region.

11. The mattress pad of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the regions of the mattress pad further comprises a lower back region for supporting a lower back portion of a human body, and a leg region for supporting a leg portion of a human body.

12. The mattress pad of claim 11, wherein the leg region has a greater lengthwise extent than a lengthwise extent of the lower back region.

13. The mattress pad of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of regions extends the width of the first side of the mattress pad.

14. The mattress pad of claim 11, wherein the head region, the neck region, the upper body region, the lumbar region, the lower back region, and the leg region collectively extend the length of the first side of the mattress pad.

15. The mattress pad of claim 11, wherein the lower back region has a quilting pattern that is applied therein that demarcates the lower back region, and wherein the leg region has a quilting pattern that is applied therein that is different from the quilting pattern applied in the lower back region and that demarcates the leg region.

16. The mattress pad of claim 15, wherein the upper body region has a quilting pattern that is applied therein that is the same as the quilting pattern that is applied in the lower back region.

17. A method of making a mattress pad having a plurality of regions for supporting the human body, comprising quilting together an upper layer, a lower layer, and a wadding layer to form a quilt cake with the upper layer defining a first surface on a first side of the mattress pad and the lower layer defining a second surface on a second side of the mattress pad opposite the first side, wherein a plurality of regions are defined in the mattress pad for varying support of different portions of a human body when laying on the mattress pad including a head region that is defined for supporting a head portion of a human body, a neck region that is defined for supporting a neck portion of a human body, an upper body region that is defined for supporting an upper body portion of a human body, a lumbar region that is defined for supporting a lumbar portion of a human body, a lower back region that is defined for supporting a lower back portion of a human body, and a leg region that is defined for supporting a leg portion of a human body, wherein the head region has a thickness that is different from a thickness of the upper body region, the difference in thickness resulting at least in part from the variance in an amount of wadding that is applied in each of the head region and the upper body region; wherein each of the neck region and the lumbar region has no quilting pattern applied therein and each has a thickness that is greater than each of the thickness of the head region and the different thickness of the upper body region; wherein the lower back region has a quilting pattern applied therein that is the same as the quilting pattern applied in the upper body region; and wherein the leg region has a quilting pattern applied therein that is different from the quilting pattern in the lower back region.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the thickness of the head region is different from the thickness of the upper body region at least in part from a variance in a density of the wadding in each of the head region and the upper body region.

19. A method of providing a mattress for improving quality of sleep of a person, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mattress pad comprising an upper layer defining a first exterior surface on a first side of the mattress pad, a lower layer defining a second exterior surface on a second side of the mattress pad opposite the first side, and a wadding layer comprising wadding located between the upper layer and the lower layer, wherein the upper layer, the lower layer, and the wadding layer are quilted together to form a quilt cake having a plurality of regions for supporting a human body on the first side of the mattress pad, including a first region, a second region, a third region, and a fourth region, wherein the first region has a thickness that is different from a thickness of the third region, the difference in thickness resulting at least in part from a variance in an amount of the wadding that is in each of the first region and the third region, and wherein each of the second region and the fourth region has no quilting applied therein and each has a thickness that is greater than each of the thickness of the first region and the different thickness of the third region; and (b) attaching the mattress pad to the mattress such that the first region is located on the mattress for supporting a head portion of a human body when laying on the mattress pad, the second region is located on the mattress for supporting a neck portion of a human body when laying on the mattress pad, the third region is located on the mattress for supporting an upper body portion of a human body when laying on the mattress pad, and the fourth region is located on the mattress for supporting a lumbar portion of a human body when laying on the mattress pad.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the thickness of the first region is different from the thickness of the third region at least in part from a variance in a density of the wadding in each of the first region and the third region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) One or more preferred embodiments of the invention now will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same elements are referred to with the same reference numerals.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic top view of conventional mattress pad having a flat surface with box quilting.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic top view of conventional mattress pad having a flat surface with diamond quilting.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates schematic top view of a conventional mattress pad having invisible flat quilting.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic top view of an ergonomic mattress pad with the differential fill and quilting in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic side view of the ergonomic mattress pad of FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art (Ordinary Artisan) that the invention has broad utility and application. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being preferred is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. Furthermore, an embodiment of the invention may incorporate only one or a plurality of the aspects of the invention disclosed herein; only one or a plurality of the features disclosed herein; or combination thereof. As such, many embodiments are implicitly disclosed herein and fall within the scope of what is regarded as the invention.

(8) Accordingly, while the invention is described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the invention, and is made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded the invention in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention be defined by reading into any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

(9) Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection afforded the invention is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

(10) Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which the Ordinary Artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used hereinas understood by the Ordinary Artisan based on the contextual use of such termdiffers in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the Ordinary Artisan should prevail.

(11) Regarding applicability of 35 U.S.C. 112, paragraph 6 or subsection (f), no claim element is intended to be read in accordance with this statutory provision unless the explicit phrase means for or step for is actually used in such claim element, whereupon this statutory provision is intended to apply in the interpretation of such claim element.

(12) Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, a and an each generally denotes at least one, but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. Thus, reference to a picnic basket having an apple describes a picnic basket having at least one apple as well as a picnic basket having apples. In contrast, reference to a picnic basket having a single apple describes a picnic basket having only one apple.

(13) When used herein to join a list of items, or denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Thus, reference to a picnic basket having cheese or crackers describes a picnic basket having cheese without crackers, a picnic basket having crackers without cheese, and a picnic basket having both cheese and crackers. When used herein to join a list of items, and denotes all of the items of the list. Thus, reference to a picnic basket having cheese and crackers describes a picnic basket having cheese, wherein the picnic basket further has crackers, as well as describes a picnic basket having crackers, wherein the picnic basket further has cheese.

(14) Additionally, as used herein, thickness with respect to a region of a support zone refers to a contour of such regionincluding size and profile thereofwhen nothing is supported on the mattress pad when the mattress pad is positioned for use. Indeed, the varying thicknesses of the regions is perhaps best seen and understood with reference to FIG. 5, which schematically illustrates a side of the mattress pad of FIG. 4, including each region's profile and relative sizes.

(15) Referring now to the drawings, one or more preferred embodiments of the invention are next described. The following description of one or more preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its implementations, or uses.

(16) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an ergonomic mattress pad 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The mattress pad 100 comprises an upper layer 90, a lower layer, and a wadding layer located between the upper layer and the lower layer. All three layers are quilted together to form one single nonwoven/woven/knitted textile material quilt cake 90. The quilted cake thus obtained is then attached with a knitted/woven or nonwoven drop 92 to complete the mattress pad 100.

(17) The upper and lower layers are made up of nonwoven/woven/knitted textile material, which may be manufactured using different textile materials including cotton, polyesters, silk, polypropylene, or any other natural or manmade material. The wadding layer is made up of different fill weights. For example, loose fibers are filled in case of blown fill, and garneted fibers are filled in case of manual/mechanical fill. Furthermore, while polyester fill is preferred, any natural or synthetic fill can be used as desired, including for example polyester, lyocell, tencel, cotton, and wool.

(18) In accordance with one or more aspects and features of the invention, the filling and quilting is done in such a way that different support zones are created in the mattress pad, each zone having one or more quilt patterns and one or more different elevations (i.e., thicknesses). The differences in the support zones preferably are achieved by a combination of the quantity or amount of wadding (filled material) of various densities (grams per square meters) utilized in each zone; and the quilting applied in each region of each zone. Polyester fibers are used for wadding in one or more preferred embodiments.

(19) For example, the mattress pad 100 preferably includes a plurality of defined support zones as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, including a first support zone 101 having a predetermined thickness and length of wadding, and being defined by a quilted region 107 for supporting a head portion of a human body and a non-quilted region 109 for supporting a neck portion of a human body; a second support zone 103 having a predetermined thickness and length of wadding, and being defined by a quilted region 111 for supporting an upper body portion of a human body and a non-quilted region 113 for supporting a lumbar portion of a human body; and a third support zone 105 having a predetermined thickness and length of wadding, and being defined by a quilted region 115 for supporting a lower back portion of a human body and another quilted region 117 for supporting a leg portion of a human body. Moreover, the quilted regions in this third support zone 105 each preferably has a different quilt pattern.

(20) As illustrated in FIG. 4, the three support zones 101,103,105 generally extend the length and the width of the top of the mattress pad 100, with the aforementioned regions 107,109; regions 111,113; and regions 115,117 defining their respective support zones 101,103,105. Furthermore, the same or similar quilt pattern can be utilized in a region of two or more support zones; the quilt pattern of region 111 is schematically shown in FIG. 4 to be the same as that of region 115. In particular, the quilt pattern of region 107 represents a square matrix pattern; the quilt pattern of region 111 represents a rectangular matrix pattern; the quilt pattern of region 115 represents the rectangular matrix pattern of region 111; and the quilt pattern of region 117 represents a pattern of parallel, elongate strip sections, each section extending the length of the region 117.

(21) In certain preferred embodiments, the thickness of the region 107 for supporting the head is within a range of one-half inch to one inch; the thickness of the region 109 for supporting the neck portion is within a range of one inch to two inches; and the thickness of the region 115 for supporting the lower back portion 115 is within a range of two inches to five inches.

(22) Additionally, in certain preferred embodiments, the length of the region 107 for supporting the head is within a range of six inches to ten inches; the length of the region 109 for supporting then neck preferably is within a range of six inches to eight inches; the length of the region 111 for supporting the upper body portion is within a range of eight inches to fourteen inches; the length of the region 113 for supporting the lumbar portion is within a range of ten inches to fifteen inches; the length of the region 115 for supporting the lower back portion is within a range of eight inches to ten inches; and the length of the region 117 for supporting the leg portion is within a range of twenty inches to forty inches.

(23) In preferred embodiments, the different support zones of the mattress pad are designed intelligently to provide maximum support to the human body, especially at the lumbar and neck portions of the human body. It is believed that such support of these portions facilitates relaxing of the human body at a faster rate, thereby resulting in better comfort and inducing better sleep, and consequently resulting in increased sleep efficiency and a higher level of restorative sleep.

(24) It will further be appreciated that a mattress pad may be made of soft support or firm support based on the need for such support by changing poly or poly blended material with a natural/manmade fiber wadding; and it will be appreciated that the thickness and length of wadding, and the pattern of quilt, can be varied in each region and zone based on the height and weight of the user.

Testing

(25) A test including qualitative and quantitative electromyograms (EMGs) was conducted using (a) a conventional mattress pad compared with (b) an ergonomic mattress pad representing a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is referred to below as the test mattress pad. As will be appreciated, an electromyogram is used for evaluating and recording electrical activity produced in muscles of the human body. The systems used included ALICE_5 and C2 I-330 systems with Physiolab software. The test included ten participants comprising five males and five females ranging in age from 18 years to 50 years. The total time of recording per participant was 30 minutes.

(26) During the test, multiple electrodes initially were placed at different parts of the body of each subject, for example, three at the lower back, two at the neck portion, and one at the hand of the subject. The electrodes are attached to the skin of the subject using an adhesive. In a first phase, each subject with the attached electrodes was made to lie down flat on a conventional mattress pad without a pillow, and a first EMG result was recorded. For a second phase, each subject then was given a pillow while lying on the conventional mattress pad, and a second EMG result was recorded. In a third phase, each subject next was made to lie down on the test mattress pad without a pillow, and a third EMG result was recorded. In a fourth phase, each subject was given a pillow while lying on the test mattress pad and a fourth EMG result was recorded. Test results were compiled to indicate the comparison between the conventional mattress pad and the test mattress pad.

(27) It is believed that the test results generally indicate a reduction of muscle tension in the lower back when a pillow is used with the test mattress pad as opposed to a pillow with a convention mattress pad. In this regard, FIG. 6 of the priority Indian patent application incorporated herein by reference and found in the Appendix hereto illustrates a graph showing the test results between the conventional mattress pad and the ergonomic mattress pad without using a pillow; and FIG. 7 of the priority Indian patent application incorporated herein by reference and found in the Appendix hereto illustrates a graph showing the test results between the conventional mattress pad and the ergonomic mattress pad using a pillow. Both the graphs show a series of lines which are thicker and thinner at a given instant time interval. The thicker lines in the graph indicate higher muscle tension while thinner line indicates lower muscle tension. Higher muscle tension is believed to lead to a lower sleep efficiency. Thus from these graphs, it can be inferred that using the test mattress pad with a pillow results in a reduction of muscle tension in the lower back, thereby providing a better sleep quality.

(28) Based on the foregoing description, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those specifically described herein, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing descriptions thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention.

(29) Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to one or more preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for the purpose of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications or equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.