Spring element unit for a padding element, especially a mattress

ES 2 345 685 T3

DESCRIPTION

Spring element unit for a padding element, especially a mattress.

The invention relates to a mattress according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a spring element unit with a plurality of spring elements for such a mattress.

DE 202005015047 U1 discloses a generic mattress. This combined mattress is formed by a plurality of spring elements adjoining each other with their circumferential surfaces and which must be kept together by means of a circumferential tape. To fix the tape, the spring elements have a groove. The spring elements are made of latex.

Furthermore, mattresses with spring cores are known, in which metal springs bagged in cloth bags are provided as spring elements. The metal spring core thus formed is also called Bonell spring core or pocket spring core. A foam padding is positioned on top of the metal spring core, which is generally made of a block of foam and exhibits a certain elasticity. Furthermore, foam mattresses with wire springs incorporated in the foam core are known.

From DE 29918893 U1 a padding element for furniture and mattresses is known, in which a plurality of spring elements have been brought together to form a flat composite. Here, the spring elements are made of sheep's wool and have been inserted into bags preferably made of cotton, the upper front sides of the pocket springs forming the rear loading surface. To create a large surface padding element, a plurality of spring elements are arranged next to each other and are respectively attached to each other in individual rows, preferably they are sewn to each other.

Furthermore, from DE 3937214 A1 a padding element is known for supporting a human body in a recumbent posture. A mattress part made of elastic material, such as foam, has a plurality of channels arranged side by side, into which inserts of different elasticities have been inserted, so that the mattress part has locally elastic zones different on its support surface. The inserts can be made of an elastic material corresponding to that of the mattress part.

In these known padding elements, in particular in the mattress application, it has proven to be a drawback that an accumulation of heat and moisture forms between the person's body and the padding element. This problem occurs especially in mattresses, since heat and humidity accumulate there due to covering the human body with a blanket, in particular in the area of ​​the mattress support surface that is in contact with the human body.

Furthermore, document GB 902272 A discloses a synthetic foam pillow, which is formed by two foam plates joined together at the edges and support bodies arranged vertically between them. Synthetic foam is polyester foam. The foam plates are glued one on the other at the edges. The support bodies can be formed by cylindrical rings or straight or curved ribs. The support bodies can be made of polyester foam, latex foam or polyester foam.

GB 476659 A discloses a seat pad, which has a plurality of spring elements made of soft rubber.

JP 8-103581 A discloses a foam body characterized by its air permeability and flexibility. For this purpose, the foam body is made of polyolefin resin.

Document WO 95/09886 A1 discloses a polyurethane foam and a process for the manufacture of such a foam, which must have properties comparable to latex.

The object of the invention is to propose a mattress and a unit of spring elements that prevent an accumulation of heat and humidity between the body and the padding element.

This object is achieved by a mattress according to claim 1 and a spring element unit according to claim 17. Preferable configurations of the mattress and the spring element unit are defined in claims 2 to 16 and 18 to 20.

The spring element unit according to the invention is based on the knowledge of forming the spring element entirely from a soft elastic polyurethane foam and providing it with at least one recess. The recess is used for the evacuation of heat and humidity or for air to flow towards the support surface of the sitting or lying arrangement. In other words, the recess forms an air channel. In principle, the spring element can also be provided with several recesses. Since the spring element is made of a soft breathable foam, it additionally improves the evacuation of heat and humidity thanks to an air flow towards the support surface.

ES 2 345 685 T3

In addition, the soft polyurethane foam can be easily shaped into freely selectable shapes by means of in-mold foaming, therefore spring elements of the most diverse shapes can be manufactured according to the application case and the desired characteristic values ​​of the material, as elasticity and permeability values.

Furthermore, the soft polyurethane foam turns out to be advantageous in view of long-lasting or permanent load-bearing capacity.

Also, the spring element is metal-free, ie it does not require metal inserts, for example in the form of steel springs. Consequently, the spring element unit according to the invention is especially suitable for people who are sensitive to magnetic radiation originating from metal bodies.

The individual spring elements can be produced with different material characteristics, such as in particular different indentation hardnesses, thus being able to be brought together as required to form a package as a spring element unit. If necessary, individual spring elements can be exchanged.

The spring element unit according to the invention can be used in a plurality of applications. Among other things, the spring element unit is suitable for a mattress, but also for a seat, in particular a car seat or for an airplane passenger. Here, the spring element unit according to the invention can be used for both the seat surface and the backrest. Furthermore, the spring element unit according to the invention can be used in upholstered furniture.

The recess passes through the spring element completely in the axial direction thereof. The spring element has a first front surface and a second front surface, the recess extending from the first front surface continuously to the second front surface. To form a suitable air channel, the recess preferably extends substantially in the direction perpendicular to the first and second front surfaces.

The spring element is made of molding foam. To do this, during the manufacture of the spring element, a reactive mixture is introduced into a foaming mold and it is formed into the final shape by foaming. To achieve this, the foaming mold is designed in such a way that the spring element is already provided with the recess by the foaming process. In this way, a subsequent drilling or cutting of the spring element is not necessary to make the recess. In this way, a one-piece spring element can be manufactured by a simple foaming process, which achieves adequate point elasticity and high breathability. Furthermore, a one-piece spring element unit can also be manufactured with several spring elements.

It is advantageous if the recess is arranged approximately in the center. In this way it is possible to deform the spring element under load to a large extent symmetrically, whereby the individual areas of the spring element are stressed to a large extent uniformly. Furthermore, the recess can be positioned in such a way that a certain deformation behavior is achieved.

With regard to the shape of the recess, it is advantageous if, viewed in cross section and / or longitudinal section, the recess has a straight or curved shape. Such a shaping also comprises in sections a straight or curved shape and a combined shape. In this way, it is also possible to control or influence the deformation behavior of the spring element by shaping the recess. Furthermore, the shape of the recess can be variable along its extension direction inside the spring element, for example it can be conical.

Also with regard to the shape of the spring element, that is to say especially with regard to the outer sleeve surface of the spring element, the most diverse shapes can be chosen. Above all, a barrel or tube-like shape is recommended, that is, a shape with an angular or round base surface. According to the invention, the shape has an octagonal cross section. Furthermore, a variable shape of the cross section is possible along the height of the spring element unit, such as a shape with a taper. The deformation behavior of the spring element can also be influenced by such a shaping of the outer sleeve surface of the spring element.

The spring element unit is characterized by a plurality of spring elements arranged side by side, the spring elements being attached to each other by material bonding, preferably being glued to each other. In this way, a spring element unit can be assembled with a freely selectable number of spring elements. Different spring element packages of this type can subsequently be combined to form a supporting surface, the different packages exhibiting, for example, different elasticity values ​​in order to be able to meet the requirements of different lying or sitting areas. It is also advantageous if the material connection is at least partially elastic. In this way, an excessively rigid connection between the spring elements can be prevented.

According to the invention, the spring elements are arranged side by side in such a way that a free space exists in a region between the outer surfaces of adjacent spring elements. This free space is preferably achieved by a suitable choice of the shape of the spring element taking into account the compound-like combination. An octagonal plan shape is especially suitable for the element of

ES 2 345 685 T3 spring. The free space formed between the spring elements can also be used for the evacuation of heat and humidity from the surface for sitting or lying down.

The claimed mattress takes advantage of the advantages of the spring element unit according to the invention. Furthermore, the comparatively complicated joining of several spring elements in a row arrangement by means of belts or the production of bags and their incorporation into a mattress core can be dispensed with. Furthermore, the base body can preferably also be made of a foam, whereby the entire padding element is metal-free. Also, the base body can be easily made from a foam block and can be made to any size. Regarding the advantages of the spring element unit preferably manufactured separately, reference is made to the above-discussed embodiments.

According to the invention, the base body has at least one recess, in which the spring element unit is housed. Thus, a plurality of spring elements arranged side by side as a unit of spring elements can be supported on the base surface of the recess, and can be supported on the sides, for example, by a circumferential wall of the body. base. Preferably, the spring element unit has approximately the same height as the recess. The recess can be provided with respect to the base surface of the base body, for example in such a region, in which the shoulder part or the gluteal region of a person rests. It is also possible to make only a single recess, which extends substantially over the entire area. In particular, it is advantageous to provide in a stretcher a recess for the shoulder region and another recess for the gluteal region.

In another preferable configuration, a cover body is provided to support it on the spring element unit and / or on the base body, the cover body being connected by material bonding to the base body and / or to the spring element unit, preferably being glued. In particular, if a recess is provided in the base body, the cover body forms a cover, so to speak, and thus represents an upper end of the padding element. It is advantageous to manufacture the cover body from soft polyurethane foam. Alternatively, the cover body can be formed by an air-permeable layer, in particular an air-permeable cover.

In order to ensure a permanent fixed positioning of the spring element unit relative to the base body, the spring element unit is materially connected to the base body, preferably it is glued. The connection is preferably made on the underside of the spring element unit, that is to say in the area of ​​that surface that transmits the load exerted by the body sitting or lying on the padding element to the base body. If the spring element unit is housed in a recess in the base body, the spring element unit can be connected alternatively or additionally via the lateral surfaces of the latter at least in sections to the marginal surface of the base body which it delimits the notch.

The base body is preferably made of soft polyurethane foam, as is the spring element. The base body is preferably made from a foam block, so that a continuous, fully automated manufacturing process can be applied. Furthermore, a plurality of starting materials should not be stored for the manufacture of the spring unit and the base body.

It is advantageous if the base body and / or the cover body are made of soft polyurethane foam. In this way, the entire padding element can be made from a single base material.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the indentation hardness of the spring element unit is different from the indentation hardness of the base body and / or the cover body. The indentation hardness of the spring element unit is preferably in a range between about 40N and about 350N, preferably in a range between about 60N and about 260N.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the base body and / or the cover body have recesses that are parallel to one another. These notches can be made with or without material pick-up. Furthermore, the recesses can be provided both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction. By means of the recesses, the inherent surface tension of the material of the base body or of the cover body is reduced.

To achieve areas with different hardness, the notches in certain areas, such as the shoulder area or the gluteal area, can have different distances from each other. Thus, the notches that are closer to each other in the shoulder area allow for greater softness, so that the shoulders can sink in a softer and deeper way, while areas with notches at greater distances stiffen the elasticity behavior, thus offering more support.

It is also advantageous if the recesses have an inwardly widening cross section, in particular a drop-shaped cross section. This further improves ventilation.

It is advantageous to produce the base body and / or the cover body from a block of foam, so that the base body and / or the cover body can be produced in a continuous process as material per meter with freely selectable dimensions. Thanks to the generally simple geometric measurements, the base body and the cover body

ES 2 345 685 T3 can be easily trimmed. Furthermore, the at least one recess can be formed by cutting out simply and fully automatically.

The spring element unit is made of molding foam, so that a simple manufacturing process can also be carried out. Furthermore, after removal from the foaming mold, the spring element produced by in-mold foaming can be positioned simply and preferably also fully automatically in the base body or it can be inserted into a recess in the base body. The recess in the spring element is particularly useful here.

Finally, provision can be made for the cover body to comprise an air-permeable cover. Such a cover can be provided alternatively or in addition to the above-mentioned soft polyurethane foam.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of the drawings. In them they show schematically:

FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the spring element unit according to the invention;

FIG. 1b is a horizontal section of the spring element unit according to FIG. 1a;

FIG. 1c is a vertical section of the spring element unit according to FIG. 1a;

FIG. 2 other embodiments of the spring element unit according to the invention in horizontal section as an alternative to FIG. 1b;

FIG. 3 other embodiments of the spring element unit according to the invention in vertical section as an alternative to FIG. 1c;

FIG. 4 a horizontal section of a spring element unit according to the invention with several spring elements according to FIG. 1a;

figure 5a a vertical section of a first embodiment of the cushioning element according to the invention with a plurality of spring element units according to figure 4;

FIG. 5b is a top view of the base body of the padding element according to FIG. 5a without the cover body;

FIG. 6a a vertical section of a second embodiment of the cushioning element according to the invention with a plurality of spring element units according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6b is a top view of the base body of the padding element according to FIG. 6a without the cover body;

FIG. 7a is a longitudinal section of a third embodiment of the cushioning element according to the invention with a plurality of spring element units according to FIG. 4;

FIG. 7b is a top view of the base body of the padding element according to FIG. 7a without the cover body.

Figures 1a to 1c show a spring element 10, from which the spring element unit 20 shown in figure 4 is formed. The spring element unit 20 is applied to a padding element 30, for example in shaped like a mattress, as shown in Figures 5a to 7b.

The spring element 10 is made exclusively of a soft, elastic, open-cell polyurethane foam and is manufactured by in-mold foaming. The cylindrical spring element 10 has a lateral sleeve surface 16, an upper side 14, and a lower side 15. The upper side 14 and the lower side 15 are oriented substantially parallel to the sitting or lying surface. As shown in particular in Figure 1b, the spring element 10 has a constant octagonal plan along the entire height of the spring element 10, so that the sleeve surface 16 is divided into vertical and splice surfaces 17 inclined side surfaces 18.

In the center of the spring element 10 there is provided a recess 12 extending in the axial direction, which is formed by a corresponding embodiment of the foaming mold. The recess 12 has a circular cross section (horizontal section) with a constant shape throughout the height (vertical section) and serves as an air channel for the evacuation of heat and humidity.

As an alternative to this, the spring element 10 and / or the recess 12 can have the shapes indicated only by way of example in FIGS. 2 and 3, the individual sleeve surfaces and the individual sleeve surfaces can also be combined with one another.

ES 2 345 685 T3 the shapes of the recess. As shown in FIG. 2, seen in horizontal section, the spring element 10 can have a shape at least in sections straight or curved, such as, for example, a circular, elliptical or hexagonal shape. Furthermore, seen in vertical section, the spring element 10 can have a variable cross section along its height, as indicated in Figure 3, such as a curved shape, in particular a tapered shape or a straight shape. by sections, such as a conical shape, and also shapes in which the width or diameter of the upper and lower side 14, 15 are made in different sizes.

Figure 4 shows a preferred embodiment of a spring element unit 20, which has a total of four spring elements 10 according to Figures 1a to 1c. The spring elements 10 arranged side by side in the form of rows are materially connected in the region of their opposite connection surfaces 17 by a glued connection. The glue layer can be at least partially elastically produced in order to prevent the connection from being too rigid. Due to the octagonal plan shape of the spring elements 10 and the connection via the connecting surfaces 17, in addition to the individual central recesses 12 a free space 28 is created in the area between the inclined side surfaces 18, which also allows an evacuation of heat and humidity.

As an alternative to the spring element unit 20 shown in FIG. 4 with four spring elements 10, other combinations with a freely selectable number of spring elements 10 are also conceivable. In this way, prefabricated spring element packages or rows of spring elements can be made available.

On the basis of the spring element unit 20 according to figure 4 explained above, various embodiments of a cushion element 30 provided with a plurality of spring element units 20 will be explained below. Figures 5a to 7b are substantially distinguished by the number of units of spring elements 20 provided and by the configuration or the number of recesses 44 which depend on it.

All Figures 5a to 7b respectively show a padding element 30 in the form of a mattress with a base body 40 forming the core of the mattress, a cover body 50 and a plurality of spring element units 20 arranged between the body of cover 50 and base body 40. All the components of the padding element 30, that is, the individual spring elements 10 for forming the spring element unit 20, the base body 40 and the cover body 50 are respectively made entirely of a soft polyurethane foam of open cells. Here, the indentation hardness of the spring elements 10 is between approximately 40 N and approximately 350 N, preferably between approximately 60 N and approximately 260 N. The base body 40 has an upper side 41, a lower side 42 and a circumferential side surface 43.

All the recesses 44 shown in Figures 5a to 7b are preferably produced by cutting the corresponding volume of material from a body of a foam block forming the base body 40. The recess 44 is delimited respectively by a substantially horizontal base surface 45 and a circumferential marginal surface 46 oriented substantially in the vertical direction. In all the embodiments according to FIGS. 5a to 7b, the spring element unit 20 is supported in such a way by the base body 40 that the spring element unit 20 is housed in the recess 44. In other words, the underside 24 of the spring element unit 20 abuts the base surface 45. To ensure a stable and durable holding of the spring element unit 20 in the recess 44, the underside 24 is materially bonded to the base surface 45 by means of a layer of glue. This layer of glue can be provided on the entire surface, in the form of strips or only in a specific way. Between the lateral surface 26 of the spring element unit 20 and the marginal surface 46 of the base body 40, there may be at least one gap in sections. The edge 47 that remains between the lateral surface 43 and the marginal surface 46 has a sufficient thickness to guarantee a lateral clamping of the spring element unit 20.

As an alternative to this glued joint, the lateral surface 26 of the spring element unit 20 is in contact with the marginal surface 46 along the entire circumference. This contact preferably results from an oversize fit, that is, the dimensions of the recess 44 are at least slightly smaller than the outer dimensions of the spring element unit 20.

After inserting the spring element unit 20 into the recess 44 and fixing preferably by means of a layer of glue, the cover body 50 is congruently positioned on the upper side 41 of the base body 40 and is attached by a layer of glue applied at least in spots by material bonding to the base body 40. Additionally, the lower side of the cover body 50 is glued to the upper side 22 of the spring element unit 20. The cover body 50 has a corresponding thickness and / or corresponding material properties, so that it is sufficiently permeable to air to ensure heat and moisture evacuation in the direction of the spring element unit 20. In the embodiments according to Figures 5a to 7b, the cover body 50 has a thickness of approximately 40 mm. Alternatively, the cover body 50 may be formed of an air-permeable sheath.

The embodiments of FIGS. 5a to 7b are distinguished above all by the number of recesses 44 and their size. In FIGS. 5b and 7b only one recess 44 is provided, while in FIG. 6b two recesses 44 are produced. In FIG. 5b, the recess is arranged in a first region A of the base body 40, that is to say in the region shoulders. In FIG. 6b, a second notch 44 is additionally provided in a second region C, for example in the region of the gluteal / hip region. Between the first zone A and the third zone C is the

ES 2 345 685 T3 second zone B. In FIG. 7b, the recess 44 extends almost completely along the base surface of the base body 40, the wall 47 ensuring sufficient lateral support of the spring element unit 20.

Furthermore, the base body 40 and the cover body 50 have parallel notches 60, as shown in Figures 5a to 7b. Here, the recesses 60 are made in the area of ​​the upper side 52 of the cover body 50 and in the area of ​​the lower side 42 of the base body 40 in the form of a material recess. These recesses 60 reduce the surface tension and therefore contribute to an improvement in the point elasticity of the padding element 30.

As can be seen in Figures 5a to 7b, the notches 60 in the areas A, B, C have different distances. The distance between the recesses 60 in both the base body 40 and the cover body 50 in the region of the recess 44, that is, in FIG. 5b in the first zone A and in FIG. 6b in the third zone C are respectively narrower than in the central zone B of Figures 5b and 6b. In other words, the spacing of the recesses 60 in the area of ​​the spring element units 20 is chosen to be smaller. In this way, the elasticity in these areas can be further adjusted by the notches 60. For example, the elasticity can be increased by smaller distances between the notches 60. In the variant according to FIG. 7b, the recesses 60 are furthermore positioned in the region of the single large-area recess 44 in various sub-areas at varying distances. In this way, the point elasticity already provided by the large-area spring element unit 20 can be adjusted in detail.

Finally, the recesses 60 depicted in Figure 7b and Figure 5b are distinguished from the recesses 60 depicted in Figure 6b by a cross-sectional shape that widens inwardly in the form of a drop.

List of reference signs

Spring element

Notch

Top side

Lower side

Shirt surface

Splice surface

Lateral surface

Spring element unit

Top side

Lower side

Lateral surface

Free space

Padding element

Base body

Top side

Lower side

Lateral surface

Notch

Base surface

Marginal area

Wall

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Cover body

Top side

Lower side

Notch

A First zone

B Second zone

C Third zone