Mattress protectors, mattresses covered by mattress protectors, and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10555618-B2
Application number	US-201615272162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A mattress protector includes a composite sheet having a non-deformed length and a non-deformed width. The composite sheet includes a fabric and a water impermeable polymer. The composite sheet is capable of repeatedly stretching to a deformed length of at least 115% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet. Mattresses may be covered and protected by such a mattress protector. Methods of forming mattress protectors include providing a water impermeable polymer on a fabric so as to form a composite sheet having a non-deformed length and a non-deformed width, and formulating and configuring the composite sheet so as to be capable of repeatedly stretching to a deformed length of at least 115% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mattress protector, comprising:
a single continuous composite sheet having a non-deformed length and a non-deformed width,
the composite sheet including:
a fabric with between 4% to 15% by weight elastomeric fibers; and
a water impermeable polymer carried by the fabric with a greatest average layer of thickness of 0.0015, wherein the fabric is embedded within a layer of the water impermeable polymer;

wherein the composite sheet is capable of repeatedly stretching to a deformed length of at least 115% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet.

2. The mattress protector of claim 1 , wherein the composite sheet is capable of repeatedly stretching to the deformed length of at least 115% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet responsive to a tensile force less than six pounds per linear inch.

3. The mattress protector of claim 2 , wherein the composite sheet is capable of repeatedly stretching to a deformed length of at least 125% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet responsive to a tensile force less than five pounds per linear inch.

4. The mattress protector of claim 1 , wherein the fabric comprises a knitted fabric.

5. The mattress protector of claim 4 , wherein the knitted fabric comprises between about 10% and about 20% by weight spandex.

6. The mattress protector of claim 5 , wherein the knitted fabric comprises between about 80% and about 90% by weight polyester.

7. The mattress protector of claim 6 , wherein the knitted fabric comprises knitted yarn.

8. The mattress protector of claim 1 , wherein the mattress protector includes a rectangular top portion and four rectangular side portions, opposing side ends of each rectangular side portion adjoined to side ends of two adjacent rectangular side portions, at least the top portion comprising the composite sheet.

9. The mattress protector of claim 1 , further comprising an elastic member extending along a lower end of each of the four rectangular side portions.

10. The mattress protector of claim 1 , wherein the mattress protector has the shape of a rectangular prism when disposed on a mattress and includes a rectangular top portion, a rectangular bottom portion, and four rectangular side portions, at least the rectangular top portion comprising the composite sheet.

11. The mattress protector of claim 10 , further comprising an openable and closable aperture through which a mattress may be inserted into the mattress protector.

12. The mattress protector of claim 11 , further comprising a fastening member for fastening the aperture closed.

13. The mattress protector of claim 12 , wherein the fastening member comprises a zipper.

14. An assembly, comprising:
a mattress; and
a mattress protector covering at least one surface of the mattress, the mattress protector comprising a single continuous composite sheet having a non-deformed length and a non-deformed width, the composite sheet including:
a fabric with between 4% to 15% by weight elastomeric fibers; and
a water impermeable polymer carried by the fabric wherein the impermeable polymer is disposed primarily to one side of the fabric wherein the fabric is partially exposed on one side thereof;
wherein the composite sheet is capable of repeatedly stretching to a deformed length of at least 115% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fabric comprises a knitted fabric, the knitted fabric comprising yarn including between about 10% and about 20% by weight spandex.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the mattress comprises an elastomeric polymer cushion, the elastomeric polymer cushion including buckling walls defining columnar voids extending within the mattress generally along a direction perpendicular to a cushioning surface of the elastomeric polymer cushion, the buckling walls configured to buckle when a force applied to the cushioning surface exceeds a threshold level.

17. A method of forming a mattress protector, comprising:
providing a fabric;
providing a water impermeable polymer on the fabric, the fabric comprising between 4% to 15% by weight elastomeric fibers; embedded the fabric within a layer of the water impermeable polymer; and forming a single continuous composite sheet having a non-deformed length and a non-deformed width, wherein the composite sheet is formulated and configured so as to be capable of repeatedly stretching to a deformed length of at least 115% of the non-deformed length and returning to within 8% of the non-deformed length without rupture or permanent wrinkling of the composite sheet.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the fabric comprises providing a knitted fabric.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein providing the knitted fabric comprises providing a knitted fabric including between about 10% and about 20% by weight spandex.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein providing the knitted fabric further comprises providing a knitted fabric comprising between about 80% and about 90% by weight polyester.

Assignees

• Purple Innovation Llc

Inventors

• Pearce Tony M

Classifications

• A47C31/00

  Details or accessories for chairs, beds, or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass, e.g. upholstery fasteners, mattress protectors, stretching devices for mattress nets · CPC title

• A47G9/04

  with fastening strips (haberdashery in general A44B) · CPC title

• A47C31/105 Primary

  for mattresses · CPC title

• A47G9/00

  Bed-covers; Counterpanes; Travelling rugs; Sleeping rugs; Sleeping bags; Pillows {(loose filling materials for bedding B68G1/00)} · CPC title

• A47C27/12

  with fibrous inlays, e.g. made of wool, of cotton · CPC title