Mattress with flexible pressure sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9833081-B2
Application number	US-201615352793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

Mattresses including a polymeric contact sensor configured to provide real-time dynamic contact information, which can then be used to report sleep quality, body position and/or pressure distributions to the user. The polymeric contact sensors could also be used to control parameters of the mattress and/or foundation with adjustable firmness for a given position and/or body shape/type/size. The polymeric contact sensor includes a plurality of flexible strips formed of a polymeric material and a conductive filler, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is in electrical communication with a data acquisition terminal, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is disposed on or within the upholstery layer, or on or within the quilt layer, or on a top surface of the innercore unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mattress comprising:
a base layer;
an innercore layer overlaying the base layer, the innercore comprising coil springs, foam, and combinations thereof;
an upholstery layer overlaying the innercore layer;
a quilt or fabric layer overlaying the upholstery layer; and
a polymeric contact sensor comprising a plurality of intersecting flexible strips formed of a polymeric material and a conductive filler, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is in electrical communication with a data acquisition terminal, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is disposed on or within the upholstery layer, or on a top surface of the innercore layer, and wherein the polymeric sensor is configured to determine pressure, movement, and coordinate position of a user on the mattress.

2. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the conductive filler is less than 10% by weight relative to the polymeric material.

3. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material comprises polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyester resins, or epoxy resins.

4. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the conductive filler comprises carbon black, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, chromium, nickel, platinum, tungsten, titanium, iron, zinc, lead, molybdenum, selenium, indium, bismuth, tin, magnesium, cobalt, titanium germanium, or mercury.

5. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible strips further comprises a filler.

6. The mattress of claim 5 , wherein the filler comprises a ceramic.

7. The mattress of claim 5 , wherein the filler comprises aluminum oxide, zirconia, calcium, silicon, fibrous fillers, carbon fiber or glass fibers.

8. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition terminal comprises data acquisition circuitry comprising at least one multiplexer in electrical communication with a microcontroller via the data acquisition circuitry.

9. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible strips are perpendicularly oriented in different opposing directions to form virtual cross points at intersections thereof.

10. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible strips are oriented parallel to one another.

11. A mattress comprising:
a base layer;
an innercore layer overlaying the base layer, the innercore comprising coil springs;
an upholstery layer overlaying the innercore layer;
a quilt or fabric layer overlaying the upholstery layer; and
a polymeric contact sensor comprising a plurality of intersecting flexible strips formed of a polymeric material and a conductive filler, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is in electrical communication with a data acquisition terminal, wherein the polymeric contact sensor is disposed on or within the upholstery layer, or on or within the quilt layer, or on a top surface of the innercore layer, and wherein the polymeric sensor is configured to determine pressure, movement, and coordinate position of a user on the mattress.

Assignees

• Dreamwell Ltd

Inventors

• Defranks Michael S
• Golin Michael A

Classifications

• A47C27/121 Primary

  with different inlays · CPC title

• A47C31/00 Primary

  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

• A47C27/05

  with {padding material, e.g.} foamed material, in top, bottom, or side layers · CPC title

• A47C27/002

  Mattress or cushion tickings or covers · CPC title

• A47C31/123

  for beds or mattresses · CPC title