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Claims  |
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I claim:
1. A portable mattress stiffener for forming a generally rectangular
supplemental support panel assembly for bed mattresses adapted to be
placed between a mattress and underlying box springs or the like, the
panel assembly having a longitudinal axis to extend lengthwise of the
mattress in use position and comprising a plurality of elongated rigid
slat members of relatively thin, generally rectangular cross-sectional
configuration each having a flat top wall and first and second side walls
arranged in side-wall-abutting parallel relation in use position forming a
rectangular panel, the slat members having longitudinal axes extending in
parallelism transversely perpendicular to said longitudinal axis, hinge
means interconnecting the respective slat members with each other at a
lower edge of said side walls opposite an upper side wall edge adjoining
said top wall and disposed at plural locations spaced longitudinally along
said side walls of each of said slat members, the hinge means comprising
interfitting first and second hinge formations, the first hinge formations
being integrally formed along said first side and protruding beyond the
face thereof defining an upwardly opening recess and the second hinge
formations being provided at corresponding spaced locations along said
lower side wall edge of the second side wall of each slat member and
comprising a companion hinged formation interfitted in said recess defined
by the first hinge formation, the interfitted hinge formations providing
hinge axes at said lower edge of the said walls whereby the respective
slat members are permitted to pivot about said hinge formation to arrange
the slat members in a spiral roll disposition with the slat members
angularly disposed relative to each other for transport, and said side
walls of adjacent slat members forming abutment surfaces abutting each
other when the assembly is unrolled to a flat use disposition to resist
deformation of the slat members from a predetermined substantially uniform
relationship with said hinge axes located adjacent the lower edges of the
abutting side wall surfaces.
2. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 1, wherein said first
hinge formations each comprise a generally L-shaped hook formation
protruding beyond the face of said first side wall of each slat member,
each L-shaped hook formation having an outwardly projecting lower leg
portion extending from the first side wall and an outer leg portion
perpendicular thereto paralleling the first side wall and defining said
upwardly opening recess therebetween.
3. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 2, wherein said second
hinge formation comprises a rod portion at plural locations along said
second side wall at positions to register with said first hinge formations
and said second side walls having adjacent recess means at said rod
portions receiving said L-shaped hook formations through said second side
walls for reception of said rod portions in said upwardly opening
recesses.
4. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 3, wherein said first
side wall of each slat member additionally comprises a ramp-like
releasable restraining formation adjacent an upwardly opening entry throat
into each said upwardly opening recess for restraining said rod portion of
said second hinge formations in said recess.
5. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 4, wherein each of
said slat members is a molded body of downwardly opening rectangular
box-like configuration defining said top wall and first and second side
walls, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to
said top wall, and each slat member including a plurality of reinforcing
web-like ribs integrally joined to the top wall and first and second side
walls and extending in parallel planes perpendicular to said walls.
6. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 5, wherein said
web-like reinforcing ribs are rectangular partition formations having
vertical and horizontal edges corresponding substantially to the height of
said side walls and width of said top walls respectively, and said
partition formations being located in substantially flanking relation at
opposite sides of each of said recess means in the second side wall
adjacent said rod portions.
7. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 3, wherein each of
said slat members is a molded body of downwardly opening rectangular
box-like configuration defining said top wall and first and second side
walls, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to
said top wall, and each slat member including a plurality of reinforcing
web-like ribs integrally joined to the top wall and first and second side
walls and extending in parallel planes perpendicular to said walls.
8. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 7, wherein said
web-like reinforcing ribs are rectangular partition formations having
vertical and horizontal edges corresponding substantially to the height of
said side walls and width of said top walls respectively, and said
partition formations being located in substantially flanking relation at
opposite sides of each of said recess means in the second side wall
adjacent said rod portions.
9. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 2, wherein said first
side wall of each slat member additionally comprises a ramp-like
releasable restraining formation adjacent an upwardly opening entry throat
into each said upwardly opening recess for restraining the companion hinge
formation of said second hinge formations in said recess.
10. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 2, wherein each of
said slat members is a molded body of downwardly opening rectangular
box-like configuration defining said top wall and first and second side
walls, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to
said top wall, and each slat member including a plurality of reinforcing
web-like ribs integrally joined to the top wall and first and second side
walls and extending in parallel planes perpendicular to said walls.
11. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 10, wherein said
web-like reinforcing ribs are rectangular partition formations having
vertical and horizontal edges corresponding substantially to the height of
said side walls and width of said top walls respectively, and said
partition formations being located in substantially flanking relation at
12. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 1, wherein said
second hinge formation comprises a rod portion at plural locations along
said second side wall at positions to register with said first hinge
formations and said side walls having adjacent recess means at said rod
portions receiving portions of the first hinge formations through said
second side-walls for reception of said rod portions in said upwardly
opening recesses.
13. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 1, wherein each of
said slat members is a molded body of downwardly opening rectangular
box-like configuration defining said top wall and first and second side
walls, the side walls being parallel to each other and perpendicular to
said top wall, and each slat member including a plurality of reinforcing
web-like ribs integrally joined to the top wall and first and second side
walls and extending in parallel planes perpendicular to said walls.
14. A portable mattress stiffener as defined in claim 13, wherein said
web-like reinforcing ribs are rectangular partition formations having
vertical and horizontal edges corresponding substantially to the height of
said side walls and width of said top walls respectively, and said
partition formations being located in substantially flanking relation at
opposite sides of each of said companion hinge formations. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to portable bed stiffeners of the
type designed to be inserted between the mattress and box springs of a bed
to impart additional stiffness to the mattress, particularly for use by
persons with back problems requiring firmer bed mattress support. More
particularly the present invention relates to portable bed mattress
stiffeners of the above-identified type arranged in the form of a
plurality of slats capable of being rolled into a compact roll for
convenience of transportation.
Heretofore, it has been long recognized that persons suffering from back or
spinal problems need firmer mattress support in beds used by such persons
to minimize aching or soreness in the back or spinal region as may occur
following sleeping on a bed mattress which is too soft. One of the most
common aids to impart additional stiffness to a bed mattress to be used by
such persons is to insert what is usually referred to as a "bed board"
between the mattress and box springs, which spans a major portion of the
width and length of the mattress. This is customarily simply a plywood,
pressed wood, or other similar wood panel usually about one quarter to
three eighths inch thick in the form of a rectangle about three feet by
four feet in size.
Since such bed boards would obviously be too large and uunwieldly to be
readily transportable during traveling by persons desiring to have a bed
board or similar mattress with them, it has been previously proposed to
subdivide such bed boards into smaller sections which are foldable to
occupy a smaller space and be more readily transportable. Rickert U.S.
Pat. No. 3,125,678 and Krueger U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,583 are examples of
posture boards or bed boards which are foldable, and are designed to be
interposed between the mattress and box springs of a bed mattress and
spring arrangement. However such foldable posture boards or bed boards are
still relatively large and inconvenient to transport.
A portable arrangement of cords and slats is disclosed in Smith U.S. Pat.
No. 2,551,927, to facilitate transportation in a folded, compact form, and
which is unfolded and placed on a mattress of a bed to provide support for
osteopathic treatment, although in this arrangement the slats are designed
to extend lengthwise of the bed rather than crosswise, and apparently are
designed to lie on top of the mattress rather than between the mattress
and the box springs.
The Eriksson U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,515 discloses a supplemental support for a
bed mattress adapted to be placed beneath the mattress, in which a pair of
flexible sheets are secured together to form a plurality of pockets
spanning one dimension of the sheets, to receive resilient rods providing
a selected amount of stiffness and imparting additional stiffness to the
mattress along the longitudinal direction of the rods by adjustment of the
springiness of the rods. Localized stiffness at different locations can be
obtained. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,089 to Hynes discloses a mattress
stiffener having a plurality of tubular members joined by flexible means
in parallel spaced relation to one another, which also provides stiffness
in the longitudinal direction of the tubular members. Flexible joined
rigid slats arranged parallel to each other are also disclosed as a back
rest for vehicle riding, in the Boland U.S. Pat. No. 2,745,473. However,
in each of the Erickson, Heinz and Boland patents, the stiffness and
resistance to distortion occur only along the longitudinal direction of
the rods, tubular members or slats, and there is no resistance to
distortion of the mattress support in the direction perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of the rods, tubular members or slats since they are
interconnected by flexible means.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a portable mattress
stiffener or supplemental support for bed mattresses adapted to be placed
between the mattress and underlying box springs, which is formed of a
plurality of elongated slat members of relatively thin, generally
rectangular cross-sectional configuration having interfitting hinge
formations on adjacent confronting side walls thereof and having abutment
surfaces coactive to permit rolling up of the plural slat mattress
stiffener assembly when rolled into a spiral form in one direction, and
wherein the hinge and associated abutment surfaces coact when the slat
assembly is unrolled to resist deformation of the hinged together slats
from a predetermined substantially planar or planiform arrangement.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable bed mattress stiffener or
supplemental support assembly of the present invention, shown rolled up in
a form for convenient transport of the mattress stiffener assembly;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plural slat portion of the
mattress stiffener assembly, viewed from above, shown in unrolled,
substantial planiform disposition for imparting support to a mattress;
FIG. 2A is a section view at line 2A--2A of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but viewed from
below;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of one of the slats for the mattress stiffener
assembly;
FIG. 5 is a bottom view thereof;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the portion of one of the
slats, viewed from above and forwardly of the slat;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of an opposite end portion of the
slat, viewed from above and rearwardly of the slat;
FIG. 8 a fragmentary perspective view of the end portion of the slat shown
in FIG. 7 viewed from below and rearwardly of the slat; and
FIG. 9 is a vertical transverse section view taken along the line 9--9 of
FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate
corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the supplemental
support, mattress underlying stiffener of the present invention is
indicated generally by the reference character 10 and comprises a
plurality of elongated slat members 12 interconnected together to form a
compact, lightweight portable and packageable support assembly. This
support assembly is designed to fit between the mattress and box spring of
a bed, so as to provide supplemental support and added stiffness to the
mattress when placed in position to lie beneath the user's upper body
portion. Preferably, the slat members 12 are fabricated of molded plastic
modules which hinge together, permitting the assembly of molded modular
slats forming the mattress supplmental stiffener to be rolled up for
carrying and opened out flat to provide support similar to that of a
typical "bed board". The slat members 12, in one satisfactory example, may
have a length of about 20 inches, and a width of about one and a half
inches, with a height of about 5/8th inch, providing a thin, essentially
box-shaped modular slat having a top wall 14, which is disposed
substantially horizontally in use position, a front side wall 16, a rear
side wall 18, and opposite vertical end walls 20 and 22. A plurality of
fore-and-aft, vertical interior stiffener webs 24 are also provided, for
example, at the positions shown.
The modular molded slat members 12 are providing along the lower edges of
the rear walls 18 with essentially right angular protruding hook
formations 26 defining one section of a pair of interconnecting hinge
means. These hook formations 26 are provided, in one preferred embodiment,
in associated pairs located near each of the ends 20 and 22 of each slat
member and at selected intervening locations therebetween. The hook
formation 26, as shown, comprises an apertured lower leg 26a having a
slot-like aperture 26b therein, and having an upwardly extending leg or
lip portion 26c terminating in a rounded upper edge as shown. Coactive
with the hook formation 26 is a generally right-angle shaped inclined ramp
and shoulder formation 28 located adjacent the midportion of the
lip-forming vertical leg 26c and protruding from the rear side wall 18 a
short distance into the space between the principal plane of the outer
face of rear side wall 18 and the lip formation 26c.
The opposite or front side wall 16 of each slat member is provided with
pairs of rectangular openings 30 therein which are bounded at their lower
edges by a rounded rod formation 32 shaped and sized to be received in the
latching recess 26d defined between the confronting surfaces of the rear
side wall 28 and lip-forming vertical leg 26c and between the lower
horizontal leg 26a of the hook formation and the shoulder portion 28a of
the restraining nose formation 28 provided at each hook formation 26. The
uppermost portion of each opening 30 in the front side wall 16 of each
slat member includes a portion extending into the adjoining parts of the
side wall 14 by a cut-out 30a in the top wall 14.
In one preferred embodiment, a sufficient number of the molded modular
slats 12, for example 26 slats, are interconnected to form a mattress
stiffener of about 20 inches by 40 inches total dimension when arranged in
a flat, substantially planiform array, and is to be located between the
mattress and box spring at a location to underlie the upper body portion
of the user when lying on the mattress. In this unrolled, substantially
flat use position, the exterior flat face of the portions of the front
wall 16 of each modular slat, except for the interruptions formed by the
openings 30, abut the similar flat exterior surfaces of the rear wall 18,
while the rod formations 32 are restrained in the recesses 26d therefor of
the hook formations 26 by the nose formation 28, thus tending to resist
deformation of the slats from the flat substantially planiform alignment
of the modular slats in the unrolled use configuration. However, the
hinged-together plurality of modular slats 12 can be rolled up to the
rolled conditions shown in FIG. 1, when the assembly of slats is inverted
from the normal use position, so that the respective hinged-together
modular slats can swing upwardly about the hinge axis to suitable inclined
disposition relative to each other to roll the slat assembly into the
spiral roll as shown in FIG. 1. The roll can then be restrained, if
desired by straps 36 having, for example, mating hook and loop type
fastener portions indicated at 38 at one end thereof and loops 40 at the
other end, to restrain the bed stiffener in rolled up condition.
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Description |
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