Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SUPPORT CUSHIONS INCLUDING THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENTS AND AIR
CONDUITS, AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING SURFACE TEMPERATURE
OF SAME
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application
Serial No.
61/836,268, filed June 18, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No.
61/836,245,
filed June 18, 2014, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein
by this reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to support cushions and methods for
controlling the
surface temperature of support cushions. In particular, the present invention
relates to
support cushions, such as mattress assemblies, that make use of thermoelectric
elements and
internal air conduits to selectively heat or cool the surfaces of the support
cushions.
BACKGROUND
[0003] An aspect of successful and restful sleep is individual sleep comfort.
Medical
research suggests that sleep deprivation ("sleep debt") can have significant
negative impacts
on longevity, productivity, and overall mental, emotional, and physical
health. Chronic sleep
debt has been linked to weight gain and, more specifically, has been observed
to not only
affect the way the body processes and stores carbohydrates, but has also been
observed to
alter hormone levels that affect appetite. Moreover, sleep debt may result in
irritability,
impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness, which has led some
researchers to
suggest a link between sleep debt and worksite accidents, traffic incidents,
and general
afternoon inattentiveness. Furthermore, sleep disorders have been linked to
hypertension,
increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat, and additional
research has recently
suggested that a lack of sleep can affect immune function, resulting in
increased susceptibility
to illness and disease, e.g., cancer. In all, researchers have now suggested
that sleep debt
costs the United States $63 billion annually in lost productivity due to these
various effects.
Accordingly, a support cushion that improves sleep comfort and lowers
individual sleep debt
would be both highly desirable and beneficial.
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SUMMARY
[0004] The present invention includes support cushions and methods for
controlling the
surface temperature of support cushions. In particular, the present invention
includes support
cushions, such as mattress assemblies, that make use of thermoelectric
elements and internal
air conduits to selectively heat or cool the surfaces of the support cushions.
Thus, the support
cushions of the present invention allow a user to individualize their level of
comfort,
including sleep comfort, by controlling the temperature of the surface of the
support
cushions.
[0005] In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a support cushion
is
provided in the form of a mattress assembly that includes a body supporting
layer having a
first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface. The
mattress assembly
further includes a plurality of thermoelectric elements that are positioned
and configured to
selectively provide heating or cooling at the first surface of the body
supporting layer. The
mattress assembly also includes a heat transfer layer and a base layer. The
heat transfer layer
is positioned adjacent to the second surface of the body supporting layer and
is operably
connected to the thermoelectric elements, while the base layer is positioned
adjacent to the
heat transfer layer opposite the body supporting layer.
10006] In addition to being positioned adjacent to the heat transfer layer,
the base layer
defines an inlet conduit that is in fluid communication with the heat transfer
layer, and an
outlet conduit that is also in fluid communication with the heat transfer
layer, but is spaced at
a predetermined distance from the inlet conduit. Further included in the
mattress assembly is
a fan that is operatively connected to the outlet conduit and, as described in
further detail
below, acts to draw an amount of air from the inlet conduit, through the heat
transfer layer,
and into the outlet conduit before dissipating the air away from the mattress
assembly.
10007] With respect to the body supporting layer of the mattress assembly, the
body
supporting layer is generally comprised of a flexible foam capable of suitably
distributing
pressure from a user's body, or portion thereof, across the body supporting
layer. In some
embodiments, the flexible foam is a visco-elastic foam that has a desired
density and
hardness, and allows pressure to be absorbed uniformly and distributed evenly
across the
body supporting layer of the mattress assembly. In this regard, in certain
embodiments, the
body supporting layer can be further covered by a comfort layer that is
positioned atop the
first surface of the body supporting layer to provide an additional level of
comfort to the body
of a user, or a portion thereof, resting on the mattress assembly. Such a
comfort layer, in
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certain embodiments, is also comprised of a visco-elastic foam or other foam,
but typically
has a density less than that of the body supporting layer of the mattress
assembly so as to
provide a softer surface on which to rest and to also provide a sufficiently
soft barrier
between the body of a user and the thermoelectric elements of a mattress
assembly, the
position of which are described in further detail below.
[0008] With respect to the thermoelectric elements of the mattress assembly,
the
thermoelectric elements are positioned in the mattress assembly and are
configured to allow a
user to control the temperature of the first (or upper) surface of the body
supporting layer of
the mattress assembly. For example, in certain embodiments, the thermoelectric
elements are
comprised of a plurality of Peltier elements that, upon flowing an amount of
electrical current
in a first direction through the Peltier elements, cool the first surface of
the body supporting
layer by drawing heat away from the first surface and toward the second
surface of the body
supporting layer. Similarly, in certain embodiments, upon flowing an amount of
electrical
current in a second (e.g., opposite) direction through the Peltier elements,
the Peltier elements
heat the first surface of the body supporting layer by drawing heat away from
the second
surface of the body supporting layer and toward the first surface of the body
supporting
portion.
[0009] To further take advantage of the heating and cooling capabilities of
the Peltier
elements, in certain embodiments, the Peltier elements are arranged in a
series, such that the
Peltier elements are arranged one after another and are capable of providing
heating or
cooling across the entire surface of the body supporting layer or a desired
portion thereof. In
other embodiments, the Peltier elements are arranged in an array, such that a
group of Peltier
elements can be positioned on a desired area of the body supporting portion
and used to
selectively heat or cool an area of the body supporting portion that would be
in contact with a
particular portion of the body of a user that is prone to excessive heating or
cooling (e.g., the
torso or feet of a user, respectively). In some embodiments, to provide a
mattress assembly
wherein the Peltier elements can be easily removed from the mattress assembly,
the mattress
assembly can include one or more removable portions that are comprised of an
area of the
body supporting layer and a corresponding area of the heat transfer layer, and
that each house
an array of Peltier elements. In some embodiments, to provide a greater amount
of control
over the selective heating and cooling of the first surface of the body
supporting layer, the
Peltier elements are comprised of discrete Peltier elements, are individually
addressable, or
both.
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100101 To facilitate the heating and cooling of the first surface of body
supporting layer,
each Peltier element typically spans the width of the body supporting layer of
the mattress
assembly, such that a first side of each Peltier element is positioned above
or adjacent to the
first surface of the body supporting portion and the opposite side of each
Peltier element is
positioned below or adjacent to the second surface of the body supporting
portion. In these
embodiments, the body supporting layer typically defines a plurality of slots
that each include
a portion of the Peltier elements that are transmitting heat from one surface
of the body
supporting surface to the other. In other words, in certain embodiments, the
Peltier elements
are positioned adjacent to the body supporting layer and are directly
transferring heat from
one surface of the body supporting layer, through the interior of the body
supporting layer,
and to the other surface of the body supporting layer.
NOM In addition to being configured to selectively heat or cool the first
surface of the
body supporting portion, the thermoelectric elements are also operably
connected to a heat
transfer layer that is typically comprised of a porous flexible foam. In some
embodiments,
the heat transfer layer of the mattress assembly is comprised of a porous
visco-elastic foam
that encases at least a portion of the Peltier elements adjacent to or near
the second surface of
the body supporting layer. By operably connecting the Peltier elements to the
heat transfer
layer, the heat transfer layer, in addition to providing structural support
for the Peltier
elements and overlying body supporting layer, provides an open environment
into which the
heat generated by the Peltier elements can be transferred, such as by
diffusion of heat from
the Peltier elements into the porous flexible foam of the heat transfer layer.
Upon
transferring the heat from the Peltier elements into the porous flexible foam
of the heat
transfer layer, the heat can then by transferred out of the heat transfer
layer by conveying an
amount of air through the porous flexible foam of the heat transfer layer.
100121 Turning now to the base layer of the mattress assembly, as noted, the
base layer
defines an inlet conduit in fluid communication with the heat transfer layer
and an outlet
conduit that is also in fluid communication with the heat transfer layer and
is operably
connected to a fan. The base layer is generally also comprised of a flexible
foam. In some
embodiments, however, the base layer is comprised of a flexible foam having a
porosity that
is less than that of the flexible foam comprising the heat transfer layer
positioned above the
base layer. In this regard, when the fan operably connected to the outlet
conduit is activated,
the fan does not directly draw air into the inlet conduit, through the base
layer, and then into
the outlet conduit and away from the mattress assembly. Instead, by including
a base layer in
the mattress assembly that is comprised of a flexible foam having has a
porosity less than that
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of the flexible foam comprising the heat transfer layer, the fan acts to
create an air flow route
whereby air enters the inlet conduit through an inlet, meets the less porous
base layer, travels
into the more porous heat transfer layer, picks up any heat generated by the
Peltier elements,
and then travels from the heat transfer layer into the outlet conduit before
being dissipated
away from the mattress assembly.
[00131 With further respect to the mattress assemblies of the present
invention that make
use of a base layer having a porosity less than that of an adjacent heat
transfer layer, in some
embodiments, a mattress assembly is provided that includes: a base layer
having a head
portion and a foot portion; one or more inlet conduits that extend
longitudinally through the
base layer from the head portion; and one or more outlet conduits that extend
longitudinally
through the base layer from the foot portion and that are each operably
connected to a fan.
For instance, in some embodiments of the mattress assemblies of the present
invention, a
mattress assembly is provided that includes a base layer having three inlet
conduits extending
longitudinally through the base layer from inlets positioned on the head end
of the base layer,
and two outlet conduits extending longitudinally through the base layer from
outlets
positioned on a foot end of the base layer. More specifically, in those
embodiments, a first
inlet conduit is positioned on a first side of the base layer, a second inlet
conduit is positioned
in a central portion of the base layer, and a third inlet conduit positioned
in a second side of
the base layer opposite the first inlet conduit. A first outlet conduit is
then positioned
between the first inlet conduit and the second inlet conduit, and a second
outlet conduit is
positioned between the second inlet conduit and the third inlet conduit. In
this regard, when
the fan attached to each outlet conduit is activated, air is drawn into each
of the inlet conduits,
into a portion of the heat transfer layer positioned between a particular
inlet conduit and the
outlet conduit that is in closest proximity to that particular inlet conduit,
and then into the
outlet conduit before it is dissipated away from the mattress assembly.
100141 In some embodiments of the mattress assemblies of the present
invention, the inlet
conduits and the outlet conduits included in an exemplary base layer are in
the form of
evacuated or hollow channels that extend longitudinally through the base layer
and allow a
maximum amount of air to flow through the channels and the heat transfer layer
of each
mattress assembly. In other embodiments of the mattress assemblies of the
present invention,
a flexible foam insert having a porosity greater than that of the base layer
can be included
each inlet conduit and each outlet conduit of a base layer. By including the
flexible foam
inserts in each inlet and outlet conduit, a base layer is provided where the
inlet and outlet
conduits are essentially filled with a flexible foam that provides an
increased amount of
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support to the heat transfer layer, but yet still also allows for a sufficient
amount of air to flow
into the inlet conduits, into the heat transfer layer, and then into the
outlet conduits to
dissipate heat away from the thermoelectric elements and away from the
mattress assembly.
[0015] For example, in some embodiments of the mattress assemblies of the
present
invention that make use of flexible foam inserts positioned in each of the
inlet and outlet
conduits of a base layer, a mattress assembly is provided having: a first
inlet conduit
extending longitudinally through a first side of the base layer and including
a flexible foam
insert; a second inlet conduit extending longitudinally through a second side
of the base layer
opposite the first side and including a flexible foam insert; and an outlet
conduit extending
longitudinally through the base layer between the first inlet conduit and the
second inlet
conduit and including a flexible foam insert. In such an embodiment, upon
activation of a fan
operably connected to the outlet conduit, air is thus first drawn into the
flexible foam inserts
in each of the inlet conduits. The air then travels from the inlet conduits in
the first side and
second side of the mattress assembly, through the heat transfer layer, and
then into the
flexible foam insert in the outlet conduit positioned in the central portion
of the mattress
assembly, where it is then dissipated away from the mattress assembly.
[0016] As another example of a mattress assembly that makes use of flexible
foam inserts
in the inlet conduits and outlet conduits of a base layer, in some
embodiments, each of the
one or more inlet conduits and outlet conduits are substantially rectangular
areas that are
positioned at the head end and the foot end of an exemplary mattress assembly,
respectively,
and that each include a flexible foam insert having a porosity greater than
that of the base
layer. In this regard, in these embodiments and upon activation of a fan
operatively
connected to the outlet conduit, air enters the flexible foam insert
positioned in the inlet
conduit, and then enters and travels along the length of the heat transfer
layer before it enters
and subsequently exits through the flexible foam insert positioned in the
outlet conduit at the
foot end of the mattress assembly.
[0017] In yet further embodiments of the present invention, the base layers of
the
mattress assemblies include inlet and outlet conduits that do not extend from
a first end or
second end of the base layer (e.g., from the head end or foot end of the
mattress assembly).
Instead, in such embodiments, the base layer defines one or more inlet
conduits that extend
from the bottom surface of the base layer to the heat transfer layer, and one
or more outlet
conduits that extend from the bottom surface of the base layer to the heat
transfer layer and
that are spaced at a predetermined distance from each of the one or more inlet
conduits. For
example, in one such embodiment, a mattress assembly is provided that
comprises a first inlet
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conduit extending longitudinally through a first side of the base layer, a
second inlet conduit
extending longitudinally through a second side of the base layer opposite the
first side, and an
outlet conduit positioned between the first inlet conduit and the second inlet
conduit. In that
embodiment, neither the first inlet conduit, the second inlet conduit, nor the
outlet conduit
extend from or contact the head end or the foot end of the base layer.
Instead, because the
first inlet conduit, the second inlet conduit, and the outlet conduit each
extend from the
bottom surface of the base layer to the heat transfer layer, air flows from
below the base
layer, into the inlet conduits, and upwardly into and through the heat
transfer layer before
being drawn back down into the outlet conduit and away from the mattress
assembly by
virtue of a fan operatively connected to the outlet conduit.
10018] In other embodiments of the mattress assemblies of the present
invention that
include inlet and outlet conduits extending from the bottom surface of the
base layer to the
heat transfer layer, the inlet conduits, the outlet conduits, or both the
inlet and inlet conduits
do not extend longitudinally through the base layer, but are instead in the
form of columnar
voids. In some embodiments, a mattress assembly is provided that includes at
least two
columnar voids as inlet conduits on a first side of the base layer, at least
two columnar voids
as inlet conduits on a second side of the base layer opposite the first side,
and an elongated
channel as an outlet conduit that extends longitudinally through the base
layer between the
inlet conduits on the first side and the inlet conduits on the second side of
the base layer. In
another embodiment, a mattress assembly is provided that includes at least two
columnar
voids as outlet conduits positioned on a first side of the base layer, a
second side of the base
layer, or both, and an elongated channel as an inlet conduit that extends
longitudinally
through the base layer (e.g., through a central portion of the base layer). In
yet further
embodiments, a mattress assembly is provided that includes at least two
columnar voids as
outlet conduits positioned on a first side of the base layer, at least two
columnar voids as
outlet conduits positioned on a second side of the base layer opposite the
first side, and at
least two columnar voids as inlet conduits positioned in a central portion of
the base layer.
100191 With further respect to the mattress assemblies of the present
invention that make
use of a base layer having inlet conduits and outlet conduits that extend from
the bottom
surface of the base layer to the heat transfer layer, in some of those
embodiments, a flexible
foam insert is positioned in each of the inlet and outlet conduits and has a
porosity greater
than that of the base layer. In such embodiments, and similar to the
embodiments described
above, air is drawn into the flexible foam insert positioned in each of the
inlet conduits, into
and through the heat transfer layer, and into the flexible foam insert
positioned in each of the
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outlet conduits upon activation of a fan operatively connected to each of the
outlet conduits.
In other embodiments of the mattress assemblies, however, the porosity of the
flexible foam
inserts positioned in the inlet or outlet conduits is the same as or is at
least comparable to the
base layer. In those embodiments, to draw air into each inlet conduit, into
the heat transfer
layer, and then into each outlet conduit, a barrier layer is used to cover one
or more portions
of the base layer including, in some embodiments, a continuous side panel of
the base layer,
as well as top and/or bottom surface of the base layer.
10020] Regardless of the particular arrangement and configuration of the base
layer of the
mattress assembly, each mattress assembly of the present invention further
includes a power
supply for supplying electrical current to the plurality of thermoelectric
elements and the fan
attached to each outlet conduit, and a controller for controlling the
electrical current that is
supplied to the plurality of thermoelectric elements and each fan. By
including a controller in
the mattress assemblies, the amount of electrical current supplied to each fan
can not only be
controlled to control the amount of air being drawn through the mattress
assembly, but the
amount of electrical current being supplied to the thermoelectric elements can
also be
controlled to provide a desired amount of heating or cooling at the first
surface of the body
supporting layer. For example, in certain embodiments, the controller is
configured to
automatically control the electrical current supplied to Peltier elements,
such that the
electrical current can be supplied to the Peltier elements in a particular
direction to heat or
cool the first surface of the body supporting portion when the first surface
of the body
supporting portion reaches a particular temperature. As another example, the
controller, in
some embodiments, is configured to allow the electrical current to be supplied
to the Peltier
elements for a predetermined time period, such as for an 8-hour sleeping
period or for a
length of time that corresponds to the time a user usually spends in a
specific stage of the
sleep cycle (e.g., REM sleep).
100211 To provide an additional level of control over the thermoelectric
elements
included in the mattress assemblies of the present invention, in certain
embodiments, the
mattress assemblies further include one or more features that are operably
connected to the
body supporting layer, the heat dissipating layer, or both of the mattress
assembly and
provide input to the controller. Such features include, in some embodiments,
pressure
sensors that provide pressure feedback to the controller and allow the
controller to
automatically begin heating or cooling the mattress assembly when a user lies
on the mattress
or otherwise places an amount of pressure on the mattress assembly. In other
embodiments,
temperature sensors are included in an exemplary mattress assembly and provide
temperature
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feedback to the controller to allow the controller to selectively heat or cool
the first surface of
the body supporting portion in response to received temperature feedback and
to maintain a
desired temperature. Such desired temperature or pressure feedback settings
are, in certain
embodiments, directly inputted or adjusted at the controller itself or, in
other embodiments,
can be transmitted to the controller from a remote control that is also
operably connected to
the controller and allows a user to remotely adjust the first surface of the
body supporting
layer to a desired temperature.
[00221 As an additional refinement to the mattress assemblies of the present
invention, in
some embodiments, mattress assemblies are provided that include additional
features to
further increase the comfort and convenience of the user of the mattress
assembly. For
example, as described above, each of the mattress assemblies of the present
invention
generally includes at least three layers, namely a body supporting layer, a
heat transfer layer,
and a base layer. In some embodiments, however, additional layers are
incorporated into the
mattress assemblies to provide an increased level of comfort, to provide
additional support
for the mattress assemblies, or both. For instance, in certain embodiments, a
foundation is
included in the mattress assembly to provide support to the body supporting
layer, the heat
transfer layer, and/or the base layer. In some embodiments, the foundation can
be used as a
housing for the fans that are operatively connected to the outlet conduits of
the mattress
assemblies.
100231 With further regard to the support cushions of the present invention,
an exemplary
support cushion can also be used as part of a method of controlling a surface
temperature of a
support cushion. In some implementations, a method of controlling the surface
temperature
of a support cushion includes first providing a support cushion having a body
supporting
layer, a heat transfer layer, and a base layer positioned adjacent to the heat
transfer layer
opposite the body supporting layer and having a porosity less than that of the
heat transfer
layer. The base layer further defines one or more inlet conduits in fluid
communication with
the heat transfer layer, and one or more outlet conduits in fluid
communication with the heat
transfer layer and spaced at a predetermined distance from each of the one or
more inlet
conduits. A fan is also included in the mattress assembly utilized as part of
the method and is
operably connected to each of the one or more outlet conduits. In this regard,
in some
implementations of the method of controlling the surface temperature of the
support cushion,
an electrical current is then supplied to each fan, such that each fan draws
an amount of air
into each of the inlet conduits, from the inlet conduits and through the heat
transfer layer,
and then into the outlet conduits to thereby control the surface temperature
of the support
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cushion. In some implementations of the method, the support cushion further
comprises a
plurality of Peltier elements that are positioned and configured to
selectively provide heating
or cooling at the first surface of the body supporting layer. In such
implementations, an
electrical current can also be supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements,
such that when
electrical current is supplied in a first direction, the surface temperature
of the body
supporting portion decreases, and such that when electrical current is
supplied in a second
direction, the surface temperature of the body supporting portion increases.
[0024] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become
evident to
those of ordinary skill in the art after a study of the description, figures,
and non-limiting
examples in this document.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary support cushion, in the
form of a
mattress assembly, made in accordance with the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 1
taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress
assembly of
FIG. 1 also taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;
[0028] FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress
assembly of FIG.
1, but taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;
[00291 FIG. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the exemplary mattress
assembly of
FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 7 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 8 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 8
taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;
[0034] FIG. 10 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
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[00351 FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 10
taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 10;
[0036] FIG. 12 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 12
taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 12;
[0038] FIG. 14 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 14
taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 14;
[0040] FIG. 16 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 16
taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 16;
100421 FIG. 18 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[0043] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary mattress assembly of
FIG. 18
taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18;
10044] FIG. 20 is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary mattress
assembly
made in accordance with the present invention;
[00451 FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a cover assembly for covering an
exemplary
mattress assembly of the present invention;
[0046] FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary support cushion for
use in a
chair and made in accordance with the present invention;
[0047] FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing input into and output from an
exemplary
controller used in accordance with the present invention; and
[00481 FIG. 24 is a perspective view of an exemplary remote control for
controlling the
surface temperature of a support cushion made in accordance with the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0049] The present invention includes support cushions and methods for
controlling the
surface temperature of support cushions. In particular, the present invention
includes support
cushions, such as mattress assemblies, that make use of thermoelectric
elements and internal
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air conduits to selectively heat or cool the surfaces of the support cushions.
Thus, the support
cushions of the present invention allow a user to individualize their level of
comfort,
including sleep comfort, by controlling the temperature of the surface of the
support
cushions.
[0050] Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, in one exemplary embodiment of the
present
invention, a support cushion in the form of a mattress assembly 10 is provided
that includes a
body supporting layer 20 having a first surface 22 and a second surface 24
that is opposite the
first surface 22. The mattress assembly 10 further includes a plurality of
thermoelectric
elements in the form of Peltier elements 30 that are positioned and configured
to selectively
provide heating or cooling at the first surface 22 of the body supporting
layer 20. The
mattress assembly also includes a heat transfer layer 40 and a base layer 50.
The heat transfer
layer 40 is positioned adjacent to the second surface 24 of the body
supporting layer 20 and is
operably connected to the thermoelectric elements 30, while the base layer 50
is positioned
adjacent to the heat transfer layer 40 opposite the body supporting layer 20
and is supported
by a foundation 70.
[0051] In addition to being positioned adjacent to the heat transfer layer 40,
the base layer
50 defines three inlet conduits 52a, 52b, 52c, each of which extend
longitudinally from
respective inlets 53a, 53b, 53c positioned on the head end 56 of the base
layer 50. Each of
the inlet conduits 52a, 52b, 52c are in fluid communication with the heat
transfer layer 40.
The base layer 50 further defines a first outlet conduit 54a and a second
outlet conduit 54b,
each of which extend longitudinally from respective outlets 55a, 55b
positioned on the foot
end 58 of the base layer 50. Each of the outlet conduits 54a, 54b are also in
fluid
communication with the heat transfer layer 40, but are spaced at a
predetermined distance
from each of the inlet conduits 52a, 52b, 52c. Further included in the
mattress assembly 10 is
a first fan 60a that is operatively connected to the first outlet conduit 54a,
and a second fan
60b that is operatively connected to the second outlet conduit 54b. As
described in further
detail below, each of the fans 60a, 60b act to draw an amount of air from the
inlet conduits
52a, 52b, 52c, through the heat transfer layer 40, and into the respective
outlet conduits 54a,
54b before dissipating the air away from the mattress assembly 10.
[0052] The body supporting layer 20 of the mattress assembly 10 is generally
comprised
of a continuous layer of flexible foam for suitably distributing pressure from
a user's body or
portion thereof across the body supporting layer 20. Such flexible foams
include, but are not
limited to, latex foam, reticulated or non-reticulated visco-elastic foam
(sometimes referred to
as memory foam or low-resilience foam), reticulated or non-reticulated non-
visco-elastic
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foam, polyurethane high-resilience foam, expanded polymer foams (e.g.,
expanded ethylene
vinyl acetate, polypropylene, polystyrene, or polyethylene), and the like. In
the embodiment
shown in FIGS. 1-5, the body supporting layer 20 is comprised of a viseo-
elastic foam that
has a low resilience as well as a sufficient density and hardness, which
allows pressure to be
absorbed uniformly and distributed evenly across the body supporting layer 20
of the
mattress assembly 10. Generally, such visco-elastic foams have a hardness of
at least about
N to no greater than about 80 N, as measured by exerting pressure from a plate
against a
sample of the material to a compression of at least 40% of an original
thickness of the
material at approximately room temperature (i.e., 21 C to 23 C), where the 40%
compression
is held for a set period of time as established by the International
Organization of
Standardization (ISO) 2439 hardness measuring standard. In some embodiments,
the visco-
elastic foam has a hardness of about 10 N, about 20 N, about 30 N, about 40 N,
about 50 N,
about 60 N, about 70 N, or about 80 N to provide a desired degree of comfort
and body-
conforming qualities.
[00531 The visco-elastic foam described herein for use in the mattress
assembly 10 can
also have a density that assists in providing a desired degree of comfort and
body-conforming
qualities, as well as an increased degree of material durability. In some
embodiments, the
density of the visco-elastic foam used in the body supporting layer 20 has a
density of no less
than about 30 kg/m3 to no greater than about 150 kg/m3. In some embodiments,
the density
of the visco-elastic foam used in the body supporting layer 20 of the mattress
assembly 10 is
about 30 kg/m3, about 40 kg/m3, about 50 kg/m3, about 60 kg/m3, about 70
kg/m3, about 80
kg/m3, about 90 kg/m3, about 100 kg/m3, about 110 kg/m3, about 120 kg/m3,
about 130
kg/m3, about 140 kg/m3, or about 150 kg/m3. Of course, the selection of a
visco-elastic foam
having a particular density will affect other characteristics of the foam,
including its hardness,
the manner in which the foam responds to pressure, and the overall feel of the
foam, but it is
appreciated that a visco-elastic foam having a desired density and hardness
can readily be
selected for a particular application or mattress assembly as desired.
Additionally, it is
appreciated that the body supporting layers of the mattress assemblies need
not be comprised
of a continuous layer of flexible foam at all, but can also take the form of
more traditional
mattresses, including spring-based mattresses, without departing from the
spirit and scope of
the subject matter described herein.
[0054] Referring still to FIGS. 1-5, the body supporting layer 20 of the
mattress assembly
10 is further covered by a comfort portion or layer 72 that is positioned atop
the body
supporting layer 20 and provides a level of comfort to a body of a user or a
portion of thereof
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that is resting on the mattress assembly 10. The comfort layer 72 can also be
comprised of a
visco-elastic foam. However, the comfort layer 72 typically has a density,
hardness, or both
that is less than that of the body supporting layer 20 of the mattress
assembly 10, such that
the comfort layer 72 provides a softer surface on which to rest the body of a
user or a portion
thereof, while also providing a sufficiently soft barrier between the body of
a user and the
Peltier elements 30 of the mattress assembly 10, as described in further
detail below. For
example, in certain embodiments, the mattress assembly 10 includes a body
supporting layer
20 that is comprised of visco-elastic foam with a density of about 80 kg/m3
and a hardness of
about 13 N, while the comfort layer 72 is comprised of a visco-elastic foam
with a density of
about 35 kg/m3 and a hardness of about 10 N.
[0055] With further regard to the body supporting layer 20 shown in FIGS. 1-5,
the
flexible foam material utilized for the body supporting layer 20 generally has
a composition
different than that of the heat transfer layer 40 of the mattress assembly 10,
as is described in
further detail below, but it is additionally contemplated that an exemplary
body supporting
layer can be further comprised of one or more different or additional layers
having various
densities and hardnesses. For instance, it is contemplated that a layer of
high-resilience
polyurethane foam can be secured to the second surface of a layer of low-
resilience visco-
elastic foam used in a body supporting portion. Such multi-layered body
supporting portions
are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,469,437; 7,507,468;
8,025,964; and
8,034,445, as well as in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0252562,
each of
which is incorporated herein by this reference.
[0056] Turning now to the thermoelectric elements included in the support
cushions of
the present invention, various thermoelectric elements can be incorporated
into a support
cushion and used to heat or cool a surface of an exemplary support cushion,
including
resistive heaters that convert electrical energy to heat, as well as other
thermoelectric
elements. In the exemplary mattress assembly 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5, and as
indicated
above, the thermoelectric elements are Peltier elements 30 that are positioned
in the mattress
assembly 10 and are configured to allow a user to control the temperature of
the first surface
22 of the body supporting layer 20 of the mattress assembly 10, which can then
change the
temperature of the comfort layer 72 of the mattress assembly 10 by virtue of
the proximity of
the first surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 to the comfort layer 72.
The Peltier
elements 30, which may also be referred to as Peltier devices, Peltier heaters
or heat pumps,
solid-state refrigerators or thermoelectric heat pumps, are solid-state active
heat pumps which
transfer heat from one side of body supporting layer 20 of the mattress
assembly 10 to the
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other side of the body supporting layer 20 by flowing an amount of electrical
current through
the Peltier elements 30 to produce a Peltier effect or, in other words, the
presence of heat at
an electrified junction of two different metals.
[0057] In the Peltier elements 30 shown in FIGS. 1-5, the junctions of two
different
metals are in the form of a n-type semiconductor or element 32 and a p-type
semiconductor
or element 34. In these Peltier elements 30, when an amount of electrical
current flows in a
first direction through the n-type element 32, crosses a metallic interconnect
33, and passes
into the p-type element 34, a Peltier effect is created whereby electrons in
the n-type elements
32 move in the opposite direction of the current and holes in the p-type
element 34 move in
the direction of current, such that both remove heat from the first surface 22
of the body
supporting layer 20 of the mattress assembly 10 toward the second surface 24
of the body
supporting layer 20. Similarly, with the Peltier elements 30, upon flowing an
amount of
electrical current in a second (e.g., opposite) direction through the Peltier
elements 30 and the
n-type elements 32 and p-type elements 34, the Peltier effect can be reversed,
and the Peltier
elements 30 can be used to heat the first surface 22 of the body supporting
layer 20 by
drawing heat away from the second surface 24 of the body supporting layer 20
and toward
the first surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20. For additional
information and guidance
regarding the Peltier effect, including the types of Peltier elements that may
be included in
support cushion to create such an effect, see, e.g., U.S. Patent Application
Publication Nos.
2012/0198616 and 2012/0060885, each of which is incorporated herein by this
reference in
their entirety.
[0058] As shown in FIG. 3, to facilitate the heating and cooling of the first
surface 22 of
body supporting layer 20, the Peltier elements 30 substantially span the width
of the body
supporting layer 20 of the mattress assembly 10 such that an upper portion 31
of each of the
Peltier elements 30 is positioned above and adjacent to the first surface 22
of the body
supporting layer 20, and the metallic interconnects 33 of the Peltier elements
30 are
positioned below and adjacent to the second surface 24 of the body supporting
layer 20.
Although not shown in FIG. 3, to allow the Peltier elements 30 to pass through
the body
supporting layer 20, the body supporting layer 20 typically includes slots to
allow a portion of
the Peltier elements 30, including the n-type elements 32 and the p-type
elements 34 to be
positioned in and pass through the body supporting layer 20 and allow heat to
be transferred
from one surface of the body supporting layer 20 to the other. In other words,
and as best
shown in FIG. 2, the Peltier elements 30 are positioned adjacent to the body
supporting layer
20 and direct transfer heat from one surface of the body supporting layer 20
and through the
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body supporting layer 20 to the other surface of the body supporting layer 20
and into the
heat transfer layer 40.
[0059] Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, to further take advantage of the heating
and cooling
capabilities of the Peltier elements 30, the Peltier elements 30 are arranged
in a series, where
the Peltier elements 30 are arranged one after another to provide
substantially uniform and
continuous heating or cooling across the entire first surface 22 of the body
supporting layer
20 or a portion thereof. In this regard, and as best shown in FIGS. 4-5, the
Peltier elements
30 are further arranged in arrays 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d, such that groupings of
Peltier elements
30 are positioned on certain areas of the body supporting layer 20 and used to
selectively heat
or cool an area of the body supporting layer 20. In the mattress assembly 10,
each of the
arrays 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d are included in removable portions 12a, 12b, 16a,
16b of the
mattress assembly 10 that are each comprised of a portion of the body
supporting layer 20
and a corresponding portion of the heat transfer layer 40, and that allow a
user to easily
remove the Peltier elements 30 from the mattress assembly 10 as desired (e.g.,
to service or
replace the Peltier elements 30). Further, each of the removable portions 12a,
12b, 16a, 16b
are positioned in the mattress assembly 10, such that the arrays 35a, 35b,
35c, 35d of the
Peltier elements 30 would be in contact with a particular portion of the body
of a user that is
prone to excessive heating or cooling (e.g., the torso a user vs. the feet of
a user). For
example, and as described in further detail below, in some embodiments, the
arrays 35a, 35b,
35c, 35d of Peltier elements 30 are individually addressable such that it is
possible to cool the
arrays 35a, 35b that would be in contact with the torso or head of a user
lying in a supine or
prone position, while heating the arrays 35c, 35d that would be in proximity
to the feet of a
user lying in a supine or prone position. Of course, to provide a greater
amount of control
over the selective heating and cooling of the first surface 22, individual
rows or columns of
the Peltier elements 30 in the arrays 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d can also be
individually addressable
such that more specific portions of the first surface 22 of the body
supporting layer 20 can be
selectively heated and cooled to allow a particular portion of a user's body
to be heated or
cooled, or to allow only the Peltier elements 30 that are in closest contact
with the body of a
user to be selectively heated or cooled (e.g., when a user is lying on their
side). Likewise,
although not shown in FIGS. 2-5, it is also appreciated that the Peltier
elements used in the
mattress assemblies of the present invention can be provided in the form of
discrete Peltier
elements that are not connected to one another in a series, so as to provide
an even greater
amount of control over the heating and cooling of the first surface of a body
supporting layer.
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100601 Referring now to FIGS. 2-3, in addition to being configured to
selectively heat or
cool the first surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20, the Peltier
elements 30 are also
operably connected to the heat transfer layer 40 of the mattress assembly 10.
More
particularly, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2-3, the heat transfer layer 40
of the mattress
assembly 10 is comprised of a substantially uniform layer of a porous visco-
elastic foam that
is secured to and covers the entirety of the second surface 24 of the body
supporting layer 20.
The porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer layer 40 also encases the
metallic
interconnects 33 of the Peltier elements 30 near the second surface 24 of the
body supporting
layer 20. In this regard, by operably connecting the Peltier elements 30 to
the heat transfer
layer 40, the porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer layer 40, in
addition to providing
structural support for the Peltier elements 30 and the overlying body
supporting layer 20,
provides an open environment into which the heat generated by the Peltier
elements 30 can
be transferred, such as by the flow of air across the Peltier elements 30 and
through the open
environment provided by the porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer
layer 40, as
described in further detail below.
10061] With further respect to the porous visco-elastic foam included in the
heat transfer
layer 40 of the mattress assembly, it of course contemplated that the heat
transfer layer need
not be comprised of a visco-elastic foam, but that any number of porous
flexible foams can
be used to produce a heat transfer layer having a porosity sufficient to allow
for the heat
generated by the Peltier elements to dissipate within. In this regard, the
term "porous flexible
foam" (visco-elastic or otherwise) is used herein to generally refer to
flexible foam having a
cellular foam structure in which at least a portion of the cells of the foam
are essentially
skeletal. In other words, at least a portion of the cells of the foam are each
defined by a
plurality of apertured windows surrounded by cell struts, where the cell
windows of the
porous foam can be entirely absent (leaving only the cell struts) or
substantially missing. In
some embodiments, the foam is considered "porous" if at least 50% of the
windows of the
cells are missing (i.e., windows having apertures therethrough, or windows
that are
completely missing and therefore leaving only the cell struts). Such
structures can be created
by destruction or other removal of cell window material, by chemical or
mechanical means,
or by preventing the complete formation of cell windows during the
manufacturing process of
the foam. In some embodiments of the present invention, the term "porous" can
thus be used
interchangeably with the term "reticulated" when referring to flexible foam.
10062] Regardless of the manufacturing process used to produce the porous
foam, porous
foam, by virtue of its open cellular structure, has characteristics that are
well suited for use in
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the heat transfer layer 40 of the mattress assembly 10, including the enhanced
ability to
permit fluid movement through the porous foam and, consequently, the ability
to provide
enhanced air movement into, through, and away from the heat transfer layer 40
of the
mattress assembly 10. In this regard, by encasing the metallic interconnects
33 of the Peltier
elements 30 in the porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer layer 40,
the heat that is
transferred to the heat transfer layer 40 by the Peltier elements 30 as part
of the cooling of the
first surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 is allowed to easily disperse
throughout the
porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer layer 40. Upon transferring
heat into the open
environment of the heat transfer layer 40, the heat can then easily be
transferred out of the
heat transfer layer 40 by conveying an amount of air through the porous visco-
elastic foam of
the heat transfer layer 40. In the mattress assembly 10, the heat transfer
layer 40 and, in
particular, the porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer layer 40, has a
pore size of about
pores per inch (ppi) to allow a sufficient amount of air to move into,
through, and away
from the heat transfer layer 40. It is of course contemplated, however, that
the size of the
pores present in the foam of an exemplary heat transfer layer can readily be
adjusted as
needed to convey a particular amount of air through an exemplary heat transfer
layer and/or
through a particular mattress assembly without departing from the spirit and
scope of the
subject matter described herein.
100631 Turning now to the base layer 50 of the mattress assembly 10, and
referring again
to FIGS. 1-5, as noted above, the base layer 50 defines three separate, hollow
inlet conduits
52a, 52b, 52c that are spaced apart from one another and extend longitudinally
from the head
end 56 of the base layer 50. The base layer 50 further defines two separate,
hollow outlet
conduits 54a, 54b that extend longitudinally from the foot end 58 of the base
layer 50, with
the first outlet conduit 54a being positioned between the first inlet conduit
52a and the second
inlet conduit 52b, and the second outlet conduit 54b being positioned between
the second
inlet conduit 52b and the third inlet conduit 52c. Each of the inlet conduits
52a, 52b, 52c and
each of the outlet conduits 54a, 54h span the width of the base layer 50 and
extend from the
bottom surface 59 of the base layer 50 to the bottom surface 44 of the heat
transfer layer 40.
As such, and by virtue of the hollow nature of the inlet conduits 52a, 52b,
52c and the outlets
conduits 54a, 54h, each the inlet conduits 52a, 52b, 52c and the outlet
conduits 54a, 54b of
the base layer 50 are in fluid communication with the heat transfer layer 40.
[0064] The base layer 50 is also generally comprised of a flexible foam. In
the
embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-5, the base layer 50 is comprised of a standard
polyurethane
foam. However, the polyurethane foam used in the base layer 50 has a porosity
that is less
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than that found in the porous visco-elastic foam of the heat transfer layer 40
positioned
immediately above the base layer 50. In this regard, when the first fan 60a
operably
connected to the first outlet conduit 54a is activated and the second fan 60b
operably
connected to the second outlet conduit 54b is activated, the first fan 60a and
the second fan
60b do not directly draw air into the inlet conduits 52a, 52b, 52c, through
the base layer 50,
and then into the outlet conduits 54a, 54b and away from the mattress assembly
10. Instead,
by including a base layer 50 in the mattress assembly 10 that has a porosity
less than that of
the heat transfer layer 40, the fans 60a, 60b act to create an air flow route
whereby air is
drawn into the inlet conduits 52a, 52b, 52c through the respective inlets 53a,
53b, 53c, meets
the less porous base layer 50, is drawn into the more porous heat transfer
layer 40 and picks
up any heat generated by the Peltier elements 30 and dissipated into the heat
transfer layer 40,
and then travels from the heat transfer layer 40 into the outlet conduits 54a,
54b before being
dissipated away from the mattress assembly 10 by the first fan 60a and the
second fan 60b.
[0065] To further facilitate the flow of air through the inlet conduits 52a,
52b, 52c, into
the heat transfer layer 40, and then into the outlet conduits 54a, 54b, and to
also prevent the
various layers of the mattress assembly 10 from moving relative to one another
during use,
the base layer 50 and the heat transfer layer 40, as well as the body
supporting layer 20 and
the comfort layer 72, are generally secured to one another. Various means of
securing one
layer of material to another can be used in this regard, including tape, hook
and loop
fasteners, conventional fasteners, stitches, and the like. In one particular
embodiment, the
base layer 50, the heat transfer layer 40, the body supporting layer 20, and
the comfort layer
72 are bonded together by an adhesive or cohesive bonding material to create a
substantially
continuous assembly where the comfort layer 72 and the body supporting layer
20 and are
fully adhered to one another, the body supporting layer 20 and the heat
transfer layer 40 are
fully adhered to one another, and the heat transfer layer 40 and the base
layer 50 are fully
adhered to one another. Such adhesive bonding materials include, for
example,
environmentally-friendly, water based adhesives, like SABA AQUABOND RSD, a two-
component water-based adhesive product produced by SABA DINXPERLO BV, B-7090
AA, Dinxperlo, Belgium.
[0066] Regardless of the particular means for adhering the various layers to
one another,
and referring now to FIGS. 1-5 and to the schematic diagram of a circuit of
the mattress
assembly 10 shown in FIG. 23, the mattress assembly 10 further includes a
power supply 90
for supplying electrical current to the Peltier elements 30 and the fans 60a,
60b, as well as a
controller 92 for controlling the electrical current that is supplied to the
plurality of Peltier
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elements 30 and the fans 60a, 60b. By including a controller 92 in the
mattress assembly 10,
not only can the amount of electrical current being supplied to each of the
fans 60a, 60b be
controlled in order to control the amount of air being drawn into the mattress
assembly 10,
but the amount of electrical current supplied to the Peltier elements 30 can
also be controlled
to provide a desired amount of heating or cooling at the first surface 22 of
the body
supporting layer 20 of the mattress assembly 10. For example, the controller
92 can be
configured to automatically control the electrical current supplied to Peltier
elements 30, such
that electrical current can be supplied to the Peltier elements 30 to heat or
cool the first
surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 when the first surface 22 of the
body supporting
layer 20 reaches a particular temperature, such as after a user has been lying
on the body
supporting layer 20 for an extended period of time. As another example, the
controller 92
can also be configured to allow the electrical current to be supplied to the
Peltier elements 30
for a predetermined time period, such as for an 8-hour sleeping period.
[0067] As yet another example, the controller 92 can further be configured to
supply
electrical current to the Peltier elements 30 in a manner that corresponds to
a user's sleep
rhythms. For instance, it is appreciated that during REM (rapid eye movement)
sleep, a user
generally loses at least some of their ability to control the temperature of
his or her body. As
such, in certain embodiments, the controller 92 can be configured to begin
cooling the first
surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 at a time during the course of a
night's sleep when
a user would generally be in REM sleep. Alternatively, the controller 92 can
further be
operably connected to a device that monitors sleep rhythms, such as, for
example, the ZEO
SLEEP MANAGERTM manufactured by ZEO, Newton, MA, such that the controller 92
can
be configured to provide electrical current to the Peltier elements 30 upon
receiving input that
the user lying on the mattress assembly 10 has entered a particular stage of
the sleep cycle
(e.g., REM sleep).
[0068] In addition to providing control over the amount of current that is
being supplied
to the Peltier elements 30, the controller 92 of the mattress assembly 10
further allows the
direction of the electrical current being supplied to the Peltier elements 30
to be controlled.
In this regard, the controller 92 can be used to not only alter the direction
of the electrical
current being supplied to the Peltier elements 30 in order to either
selectively heat or cool the
first surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 of the mattress assembly 10,
but can further
be configured to dissipate heat away from the heat transfer layer 40 of the
mattress assembly
after an extended period of cooling the first surface 22 of the body
supporting layer 20.
For instance, after an overnight period of cooling the first surface 22 of the
body supporting
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layer 20, a significant amount of heat will have been transferred to the heat
transfer layer 40
of the mattress assembly 10. As such, and in addition to or as an alternative
to activating the
fans 60a, 60b to dissipate such heat and move it away from the heat transfer
layer 40, the
direction of the electrical current being supplied to the Peltier elements 30
can be reversed,
and the heat in the heat transfer layer 40 can be transferred from the heat
transfer layer 40 to
the first surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 and released into the
surrounding
atmosphere.
[0069] To provide an additional level of control over the Peltier elements
included in the
mattress assemblies of the present invention, exemplary mattress assemblies
can further
include one or more features that are operably connected to the body
supporting layers, the
heat transfer layers, or both and provide input to the controllers. For
example, and referring
now to FIGS. 4 and 23, the mattress assembly 10 includes pressure sensors 94a,
94b that
provide pressure feedback to the controller 92 in response to a user resting
upon the first
surface 22 of the body supporting layer 20 to thereby allow the controller 92
to automatically
begin providing electrical current and heating or cooling the mattress
assembly 10 as soon as
the user lies on the mattress assembly 10 or otherwise places an amount of
pressure on the
mattress assembly 10. As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 23, temperature sensors
96a, 96b are
further included in the mattress assembly 10 and provide temperature feedback
to the
controller 92 to thereby allow the controller 92 to selectively heat or cool
the first surface of
the mattress assembly 10 in response to the received temperature feedback and
to thereby
maintain a desired temperature at the first surface 22 of the body supporting
layer 20. Such
desired temperature or pressure feedback settings are, in certain embodiments,
directly
inputted or adjusted at the controller 92 itself or, in other embodiments, are
transmitted to the
controller 92 from a remote control 97 that includes temperature control
buttons 98 and fan
control buttons 99, as shown in FIG. 24, and that is also operably connected
to the controller
92 such that the Peltier elements 30 and fans 60a, 60b of the mattress
assembly 10 can be
operated remotely.
[0070] With further regard to the fans 60a, 60b of the mattress assembly 10,
and referring
again to FIGS. 1-5, the first fan 60a is generally secured to the first outlet
55a and the second
fan 60b is generally secured to the second outlet 55b at the foot end 58 of
the base layer.
However, it is contemplated that each of the fans 60a, 60b can also be housed
within the
outlet conduits 54a, 54b themselves or within specialized assemblies to
conceal the fans 60a,
60b within the mattress assembly 10 itself and/or to reduce the amount of
noise generated by
the fans. Furthermore, in the mattress assembly 10, it is also contemplated
that any number
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of types of fans, as well as any number of other means for drawing an amount
of air through
an exemplary mattress assembly of the present invention, including air pumps
and the like,
can be used in accordance with the present invention. Such fans include, for
example, a
Delta Electronics Fan Model No. P/N VFB070B3A1-DC54 manufactured and
distributed by
Delta Electronics, Inc. (Taipei City, Taiwan).
10071] Upon activation of the first fan 60a and the second fan 60b in the
mattress
assembly 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5, the arrangement of the three inlet conduits
52a, 52b, 52c
and the two outlet conduits 54a, 54b in the mattress assembly 10 has been
found to allow for
a sufficient amount of air to be moved through the heat transfer layer 40 to
thereby dissipate
heat away from the Peltier elements 30 included in an exemplary "king" size
mattress
assembly. It is contemplated, however, that a number of different arrangements
of inlet and
outlet conduits can be used in an exemplary mattress assembly of the present
invention and
can be selected based, at least in part, on the size of the mattress assembly.
For example, and
referring now to FIG. 6, in another embodiment of the present invention that
makes use of
separate, hollow inlet and outlet conduits, a "twin" size mattress assembly
110 is provided
that includes a comfort layer 172, a body supporting layer 120 having a first
surface 122 and
a second surface 124 that is opposite the first surface 122, a heat transfer
layer 140, a base
layer 150 comprised of a material having porosity greater than that of the
heat transfer layer
140, and a foundation 170. The mattress assembly 110 further includes a
plurality of Peltier
elements 130 that are arranged in a first array 135a in a first removable
insert 112 positioned
in a central region 114 of the mattress assembly 110 and in a second array
135b in a second
removable insert 116 positioned in a lower region 118 of the mattress assembly
110. Unlike
the "king" size mattress assembly 10 shown in FIGS. 1-5, however, the base
layer 150 of the
"twin" size mattress assembly 110 does not include a series of three inlet
conduits and two
outlet conduits. Rather, in the "twin" size mattress assembly 110, the base
layer 150 only
includes a single inlet conduit 152 extending longitudinally through the base
layer 150 from
an inlet 153 positioned on a head end 156 of the base layer 150, and a single
outlet conduit
154 extending longitudinally through the base layer 150 from an outlet 155
positioned on a
foot end 158 of the base layer 150. Additionally, by virtue of only including
the single outlet
conduit 154 in the base layer 150, the mattress assembly 110 only includes a
single fan 160
operably connected to the outlet conduit 154. In this regard, when the fan 160
is activated,
via a power supply 190 and controller 192 connected to the fan 160 and Peltier
elements 130,
the fan 160 draws air into the single inlet conduit 152, up through the heat
transfer layer 140,
and then into the single outlet conduit 154 before exiting through the outlet
155.
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10072] As an additional refinement, in the mattress assembly 110, to ensure
that fresh air
is entering the base layer 150 and, more specifically, the inlet conduit 153,
the base layer 150
also includes a filter 195 that covers the inlet 153, such that only filtered
air is allowed to pass
into the inlet conduit 152 through the inlet 153 and the inlet conduit 152 is
kept free of
particulates such as smoke, dust, dirt, pollen, mold, bacteria, hair, or
insects that may
otherwise collect in the interior of the mattress 10 and limit air flow. Of
course, it is
contemplated that various types of filters including, but not limited to,
charcoal filters for
removing chemicals and/or unpleasant odors can be readily incorporated into an
exemplary
mattress of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope
of the subject
matter described herein.
[0073] As another refinement to the mattress assemblies of the present
invention that
make use of inlet and outlet conduits in a base layer to provide for a
sufficient amount of air
flow through an exemplary mattress assembly, and referring now to FIG. 7, in
another
embodiment, a mattress assembly 210 is provided that also includes a comfort
layer 272, a
body supporting layer 220 having a first surface 222 and a second surface 224
that is opposite
the first surface 224, a heat transfer layer 240, a base layer 250 comprised
of a material
having porosity less than that of the heat transfer layer 240, and a
foundation 270. The
mattress assembly 210 further includes a plurality of Peltier elements 230
that are arranged in
separate arrays 235a, 235b, 235c, 235d included in removable portions 212a,
212b, 212c,
212d of the mattress assembly 210. Additionally, defined by the base layer 250
of the
mattress assembly 210, are three separate inlet conduits 252a, 252b, 252c that
are spaced
apart from one another and that extend longitudinally from inlets 253; 253b,
253c at the
head end 256 of the base layer 250. The base layer 250 further defines two
separate outlet
conduits 254a, 254b that extend longitudinally from particular outlets 255a,
255b at the foot
end 258 of the base layer 250, with the first outlet conduit 254a operably
connected to a first
fan 260a and positioned between the first inlet conduit 252a and the second
inlet conduit
252b, and with the second outlet conduit 254b operably connected to a second
fan 260b and
positioned between the second inlet conduit 252b and the third inlet conduit
252c.
[0074] As an alternative to including hollow inlet and outlet conduits in the
mattress
assembly 210, however, the mattress assembly 210 includes a porous foam insert
280a, 280b,
280c positioned in each of the inlet conduits 252a, 252b, 252c and a porous
foam insert 282a,
282b positioned in each of the outlet conduits 254; 254b. Each of the porous
foam inserts
280; 280b, 280c positioned in the inlet conduits 252a, 252b, 252c and each of
the porous
foam inserts 282a, 282b positioned in the outlet conduits 254a, 254b have a
porosity greater
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than that of the flexible foam comprising the base layer 250. In this regard,
by positioning
the porous foam inserts 280a, 280b, 280c in the inlet conduits 252a, 252b,
252c and the
porous foam inserts 282a, 282b in the outlet conduits 254a, 254b, the porous
foam inserts
280a, 280b, 280c, 282a, 282b allow a greater amount of support to be provided
to the heat
transfer layer 240, but yet still allow for a sufficient amount of air to be
drawn into the inlet
conduits 252a, 252b, 252c, into the heat transfer layer 240, and then into the
outlet conduits
254a, 254b to dissipate heat away from the Peltier elements 230 in the heat
transfer layer 240
and away from the mattress assembly 210. In particular, when the fans 260a,
260b are
activated via a power supply 290 and a controller 292 connected to the fans
260a, 260b and
Peltier elements 230, the fans 260a, 260b draw air through the porous foam
inserts 280a,
280b, 280c in the inlet conduits 252a, 252b, 252c, through the heat transfer
layer 240, and
then into the porous foam inserts 282a, 282b in the outlet conduits 254a, 254b
before exiting
the mattress assembly 210 through the outlets 255a, 255b at the foot end 258
of the base layer
250.
10075] As a further refinement to the use of inlet and outlet conduits in
accordance with
the present invention and, more particularly, to the use of porous foam
inserts in such inlet
and outlet conduits, in some embodiments, the inlet and outlet conduits can be
positioned in
discrete areas of a base layer of an exemplary mattress assembly rather than
extending
longitudinally through a substantial portion of the base layer. Referring now
to FIGS. 8-9, in
another exemplary embodiment, a mattress assembly 310 is provided that
includes a comfort
layer 372, a body supporting layer 320 having a first surface 322 and a second
surface 324
that is opposite the first surface 324, a plurality of Peltier elements 30, a
heat transfer layer
340, a base layer 350 comprised of a material having porosity less than that
of the heat
transfer layer 140, and a foundation 370. The mattress assembly 310 further
includes a first
inlet conduit 352a and a second inlet conduit 352b, as well as a first outlet
conduit 354a
operably connected to a first fan 360a and a second outlet conduit 354b
operably connected
to a second fan 360b. The first inlet conduit 352a and the first outlet
conduit 354a are
positioned on a first side 362 of the base layer 350, and the second inlet
conduit 352b and
second outlet conduit 354b are positioned on a second side 364 of the base
layer 350 opposite
the first side 362. Notably, however, each of the inlet conduits 352a, 352b
and each of the
outlet conduits 354a, 354b do not extend longitudinally through a
substantially portion of the
base layer 350. Rather, each of the inlet conduits 352a, 352b and each of the
outlet conduits
354a, 354b are substantially rectangular areas that are positioned at the head
end 356 and at
the foot end 358 of the mattress assembly 310, respectively, and that each
include a porous
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foam insert 380a, 380b, 382a, 382b having a porosity greater than that of the
base layer 350.
As such, upon activation of the fans 360a, 360b operatively connected to the
outlet conduits
354a, 354b via a controller 392 and a power supply 390, air enters the porous
foam inserts
380a, 380b positioned in the inlet conduits 352a, 352b, travels upwards into
the heat transfer
layer 340 across the Peltier elements 330, and then travels downwardly into
the porous foam
inserts 382a, 382b positioned in the outlet conduits 354a, 354b before exiting
the foot end
358 of the base layer 350 and thereby dissipating any heat generated by the
Peltier elements
330 away from the mattress assembly 310, as best shown by the arrows in FIG.
9.
[0076] As yet another refinement to the use of inlet and outlet conduits in
accordance
with the present invention, in some embodiments, the base layers of the
mattress assemblies
can include inlet and outlet conduits that do not extend from a head end or
foot end of the
base layer, but instead extend only from a bottom surface of the base layer.
Referring now to
FIGS. 10-11, in another exemplary embodiment, a mattress assembly 410 is
provided that,
similar to the other embodiments described herein, includes a comfort layer
472, a body
supporting layer 420 having a first surface 422 and a second surface 424 that
is opposite the
first surface 422, a plurality of Peltier elements 430, a heat transfer layer
440, and a base
layer 450 comprised of a flexible foam having porosity less than that of the
heat transfer layer
440. The mattress assembly 410 further includes a first inlet conduit 452a
extending
longitudinally through a first side 462 of the base layer 450, a second inlet
conduit 452b
extending longitudinally through a central portion 466 of the base layer 450,
a third inlet
conduit 452c also extending longitudinally through the central portion 466 of
the base layer
and spaced apart from the second inlet conduit 452b, and a fourth inlet
conduit 452d
extending longitudinally though a second side 464 of the base layer 450
opposite the first side
462. Also included in the mattress assembly 410 is a first outlet conduit 454a
extending
longitudinally through the base layer 450 and positioned between the first
inlet conduit 452a
and the second inlet conduit 452b, and a second outlet conduit 454b extending
longitudinally
through the base layer 450 and positioned between the third inlet conduit 452c
and fourth
inlet conduit 452d. Porous foam inserts 480a, 480b, 480c, 480d are positioned
in each of the
inlet conduits 452a, 452b, 452c, 452d, and porous foam inserts 482a, 482b are
also positioned
in each of the outlet conduits 454a, 454b. In the mattress assembly 410,
however, neither the
inlet conduits 452a, 452b, 452c, 452d, nor the outlet conduits 454a, 454b
extend from or
contact the head end 456 or the foot end 458 of the base layer 450. Instead,
in the mattress
assembly 410, each of the inlet conduits 452a, 452b, 452c, 452d and each of
the outlet
conduits 454a, 454b, in addition to extending longitudinally through the base
layer, span the
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thickness of the base layer 450 and extend from the bottom surface 459 of the
base layer 450
to the heat transfer layer 440.
[0077] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, to facilitate the movement
of air
from the bottom surface 459 of the base layer 450 to the heat transfer layer
440, the mattress
assembly 410 further includes a foundation 470 positioned adjacent to the
bottom surface 459
of the base layer 450. The foundation 470 includes a plurality of grates 471
positioned below
and having a shape corresponding to the inlet conduits 452a, 452b, 452c, 452d
and the outlet
conduits 454a, 454b of the base layer 450. The foundation 470 further houses a
first fan 460a
positioned below and operably connected to the first outlet conduit 454a and a
second fan
460b positioned below and operably connected to the second outlet conduit
454b. By
positioning the first fan 460a and the second fan 460b below the first outlet
conduit 454a and
the second outlet conduit 454b, upon activation of the fans 460a, 460b, air is
drawn from
below the base layer 450, through the grates 471, into the inlet conduits
452a, 452b, 452c,
452d, and then upwardly into and through the heat transfer layer 440 before
being drawn
back down into the first outlet conduit 454a and the second outlet conduit
454b and away
from the mattress assembly 410, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 11.
[0078] Referring now to FIGS. 12-13, in another embodiment of the present
invention, a
mattress assembly 510 is provided that includes another exemplary arrangement
of inlet
conduits 552a, 552b, 552c, 552d and outlet conduits 554a, 554b. Similar to the
exemplary
mattress assembly 410 shown in FIGS. 10-11, the mattress assembly 510 includes
a comfort
layer 572, a body supporting layer 520 having a first surface 522 and a second
surface 524
that is opposite the first surface 522, a plurality of Peltier elements 530, a
heat transfer layer
540, a base layer 550, and a foundation 570 housing a first fan 560a and a
second fan 560b
that are each positioned below one of the outlet conduits 554a, 554b. The
foundation 570
also similarly includes a number of grates 571 corresponding to the position
and shape of the
inlet conduits 552a, 552b, 552c, 552d and outlet conduits 554a, 554b. In the
mattress
assembly 510, however, the inlet conduits 552a, 552b, 552c, 552d do not extend
longitudinally through a substantial length of the base layer 550. Instead,
the inlet conduits
552a, 552b, 552c, 552d defined by the base layer 550 of the mattress assembly
510 are in the
form of columnar voids that extend from the bottom surface 559 of the base
layer 550 to the
heat transfer layer 540.
[0079] In particular, the base layer 550 includes a first row of three inlet
conduits 552a in
the form of columnar voids that are spaced apart from one another in a first
side 562 of the
base layer 550, a second row of three inlet conduits 552b in the form of
columnar voids that
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are spaced apart from one another in a central portion 566 of the base layer
550, a third row
of three inlet conduits 552c in the form of columnar voids that are spaced
apart from one
another and from the second row of inlet conduits 552b in the central portion
566 of the base
layer 550, and a fourth row of three inlet conduits 552d in the form of
columnar voids that are
spaced apart from one another in a second side 564 of the base layer 550. In
the mattress
assembly 510, a first outlet conduit 554a then extends longitudinally though
the base layer
550 between the first row of inlet conduits 552a and the second row of inlet
conduits 552b,
and a second outlet conduit 554b extends longitudinally though the base layer
550 between
the third row of inlet conduits 552c and the fourth row of inlet conduits
552d. Porous foam
inserts 580a, 580b, 580c, 580d are further positioned in each of the inlet
conduits 552a, 552b,
552c, 552d, respectively. Additionally, a porous foam insert 582a is
positioned in the first
outlet conduit 554a and a porous foam insert 582b is positioned in the second
outlet conduit
554b. Thus, when the first fan 560a and the second fan 560b are activated via
a controller
592 and power supply 590 connected to the mattress assembly 510, air is drawn
from below
the base layer 550, into porous foam inserts 580a, 580b, 580c, 580d positioned
in the inlet
conduits 552a, 552b, 552c, 552d, and then upwardly into and through the heat
transfer layer
540 before being drawn back down into the porous foam insert 582a positioned
in the first
outlet conduit 554a and the porous foam insert positioned in the second outlet
conduit 554b
and away from the mattress assembly 510, as indicated by the arrows in FIG.
13.
[00801 As an additional refinement to the base layer 550 of the mattress
assembly 510,
the base layer 550 of the mattress 510 is not comprised of a flexible foam
having a porosity
greater than that of the heat transfer layer 540, so as to direct an amount of
air through the
row of inlet conduits 452a, 452b, 452c, 452d and into the heat transfer layer
540. Rather, in
the mattress assembly 510, the base layer 550 is also comprised of a porous
foam. In this
regard, the mattress assembly 510 further includes a barrier layer 584 that is
positioned over
the exposed exterior surfaces of the base layer 550 and the heat transfer
layer 540 (i.e., the
continuous side walls of the base layer 550 and the heat transfer layer 540,
and the bottom
surface 559 of the base layer 550), as well as between the base layer 550 and
the heat transfer
layer 540. The barrier layer 584 can be comprised of a number of different
materials, such as
plastics, textiles, and the like, but, in all cases, functions as an
substantially air tight layer that
directs air being drawn through the base layer 550 and the heat transfer layer
540 by the fans
560a, 560b through the rows of inlet conduits 552a, 552b, 552c, 552d, into the
heat transfer
layer 540, and then into the first outlet conduit 554a and the second outlet
conduit 554b.
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100811 Referring now to FIGS. 14-15, in another exemplary embodiment of the
present
invention, a mattress assembly 610 is provided that includes yet another
arrangement of inlet
conduits 652 and outlet conduits 654a, 654b. Again, the mattress assembly 610
includes a
comfort layer 672, a body supporting layer 620 having a first surface 622 and
a second
surface 624 that is opposite the first surface 622, a plurality of Peltier
elements 630, a heat
transfer layer 640, a base layer 650 comprised of a flexible foam having a
porosity less than
that of the heat transfer layer 640, and a foundation 670 including a number
of grates 671
corresponding to the position and shape of the inlet conduits 652 and outlet
conduits 654a,
654b. The foundation 670 further houses four separate fans (of which only a
first fan 660a
and a second fan 660b are shown in FIG. 15) that are angled to direct air away
from the
mattress assembly 610 and that are connected to a controller 692 and a power
supply 690.
100821 Porous foam inserts 680 are also included in each of the inlet conduits
652 and
porous foam inserts 682a, 682b are also included in each of the outlet
conduits 654a, 654b,
respectively, of the mattress assembly 610. In the mattress assembly 610,
however, the inlet
conduits 652 are included in a central portion 666 of the base layer 650, and
a first row of the
outlet conduits 654a is included on a first side 662 of the base layer 650 and
a second row of
outlet conduits 654b are included on a second side 664 of the mattress
assembly 610. In this
regard, when air is drawn into the mattress assembly 610, the air first enters
the porous foam
inserts 680 positioned in the inlet conduits 652 in the central portion 666 of
the mattress
assembly 610, then flows through the heat layer transfer layer 640 to both the
first side 662 of
the base layer 650 and the second side 664 of the base layer 650 before
exiting through the
porous foam inserts 682a, 682b in the outlet conduits 682a, 682b, as shown
best in FIG. 15.
[0083] As yet another example of a mattress assembly made in accordance with
the
present invention, in another embodiment and referring now to FIGS. 16-17, a
mattress
assembly 710 is provided that includes a comfort layer 772, a body supporting
layer 720
having a first surface 722 and a second surface 724 that is opposite the first
surface 722, a
plurality of Peltier elements 730, a heat transfer layer 740, a base layer
750, and a foundation
770 including a number of shaped grates 771. The foundation 770 also houses
four separate
fans, of which only a first fan 760a and a second fan 760b are shown in FIG.
17. The
mattress assembly 710 further includes a first row of outlet conduits 754a
positioned on a
first side 762 of the base layer 750 and including porous foam inserts 782a,
and a second row
of outlet conduits 754b positioned on a second side 764 of the base layer 750
and including
porous foam inserts 782b. Unlike the mattress assembly 610 shown in FIGS. 14-
15,
however, in the mattress assembly 710, the inlet conduit 752 is in the form of
a porous foam
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area 780 positioned in a central portion 766 of the base layer 750 and
extending
longitudinally from the head end 756 of the base layer 750 to the foot end 758
of the base
layer 750. Moreover, in the mattress assembly 710, the base layer 750 is
comprised of a
porous foam and a barrier layer 784 is again positioned over the exterior
surfaces of the base
layer 750 and the heat transfer layer 740, as well as between the base layer
750 and the heat
transfer layer 740. As such, when air is drawn into the mattress assembly 710,
the air enters
the base layer 750 along the length of the porous foam area 780 of the inlet
conduit 752, and
flows upwardly from the porous foam area 780 and then throughout the entirety
of the heat
transfer layer 740 before it is directed downwardly into the porous foam
inserts 782a, 782b in
the outlet conduits 754a, 754b, as best shown in FIG. 17.
[00841 Referring now to FIGS. 18-19, as an alternative to the mattress
assembly 710
shown in FIGS. 16-17, another exemplary mattress assembly 810 is provided that
similarly
includes a comfort layer 872, a body supporting layer 820, a plurality of
Peltier elements 830,
a heat transfer layer 840, a base layer 850, and a foundation 870 including a
number of grates
871 and housing four separate fans, of which only a first fan 860a and a
second fan 860b are
shown in FIG. 19. The mattress assembly 810 also includes a first row of
outlet conduits
854a positioned on a first side 862 of the base layer 850 and including porous
foam inserts
882a, and a second row of outlet conduits 852b positioned on a second side 864
of the base
layer 850 and including porous foam inserts 882b. Further included in the
mattress assembly
810 is an inlet conduit 852 in the form of a porous foam area 880 extending
longitudinally in
a central portion 866 of the base layer 850. In the mattress assembly 810,
however, the base
layer 850 is not comprised of a porous foam, but is instead comprised a
standard flexible
foam (e.g., a polyurethane foam) having a porosity less than that of the heat
transfer layer
840. Moreover, in the mattress assembly 810, a barrier layer 884 is only used
to surround the
exterior surfaces of the base layer 850 and the heat transfer layer 840, and
is not positioned
between the base layer 850 and the heat transfer layer 840.
[0085] As an additional refinement to the present invention, although each of
the mattress
assemblies 10, 110, 210,310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810 shown in FIGS. 1-19
include a plurality
of Peltier elements 30, 130, 230, 330, 430, 530, 630, 730, 830, the present
invention is further
inclusive of mattress assemblies that do not make use of a plurality of
Peltier elements to
selectively cool the body supporting layer of a mattress assembly. For
example, as shown in
FIG. 20, in an additional exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a
mattress
assembly 910 is provided that includes a body supporting layer 920, a heat
transfer layer 940
comprised of a porous flexible foam, and a base layer 950 comprised of a
flexible foam
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having a porosity less than that of the porous flexible foam of the heat
transfer layer 940.
The mattress assembly 910 also includes three inlet conduits 952a, 952b, 952c
and two outlet
conduits 954a, 954b defined by the base layer 950. Further included in the
mattress assembly
is a pair of fans 960a, 960b operably connected to a power supply 990 and a
controller 992,
with one of the fans 960a, 960b operatively connected to each of the two
outlet conduits
954a, 954b. To selectively cool the body supporting layer 920 of the mattress
assembly,
however, no Peltier elements are used. Rather in the mattress assembly 910,
the body
supporting layer 920 is cooled by activating each of the fans 960a, 960b to
draw an amount of
air into the inlet conduits 952a, 952b, 952c, through the heat transfer layer
940 where the air
picks up heat absorbed by the adjacent body supporting layer 920, and then
into the outlet
conduits 954a, 954b before being dissipated away from the mattress assembly
910.
[0086] As an even further refinement to the mattress assemblies of the present
invention,
one or more covers can also be included and used to cover the mattress
assemblies described
herein. For example, in one embodiment, a cover in the form of a fire sock can
be first used
to initially surround an exemplary mattress assembly. Then, an outer fabric
cover, such as a
cover comprised of 100% cotton or another soft and breathable textile, can be
used to cover
the fire sock. As another example, and referring now to FIG. 21, in one
exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, a cover assembly 2010 for an exemplary
mattress
assembly can be utilized that includes a first cover 2020 having a top panel
2022, a bottom
panel 2024, and a continuous side panel 2030. The continuous side panel 2030
of the first
cover 2020 can be characterized as including a head panel 2032, a foot panel
2034, and two
opposing side panels 2036, 2038 that, with the top panel 2022 and bottom panel
2024,
collectively define a cavity for enclosing a mattress assembly of the present
invention. The
first cover 2020 further includes a brand tag 2062 extending vertically along
a portion of the
foot panel 2034.
[0087] The cover assembly 2010 further includes a second cover 2040 having a
top
surface 2042 and a bottom surface 2044, with the second cover 2040 also
defining a
perimeter 2046. The second cover 2040 of the cover assembly 2010 is generally
positioned
over the top panel 2022 of the first cover 2020 and is dimensionally-sized to
cover at least the
top panel 2022 of the first cover 2020, the area of which is indicated by the
hatching that is
shown in FIG. 21 and that designates a blue color for the top panel 2022 of
the first cover
2020. In particular, in the cover assembly 2010, the second cover 2040 is
dimensionally-
sized to cover the top panel 2022, the upper halves 2037, 2039 of each
opposing side panel
2036, 2038, an upper edge 2035 of the foot panel 2034, and an upper edge 2033
of the head
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panel 2032. By including such a second cover 2040 in the cover assembly 2010,
the second
cover 2040 is thus configured to cover and protect the portions of the
underlying first cover
2020 and, consequently, the portions of any mattress underlying the first
cover 2020, that
would be exposed to excessive wear and would be at an increased risk of
becoming stained or
damaged, namely the top panel 2022, the upper halves 2037, 2039 of each
opposing side
panel 2036, 2038, the upper edge 2035 of the foot panel 2034, and the upper
edge 2033 of the
head panel 2032. Further, by including such a second cover 2040 in the cover
assembly
2010, the second cover 2040 causes the upper halves 2037, 2039 of each
opposing side panel
2036, 2038 to assume a more rounded configuration upon attachment of the
second cover
2040 to the first cover 2020 via a zipper 2050. Of course, numerous other
sizes and
configurations for the second cover 2040 can also be readily selected as
desired and can be
incorporated into a particular cover assembly to prevent damage or staining to
a mattress or
to alter the appearance of an a mattress without departing from the spirit and
scope of the
subject matter described herein.
10088] As an even further refinement to the present invention, although the
support
cushions shown in FIGS. 1-21 are in the form of mattress assemblies 10, 110,
210, 310, 410,
510, 610, 710, 810, 910, and are dimensionally sized to support a user lying
in a supine or
prone position, it is contemplated that the features described herein are
equally applicable to
head pillows, seat cushions, seat backs, neck pillows, leg spacer pillows,
mattress topers,
overlays, and the like. As such, the phrase "support cushion" is used herein
to refer to any
and all such objects having any size or shape, and that are capable of or are
generally used to
support the body of a user or a portion thereof. For example, as shown in FIG.
22, in an
additional exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a support cushion
made in
accordance with the present invention is incorporated into the seat 1011 of a
desk chair 1010.
Each support cushion of the desk chair 1010 includes: a comfort layer 1072; a
body
supporting layer 1020; a plurality of Peltier elements 1030; a heat transfer
layer 1040
comprised of a porous visco-elastic foam; a base layer 1050 comprised of a
flexible foam
having a porosity less than that of the visco-elastic foam included in the
heat transfer layer
1040; and a fan 1060 operably connected to a power supply 990 and a controller
992. The
base layer 1050 of the seat 1011 also defines a first inlet conduit 1052a and
a second inlet
conduit 1052b that each include a porous foam insert 1080a, 1080b, as well as
an outlet
conduit 1054 that includes a porous foam insert 1082 and that is operatively
connected to the
fan 1060. The fan 1060 draws an amount of air through the porous foam inserts
1080a,
1080b in the inlet conduits 1052a, 1052b, through the heat transfer layer
1040, and then into
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the porous foam insert 1082 positioned in the outlet conduit 1054, to thereby
assist in the
selective heating and cooling of the seat 1011 of the desk chair 1010.
[0089] Each of the exemplary support cushions described herein can also be
used as part
of a method of controlling a surface temperature of a support cushion. In some
implementations, a method of controlling the surface temperature of a support
cushion
includes first providing a support cushion of the present invention.
Electrical current is then
supplied to each fan such that each fan draws an amount of air into each inlet
conduit,
through the heat transfer layer, and into each outlet conduit. For
implementations where the
support the support cushions include a plurality of Peltier elements,
electrical current can also
be supplied to the plurality of Peltier elements, such that when the
electrical current is
supplied in a first direction, the surface temperature of the body supporting
portion decreases,
but when electrical current is supplied in a second direction, the surface
temperature of the
body supporting portion increases. In some implementations, to control an
amount of heating
or cooling of the support cushion, the amount of electrical current supplied
to the Peltier
elements can be controlled. In some implementations, the surface temperature
of the support
cushion is controlled by first receiving feedback from a temperature sensor or
pressure sensor
positioned in the body supporting portion of the support cushions, and then
supplying
electrical current to the fan, the plurality of Peltier elements, or both
based on the feedback
received from the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor, or both.
[0090] Throughout this document, various references are mentioned. All such
references
are incorporated herein by reference, including the references set forth in
the following list:
REFERENCES
1. U.S. Patent No. 8,034,445 to Landvik, et al., issued Oct. 11, 2011, and
entitled
"Laminated Visco-Elastic Support."
2. U.S. Patent No. 8,025,964 to Landvik, et al., issued Sept. 27, 2011, and
entitled
"Laminated Visco-Elastic Support."
3. U.S. Patent No. 7,979,374 to Landvik, issued July 12, 2011, and entitled
"Product
Demonstration System and Method for Using the Same."
4. U.S. Patent No. 7,735,169 to Wassilefsky, issued Jun. 15, 2010, and
entitled "Comfort
Pillow."
5. U.S. Patent No. 7,707,670 to Fogg, issued May 4, 2010, and entitled
"Pillow top for a
Cushion."
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6. U.S. Patent No. 7,555,615 to Landvik, issued June 30, 2009, and entitled
"Product
Demonstration System and Method for Using the Same."
7. U.S. Patent No. 7,507,468 to Landvik, et al., issued Mar. 24, 2009, and
entitled
"Laminated Visco-Elastic Support."
8. U.S. Patent No. 7,469,437 to Mikkelsen, et al., issued Dec. 30, 2008,
and entitled
"Reticulated Material Body Support and Method."
9. U.S. Patent No. 7,444,702 to Fogg, issued Nov. 4, 2008, and entitled
"Pillow top for a
Cushion."
10. U.S. Patent No. 7,415,742 to Wassilefsky, issued Aug. 26, 2008, and
entitled
"Comfort Pillow."
=
11. U.S. Design Patent No. D558,499 to Maarbjerg, issued Jan. 1, 2008, and
entitled
"Pillow."
12. U.S. Patent No. 7,155,765 to Fogg, issued Jan. 2, 2007, and entitled
"Pillow top for a
Cushion."
13. U.S. Design Patent No. D529,325 to Maarbjerg, issued Oct. 3, 2006, and
entitled
"Pillow."
14. United States Patent No. 7,082,633 to Maarbjerg issued Aug. 1, 2006 and
entitled
"Pillow."
15. U.S. Patent No. 7,051,389 to Wassilefsky, issued May 30, 2006, and
entitled
"Comfort Pillow."
16. U.S. Patent No. 6,866,915 to Landvik, issued Mar. 15, 2005, and
entitled "Cushion."
17. U.S. Patent No. 6,602,579 to Landvik, issued Aug. 5, 2003, and entitled
"Cushion."
18. U.S. Patent No. 6,578,218 to Wassilefsky, issued Jun. 17, 2003, and
entitled "Leg
Spacer Pillow."
19. U.S. Patent No. 6,541,094 to Landvik, et al., issued Apr. 1, 2003, and
entitled
"Laminated Visco-Elastic Support."
20. U.S. Design Patent No. D456,660 to Landvik, issued May 7, 2002, and
entitled
"Contoured Head Pillow."
21. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0198616 by Makansi,
published Aug. 9,
2012, and entitled "Distributed Thermoelectric String and Insulating Panel and
Applications for Local Heating, Local Cooling, and Power Generation from
Heat."
22. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0060885 by Makansi,
published Mar.
15, 2012, and entitled "Distributed Thermoelectric String and Insulating
Panel."
33
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23. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0252562 by Mikkelsen, et
al., published
Oct. 20, 2011, and entitled "Adjustable-Firmness Body Support and Method."
24. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0094803 by Fogg, published
May 3,
2007, and entitled "Pillow top for a Cushion."
25. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0288490 by Mikkelsen, et
al., published
Dec. 28, 2006, and entitled "Reticulated Material Body Support and Method."
26. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0277684 by Wassilefsky,
published
Dec. 14, 2006, and entitled "Comfort Pillow."
27. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0174414 by Maarbjerg,
published Aug.
10, 2006, and entitled "Pillow."
28. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2005/0202214 by Landvik,
published Sep.
15, 2005, and entitled "Cushion."
29. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0084667 by Landvik, et
al., published
Apr. 21, 2005, and entitled "Laminated Visco-Elastic Support."
30. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0076446 by Fogg, published
Apr. 14,
2005, and entitled "Pillow top for a Cushion."
31. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0073931 by Trussel Jr., et
al., published
Apr. 15, 2004, and entitled "Interactive Bed Display."
32. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0033351 by Landvik, et
al., published
Feb. 19, 2004, and entitled "Laminated Viseo-Elastic Support."
33. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0171954 by Guerin, et al.,
published
Sep. 11, 2003, and entitled "Method of Managing the Provision of Healthcare
and
System for Effecting Same."
34. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2001/0021438 by Landvik,
published Sep.
13, 2001, and entitled "Cushion."
[0091] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional
embodiments are also
possible without departing from the teachings of the present invention or the
scope of the
claims which follow. This detailed description, and particularly the specific
details of the
exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, is given primarily for clarity of
understanding, and
no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications
will become
apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be
made without
departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention.
34
