EP2777437A1 - Multilayer upholstery with zoned and ventilated middle layer and method for producing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The element (1) has a surface layer provided inside of the element and comprising a structure, which is produced through a pressing method, where the element has multiple foam layers. The surface structure comprises upright standing spring elements (6), which are provided with a plate-shaped surface (7). The spring elements comprise a cross section e.g. circle section, and are provided with upstanding outer walls, where basic shapes of the upstanding outer walls are superimposed by a waveform. Parts of the upright standing spring elements are connected with each other by a bar. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a multilayer cushion element.

Description

The invention describes a multilayer cushioning element, in particular a mattress or cushion of foam and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein the cushioning element is constructed to optimize the point elastic support of the user and for better ventilation of the cushion of layers, characterized in that at least At least one inner surface of a layer is provided with a structure by means of a compression cutting machine in the pressing-in process.

In the DE 10 2006 025 136 B4 a cushioning element, in particular mattress is described, having a base body and a spring element unit which is provided with a plurality of spring elements, wherein the edges of these spring elements are connected to each other or arranged side by side such that the contact surfaces of adjacent spring elements adjacent. The preparation of the spring elements is also very time consuming, here produced in the foam molding process and therefore also expensive.

The DE 195 21 910 describes a padding element made of latex foam with individual conically shaped spring elements which rise in the form of projections above and below an over the entire width and length ersteckenden middle layer of a mattress core. The production of such a mattress core turns out to be very complicated, since this core can only be created in an expensive mold foaming process. Another drawback is that each mattress size requires its own complicated shape, or if only one mold is present, smaller mattress sizes must be cut out of a maximum size to produce larger amounts of waste. Adhesive bonding of defined edge pieces to a smaller shape is conceivable, but to discard production technology as well as for optical reasons. A multilayer mattress construction is also not provided in this invention.

A mattress according to DE 34 24 942 C2 , as well as DE 20 2008 001 757 U1 consists of an upper and a lower layer and a middle layer, the middle Layer consists of preferably lying transversely in the mattress elements made of elastic foam. The elements of the middle layer give by different compliance a zoned, adapted to the sleeper support profile. The transverse, continuous profile elements are relatively unyielding, since they have no individual segments or no surface structure for optimal, point-elastic support of the user.

In the DE 10 2007 051 232 C5 a mattress is described in which zones of different resulting hardness are formed by material recesses, wherein on at least one lying surface of the mattress through the Materialausnehmungen stamp elements are formed, which are connected to a common continuous base layer and different hardness zones are formed by different punch elements. This mattress is very time-consuming to produce in the so-called contour cutting process, also designed the removal of the variety in this process between the punch elements remaining waste pieces difficult.

In the EP 0 632 702 B1 discloses a mattress having an intermediate layer between an upper and a lower cover layer, which consists of a plurality of individual spring elements in the form of juxtaposed cylinder or double cone of foam of different compression hardness. The spring elements are fastened individually on a base part. Finishing this mattress is very labor intensive.

Also the DE 20 2005 015 047 U1 describes a mattress in a three-layered construction, comprising a plurality of independent spring housings in the middle layer, wherein the spring housings are arranged in a rectangular matrix and connected to each other by a belt, which is mounted around the spring housing as a fastening element. Although such a mattress fulfills important basic requirements, which are also set to the invention, but the structure is very complicated, expensive, complicated and hardly feasible for the user.

From the DE 10 2012 004 962 A1 is also a three-layered mattress known, the intermediate layer of stamped, film hinge-like connected foam spring elements consists. The spring elements are interconnected in this intermediate layer, as in the above-described DE 10 2006 025 136 B4 Here too an individual, independent compliance of the individual spring elements is not satisfactorily possible.

In the EP 0642894 A1 is the so-called "Eindrückverfahren" described, for producing a cushion or mattress surface in which to increase the point elasticity of this element individual plateau-shaped elevations are formed on one or both surfaces by channels. The DE 10 2004 046 517 A1 further describes varying the depth of the channels to create well-defined zones on the pad or mattress surface for better body support of the user.
Here it is possible to produce the punctual compliance and thus the comfort on the surfaces of the mattress or a mattress pad. The creation of a sufficiently noticeable and sufficiently effective zoning of the mattress, however, is not possible with these methods.

The invention has for its object to provide a multi-layer cushioning element, in particular a mattress or cushion of foam, and a method for producing the same, in which different zones for supporting a sleeper can be generated in a simple process.

The object is achieved by a multilayer pad element with the features of claim 1 and by a manufacturing method thereof. Advantageous embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

A multilayer cushioning element, in particular a foam mattress or cushion made up of a plurality of layers of foam, is characterized in that at least one layer has an internal surface which has a structure which is produced by means of a push-in process is.

The internal surface is to be understood as meaning a surface of the layer which does not exist in the finished upholstery element composed of the layers comes to rest on the outside, so at the top or bottom. The inner surface is accordingly not exposed to the outside in the finished product.

The inner surface is structured to optimize the point elastic support of the sleeper and to better transverse ventilation of the mattress core, wherein the structure of the surface with the particularly efficient method of compression cutting technology is produced on a compression cutting machine in the Eindrückverfahren.

The Eindrückverfahren is from the EP 0642894 A1 and from the DE 10 2004 046 517 A1 known. This technique allows the production of three-dimensional moldings made of foam much cheaper than the foam molding of foam moldings, especially since the tools used for this purpose can be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

In the push-in method, a template, e.g. in the form of a melamine resin coated chipboard or a roll having recesses corresponding to the desired structure. By a feed, a foam blank, usually a foam plate, which corresponds to the thickness of a layer provided for the multilayer cushion element layer, fed to the stencil a belt or splitting blade. In this case, a pressure roller presses the foam to be cut in the recesses of the template. The splitting blade cuts the compressed foam immediately above the stencil during the advancement of the blank and the desired structure is created on the foam board.

If the desired structure is also to be produced on the other side of the foam board, the cut-out waste structure is placed back onto the already processed side of the foam board. The ridges of the piece of waste re-fit into the resulting recesses of the structure on the foam sheet. Both parts are turned over and passed through the machine again under the same pressure conditions. Thereafter, both pieces of waste (on top and bottom) are removed. For creating uncomplicated structures can also be dispensed with the laying of the waste structure on the foam plate on the second pass through the machine.

• Zuführen eines Schaumstoffrohlings zu einem Spalt, der durch eine Druckwalze und eine Vertiefungen aufweisende Schablone gebildet wird;
• Zusammendrücken des Schaumstoffrohlings in dem Spalt durch eine von der Druckwalze und der Schablone erzeugte Druckwirkung;
• Unmittelbar stromab von dem Spalt Abschneiden desjenigen Schaumstoffmaterials, das durch die Druckwirkung in dem Spalt in die Vertiefungen der Schablone eingedrückt wurde.

The indentation method can thus be divided into the following method steps:

• Feeding a foam blank to a nip formed by a pressure roll and dimple-having stencil;
• Compressing the foam blank in the nip by a compressive action generated by the pressure roller and the stencil;
• Immediately downstream of the gap, cut off that foam material which has been pressed into the depressions of the template by the pressure action in the gap.

The template may be plate-shaped. However, it can also be designed as a pressure roller, which then has on its upper side the desired depressions, in which the foam is pressed during compression.

For cutting off the foam material that has penetrated into the recesses of the template, an oscillating knife or a circulating band knife can be used.

In addition to its particularly cost-effective and time-reduced method, the production method described also proves to be particularly suitable for equipping a mattress with different areas of different compliance, this design of the mattress core being used to reduce excessive body pressure, especially on the extremities of the body such as the shoulders or shoulders leads to the hip area.

Advantageously, a design is provided for structuring in which the surface consists of a plurality of substantially upright spring elements with a plateau-shaped surface, in particular with here preferred circular or round appearing cross-section, including here the basic shape of a suitable polygon such as a hexagon should count. In this case, the individual spring elements can also be connected to each other by a web.

The plateau-shaped surface means that the top of the spring elements can be flat to effect a sufficient support surface.

One way to make the spring elements visually interesting results from the - are designed wavy - upright at a circular cross-section - standing upright outer walls of the individual spring elements, for example. The outer walls of the spring elements can thus, in addition to their e.g. circular or cylindrical basic shape an additional shape, e.g. to be superimposed on a waveform.

The differently compliant zones can be generated in this production process by different deep and / or wide channels in the foam body, ie at the points where much was cut out, the corresponding zone in example a mattress core is also more flexible. The different depths of the channels may result from different channel widths in the tool. Since when pressing a foam blank on a wide channel, the pressed foam material during the cutting process can be displaced easier and deeper than in a narrow, not only in the width but also in the depth of the foam blank is cut out more here.
Likewise, the depth of cut with uniform channels in the tool can be changed solely by the change in pressure on the foam blank by the pressure roller or by additionally applied to the blank plungers. Combinations of both process variants are also applicable here.
The transverse channels formed by the profiling on the inner surface of a foam layer or on at least one surface of a single element of such a layer have, in addition to an additional ventilation function, the effect that the resilience of these foam parts substantially and progressively reduced when under elastic deformation of these deposits of the foam this moves into the longitudinal channels and these are no longer available as evasive volume.
In a further embodiment, it is proposed to produce only spring element strands instead of a completely coherent intermediate layer. By the juxtaposition of the individual spring element strands (also short spring strands) is then built up the intermediate layer of the mattress. It is very easy to produce zones of different compliance by spring strands are combined from materials of different compressive hardness. Likewise, the spring strands can also be constructed identically.
The individual Schaumstoffffederelementschichten as well as the continuous layers may consist of foam of the same density and the same compression hardness as the outer layers or one of the outer layers of the mattress, but may also differ from it.
Individual strip-shaped foam spring element layers preferably extend over the entire width of the mattress, but can in turn be composed of individual layers and thus also provide, across the width of the mattress, different resilience.
The foam spring element layers can be bonded together by adhesion as well as with an upper and / or lower layer of the mattress.
In one embodiment, one or more structured intermediate layers are provided, wherein at least one surface, in particular at least two surfaces are provided on the intermediate layer or the intermediate layers, which have a structure, with a plurality of substantially upstanding spring elements with a plateau-shaped surface.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a multilayer cushioning element, in particular a mattress or a cushion of foam, in which at least one inner surface of the layers is structured in the core, wherein the structure of the surface is produced by a compression cutting installation in the push-in process. The indentation method described above is particularly useful for economically producing the desired surface texture.

Fig. 1

die perspektivische Ansicht einer Matratze mit zwei Deckschichten und einer Zwischenschicht, bei der die obere Deckschicht teilweise entfernt ist, mit unterschiedlichen Schaumstoff-Federelementstreifen in der Zwischenschicht, wobei ein Streifen zur besseren Veranschaulichung herausgezogen dargestellt ist;

Fig. 2

eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Matratze in der Darstellung wie in Fig. 1, bei der die Profilierung der hier durchgängigen Federelement-Zwischenschicht in Zonen unterschiedlich stark ausgeprägt ist;

Fig. 3

den Querschnitt durch den Abschnitt einer zweischichtigen Matratze, bei der die innenliegende Oberfläche der unteren Schicht profiliert ist;

Fig. 4

den Querschnitt durch den Abschnitt einer dreischichtigen Matratze, bei der beide Oberflächen der mittleren Schicht profiliert sind;

Fig. 5

den Querschnitt durch den Abschnitt einer vierschichtigen Matratze, bei der je eine Seite der innenliegenden Schichten profiliert ist und die beiden Schichten mit ihren nicht profilierten Seiten aneinander liegen; und

Fig. 6

den Querschnitt durch den Abschnitt einer vierschichtigen Matratze, bei der je eine Seite der innenliegenden Schichten profiliert ist und die beiden Schichten mit ihren profilierten Seiten aneinander liegen.

In the figures of the drawing embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in examples of mattresses. Show it

Fig. 1

the perspective view of a mattress with two cover layers and an intermediate layer in which the upper cover layer is partially removed, with different foam spring element strips in the intermediate layer, a strip being shown pulled out for ease of illustration;

Fig. 2

an embodiment of the mattress according to the invention in the illustration as in Fig. 1 in which the profiling of the here intervening spring element intermediate layer is pronounced differently in zones;

Fig. 3

the cross-section through the portion of a two-layered mattress, wherein the inner surface of the lower layer is profiled;

Fig. 4

the cross section through the portion of a three-layered mattress, in which both surfaces of the middle layer are profiled;

Fig. 5

the cross section through the portion of a four-layered mattress, wherein each one side of the inner layers is profiled and the two layers with their non-profiled sides to each other; and

Fig. 6

the cross section through the section of a four-layer mattress, wherein each one side of the inner layers is profiled and the two layers lie with their profiled sides together.

How out FIG. 1 As can be seen, the mattress 1 according to the invention has an underlayer 2, at least one intermediate layer 3 and a cover layer 4. Furthermore, the mattress has a cover, not shown here, covering it as a whole. The intermediate layer 3 consists in the preferred embodiment here of several different juxtaposed foam spring element strands 5 _x with spring elements 6, wherein one of the spring element strands 5 is shown pulled out for better illustration. By combining the individual spring strands 5 _x of foams of different compressive hardness 1 zones of different compliance are generated in the mattress.
To reduce the selective to high body pressure load of the user, the surfaces of the spring element strands are 5 _x structured with a plurality of upstanding spring elements 6 with a plateau-shaped surface 7, which preferably have a substantially circular, circular cross section here, resulting in a cylindrical shape of the spring elements 6 leads.
The spring element strands 5 _x may be connected to each other as well as with the top and bottom layer of the mattress by gluing, but they can also only be strung together loosely and are held in this case only by the outer layers and / or the mattress cover.

The Fig. 2 shows the variant of a mattress according to the invention 1 ₁ in which the intermediate layer 3 _{1 is} executed consistently and the zones 9, 10, 11 and 12 with different depths channels 8 between the individual upright spring elements 6 have different compliances. Thus, for example, a zone 10 with shallower channels than in zone 9, which is intended for the lordosis of the back of the sleeper, has a supporting effect which is reinforced in relation to the central zone 9 here. A zone 11 for the shoulder area of the sleeper in turn has even deeper channels than the zone 9 and thus provides compared to the zone 9 a reduced support effect and thus the shoulder the necessary flexibility. The edge zone 12, in turn, is made stronger with a reduced channel depth in relation to the zone 9. This variant is to be understood as an example, a variety of different zoning is conceivable on this basis.

In the FIGS. 3 to 6 In each case, cross-sections through different mattress variants are shown, in which the structures of the inner layer surfaces are arranged differently by way of example within the scope of the invention. Again, a cover enclosing the mattress is not shown.

The Fig. 3 shows a merely two-layered mattress 1 ₂ without additional intermediate layer in which the inner surface of the lower layer 2 _{1 is} profiled and this contoured surface of the lower layer 2 _{1 is} covered with a cover layer 4. Especially to additionally applied to the outer surfaces of the mattress contours not shown here, this represents the simplest variant of the invention for generating a good zoning in the mattress.

In the Fig. 4 is the cross section through the portion of a three-layered mattress 1, 1 ₁ as in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown, in which the inner surfaces of a middle layer are profiled.

The Fig. 5 shows in principle the same structure of a mattress 1, 1 ₁ as in Fig. 3 shown, however, here is the intermediate layer 3.3 ₁ of two individual, with each only one-sided surface structure of two foam plates to the intermediate layer 3, 3 ₁ assembled. There are the smooth, not contoured sides of the two foam sheets together and thus form the intermediate layer 3.3 ₁ . The joining can be done by gluing, but it is sufficient in principle, the normal frictional connection, since the mattress is taken by a Hüllbezug.

Incidentally, the same structure results when two single mattresses 1 ₂ as in Fig. 3 shown joined together with their sub-layers 2, forming a mattress.
Fig. 6 shows a structure of a mattress 1, 1 ₁ as in Fig. 5 shown and described, wherein in this variant, the two described, one-sided contoured foam plates with their contoured sides joined together the middle layer 3.3 ₁ result.

All embodiments are to be understood by way of example, a variety of different layer combinations and also several layers, as well as in connection with non-contoured, compact intermediate layers can be implemented.
It is understood that the invention is not reduced to a specific one of the exemplary embodiments, but is often variable within the scope of the disclosure.
The invention is not limited to the smooth outer surfaces of the cover and / or the lower layer of the mattress as shown in the figures, but these or even only one of the surfaces in practice usually profiled or with a similar or the same structure provided, such as an interior surface.
Furthermore, provide additional, common processing steps of the individual layers before or after the machining process for structure creation, whereby the mattress can be issued more important for their use features. Thus, for example, one or more foam plates can be given a wavy shape in one contour cut on one or both of their surfaces, through which ventilation channels are formed between individual intermediate layers and / or between cover layer and / or lower layer and one or more intermediate layer / s of the mattress , which additionally facilitate the removal of moisture from the mattress.
The structuring according to the invention does not have to extend over all longitudinal areas of the mattress, but can also find use only in certain areas. For example, it can only be used in the shoulder area and in the pelvic area, while the areas of the head, the loins and the legs have no structures of internal layer surfaces.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Mattress (with indexes)

2

Lower layer (with indices)

3

Intermediate layer (with indices)

4

topcoat

5

Spring element strand (with indices)

6

upright spring element

7

plateau-shaped surface

8th

Channel between the spring elements

9

central zone with medium support

10

Zone with reinforced support in relation to zone 9

11

Zone with reduced support compared to zone 9

12

border zone

Claims (10)

Multilayer cushioning element, in particular a mattress (1) or a cushion of foam, which is composed of several layers of foam, characterized in that at least one layer is provided with an inner surface having a structure which by means of a Eindrückverfahrens is generated. A multilayer cushioning element according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure of the surface comprises a plurality of substantially upright spring elements (6) with a plateau-shaped surface (7). Multilayer cushioning element according to claim 2, characterized in that the spring elements have a cross section selected from the group circle, ellipse, triangle, quadrangle, hexagon, polygon and polygon with rounded corners. Multilayer cushioning element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring elements each have an upright outer wall whose basic shape is superimposed by an additional shape, in particular by a waveform. Multilayer cushioning element according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least a part of the upright spring elements (6) are connected to each other by a web. Multilayer cushioning element according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a lower layer (2), a cover layer (4) and an intermediate layer (3) arranged between the lower layer (2) and the outer layer (4), wherein the intermediate layer (3) comprises a plurality of spring element strands arranged next to one another (5x), and wherein the spring element strands (5x) are identical or different from each other. Multilayer cushioning element according to one of the preceding claims, having a or a plurality of structured intermediate layer (s) (3 ₁ ), are introduced at the zones (9, 10, 11 and 12), wherein extending between the individual upright spring elements (6) channels (8) whose width and / or depth differently is, such that the spring elements (6) have different compliances. Multilayer cushioning element according to one of the preceding claims, having a lower layer (2) and a cover layer (4), wherein the inner surface of the lower layer (2 ₁ ) is profiled and this contoured surface of the lower layer (2 ₁ ) with the cover layer (4). is covered. A multilayer cushioning element according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more structured intermediate layers (3, 3 ₁ ), wherein at least one surface is provided on the intermediate layer or layers having a structure comprising a plurality of substantially upright spring elements (6 ) with a plateau-shaped surface (7). Method for producing a multilayer cushioning element according to one of the preceding claims, in particular a mattress or a cushion of foam, in which at least one inner surface of the layers is structured in the core, characterized in that the structure of the surface is produced by a compression cutting system in the pressing-in process becomes.

Images