Mattress cover

Abstract

The invention relates to a mattress cover comprising a cover material (5) forming a top surface (3) and / or a bottom surface (4), both with dimensions suitable to serve as a resting surface for the user. The cover material (5) is designed to have a 3D knitted spacer fabric (10) at least on its outer surface (11) and comprises, on said outer surface (11), a honeycomb mesh structure with openings facing outwards (12).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a mattress cover with a top and a bottom, which is designed to receive a mattress core.

[0002] Commonly known mattress covers are regularly designed to tightly enclose a cuboid mattress core, which has a length and width on the top and bottom that are large compared to its height and form a lying surface for one person.

[0003] A mattress cover typically consists of a fabric section forming the top and a fabric section forming the bottom. A removable mattress cover, which allows the mattress core to be inserted into the cover or the cover to be removed from the core, has a closure, e.g., a zipper, which runs at least partially along the long and short sides when the cover is fitted onto the mattress core.

[0004] Depending on the design of the mattress cover, the top and bottom fabric areas can be formed by separate fabric panels, each forming the respective sleeping surface or underside, which are connected to each other by strips of fabric forming the longitudinal and transverse sides. These fabric strips are usually attached to the top and bottom fabric panels by seams, which may be covered by binding or piping.

[0005] In mattress covers known from practice, ventilation strips made of a highly permeable material compared to the rest of the mattress cover fabric are often used on the long and short sides, since usual cover fabrics for a mattress cover usually have only low air permeability and the mattress core would otherwise be insufficiently ventilated.

[0006] For example, from DE 10 2008 058 134 83 B3 it is known to use three-dimensional spacer fabrics as a highly air-permeable material for such a ventilation strip, which have high air permeability with relatively good stability.

[0007] Furthermore, it is known from DE 20 2012 005 880 U1 to design a mattress cover in two parts such that one side is formed as a winter cover by a viscoelastic foam and the other side as a summer cover made of 3-D spacer fabric, which creates a better microclimate for the sleeper due to its higher breathability.

[0008] However, a disadvantage here is that 3D spacer fabrics are relatively rigid and difficult to bend, which limits the design of the sleeping comfort for the sleeper.

[0009] DE 202 01 919 U1 discloses the use of a spacer fabric for mattress and seat covers as well as interior linings with an outer and inner textile surface, consisting of a textile material that has been shrunk during the washing process and an intermediate spacer structure, the spacer threads of which are formed on the facing inner surfaces from knitted mono- or multifilament threads, wherein one or both of the outer surfaces are jacquarded with a pattern. WO01 / 11127A1, DE102014008725A1 and US2009 / 044338A1 disclose further relevant prior art.

[0010] Spacer fabrics are more elastic than spacer knits due to their different structural design, which generally allows for increased comfort for a user with a mattress cover made of spacer fabric, as it can be made soft, elastic and with a pleasant feel.

[0011] In practice, however, it has become apparent that there is room for improvement in the breathability and lying comfort of the known spacer fabrics.

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to create a mattress cover of the type mentioned above which is particularly breathable, forms a comfortable and soft lying surface, and allows for easy processing.

[0013] This problem is solved according to the invention by a mattress cover with a cover fabric forming a top and / or a bottom, each dimensioned as a lying surface for a user, in that the cover fabric is formed with a 3D spacer fabric at least on its outer surface and has a honeycomb-like mesh structure with outwardly open openings on the outer surface. The invention relates to a mattress cover according to claim 1. Optional features are defined in the dependent claims.

[0014] The invention thus utilizes the advantages of a spacer fabric, which typically has a spacer structure with meshes made of interwoven mono- or multifilament spacer threads, and combines these with the advantages of a honeycomb-like mesh structure that enables air circulation and moisture removal from the mattress in a particularly effective manner.

[0015] The honeycomb-like, outwardly open recesses are not only advantageous in terms of air exchange, moisture transport and the compensation of temperature fluctuations in general, but also allow for increased elasticity, which provides a soft feel for the user and also allows the mattress cover to adapt optimally to the user lying on it, without the user being bothered by brittle spacer threads that are often noticeable in spacer fabrics.

[0016] Such a mattress cover can be easily produced, for example, on a large circular knitting machine operating according to the so-called 3-way technique, with high throughput and therefore high economic efficiency.

[0017] The cutouts of the mesh structure are preferably arranged in a regular pattern on the outside of the cover fabric, although an irregular arrangement, for example forming a pattern, is also conceivable.

[0018] The honeycomb-like, outwardly open recesses can vary in their geometry, for example being round, oval, or even angular in their open cross-section.

[0019] According to the invention, the cover fabric is made of 3-D spacer fabric in at least three layers, with an upper layer forming the outside and a woven layer forming an inner layer, preferably made of polyester fiber.

[0020] The inner layer forms a smooth fabric layer, which can also be jacquard and, for example, patterned, upon which the upper layer of the 3D spacer fabric made of textured, twisted yarn, especially multifilament yarn, is built outwards.

[0021] The honeycomb-like indentations can extend at least substantially across the entire thickness of the top layer, that is, from the outer layer to the inner layer or very close to it, in order to allow optimal climate control with regard to air and moisture exchange between the two sides of the cover fabric. Furthermore, the depth of the honeycomb-like indentation increases the softness of the top layer made of 3D spacer fabric, thus providing an improved feel.

[0022] Since the cover fabric is three-layered with a middle layer interwoven with the top layer and filled with a monofilament yarn, stabilization and the desired tactile volumization of the 3D spacer fabric can be achieved while maintaining high air and moisture permeability. According to a preferred embodiment, the monofilament yarn can be made of polyester; however, other synthetic fibers, such as those made of polyamide, can also be used.

[0023] To give the outward-facing surface of the spacer fabric a particularly smooth and pleasant feel, the surface surrounding the honeycomb-like recesses can be made of particularly fine knitted stitches.

[0024] Studies have shown that, in terms of comfort and microclimate control, it is particularly advantageous if the upper layer of the spacer fabric has a weight fraction of 50% to 70%, especially 55% to 60%, of the cover fabric.

[0025] The inner layer can have a weight percentage of 20% to 30%, in particular 25% to 30%, of the cover fabric.

[0026] When using a filler, optimal results regarding air permeability, stabilization and volumization were found at a weight fraction of 10% to 20%, in particular 15% to 20%, of the middle layer of the cover fabric.

[0027] The upholstery fabric can have a weight of 200 g / m² to 300 g / m², thus providing the necessary durability while also being easy to handle in terms of its weight during both production and use.

[0028] The mattress cover can be designed the same on all sides, i.e., on the top, on the bottom and on the longitudinal and transverse sides formed when the mattress core is inserted, although it is also conceivable in principle to design different sides of the mattress cover differently.

[0029] The identical construction of all sides allows for particularly simple manufacturing, and due to the high breathability of the cover fabric, a ventilation strip on the transverse and longitudinal sides, which is often found in well-known mattress covers, can also be dispensed with.

[0030] To facilitate the insertion and removal of a mattress core, it is advantageous for the mattress cover to have at least a partial circumferential closure, in particular a zipper. Furthermore, handles can be sewn onto the mattress cover for easier handling of the mattress.

[0031] Further advantages and beneficial developments of the invention result from the patent claims and the exemplary embodiment described in principle with reference to the drawing.

[0032] It shows: Fig. 1 a basic perspective view of a mattress cover designed according to the invention and mounted on a mattress core; Fig. 2 a highly simplified, partial top view of one side of the mattress cover; and Fig. 3 A schematic cross-sectional view through a section of the mattress cover fabric.

[0033] Referring to Fig. 1 A mattress cover 1 is shown in a state stretched over a mattress core 2, wherein the mattress cover 1 forms a first lying surface on a top side 3 and a second lying surface on an opposite bottom side 4 for a user sleeping on it.

[0034] The mattress cover 1 is made entirely of the same cover fabric 5, whereby the lateral transverse surfaces 6 and longitudinal surfaces 7 also seamlessly transition into the top 6 and bottom 7.

[0035] However, in other versions, the surfaces of the cover fabric 5 may also be separated by seams and, if necessary, a piping strip.

[0036] A circumferential closure 8 in the form of a zipper is sewn into the mattress cover 1 on the transverse surfaces 6 and longitudinal sides 7 for inserting and removing the mattress core 2. In addition, several handles 9 are provided on the side longitudinal surfaces 7 for lifting the mattress core 2 enclosed by the mattress cover 1; only one handle 9 is shown as an example.

[0037] As in a section X in Fig. 1 , which represents the entire surface of mattress cover 1, and in the Fig. 2 und Fig. 3As can be seen, the cover fabric 5 is formed with a 3D spacer fabric 10 extending to its outer surface 11, wherein the cover fabric 5 has a honeycomb-like mesh structure with outwardly open recesses 12 in a regular, finely structured arrangement. The recesses 12 preferably have an oval cross-section facing outwards, which, in the unstretched state, can be approximately 2 mm to 4 mm wide and approximately 3 mm to 5 mm long. The spacer fabric webs 13 located between the offset and regularly arranged recesses 12 are at least approximately the same width.

[0038] The cover fabric 5 of the mattress cover 1 is in this case designed as a three-layer 3-D spacer fabric with an upper layer 14 forming the outer surface 11, which is made of textured, twisted multifilament yarn made of polyester, a middle layer 15 forming the spacer fabric 10 and knitted with the upper layer 14, made of a brittle polyester monofilament yarn, which serves as a filler, and a layer of smooth polyester yarn forming an inner layer 16, knitted with the upper layer 14 and middle layer 15.

[0039] The upper layer 14 has a fine knit structure 17 on the outside 11, which gives the surface a soft feel.

[0040] With regard to thickness, the upper layer 14 in the advantageous embodiment shown is dimensioned such that it occupies at least 70% to 80% of the total thickness of the cover fabric 5 in order to make the most of the microclimatic advantages of the spacer fabric 10.

[0041] To allow for maximum air circulation and optimal moisture transport to the outside, the honeycomb-like openings 12 extend essentially across the thickness of the upper layer 14 and the middle layer 15 to the adjacent lower layer 16, so that the cover fabric exhibits high flexibility and lateral stretchability due to the openings 12. The elasticity in height results in a softness that can be defined by the filler material of the middle layer 14, depending on the desired degree of softness.

[0042] It is understood that the cover fabric 5 can be produced using all known spacer knitting methods on circular knitting machines as well as all known finishing methods, such as a washing, bleaching and shrinking process following the knitting process, depending on the application.

Claims

1. Mattress cover with a cover fabric (5) forming an upper side (3) and / or a lower side (4), each of which is dimensioned as a lying surface for a user, characterized in that the cover fabric (5) is formed with a 3-D weft-knitted fabric (10) at least on its outer side (11) and comprises a honeycomb-like mesh structure with outwardly open recesses (12) on the outer side (11); wherein the cover fabric (5) comprises at least three layers of 3D weft-knitted fabrics with an upper layer (14) made of textured, twisted yarn forming the outer side (11), a layer of polyester yarn forming an inner layer (16), and a middle layer (15) knitted to the upper layer (14), the middle layer having a monofilament yarn as filler, wherein the monofilament yarn is preferably made of polyester or polyamide, and wherein the honeycomb-like recesses (12) extend at least substantially across the thickness of the upper layer (14) and the middle layer (15) adjacent to the inner layer (16).

2. The mattress cover according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper layer (14) forming the outer side (11) is formed from textured, twisted multifilament yarn and the layer of the cover fabric forming the inner layer (16) is formed from smooth polyester yarn.

3. The mattress cover according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the upper layer (14) has a weight proportion of 50% to 70%, in particular 55% to 60%, of the cover fabric (5).

4. The mattress cover according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the inner layer (16) has a weight proportion of 20% to 30%, in particular 25% to 30%, of the cover fabric (5).

5. The mattress cover according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the middle layer (15) has a weight proportion of 10% to 20%, in particular 15% to 20%, of the cover fabric (5).

6. The mattress cover according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cover fabric (5) has a weight of 250 g / m2 to 300 g / m2.

7. The mattress cover according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the mattress cover is formed identically on the top, bottom, long sides, and short sides.

8. The mattress cover according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises at least a partially circumferential closure (8), in particular a zipper (8), which can be opened to insert or remove a mattress core (2).

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