Infant mattress

Abstract

An infant mattress for underlying an infant. The infant mattress is made of three layers of a foam material; an inner layer comprised of an open or closed cell foam material, preferably urethane, and two outer layers that sandwich the inner layer therebetween, comprised of a visco-elastic foam material, preferably urethane. An outer cover surrounds all three layers and is cleanable and anti-microbial. The inner layer is of a less resilient, or stiffer material than the outer layers that are comprised of a visco-elastic material and are slow to spring back upon being indented by the weight of the infant to evenly distribute the weight of the infant. The outer and inner foam layers are preferably secured together by a mechanical retaining means, one of which is a stripe of adhesive located only around the perimeter of the foam layers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a mattress, and, more particularly, to a comfortable mattress for underlying an infant. [0002] In general, with an infant being treated in an infant apparatus or, for that matter, simply resting on a piece of furniture, such as a crib or the like, it is intended that such infant be maintained in a safe, comfortable environment. To that end, there is normally used an infant mattress that underlies the infant for support and comfort of that infant. [0003] There are, of course, a number of requirements for an infant mattress, that is, it must not only be comfortable and support the infant, but it also needs to be relatively easy to manufacture in order to be commercially viable and also preferably should be anti-microbial. The mattress should have a support surface that is developmentally friendly and have as few as possible pressure points. At present, many of the existing infant mattresses develop pressure points in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] Now, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an infant mattress that is comprised of a material that is inherently designed to disperse pressure points and evenly distribute the pressure load over a large area of the mattress thereby being a good, developmentally friendly mattress.

[0008] In the present invention, the outer foam layers are of a visco-elastic material whereby the foam recovers very slowly from an indentation that is made by a body pressed into the visco-elastic material. As such, with an infant positioned on the mattress, the outer foam layer will more evenly distribute the weight of the infant over the mattress and avoid pressure points. As a feature of the present invention therefore, by having the outer foam layers the same, both visco-elastic having the same properties, the caregiver can place the mattress underneath the infant without the need to make sure a particular side is facing upwardly to receive the infant. The density of the outer foam layers can be in the range of about 1.0 to about 5.0 pounds per cubic foot with a preferred density of about 3.0 pounds per cubic foot.

[0014] Finally, there is an outer cover the surrounds and encloses the three foam layers and that outer cover is comprised of a material that is anti-microbial, cleanable and non-toxic so as to not harm an infant positioned thereon as well as liquid resistant. The means of securing the outer cover to the layers of foam material can be by a stitching, RF or HF welding, zippering, Velcro fastening system or any other suitable means. The outer cover may be removable for cleaning and can have one side openable so as to facilitate the insertion and removal of the foam layers therefrom.

[0015] The outer cover preferable surrounds the three foam layers or composite foam structure with sufficient clearance around the outer perimeter of the foam layers in order to allow the foam layers to expand when the infant is placed thereon and the expanding perimeter is not restrained by the dimensions of the outer cover. Thus, the layers of foam can freely expand under the deformation imposed by the infant so as to avoid a hammock effect where that expanding perimeter of the foam layers is hampered or restrained by the outer cover.

Problems solved by technology

At present, many of the existing infant mattresses develop pressure points in certain areas of the body of the infant in contact with the mattress because the mattress does not conform to the body uniformly in distributing the weight of the patient.

The pressure points result in discomfort and may produce skin ulcers.

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