Ventilated mattress cover

Abstract

A ventilated mattress pad for supporting an occupant includes a first and second layer of spacer fabric attached with a zipper to a fitted sheet, mattress cover or the mattress providing ventilation of excessive body heat and moisture away from the body and out into the room air. Integration of the ventilated pad to the sheet or mattress pad provides consistent location of the pad under the occupant while minimizing installation, removal time and effort. The ventilated pad is washable and can be re-attached to a new sheet, mattress cover or mattress when the sheet, mattress pad or mattress is worn out or damaged. The pad also reduces the average pressure on the skin surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not Applicable.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not Applicable.THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT[0003]Not Applicable.INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC[0004]Not Applicable.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0005](1) Field of the Invention[0006]This invention relates in general to a fitted mattress cover. Mattress covers commonly provide cushioning and protect the mattress from soiling. More specifically, this invention provides cushioning and maintains an air duct under the body to remove excessive body heat & moisture and exhaust it out into the room air.[0007](2) The Prior Art[0008]Prior art includes mattress covers which provide cushioning material to reduce pressure points including the use of gel, captured air, foam, and other synthetic and natural materials. Still other covers provide a material next to the body to improve comfort such as cotton fabric...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]It is desirable to provide a ventilated mattress cover that is economical to manufacture, simple to install, washable, and attaches to sheets, mattress covers, or to the mattress. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a ventilated mattress cover that ventilates and reduces the average pressure on an occupant. The ventilated mattress cover utilizes a 3-dimensional spacer fabric which conforms to the body and its thousands of vertically aligned fibers act as springs uniformly supporting the body weight. This uniform support helps distribute the weight and reduces the average pressure. The spacer fabric maintains an open-air pathway to the room air allowing air circulation under the occupant.

[0014]This invention includes a ventilated mattress cover that is easily & quickly attached to a standard fitted sheet, mattress cover, or mattress equipped with the mating fastening device.

[0015]In the preferred embodiment the mattress cover is attached with a brass zipper to the sheet, mattress cover or mattress. Attachment in this manner insures the ventilation pad stays in place under the occupant, provides easy installation, removal, and is completely machine washable as connected to the sheet or mattress cover. The ventilated pad can remain attached until the sheet or mattress cover is discarded due to wear, stains or rips in the sheet or mattress cover. The polyester ventilation pad is much more durable that the cotton blends of the sheet or mattress cover, thereby providing multiple recycling applications. When attached to the sheet in a hospital setting the time required to change and make a bed is minimized.

Problems solved by technology

Many products can only be cleaned by wiping the surface thereby opening the potential for human error to adequately clean the cover.

Others are difficult to handle and cannot be easily machine washed.

Very few provide a mechanism to move excessive body heat and moisture away from the skin.

Rolling to cool hot areas during sleep obviously disrupts any deep sleep and may prevent any sleep.

In the hospital setting, rolling with intravenous attachments can be life threatening.

None of the prior art provides a cover that can be machine washed and dried, recycled to a new fitted sheet, mattress or mattress cover when the original fitted sheet, mattress, or mattress cover becomes damaged or permanently stained, moves excessive body heat and moisture away from the body and out into the room and reduces the average pressure on the body.

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