Lying and / or sitting support made of a permanently elastic material

Abstract

A lying and / or sitting support made of a permanently elastic material, with a top and a bottom, a first transverse side and a second transverse side connected to it via two longitudinal sides, and with recesses (6) provided in the permanently elastic material for the interchangeable reception of support elements (8) for changing the properties of the lying and / or sitting support, wherein the lying and / or sitting support consists of two separate, connectable, upper (2) and lower (4) sections of the permanently elastic material, and wherein the recesses (6) for the interchangeable reception of support elements (8) are arranged proportionally in the contact area (10) of the sections (2, 4).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lying and / or sitting pad made of a permanently elastic material, in particular a mattress, seat cushion, therapy pad or a pad for a mattress, as described by the independent patent claim.

[0002] In the following, the term "lying and / or sitting support" is also used instead of the term "mattress." However, the invention is not limited to a mattress, but rather refers to all suitable lying and / or sitting supports. In particular, this also includes seat cushions and therapy supports on which the user does not sleep, but rather sits or simply lies for a short time, for example, for a few minutes to hours, such as during physiotherapy or treatment.

[0003] Mattresses come in a wide variety of designs. Most mattresses today are either spring-loaded or foam or latex-based. Their primary purpose is to provide the user with the greatest possible comfort when lying or sitting.

[0004] Many people suffer from pain and tension, which is caused, among other things, by pinched nerve endings in the spine and cervical vertebrae.

[0005] For the treatment of back pain, flexible lying and / or sitting pads are known from the prior art. These pads have a plurality of upwardly directed transverse ribs. When a person lies or sits on such a mat, the transverse ribs are deformed in a predetermined manner under the influence of the person's weight. For this purpose, the transverse ribs are arranged at an angle, with the transverse ribs in the buttocks and leg area pointing toward a foot-side transverse side of the mattress, and the transverse ribs in the back and head area pointing toward a head-side transverse side of the mattress. Such a mattress or pad is known from DE 37 31 828 A1. Similar pads are shown in DE 101 46 437 A1 and DE 299 18 588 U1.

[0006] Most sleeping and sitting pads, cushions, and mattresses all have the disadvantage that they cannot be individually adjusted. While it is possible to manufacture them from materials of varying hardness, a cushion or mattress manufactured in this way cannot be modified, which means that, due to its construction and firmness, it cannot be adapted to different people. Once the firmness or the properties of the mattress have been defined, the disadvantage is that if the user realizes after a certain period of time that, for example, a harder mattress would be more comfortable than their softer one, they can no longer change their existing mattress.

[0007] The publications DE 297 22 956 U1, DE 299 16 561 U1, and DE 297 19 194 U1 show mattresses or couches with transverse ribs intended to stretch the spine. The publications also address the possibility of adjusting the firmness of such a mattress or couch. This is achieved by inserts or panels that are inserted below the transverse ribs, roughly parallel to them.

[0008] Document DE10351568B3 discloses a mattress base made of a permanently elastic material, with a top side and a bottom side, a first transverse side and a second transverse side connected to the first transverse side via two longitudinal sides, transverse ribs projecting from the top side with spaces arranged therebetween, with some transverse ribs inclined toward the first transverse side and some transverse ribs inclined toward the second transverse side, and with support elements that can be inserted into the spaces between the transverse ribs, thereby altering the properties of the mattress base. The support elements are made of the same material as the mattress base itself, with the properties or firmness of the mattress being adjusted by inserting or removing the support elements.The stretching effect of individual transverse ribs is eliminated via the support elements because they can no longer incline towards the respective transverse side under load due to the filling with a support element.

[0009] Unlike all conventional mattress pads, this mattress pad allows for individual adjustment of its properties to the user. It is possible to change the desired stretching effect of the mattress at any time by removing or adding support elements.

[0010] The disadvantage of such mattress pads with support elements made of the same material as the mattress pad itself is that inserting and removing the support elements into the spaces between the cross ribs is difficult and cumbersome. Furthermore, inserting or removing the support elements essentially only changes the elasticity of one side of the mattress, which limits its usability.

[0011] The object of the present invention is therefore to create a lying and / or sitting pad with variable firmness which eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art and which can be manufactured and used simply, economically and as sustainably as possible.

[0012] This object is achieved by the lying and / or sitting pad having the features of independent patent claim 1, wherein expedient embodiments are described by the features of the appended patent claims.

[0013] What is provided is a lying and / or sitting pad made of a permanently elastic material, with an upper side and a lower side, a first transverse side and a second transverse side connected to the latter via two longitudinal sides, and with recesses provided in the permanently elastic material for the exchangeable reception of support elements for changing the properties of the lying and / or sitting pad, wherein the lying and / or sitting pad consists of two separate upper and lower cuts of the permanently elastic material that can be connected in a form-fitting manner or in another suitable manner, and wherein the recesses for the exchangeable reception of support elements are arranged proportionally in the contact area of ​​the cuts.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the recesses for the exchangeable reception of support elements are provided half in the upper and half in the lower cut and form, when the two separate upper and lower cuts of the permanently elastic material, connected in a form-fitting manner or in another suitable manner, lie on top of one another, the complete respective recess for receiving support elements.

[0015] Likewise, the lying and / or sitting pad according to the present invention is preferably designed such that the two separate, interconnectable, upper and lower cutouts of the permanently elastic material are mirror-symmetrical, including the recesses provided therein for the replaceable receptacles of support elements. This has the advantage that only one type of cutout needs to be produced, with the two identical cutouts placed on top of one another then forming the complete lying and / or sitting pad.

[0016] To ensure that the two identical cuts placed on top of each other can form a stable lying and / or sitting base, these two separate, upper and lower cuts of the permanently elastic material preferably have corresponding recesses and protrusions in the contact area for the positive connection of the upper and lower cuts in the manner of a plug-in system. Further preferably, the protrusions and recesses are designed to extend across the entire width of the lying and / or sitting base.

[0017] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the recesses for the exchangeable accommodation of support elements extend across the entire width of the lying and / or sitting base, from one longitudinal side to the other. This can be a continuous channel with a uniform cross-section, but also one that has sections of different cross-sections along its length.

[0018] The support elements according to the present invention preferably each consist of at least two spring elements with a uniform, identical, defined rigidity, as well as spacers connecting the spring elements. A plurality of spacers of different lengths is preferably provided. By providing spacers of different lengths, a number of different rigidity levels of the lying and / or sitting surface can be achieved in the respective areas of the support element receptacles, even with spring elements of identical rigidity, by changing the length of the spacers connecting the spring elements. In an alternative embodiment, the spacers can be designed to be adjustable in length, so that only one type of spacer needs to be produced.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the spring elements and the recesses for the exchangeable reception of support elements are designed to have the same cross section.

[0020] The spring elements also preferably have plug-in receptacles for releasably securing the spacers therein, allowing the local hardness of the lying and / or sitting surface to be adjusted very easily and without tools. The two identical blanks placed on top of each other are separated, the support elements consisting of spring elements and spacers can be removed from the designated receptacles, and the distances between the spring elements are adjusted by changing the length of the spacers that can be inserted into the spring elements. After that, everything is easily reassembled.

[0021] Finally, the support elements and / or the inner surfaces of the recesses for interchangeably receiving the support elements can be coated in such a way that they have a low coefficient of friction.

[0022] The spring elements and the spacers for connecting the spring elements are preferably made of plastic.

[0023] The sleeping and / or sitting base with the new spring system according to the present invention is suitable for every person, regardless of their weight, as both the firmness and the position of the firmness can be completely individually adjusted. This results in significantly less waste than with previous systems, in which unused springs, e.g., because they have an unsuitable firmness, are eventually disposed of. This is completely eliminated with the new spring system. All springs remain in the mattress and are only positioned differently by means of the spacers that connect the spring elements.

[0024] Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the lying and / or sitting pad according to the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 a partial cross-section through a lying and / or sitting pad according to the invention; Fig. 2a a cross-section through a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2b a plan view of the embodiment according to Fig. 2a ; and Fig. 3 a three-dimensional representation of a preferred embodiment of spacers

[0025] The Fig. 1 shows a partial cross-section through a preferred embodiment of the lounger and / or seat pad made of a permanently elastic material according to the invention. It can be seen that the lounger and / or seat pad consists of two separate, form-fitting or other suitable connectable upper 2 and lower 4 sections of the permanently elastic material, with recesses 6 for interchangeably receiving support elements 8 arranged in the contact area 10 of the sections 2, 4, each half.

[0026] The Fig. 2a also shows a cross-section through the preferred embodiment. The same elements as in the Fig. 1 also provided with the same reference symbols.

[0027] In order for the two identical cuts 2 and 4 placed on top of each other to form a stable lying and / or sitting base, these two separate, upper 2 and lower 4 cuts of the permanently elastic material have corresponding recesses 14 and protrusions 16 in the contact area 10 for the form-fitting connection of the upper 2 and lower 4 cuts in the manner of a plug-in system. As can be seen from the Fig. 2b , which shows a top view of the mattress Fig,. 2a shows, the protrusions 16 and recesses 14 can be seen as extending over the entire width of the lying and / or sitting base.

[0028] As also from the Fig. 2a As can be seen, the two separate, interconnectable, upper 2 and lower cuts 4 of the permanently elastic material are mirror-symmetrical, including the recesses 6 provided therein for the exchangeable accommodation of support elements

[0029] Two identical cut pieces 2, 4 placed on top of each other form the complete lying and / or sitting base.

[0030] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the recesses 6 for the exchangeable accommodation of support elements 8 extend across the entire width of the lying and / or sitting base, from one longitudinal side to the other. This can be a continuous channel with a uniform cross-section, but also one that has sections of different cross-sections along its length.

[0031] The support elements 8 consist of at least two spring elements 8 with a uniform, identical, defined compression hardness, as well as spacers 18 of different lengths connecting the spring elements 8. By providing different lengths of spacers 18, even with spring elements 8 of identical compression hardness, a number of different hardnesses of the lying and / or sitting surface can be set in the respective areas of the support element receptacles 6, by lengthening or shortening the spacers 18 connecting the spring elements 8, as shown in Fig. 2b Of course, it is also conceivable to arrange more than two spring elements 8 in one receptacle 6, wherein the spring elements 8 are then connected to a corresponding number of spacers 18.

[0032] Fig. 3shows a three-dimensional representation of a preferred embodiment of the spacers 18. It can be seen that the spacers 18 are ladder-shaped, with open ends 20, wherein the respective arms 22 and 24 of the open ends are designed as elastic locking elements for latching into corresponding plug-in receptacles (not shown) in the spring elements 8.

Claims

1. A lying and / or sitting pad made of a permanently elastic material, having a top side and a bottom side, a first transverse side and a second transverse side connected thereto via two longitudinal sides, and having recesses (6) provided in the permanently elastic material for the exchangeable accommodation of support elements (8) for changing the properties of the lying and / or sitting pad, wherein the lying and / or sitting pad consists of two separate, interconnectable, upper (2) and lower (4) cuts of the permanently elastic material, and wherein the recesses (6) for the exchangeable accommodation of support elements (8) are arranged proportionally in the contact area (10) of the cuts (2, 4), characterized in that the support elements (8) each consist of at least two spring elements (8) with an identical, defined storage hardness and spacers (18) connecting the spring elements (8).

2. Lying and / or sitting pad according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe recesses (6) for the exchangeable reception of support elements (8) are provided half in the upper (2) and half in the lower (4) cut.

3. Lying and / or sitting pad according to claim 1 or, characterized in that the two separate, interconnectable, upper (2) and lower (4) cuts of the permanently elastic material are mirror-symmetrical.

4. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two separate, upper (2) and lower (4) cuts of the permanently elastic material in the contact area (10) each have corresponding recesses (14) and protrusions (16) for the positive connection of the upper (2) and lower (4) cuts.

5. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe recesses (6) for the exchangeable reception of support elements (8) are designed to extend over the entire width of the lying and / or sitting base from one longitudinal side to the other.

6. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of spacers (18) of different lengths are provided.

7. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacers (18) are designed to be adjustable in length.

8. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring elements (18) and the recesses (6) for the exchangeable reception of support elements (8) are designed to have a matching cross-section.

9. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring elements (8) have plug-in receptacles for releasably fixing the spacers (18) therein.

10. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support elements (8) are coated in such a way that they have a low coefficient of friction.

11. Lying and / or sitting pad according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Inner surfaces of the recesses (6) for the exchangeable reception of the support elements are coated in such a way that they have a low coefficient of friction.

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