Space-saving mattress support

Abstract

The mattress support (10) comprises longitudinal beams (11a, 11b) extending apart from one another, transverse beams (12a, 12b) rigidly connected at or near the ends of the longitudinal beams, a flexible support material (14) extending between the longitudinal beams spaced apart above the undersides of the longitudinal beams, and at least one rotatable support element (13a, 13b) positioned below the flexible support material surface against which pressure is applied by the flexible support material surface. The rotatable support element is rotatable between an unfolded operating position extending downwardly at right angles to the flexible support material surface to allow elastic deformation of the flexible support material surface, and a folded rest position. The rotatable support elements (13a, 13b) including the rotation means (15a, 15b) may be at least partially enclosed within a space defined between the underside of the flexible support material, the underside of the longitudinal beams and the inner surfaces of the opposing longitudinal beams.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mattress support. Further, the present invention relates to a method of stacking mattress supports.

[0002] [Technical status] Mattress supports with foldable legs and a rigid base, such as a steel base plate, are known. Such mattress supports are intended for use in emergency situations or for temporary use in emergency shelters. A drawback of these known mattress supports is that, due to the rigid nature of the steel base plate, a relatively thick top mattress must be used in order to provide sufficient comfort.

[0003] Another type of mattress support is known, for example, from patent document GB532573A. It describes a stretcher consisting of longitudinal and transverse beam sections formed from angle iron, interconnected to form a frame, between which a flexible support surface is attached. The legs attached to the frame are rotatable between an extended position and a folded position, in which the legs extend below the frame and are positioned high relative to the lower surface, and in which the legs are substantially contained within the vertical space of the frame. The two legs of a single pair are connected near their ends by a crossbar to facilitate simultaneous rotation of the legs.

[0004] This type of collapsible stretcher has low robustness to deformation. In particular, it appears to have low resistance to inward bowing of the frame members due to high tensile loads applied by or through the flexible support surface (e.g., if the mattress support is heavily loaded, the frame would be expected to bow inward). It would therefore be desirable to provide a mattress support that can provide both a high degree of shape retention and comfort, and that can be stacked in a reliable and stable manner.

[0005] Another approach in the art is to completely eliminate the combination of support and mattress, for example from patent document FR 2666730. The stackable relaxation couch disclosed therein is a piece of furniture with the following essential characteristics: it is rigid and resistant, so that the slats and the usual mattress are replaced by an enveloping canvas stretched tightly under the frame by short elastics crossing the eyelets, which promises comfort. The stackable relaxation couch is provided with rigid and immovable ground support elements, which make such articles unnecessarily bulky and make their ground support elements vulnerable to collateral damage.

[0006] It remains an unsolved problem to provide an emergency mattress support that is lightweight, therefore easy to handle and at the same time comfortable to use, and ultimately can be stored or transported in a volume-efficient manner so that a large number of mattress supports can be transported on a single auxiliary truck.

[0007] [Brief Description of the Invention] To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention provides a mattress support comprising longitudinal beams, transverse beams, a flexible support, rotatable coupling means and at least one rotatable column element. The longitudinal beams are adjacent to each other and extend away from each other, preferably oriented parallel to each other. The transverse beams are rigidly connected to the longitudinal beams at or near their ends and together with the longitudinal beams form a main frame. The flexible support is prestressed or stretched between the longitudinal beams so as to define a surface corresponding to the upper surface of the frame. At least one rotatable column element is placed below the flexible support surface. When the flexible support medium is elastically deformed (stretched) towards the longitudinal beams, it exerts an inward force on the longitudinal beams, and the one or more rotatable column elements are configured to bear the stress resulting from this inward force along their length and to keep the longitudinal beam at a constant rotatable element length. Rotatable coupling means are provided at both ends of the rotatable column element and couple the rotatable column element to the longitudinal beam for rotation about an axis of rotation oriented transverse to the longitudinal beam and parallel to the flexible support surface, the rotatable column element comprising a plastically deformable portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the plastically deformable portion being rotatable about the axis of rotation between an unfolded working position and a folded rest position, in which in the unfolded working position the protrusions protrude perpendicular to the flexible support below the plane of the nominal bottom surface of the main frame to allow deformation of the flexible support medium when the mattress support medium is in use (i.e. deformation by the flexible support medium supporting the weight of a person), and in the folded rest position the protrusions are entirely contained within a volume defined by the main frame (i.e. do not protrude below the bottom surface defined by the main frame).

[0008] The term "rotatable column element" here means an elongated body positioned between two longitudinal beams of the mattress support and rotatably connected to these longitudinal beams at or near two opposite ends of the rotatable column element, preferably extending along a centerline running between the two longitudinal beams and preferably mainly perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beams. The beams have a high stiffness (mechanical resistance) against forces acting inwardly along the centerline of both ends of the beam. The rotatable column element thus provides a high resistance against transverse (inward) forces exerted on the longitudinal beams by the stretched flexible support, preventing the longitudinal beams from bending inwardly when the flexible support is under high stress. The expression "constant transverse length" in this context refers to the transverse strain of the longitudinal beams, which remains very small with respect to the total length of the main frame, due to the presence of the rotatable column element. The resulting inward displacement is at most a few percent (e.g. up to 1%) of the length of the main frame.

[0009] In contrast to rotatable strut elements, strut elements such as feet or other leg assemblies are configured to support the main frame when the support element is in the supporting position, with the main part of the support element extending beyond the volume defined by the main frame. The transverse connection between the two legs is preferably near the free ends of the pair of legs (e.g. the transverse bar in document GB532573A) and can facilitate the simultaneous rotation of the pair of legs and serve to hold the two legs together transversely when in the supporting position (i.e. when deployed). However, the transverse connection between the legs is far away from the axis of rotation directly between the longitudinal beams when the legs are in the supporting position (i.e. when deployed), and therefore offers little resistance to the inward compressive force exerted by the flexible supports pulled on the longitudinal beams transversely towards each other.

[0010] According to this aspect of the invention, the rotatable column element is rotatable and extends substantially directly between the longitudinal members in both the folded and unfolded state of the mattress support. According to this aspect, the rotatable column element is provided with a relatively small plastic deformation. Here, the term "plastic deformation" broadly refers to a relatively small degree of displacement of a central region of the rotatable column element in a radially outward direction from the axis of rotation of the rotatable column element, relative to two opposite ends of the rotatable column element which are substantially coincident with the axis of rotation. Due to the presence of such plastic deformation, the rotatable column element may have a slightly curved and / or radially displaced shape such that the radial displacement from the axis of rotation of the rotatable column element is maximum halfway between the two ends of the rotatable column element, and the radial displacement from the axis of rotation of the rotatable column element becomes gradually smaller closer to the end of the rotatable column element which is rotatably attached to the longitudinal members. Due to this plastically deformed shape, when the rotatable column element is in the deployed position, there is additional space for the flexible support to be displaced downwards (i.e. towards the axis of rotation) compared to the folded position. This additional displacement of the flexible support may occur when the flexible support is subjected to a load, such as a person resting on the mattress support. The plastic deformation of the rotatable column element therefore gives the advantage that the flexible support can deform more in use, so that a thinner mattress can be used to provide the same degree of comfort as would be required by a stiffer mattress support (e.g. a steel plate). Preferably, the rotatable column element has mirror symmetry with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotatable column element.

[0011] The shape of the rotatable strut element can be described by a function for radial outward displacement from the axis of rotation of the rotatable strut element, which depends on the transverse position along the axis of rotation between two opposing ends of the rotatable strut element. Preferably, this shape function has a monotonic upward characteristic (although not necessarily strictly) between a first rotatably mounted end and a central portion of the rotatable strut element, and a monotonic downward characteristic (although not necessarily strictly) between the central portion and the other rotatably mounted end of the rotatable strut element. For example, the rotatable strut element can have a curved or twisted concave shape. Alternatively, the transverse portion may be curved or twisted near the end with a component in the direction of expansion away from the axis of rotation, and further curved or twisted towards the central portion with a component in the opposite direction of expansion, such that the central portion continues at a distance approximately parallel to the centerline of rotation.

[0012] The rotatable strut elements span a transverse width ΔY between the longitudinal beams. The central parts of the rotatable strut elements, in the deployed working position, form an area that is further below the lower level of the main frame at a central inner distance ΔR along the strut direction and relative to the axis of rotation. In order to provide a good balance between sufficient space for the vertical movement of the flexible support and sufficient compressive stiffness of the rotatable support elements, the ratio ΔR / ΔY between the central inner distance and the transverse width should satisfy 0<ΔR / ΔY-<1 / 10 (greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1 / 10), preferably 1 / 20-<ΔR / ΔY-<1 / 10 (greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 10).

[0013] The rotatable column element with plastic deformation can be rotated to a folded rest position, in which case it is completely contained within the internal volume of the main frame of the mattress support. As a result, the extension of the folded rotatable column element does not protrude below the top or bottom surface of the main frame. Preferably, the rotation angle of the rotatable column element between the unfolded and folded positions is 90°. Due to the position of the rotatable column element in the folded position above a nominal plane tangent to the underside of the frame, which coincides with the height of the underside of the frame, several mattress supports can be stacked on top of each other. This advantageously results in a compact and stable stack of stacked mattress supports with a minimum stacking height. The underside of the main frame is determined by the underside of the longitudinal beams and / or the transverse beams. The underside of the main frame is further determined by the fact that this underside performs a supporting function when stacking the mattress supports with the cross beams folded. The mattress support can be configured such that both the longitudinal and transverse beams support the weight of the mattress supports stacked on them. Alternatively, the mattress supports can be configured such that only a portion of the longitudinal or transverse beams support the weight of the mattress supports stacked on them, for example when both longitudinal beams support the weight of the mattress supports stacked on them, or when both transverse beams support the weight of the mattress supports stacked on them. The mattress supports can be stacked on top of each other, with the longitudinal beams and / or their transverse beams, as required, such that the edges of the support surfaces and the support surfaces surround corresponding fasteners stretched between the longitudinal trusses.

[0014] Thus, the mattress support according to this first aspect is robust in use, but can be stably stacked in the folded state with a low stacking height. Such robust stackable mattress supports are very suitable (but not only) for temporary use, such as emergency rooms in case of disasters. They can also be used for other temporary applications, such as large events, military and emergency service units. The mattress support is ideally suited for mobile applications. The mattress support can be kept ready during storage and can be transported while stacked. After all, the volume of the stack of such mattress supports is relatively small, but the stack is also easy to move due to the stable shape of the stack. The highly elastic nature of the flexible support ensures user comfort even with relatively thin top mattresses. This results in the following advantages: Not only can the mattress support be stacked with a relatively small volume when folded, but so can these relatively thin top mattresses. The total volume of the mattress support and top mattress is therefore considerably smaller than the total volume of known mattress supports and relatively thick top mattresses. This density of mattress support and upper mattress is particularly advantageous when shipping aid supplies where the limiting logistical factor is often the available ship, air cargo or truck volume.

[0015] According to a further embodiment, the flexible support extends at the level of the upper side of the longitudinal beams, such that the longitudinal beams and the flexible support are directly adjacent to the same nominal upper surface on their upper side. This facilitates the setup of the upper mattress and optimizes the available vertical space between the unstrained support and the nominal lower surface that contacts the longitudinal beams at their lower end. In a further embodiment, the longitudinal beams, the transverse beams and the flexible support surface all adjoin the same nominal upper surface on their upper side, and the longitudinal beams and the transverse beams adjoin the same nominal lower surface on their lower side. This allows the height of the stack of mattress supports to be minimized.

[0016] The rotatable coupling means may comprise a glide bearing, a slide bearing, an axial bearing, a thrust bearing or a pivot bearing, respectively. These bearings may be ball bearings or roller bearings. Preferably, the axial bearing, the thrust bearing or the pivot bearing is provided as a slide bearing. Here, the rotatable strut element is preferably in the form of a shaped tube or rod or profile capped by mutually parallel end faces, the end faces being perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A). The axial bearing, the thrust bearing or the pivot bearing is arranged between each end face of the cross member and the adjacent longitudinal beam section.

[0017] Preferably, the rotatable column element comprises a blocking means for temporarily blocking the rotatable column element in the deployed use position and / or in the folded storage position. In particular, one end of the rotatable column element may have an end face and a corresponding longitudinal beam may have a counter surface, which counter surfaces interact as a sliding pivot bearing. In connection with fixing the rotatable column element in its blocked position, the end face and the counter surface may have a recess or depression which engages in the storage position and / or working position manner of the rotatable column element.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the rotatable column element and the rotation means have a maximum thickness in a direction transverse to the center of rotation, and the maximum thickness dimension transverse to the direction of plastic displacement R is less than or equal to the interfacial distance between the underside of the flexible support surface and the underside of the main frame.

[0019] The maximum dimension of the above-mentioned rotatable column element is limited so that it is thin enough to be completely enclosed in the space bounded by the above-mentioned nominally flat surface along the underside of the longitudinal beams, the stationary or non-deformed flexible support surface and the inner side walls of the longitudinal beams facing each other (i.e. inward). This relatively thin block-shaped or plate-shaped space proves to have a sufficient height or thickness to accommodate the rotatable column element, at least when placed in the stacked position. The rotatable column element can be completely folded. In this case, the rotatable column element does not form an obstacle when stacking mattress supports.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the rotatable strut element, as viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of rotation, has a defined height dimension in the direction of deformation (i.e. radially away from the axis of rotation) that is greater than said defined thickness dimension. The increased height relative to the thickness increases the stiffness of the transverse beam against bending loads along the radial direction without compromising the packability of the folded transverse beam within said space.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the axis of rotation of the rotatable strut element may intersect the longitudinal beam at a location substantially midway between the underside of the longitudinal beam and the flexible support surface, facilitating full encapsulation of the transverse beam in the space below the bearing surface and above the underside of the longitudinal beam.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the longitudinal beams of the mattress support may comprise ground support elements connected to the longitudinal beams. Such ground support elements may comprise one or more support devices (such as ground support legs or ground support frames) that are movable between an operating position in which they project downwardly (i.e. in the ground direction) relative to the main frame, and a folded position in which the ground support device or devices are entirely contained within a space defined between the flexible support surface, the level of the underside of the main frame (i.e. the plane along the underside of the main frame), and the inwardly facing surface of the longitudinal beams.

[0023] The ground support element may also include a transverse connecting beam. The rotatable strut element and the ground support element may be offset by their respective pivot axes in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal beam, the distance between them being greater than the sum of the inner centre distance of the rotatable strut element and the length of the ground support element. The ground support body thus configured may be completely contained within said space below the load bearing surface.

[0024] The ground support element may be provided with a blocking device for blocking the support in its folded position.

[0025] An embodiment is conceivable in which a ground support element and two profile sections fitted to the ends of the ground support element are attached to a longitudinal beam.

[0026] According to a further embodiment, at least one ground support strut element (e.g., a strut) may be provided between the ground support element and the longitudinal beam of the ground support device. The ground support strut element (e.g., a strut) and the longitudinal beam may both have stops for determining the extended position of the support body. Furthermore, the strut may be rotatably connected to the ground support element and slidably cooperate with a sliding track provided on the longitudinal beam.

[0027] The flexible support surface extends along a plane enclosed by the main frame of longitudinal and transverse beams and is elastically stretched in a direction parallel to the direction of the transverse beams between the longitudinal beams so as to be able to support the mattress and the person lying or sitting on it. This flexible support surface is elastically deformable in all directions along the stretched surface and is elastically deformed by stretching the surface in an outward direction along the surface and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal beams. This ability to elastically deform along the stretched surface gives the advantage of providing dynamic comfort during use and avoiding excessive stiffness in any one area or sagging in other areas. The presence of rotatable strut elements according to the invention allows the support surface to be set under high stress. According to one embodiment, the elastic support is elastically deformed towards the longitudinal beams by a force applied in a direction parallel to the transverse beams and is fixed to the longitudinal beams and the applied force is removed. This results in a mattress support in which the elastically deformed mattress support exerts a total inward force in an inward direction parallel to the transverse beams and perpendicular to the direction of the longitudinal beams, equal to the force applied to elastically deform the support. Preferably, the inward force is between 200 and 40000 N, more preferably between 1000 and 30000 N, even more preferably between 10000 and 27500 N, most preferably between 20000 and 25000 N. The transverse force by which the longitudinal beams are pulled towards each other by the flexible support may further increase when a person rests on the flexible support surface. The relatively high horizontal pretension of the mattress support limits the vertical downward movement of the mattress support when a load is applied to the material support (i.e. a person of 120 kg). This gives the advantage to the person using the mattress support of providing excellent macro comfort with thin mattresses (<100mm thick), both in the resting position and by damping the shock of being forced to sit on the mattress support. The surface of the flexible support is preferably formed by a network of interlocking helical springs. More preferably, the flexible support is formed by a network of interlocking helical springs whose coil direction of travel is perpendicular to the longitudinal beams.Such a network exerts an inward force on the longitudinal beam when it is elastically deformed / stretched across the longitudinal beam. The rotatable strut elements are good at bearing this inward force, especially when they are rotatably connected to the longitudinal beam by slide bearings. Other elastic sheet-like flexible supports can also be used, such as prestressed elastic fabrics (e.g. from a network of elastic threads) or elastic sheets (e.g. perforated breathable rubber sheets with inlays). The rotatable strut elements are preferably configured to withstand loads of 50-20000N, more preferably 250-15000N, even more preferably 2500-13750N, even more preferably 5000-12500N, and most preferably 5500-7500N.

[0028] Preferably, the flexible support surface is air permeable. Air permeability is defined as "a pressure difference of 100 cm at a pressure difference of 10 cm head of water." 2 The volume of air passing through the fabric in 1 second (cm 3 Air permeability is measured using the Fraser test method in accordance with ASTM D737(2018).

[0029] According to one embodiment, the top or bottom of the main frame may have a protrusion that protrudes from the top or bottom of the entablature. Additionally, the underside or top of the main frame may feature a recess that is recessed relative to the top or bottom of the main frame. The protrusions and recesses of mattress supports stacked directly on top of each other may be configured to cooperatively stabilize the stacked mattress supports and prevent lateral displacement of the stacked mattress supports. Preferably, these protrusions and recesses are configured to interlock. More preferably, these protrusions and recesses are suitably shaped and smoothly curved to reduce the risk of damage to the contact surfaces.

[0030] In one embodiment, the longitudinal and transverse beams are formed from extruded aluminum profiles and the rotatable column elements are formed from bent aluminum tubing, in another embodiment the beams and the rotatable column elements are made of steel.

[0031] According to a second aspect and in accordance with the above-mentioned advantages and effects, the present invention provides a combination of at least two mattress supports according to the first aspect. This combination can be formed by a process for forming a stack from at least a first mattress support and a second mattress support, the process comprising the steps of rotating rotatable strut elements about corresponding rotation axes and setting the second mattress support with its underside on top of the upper side of the main frame of the first mattress support in order to bring the first mattress support and the second mattress support into a folded stacked position. In the resulting combination of mattress supports, the underside of the main frame of the upper mattress support rests on the upper side of the mattress support below, for example the main frame of the lower mattress support. However, it is also possible that the underside of the upper frame rests on an element above the upper side of the main frame below, such as a mounting element of the support. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] Non-limiting examples of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams of Figures 1-9. Corresponding parts in the figures are labeled with corresponding reference numerals. Multiple representations of a part may be indicated by additional letters in the reference numeral. For example, two representations of component "20" may be indicated by "20a" and "20b." A reference numeral may be used without the additional letters (e.g., "20") to refer generally to a particular representation or all representations of that part, and a reference numeral may include an additional letter (e.g., "20a") to refer to a particular representation of that part. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a mattress support in a position of use according to one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows a partial cross section of a rotatable strut element according to the design of FIG. 1 along the axis of rotation. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a combination of stacked mattress supports in a folded, resting position according to one embodiment. [Figure 4a] Figure 4a shows a view of another embodiment of a mattress support in the use position. [Figure 4b] Figure 4b shows a view of another embodiment of a mattress support in the use position. [Figure 4c] Figure 4c shows a view of another embodiment of a mattress support in the use position. [Figure 5a] FIG. 5a shows a view of the mattress support from FIG. 4a in the folded, rest position. [Figure 5b] Figure 5b shows a view of the mattress support from Figure 4b in the folded, rest position. [Figure 5c] FIG. 5c shows a view of the mattress support from FIG. 4c in the folded, rest position. [Figure 6a] Figure 6a shows a view of a rotatable column element in a mattress support according to an alternative embodiment. [Figure 6b] Figure 6b shows a view of a rotatable column element in a mattress support according to an alternative embodiment. [Figure 6c] Figure 6c shows a view of a rotatable column element in a mattress support according to an alternative embodiment. [Figure 7a] FIG. 7a shows various positions of the ground support elements of the mattress support shown in FIG. [Figure 7b] FIG. 7b shows various positions of the ground support elements of the mattress support shown in FIG. [Figure 7c] FIG. 7c shows various positions of the ground support elements of the mattress support shown in FIG. [Figure 8a]FIG. 8a shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the ground support element in isolation, where the two rotatable column elements and the two ground support elements are completely above the lower level of the main frame. [Figure 8b] Figure 8b shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the mattress support in a folded, resting position, where the two rotatable support elements and the two ground support elements are completely above the lower level of the main frame. [Figure 9a] Figure 9a shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention, showing the mattress support in a first extended operating position, in which plastic deformation of the two rotatable support elements extends below the lower level of the main frame in a direction away from the flexible support to allow elastic deformation of the flexible support. [Figure 9b] Figure 9b shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the plastic deformation of the two rotatable column elements extends below the lower level of the body frame in a direction away from the flexible support to allow elastic deformation of the flexible support. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of protection conferred by the claims.

[0033] Description of the embodiments

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a mattress support 10 in an unfolded position of use according to one embodiment. The illustrated mattress support 10 comprises a main frame 29 formed by two substantially parallel and spaced apart longitudinal beams 11a, 11b and two transverse beams 12a, 12b rigidly connected to the ends of the longitudinal beams 11a-b. The longitudinal beams 11a-b extend in a longitudinal direction X. The transverse beams 12a-b extend along a transverse direction Y that is primarily perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. A vertical direction Z is defined that is perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y. During use of the mattress support 10 in the unfolded state, the longitudinal and transverse directions X, Y are preferably primarily aligned with the support surface (as far as uneven ground surfaces are allowed) and the vertical direction Z is preferably along (i.e. opposite to) the direction of gravity as far as possible.

[0035] The main frame 29 of the mattress support 10 in this embodiment also comprises two rotatable strut elements 13a, 13b. Furthermore, the mattress support 10 has an elastic flexible support surface 14 which is elastically deformed by stretching between the two longitudinal beams 11a-b. For clarity, the flexible support surface 14 is only partially shown. In this embodiment, the tensile stress on the elastic support 14 is about 100±2 Newtons per cm in the longitudinal direction X in the transverse direction ±Y (outwardly relative to each longitudinal beam 11). As a result of this tensile stress, the cross members 13 are loaded (by being loaded) with a pressure acting mainly in the inner transverse direction ±Y.

[0036] Each of the rotatable strut elements 13 is attached by its two ends to the longitudinal beam 11. The rotatable strut elements 13 in this embodiment are positioned according to a mirror symmetric distribution with respect to the center of the longitudinal beam 11 in the longitudinal direction X, so that the transverse tension of the stressed flexible support surface 14 can be absorbed with an even distribution of the rotatable strut elements in the X direction. In this embodiment, two rotatable strut elements 13 are positioned at approximately 1 / 3 and 2 / 3 of the length of the longitudinal beam 11. The rotatable strut elements 13 are fixed at both ends of the longitudinal beams 11a-b by rotation means 15a-d. The rotation means 15 are capable of rotating the rotatable strut elements 13 relative to the main frame 29 around the rotation axis A.

[0037] In their working positions, the rotatable strut elements 13a-b have a downwardly curved shape that defines plastic deformations 16a-b. In FIG. 1 the direction of the plastic deformation of the rotatable strut element 13b is indicated by Rb, and in FIG. 2 the direction of the plastic deformation is indicated by R. The plastic deformations 16 are formed such that the flexible support surface 14 does not prevent a (limited) downward elastic deformation. The shape of the plastic deformations 16 of each rotatable strut element 13 can be described by a function for the deviation of the radially outward shape from the respective axis of rotation A, which depends on the transverse position along the axis of rotation A between the two opposite ends of the rotatable strut element 13. In this embodiment, each rotatable strut element 13 is bent away from the axis of rotation A near the ends by a component along the deformation direction +R, and further towards the bent central portion by an opposite (i.e. negative) component along the deformation direction -R. As a result, both ends of the transverse portion 13 and the central portion of the transverse portion 16 in this embodiment extend substantially parallel to the axis of rotation A. The bent shape of the plastically deformed portion 16 therefore corresponds to a deformation which increases monotonically between the first end and the central portion of the rotatable strut element 13 with the displacement from the axis of rotation at the central portion of the rotatable strut element 13, and which decreases monotonically between the central portion and the other end of the rotatable strut element 13 with the displacement from the axis of rotation at the central portion of the rotatable strut element 13. The curved shape obtained in this embodiment is mirror symmetric with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation and is centered on the rotatable strut element.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the mattress support 10 also comprises two ground support elements 30a, 30b and pivoting ground supports 31a, 31b. These ground support bodies 31 allow the main frame 29 to be stably positioned in the unfolded state at a non-zero support height ΔZ0 relative to the supporting ground surface. In this example, the height Z1 of the main frame 29 with the longitudinal beams 11a, 11b and the transverse beams 12a, 12b is of the order of several tens of mm, for example of the order of 50 mm. Furthermore, the support height ΔZ0 in this example is of the order of several hundreds of mm, for example of about 250 mm. In the unfolded state, the rotatable strut element 13 extends from the center to a distance of the order of several tens of mm relative to the nominal lower surface of the main frame 29.

[0039] The embodiment of Figure 1 shows the main frame 29 including a recess 28 on the top of the main frame 39 and a protrusion 27 on the bottom of the main frame 18. The recess 28 of the mattress support is configured to interlock with the protrusion of an identical second mattress support when the second mattress support is stacked on top in the correct orientation.

[0040] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the rotatable column element 13 in the mattress support 10 according to figure 1. In this embodiment, the rotation means 15 is provided with a bearing 20. This bearing 20 is formed of a plug 21 attached to the rotatable column element 13, a pin 41 fixed in the longitudinal beam 11 and extending inwards towards the interior space 40, and a counter piece 22 placed like a collar around the pin 41. The plug 21 has a blind hole 42 in which the pin 41 is rotatably integrated, and an end face 23 which cooperates with and lies flat against a counter surface 24 of the counter piece 22. Under the effect of the tension of the flexible surface 14 (and the resulting elastic restoring force F), the end face 23 and the counter surface 24 are held firmly in the transverse direction ±Y. By using a suitable plastic (or metal) or gap lubricant with a low coefficient of friction, the rotatable column element 13 can nevertheless rotate easily about the axis of rotation A and relative to the main frame 29. In so doing, the walls of the blind hole 42 and the pivot pin 41 integrated therein cooperate to prevent the end face 23 from moving transversely (here X and Z) relative to the axis of rotation A. In alternative embodiments, the pivoting means can be designed differently, for example by using a through hole instead of a blind hole, by reversing the pins and holes and / or by using roller bearings instead of plain bearings.

[0041] The end face 23 and the facing surface 24 have protrusions 25 or recesses 26 which, under the influence of the force exerted by the flexible support, engage with each other in both the operating position and the rest position shown in Figure 2. The recesses 26 and the protrusions 25 can engage to block the rotatable strut element 13 in the retracted rest position and / or in the deployed operating position and act as blocking means for blocking the rotatable strut element 13 in these positions. In this way a stable position of the rotatable strut element 13 is achieved in both cases.

[0042] The flexible support 14 is stretched between the longitudinal beams 11 and lies with its lower surface 17 at a planar distance ΔZ2 above a plane aligned with the lower side 18 of the longitudinal beam 11. A block or plate-shaped internal space 40 is formed between the lower surface 17 of the flexible support 14, the plane aligned with the lower side 18 of the longitudinal beam 11 and the inward (opposing) side of the longitudinal beam 11. This internal space 40 provides sufficient space to accommodate the folded rotatable strut element 13 such that in its rest position it does not extend below the plane aligned with the lower side 18 of the longitudinal beam 11.

[0043] Figure 3 shows similarly shaped mattress supports 10a-10f assembled in a folded rest position. When stacked together, these mattress supports 10 allow the protruding portion 27 of the upper mattress support 10(i) to be stably received within the recessed portion 28 of the mattress support 10(i-1) directly below. Thus, a stable stack of mattress supports 10 is obtained.

[0044] When folded, both the rotatable strut elements 13 and the ground support body 31 of each mattress support 10 in the stack are completely contained within the interior space 40 between the lower surface of the flexible support 14 and a plane aligned with the underside 18 of the longitudinal beam 11 of the corresponding mattress support. As a result, it is possible to stack a plurality of the illustrated mattress supports 10 on top of one another with a stack having a relatively low total height ΔZt. This total height ΔZt is equal to the greater of the thicknesses ΔZ1 of the longitudinal beams 11 and / or transverse beams 12 of the mattress supports 10 stacked on top of one another. FIG. 2 shows that the flexible support 14 is approximately at the same height as the top side 39 of the longitudinal beam b section 11, resulting in a vertical interior space 40 that is as large as possible.

[0045] Where the ground support element (30) is connected to the longitudinal beam (11) and comprises one or more ground support bodies (31) and is movable between an operational ground support position protruding downwardly relative to the main frame (29) and a folded position at least partially contained in an interior space (40) defined between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14), the underside (18) of the main frame (29) and the inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11), this gives the advantage of providing a compact design which, by extension, facilitates protection of moving components during transport. Preferably, all ground support elements (30) are connected to the longitudinal beams (11), comprise one or more ground support bodies (31), and are movable between an operative ground support position projecting downwardly relative to the main frame (29) and a folded position at least partially contained within an interior space (40) defined between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14), the underside (18) of the main frame (29), and the inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11).

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the ground support elements (30) are movable between an operative ground support position projecting downwardly relative to the main frame (29) and a folded position in which they are fully received in an interior space (40) formed between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14), the level of the underside (18) of the main frame (29) and the inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11). Preferably, all of the ground support elements (30) are movable between an operative ground support position projecting downwardly relative to the main frame (29) and a folded position in which they are fully received in an interior space (40) formed between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14), the level of the underside (18) of the main frame (29) and the inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11). By completely containing the ground support element (30) within the interior space (40), this provides the further advantage of providing an even more compact design, which upon expansion facilitates even greater protection of components that move during transport. Since there are no moving parts outside of the interior volume 40 in this second folded position, the moving parts are protected from accidental or unavoidable impacts that may occur during shipping or handling of a mattress support according to the present disclosure.

[0047] Figures 4a-4c and 5a-5c show views of another embodiment of a mattress support 110 in an unfolded, use position and a folded, rest position, respectively. Elements and features of the above-described embodiments of the mattress support 10 (see Figures 1-3) may also be present in the mattress support 110 shown in Figures 4a-5c and will not be reviewed here. Similar elements are designated with similar reference numbers (same last two digits) but with the suffix 1 to distinguish the embodiments.

[0048] Figure 4a shows a top view, Figure 4b shows a side view and Figure 4c shows an end side view of the mattress support 110 in an in-use position. Similarly, Figure 5a shows a top view, Figure 5b shows a side view and Figure 5c shows an end side view of the mattress support 110 in a folded, rest position.

[0049] As shown in Figures 4a and 5a, the rotatable strut elements 113 extend between the longitudinal beams 111 over a transverse width ΔY. The rotatable strut elements 113 rest beneath flexible supports 114 and are pressure loaded under the tensile influence of the flexible supports 114 to hold the longitudinal beams 111 apart over this transverse width ΔY. For such a mattress support 110 configured to carry one person, the transverse width ΔY is preferably in the range of about 700mm to 1000mm.

[0050] Unlike the embodiment according to figures 1 to 3, this mattress support does not comprise a ground support element and the shape of the plastic deformation 116 of each rotatable cross member 113 in this example is a single curved concave shape. Here, the elongated body of each rotatable cross member 113 has a deflection in the deformation direction R as a function of the transverse direction Y. As shown in figures 4c and 5a, the maximum shape deformation ΔR is also in the central part of the rotatable cross member 113 in this example. This central part of the plastic deformation 116 forms an area lower than the level of the lower side 118 of the main frame 129 in the deployed position of use. This central distance ΔR is in the range of about 50 to 70 millimeters. As a result, the ratio R / Y between the central distance R and the transverse width Y of this mattress support 110 is in the range of 1 / 20-<ΔR / ΔY-<1 / 10. Furthermore, as can be seen in Figures 4c and 5a, the transverse portion already deviates from the axis of rotation A with a non-zero component near the end, in contrast to the multiple curved concave shapes of the transverse portions from Figures 1 and 2.

[0051] Each rotatable column element 113a, 113b is rotatable relative to the main frame 29 about a corresponding axis of rotation Aa, Ab and in a corresponding direction of rotation Φa, Φb. In the rest position of the mattress support 110 shown in Figures 5a-5c, the rotatable column elements 113 are rotated 90° relative to the use position shown in Figures 4a-5c such that they are fully located within an (internal) space 140 defined between the underside 117 of the flexible support 114, a nominal plane oriented along the underside 118 of the longitudinal beams 111, and the opposing internal side surfaces 119 of those longitudinal beams 111. This block- or plate-shaped internal space 140 provides sufficient room to accommodate the folded rotatable column elements 113 such that they do not protrude downwards (e.g. do not extend below the plane) relative to the nominal plane oriented along the underside 118 of the longitudinal beams 111. This allows multiple mattress supports 110, which are shown flat on top of each other (similar to FIG. 3), to be stacked.

[0052] Figures 6a-6c show views of rotatable column elements 213 in a mattress support 210 according to an alternative embodiment having similar elements and features to the mattress support 10 according to Figures 1-3. Again, the rotatable column elements 213 are rotatable about respective axes of rotation A relative to the main frame 229, but each of the rotatable column elements 213 is formed with an asymmetric cross-section perpendicular to the axis of rotation A. Similar elements are designated with similar reference numbers (the same last two digits) but preceded by a 2 to distinguish the embodiments.

[0053] Figure 6b shows a cross-sectional view of one of the rotatable strut elements 213 near the rotation means 215 by which it is rotatably coupled to the longitudinal beam 11. Shown here is the operating position in which the rotatable strut element 213 has been extended by rotating through an angle Φ of -90° from the rest position and extends downwards relative to the main frame 229. Figure 6b also shows the linear protrusions 225 and recesses 226 on the top and opposing surfaces of the rotation means 215 which align and interlock to increase the resistance to rotation in the deployed position of the rotatable strut element 213, thereby temporarily locking the rotatable strut element in this configuration. In this position, the width D1 of the rotatable column element 213 is defined along X (oriented orthogonal to both the axis of rotation A and the radial plastic deformation), while the height H of the rotatable column element 213 is defined along Z (oriented along the direction of the radial plastic deformation and orthogonal to the axis of rotation A), where the height H is greater than the thickness D1. For example, in a practical embodiment, D1 can be equal to 25 mm and H can be equal to 40 mm. The cross-sectional elongation in the direction of radial deformation increases the mechanical resistance of the rotatable column element 213 to bending or buckling under the loads encountered when the mattress support is used, where an increased inward force component is oriented along the axis of rotation A (acting on the flexible support material 214 through the mass of the mattress and / or the person lying on the mattress). The cross-sectional elongation of the rotatable strut element along H is preferentially applied along the entire length ΔY of the rotatable strut element 213, including the central portion of the rotatable strut element 213 which is plastically deformed radially from the axis of rotation A as a result of plastic deformation 216 (not shown in FIG. 6b).

[0054] The rotatable cross member 213 is embodied in this embodiment as a hollow tube formed of flat, interconnected walls, which have a rectangular shape with rounded corners, in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rotatable strut element 213. In this embodiment, the thickness dimension D1 is defined as the distance between the outwardly facing surfaces of the two side walls 243, 244. In the cross section near the rotating means 215, the axis of rotation A is centered between these walls 243, 244 and is approximately equal distance from the top wall 245 (i.e., 1 / 2-D1 from each of these walls 243-245). Here, when the rotatable cross member 213 is rotated from the use position to the rest position, the diagonal distance D3 from the axis of rotation A to the corner 246 (where the walls 243 and 245 meet) is small enough to fit within the available height between the axis of rotation A and the underside of the flexible support 214. In alternative embodiments, the rotatable transverse members may have other flat cross-sectional shapes and / or may be solid.

[0055] In the rest position shown in Fig. 6c, the rotatable strut element 213 is rotated by an angle Φ of +90° with respect to the working position such that the rotatable strut element 213 with its width D1 is fully contained (enclosed) within the interior space 240 vertically bounded between the underside of the flexible support 214 and a nominal plane aligned with the underside of the longitudinal beam 211. Due to the 90° rotational symmetry of the protrusions 225 and recesses 226 about the rotation axis A, they align and engage with each other when the rotatable strut element 213 is folded (set in the stowed position), which serves to increase the resistance to rotation from this position.

[0056] 6b-6c further show that the rotation means 215 in this embodiment is arranged at the end of the rotatable column element 213 such that the rotation axis A is shifted upwards in the direction of height H. As a result, the additional height H-D1 of the rotatable column element 213 is only deformed in one radial direction relative to the rotation axis A, and this asymmetric cross-sectional deformation of the rotatable column element along the direction of height H can be applied near the rotatable coupling means 215 in the rotatable column element 213.

[0057] 7a-7c show further details of the ground support element 30 from FIG. 1. The sliding block rail 34 is formed as a rigid elongated recessed channel extending linearly along the longitudinal direction X. Each ground support element 30 also comprises a ground support strut element 32 and a sliding block part 33. Each ground support strut element 32 is rotatably connected at one end to the associated ground support body 31 and at the other end to the associated sliding block part 33. The sliding block part 33 is slidably assembled in a sliding track 37 of the sliding block rail 34. The sliding block rail 34 is further provided with a coupling device for fixing the respective ground support element 30 to the two longitudinal beam parts. The ground support 31 is rotatably mounted via a fixed mounting part 35 having a fixed position in the sliding block rail 34. In the extended position of the ground support 31, the sliding block part 33 rests on the fixed mounting part 35 along the sliding track 37. There is a blocking means for blocking the ground support body 31 in its retracted position when it is suspended on the fixed mounting 35. This blocking means may also comprise recesses and matching protrusions on adjacent mutually rotatable top surfaces, similar to those in the rotating means of the rotatable strut element shown in Figure 2.

[0058] Figures 8a-b show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8a shows an insulated ground support element (330) that comprises two ground support strut elements (332), one at each end of the ground support element (330). The ground support element (330) and the ground support strut elements are constructed primarily from solid steel tubing with a diameter of 12 mm.

[0059] FIG. 8b shows the mattress support (310) in a folded, resting position, where the two rotatable support elements (313), the two ground support elements (330) and the four ground support elements (332) are all completely above the level of the underside (318) of the main frame (329). The four ground support support elements (332) are provided between the ground support body (331) and the longitudinal beam (311) of the ground support element (330). The ground support support elements (332) are rotatably connected to the ground support body (331) and slidably cooperate with a sliding track (337) provided on the longitudinal beam (311). Both the ground support support elements (332) and the longitudinal beam (311) have stops for determining the extended position of the ground support body (331) (not shown).

[0060] Figures 9a-b show the same preferred embodiment of the invention as Figures 8a-b, where Figure 9a shows the mattress support (310) in a first extended operating position, where the plastic deformation parts (316) of the two rotatable column elements (313) extend downwards from the flexible support (314) below the level of the lower side (318) of the main frame (329) to allow elastic deformation of the flexible support (314). Figure 9b shows three inverted mattress supports (310) from a virtual perspective to show how the ground support column elements (332) are rotatably connected to the ground support body (331) and slidably cooperate with sliding tracks (337) provided on the longitudinal beams (311) of the mattress support (310).

[0061] It will be understood that the above-described embodiments are described by way of example only and not in any limiting sense, and that various modifications and adaptations are possible without exceeding the scope of the invention, the scope of which is determined only by the appended claims. For example, the ground support elements (30) may be provided as interconnected rods forming parallelepipeds, two opposite faces of each parallelepiped being parallel to the upper plane of the main frame of the mattress support, where the rods are rotatably mounted on the main frame and the parallelepipeds are movable from a first position in which they are flattened and fully accommodated in the interior space (40) between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14), the underside (18) of the main frame (29) and the inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11), to a second operational (downwardly extended) ground support position in which the rods defining the lowermost faces of the parallelepipeds are arranged to rest on the ground. Other shapes can easily be envisaged, such as wireframes defining pyramids (those with a triangular base are typically referred to as Eiffel legs, via the 1951 Ames DSR chair) or frustums (squares, hexagons, etc.).

[0062] In the embodiment of Fig. 1-5c, the main frame of the mattress support comprises two rotatable column elements, however alternative designs of the mattress support may comprise only one rotatable column element or more than two. In this case, the rotatable column elements are preferably evenly distributed along the longitudinal direction and mirror-symmetrical with respect to the centre of the longitudinal beam in order to provide equal resistance to the inward force exerted by the flexible support. In the case of a mattress support with an odd number of rotatable column elements, one of the rotatable column elements is preferably always positioned at the centre of the longitudinal beam as viewed in the longitudinal direction X. In the case of a mattress support with three rotatable column elements, these rotatable column elements may be positioned mirror-symmetrical along the main frame, for example at positions corresponding to ¼, ½ and ¾ of the length of the longitudinal beam.

[0063] Furthermore, the mattress support in the embodiment shown in Figures 1-3 comprises a rotatable strut element and a support frame with ground support elements connected to the longitudinal beams of the main frame of the mattress support by additional longitudinal profiles. In another design, the longitudinal bodies may also be formed integrally with connecting parts for pivotally connecting the transoms and / or ground support elements directly to these longitudinal bodies. The longitudinal beams themselves may for example be formed as curved rigid extrusion profiles, which are provided with recessed chambers, connecting ridges, etc. for the penetrations and / or support organs.

[0064] Reference numerals in the claims are merely for illustration and should not be considered as limiting the interpretation of the claims. For the sake of brevity, similar reference numerals corresponding to similar elements of the described embodiments are indicated in the claims only by their last two digits (i.e., without the hundreds) when the correspondence with multiple embodiments applies. This does not imply that these claim elements refer only to the elements of the specification corresponding to the last two digits. For example, the reference numeral (13) in the claims should be read as (13;113;213) when this correspondence applies. The applicability of several similar reference figures in the claims is derived from a comparison with the figures and the specification. When the claims focus on a specific embodiment, specific reference numerals (e.g., 213) with hundreds are used in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] Similar reference numbers used in the description to indicate similar elements (but only differing by a few hundred) are implicit. 10...Mattress support, 11...Longitudinal beam portion, 12...Transverse beam section, 13...rotatable support element, 14...flexible support material, 15...rotatable joint, 16...Plastically deformed part, 17...underside of support, 18…underside of main frame, 19...inner surface of longitudinal beam portion, 20...Bearing, 21…Plug, 22…counterparts, 23...end face, 24…Facing surface, 25...protrusion, 26…recess, 27...protrusion, 28…recess, 29…Mainframe, 30...ground support element, 31...Ground support body (e.g., support leg or bracket), 32...ground support column element, 33...sliding block part, 34...sliding block rail (e.g., channel); 35...Fixed mounting part, 37...A raceway configured for a sliding block portion, 39…Top of main frame, 40…interior space, 41…Pin, 42…blind hole, 243...side wall, 244...side wall, 245…Upper wall, 246…Corner, A: Rotation axis, X...first direction (e.g., longitudinal direction); Y... a second direction (e.g., transverse direction); Z... the third direction (e.g., vertical), R: Plastic deformation direction, Φ…rotation direction, D1: width of the rotatable column element; D2: width of the rotatable joint, D3: Distance from the rotation axis A to the corner, H…height of the rotatable support element ΔY: width in the transverse direction, ΔZ0: Height of support, ΔZ1: Main frame height, ΔZ2…Distance between surfaces, ΔZt…Height of main frame stack ΔR…The distance between the centers of the crossbars.

Claims

1. A mattress support (10) comprising: longitudinal beams (11) adjacent to each other and extending apart from each other; transverse beams (12) rigidly connected to the longitudinal beams (12) at or near their ends and forming a main frame (29) together with the longitudinal beams (12); a flexible surface material (14) elastically stretched between said longitudinal beams and positioned at a level distance (ΔZ2) above the level of the undersides (18) of said longitudinal beams; a rotatable strut element (13) positioned below the flexible support and configured to hold the longitudinal beams apart by a constant transverse width (ΔY); rotatable coupling means (15) at both ends of the rotatable strut element (13) for connecting the rotatable strut element to the longitudinal beam about an axis of rotation (A) perpendicular to the longitudinal beam (11) and parallel to the flexible support material (14); Equipped with The rotatable column element (13) comprises a plastically deformable portion (16) extending in a direction (R) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A), and the rotatable column element (13) is mounted so as to be pivotable about the axis of rotation between a first extended working position and a second folded rest position; In the first extended operating position, a plastically deformable portion (16) of the rotatable strut element (13) extends from the flexible support (14) below the level of the lower side (18) of the main frame (29) to allow elastic deformation of the flexible support (14), A mattress support (10) in which, in said second folded rest position, said rotatable column element (13) is entirely above the level of the underside (18) of said main frame (29).

2. 2. The mattress support (10) according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable column elements (13) extend over a transverse width (ΔY) between the longitudinal beams (11), and wherein the central parts of the plastically deformable parts (16) of the pivotable column elements (13) are, in the deployed position in use, located below the level of the lower side (18) of the main frame (29) and define an area located at a central distance ΔR in a direction (R) extending relative to the axis of rotation (A), and wherein the ratio ΔR / ΔY of the central distance to the transverse width satisfies: 1 / 20 - < ΔR / ΔY - < 1 / 10 (greater than or equal to 1 / 20 and less than or equal to 1 / 10).

3. 3. A mattress support (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plastic deformation (16) of the rotatable column element (13) has a curved or twisted concave shape, which is preferably oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation and mirror-symmetrical with respect to a plane centred on the rotatable column element (13).

4. 4. The mattress support (10) of claim 3, wherein the rotatable column element (13) is configured to bend away from the axis of rotation (A) near its ends with a component along the direction of deformation (+R) and to bend back towards its central portion with an opposite component along the direction of deformation (-R), such that the central portion of the rotatable column element is parallel to the axis of rotation (A).

5. 2. The mattress support (10) of claim 1, wherein the rotatable coupling means (15) comprises an axial, thrust or pivot bearing (20).

6. 6. A mattress support (10) according to claim 5, wherein the rotatable column elements (13) are in the form of shaped tubes or rods capped and defined by mutually parallel end faces (23), said end faces being perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A), and wherein the axial, thrust or pivot bearings (20) are incorporated between each end face (23) of the rotatable column elements (13) and the adjacent longitudinal beams (11).

7. 2. The mattress support (10) according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable support element (13) is equipped with a blocking device (25, 26) for blocking the rotatable support element (13) in the extended use position and / or in the folded rest position.

8. 6. A mattress support (10) according to claim 5, wherein one end of the rotatable column element (13) has an end face (23) and the corresponding longitudinal beam (11) carries an opposing surface (24) with which the end face and the opposing surface interact as a sliding pivot bearing (20), the end face and the opposing surface having recesses (26) or protrusions (25) that engage in the folded rest position and / or the folded use position of the rotatable column element (13), respectively.

9. 2. The mattress support (10) of claim 1, wherein the rotatable column element (13) has a maximum width (D1) perpendicular to the direction of plastic deformation (R) and perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A), and the rotatable connecting means (15) has a width perpendicular to the direction of plastic deformation (R) and perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A), and both the width (D1) of the rotatable column element and the width of the rotatable connecting means are smaller than the distance (ΔZ2) between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14) and the underside (18) of the main frame (29).

10. 2. A mattress support (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotatable support element (13) in the deployed position of use is at least partially, preferably completely, housed in an internal space (40) defined between the underside (17) of the flexible support material (14), the underside (18) of the main frame (29) and the inward-facing side surfaces (19) of the longitudinal beams (11).

11. 2. The mattress support (210) of claim 1, wherein the rotatable column element (213), viewed perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (A), has a height (H) of the rotatable column element defined in a radial direction away from the axis of rotation (A), and a width (D1) of the rotatable column element defined in a direction perpendicular to both the height (H) and the axis of rotation (A), and wherein the height is greater than the width (H > D1).

12. 2. The mattress support (10) of claim 1, wherein the axis of rotation (A) of the rotatable column element (13) intersects the longitudinal beam (11) at a position substantially midway between the underside (18) of the longitudinal beam (11) and the underside (17) of the flexible support (14).

13. 2. The mattress support (10) of claim 1, further comprising: a ground support element (10) connected to a longitudinal beam (11), the ground support element (10) comprising one or more ground support bodies (30), the ground support element (10) being movable between an operational ground support position and a folded position, the ground support element (10) projecting downwards relative to the main frame (29) in the operational ground support position, the ground support element (10) being at least partially housed in the interior space (40) defined between an underside of the flexible support (14), an underside (18) of the main frame (29) and an inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11), preferably in the folded position the ground support element (10) being entirely housed in the interior space (40) defined between the underside (17) of the flexible support (14), the level of the underside (18) of the main frame (29) and the inwardly facing side surface (19) of the longitudinal member (11).

14. 14. The mattress support (10) of claim 13, wherein the ground support element (30) also comprises a ground support strut element (32).

15. 15. A mattress support (10) as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein at least one ground support strut element (32) is provided between the ground support body (31) and the longitudinal beam (11) of the ground support element (30), and the ground support strut element and the longitudinal beam have stops for determining the extended position of the ground support body (31).

16. 16. The mattress support (10) of claim 15, wherein the ground support column element (32) is rotatably connected to the ground support (31) and slidably cooperates with a sliding track (37) provided on the longitudinal beam portion (11).

17. 14. The mattress support (10) according to claim 13, wherein the ground support element (30) comprises a blocking device for blocking the ground support body (31) in the folded position.

18. 14. The mattress support (10) according to claim 13, wherein the ground support element (30) and the two sliding block rails (34) at its ends form a substructure attached to the longitudinal beams.

19. 2. The mattress support (10) of claim 1, wherein the flexible support (14) comprises an elastic material, for example a network of elastic threads or interwoven spiral springs, or a breathable perforated rubber sheet with an inlay.

20. 2. The mattress support (10) of claim 1, wherein a protrusion (27) is provided on the top (39) or underside (18) of the main frame (29) and a recess (28) is provided on the underside (18) or top (39) of the main frame (29), the recess being arranged to interlock with the protrusion of a second identical mattress support when the second mattress support is stacked on top in the correct orientation for the purpose of stabilizing the stacked mattress supports (10a, 10b).

21. 2. A mattress support (10) according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable support elements (13) are configured to support a load applied by the flexible supports (14) and to hold the longitudinal beams (11) apart by a constant transverse width (ΔY), the flexible supports (14) exerting a total inward force on the longitudinal beams (11) of 200 to 40,000 N, more preferably 1,000 to 30,000 N, even more preferably 10,000 to 27,500 N, and most preferably 20,000 to 25,000 N.

22. A method for forming a laminate from at least a first mattress support (10a) and a second mattress support (10b) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising: - rotating the rotatable support elements (13) about corresponding axes of rotation (A) to move the first and second mattress supports to a folded rest position; setting a second mattress support (10b) having an underside (18b) of said main frame (29b) on the top (39a) of said main frame (29a) of said first mattress support (10a); A method comprising:

23. An emergency bed kit comprising a mattress support and a mattress according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the mattress has a thickness of less than 100mm.

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