Spring bridge for a mattress base

Abstract

The spring bridge ( 2 ) comprises a main, load-bearing bridge ( 6 ), which can be fitted in the frame of a mattress base, and one or more supporting elements ( 8 ) arranged thereon. The supporting elements ( 8 ) extend, preferably in the form of a sheet-like, wing-like lip, from the main, load-bearing bridge ( 6 ), in the lateral direction, transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main, load-bearing bridge and project beyond the top side of the main, load-bearing bridge ( 6 ). They are designed such that their flexibility in relation to the main, load-bearing bridge counter to a bearing force, usually the locally active weight of a mattress which has been positioned on top and of a person who is resting on said mattress, is more yielding than the flexibility of the main, load-bearing bridge itself. The spring-bridge construction proposed, on the one hand, permits cost-effective production of a spring-bridge grille and, on the other hand, nevertheless provides the functions which are necessary for a high degree of lying comfort, in particular locally progressively adapting spring properties.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A spring bridge, comprising: 
 a main, load bearing bridge having a longitudinal axis and a top side;    at least one supporting element attached to said main bridge, said at least one supporting element having a sheet-like shape and extending laterally away from said longitudinal axis of said main bridge, said at least one supporting element having an unloaded state and a loaded state, at least a portion of said at least one supporting element extending above said top side of said main bridge when in said unloaded state, and said at least one supporting element being designed such that it bends in a downward direction when a bearing force is placed thereon, wherein a portion of said at least one supporting element located adjacent to said main bridge bends downward by not more than the same angle as a portion of said at least one supporting element located remotely from said main bridge; and    at least one sheet-like bearing element attached to said at least one supporting element remotely from said main bridge, whereby bearing forces applied to said at least one bearing element are transmitted to said at least one supporting element.    
     
     
         2 . A spring bridge according to    claim 1   , wherein said main bridge has a first flexibility and said at least one supporting element has a second flexibility, said second flexibility being greater than said first flexibility.  
     
     
         3 . A spring bridge according to    claim 1   , wherein said main bridge, said at least one supporting element and said at least one bearing element are plastic.  
     
     
         4 . A spring bridge according to    claim 1   , wherein said main bridge has a hollow rectangular cross section.  
     
     
         5 . A spring bridge according to claims  1 , wherein said main bridge, said at least one supporting element and said at least one bearing element are produced as one piece.  
     
     
         6 . A spring bridge according to    claim 1   , wherein said at least one supporting element has an arcuate shape.  
     
     
         7 . A spring bridge according to    claim 6   , wherein said at least one supporting element has a concave shape relative to said top side of said main bridge.  
     
     
         8 . A spring bridge according to    claim 1   , wherein said at least one supporting element includes a first supporting element extending laterally away from one side of said main bridge and a second supporting element extending laterally away from an opposite side of said main bridge.  
     
     
         9 . A spring bridge according to    claim 8   , wherein said main bridge, said at least one supporting element and said at least one bearing element are plastic.  
     
     
         10 . A spring bridge according to    claim 8   , wherein said main bridge has a hollow rectangular cross section.  
     
     
         11 . A spring bridge according to claims  8 , wherein said main bridge, said at least one supporting element and said at least one bearing element are produced as one piece.  
     
     
         12 . A spring bridge according to    claim 8   , wherein said at least one bearing element includes a first bearing element attached to said first supporting element remotely from said main bridge and a second bearing element attached to said second supporting element remotely from said main bridge.  
     
     
         13 . A spring bridge according to    claim 12   , wherein said main bridge further includes a first web attached to one side of said main bridge, proximate to said top side thereof; and a second web attached to an opposite side of said main bridge, proximate to said top side thereof.  
     
     
         14 . A spring bridge according to    claim 13   , wherein, said first web extends laterally away from said main bridge in the same general direction as, but not as far as, said first supporting element; and wherein said second web extends laterally outwardly from said main bridge in the same general direction as, but not as far as, said second supporting element  
     
     
         15 . A spring bridge according to    claim 14   , wherein said first bearing element extends laterally away from said first supporting element and has a first free end located remotely from said first supporting element; and wherein said second bearing element extends laterally away from said second supporting element and has a second free end located remotely from said second supporting element.  
     
     
         16 . A spring bridge according to    claim 15   , wherein each of said first and second bearing elements extends toward said main bridge and is spaced from said top side of said main bridge.  
     
     
         17 . A spring bridge according to    claim 16   , wherein said first and second free ends are spaced apart from one another.  
     
     
         18 . A spring bridge according to    claim 8   , further comprising a first spring element attached to said first supporting element, said first spring element extending upwardly from an end of said first supporting element which is remote from said main bridge; and a second spring element attached to said second supporting element, said second spring element extending upwardly from an end of said second supporting element which is remote from said main bridge.  
     
     
         19 . A spring bridge according to    claim 18   , wherein said at least one bearing element includes a single bearing element attached at one end to said first spring element and attached at an opposite end to said second spring element.  
     
     
         20 . A spring bridge according to    claim 19   , wherein said single bearing element spans from said first spring element to said second spring element and is spaced from said top side of said main bridge.