Extendable and/or expandable foam panel constructions

Abstract

By forming a plurality of separate, spaced, expansion zones in preselected areas of a foamed plastic product having a desired size and shape, a new foam plastic product is achieved which is capable of being expanded or extended in at least one direction during its use in order to accommodate dimensional changes or requirements. By forming the expansion zones in a precisely desired pattern which extends over a substantial portion of the foam plastic product, the resulting product is capable of being expanded, extended, or adjusted in at least one of its dimensions. In this way, the resulting product is quickly and easily expanded or extended in one direction to fit any desired application surface with ease and simplicity.

1 . A mattress, comprising:
 an innerspring having a perimeter;   one or more foam panels adjacent to at least a portion of the perimeter of the innerspring, each of the one or more foam panels comprising:
 an elongated member disposed along a longitudinal axis; and 
 at least one expansion zone integrally formed in the one or more foam panels; 
 wherein the at least one expansion zone is configured to expand in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the at least one foam panel to allow a length of the foam panel to be expanded up to an expansion distance of the at least one expansion zone and contracted. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mattress of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more channels disposed through the elongated member. 
     
     
         3 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one expansion zone is comprised of a plurality of expansion zones integrally formed in the foam panel and forming a plurality of openings in the foam panel. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of expansion zones are comprised of a plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         5 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein a first aperture among the plurality of apertures is disposed on a top edge of the foam panel, and a second aperture among the plurality of apertures is disposed on a bottom edge of the foam panel. 
     
     
         6 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures form apertures along length axes of the elongated member between a top edge and a bottom edge of the foam panel. 
     
     
         7 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures are disposed along the longitudinal axis of the foam panel. 
     
     
         8 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures are disposed along a plurality of longitudinal axes of the foam panel. 
     
     
         9 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures are comprised of a plurality of cuts. 
     
     
         10 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures are comprised of a plurality of slits. 
     
     
         11 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one expansion zone is comprised of a plurality of expansion zones. 
     
     
         12 . The mattress of  claim 11 , wherein each of the one or more foam panels further comprises at least one interconnected lattice of foam disposed between adjacent expansion zones among the plurality of expansion zones. 
     
     
         13 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more foam panels each comprises a substantially flat planar body including a top surface and a bottom surface, and defined by a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge. 
     
     
         14 . The mattress of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of expansion zones comprises a first expansion zone adjacent to a second expansion zone, each of the plurality of expansion zones extending from one edge to an opposite edge of the planar body. 
     
     
         15 . The mattress of  claim 14 , wherein the first expansion zone comprises a first portion of the plurality of apertures in a first pattern of apertures, the first portion separately expandable and contractible in a direction orthogonal to a first geometric line, at least a portion of each of the first portion disposed within the first geometric line when the first portion is fully contracted, the first geometric line extending from the one edge to the opposite edge of the planar body. 
     
     
         16 . The mattress of  claim 15 , wherein the second expansion zone comprises a second portion of the plurality of apertures in a second pattern of apertures, the second portion separately expandable and contractible in a direction orthogonal to a second geometric line, at least a portion of each of the second portion disposed within the second geometric line when the second portion is fully contracted, the second geometric line extending from the one edge to the opposite edge of the planar body. 
     
     
         17 . The mattress of  claim 16 , wherein the first pattern of apertures comprises a different aperture shape than the second pattern of apertures, and the first geometric line and the second geometric line are parallel to each other and parallel to the top surface. 
     
     
         18 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures is further defined as being formed in a planar body in juxtaposed, spaced, adjacent relationship to each other, effectively forming at least one expansion zone which enables the foam member to be expandable and contractible in the expansion zone. 
     
     
         19 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures are further defined as being formed in a planar body in juxtaposed, spaced, adjacent relationship to each other substantially throughout the entire planar body. 
     
     
         20 . The mattress of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of apertures are further defined as comprising a shape or configuration comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of circles, slits, half moon shapes, quarter moon shapes, triangles, trapezoids, rectangles, ovals, and ellipses. 
     
     
         21 . The mattress of  claim 13 , wherein the planar body is a product of any desired width produced by employing continuous roll forming.