Engineered foams and foam mattress constructions

Abstract

The present invention is of foam mattress constructions made and engineered foams which contain additives for improved mechanical and thermal properties. In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure and inventions, there is provided engineered foam for use as a layer in a foam mattress construction having multiple layers including a top layer of foam and at least one additional layer of foam, and a coating of phase change material applied to a top surface of the top layer of foam. Surface application of phase change material to a top surface of a top layer of foam of a foam mattress provides more efficient transfer of heat away from a body on the mattress and reduced heat accumulation at the body-mattress interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Engineered foam for use as a layer in a foam mattress construction having multiple layers including a top layer of foam and at least one additional layer of foam, and a coating of phase change material applied to a top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         2 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the top layer of foam with phase change material applied to a top surface is in contact with at least one additional layer of foam of a foam mattress construction. 
     
     
         3 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is applied to a substantial area of the top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         4 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is applied to an area of the top surface of the top layer of foam which is less than a total surface area of the top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         5 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is applied to approximately 80% of a surface area of the top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         6 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is located substantially on the top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         7 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is applied to the top surface of the top layer of foam of a foam mattress construction in a thickness in an approximate range of 50-100 mils. 
     
     
         8 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material is contained in micro-capsules. 
     
     
         9 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  further comprising a binder in combination with the phase change material for adhering the phase change material to the top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         10 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the phase change material has a phase transition temperature in an approximate range of 20-40 degrees C. 
     
     
         11 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the top surface of the top layer of foam is substantially planar. 
     
     
         12 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein a bottom surface of the top layer of foam is non-planar. 
     
     
         13 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein a thermal conductivity of the phase change material is matched with a thermal conductivity of the foam of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         14 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  further comprising gel in the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         15 . The engineered foam of  claim 14  wherein a thermal conductivity of the gel in the top layer of foam is matched with the thermal conductivity of the foam of the top layer of foam and the thermal conductivity of the phase change material. 
     
     
         16 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the at least one additional layer of foam has a thickness dimension which is equal to or greater than a thickness dimension of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         17 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the foam mattress construction includes a core comprised of at least two layers of foam which support the at least one additional layer of foam and the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         18 . The engineered foam of  claim 17  wherein at least one of the layers of foam of the core of the foam mattress construction has a non-planar surface. 
     
     
         19 . The engineered foam of  claim 1  wherein the foam mattress construction includes the top layer of foam, the at least one additional layer of foam underneath the top layer of foam, an intermediate layer of foam underneath the at least one additional layer of foam, and a core underneath the intermediate layer of foam, the core comprising a first core layer immediately underneath the intermediate layer, and a second core layer underneath the first core layer, at least one of the core layers having a non-planar surface facing a top surface of the foam mattress construction. 
     
     
         20 . A foam mattress comprising:
 a top layer of foam having a top surface, the top surface of the top layer of foam providing a primary support surface for a body;   a first intermediate layer of foam located underneath the top layer, and   a core comprised of first and second core layers of foam located underneath the first intermediate layer, and   phase change material applied to the top surface of the top layer.   
     
     
         21 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  wherein the phase change material is applied to an area of the top surface of the top layer of foam which is less than a total surface area of the top surface of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         22 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  wherein the top layer of foam has a bottom surface which faces the intermediate layer, and wherein the bottom surface has a non-planar configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  further comprising a second intermediate layer of foam located underneath the first intermediate layer of foam. 
     
     
         24 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the first or second layers of foam of the core has a non-planar surface configuration. 
     
     
         25 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  wherein the core further comprises an intermediate core layer located between the first and second core layers. 
     
     
         26 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  wherein the first and second core layers each have a non-planar surface which is oriented to face the intermediate layer. 
     
     
         27 . The foam mattress of  claim 25  wherein the intermediate core layer is planar, and has a thickness dimension less than a thickness dimension of the first and second core layers. 
     
     
         28 . The foam mattress of  claim 20  wherein one of the first or second layers of the core has a planar surface in an edge region which faces a planar surface of the first intermediate layer. 
     
     
         29 . The foam mattress of  claim 28  wherein the planar surface of the first or second layers of the core is at a longitudinal edge region and faces a planar surface at a longitudinal edge region of the first intermediate layer. 
     
     
         30 . A foam topper for a mattress, comprising:
 a top layer of foam dimensioned to substantially extend over a surface of a mattress, the top layer of foam having a top surface, the top surface of the top layer of foam located to be in closest proximity to a body supported by the mattress;   the top layer of foam having a coating of phase change material over a substantial area of the top surface of the top layer of foam, and   gel material in the top layer of foam.   
     
     
         31 . The foam topper of  claim 30  in combination with a foam mattress construction having multiple layers of foam which underlie and support the foam topper. 
     
     
         32 . The foam topper of  claim 30  in combination with an innerspring mattress having an innerspring and one or more layers of foam which underlie and support the foam topper. 
     
     
         34 . The foam topper of  claim 30  wherein the top surface is planar and an opposing bottom surface is non-planar. 
     
     
         35 . The foam topper of  claim 30  wherein the top layer of foam further comprises gel particles within the foam. 
     
     
         36 . The foam topper of  claim 30  wherein a coefficient of thermal conductivity of the phase change material corresponds to a coefficient of thermal conductivity of the gel material. 
     
     
         37 . The foam topper of  claim 30  wherein a coefficient of thermal conductivity of the phase change material corresponds to a coefficient of thermal conductivity of the foam of the top layer of foam. 
     
     
         38 . The foam topper of  claim 31  wherein the foam mattress construction comprises at least one intermediate layer of foam which is located directly underneath the top layer of foam, and at least one core layer of foam which is located underneath the at least one intermediate layer of foam.