Spring core for a mattress

Abstract

A spring core is provided that includes a head portion, a foot portion, and a middle portion positioned between the head portion and the foot portion. The head portion and the foot portion each include a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix with each coil spring of the head portion and foot portion having a first height and a second height, respectively. The middle portion also includes a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix, but with each coil spring of the middle portion having a third height and with the middle portion providing greater support, less motion transfer, or both greater support and less motion transfer than the head portion and the foot portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spring core comprising:
 a head portion including a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix with each coil spring of the head portion having a first height;   a foot portion including a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix with each coil spring of the foot portion having a second height; and   a middle portion positioned between the head portion and the foot portion, the middle portion including a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix with each coil spring of the middle portion having a third height, the middle portion providing greater support, less motion transfer, or both greater support and less motion transfer than the head portion and the foot portion.   
     
     
         2 . The spring core of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion. 
     
     
         3 . The spring core of  claim 2 , wherein the first height, the second height, and the third height are substantially the same. 
     
     
         4 . The spring core of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion is configured to partially compress independently of an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion. 
     
     
         5 . The spring core of  claim 3 , wherein the head portion further comprises one or more helical wires connecting each of the plurality of coil springs of the head portion to an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the head portion; and
 wherein the foot portion further comprises one or more helical wires connecting each of the plurality of coil springs of the foot portion to an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the foot portion.   
     
     
         6 . The spring core of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion is connected to the flexible enclosure of an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion. 
     
     
         7 . The spring core of  claim 2 , wherein the third height is greater than the first height and the second height. 
     
     
         8 . The spring core of  claim 7 , wherein the first height and the second height are substantially the same. 
     
     
         9 . The spring core of  claim 7 , further comprising a flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the head portion and a flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the foot portion. 
     
     
         10 . The spring core of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the head portion is connected to the flexible enclosure of an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the head portion, and
 wherein the flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the foot portion is connected to the flexible enclosure of an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the foot portion.   
     
     
         11 . The spring core of  claim 2 , wherein the matrix of the middle portion defines one or more spaces between the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion, and
 wherein the middle portion further includes one or more interstitial springs, each of the one or more interstitial springs positioned within a respective one of the one or more spaces.   
     
     
         12 . The spring core of  claim 11 , wherein each of the one or more interstitial springs has a height greater than the third height of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion. 
     
     
         13 . The spring core of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion has a diameter, and
 wherein each of the one or more interstitial springs has a diameter smaller than the diameter of each of the plurality of coil springs of the middle portion.   
     
     
         14 . The spring core of  claim 11 , further comprising a flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the head portion and a flexible enclosure surrounding each of the plurality of coil springs of the foot portion. 
     
     
         15 . A spring core for a mattress, the spring core comprising:
 a first section including a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix; and   a second section including a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix with each of the plurality of coil springs of the second section surrounded by a flexible enclosure, the second section providing greater support, less motion transfer, or both greater support and less motion transfer than the first section.   
     
     
         16 . The spring core of  claim 15 , wherein the flexible enclosure of each of the plurality of coil springs of the second section is connected to the flexible enclosure of an adjacent one of the plurality of coil springs of the second section. 
     
     
         17 . The spring core of  claim 15 , wherein the spring core can be characterized as including a head portion, a foot portion, and a middle portion positioned between the head portion and the foot portion,
 wherein the first section comprises the head portion, the foot portion, or both the head portion and the foot portion, and   wherein the second section comprises the middle portion.   
     
     
         18 . The spring core of  claim 15 , wherein the spring core can be characterized as including a first side portion and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, and
 wherein the first section comprises the first side portion and the second section comprises the second side portion.   
     
     
         19 . A spring core for a mattress, the spring core comprising:
 a plurality of coil springs arranged in a matrix, the matrix defining one or more spaces between the plurality of coil springs, and each of the plurality of coil springs surrounded by a flexible enclosure; and   one or more interstitial springs, each of the one or more interstitial springs positioned within a respective one of the one or more spaces.   
     
     
         20 . The spring core of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of coil springs and each of the one or more interstitial springs has a height, and wherein the height of each of the one or more interstitial springs is greater than the height of each of the plurality of coil springs. 
     
     
         21 . The spring core of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of coil springs and each of the one or more interstitial springs has a diameter, and wherein the diameter of each of the one or more interstitial springs is less than the diameter of each of the plurality of coil springs.