Less toxic mattress

Abstract

A mattress and method of constructing the mattress having a reduced toxicity has a cover or an outermost layer including food grade polyethylene. Also, the outer layer of the mattress can also be constructed from a material selected from the same group of materials. Food grade polyethylene films are non-toxic materials which reduce adverse human health effects due to the exposure to potentially harmful chemicals used in the mattress construction.

1 . A mattress comprising:
 a core selected from the group of mattress core types consisting of: polymeric cores and innerspring cores;   a barrier layer enclosing the core, the barrier layer comprising a food-grade polypropylene compliant with U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) standards in effect as of 7 Mar. 2008.   
     
     
         2 . The mattress of  claim 1 , where the food-grade plastic of the barrier layer is derived from a natural feedstock. 
     
     
         3 . The mattress of  claim 1 , where the core is configured to maintain the shape of the mattress. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fabric flame barrier disposed between the cover and the core.   
     
     
         5 . The mattress of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fabric layer overlying at least a portion of the barrier layer and affixed to the barrier layer.   
     
     
         6 . The mattress of  claim 5 , where the fabric layer is quilted. 
     
     
         7 . The mattress of  claim 5 , where the food-grade plastic of the barrier layer is melted onto an interior surface of the fabric layer. 
     
     
         8 . The mattress of  claim 1 , where the food-grade plastic of the cover layer is heat fused to a substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The mattress of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cushioning layer disposed between the core and the cover.   
     
     
         10 . The mattress of  claim 9 , where the cushioning layer comprises organically grown cotton. 
     
     
         11 . The mattress of  claim 9 , where the cushioning layer comprises a polymer foam. 
     
     
         12 . The mattress of  claim 1 , where the mattress is sized to fit a type of furniture selected from the group of furniture types consisting of: basinets, cribs, cradles, and beds. 
     
     
         13 . A pad or cover for a mattress, the pad or cover comprising:
 a barrier layer comprising a food-grade plastic compliant with U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) standards in effect as of 7 Mar. 2008;   where the barrier layer is configured to be removably coupled to a mattress such that the barrier layer overlies at least an upper support surface of the mattress.   
     
     
         14 . The mattress of  claim 13 , where the food-grade plastic of the barrier layer comprises Food Grade Low Density Polyethylene. 
     
     
         15 . The mattress of  claim 14 , wherein the Food Grade Low Density Polyethylene of the barrier layer has a density of 0.85 to 1.00 grams per cubic centimeter; a maximum extractable fraction (expressed as percent by weight of the polymer) in N-Hexane at specified temperatures is 5.5% at 50 Degrees Centigrade (Deg C.); and a maximum extractable fraction (expressed as percent by weight of the polymer) in Xylene at specified temperatures is 11.3% at 25 Deg C. 
     
     
         16 . The pad or cover of  claim 13 , where the food-grade plastic of the barrier layer is derived from a natural feedstock. 
     
     
         17 . The pad or cover of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a fabric flame barrier affixed to the barrier layer on an interior side of the barrier layer such that when the barrier layer is coupled to a mattress the fabric flame barrier layer is disposed between the mattress and the barrier layer.   
     
     
         18 . The pad or cover of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a fabric layer overlying at least a portion of the barrier layer and affixed to the barrier layer.   
     
     
         19 . The pad or cover of  claim 18 , where the fabric layer is quilted. 
     
     
         20 . The pad or cover of  claim 18 , where the food-grade plastic of the barrier layer is melted onto an interior surface of the fabric layer. 
     
     
         21 . The pad or cover of  claim 13 , where the food-grade plastic of the cover layer is heat fused to a substrate. 
     
     
         22 . The pad or cover of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a cushioning layer affixed directly or indirectly to the barrier layer on an interior side of the barrier layer such that wen the barrier layer is coupled to a mattress the cushioning layer is disposed between the mattress and the barrier layer.   
     
     
         23 . The pad or cover of  claim 22 , where the cushioning layer comprises organically grown cotton. 
     
     
         24 . The pad or cover of  claim 22 , where the cushioning layer comprises a polymer foam. 
     
     
         25 . The pad or cover of  claim 13 , where the mattress is sized to fit a type of furniture selected from the group of furniture types consisting of: basinets, cribs, cradles, and beds.