Mattress with micro-coil supported lumbar zone

Abstract

A mattress including an inner spring assembly, a panel of micro-coils, and a quilted panel is disclosed. The innerspring assembly includes a plurality of spring elements and defines a support surface. The spring elements are arranged in rows defining upper, central, and lower spring structure areas. The panel of micro-coils is positioned over the support surface in the central spring structure area. The quilted panel includes a ticking material, a backing material, and a support material having a degree of compression provided between the ticking and backing materials. The ticking material, the support material and the backing material are all quilted together with an increased amount of stitching in a center section of the quilted panel aligned with the central spring structure such that the support material pre-compresses in the center section thereby defining a pocket. The panel of micro-coils is provided in alignment with the pocket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mattress comprising:
 an innerspring assembly having a plurality of spring elements and defining a support surface, the spring elements arranged in rows defining upper, central, and lower spring structure areas;   a panel of micro-coils positioned over the support surface in the central spring structure area; and   a quilted panel having a ticking material, a backing material, and a support material having a degree of compression provided between the ticking and backing materials, the ticking material, the support material and the backing material all being quilted together by a stitching pattern providing an increased amount of stitching in a center section of the quilted panel aligned with the central spring structure area than adjacent head and foot sections of the quilted panel aligned with the upper and lower spring structure areas such that the support material pre-compresses in the center section thereby defining a pocket, wherein the quilted panel is provided over the panel of micro-coils such that the panel of micro-coils is provided in alignment with the pocket.   
     
     
         2 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the panel of micro-coils ranges in size from about ¼ to about ½ of a total area of the mattress. 
     
     
         3 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the innerspring assembly comprises a plurality of spring elements held in an array by interconnection with wires. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the innerspring assembly comprises a plurality of spring elements held in an array by a fabric sleeve individually encasing each spring element. 
     
     
         5 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress additionally comprises one or more foam layers positioned between the support surface and the quilted panel. 
     
     
         6 . The mattress of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more foam layers positioned between the support surface and the quilted panel are formed from one or more of a cooling foam, an open-celled foam, and a memory foam. 
     
     
         7 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein an upper foam spacer layer is provided over the support surface in the upper spring structure area adjacent the panel of micro-coils and a lower foam spacer layer is provided over the support surface in the lower spring structure area adjacent the panel of micro-coils. 
     
     
         8 . The mattress of clam  7 , wherein the upper foam spacer layer and the lower foam spacer layer comprise a thickness of 0.5 inch to 1 inch. 
     
     
         9 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress further comprises a border frame comprising a metal rod defining an outer perimeter of the mattress. 
     
     
         10 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress further comprises:
 a strengthening structure provided between the support surface and the panel of micro-coils in the central spring structure area, said strengthening structure having a frame member encircling a major portion of the central spring structure area, and a plurality of elongated support elements located within said frame member and received against the spring elements encircled by the frame member.   
     
     
         11 . The mattress of  claim 9 , wherein the mattress further comprises:
 a strengthening structure provided between the support surface and the panel of micro-coils in the central spring structure area, said strengthening structure having a frame member encircling a major portion of the central spring structure area, and a plurality of elongated support elements located within said frame member and received against the spring elements encircled by the frame member.   
     
     
         12 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the mattress is hinged to allow folding of the mattress. 
     
     
         13 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the ticking material comprises an upholstery ticking. 
     
     
         14 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the backing material comprises a non-woven fabric. 
     
     
         15 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the support material comprises a polymer foam or fill layer. 
     
     
         16 . The mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the stitching pattern is selected from a star pattern, a circle pattern, a swoop pattern, a ribbon pattern, a 213 pattern, and a 301 pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The mattress of  claim 6 , wherein the mattress includes a memory foam layer. 
     
     
         18 . The mattress of  claim 17 , wherein the memory foam layer is a polyurethane foam with a bulk density ranging from about 2.6 to about 4.0 pounds per cubic foot. 
     
     
         19 . The mattress of  claim 6 , wherein the mattress includes a cooling foam layer. 
     
     
         20 . The mattress of  claim 6 , wherein the mattress includes an open-celled foam layer.