Mattress assemblies and components employing passageways for ventilation and airflow

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include mattress assemblies and components employing passageways for ventilation and airflow. A mattress may contain a mattress core to provide cushioning and support. For example, the mattress core may comprise an innerspring, air bladder(s), and/or foam layer(s). A mattress assembly may include a foam base and/or at least one foam side support member to at least partially surround a mattress core to provide cushioning and structure. The foam base and/or at least one foam side support member may include at least one passageway for facilitating diffusion and air exchange between an exterior environment and an interior space of the enclosure containing the mattress core. In this manner, as stagnant air and humidity developing in the mattress core may be avoided or reduced from the mattress core, which may otherwise cause unhealthy conditions or unpleasant odors for users.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mattress assembly, comprising:
 a mattress core comprising a first support surface configured to face a user applying a weight of the user to the mattress core, a second support surface opposite the first support surface, and a side periphery extending between the first support surface and the second support surface;   a foam base configured to support the weight of the user transmitted through the mattress core; and   at least one foam side support member disposed along the side periphery,   wherein the at least one foam side support member is configured to allow an airflow to exit from and enter into an interior space formed by an inner side surface of each of the at least one foam side support member and a portion of an inner base surface of the foam base, wherein the portion of the inner base surface faces the mattress core.   
     
     
         2 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one foam side support member comprises:
 a first opening in the inner side surface;   a second opening in an outer side surface of the at least one foam side support member, the outer side surface is opposite the inner side surface; and   a passageway surface surrounding a passageway coupling the first opening to the second opening,   wherein the passageway is configured to allow the airflow to exit from and enter into the interior space.   
     
     
         3 . The mattress assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the passageway is not disposed perpendicular to the inner side surface. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the inner side surface and the outer side surface comprise mainly closed cell foam. 
     
     
         5 . The mattress assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the passageway is not disposed parallel to an extrusion direction of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         6 . The mattress assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one foam side support member comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         7 . A mattress assembly, comprising:
 a mattress core comprising a first support surface configured to face a user applying a weight of the user to the mattress core, a second support surface opposite the first support surface, and a side periphery extends between the first support surface and the second support surface;   a foam base configured to support a weight of the mattress core, and the foam base further comprises an inner base surface facing the mattress core; and   at least one foam side support member configured to be disposed along the side periphery, the at least one foam side support member comprises an inner side surface facing the mattress core and an outer side surface opposite the inner side surface, the at least one foam side support member is configured to allow an airflow to exit from and enter into an interior space formed by the inner side surface of each of the at least one foam side support member and a portion of the inner base surface,   wherein the inner side surface and the outer side surface comprise closed cell foam.   
     
     
         8 . The mattress assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one foam side support member comprises:
 a first opening in the inner side surface;   a second opening in the outer side surface of the at least one foam side support member opposite the inner side surface; and   a passageway surface surrounding a passageway connecting the first opening to the second opening,   wherein the passageway is configured to allow the airflow to exit from and enter into the interior space.   
     
     
         9 . The mattress assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the passageway is not perpendicular to the inner side surface. 
     
     
         10 . The mattress assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the inner side surface and the outer side surface include closed cell polyethylene. 
     
     
         11 . The mattress assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the passageway is not parallel to an extrusion direction of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         12 . A mattress assembly, comprising:
 a mattress core comprising a cushioning structure including a first support end configured to receive a weight of a user, a second support end opposite the first support end, and a side periphery;   an enclosure forming an interior space to contain the mattress core, the enclosure comprising:
 a foam base including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface disposed adjacent to the second support end of the mattress core and configured to receive the weight of the user from the mattress core; 
 at least one foam side support member including an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, the at least one foam side support member is disposed along the side periphery and is in communication with the foam base; and 
   an inner surface of the at least one foam side support member forming at least one passageway to permit an airflow between the interior space and an exterior environment.   
     
     
         13 . The mattress assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one passageway comprises an orifice through the foam base, the orifice including a first base opening in the first surface of the foam base and a second base opening in the second surface of the foam base and an inner base surface of the foam base connecting the first base opening and the second base opening. 
     
     
         14 . The mattress assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first surface of the foam base comprises a channel extending across the foam base, and the channel in combination with the at least one foam side support member forms a passageway of the at least one passageway. 
     
     
         15 . The mattress assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the foam base comprises an inner base passageway formed from an internal base surface extending across the foam deck, the internal base surface connecting a first exterior opening to a second exterior opening, and the inner base passageway forming at least a portion of a passageway of the plurality of passageways. 
     
     
         16 . The mattress assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first surface of the foam base is partially formed by a plurality of protrusions extending from a foam deck and extending across the foam deck, the inner base passageway is at least partially disposed within at least one of the plurality of protrusions. 
     
     
         17 . The mattress assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the inner base passageway exchanges airflow through the first surface with a secondary passageway, the secondary passageway extending from a secondary opening in the first surface of the foam base to a secondary opening in the internal base surface. 
     
     
         18 . The mattress assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions comprises opposing sidewalls and a distal end, and the secondary passageway is through at least one of the opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
         19 . The mattress assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the protrusions comprises opposing sidewalls and a distal end, and the secondary passageway is through the distal end. 
     
     
         20 . The mattress assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the secondary passageway exchanges airflow with a hollow portion of the at least one foam side support member through a lower surface opening of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         21 . The mattress assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the hollow portion extends longitudinally across the at least one foam side support member to form at least one longitudinal side support passageway between opposite external openings of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         22 . The mattress assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the hollow portion traverses across a width of the at least one foam side support member to form at least one latitudinal side support passageway between opposite external openings of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         23 . The mattress assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the hollow portion in the at least one foam side support member further exchanges the airflow though a tertiary opening through the inner surface of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         24 . The mattress assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the hollow portion in the at least one foam side support member further exchanges the airflow though a tertiary opening through the outer surface of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         25 . The mattress assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the hollow portion in the at least one foam side support member further exchanges the airflow through a tertiary opening in an upper surface of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         26 . The mattress assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one foam side support member comprises:
 at least one hollow portion; and   a first opening in the inner side surface configured to exchange airflow between the hollow portion and the mattress core.   
     
     
         27 . The mattress assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one foam side support member further comprises a second opening in the outer side surface configured to exchange airflow between the at least one hollow portion and the exterior environment. 
     
     
         28 . The mattress assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one foam side support member further comprises an upper opening in the upper surface configured to exchange airflow between the at least one hollow portion and the exterior environment. 
     
     
         29 . The mattress assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the at least one hollow portion extends longitudinally across the at least one foam side support member to form at least one longitudinal side support passageway between opposite external openings of the at least one side support. 
     
     
         30 . A foam side support member to support a side periphery of a mattress core, comprising a foam body, the foam body comprising:
 a first surface configured to receive a weight of a user, a second surface opposite the first surface to transfer the weight of the user to a foam base,   an inner side surface configured to face an inner space containing a mattress core, the inner side surface connects the first surface to the second surface,   an outer side surface opposite the inner side surface and facing an exterior environment, and   an inner surface forming a passageway configured to exchange airflow between the inner space and the exterior environment.   
     
     
         31 . The foam side support member of  claim 30 , wherein the passageway extends from an opening in the inner side surface to an opening in the outer side surface. 
     
     
         32 . The foam side support member of  claim 30 , wherein the passageway extends from an opening in a second side surface to an opening in the outer side surface. 
     
     
         33 . The foam side support member of  claim 30 , wherein the passageway is not perpendicular to the inner side surface. 
     
     
         34 . The foam side support member of  claim 30 , wherein the inner side surface and the outer side surface comprise mainly closed cell foam. 
     
     
         35 . The foam side support member of  claim 30 , wherein the passageway is not parallel to an extrusion direction of the foam side support member. 
     
     
         36 . The foam side support member of  claim 30 , wherein the foam side support member comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         37 . A side rail assembly for supporting an edge of a mattress, comprising:
 a layer of foam comprising at least one channel and/or a plurality of orifices,   wherein the layer is configured to be disposed about a perimeter of an inner core of the mattress, wherein the at least one channel extends through a length of the layer and the plurality of orifices extend through a width of the layer, and wherein the at least one channel and/or the plurality of orifices are configured to permit the flow of fluid from and to the inner core through the layer.   
     
     
         38 . The side rail assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the layer comprises at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         39 . The side rail assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one channel comprises at least one longitudinal passage. 
     
     
         40 . The side rail assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of orifices comprises at least one passageway formed by an inner surface of the at least one foam side support member to permit an air exchange between the interior space and an exterior environment. 
     
     
         41 . The side rail assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the inner core comprises the mattress core. 
     
     
         42 . The side rail assembly of  claim 38 , wherein the width of the layer comprises a distance between an inner side surface of the at least one foam side support member and the outer side surface of the at least one foam side support member. 
     
     
         43 . The side rail assembly of  claim 37 , wherein the flow of fluid comprises an air exchange. 
     
     
         44 . The side rail assembly of  claim 39 , further comprising at least one inter-level channel connecting the at least one channel. 
     
     
         45 . The side rail assembly of  claim 38 , further comprising at opening at a bottom surface or a second side of the at least one foam side support member, the opening is configured to be in fluid communication with a hollow portion of the at least one foam side support member and an inner base passageway of a foam base. 
     
     
         46 . The mattress assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one passageway comprises a plurality of passageways which are horizontally aligned and vertically offset.