Foam block mattress assembly

Abstract

Mattress assemblies are provided that include a plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks configured to attach to one or more adjacent visco-elastic foams blocks. Bed assemblies are also provided that include the mattress assemblies and further include a frame having rails with a height that, upon placement of a foundation and the mattress assembly in the frame, cover at least a portion of a side of each visco-elastic foam block to thereby secure the visco-elastic blocks in the frame in a predetermined configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mattress assembly, comprising a plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks, each visco-elastic foam block configured to attach to one or more adjacent visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         2 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each visco-elastic foam block includes a connector for attaching each visco-elastic foam block to an adjacent visco-elastic foam block. 
     
     
         3 . The mattress assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the connector comprises a strip of hook or loop fastener material. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks comprises at least  6  visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         5 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks is arranged in a first row of visco-elastic foam blocks and a second row of visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         6 . The mattress assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first row of visco-elastic foam blocks has a density different than that of the second row of visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         7 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks comprises visco-elastic foam blocks having different densities. 
     
     
         8 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each visco-elastic foam block includes an upper comfort layer and a bottom support layer. 
     
     
         9 . The mattress assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the upper comfort layer has a density less than that of the bottom support layer. 
     
     
         10 . The mattress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each visco-elastic foam block has a weight of about 30 to about 40 pounds. 
     
     
         11 . A mattress assembly, comprising a plurality of visco-elastic blocks arranged in at least a first row and a second row of visco-elastic foam blocks, each visco-elastic foam block configured to attach to one or more adjacent visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         12 . The mattress assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first row and the second row are dimensionally-sized to support a user lying in a supine or prone position. 
     
     
         13 . The mattress assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first row and the second row of visco-elastic foam blocks are each comprised of at least three visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         14 . The mattress assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the first row of visco-elastic foam blocks has a density different than that of the second row of visco-elastic foam blocks. 
     
     
         15 . A bed assembly, comprising:
 a mattress including a plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks, each visco-elastic foam block configured to attach to one or more adjacent visco-elastic foams blocks; and   a frame for securing the plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks in a predetermined configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The bed assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a foundation for supporting the mattress. 
     
     
         17 . The bed assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the frame includes rails having a height such that, upon placement of the foundation and the mattress in the frame, the rails cover at least a portion of a side of each visco-elastic foam block to secure the plurality of visco-elastic blocks in the frame in the predetermined configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The bed assembly of  claim 15 , wherein each visco-elastic foam block includes a connector for attaching each visco-elastic foam block to an adjacent visco-elastic foam block. 
     
     
         19 . The bed assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the connector comprises strips of hook or loop fastener material. 
     
     
         20 . The bed assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of visco-elastic foam blocks comprises at least 6 visco-elastic foam blocks.