Adjustable mattress side rails

Abstract

A side rail of a mattress that may be used with an adjustable bed may include a main body that facilitate adjustment of the mattress while maximizing contact between a bottom of the mattress and an upper supporting surface of an adjustable bedframe. More specifically, the main body of the side rail may include a top edge with one or more upper recesses therein and a bottom edge with one or more lower recesses therein. An upper insert may be secured within each upper recess, while a lower insert may be secured within each lower recess. The material from which each upper insert and lower insert is formed may be more compressible than a material from which the main body of the side rail is formed to enable the side rail and the mattress to bend with the supporting surface of the adjustable bedframe.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A side rail for a mattress for an adjustable bed, comprising:
 a main body comprising a first material having a first rigidity and a first compressibility;   at least one upper recess extending into a top edge of the main body, partially into a height of the main body, and across an entirety of a width of the main body, the at least one upper recess including:
 a base adjacent to but spaced apart from a bottom edge of the main body; 
 a head surface extending at a non-perpendicular angle to the top edge, to the base and toward a foot end of the main body; and 
 a foot surface extending at a non-perpendicular angle to the top edge, to the base and toward a head end of the main body; 
   at least one upper insert substantially filling the at least one upper recess, the at least one upper insert comprising a second material and including a top edge coplanar with the top edge of the main body, a base adjacent to the base of the at least one upper recess, a head surface adjacent to the head surface of the at least one upper recess, and a foot surface adjacent to the foot surface of the at least one upper recess;   at least one lower recess extending into the bottom edge of the main body, partially into the height of the main body, and across the entirety of the width of the main body, the at least one lower recess including:
 a top adjacent to but spaced apart from the top edge of the main body; 
 a head surface extending at an angle to the bottom surface, to the top; and 
 a foot surface extending at an angle to the bottom surface, to the top; and 
   at least one lower insert substantially filling the at least one lower recess, the at least one lower insert comprising a third material and including a bottom edge coplanar with the bottom edge of the main body, a top adjacent to the top of the at least one lower recess, a head surface adjacent to the head surface of the at least one lower recess, and a foot surface adjacent to the foot surface of the at least one lower recess.   
     
     
         2 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one upper recess is positioned at a location where an upper surface of the mattress is expected to bend concavely. 
     
     
         3 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one lower recess is positioned at a location where the upper surface of the mattress is expected to bend convexly. 
     
     
         4 . The side rail of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of upper recesses, a plurality of upper inserts, a plurality of lower recesses, and a plurality of lower inserts. 
     
     
         5 . The side rail of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of upper recesses and the plurality of upper inserts are grouped together. 
     
     
         6 . The side rail of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of lower recesses and the plurality of lower inserts are grouped together. 
     
     
         7 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the base of the at least one upper recess is defined by a junction between the head surface and the foot surface of the at least one upper recess. 
     
     
         8 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the base of the at least one upper recess is elongated. 
     
     
         9 . The side rail of  claim 8 , wherein the base of the at least one upper recess is substantially parallel to the bottom edge of the main body. 
     
     
         10 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the top of the at least one lower recess is defined by a junction between the head surface and the foot surface of the at least one lower recess. 
     
     
         11 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the top of the at least one lower recess is elongated. 
     
     
         12 . The side rail of  claim 11 , wherein the top of the at least one lower recess is substantially parallel to the top edge of the main body. 
     
     
         13 . The side rail of  claim 1 , wherein the second material and the third material are less rigid and more compressible than the first material. 
     
     
         14 . A mattress for an adjustable bed, comprising:
 a foundation including a base, a head rail, a foot rail, and a pair of side rails defining a receptacle, each side rail including:
 a main body formed from a first compressible material and including a top edge with at least one upper recess therein and a bottom edge with at least one lower recess therein; 
 at least one upper insert formed from a second compressible material secured within the at least one upper recess; 
 at least one lower insert formed from a third compressible material secured within the at least one lower recess; 
   a cushioning element within the receptacle defined by the foundation; and   a cover over the cushioning element, the head rail, the foot rail, and the pair of side rails of the foundation.   
     
     
         15 . The mattress of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one upper recess and the at least one upper insert has a shape of a triangular prism. 
     
     
         16 . The mattress of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one lower recess and the at least one lower insert has a shape of a triangular prism, a trapezoidal prism, or a rectangular prism. 
     
     
         17 . The mattress of  claim 14 , wherein the second compressible material and the third compressible material are more compressible than the first material. 
     
     
         18 . The mattress of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a gel cushion over the cushioning element and comprising interconnected walls formed from an elastomeric material and defining an array of columnar voids.   
     
     
         19 . The mattress of  claim 14 , wherein the cushioning element comprises an array of coils and/or at least one pressurizable bladder. 
     
     
         20 . An adjustable bed, comprising:
 an adjustable frame including:
 a support surface including a plurality of support elements; 
 at least one concavely bending joint between a head support element and an intermediate support element of the plurality of support elements; and 
 at least one convexly bending joint between the intermediate support element and a foot support element of the plurality of support elements; and 
   a mattress on a support surface of the adjustable frame and including:
 a foundation including a base, a head rail, a foot rail, and a pair of side rails defining a receptacle, each side rail including:
 a main body formed from a first compressible material and including a top edge with at least one upper recess therein, the upper recess positioned over the at least one concavely bending joint of the adjustable frame, and a bottom edge with at least one lower recess therein, the at least one lower recess positioned over the at least one convexly bending joint of the adjustable frame; 
 at least one upper insert formed from a second compressible material secured within the at least one upper recess; 
 at least one lower insert formed from a third compressible material secured within the at least one lower recess; 
 a cushioning element within the receptacle defined by the foundation; and 
 a cover over the cushioning element, the head rail, the foot rail, and the pair of side rails of the foundation.