Pillowtop mattress including foam encased topper

Abstract

Pillowtop mattresses include a pillowtop portion including a foam encased topper. The foam encased topper includes a center foam encased by a foam rail about a perimeter of the center foam. The center foam has an indention force deflection value less than the foam rail. The pillowtop mattresses further include a fabric top panel assembly, which can be smooth or quilted, that includes a flange extending about a perimeter thereof, wherein the flange can be stapled under tension to the foam rail of the foam encased topper during assembly of the pillowtop mattress.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foam encased topper for a pillowtop mattress assembly comprising:
 a planar layer of foam comprising a foam center encased by a foam rail about a perimeter of the foam center, wherein the foam rail has an indention force deflection (IFD) value greater than the foam center.   
     
     
         2 . The mattress topper of  claim 1 , wherein the foam center has an IFD in a range from 9 to 22 pounds-force and the foam rail has an IFD in a range from 28 to 40 pounds-force. 
     
     
         3 . The mattress topper of  claim 1 , wherein the foam center is a viscoelastic foam and the foam rail is a non-viscoelastic polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         4 . The mattress topper of  claim 1 , wherein the foam center and/or the foam rail is a foam laminate comprising multiple foam layers. 
     
     
         5 . The mattress topper of  claim 3 , further comprising a phase change material on or impregnated in any one or combination of the foam center, and the foam rail. 
     
     
         6 . The mattress topper of  claim 1 , wherein the foam rail comprises polyurethane, latex, polystyrene, polyethylene, or polypropylene. 
     
     
         7 . A pillowtop mattress comprising:
 a pillowtop portion, wherein the pillowtop portion comprises a fabric top panel assembly including a flange about a perimeter thereof, a foam encased topper including a planar layer of foam comprising a foam center encased by a foam rail about a perimeter of the foam center, wherein the foam rail has an indention force deflection (IFD) value greater than the foam center, wherein the flange from the fabric top panel assembly is affixed under tension to the foam rail; and   a mattress portion comprising an upper deck surface, wherein the foam encased topper is adhesively coupled to the upper deck surface and the top fabric panel assembly is sewn to a border fabric thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the flange is affixed under tension to the foam rail with staples. 
     
     
         9 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 8 , wherein the staples are horizontally stapled at or below a midline of the foam rail and are spaced apart by a distance of 10 inches or less. 
     
     
         10 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the foam encased topper comprising the foam center and the foam rail are adhesively coupled to form a vertical seam therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the foam center has an IFD in a range from 9 to 22 pounds-force and the foam rail has an IFD in a range from 28 to 40 pounds-force. 
     
     
         12 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the foam center is a viscoelastic foam and the foam rail is a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         13 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the foam center and/or the foam rail is a foam laminate comprising multiple foam layers. 
     
     
         14 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , further comprising a phase change material on or impregnated in any one or combination of the fabric top panel assembly, the foam center, and the foam rail. 
     
     
         15 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the foam rail comprises polyurethane, latex, polystyrene, polyethylene, or polypropylene. 
     
     
         16 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the fabric top panel assembly provides a smooth surface. 
     
     
         17 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 7 , wherein the fabric top panel assembly comprises a fabric top panel, a flame retardant knit, an upholstery foam, and a stretchable knit, wherein the upholstery foam is sandwiched between the flame retardant knit and the stretchable knit to form a subassembly that underlies the top fabric panel. 
     
     
         18 . A pillowtop mattress comprising:
 a pillowtop portion comprising a foam encased topper including a planar layer of foam comprising a foam center encased by a foam rail about a perimeter of the center foam, wherein the foam rail has an indention force deflection (IFD) value greater than the foam center.   
     
     
         19 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 18 , wherein the foam center has an IFD in a range from 9 to 22 pounds-force and the foam rail has an IFD in a range from 28 to 40 pounds-force. 
     
     
         20 . The pillowtop mattress of  claim 18 , wherein the foam rail has a width of 2 to 4 inches and a height of 2 to 4 inches, and the center foam includes top and bottom planar surfaces coplanar to the top and bottom surfaces of the foam rail.