Granted Patent B2

US 8,875,585 · App. 13/593,821 · Granted Nov 4, 2014

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. An apparatus for testing a mattress system comprising:

a robotic arm assembly;

a mannequin coupled to the robotic arm assembly; and

a multi-axial load cell operably connected to the mannequin,

wherein the robotic arm assembly is configured to position the mannequin in a plurality of positions upon a mattress system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multi-axial load cell comprises at least one sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor measures the load response of force exerted by an end of the robotic arm assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an operating system, wherein the operating system directs the operation of the robotic arm assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the operating system directs the operation of the robotic arm assembly in response to force feedback provided by a multi-axial load cell.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the operating system comprises a computer processor and memory.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the operating system collects and stores data from the robotic arm assembly or mannequin generated during the testing of a mattress system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mannequin is a partial body mannequin.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mannequin is a full body mannequin.

10. A system for testing a mattress system comprising:

a robotic arm assembly comprising an arm and an end-of-arm attachment;

a mannequin coupled to the end-of-arm attachment; and

an operating system, wherein the operating system is configured to direct the movement of the robotic arm assembly and mannequin about a mattress system such that the mannequin at least slides and rotates on the surface of the mattress system.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the operating system collects and stores data gathered during the movement of the robotic arm assembly.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the data can be processed to determine the firmness or surface depression of the mattress system.

13. A method for testing a mattress system comprising:

applying a force upon a mattress system using a mannequin;

sliding the mannequin from a first edge of the mattress system to an inner region of the mattress system; and

rotating the mannequin on a surface of the mattress system.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the force is applied upon the first edge of the mattress system.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

sliding the mannequin to a second position in the inner region of the mattress system.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein rotating the mannequin on a surface of the mattress system comprises rotating the mannequin from a first orientation to a second orientation.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the rotating the mannequin comprises rotating the mannequin at least 60 degrees.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mannequin remains stationary for a specified period of time in at least one position on the mattress system.

19. A method for testing a mattress system comprising:

applying a force upon a mattress system using a mannequin;

sliding the mannequin from a first edge of the mattress system to an inner region of the mattress system;

rotating the mannequin on a surface of the mattress system from a first orientation to a second orientation;

rotating the mannequin from the second orientation to the first orientation;

sliding the mannequin in the first orientation from the inner region of the mattress system to the first edge of the mattress system; and

removing the force upon the first edge of the mattress system by lifting the mannequin such that the mannequin does not contact the mattress system.

Assignments (7)