IP Library Granted Patent US 12,588,768
Granted Patent B2
US 12,588,768 · App. 17/226,764 · Granted Mar 31, 2026

Article and system for heating or cooling a surface

Inventors: Tara Youngblood (Mooresville, NC); Todd Youngblood (Mooresville, NC)
Assignee: Sleep Solutions Inc.
A47C21/044F25B21/02F25D17/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,588,768
App. No.
17/226,764
Granted
Mar 31, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides systems, methods, and articles for stress reduction and sleep promotion. A stress reduction and sleep promotion system includes at least one remote device, at least one body sensor, and at least one remote server. In other embodiments, the stress reduction and sleep promotion system includes machine learning.

Claims (37)

1 . An article for temperature conditioning a surface comprising:

a first layer, including a central axis;

wherein the first layer includes at least one interior chamber and a plurality of shapes and wherein the first layer includes first and second sublayers wherein separation between the first and second sublayers defines the alt least one interior chamber, and wherein the first and second sublayers are joined at a perimeter of each of the plurality of shapes;

at least one fluid supply line for delivering a fluid to the at least one interior chamber; and

at least one fluid return line for removing the fluid from the at least one interior chamber;

wherein the fluid does not flow through the plurality of shapes.

2 . The article of claim 1 , further comprising a second layer, wherein the second layer is permanently affixed to the first layer, and wherein the second layer is waterproof.

3 . The article of claim 2 , wherein the second layer is permanently affixed to the first layer along a periphery of the article and a periphery of each of the plurality of shapes.

4 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shapes are hexagonal.

5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first layer includes an elliptical weld line.

6 . The article of claim 5 , wherein the area proximate to the elliptical weld line contains no shapes, such that the elliptical weld line does not intersect with any of the plurality of shapes.

7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the fluid is water.

8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein plurality of shapes closer to the central axis are spaced further apart than the plurality of shapes further from the central axis.

9 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shapes includes a plurality of holes in the first layer.

10 . A system for temperature conditioning a surface, comprising:

an article for adjusting a temperature of a surface, including a first layer, including a central axis;

wherein the first layer includes at least one interior chamber and a plurality of shapes, and wherein the first layer includes first and second sublayers, wherein separation between the first and second sublayers defines the at least one interior chamber, and wherein the first and second sublayers are joined at a perimeter of each of the plurality of shapes;

at least one fluid supply line for delivering a fluid to the at least one interior chamber;

at least one fluid return line for removing the fluid from the at least one interior chamber;

wherein the fluid does not flow through the plurality of shapes; and

a control unit connected to the at least one fluid supply line and the at least one fluid return line;

wherein the control unit is operable to pump fluid into the article and draw fluid out of the article.

11 . The system of claim 10 , when the article includes a second layer, wherein the second layer is permanently affixed to the first layer, and wherein the second layer is waterproof.

12 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shapes are hexagonal.

13 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the first layer includes an elliptical weld line.

14 . The article of claim 5 , wherein the area proximate to the elliptical weld line contains no shapes, such that the elliptical weld line does not intersect with any of the plurality of shapes.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the fluid is water.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein plurality of shapes closer to the central axis are spaced further apart than the plurality of shapes further from the central axis.

17 . An article for temperature-conditioning a surface comprising:

a first layer, including a central axis;

wherein the first layer includes at least one interior chamber and a plurality of shapes, and wherein the first layer includes first and second sublayers, wherein separation between the first and second sublayers defines the at least one interior chamber, and wherein the first and second sublayers are joined at a perimeter of each of the plurality of shapes;

at least one fluid supply line for delivering a fluid to the at least one interior chamber;

at least one fluid return line for removing the fluid from the at least one interior chamber;

wherein the fluid does not flow through the plurality of shapes; and

wherein the first layer includes an elliptical weld line.

18 . The article of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of shapes includes shapes of a multiplicity of sizes, wherein the shapes closer to the central axis are smaller than the shapes further from the central axis.

19 . The article of claim 17 , further including a second layer, wherein the second layer is permanently affixed to the first layer, and wherein the second layer is waterproof.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2025
From: SLEEPME INC.
To: SLEEP SOLUTIONS INC.
Reel/Frame 070147/0875 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 16, 2021
From: KRYO, INC.
To: SLEEPME INC.
Reel/Frame 058146/0864 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2021
From: YOUNGBLOOD, TODD; YOUNGBLOOD, TARA
To: KRYO, INC.
Reel/Frame 056039/0988 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation In Part 16715652 · Dec 16, 2019
Continuation In Part 15848816 · Dec 20, 2017
Continuation In Part 15705829 · Sep 15, 2017
Continuation In Part 14777050
Provisional Application 62780637 · Dec 17, 2018
Provisional Application 62398257 · Sep 22, 2016
Provisional Application 61800768 · Mar 15, 2013
Related Publication 20210219737A1 · Jul 22, 2021
References Cited (109)
US 2753435A · Ivar · 1956 [cited by applicant]
US 4132262A · Wibell · 1979 [cited by applicant]
US 4459468A · Bailey · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 4777802A · Feher · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4858609A · Cole · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 5033136A · Elkins · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5304112A · Mrklas et al. · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5329096A · Suematsu · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5448788A · Wu · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5894615A · Alexander · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5948303A · Larson · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6163907A · Larson · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6273810B1 · Rhodes, Jr. et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6371976B1 · Vrzalik et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6484062B1 · Kim · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6581224B2 · Yoon · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6826792B2 · Lin · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 7041049B1 · Raniere · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7238289B2 · Suddath · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7248915B2 · Rönnholm · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7306567B2 · Loree · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7460899B2 · Almen · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7524279B2 · Auphan · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7608041B2 · Sutton · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7699785B2 · Nemoto · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7868757B2 · Radivojevic et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8096960B2 · Loree et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8179270B2 · Rai et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8191187B2 · Brykalski et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8290596B2 · Wei et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8348840B2 · Heit et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8418285B2 · Frias · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8529457B2 · Devot et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8617044B2 · Pelgrim et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8768520B2 · Oexman et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9186479B1 · Franceschetti et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9196479B1 · Cheng et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9750415B2 · Breslow et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10391009B2 · Bhai · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10923226B2 · Macary et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10959667B2 · Xin et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20020014951A1 · Kramer et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020080035A1 · Youdenko · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020124574A1 · Guttman et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20040049132A1 · Barron et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050143617A1 · Auphan · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050154330A1 · Loree · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060137099A1 · Feher · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060293602A1 · Clark · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060293608A1 · Rothman et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20080016881A1 · Steffensen et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080234785A1 · Nakayama et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090112069A1 · Kanamori et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090288800A1 · Kang et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100011502A1 · Brykalski et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100100004A1 · Someren · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100199687A1 · Woods et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100324611A1 · Deming et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110015495A1 · Dothie et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110073292A1 · Datta et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110107514A1 · Brykalski et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110153274A1 · Ho et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110181597A1 · Cardno et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110230790A1 · Kozlov · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110252461A1 · Wetzer et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110267196A1 · Hu et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120054754A1 · Teichmann et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120136666A1 · Corpier et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120159968A1 · Doucet et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120296402A1 · Kotter · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130019611A1 · Sims et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130060306A1 · Colbauch · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130208576A1 · Loree, IV et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130234823A1 · Kahn et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130304768A1 · Basnight et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140006001A1 · Kamhi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140208508A1 · Mikesell · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140277308A1 · Cronise et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150203068A1 · Foo et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150351982A1 · Krenik · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150366703A1 · Du · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160015184A1 · Nunn et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160029808A1 · Youngblood et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160136385A1 · Scorcioni · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160151603A1 · Shouldice et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160239624A1 · Short et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160249842A1 · Lubelchick · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160310697A1 · Franceschetti et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170053068A1 · Pillai et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170208961A1 · Marshall · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170231812A1 · Boyden et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180110960A1 · Youngblood et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180325450A1 · Huang · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180344517A1 · Nofzinger · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190099009A1 · Connor · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190209405A1 · Sayadi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200100682A1 · Abreu et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200113344A1 · Youngblood et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200236907A1 · Nilsson et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200337470A1 · Sayadi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200397379A1 · Franceschetti et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
KR 20060019762A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
KR 20110102637A · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2014145436A1 · 2014 [cited by applicant]
Buysse, D.J., Reynolds, C.F., Monk, T.H., Berman, S.R., & Kupfer, D.J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): A new instrument for psychiatric research and practice. Psychiatry Research, 28(2), 193-213. [cited by applicant]
Quan, S. F. et. al; “Healthy Sleep The Characteristics of Sleep” (Sep. 21, 2016) pp. 1-4, retrieved from http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/what/characteristics. [cited by applicant]
Tobaldini, E. et. al; “Heart rate variability in normal and pathological sleep”, Frontiers in Physiology, (Oct. 16, 2013), p. 1-11, vol. 4, Article 294, doi: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00294. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 61/800,768 Youngblood, Thermo electric heating and cooling device, filed Mar. 15, 2013, Drawings and Specification. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 62/398,257, Youngblood, Bed Pad With Custom Modulated Temperature Adjustment, filed Sep. 22, 2016, Drawings and Specification. [cited by applicant]