IP Library Granted Patent US 11,957,251
Granted Patent B2
US 11,957,251 · App. 17/544,079 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

Active comfort controlled bedding systems

Inventors: Michael S. DeFranks (Atlanta, GA); Rahul Kirtikar (Atlanta, GA)
Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
A47C27/083A47C21/006A47C21/044A47C21/048A47C27/10A47C27/18A47C31/105A61H9/0078A61G7/05769A61G7/05784A61G2203/34A61H2201/0103A61H2201/0107A61H2201/0146A61H2201/1604A61H2201/1623A61H2201/5002A61H2201/5038A61H2201/5051A61H2201/5071A61H2203/0456A61H2205/02A61H2205/081A61H2205/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,957,251
App. No.
17/544,079
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of air bladders followed a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of air bladders to provide a massaging action.

Claims (7)

1. A process of providing a massaging action to an end user in an active comfort controlled bedding system, the process comprising:

adjusting an internal pressure within a plurality of air bladders provided in an innercore unit having an applied load thereon from an end user, wherein each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder and are transversely positioned relative to a longitudinal axis of the bedding system, and wherein adjusting the internal pressure comprises providing a repeating pattern defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of air bladders followed a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of air bladders to provide the massaging action, wherein an initial air pressure in the plurality of air bladders underlying an intermediate seat region of the active comfort controlled bedding system is greater than an initial air pressure in the plurality of air bladders underlying a leg and foot region, wherein, relative to the initial air pressures, a volume of air exhausted from the selected plurality of air bladders by a pump during the subsequent pressure decrease to effect deflation is greater than a volume of air admitted in the selected plurality of air bladders during the pressure increase to effect inflation.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air bladders are disposed in a mattress topper.

3. The process of claim 2 , further comprising conditioning an upward flow of air through the mattress topper during the massaging action.

4. The process of claim 3 , further comprising filtering the upward flow of air through the mattress topper during the massaging action.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the repeating pattern is a wave pattern.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air bladders are disposed in an innercore unit.

Assignments (16)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2024
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; SSB MANUFACTURING COMPANY; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC
To: ECLIPSE BUSINESS CAPITAL LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068219/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; NATIONAL BEDDING COMPANY, L.L.C.; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; SSB MANUFACTURING COMPANY; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; DREAMWELL, LTD.
To: ECLIPSE BUSINESS CAPITAL LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 068325/0886 →
TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 10, 2024
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.; NATIONAL BEDDING COMPANY, L.L.C.; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; SSB MANUFACTURING COMPANY; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
Reel/Frame 067379/0782 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2023
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; NATIONAL BEDDING COMPANY, L.L.C.; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 064193/0668 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DREAMWELL, LTD.; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC
Reel/Frame 064185/0454 →
TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; NATIONAL BEDDING COMPANY, L.L.C.; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC; SSB MANUFACTURING COMPANY
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064185/0583 →
RELEASE OF SUPER-PRIORITY SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DREAMWELL, LTD.; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC
Reel/Frame 064185/0538 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: ECLIPSE BUSINESS CAPITAL LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DREAMWELL, LTD.; SSB MANUFACTURING COMPANY; NATIONAL BEDDING COMPANY L.L.C.; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC
Reel/Frame 064185/0236 →
NOTICE OF AGENCY RESIGNATION AND ASSIGNMENT OF SUPER-PRIORITY TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Feb 6, 2023
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS THE RESIGNING ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 062682/0540 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.; SSB MANUFACTURING; NATIONAL BEDDING; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC
To: ECLIPSE BUSINESS CAPITAL LLC
Reel/Frame 062571/0391 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF ABL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jan 27, 2023
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DREAMWELL, LTD.; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC
Reel/Frame 062526/0068 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2023
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.; SSB MANUFACTURING; NATIONAL BEDDING; SERTA SIMMONS BEDDING, LLC; TUFT & NEEDLE, LLC; TOMORROW SLEEP LLC
To: ECLIPSE BUSINESS CAPITAL LLC
Reel/Frame 062525/0458 →
ABL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Dec 23, 2022
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 062212/0277 →
FIRST LIEN TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Dec 23, 2022
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 062212/0194 →
SUPER-PRIORITY TERM LOAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Dec 23, 2022
From: DREAMWELL, LTD.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 062212/0165 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 8, 2021
From: DEFRANKS, MICHAEL S.; KIRTIKAR, RAHUL
To: DREAMWELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058330/0307 →