Mattress with Needlepunched, Flame Retardant Fabric Barrier

Abstract

A non-flip mattress with top side and bottom side and depending edges; wherein the bottom side is covered with a flame-resistant, highly needled, double-sided-calendered, needlepunch nonwoven fabric that passes 16 CFR 1633. The nonwoven fabric is a double-calendered, 80/20 flame-resistant rayon/polyester blend needled with a minimum of 190 punches per cm.sup.2 and with increased tensile strength.

Claims

1. A non-flip mattress comprising: a top side, a bottom side, and depending sides; wherein the bottom side includes a flame-retardant, calendered, needlepunch nonwoven fabric; wherein the nonwoven fabric includes polyester; and wherein the nonwoven fabric is needled with a minimum needle punch density of about 150 punches per cm.sup.2.

2. The non-flip mattress of claim 1, wherein the non-flip mattress passes an open flame test according to the requirements of 16 CFR 1633.

3. The non-flip mattress of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric includes rayon.

4. The non-flip mattress of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric is needled with a maximum needle punch density of about 300 punches per cm.sup.2.

5. The non-flip mattress of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of at least about 3 oz/yd.sup.2, a Machine Direction (MD) tensile strength of at least about 40 lbs, and/or a Cross Direction (CD) tensile strength of at least about 40 lbs.

6. The non-flip mattress of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric and the polyester are not treated with a flame retardant.

7. A filler cloth for mattresses and box-springs comprising: a flame-retardant, calendered, needlepunch nonwoven fabric; wherein the nonwoven fabric includes polyester; and wherein the nonwoven fabric is needled with a minimum needle punch density of about 150 punches per cm.sup.2.

8. The filler cloth of claim 7, wherein the filler cloth passes an open flame test according to the requirements of 16 CFR 1633.

9. The filler cloth of claim 7, wherein the nonwoven fabric includes rayon.

10. The filler cloth of claim 7, wherein the nonwoven fabric is needled with a maximum needle punch density of about 300 punches per cm.sup.2.

11. The filler cloth of claim 7, wherein the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of at least about 3 oz/yd.sup.2, a Machine Direction (MD) tensile strength of at least about 40 lbs, and/or a Cross Direction (CD) tensile strength of at least about 40 lbs.

12. The filler cloth of claim 7, wherein the nonwoven fabric and the polyester are not treated with a flame retardant.

13. The filler cloth of claim 7, wherein the nonwoven fabric is double-sided-calendered.

14. A nonwoven fabric comprising: a flame-retardant, calendered, needlepunch nonwoven fabric; wherein the nonwoven fabric includes polyester; and wherein the nonwoven fabric is needled with a minimum needle punch density of about 150 punches per cm.sup.2.

15. The nonwoven fabric of claim 14, wherein the filler cloth passes an open flame test according to the requirements of 16 CFR 1633.

16. The nonwoven fabric of claim 14, wherein the nonwoven fabric includes flame-resistant rayon.

17. The nonwoven fabric of claim 14, wherein the nonwoven fabric is needled with a maximum needle punch density of about 300 punches per cm.sup.2.

18. The nonwoven fabric of claim 14, wherein the nonwoven fabric has a basis weight of at least about 3 oz/yd.sup.2, a Machine Direction (MD) tensile strength of at least about 40 lbs and/or a Cross Direction (CD) tensile strength of at least about 40 lbs.

19. The nonwoven fabric of claim 14, wherein the nonwoven fabric and the polyester are not treated with a flame retardant.

20. The nonwoven fabric of claim 14, wherein the nonwoven fabric is double-sided-calendered.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 is a partial exploded top perspective view of a mattress according to the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of a mattress according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention is generally directed to mattresses with a flame-retardant barrier fabric and mattresses and box-springs with a flame-retardant filler cloth-barrier fabric. The present invention uses a high-strength, highly needled, double-sided-calendered, needlepunch nonwoven fabric as a flame-retardant barrier fabric in mattress applications.

[0040] The present invention provides a highly needled, double-sided-calendered, needlepunch nonwoven as a flame-retardant filler cloth and barrier fabric for mattresses. The fabric is used on the bottom side of no-flip mattresses. It is also used as an inner barrier behind the zipper of mattress covers.

[0041] In one embodiment, the present invention is a mattress with a flame-resistant or flame-retardant filler cloth-barrier fabric; wherein the fabric is a high-strength, highly needled, double-sided-calendered, needlepunch nonwoven fabric.

[0042] None of the prior art discloses a highly needled, double-sided calendered, flame-retardant fabric with increased flame-retardance and strength relative to fabrics with similar basis weights.

[0043] Current flame barrier fabrics are made through higher-cost textile processes such as stitchbonding, knitting, weaving and spunlace/hydroentangling. Needlepunch nonwovens are typically a lower cost option to traditional textiles but up until now have not been used as a barrier fabric as they have not been able to pass the 16 CFR 1633 open flame test as described in the Federal Register/Vol. 71, No. 50/Wednesday, Mar. 15, 2006/Rules and Regulations; p. 13472-13523, and updated in 16 CFR 1633 in the version of 2011, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0044] Furthermore, the present invention overcomes some of the other drawbacks of the prior art. For example, stitchbond products do not have as strong a trap tear and cannot be perforated. Perforated material reduces labor and time in the mattress manufacturing process. Also, lightly needled products do not have enough physical strength to meet application requirements; knit products have too much elongation for use in the application, and spunlace products have too weak a Cross Direction (CD) vs Machine Direction (MD) strength for use in the application.

[0045] The current invention uses a combination of high-density needlepunching and high-temperature, high-pressure, double-sided calendering to achieve the required flame retardance, and thus offers a more cost-effective solution than the prior art methods. Surprisingly, the intensive needlepunching and calendering created a material that was stronger and with greater flame-retardant properties than expected, which permitted a reduction of basis weight and a reduction of flame-retardant fibers in the blend. Reducing the percentage of flame-retardant fibers further reduces the cost of the finished product. More specifically, the fabric of the present invention as described herein was stronger than anticipated, with a CD tensile strength and CD trap tear strength approximately double that of prior art fabrics.

[0046] Basis Weight

[0047] The fabric of the present invention has a basis weight preferably between about 3 and about 6 oz/yd.sup.2.

[0048] Flame-Resistant Fiber Blend

[0049] The fabric of the present invention is preferably made with flame-resistant or flame-retardant (FR) fibers. More preferably, the fabric is made with inherently FR fibers. Even more preferably, the fabric is made with inherent FR rayon.

[0050] Advantageously, the fabric of the present invention formed with these characteristics that improves flame retardancy and/or resistance. Thus, the fabric construction and resulting structure contribute to the FR properties of the fabric, mattress and filler cloth.

[0051] The staple fibers used in the material of the present invention are preferably a blend of polyester and flame-resistant/retardant rayon (FR rayon). The blend is preferably 80/20 FR rayon/polyester. The fabric of the present invention passes 16 CFR Part 1633 (version January 2011) at ratios from 60/40 to 90/10. Thus, the process of the present invention creates a flame-retardant fabric which permits the reduced use of flame-retardant fibers.

[0052] Rayon from any process that can be made flame-resistant or flame-retardant can be used, including viscose rayon, modal rayon and lyocell rayon. Advantageously, blends of these fibers are also used in the present invention. Inherent FR rayon is the preferred blend for use with the present.

[0053] Other fibers and fiber blend can be used; for example, FR fibers such as FR acrylic fiber, FR melamine fiber, FR polyester fiber, FR polyolefin fiber, or FR resin coated fiber.

[0054] Preferably, inherent flame resistant and/or retardant fabrics and fibers are used with the fabric of the present invention; inherent fibers and fabrics made therefrom do not need to be chemically treated to be flame resistant (FR). The flame-resistant properties are an essential characteristic of the fiber chemistry. These fibers are flame resistant fibers, but from creation of the fibers themselves. Both inherent fabrics and fibers cannot lose their flame-resistant properties from normal wear or laundering. The fabric of the present invention and its application for providing a non-flip mattress will keep its flame-resistant characteristics throughout its life. More preferably, the fabric of the present invention is made from inherently flame-resistant rayon.

[0055] In an alternative embodiment, treated fibers may be used instead of or in addition to inherent FR fibers; treated fibers are those that have a flame retardant chemical that is applied during the fiber forming process, resulting in flame-resistant fibers. Fabrics made from treated fibers are flame-resistant for the life of the article. The flame retardant chemical cannot be removed by normal wear, use, or cleaning of the article. By way of example and not limitation, one fiber type is a treated 100% rayon such as commercially available Lenzing FR, which is a man-made cellulosic fiber made by Lenzing AG, wherein the fibers get treated in the fiber forming process and are flame resistant for the life of the article.

[0056] Needlepunch

[0057] The fabric of the present invention is highly needled to increase the density of the needlepunched nonwoven fabric of the present invention.

[0058] In preferred embodiments, the nonwoven fabric of the present invention has a needle punch density between about 150 and about 220 punches/cm.sup.2. Preferably, the fabric of the present invention is needled with a minimum of 190 punches per cm.sup.2. In one embodiment, the fabric of the present invention is needed with a maximum of 300 punches per cm.sup.2. In an example embodiment, the tackers provide a minimum of 60 strokes or punches per cm.sup.2; the loom 1 up punch provides a minimum of 65 strokes per cm.sup.2, and the loom 2 down punch provides a minimum of 65 strokes per cm.sup.2. The process thus provides a resulting fabric with the same punch density as similar weight construction fabrics used in for similar applications.

[0059] Calendering

[0060] The fabric of the present invention is calendered on both sides. In an example embodiment, the fabric of the present invention is calendered at between about 280 degrees F. and about 480 degrees F. at a pressure of between about 700 and about 1,300 PSI. Preferably, the fabric of the present invention is calendered at approximately 177 degrees C. (approximately 350 degrees F.) at a pressure of approximately 1,000 PSI.

[0061] Strength

[0062] The present method produces a high-strength fabric that is stronger, ounce per ounce, when compared to similar basis weight fabric produced by other methods (spunlace, stitchbond, etc.). For example, as shown in Table 1, the fabric of the present invention has an MD Tensile Strength that is 15-25% higher versus similar weighted FR filler cloth, a CD Tensile Strength that is 100-125% higher versus similar weighted FR filler cloth, an MD Trap Tear that is 70-285% higher versus similar weighted FR filler cloth, and a CD Trap Tear Strength that is 40-55% higher versus similar weighted FR filler cloth. Preferably, the CD Tensile Strength is at least about 40 lbs and the MD Tensile strength is at least about 40 lbs.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 FR NP1 FR NP2 FR NP3 FR NP4 FR NP5 Weight (gsm) 205 165 155 135 115 Weight (osy) 6.0 4.9 4.6 4.0 3.4 Tensile strength (lbs) MD 132 103 70 56 53 CD 156 125 85 59 50 Elongation (%) 10 lbs 10 lbs 10 lbs 10 lbs 10 lbs MD 2.9 4.0 4.0 4.7 4.3 CD 6.9 8.9 11.9 16.8 16.8 Trap Tear (lbs) MD 55 46 26 22 21 CD 43 34 23 19 17 Thickness (mm) 0.85 0.77 0.61 0.54 0.47

[0063] This increased strength is surprising, because highly-needled fabric traditionally loses strength with heavy needlepunching, whereas in the present invention the strength has increased due to the processing described hereinabove.

[0064] For fabric weights of between 3 and 6 oz/yd.sup.2, the high-strength fabric has an MD Tensile strength range of 53 to 132 lbs, a CD Tensile strength range of 50 to 156 lbs, an MD Elongation range of 2.9 to 4.3%, a CD Elongation range of 6.9 to 16.8%, an MD Trap Tear value of 21 to 55 lbs, and a CD Trap Tear value of 17 to 43 lbs.

[0065] Thickness and Density

[0066] The fabric according to the present invention is between about 0.4 and about 0.98 mm thick. Preferably, the fabric is about 0.13-0.16 mm thick per oz. of square yard in basis weight.

[0067] Referring now to the drawings in general, the illustrations are for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention thereto.

[0068] Mattress

[0069] FIG. 1 shows a partial exploded top perspective view of a no-flip or one-sided mattress 10 with a bottom support layer 15 composed of the highly needled, double-sided calendered, flame-retardant fabric as described herein.

[0070] Shown in FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the mattress of FIG. 1, showing the bottom support layer 15 composed of the highly needled, double-sided calendered, flame-retardant fabric as described herein.

[0071] The bottom support layer 15 is intended to remain underneath the mattress 10 (on the non-sleeping surface). The support layer 15 is affixed or adhered to the mattress core 16 or to the depending sides 20 by mechanical or chemical means. In one embodiment, the mattress core is formed of individual core support units 18 and the support layer 15 is bonded to the individual core support units 18. This bonding holds the bottoms of the individual core support units 18 together to prevent or substantially reduce their lateral movement. In this way, the mattress 10 has greater stability while still maintaining comfort by permitting the tops of individual core support units 18 to move independently of one another. The support layer 15 is preferably bonded to the mattress core and/or individual support units 18 using a bonding material such as a hot melt glue, a latex glue or the like. Alternatively, or additionally, the support layer 15 is affixed to the cover sides by mechanical bonding, such as sewing, stapling, nailing, and the like.

[0072] The dense bottom support layer provides a durable construction to the mattress and increases its life. When bonded to the mattress core, the support layer stabilizes the bottom of the core and individual support units, thereby stabilizing the mattress.

[0073] The fabric of the present invention is also used in foundations and mattresses as a support and flame-retardant filler cloth.

[0074] The above-mentioned examples are provided to serve the purpose of clarifying the aspects of the invention, and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that they do not serve to limit the scope of the invention. The above-mentioned examples are just some of the many configurations that the mentioned components can take on. All modifications and improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of conciseness and readability but are properly within the scope of the present invention.