US-12618781-B2 - System and methods for detecting mattress defects

US12618781B2US 12618781 B2US12618781 B2US 12618781B2US-12618781-B2

Abstract

A mattress defect detection system and associated methods are disclosed for analyzing a mattress for potential defects. In at least one embodiment, the system includes a mattress defect detection device and a user application residing in memory on a computing device in selective communication with the detection device. During use, with a guide rail of the detection device positioned over a top surface of the mattress, a control housing of the detection device is moved along the guide rail, while a measurement laser of the control housing measures a depression depth of a body depression in the top surface of the mattress at at least one measurement site, with the at least one depression depth subsequently being transmitted to the computing device, where the user application determines whether one or more of the at least one depression depth exceeds a pre-defined threshold, in which case the mattress is deemed defective.

Inventors

Gumersindo Martinez
Daniel Esteban Viviani

Assignees

Gumersindo Martinez

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20250502

Claims (20)

1 . A mattress defect detection system for analyzing a mattress for potential defects in the nature of an at least one depression in a top surface of the mattress, namely, a sunken area in the top surface of the mattress at a location where no physical object is actively present nor positioned directly in contact with the top surface of the mattress, the system comprising: an at least one mattress defect detection device comprising: an elongate guide rail sized and configured for being oriented laterally or longitudinally relative to the mattress, in a substantially horizontal orientation and parallel with the top surface of the mattress; a pair of support legs configured for engagement with the guide rail in order to elevate the guide rail a substantially uniform distance above the top surface of the mattress, thereby vertically spacing apart the guide rail and the top surface of the mattress; each of the support legs providing a support foot configured for being placed on a substantially horizontal surface; and a control housing slidably engaged with the guide rail, so as to be vertically spaced apart from the top surface of the mattress, and capable of selectively traversing a rail length of the guide rail between a first terminal end and an opposing second terminal end of the guide rail, the control housing providing: an at least one measurement laser positioned and configured for measuring a depression depth of the at least one depression in the top surface of the mattress—namely, a distance between the at least one measurement laser and the top surface of the mattress—at an at least one measurement site, the at least one measurement laser oriented so as to emit a laser beam toward the top surface of the mattress in a direction that is perpendicular to the top surface of the mattress; and an at least one microcontroller in electrical communication with the at least one measurement laser for controlling the at least one measurement laser and receiving from the at least one measurement laser the depression depth associated with each of the at least one measurement site; and a user application residing in memory on an at least one computing device, the at least one computing device in selective communication with the at least one mattress defect detection device and configured for receiving and processing the depression depth associated with each of the at least one measurement site, obtained by the at least one mattress defect detection device; whereby, during use of the system, with the guide rail positioned over the top surface of the mattress, the control housing is moved along the guide rail between the first and second terminal ends, while the at least one measurement laser measures the depression depth of the at least one depression in the top surface of the mattress at each of the at least one measurement site, with each said depression depth measurement being subsequently transmitted to the at least one computing device, where the user application determines whether one or more of the at least one depression has a depression depth that exceeds a pre-defined threshold, in which case the user application determines that the mattress is defective; and whereby, during use of the system, the guide rail is positioned proximal to a first terminal edge of the mattress and incrementally moved toward an opposing second terminal edge of the mattress, with the control housing slidably moved along the guide rail from the first terminal end to the opposing second terminal end each time the guide rail is incrementally moved closer to the second terminal edge of the mattress.
2 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the guide rail is selectively lengthwise adjustable, thereby allowing the rail length of the guide rail to be selectively sized in order accommodate a width or a length of the mattress.
3 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 2 , wherein the guide rail is selectively modular and comprises an elongate primary rail and an at least one elongate rail extension configured for removable engagement with a terminal end of the primary rail so as to selectively increase the rail length.
4 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the support legs are engaged with the first and second terminal ends of the guide rail.
5 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control housing provides a guide slot through which the guide rail extends, thereby allowing the control housing to slidably traverse the guide rail.
6 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control housing further provides a guide wand pivotally engaged with the control housing and configured for assisting with manually moving the control housing relative to the guide rail.
7 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one measurement laser is a Class 2 CMOS laser.
8 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control housing further provides a control display configured for displaying select data related to the mattress.
9 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control housing further provides an at least one imaging device in electrical communication with the at least one microcontroller, the at least one imaging device positioned and configured for capturing at least one of a site photo and a site video of the at least one measurement site in tandem with the at least one measurement laser measuring the at least one depression of said at least one measurement site.
10 . The mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , wherein the control housing further provides a transceiver in electrical communication with the microcontroller and in remote communication with the computing device, thereby allowing the microcontroller to transmit to the computing device select data related to the mattress.
11 . A mattress defect detection system for analyzing a mattress for potential defects in the nature of an at least one depression in a top surface of the mattress, namely, a sunken area in the top surface of the mattress at a location where no physical object is actively present nor positioned directly in contact with the top surface of the mattress, the system comprising: an elongate guide rail sized and configured for being oriented laterally or longitudinally relative to the mattress, in a substantially horizontal orientation and parallel with the top surface of the mattress; a pair of support legs configured for engagement with the guide rail in order to elevate the guide rail a substantially uniform distance above the top surface of the mattress, thereby vertically spacing apart the guide rail and the top surface of the mattress; each of the support legs providing a support foot configured for being placed on a substantially horizontal surface; and a control housing slidably engaged with the guide rail, so as to be vertically spaced apart from the top surface of the mattress, and capable of selectively traversing a rail length of the guide rail between a first terminal end and an opposing second terminal end of the guide rail, the control housing providing: an at least one measurement laser positioned and configured for measuring a depression depth of the at least one depression in the top surface of the mattress—namely, a distance between the at least one measurement laser and the top surface of the mattress—at an at least one measurement site, the at least one measurement laser oriented so as to emit a laser beam toward the top surface of the mattress in a direction that is perpendicular to the top surface of the mattress; and an at least one microcontroller in electrical communication with the at least one measurement laser for controlling the at least one measurement laser and receiving from the at least one measurement laser the depression depth associated with each of the at least one measurement site; whereby, during use of the system, with the guide rail positioned over the top surface of the mattress, the control housing is moved along the guide rail between the first and second terminal ends, while the at least one measurement laser measures the depression depth of the at least one depression in the top surface of the mattress at each of the at least one measurement site; and whereby, during use of the system, the guide rail is positioned proximal to a first terminal edge of the mattress and incrementally moved toward an opposing second terminal edge of the mattress, with the control housing slidably moved along the guide rail from the first terminal end to the opposing second terminal end each time the guide rail is incrementally moved closer to the second terminal edge of the mattress.
12 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the guide rail is selectively lengthwise adjustable, thereby allowing the rail length of the guide rail to be selectively sized in order accommodate a width or a length of the mattress.
13 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the guide rail is selectively modular and comprises an elongate primary rail and an at least one elongate rail extension configured for removable engagement with a terminal end of the primary rail so as to selectively increase the rail length.
14 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the support legs are engaged with the first and second terminal ends of the guide rail.
15 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the control housing provides a guide slot through which the guide rail extends, thereby allowing the control housing to slidably traverse the guide rail.
16 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the control housing further provides a guide wand pivotally engaged with the control housing and configured for assisting with manually moving the control housing relative to the guide rail.
17 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one measurement laser is a Class 2 CMOS laser.
18 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the control housing further provides a control display configured for displaying select data related to the mattress.
19 . The mattress defect detection device of claim 11 , wherein the control housing further provides an at least one imaging device in electrical communication with the at least one microcontroller, the at least one imaging device positioned and configured for capturing at least one of a site photo and a site video of the at least one measurement site in tandem with the at least one measurement laser measuring the at least one depression of said at least one measurement site.
20 . A method for analyzing a mattress for potential defects in the nature of an at least one depression in a top surface of the mattress, namely, a sunken area in the top surface of the mattress at a location where no physical object is actively present nor positioned directly in contact with the top surface of the mattress, using the mattress defect detection system of claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning the guide rail a substantially uniform distance over the top surface of the mattress, such that the guide rail is oriented laterally or longitudinally relative to the mattress, in a substantially horizontal orientation and parallel with a top surface of the mattress; (b) further positioning the guide rail proximal to a first terminal edge of the mattress; (c) slidably positioning the control housing on the guide rail substantially at the first terminal end of the guide rail; (d) obtaining, via the at least one measurement laser, a depression depth of the at least one depression of the current measurement site; (e) transmitting the depression depth of the at least one depression of the current measurement site to the at least one computing device; (f) determining, via the user application, whether the depression depth of the at least one depression of the current measurement site exceeds a pre-defined threshold; (g) upon the user application determining that the depression depth of the at least one depression of the current measurement site exceeds a pre-defined threshold, the user application determining that the mattress is defective; (h) slidably moving the control housing along the guide rail toward the opposing second terminal end of the guide rail until a further measurement site is reached; (i) repeating steps (d)-(h) until the control housing reaches the opposing second terminal end of the guide rail; (j) incrementally moving the guide rail toward an opposing second terminal edge of the mattress; and (k) repeating steps (c)-(j) until the guide rail reaches the opposing second terminal edge of the mattress.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority and is entitled to the filing date of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/643,742, filed on May 7, 2024. The contents of the aforementioned application are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND The subject of this patent application relates generally to mattresses, and more particularly to a system and associated methods for accurately detecting defects in mattresses in a consistent and uniform manner. Applicant hereby incorporates herein by reference any and all patents and published patent applications cited or referred to in this application. By way of background, the process of testing a mattress for potential defects is traditionally conducted in a consumer's home by trained service technicians. There are currently two known methods of testing a mattress for potential defects. The first method involves the use of a string and a ruler or measuring tape. A technician stretches a length of string across the mattress either laterally or longitudinally, a distance above the mattress, with a weight on each end of the string to make it taut, then measures with a ruler or measuring tape the deepest depression they can find at any point in the mattress (i.e., measuring from the string to the top surface of the mattress at any given point). Depressions are solely found by the technician visually looking at the mattress, which is not accurate. The second method involves the technician positioning a straight edge (such as a level, a stick or a pipe, for example) on the top surface of the mattress, with the straight edge oriented either laterally or longitudinally relative to the mattress, then finding any depressions in the mattress (i.e., any spots along the underside of the straight edge where there is a gap between the bottom surface of the straight edge and the top surface of the mattress), then measuring those depressions with a ruler or a measuring tape (i.e., measuring from the bottom surface of the straight edge to the top surface of the mattress) to find the deepest depression. Neither of these known prior art methods are known to be foolproof or accurate. The technician may not visually see or find the deepest depression on the mattress, and therefore not measure it. Furthermore, the technician may and can push down with the measuring tape or ruler to artificially create a deeper depression in the mattress (either unintentionally, or intentionally committing fraud), or the device string or straight edge may not be placed correctly, creating a false depression. Either way, both known prior art methods rely on honesty and accuracy of the human technician performing the inspection, which means that these known prior art methods are incapable of being consistently and uniformly performed. Therefore, there remains a need for a system and associated methods for accurately detecting defects in mattresses in a consistent and uniform manner. Aspects of the present invention fulfill these needs and provide further related advantages as described in the following summary. It should be noted that the above background description includes information that may be useful in understanding aspects of the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. SUMMARY Aspects of the present invention teach certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the exemplary advantages described below. The present invention solves the problems described above by providing a system and associated methods for analyzing a mattress for potential defects. In at least one embodiment, the system includes an at least one mattress defect detection device and a user application residing in memory on an at least one computing device, the at least one computing device in selective communication with the at least one mattress defect detection device and configured for receiving and processing select data related to the mattress, obtained by at least one mattress defect detection device. In at least one embodiment, the at least one mattress defect detection device provides an elongate guide rail sized and configured for being oriented laterally or longitudinally relative to the mattress, in a substantially horizontal orientation and parallel with a top surface of the mattress. A pair of support legs are configured for engagement with the guide rail in order to elevate the guide rail a substantially uniform distance above the top surface of the mattress, thereby vertically spacing apart the guide rail and the top surface of the mattress. Each of the support legs provides a support foot configured for being placed on a substantially horizontal surface. A control housing is slidably engaged with the guide rail and capable of selectively traversing a rail length of the guide rail between a first terminal en