- Introduction
The sleeping area accommodates pocket spring mattresses with various dimensions for adults and children. To calculate individual spring arrangement and their performance, numerical simulation of two variants was applied. An experimental part compares values of pocket spring deflections in selected locations of the sleeping area on the surface of a child mattress, and the results are compared with the manufacturer’s reference values. The comparison of settlements on the mattresses and human bodies with different weights, physical forms, and bedrests shows the better-assured anatomical correctness of the mattress with large pocket spring parameters.
The well-timed change of the mattress in the bed prearranges a healthy posture and evolution of the individual. Mattresses differ with volume, filling, comfort, and assuage. Pocket spring technology sets midriff supporting and upholds the human body during lying with the best parameters. Two types of mattresses were compared in the experimental part. Hlavačka 0.5/160mm and Marquard 18/280mm have different one-layered pocket springs based on the same prime ergonomically standpoint. One of the analyzed mattresses is mainly used as a dormitory resting place, and the second one is specially designed as medical prevention to assist children of preschool and shorter school ages.
1.1. Background and Significance
These particular novel 360 mm length partial pocket spring variations were compared in another previous study using the Medoc U, a 39-channel pressure mapping mattress, and subjective human sensations by pressure mapping. However, the presented research aims at finding the best suitable mattresses for the majority of consumers. These particular mattresses have a 5-inch and a 6-inch thickness with different human body dimensions.
The comfort of rest in sleep and its health-fostering conditions are dependent on the anatomical base, where support by a mattress and pillow is of decisive importance. The consequences of numerous sleep problems due to different reasons are health decline, which in the longer term can develop into serious diseases. The modern assortment of mattresses is wide. It is complicated to make a decision while trying to filter out the best solution out of very many options. The current research analyzes two types of mattresses from the point of view of mechanical characteristics, known to have influence on the comfort, namely the deflection of the human spine in the lying position and contact pressure.
1.2. Research Objective
In prior research, we have already defined the ideal mattress characteristics to give support and better overall comfort to consumers, so this time we focus on mattress fatigue resistance and long-term comfort—a very important characteristic in foam and spring mattresses and Office Captains having the components described previously. Participants are looking for a healthy and restorative sleep on a mattress that will maintain the features of an original commercial mattress throughout its life cycle.
This research aims to analyze differences in function and comfort between 6-inch and 5-inch foam, spring or hybrid mattresses, focusing in detail on the design of the spring units and spring technology. Furthermore, it aims to offer specific in-depth advice not only concerning which type of mattress to buy, but also about what kind of mattress to choose depending on sleeping preferences, body peculiarities in case of body aches, and price exposure. Our results are limited to aspects developed along the methodology used and the quality and options in the marketplace of the analyzed products. The research will be consumer-focused, with our technical comparison method being based upon the personal experience method and the subjective opinion of consumers after sleeping for weeks on the mattresses bought for the tests.
- Understanding Mattress Thickness
The thickness of a mattress is determined by the number and type of layers (whether spring or non-spring) and their core materials. The most common types of springs in a spring mattress can be categorically grouped into three types, namely: Bonnell springs, Continuous coil springs, and Pocket coil springs. In a pocket sprung mattress, each individual spring’s posture, movement, and support result in increased levels of comfort during sleep. This type of sprung is designed to work for bigger framed people or for couples. Furthermore, if the mattress is firmer and thicker, this translates to a healthier and more comfortable night’s sleep.
The sleep surface is arguably the most important factor in achieving a restful night’s sleep. One key component of a restful night’s sleep is the mattress itself. There is an increasing amount of interest in pocket spring mattresses. Pocket sprung mattresses are fast becoming a strong competitor for the ‘top dog’ title when considering spring mattresses. This is largely due to the spring’s ability to work independently, maximizing effective weight distribution.
2.1. Importance of Mattress Thickness
When choosing the thickness of the mattress and its wire diameter, it is necessary to bear in mind the weight and habits of the sleeping person. For people of greater mass, a thicker mattress should be an essential criterion in the selection, while for people with a smaller weight, a regular 5-inch structure should meet their requirements. Additionally, the person’s body size and age also affect the choice. For the smallest, a hard mattress is recommended for good health fit for the spine and pelvis.
The thickness of a mattress is an important aspect, which is interconnected, both in terms of good, peaceful sleep, regular turnover of the sleeping person and the overall stability and long service life of the mattress, as well as the bed and the furniture that is part of the sleeping arrangement. The choice of a 5 inch mattress unintentionally bears a risk of a decrease in its softness and height, and there are possibilities of an unattractive change in its overall stability and risk of potential injury or damage to the structure itself, as well as the other equipment intended for sleep.
- Materials and Construction
As a consumer, you often encounter these concepts: independent spring system with a total spring count, a spring block, a Bonnel spring unit, one-and-a-half springs, two-and-a-half springs, and a block of five, six, seven, or eleven springs. What do these terms mean, and how are they associated with the mattresses of various trademarks and manufacturers? The detailed answer and description are available in: 1. If spring material, wire diameter, and the number of springs in the body units for different brands of the mattress matter, this document is found in the estate, and labels indicate body unit construction. This helps ordinary consumers develop an initial understanding of how mattresses differ. Pocket spring technology is used primarily for comfort mattresses, and the advantages of such products are often highlighted with the materials that make up the mattress.
Many consumers often ask: what is the difference between a 5-inch mattress and a 6-inch one? Not everyone knows what a pocket spring mattress is and how it differs from a highly resilient mattress. Such uncertainty in the world of pocket springs, which are used to make various comfort multi-layer mattresses, indicates a need to review the nature and applications of this technology from a practical standpoint. Much of this information can be found in the book by V.V. Fonarev, which was revised and supplemented considering trends in mattress design and pocket spring structure and has particular reference to the domestic market. For instance, the book contents indicate that about 1000 pocket spring mattress models and modifications exist, with the bulk of them comprising various pocket spring modifications. The main difference between a mattress with pocket springs and a mattress with Bonnel springs is the different types of metal springs.
3.1. Overview of Pocket Spring Technology
Despite certain strengths and benefits, using pocket spring technology, a high-quality suspension perimeter may not be made. Manufacturers of discount mattresses often consistently choose a taller spring but construct them using cheaper wire with fewer turns. However, the lack of requirements for a standard sidebed system and the use of five-zone systems do not make it possible to get a high stiffness, which directly mediates the support of the human spine. Hence, even taller pocket springs carrying more heavy wire tend to open up faster. No matter how tall or quality pocket springs are, a key role in the durability and reliability of a bed system is also played by the pocket fabric. Although independently working as single springs, they cannot work without their pockets. The bed system must act as a whole. The pocket springs are then placed in strong carrier material for extra support. Sticking method and pattern are very important when determining the right placement of the pockets. Uneven sticking patterns and the use of plastic pockets can cause additional damage to the mattress. Since the pockets are also elements that help the springs act independently, they should not be damaged in any way. Sleeping comfort and “uniform support” can only be achieved when the pockets are strong and stably attached to the carrier layer.
Most manufacturers classify springs into several categories based on their features such as height, thickness, the number of turns, and material. The simplest coils are those that do not have a reinforced frame (inside-outside) and are also quite short in height and low in thickness. The wire used in the manufacture of cheap mattresses comes in small diameters (1.3-1.6 mm). Such a design does not support the body properly – it creates low elasticity and quickly loses its original shape. The principle of choosing a supportive pocket spring mattress must take into account two key factors: weight and elasticity. When it comes to choosing springs, which are usually indicated by height, the same rules apply to pocket spring mattresses. Tall springs support the body, regardless of its weight. In certain cases, the height of the spring of up to 160 mm can bring about 200 or more springs. However, due to extremely elastic wire used inside each spring, particularly tall springs may be difficult to be compressed when the load acts on them. The number of turns the spring wire takes into consideration the number. However, a spring with a very high number of turns (usually from 7 – 8) will decrease its initial stiffness. The thickness of the spring also plays an important role in its quality and behavior. Large wire diameter brings durability, while the durability of the product and the number of active coils within the spring are increased. The latter is the term used for the number of turns that are the actual working part of the spring. Since the suspension perimeter of a person’s body is responsible for the perimeter only, this perimeter should also have active springs.
Pocket spring technology is commonly used in the production of a variety of mattresses. In this case, a number of small diameter springs with a body diameter of up to 65 mm is used. This design fully ensures the flexibility of the bed system, which is a feature inherent in every type of pocket spring mattresses. The basic principle of pocket spring technology directly depends on the height and quality of these springs. Noteworthy is that all the components of the bed system, aside from fewer springs, determine its quality. A well-coordinated interaction of these elements is a prerequisite for a comfortable sleep. The springs in pocket spring mattresses are placed inside individual fabric pockets which are glued together. The springs work independently of each other. The carrier layer used in all types of pocket mattresses is made of strong material to which the spring pockets are attached. These pockets themselves are made of a strong, but also, often elastic fabric. High-quality springs made of high-grade materials act as the basis of premium mattresses of this type.
- Comfort and Support
To allow a good level of comfort and to respond appropriately to body weight, the mattress should provide support for the body and establish the most body-married comfort possible, ensuring softness at the shoulders and legs while providing suitable support at the waist and legs. With that in mind, mattresses need to have a good ergonomic design that combines a firmer central part to ensure the right bed on the line for the spinal column, to obtain elastic and comfortable support for the chest, buttocks, back, and lower legs, and softer areas to provide good support for the shoulders, waist, and in the case of the legs, a critical group consisting of the ankle, knee, and side of the hips. To ensure these characteristics of support and comfort, different types of frame inner structures (cores) are used, such as foam or pocket spring.
Comfort is the subjective experience when a person feels at ease, relaxed, in pain-free conditions, and free from stress. The concept of comfort in mattresses depends on personal preferences or takes into account a person’s health status if it involves some analog aspects such as the type, mass, and form of the combo used. But independent of the real owner of the concept, comfort in mattresses involves the correct positioning of the body, that is, the adopted position is the one in which the spine is correctly aligned with the body and the mattress. When the body’s anatomical zones do not reach the contact area and support the heaviest parts of the body, incorrect body positioning can lead to the body adopting incorrect postures, often to an inadequate spinal position. This can generate pain in back muscles and disc disorders.
4.1. Impact of Thickness on Comfort
The thickness of a mattress is one of the key factors that not only determine comfort but is also a result of modern design decisions, where besides the primary layer (in our case, pocket springs), this layer should be further reinforced within non-central zones (in our case, several middle zones near the center of the mattress layer), to prevent any possible depressions of these secondary layers and, as a result, the pocket spring layer displacement and, in turn, discomfort. Slot cutting allows combining change in the secondary layer material thickness and the layer firmness. Physiological parameters of a sleeper at the troubled zone were detected only for the highest level of comfort that includes both variation in the pocket spring layer diameter and proper soft viscose wadding.
The thickness of a mattress is one of the factors responsible for the comfort of a sleeping place. However, at the same time, the thickness of a mattress is also a result of modern design decisions, as users want to have a supportive layer that will ensure comfort, control dampness, and ventilation. Analyses performed for a 6-inch thick core with variations in the number of reinforcement zones proved a direct correlation between the number of reinforcement zones and both comfort and ventilation. It was concluded that the utilization of a center reinforcement zone is a practical and affordable way to impressively improve ventilation properties of a mattress.
- Durability and Longevity
The disadvantage of a springless design for a children’s mattress is the fact that the quality of the product as a whole can be significantly reduced if it is not handled properly, and it is also quite heavy. At the same time, the most common 5 and 6-inch pocket sprung mattresses can differ even at the stage of choosing a coverlet, because, depending on the design, there will be more models that can be used without a second thought. Careful consumers, of course, will pay attention to the number and quality of layers, mattress fillers, but it’s also worth looking into the details of pocket spring block design before deciding.
The 5 and 6 inch mattress designed for children’s rooms should not only be comfortable and environmentally friendly, but also reliable in terms of the absence of special and noticeable deformations and unpleasant qualitatively noticeable noises. Therefore, here it is necessary to give preference to the use of time-tested materials. As for the independent spring block, it is still being improved and not all the original designs have well-proven solutions – and here we are talking about improving resistance to deformation under load, and the ability of the springs to restore shape faster. However, it is likely that a 6 inch pocket spring block will begin its process of dominance: it has more quality characteristics that the people buying a children’s mattress need.
5.1. Comparison of Lifespan
Lifespan comparison of mattresses with 5-inch and 6-inch springs using individual and median values: a) mattress with 5-inch pocket springs; b) mattress with 6-inch pocket springs. Within 42 months: mattress with 5-inch pocket springs – 36%; mattress with 6-inch pocket springs – 25%. The group average level for the 6-inch model is 41 months, and the average level for the 5-inch model is 37 months. The box has a width equal to the difference between the 25th and 75th percentiles, thus showing the doubtfulness of an installation period of the model with pocket springs of 6-inch height. The 95th percentile also shows the tendency of the 6-inch mattress to provide a longer period for its appropriate exploitation. The study identified three characteristics that simultaneously influence the actual mattress operation: the maximum level of decoration, the required depth of the sleeping surface, and durability.
The lifespan of a mattress is defined as the length of time before it becomes unsuitable for resting. One of the common estimates of lifespan is to consider the moment when a mattress has compacted by 18%, as users of different body build and sleeping position need to be able to use the mattress in an appropriate manner without negative health effects. We have found that the lifespan of a model with 6-inch pocket springs is 25% longer than the lifespan of a model with 5-inch pocket springs.
