CA1245379A - Fluid accommodating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE:
An air mattress having top and bottom walls sealed to side and end walls has a chamber for accommodating air under pressure. Transverse webs secured to the top, bottom, and side walls divide the chamber into transverse air passages and limit outward expansion of all the walls. Horizontal front and rear webs are secured to the end walls and end transverse webs to reinforce the end walls. A one-way pres-sure relief valve mounted on a wall operates to prevent over-inflation of the air mattress.

Description

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FIELD O~ INVEr1TION:
This invention relates to inflatable supports, such as air mattresses, for use irl air beds.

BACKGROUND OF Ir~VEMTIO~:
Air mattresses are used with cots and beds to provide yieldable body supports. The air mattresses are air-filled bags having flexible air impervious sheet me~bers secured together to form one or more lon~itudinal chambers for accommodating air under pressure. Air mattresses have pluc3 valves that are used with hand-operated pumps, ba~] pumps, and other sources of air under pressure to inflate the mattresses. Conventional air mattresses do not have pres-sure relief valves so that they can be easily over-inflated, causing rupture of the mattress material or the separation of the seams. ~n over-inflated air mattress is relatively hard and can become mis-shaped and wobbly.

SUMr~RY OF INV~NTION:
The invention is a fluid accommodatin~ apparatus pro-viding a support for a body, such as a human body. The apparatus preferabIy accommodates air uncler pressure. A
pressure relief valve is operable to insure that the air pressure is maintained below a predetermilled value so as not to over-inflate the apparatus. 'I'he apparatus is adapted to be coupled to a pump means operable to pxovide a supply o~ gas under pressure to the apparatus. The .
apparatus has top and bottom walls that are connected together with side walls and,end walls to form an enclosed air impervious chamber. The chamber is divided into a plurality of connected transverse qas accommodating passages

-2-with a plurality of webs. Each web is joined to the top and bottom walls and the side walls and functions to lirnit out-ward expansion of the walls. ~ means secured to one of the walls is useable to facilitate the supply of fluid under pres-sure into the passages.
Accordin~ to the invention, there is provlded an air mattress having flexible top and bottom walls located in space~ relation relative to each other. First and second side walls and end walls are joined to the outer edges of the top and bottom walls to form an enc1osed chamber for accom-modating air under pressure. An aix inlet means associated with one of the walls is used to carry air from a source of air under pressure into the air mattress.
~ plurality of transverse sheet members or webs are secured to the top and bottom walls and side walls to main-tain the air mattress ih a box-like shape. Ilorizontal webs associated with the front and rear walls and front and rear transverse web are used to reinforce the front and rear walls.
The opposite ends of the transverse webs have openings to allow air eo flow to the transverse air chambers. The walls and webs are ~ylon fabric and vinyl plastic sheet members ultrasonically sealed together. These sheet men~ers are air impervious and form seals that do not tear or rip apart in use. A one-way ~ir pressure relief valve mounted on a wall prevents over-inflation of the air mattress. The valve has a flexible boot supporting a valve body within the chamber. The valve body supports a movable spring-biased valving member operable to allow air to evacuate from within the air mattresses when the pressure exceeds a selected level, such as 1 psi.
In one Eorm of the air mattress, the transverse webs 12~53'7~

have holes to allow limi~ed ex~ansion of separate portions oE the top and bottom walls of the air mattress. This re-sults in a mattress surface having a tuffed shape.

IN THE DRAWINGS:
Figure 1 is a perspective- view of a fluld accommodating apparatus of the invention;
Figure ~ is an enlarged top ~lan view of the apparatus of Figure l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged foreshortened sectional view taken alonc3 the line 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;
Fi.gure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of ~igure 2;
Figure 6 is an enl~rged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 2;
Figure 7 is an enlarged plan VleW of a portion of the top of the apparatus;
~0 Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view t:aken alon~ the .
line 8-8 of Figure 5;
. Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modification of ~: ~ the fluid accommodating apparatus of the inve.ntion;
. Figure 10 is an enlarged foreshortened sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of Figure 9;
Figure 11 is an enlarc~ed foreshortened sectional view taken alon~ the line 11-11 of Fic~ure 9; and Figure l? i5 an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 1~-12 of Figure 9.

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1~4S3~9 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a fluid accommodating apparatus of the invention indicated generally at 10 useable to yieldably support an object. Apparatus 10 accommodates a compressible fluid, such as a gas, to yield-ably support an object in a horizontal position. The appara-tus is preferably an air bag, mattress, or bladder used in an alr bed to yieldably support one or more persons.
Apparatus 10 has a generally rectangular top wall 11 located over a rectangular bottom wall 12. Side walls 13 and 14 and end walls 16 and 17 are secured to the outer peripheral edges of top and bottom walls 11 and 12. Upper and lower continuous peripheral seals 16 and 19 join the adjacent edges of the walls 11 - 14 and 16 and 17. Seals 18 and 19 are ultrasonic fluid impe~vious connections that per-manently join peripheral adjacent portions of WdllS 11 14 and 16 and 17 together. Seals 18 and 19 can be lap seams or butt seams.
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As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a plurality of laterally spaced transverse internal webs or beam supports 21 linearly extend between side walls 13 and 14. Each support 21 has a~body or web sectlon and opposite end portions. The upper edges of the web sections of the supports 21 have llps 23 that are secured to the inside surface of upper wall 11.
The lower portions of the web sections havc lower~lips 24 that are secured to the inside surface of bottom wall 12.
Ultrasonic made seals 25 are utilized to secure lips 23 and 24 to the upper and lower walls 12. Seals 25 extend trans-versely across top and bottom walls 11 and 12 and terminate in enlarged ends 25A.

As shown in Figure 7, each end 25A has an enlarged :
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tear drop shape spaced inwardly from adjacent side walls 13 and 14 to provide air passages 28 and 33. The enlarged ends 25A strengthen the ends of each seal. The supports 21 are flexible, non-elastic sheet mem~ers that prevent the upper and lowex walls 11 and 12 from ballooning or bulying out-wardly. Supports 21 divide the interior of apparatus 10 into a plurality of transverse fluid accommodating passages or chambers 22. Chambers 22 extend txansversely across apparatus 10 and are located side-by-side between the end walls 16 and 17.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, transverse cor~ members or webs 21 are equally spaced from each other along the longi-tudinal dimension or length of the apparatus. Adjacent webs 21 provide separate transverse gas passayes or cha~bers 22.
Adjacent webs 21 are preferably laterally spaced about 10 cm.
Oth~r lateral dimensions between adjacent webs 21 may be used. Webs 21 vertically reinforcc top and bottom walls 11 and`12 and restrict outward expansion or bulging of these walls. The webs 21 also laterally reinforce the opposite side walls 13 and 14 and restrict outward expansion of these walls. All of the webs 21 cooperate with,the top, bottom, and side walls to retain the box shape of apparatus 10.
Referrin~ to Figure 3, internal support 21 has a first end portion 26 terminatin~ in a ri~ht angle turned ear 27.
The ear 27 is secured by an ultrasonic seal to the mid-portion of side wall 13. Openinc3s 28 and 29 are located adjacent upper and lower sides of end portion 26 to permit gas to flow into the end of an adjacent chamber 22.' The opposite end of support 21 has a second end portion 31 ter-minating in a ric3ht an~le turned to ear 32. Ear 32 issecured by an ultrasonic seal to the mid portion of end ~ ~X~S3~7~3 ~

wall 14. Openinc3s 33 al~d 34 Locatec~ on opposite ~ides of second end portion 31 aLIow clas to f]ow into the end of an adjacent air cha~ber 22. The first and second end portions 26 and 31 retain side walls 13 and 14 in generally upright positions when the pressure of the (~as in the chambers 22 is increased. Each of supports 21 has end portions that are secured to middle portions of the side walls 13 and 14.
As shown in Figure S, a generally horizontal end sup-port 36 i5 provided with lips 37 and 3~. Lip 37 is secured to the mid-portion of end wall 16. Lip 38 is secured to the adjacent internal support 21. 1`he horizontal support retains end wall 16 in a generally upright position, as shown in Figure ~1. The opposite end of apparatus 10 has a generally horizontal support (not shown) that is iderltl-cal to support 36 to retain end wall 17 in a generally v~r-tical position.
As shown in Figure 4, side wall 13 is a fabric plastic sheet member comprising an outer fabLic layer 39 and an inner plastic layer 41. The layers 39 and 4l are integrally joined to~ether to form an air impervious wall. ~n ultra-sonic seal ~2 joins ear 27 to the mid-portion of side wall 13. The side wall can be a Nylon vinyl, Polyest~r vinyl, or Rayon vinyl. These materials are flexible, strong, and air impervious. They also do not deteriorate over time and are water-resistant.
Referring to Fi~ures 1 and G, a plug valve assembly indicated generally at 43 is secured to one end of the end wall 16. Valve assembly 43 is used as an in]et passage-way to allow gas to flow into chambers 22. The gas can be derived from a pump, such as an air pump. The plug valve assembly 43 comprises a short tube 44 havin~ a head 46.

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A washer 47 surrounding tube 44 is located adjacent the outside of wall 16 and is secured thereto with head 46 to join the valve assembly 43 to end wall 16. The outer end of the tube 44 is closed with a removable plug 48. The tube 44 can be connected with a suitable hose to an air pump or a like source of air under pressure. Suitable val-ves tnot shown) can be used to regulate the supply of gas under pressure that is carried via tube 44 into chambers 22 of apparatus 10.
As shown in Figures 1, 5, and 8, a one-way gas pressure relief valve 49 mounted on end wall 16 prevents over-inflation of apparatus 10, which can cause wall rupture and seam separa-tion. Referring to Figure 8, valve 49 has a flexible boot 49A supporting a valve body 49B. The boot 49A and valve body 49B are attached to the inside of end wall 16, there-by locating the valve in chamber 22. Valve body 49B is a tubular member accommodating a movable spring biased valving member (not shown) operable to open the valve and allow gas to flow from chamber 22 to the atmosphere when the gas pressure in chamber 22 reaches a predetermined value. For example, when the gas in the chamber 22 reaches a pressure of 1 psi or greater, the valving member will move -to the open position, thereby venting gas from chamber 22 to the atmosphere. This prevents over-inflation of the apparatus 10 and the separation of the seams and bursting of the walls of the apparatus. The pressure relief characteristics of ~.
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valve 49 can be selected to E)rovide for a desired maximum pressure of gas in chambcr 22 of the apparatus 10. ', Referring to Figures 7 - 10, there is shown a modifica-tion of the fluid accommodating apparatus or mattress of the invention indicated generally at 50. Apparatus 5~ is commonl~
termed an air bag or air mattress used to yieldably support one or more persons ln an air bed. Other types of fluids, including liquids, can be accotnmodated in fluid accommodating apparatus 50.
Apparatus 50 has a flexible generally rectangular top wall 51 located over a bottom wall 52. Oppos,ite side walls 53 and 54 and end walls 56 and 57 join the peripheral edges of the top and bottom walls 51 and 52. A continuous upper peripheral seal 58 joins the outer peripheral edge of upper wall 51 to the top edges of the side walls and end walls 53 - 57. The oute,rlper~pheral edcJe of bottom wall 52 is secured with a continuous lower ~eripheral seal 59 to the lower edges of the side wall and end walls 53 - 57. The seals 58 and 59 are continuous air impervious seals so as to maintain the air under pressure within the apparatus 50.
The seals can be butt seams or lap seams.
The inside of apparatus 50 has a plurality of pairs of transverse internal supports 61 and 62 providin~ the top and bottom walls 51 and 52 and side walls 53 and 54 with support to minimize the outward expclnsion or bulging of these walls as a result of the pressure of the gas with-in apparatus 50. Supports 61 and 62 divide the inside of npparatus 50 into a pLurality o~ transverse gas accommodat-ing chambers 65. The chambers 65 extend betwcen side walls 30 53 and 54. ~pparatus 50 has a series of side-by-side pass-aqes that extend from the front end wall 56 to the roar end _g_ . ~ ~
~2~L53~9 wall 57.
As shown in Fic3ure 8, internaL support 61 has a gener-ally flat web having an upper lip 63 secured by a seal or the like to the inside of top wall 51. A lower lip 64 is secured by a seal to the inside of tll~ lower wall 52. Sup-port 61 has a plurality of holes 6fi. The holes 66 allow support 61 to expand in a generally vertical or uprigllt direction so that the gas pressure within chamber 65 causes the top and bottom walls to expand outwardly. This provides the top and bottom walls 5l and 52 with a plurality of out-wardly convex curved portions. Walls 5l and 52 have a tuffed shape when gas under pressure is stored in the apparatus.
The supports 61 ~nd 62 comprise pairs of web-like members that are evenly spaced alon~3 the len~th of the apparatus.
As shown in Figure 9, eight pairs of supports 61 and 62 are incorporated in apparatus 50. Support 61 has an end portion 67 terminating in an ear 68. The ear 68 is secured to the mid-section of side wall 53. Openings 69 and 71 are located above and below end portion 67 and allow gas to ~low into adjacent chamber 65. Holes 66 also allow air to flow between adjacent chambers. Support 61 has a second end por-tion 7-2 terminating in a lip 73. Lip 73 is secured to the mid-section of side wall 54 to prevent the side wall from bulging outwardly when subjected to air under pressure. The openings 74 and 76 located above and below end portion 72 allow gas to flow into the adjacent chamber 65.
As shown in Figure 11, the internal support 62 has a web member extending between the top and bo~tom walls 51 and 52. Support 62 i5 laterally spaced from support 61 to form a transverse gas chamber. A lip 77 secures the top of support 62 to the inside of top wall 51. In a similar . .

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manner, a li~ 78 secures the bottom ~f support 62 to theinside of bottom wall 52. Support 62 has a plural~ty of holes 79. Holes 79 are laterally offset from the holes 66 and support 61. ~ortions of the to~ and bottom walls 51 and 52 adjacent the holes 79 bulye outwardly providing the top and bottom walls with shallow convex-shaped portions that are laterally offset from convex-shaped portions formed by holes 66 and support 61. Support 62 has a first end portion 80 terminating in an ear 81. Ear 81 is secured by sonic welds or the like to the mid-portion of side wall 53. Openin~s 82 and 83 adjacent the upper and lower portions of end portion 80 allow gas to flow into adjacent chamber 65. The opposite end of support 62 has a second end portion 84 terminating in an ear 86. Ear 86 is secured to the mid-portion of side wall 54. Openings.87 and 88 axe adjacent upper and lower sides of end porti.on 84'and allow ~as to flow into the chamber 65. Holes 79 also allow gas to flow to adjacent chambers.
Referring to Figure 12, a c3eneraLly horizontal end support or web 89 extends along the mid-section of end wall 56. Support 89 has a pair of lips 91 and 92 secured to the inside of end wall 56 and the first transverse support 61. Support 89 holds end wall 56 in a general.ly vertical position when the apparatus is inflated with gas.
An identical end support (not shown) is secured to the inside of the mid- ection of the end wall 57 to maintain its generally vertical shape.
A plug valve assemhly 93 is attached to one end of wall 56. ~alve assembly 93 is identical to the valve assembly 43 shown in detail in Figure 6. An elongated flexible tube can be used to connect the valve assembly 93

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to a source of air under pressure, such as an air pump.
Apparatus 50 is provided with a one-way gas pressure relief valve 94. Valve 94 is mounted on the inside of end wall 56. The details of valve 94 are identical to the valve 49/ shown in Figures 5 and 8. The valve 94 functions to relieve and regulate the maximum gas pressure in the mattress.
When the pressure exceeds a predetermined limit, such as 1 psi, valve 94 will open to evacuate air from the air mattress.
This prevents over-inflation of the apparatus and eliminates the seam separation and bursting of the walls thereof.
The apparatuses 10 and 50 described herein are shown and described as air mattresses, as used in air beds. Each apparatus can be used in other environments and accommodate differenct gases and liquids.
Examples of air mattresses are as follows;
The air mattresses are made in different sizes, i.e., twin, full, queen, and king. These mattresses have a width from 39 inches (99 cm) to ~4 inches (213 cm). The mattress has a thickness of 4 inches (10 cm) and transverse internal web space 4 inches (10 cm) apart along the length thereof.
The walls and webs are made of Nylon vinyl sheet material.
An ultrasonic sealing process is used to make the airtight seams. The air mattress has a high degree of stability, as the air moves transversely in the passages 22 when a body rests on top wall 11. Only a controlled restricted amount of air moves longitudinally. The air mattress has 53~9 a rectangular box shape with generally flat sides and ends.
The air mattxess fits in the dish support of an air bed.
While there has been shown and described the pre-ferred embodiments of the fluid accommodating apparatus, it is understood that changes in mat~rials, si~e, shape, and arrangement of structure may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. The inven-tion is deflned in the following Claims.

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Claims (14)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An apparatus for accommodating gas and providing a body support comprising: a top wall, a bottom wall spaced from and located below the top wall, side walls and end walls secured to said top and bottom walls, all of said walls comprising flex-ible gas impervious sheet members sealed together to form a cham-ber for accommodating gas under pressure, a plurality of support means located in said chamber extending between said side walls and secured to said top and bottom walls providing transverse passages accommodating gas and limiting outward expansion of the top and bottom walls when gas under pressure is stored in said chamber, each of said support means having a web section and opp-osite end portions secured to said side walls to limit outward ex-pansion of the side walls when gas under pressure is stored in said chamber, each of said end portions having at least one open-ing allowing gas communication between said transverse passages, means mounted on one of said walls to facilitate supplying gas under pressure into said chamber, and pressure relief one-way valve means operable to continuously relieve and limit the pres-sure of gas in said chamber during use of the apparatus, said valve means having a first end open to the chamber and a second end open to atmosphere outside the apparatus, and means mounting the valve means on at least one of said walls to locate the en-tire valve means in said chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said valve means includes a valve body, said means mounting the valve means on one of said walls including a member surrounding the valve body and located within said chamber, said member being secured to said one of said walls.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve means includes a valve body, said means mounting the valve means including a boot located within the chamber and mounted on one of said end walls, and valve body being mounted on said boot, said valve means operable to vent gas from said chamber when the pressure of the gas in the chamber exceeds a selected pressure.

4. An apparatus for accommodating gas and providing a body support comprising: a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, side walls and end walls secured to said first and second walls to form a chamber for accommodating gas under pressure, all of said walls comprising flexible gas impervious sheet members, means securing said walls together to enclose said chamber, a plurality of support means located in said chamber ex-tended between and secured to said first and second walls provid-ing transverse passage accommodating gas and limiting outward ex-pansion of the first and second walls when gas under pressure is stored in said chamber, means mounted on one of said walls to facilitate supplying gas under pressure into said chamber, and one-way pressure relief valve means operable to continuously re-lieve and limit the pressure of gas in said chamber during use of the apparatus, said valve means having a first end open to the chamber and an end portion open to atmosphere outside of the apparatus, and means mounting the valve means on at least one of said walls to locate the entire valve means in said chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said valve means has a body, said means mounting the valve means on said one of the walls including a member surrounding the body and located within said chamber, said member being secured to said one of the walls.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said pressure relief valve means includes a valve body, said means mounting the valve means includes a boot located within the chamber and mounted on one of said end walls, said valve body being mounted on said boot, said valve means operable to vent gas from said chamber when the pressure in the gas exceeds a selected pressure.

7. A fluid accommodating apparatus comprising: a first wall, a second wall, said first and second walls having opposite side edges, said walls joined to adjacent opposite side edges of the first and second walls, end walls joined to adjacent opposite end edges of said first and second walls to form an enclosed chamber for accommodating fluid under pressure, a plura-lity of webs located in said chamber extended between said first and second walls forming a plurality of transverse fluid accommo-dating passages, means securing said webs to said first and second walls whereby said webs concurrently limit outward expansion of said first and second walls, means mounted on one of said walls useable to supply fluid to said chamber, and pressure relief one-way valve means operable to continuously relieve and limit the pressure of the fluid in said chamber during use of the apparatus, said valve means having a first portion open to the chamber and a second portion open to the atmosphere on the outside of the appara-tus, and means mounting the valve means on one of said walls to locate the valve means entirely within said chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said valve means includes a valve body, said means mounting the valve means on one of said walls including a member surrounding the valve body, and located within said chamber, said member being secured to said one of said walls

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said valve body is a tubular member, said member surrounding the valve body is a boot located within the chamber and secured to an end wall of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said valve means includes a tubular valve body having a first end open to the chamber and a second end open to atmosphere outside of the appara-tus, said means mounting the valve means on one of said walls in-cluding a member surrounding the tubular valve body, and located within the chamber, said member having an annular portion secured to said one of said walls.

11. An apparatus for relieving and regulating maximum pressure of a gas within a mattress having a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls and end walls, all of said walls being flexible gas impervious sheet members secured together to form a chamber for accommodating gas under pressure, a plurality of web means located in said chamber secured to said top and bottom walls pro-viding passages accommodating gas and limiting outward expansion of the top and bottom walls when gas under pressure is stored in said chamber, each of said webs means having at least one opening allowing gas to flow between the passages, and means secured to one of said walls to facilitate supplying gas under pressure into said chamber, the improvement of: one-way pressure relief valve means operable to continuously relieve and regulate maximum pres-sure of gas in the chamber, said valve means having a first por-tion open to the chamber and a second portion open to atmosphere outside of the mattress, and means mounting the valve means on one of said walls to locate the entire valve means within said chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said valve means includes a valve body, said means mounting the valve means on one of said walls including a member surrounding the valve body, and located within the chamber, said member being secured to said one of said walls.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said member is a boot located within the chamber and secured to an end wall of the mattress.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said valve body is a tubular member mounted on the member.