Systems and methods for air mattress temperature control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10136735-B2
Application number	US-201514945665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2014
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

An air temperature control system controls the air temperature inside of an air mattress. The air temperature control system includes an air intake component having inner and outer seals to inhibit or facilitate the flow of air into and out of the air mattress. The air temperature control system also includes a temperature control element in fluid communication with the air intake component. The temperature control element is positioned within the air mattress inside of the outer seal. The air temperature control system further includes a controller configured to direct the air intake component to open and close the inner and outer seals and operation of the temperature control element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable air mattress comprising:
one or more inflatable air chambers disposed within the air mattress; and
an air temperature control system in fluid communication with the one or more inflatable air chambers, the air temperature control system comprising:
an air intake component having an outer seal and an inner seal, the outer seal being configured to selectively open to allow air to enter and exit the air intake component and to selectively close to inhibit the air from entering or exiting the air intake component, the inner seal being configured to selectively open to allow the air to pass between the one or more inflatable air chambers and the air intake component and to selectively close to inhibit the air from entering or exiting the one or more inflatable air chambers,
a fan in fluid communication with the air intake component, the fan being configured to selectively direct the air to flow into and out of the air mattress and to selectively circulate the air within the air mattress,
a temperature control element in fluid communication with the air intake component, the temperature control element being configured to selectively heat and/or cool the air within the air intake component, and
a controller configured to direct the opening and closing of the inner and outer seals and operation of the temperature control element and the fan.

2. The inflatable air mattress of claim 1 further comprising a thermometer in communication with the controller, the thermometer being configured to measure air temperature within the air mattress.

3. The inflatable air mattress of claim 1 further comprising an air release valve configured to selectively release the air from the air mattress when an air pressure within the air mattress exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4. An air temperature control system for an air mattress, the system comprising:
an air intake component having at least one outer seal configured selectively open to allow air to enter and exit the air intake component and to selectively close to inhibit the air from entering and exiting the air intake component and at least one inner seal configured to be in fluid communication with an inflatable compartment of the air mattress, the at least one inner seal further configured to selectively open to allow air to pass between the air intake component and the inflatable compartment and to selectively close to inhibit passage of air between the air intake component and the inflatable compartment;
a temperature control element configured to selectively heat and/or cool the air within the air intake component; and
a controller configured to direct the opening and closing of the inner and outer seals and operation of the temperature control element.

5. The air temperature control system according to claim 4 further comprising a fan configured to selectively direct a flow of air into, out of, and within the air mattress.

6. The air temperature control system of claim 5 , wherein the fan and the temperature control element are disposed within the air intake component.

7. The system of claim 4 further comprising a portable power source for powering the temperature control element and the controller.

8. The system of claim 4 further comprising a thermometer in communication with the controller, the thermometer being configured to measure air temperature within the air mattress.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a display in communication with the controller, the display being configured to show one or more of a current or a desired air temperature within the air mattress.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a barometer in communication with the controller, the barometer being configured to measure air pressure within the air mattress, wherein the display is further configured to show one or more of a current or a desired air pressure within the air mattress.

11. The system of claim 4 , wherein the air intake component further comprises at least one inner seal configured to selectively open to allow the air that entered the air intake component via the outer seal to pass through the air intake component and to selectively close to inhibit the air from passing through the air intake component.

12. A method for controlling air temperature in an air mattress having an air temperature control system, the method comprising:
receiving, at a controller, a user input;
inflating one or more air chambers inside of the air mattress based on the user input;
closing an outer seal of the air temperature control system to inhibit deflation of the one or more inflated air chambers;
facilitating the passage of air between the one or more inflated air chambers and the air temperature control system; and
controlling the temperature of the air inside of the one or more inflated air chambers based on the user input.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising closing an inner seal of the air temperature control system to inhibit the passage of air between the one or more inflated air chambers and the air temperature control system.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the temperature of the air inside of the air mattress further comprises:
measuring the air temperature within at least one of the inflated air chambers;
determining, with the controller, when the measured air temperature exceeds a first predetermined threshold;
based on the determination, selectively opening the inner seal to allow the air to pass between the at least one of the inflated air chambers and the air temperature control system;
selectively heating and/or cooling, with the air temperature control system, the air within the air temperature control system based on the determination until the air temperature within the at least one of the inflated air chambers exceeds a second predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein controlling the temperature of the air inside of the air mattress further comprises selectively directing the air within the air mattress to circulate at one of a plurality of predetermined air flow speeds based on the user input.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein facilitating the passage of air between the one or more air chambers and the air temperature control system comprises simultaneously opening an inner seal of the air temperature control system and mixing, via one or more fans, the air within the one or more air chambers and the air within the air temperature control system.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to direct the opening of the inner seal and operation of the one or more fans for a predetermined duration.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to repeatedly direct the simultaneous opening of the inner seal and operation of the one or more fans at predetermined intervals.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein controlling the temperature of the air inside of the air mattress comprises one or more of heating and cooling the air within the air temperature control system between the predetermined intervals.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising controlling the air pressure within the air mattress based on the user input.

Assignees

• Polygroup Macau Ltd Bvi

Inventors

• Ocegueda Victor
• Zhang Yifeng

Classifications

• A47C21/044 Primary

  with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps · CPC title

• A47C21/048 Primary

  for heating · CPC title

• G05D23/22

  the sensing element being a thermocouple · CPC title

• G05D23/20 Primary

  with sensing elements having variation of electric or magnetic properties with change of temperature (G05D23/13 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47C27/10

  with two or more independently-fillable chambers · CPC title