Multi-chamber inflatable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10398235-B2
Application number	US-201615006709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2016
Priority date	Jan 17, 2014
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A multi-chamber inflatable mattress includes a main air chamber, upper and lower peripheral air chambers, and an upper air chamber. The main air chamber includes internal tensioning structures which cooperate with a bottom mattress panel and a lower intermediate panel to provide a generally box-shaped, mattress-sized inflatable structure upon pressurization. A second, upper intermediate panel cooperates with a top mattress panel to define an upper air chamber which defines the sleeping surface. The main air chamber receives pressurized fluid directly from a valve, while the lower and upper peripheral air chambers are in direct fluid communication with the main air chamber but not the valve. The upper air chamber is in direct fluid communication with the upper peripheral air chamber, but not the main chamber or valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflatable mattress comprising:
a top panel;
a bottom panel;
an outer peripheral panel coupled to the top panel and the bottom panel to define an internal cavity of the mattress;
a first inner panel disposed in the internal cavity between the top panel and the bottom panel with a main air chamber disposed below the first inner panel and an upper air chamber disposed above the first inner panel, wherein the upper air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber;
a plurality of tensioning assemblies disposed in the main air chamber, each tensioning assembly extending substantially along an axis, the axis extending from a first side of the outer peripheral panel to a second side of the outer peripheral panel, and each tensioning assembly having an upper end coupled to the first inner panel and a lower end coupled to the bottom panel, wherein the first inner panel extends outwardly from the plurality of tensioning assemblies along the axis towards the outer peripheral panel;
a second inner panel disposed in the internal cavity and coupled to the top panel and the outer peripheral panel outwardly from the first inner panel to define an upper peripheral air chamber that extends along an upper periphery of the mattress, wherein the upper peripheral air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber;
a third inner panel disposed in the internal cavity, spaced apart from the second inner panel, and coupled to the bottom panel and the outer peripheral panel to define a lower peripheral air chamber that extends along a lower periphery of the mattress, wherein the lower peripheral air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber; and
a valve in fluid communication with the main air chamber, the upper air chamber, the upper peripheral air chamber, and the lower peripheral air chamber.

2. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tensioning assemblies maintain the mattress in a substantially rectangular shape when inflated, wherein each tensioning assembly comprises:
a lower weld strip coupled to the bottom panel;
an upper weld strip coupled to the first inner panel; and
a plurality of cords each having a lower end coupled to the lower weld strip and an upper end coupled to the upper weld strip.

3. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein an outer periphery of the first inner panel is inset from an outer periphery of the second inner panel.

4. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein an outer periphery of the second inner panel is substantially the same size and shape as an outer periphery of the top panel.

5. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein:
the second inner panel includes a plurality of apertures that allow air flow between the main air chamber and the upper peripheral air chamber; and
the third inner panel includes a plurality of apertures that allow air flow between the main air chamber and the lower peripheral air chamber.

6. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein:
the second inner panel extends diagonally between the top panel and the outer peripheral panel; and
the third inner panel extends diagonally between the bottom panel and the outer peripheral panel.

7. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein:
the second inner panel is welded to the top panel and the outer peripheral panel; and
the third inner panel is welded to the bottom panel and the outer peripheral panel.

8. The mattress of claim 1 , further comprising at least one airway in fluid communication with the upper air chamber, wherein the airway is defined by a first weld with the top panel on one side of the airway and a second weld with the top panel on another side of the airway.

9. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the upper air chamber includes:
a first air pocket;
a second air pocket; and
a pocket fluid channel connecting the first and second air pockets, wherein the pocket fluid channel is narrower than the first and second air pockets.

10. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the upper peripheral air chamber is positioned in fluid communication between the main air chamber and the upper air chamber.

11. The mattress of claim 1 , wherein the second inner panel has a size and shape similar to the top panel and extends beneath the top panel and above the first inner panel, the upper air chamber being formed between the top panel and the second inner panel.

12. An inflatable mattress comprising:
a top panel including an upper-most surface of the mattress, the upper-most surface disposed in an upper-most plane;
a bottom panel including a lower-most surface of the mattress configured to contact the ground, the lower-most surface disposed in a lower-most plane;
an outer peripheral panel coupled to the top panel and the bottom panel to define an internal cavity of the mattress;
an intermediate panel disposed in the internal cavity between the top panel and the bottom panel with a main air chamber disposed below the intermediate panel and an upper air chamber disposed above the intermediate panel; and
a plurality of tensioning assemblies disposed in the main air chamber, each tensioning assembly having an upper end coupled to the intermediate panel and a lower end coupled to the bottom panel;
wherein, when the internal cavity of the mattress is inflated, the upper end of each tensioning assembly is closer to the upper-most plane than the lower end of each tensioning assembly is to the lower-most plane.

13. The mattress of claim 12 , wherein the internal cavity further includes a lower peripheral air chamber that extends along a lower periphery of the mattress.

14. The mattress of claim 13 , wherein:
an outer portion of the bottom panel borders the lower peripheral air chamber; and
an inner portion of the bottom panel borders the main air chamber.

15. The mattress of claim 14 , wherein:
the outer portion of the bottom panel defines the lower-most surface of the mattress; and
the inner portion of the bottom panel is arranged vertically above the lower-most surface of the mattress.

16. The mattress of claim 13 , wherein the lower peripheral air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber.

17. The mattress of claim 12 , wherein the internal cavity further includes an upper peripheral air chamber that extends along an upper periphery of the mattress.

18. The mattress of claim 17 , wherein:
an outer portion of the top panel borders the upper peripheral air chamber; and
an inner portion of the top panel borders the upper air chamber.

19. The mattress of claim 18 , wherein:
the inner portion of the top panel defines the upper-most surface of the mattress; and
the outer portion of the top panel is arranged vertically beneath the upper-most surface of the mattress.

20. The mattress of claim 17 , wherein the upper peripheral air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber.

21. The mattress of claim 12 , wherein each tensioning assembly comprises:
a lower weld strip located at the lower end of the tensioning assembly;
an upper weld strip located at the upper end of the tensioning assembly; and
a plurality of cords extending between the lower and upper weld strips.

Assignees

• Intex Marketing Ltd

Inventors

• Lin Hua Hsiang
• Hsu Yaw Yuan

Classifications

• A47C27/087 Primary

  with means for connecting opposite sides, e.g. internal ties or strips · CPC title

• A47C27/081

  of pneumatic type · CPC title

• A47C27/10 Primary

  with two or more independently-fillable chambers · CPC title