Bed connection interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12520951-B2
Application number	US-202217890677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2022
Priority date	Aug 25, 2021
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an air duct system that can be easily, quickly, and securely installed and removed from modular air controllers at bed systems. The bed can include a mattress, foundation, air duct hose, hose retainer, and attachment plate. The foundation can support the mattress on a first foundation side and can define a foundation aperture extending between the first foundation side and a second foundation side. The air duct hose can at least partially extend through the mattress and have a first end exposed outside the mattress. The hose retainer can attach to the first end of the air duct hose. The attachment plate can mount at the first foundation side of the foundation and define a plate opening aligned with the foundation aperture. The hose retainer at the first end of the air duct hose can be removably coupled to the attachment plate at the first foundation side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bed system comprising:
a mattress; a foundation having a first foundation side and a second foundation side, the foundation configured to support the mattress on the first foundation side, the foundation defining a foundation aperture extending between the first foundation side and the second foundation side; an attachment plate that is mounted at the first foundation side of the foundation and defines a plate opening that is aligned with the foundation aperture; and a plenum having a first plenum end and an opposite second plenum end, the first plenum end configured to removably couple to the attachment plate at the first foundation side, and the second plenum end configured to couple to an air duct hose that is fluidly connected to the mattress; wherein the air duct hose at least partially extends through the mattress and has a first hose end being exposed outside the mattress and a second hose end opposite the first hose end, wherein the second hose end of the air duct hose is configured to fit over at least a portion of the plenum to retain the air duct hose to the plenum; wherein the air duct hose includes a key and the plenum includes a slot that is configured to receive the key to retain the air duct hose to the plenum.

2 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the air duct hose includes a center rib positioned along an inside the air duct hose and configured to provide structural support to the air duct hose to maintain air flow through the air duct hose when pressure is applied to one or more components of the bed system.

3 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the plenum includes first and second engagement tabs, and wherein the first and second engagement tabs are configured to snap fit into first and second apertures on opposing sides of a top surface of the attachment plate.

4 . The bed system of claim 3 , wherein the first and second engagement tabs include respective first and second flanges configured to engage with respective portions of the attachment plate adjacent the first and second apertures when the first and second engagement tabs are inserted and snapped into the first and second apertures.

5 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the air duct hose is made of a first material, and the plenum is made of a second material being less flexible than the first material.

6 . The bed system of claim 5 , wherein the first material is silicone and the second material is plastic.

7 . The bed system of claim 1 , wherein the plenum defines an opening that is a same size as at least one of an opening of the air duct hose and the plate opening of the attachment plate.

8 . The bed system of claim 1 , further comprising an air distribution layer, wherein an end of the air duct hose is fluidly connected to the distribution layer.

9 . A bed system comprising:
a mattress; a foundation having a first foundation side and a second foundation side, the foundation configured to support the mattress on the first foundation side, the foundation defining a foundation aperture extending between the first foundation side and the second foundation side; an attachment plate that is mounted at the first foundation side of the foundation and defines a plate opening that is aligned with the foundation aperture; and a plenum having a first plenum end and an opposite second plenum end, the first plenum end configured to removably couple to the attachment plate at the first foundation side, and the second plenum end configured to couple to an air duct hose that is fluidly connected to the mattress; wherein the air duct hose at least partially extends through the mattress and has a first hose end being exposed outside the mattress and a second hose end opposite the first hose end, wherein the second hose end of the air duct hose is configured to fit over at least a portion of the plenum to retain the air duct hose to the plenum; wherein the plenum further includes a ridge extending around a perimeter of the plenum, and wherein one or more ribs of the air duct hose are configured to slide over the ridge such that the ridge retains the air duct hose to the plenum.

10 . The bed system of claim 9 , wherein the plenum defines an opening that is a same size as at least one of an opening of the air duct hose and the plate opening of the attachment plate.

11 . The bed system of claim 9 , further comprising an air distribution layer, wherein an end of the air duct hose is fluidly connected to the distribution layer.

12 . A bed system comprising:
a mattress; a foundation having a first foundation side and a second foundation side, the foundation configured to support the mattress on the first foundation side, the foundation defining a foundation aperture extending between the first foundation side and the second foundation side; an attachment plate that is mounted at the first foundation side of the foundation and defines a plate opening that is aligned with the foundation aperture; a plenum having a first plenum end and an opposite second plenum end, the first plenum end configured to removably couple to the attachment plate at the first foundation side, and the second plenum end configured to couple to an air duct hose that is fluidly connected to the mattress; and an air controller configured to attach to the attachment plate, wherein the air controller includes a pivot bar, and wherein the attachment plate includes a receiving cup at a first portion of the attachment plate that is configured to receive the pivot bar of the air controller to thereby couple the air controller to the attachment plate.

13 . The bed system of claim 12 , wherein the attachment plate comprises a first attachment plate and a second attachment plate, and wherein the second attachment plate includes (i) the receiving cup at a first portion of the second attachment plate configured to receive the pivot bar of the air controller and (ii) a locking tab at a bottom surface of the second attachment plate configured to engage with an engagement portion of the air controller.

14 . The bed system of claim 13 , wherein the first attachment plate includes engagement connectors along a perimeter of a bottom surface of the first attachment plate configured to snap fit into corresponding receivers along a perimeter of a top surface of the second attachment plate, thereby coupling the first attachment plate to the second attachment plate.

15 . The bed system of claim 13 , wherein the first attachment plate is placed at the first foundation side and the second attachment plate is placed at the second foundation side.

16 . The bed system of claim 13 , wherein the first attachment plate includes first and second apertures on opposing sides of a top surface of the first attachment plate configured to receive first and second engagement tabs of the plenum.

17 . The bed system of claim 16 , wherein the plenum is configured to couple to the first attachment plate with one or more engagement tabs being snap-fitted to the first and second apertures.

18 . The bed system of claim 12 , wherein the air controller is in fluid communication with the air duct hose through the foundation aperture and the plate opening.

19 . A bed system comprising:
a mattress; a foundation having a first foundation side and a second foundation side, the foundation configured to support the mattress on the first foundation side, the foundation defining a foundation aperture extending between the first foundation side and the second foundation side; an attachm

Assignees

• Sleep Number Corp

Inventors

• Karschnik Kody Lee
• Griffith Matthew

Classifications

• F24F13/0209

  characterised by their connecting means, e.g. flanges · CPC title

• A47C21/048

  for heating · CPC title

• A47C21/044 Primary

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