MULTI-CHAMBER INFLATABLE DEVICE

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.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. 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 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.

22. The mattress of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of tensioning assemblies disposed in the main air chamber to 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.

23. The mattress of claim 21, wherein an outer periphery of the first inner panel is inset from an outer periphery of the second inner panel.

24. The mattress of claim 21, wherein an outer periphery of the second inner panel is substantially the same size and shape as an outer periphery of the top panel.

25. The mattress of claim 21, 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.

26. The mattress of claim 21, 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.

27. The mattress of claim 21, 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.

28. The mattress of claim 21, 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.

29. The mattress of claim 21, 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.

30. The mattress of claim 21, wherein the upper peripheral air chamber is positioned in fluid communication between the main air chamber and the upper air chamber.

31. 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.

32. The mattress of claim 31, wherein the internal cavity further includes a lower peripheral air chamber that extends along a lower periphery of the mattress.

33. The mattress of claim 32, 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.

34. The mattress of claim 33, 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.

35. The mattress of claim 32, wherein the lower peripheral air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber.

36. The mattress of claim 31, wherein the internal cavity further includes an upper peripheral air chamber that extends along an upper periphery of the mattress.

37. The mattress of claim 36, 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.

38. The mattress of claim 37, 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.

39. The mattress of claim 36, wherein the upper peripheral air chamber is in fluid communication with the main air chamber.

40. The mattress of claim 31, 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.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this disclosure, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mattress made in accordance with the present disclosure, illustrating the sleeping surface thereof when pressurized;

[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the mattress shown in FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 3 is an elevation, cross-section view, taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1, illustrating respective air chambers of the inflatable mattress;

[0016] FIG. 4 is an elevation, cross-section view, taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1, illustrating fluid communication apertures from the main air chamber to the lower and upper peripheral air chambers;

[0017] FIG. 5 is an elevation, partial cross-section view taken along line V-V of FIG. 1, illustrating air pockets and fluid communication channels which cooperate to define the sleeping surface of the mattress; and

[0018] FIG. 6 is an elevation, partial cross-section view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 1, illustrating a fluid communication channel between the upper peripheral air chamber and upper air chamber of the mattress.

[0019] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Turning now to FIG. 1, inflatable mattress 10 is illustrated in a fully inflated, ready-to-use configuration. As described in detail below, mattress 10 is a “double chamber” type design in which main air chamber 30 defines a majority of the height and overall shape of mattress 10, and upper air chamber 32 is disposed above main air chamber 30 and provides for the overall structure and feel of upper sleeping surface 40 of mattress 10. In addition, mattress 10 includes a lower peripheral air chamber 34 extending around the periphery of mattress 10 adjacent a lower, ground contacting surface 42 (FIG. 3).

[0021] Lower peripheral air chamber 34 (FIG. 3) provides a stable peripheral structure at the base of mattress 10 to prevent an undesirable rolling or buckling of the mattress sidewall, e.g., when a user sits on an edge of upper surface 40. Similarly, upper peripheral air chamber 36 (FIG. 3) extends around the outer periphery of upper surface 40, and provides a raised ridge-like structure to aid in the comfortable retention of a user on upper surface 40. In particular, upper peripheral air chamber 36 interrupts what might otherwise be a gradual downward sloping of upper surface 40 around the edges of mattress 10, thereby inhibiting any rolling or buckling the mattress sidewall 16 when a user is near an edge of upper surface 40.

[0022] A single valve 26 located in one side of mattress 10 is used to inflate all of the air chambers 30, 32, 34, 36 of mattress 10. Valve 26 places the main air chamber 30 in direct fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere, such that main air chamber 30 can be directly pressurized via valve 26. By contrast, the lower and upper peripheral air chambers 34, 36 are in secondary fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere, via valve 26 and fluid communication apertures 50 and 52 respectively (as shown in FIG. 4 and further described below), while upper air chamber 32 is in tertiary fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere via apertures 52 and fluid communication channels 54 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 and also described further below).

[0023] For purposes of the present disclosure, “direct fluid communication” means fluid communication across a single barrier, such as a single sidewall formed by one of the various panels which form mattress 10 (further described below). “Secondary fluid communication” means fluid communication which must traverse two spatially separate structures, such as a first panel and a second panel which is spaced from the first panel, or two spaced-apart portions of a single panel. Similarly, “tertiary fluid communication” means fluid communication which occurs across three spatially separate structures, such as three spatially separate mattress panels or three spaced-apart portions of a single panel, or some combination thereof.

[0024] Turning now to FIG. 2, an exploded view of mattress 10 illustrating its constituent parts is provided. The overall internal volume of mattress 10 is enclosed by bottom panel 12, top panel 14 and peripheral panel 16. In particular, a lower edge of peripheral panel 16 is hermetically bonded to the peripheral edge of bottom panel 12 at weld 60 (FIG. 1), while the opposing upper edge of peripheral panel 16 is hermetically bonded to the peripheral edge of top panel 14 at weld 62 (FIG. 1). When valve 26 is closed, bottom and top panels 12, 14 cooperate with peripheral panel 16 to define a hermetically sealed internal cavity of mattress 10 including air chambers 30, 32, 34 and 36. In an exemplary embodiment, peripheral panel 16 is formed from a strip of material whose ends are bonded at weld 64. Although welds formed by heating two adjacent materials to a melting or near-melting temperature are described herein as the method for joining two separate structures of mattress 10, it is contemplated that other methods, such as adhesive bonding, may also be used.

[0025] In order to provide the substantially box-shaped, mattress-like form of mattress 10, a series of tensioning assemblies 18 are positioned within the sealed cavity of mattress 10 and welded to bottom and top panels 12 and 14. In an exemplary embodiment, each tensioning assembly 18 includes a lower weld strip 18a bonded to bottom panel 12 at weld 66 (FIG. 3), upper weld strip 18b bonded to lower intermediate panel 22 (shown in FIG. 3 and described in further detail below), and a plurality of tension cords 18c with lower and upper ends bonded to weld strips 18a, 18b respectively. When mattress 10 is inflated, the tendency of bottom and top panels 12 and 14 to form a “balloon” shape with convex lower and upper surfaces 42, 40 is counteracted by the tension in cords 18c, such that tensioning assemblies 18 cooperate to provide the generally rectangular mattress like shape of inflatable mattress 10 with substantially flat upper and lower surfaces 40, 42.

[0026] Further discussion of an exemplary embodiment of tensioning assemblies 18 in the context of an inflatable mattress can be found in International Patent Application Publication No. WO 2013/130117, filed Jun. 12, 2012 and entitled “Internal Tensioning Structure Useable with Inflatable Devices,” and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/444,453, filed Jul. 28, 2014 and entitled “Method for Producing an Inflatable Product,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/444,337, filed Jul. 28, 2014 and entitled “Method for Producing an Air Mattress,” all of which are commonly assigned with the present application, the entire disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0027] As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, mattress 10 includes lower peripheral panel 20, which cooperates with bottom panel 12 and peripheral panel 16 to define lower peripheral air chamber 34. As shown in FIG. 2, lower peripheral panel 20 is formed as a generally rectangular sheet of material having approximately the same outer peripheral dimensions as bottom panel 12, and has a large central aperture 20A having a corresponding rectangular shape. The outer periphery and central aperture 20A of panel 20 cooperate to define a rectangular strip of material of a substantially constant width around its periphery, as illustrated. Lower peripheral panel 20 is bonded along its inner peripheral edge to bottom panel 12 at weld 70, while the outer peripheral edge of panel 20 is affixed to peripheral panel 16 at weld 72. Both of welds 70 and 72 extend around the entire periphery of panels 12, 16 and 20 thereby forming lower peripheral air chamber 34 around the entire lower periphery of mattress 10. Thus, lower peripheral air chamber 34 is bounded by bottom panel 12, peripheral panel 16 and lower peripheral panel 20, in cooperation with welds 60, 70 and 72 extending around the peripheral extent of mattress 10.

[0028] In order to provide for pressurization of lower peripheral air chamber 34, lower peripheral panel 20 includes fluid communication apertures 50, as shown in FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment, apertures 50 are provided at each of the four corners of the rectangular shape of panel 20, in order to promote even air inflows during inflation to the entire periphery of peripheral air chamber 34. Of course, it is contemplated that additional fluid communication apertures 50 may be provided, or that as few as one aperture 50 may be provided as required or desired for a particular application. As shown in FIG. 4, aperture 50 allows for the flow F.sub.1 of fluid (e.g., air) from main air chamber 30 to lower peripheral air chamber 34 during inflation of mattress 10, as well as a reverse fluid flow from chamber 34 to chamber 30 during deflation. Thus, air flowing through valve 26 is in direct fluid communication with main air chamber 30, and in secondary fluid communication with lower peripheral air chamber 34 via aperture 50.

[0029] Upper air chamber 32 and upper peripheral air chamber 36 are bounded by one or both of lower and upper intermediate panels 22 and 24, shown in FIG. 2, in cooperation with top panel 14 and peripheral panel 16. Upper intermediate panel 24 has an outer periphery defining a size and shape substantially the same as top panel 14, i.e., generally rectangular. The outer peripheral edge of upper intermediate panel 24 is affixed to peripheral panel 16, as shown in FIG. 3, along weld 74, which extends around the entire periphery of upper intermediate panel 24 and peripheral panel 16, in similar fashion to weld 72 between lower peripheral panel 20 and peripheral panel 16 as described above. Upper intermediate panel 24 further defines an interior weld path 76a as shown in FIG. 2, which is a location spaced substantially evenly inwardly from the outer periphery of panel 24 where weld 76 provides affixation of panel 24 to top panel 14 (FIG. 3).

[0030] Upper peripheral air chamber 36 is bounded by top panel 14, peripheral mattress panel 16 and upper intermediate panel 24, in cooperation with welds 62, 74 and 76 extending around the peripheral extent of mattress 10. Similar to lower peripheral panel 20, upper intermediate panel 24 includes fluid communication apertures 52 at each corner thereof, as shown in FIG. 2. Apertures 52 allow secondary fluid communication between main air chamber 30 and upper peripheral air chamber 36, in the form of fluid flow F.sub.2 (FIG. 4).

[0031] Upper air chamber 32 is disposed beneath top panel 14, and is generally bounded by top panel 14 at its upper end and upper intermediate panel 24 at is lower end (see, e.g., FIG. 5). Weld 76 forms the peripheral boundary of upper air chamber 32. However, as described in further detail below, weld 76 is interrupted at one or more locations, illustratively two mutually opposed locations, in order to form fluid communication channels 54 (FIG. 6) to facilitate fluid flow from upper peripheral air chamber 36 to upper air chamber 32.

[0032] Lower intermediate panel 22 has a shape which generally corresponds to the shape of upper intermediate panel 24, except lower intermediate panel 22 is somewhat smaller. Thus, the outer edge of lower intermediate panel 22 is affixed to a lower surface of upper intermediate panel 24 at weld 78, which extends around the entire periphery of lower intermediate panel 22 and is inset from the outer periphery of upper intermediate panel 24. In an exemplary embodiment, this inset is substantially constant around the entire outer periphery of panels 22, 24. As shown in FIG. 3, weld 78 may be located between weld 74 and weld 76, both horizontally and vertically. As noted above and illustrated in FIG. 3, upper weld strips 18b of tensioning assemblies 18 are affixed to lower intermediate panel 22 via welds 68. The presence of lower intermediate panel 22 allows welds 68 to be made at a material interface not in direct contact or physical abutment with a majority of sleeping surface 40, such that any surface irregularities which might result from the presence of welds 68 will not be felt by a user of mattress 10.

[0033] Although upper intermediate panel 24 is shown as a single, monolithic sheet of material, it is contemplated that other arrangements could be utilized within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, upper intermediate panel could be formed from a strip of material cut into a rectangular shape, similar to bottom panel 12, with a central panel similar to lower intermediate panel 22 bonded to the interior periphery of the strip to fill in its aperture.

[0034] Turning again to FIG. 1, sleeping surface 40 of upper air chamber 32 has a “quilted” pattern appearance arising from a plurality of zigzag welds 80 arranged as illustrated. Further depiction and graphical description of an exemplary form of zigzag welds 80 can be found in U.S. Design application Ser. No. No. 29/502,063, filed Sep. 11, 2014 and entitled “Inflatable Mattress”, which is commonly assigned with the present application, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

[0035] As best seen in FIG. 5, upper air chamber 32 is formed in the space between top panel 14 and upper intermediate panel 24, and within the boundary circumscribed by upper weld 76 between panels 14 and 24 (FIG. 1). Pressurized fluid (e.g., air) enters upper air chamber 32 via fluid communication channels 54, formed by a pair of mutually opposed interruptions in weld 76. As noted above, air entering through valve 26 flows into main air chamber 30, and then into upper peripheral air chamber 36 via fluid communication apertures 52. As pressurized air occupies upper peripheral air chamber 36, it is allowed to flow through channels 54 into upper air chamber 32. Thus, upper air chamber 32 is in tertiary fluid communication with valve 26, because air arriving to upper air chamber 32 flows from valve 26 via main air chamber 30 and upper peripheral air chamber 36. By contrast and as noted above, upper peripheral air chamber 36 is in secondary fluid communication with valve 26 while main air chamber 30 is in direct fluid communication therewith.

[0036] As best seen in FIG. 1, zigzag welds 80 are formed within the boundary of upper air chamber 32 established by the peripheral weld 76. Zigzag welds 80 each define alternating lateral and longitudinal sections joined by respective radiused transitions. Neighboring pairs of these radiused transitions are arranged facing one another such that neighboring pairs of zigzag welds 80 form pockets 44 substantially bounded by mutually opposed pairs of lateral and longitudinal weld sections, as illustrated. Each of pockets 44 presents a generally rectangular appearance with two opposing open corners adjacent the radiused transitions of welds 80. These opposing corners cooperate to define pocket fluid channels 46 (FIG. 5), which allow air to flow diagonally between adjacent pockets 44 through a gap between neighboring welds 80.

[0037] Thus, as air enters upper air chamber 32 via fluid communication channel 54 (FIG. 1), the air infiltrates each of pockets 44 via pocket fluid channels 46. Diagonally neighboring pairs of pockets 44, a plurality of which are formed by each neighboring pair of zigzag welds 80, are all in direct fluid communication with one another via fluid communication channels 54.

[0038] In this way, sleeping surface 40 is defined by a quilted arrangement of inflated pockets 44, all of which are relatively flat and spaced away from lower intermediate panel 22 and its welds 68 (described in further detail above). Meanwhile, upper peripheral air chamber 36 provides a ridged boundary around the periphery of sleeping surface 40, presenting a physical barrier to any downward slope of sleeping surface 40 around the edges of mattress 10, thereby providing stability and security for users of mattress 10.

[0039] While this disclosure has been described as having exemplary designs, the present disclosure can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.