Mattress Support Apparatus

Abstract

A mattress support apparatus provides an inflatable bladder member that can be placed under a mattress beneath a sagging portion thereof, so that as the bladder is inflated it pushes upwards raising the sagging portion and re-leveling the upper surface of the mattress. In some implementations, the bladder member is inflated by an electric pump. Inflation may be operated by a handheld controller, which optionally may include an up/down switch, and the apparatus may include a digital or analog pressure readout. The inflatable bladder may have a contoured shape, and may include a ribbed outer surface to enhance engagement with the mattress and prevent slippage.

Claims

1. A mattress support apparatus comprising: a bladder member having a periphery that is sized to be less than a periphery of a mattress under which the bladder member is to be positioned so that top, bottom, and side peripheral edges of the bladder member are within top, bottom, and side peripheral edges of the mattress when the bladder member is positioned under the mattress, wherein: the bladder member includes a plurality of sections that are each individually inflatable: each section extends from the top peripheral edge of the bladder member to the bottom peripheral edge of the bladder member; and an electric pump operated by a controller connected to the bladder member, wherein when the bladder member is placed under a sagging portion of the mattress, the electric pump inflates the bladder member to raise the sagging portion relative to outer peripheral portions of the mattress and re-level the upper surface of the mattress.

2. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sections of the bladder member are respectively contoured such that the bladder member tends to rise to a higher level at a central portion of the bladder member than peripheral portions of the bladder member when the sections of the bladder member are inflated.

3. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bladder member is ribbed.

4. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller includes an up and down switch.

5. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller includes a pressure read out.

6. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bladder member includes a plurality of separately inflatable sections, and the controller is configured to control the electric pump to individually inflate each separately inflatable section so that each separately inflatable section may be inflated to a different pressure level.

7. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is a hand held controller that is coupled to the electric pump by a wired connection.

8. The mattress support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is a hand held controller that is coupled to the electric pump by a wireless connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view of one implementation of a bladder member of the mattress support apparatus;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a top view thereof;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a top view of the bladder member, an electric pump, and a hand held controller;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a side elevation cross sectional view of the bladder member as placed between a mattress and box spring; and

[0018] FIG. 5 is a top view of a mattress illustrating in phantom a sagging section and the positioning of the bladder member beneath the sagging section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1-5, there is illustrated therein one implementation of a new and improved mattress support apparatus. The apparatus may include a bladder member 10 inflatable by an electric pump 12 through a hose 14 and may be operated by a controller 16 which enables the user to operate the pump while off of the bed or lying on it. The controller may be a handheld controller that is connected by a conductor to the electric pump, or, alternatively, may be a controller that controls the electric pump 12 by means of wireless connection. Examples of the latter may include a smart phone application that, when instantiated, causes the smart phone to issues commands over a wireless connection to a receiver in electric pump 12.

[0020] The bladder member may be of any appropriate size to function beneath a typical mattress (e.g., approximately 3 feet long by 2 feet wide, and inflatable to approximately 5 inches thick), and is preferably contoured to correct the sag or dip typically found near the center of a mattress, and ribbed to provide strength and to reduce slippage and movement relative to the mattress 22 and box spring 24. In some embodiments, the contour is such that the bladder tends to rise to a higher level at the central portion of the bladder than the peripheral portions of the bladder when the bladder is inflated.

[0021] In some embodiments, the bladder has a periphery that is sized to be less than a periphery of the mattress 22 under which the bladder 10 is to be positioned so that peripheral edges of the bladder 10 are within peripheral edges of the mattress 22 when the bladder 10 is positioned under the mattress 22. In particular, the bladder 10 has peripheral dimensions that define an inflatable periphery (a periphery within which the bladder inflates) that is enclosed within the periphery the mattress defined by the outer sides of the mattress so that the bladder 10 may be positioned underneath the sagging portion of the mattress and provide lift to the sagging portion while not providing lift to the peripheral portions of the mattress 22. This is illustrated in FIG. 5, which is a top view of a mattress 22 illustrating in phantom a sagging section 30 and the positioning of the bladder 10 beneath the sagging section. Because the bladder 10 is substantially beneath the sagging section 30, and the periphery of the bladder 10 is well within the periphery of the mattress 10, the support of the bladder 10 will tend to cause the sagging section 30 to lift upwards relative to the periphery of the matters 22, thereby providing a more level support across the surface of the mattress 22.

[0022] The controller 16 preferably includes an up and down switch 18 which enables the user to adjust the inflation or deflation of the bladder member, and thus the height and firmness of the upper surface of the mattress. The controller also preferably includes a digital pressure read out 20 so that the user can make reference to and calibrate the degree of inflation or deflation. The bladder member is preferably placed between a mattress 22 and box spring 24 directly under a sagging portion of the mattress. As the bladder inflates it pushes upwards raising the sagging portion and re-leveling the upper surface of the mattress.

[0023] In some embodiments, the bladder 10 may have sections that are independently inflatable, and the controller 16 may be configured to inflate each section independently so that each section may be inflated to a different pressure level. This allows for a single bladder 10 to be tailored to support sagging sections of various widths.

[0024] The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like.

[0025] Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.