Patent US857024A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4394784A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4394784A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Air bed with firmness control

Assignee: Hoover Universal Inc
•
Filing: 1981-07-08
•
Granted: 1983-07-26
•
Expires: 2001-07-08
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A bed or mattress structure having at least one pneumatic bladder confined within an outer perimeter of resilient but relatively firm edging material, with top and bottom covers, wherein air flow tubes are coupled into the penumatic bladder and are connected to an electrically driven blower assembly which intakes and pressurizes ambient air at a moderately elevated pressure to the air bladder; the blower and air flow paths being controllable by at least one hand held control unit.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gerald R. Swenson
  • 👤 Emil S. Swenson
  • 👤 Gary A. Young

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 17:31
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C27/00; A47C27/08; A47C27/081; A47C27/082

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim 115 words
An air bed system having firmness control of an air bladder confined within a mattress, comprising (a) an air blower having an intake to atmospheric air and having an exhaust to atmospheric air, and having a pressurized air outlet; (b) an air line connected to said pressurized air outlet and connected to said air bladder; (c) an air valve interposed in said air line for selectively opening and closing air flow therethrough; (d) means for actuating said air valve for opening air flow through said air line and for energizing said air blower; and (e) means for actuating said air valve for opening air flow through said air line and for deenergizing said air blower.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 115 words
An air bed system having firmness control of an air bladder confined within a mattress, comprising (a) an air blower having an intake to atmospheric air and having an exhaust to atmospheric air, and having a pressurized air outlet; (b) an air line connected to said pressurized air outlet and connected to said air bladder; (c) an air valve interposed in said air line for selectively opening and closing air flow therethrough; (d) means for actuating said air valve for opening air flow through said air line and for energizing said air blower; and (e) means for actuating said air valve for opening air flow through said air line and for deenergizing said air blower.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein both of said means for actuating further comprises a control unit remotely positionable from said blower and having control switches therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 49 words
The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising two air bladders confined within said mattress, each of said air bladders being connected to said blower pressurized air outlet through an independent air valve and means for actuating, and each of said bladders having an independently operable control units associated therewith.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 61 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each of said control units further comprise two switching elements, one switching element being capable of energizing said blower and said air valve to open air flow through said air line, and the other switching element being capable of energizing said air valve to open air flow through said air line without energizing said blower.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said blower further comprises a cylindrical housing having a center axis on which an electric motor and fan are affixed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a first circlar plate affixed within said housing adjacent said fan said plate having openings proximate the axis of said housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a second circular plate affixed within said housing intermediate said fan and said motor, said plate having a plurality of openings arranged proximate said motor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a pressurized air outlet tangentially positioned relative to said fan and said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a third circular plate affixed in said housing downstream said motor, said plate having a plurality of openings arranged proximate said motor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said fan further comprises a plurality of arcuate vanes generally radially directed from said axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 27 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein both of said means for actuating further comprises a control unit remotely positionable from said blower and having control switches therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 49 words
The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising two air bladders confined within said mattress, each of said air bladders being connected to said blower pressurized air outlet through an independent air valve and means for actuating, and each of said bladders having an independently operable control unit associated therewith.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 61 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of said control units further comprise two switching elements, one switching element being capable of energizing said blower and said air valve to open air flow through said air line, and the other switching element being capable of energizing said air valve to open air flow through said air line without energizing said blower.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 105 words
A pneumatic bed assembly having firmness control of a mattress, comprising (a) a mattress having resilient but relatively rigid perimeter edge material and an enclosed cavity therein; (b) a pair of pneumatic bladders positioned in side by side relation in said cavity, each of said bladders having an air line coupled thereto and extending outside said perimeter material; (c) an air valve connected to each of said air lines; (d) a blower coupled to both of said air valves; (e) means for actuating said blower and one of said air valves; and (f) means for actuating one of said air valves without actuating said blower.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 105 words
A pneumatic bed assembly having firmness control of a mattress, comprising (a) a mattress having resilient but relatively rigid perimeter edge material and an enclosed cavity therein; (b) a pair of pneumatic bladders positioned in side by side relation in said cavity, each of said bladders having an air line coupled thereto and extending outside said perimeter material; (c) an air valve connected to each of said air lines; (d) a blower coupled to both of said air valves; (e) means for actuating said blower and one of said air valves; and (f) means for actuating one of said air valves without actuating said blower.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 35 words
The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising second means for actuating said blower and the other of said air valves, and second means for actuating the other of said air valves without actuating said blower.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 14 words
The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a resilient separator between said air bladders.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 37 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said blower further comprises a housing enclosing an electric motor and connected fan, said housing having an air intake at one end and an air exhaust at the other end thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a first plate within said housing between said fan and said housing air intake, said plate having openings near the center thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a second plate within said housing between said fan and said motor, said plate having a plurality of openings proximate said motor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising an opening in said housing between said first and second plates and proximate said fan.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 23 words
The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said housing further comprises a cylindrical structure and said housing opening is tangential to said cylindrical structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of said means for actuating said blower and respective air valves further comprise a control unit remotely positionable relative to said blower.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 37 words
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said blower further comprises a housing enclosing an electric motor and connected fan, said housing having an air intake at one end and an air exhaust at the other end thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a first plate within said housing between said fan and said housing air intake, said plate having openings near the center thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising a second plate within said housing between said fan and said motor, said plate having a plurality of openings proximate said motor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 22 words
The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising an opening in said housing between said first and second plates and proximate said fan.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 23 words
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said housing further comprises a cylindrical structure and said housing opening is tangential to said cylindrical structure.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3303518A Cited
DE1529538A1 Cited
US4078842A Cited
US4224706A Cited
US4306322A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-07-25 1987-01-24 1987-07-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-07-25 1991-01-24 1991-07-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-07-25 1995-01-24 1995-07-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag