U.S. patent application number 10/973726 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-27 for airbed with built-in pump having powered inflation and deflation.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Coleman Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Andrew T. Metzger.
Application Number | 20060085918 10/973726 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36204796 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060085918 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Metzger; Andrew T. |
April 27, 2006 |
Airbed with built-in pump having powered inflation and
deflation
Abstract
A built-in pump for an airbed that provides both power inflation
and power deflation. The built-in pump utilizes mechanical
advantage to open valves for the pump. Separate inflate and deflate
valves are utilized. A single direction, centrifugal fan is used to
both inflate and deflate the airbed. The fan is activated when
either of the valves is actuated, allowing air to flow into or out
of the airbed. Separate channels associated with the inflate and
deflate valves direct airflow in the appropriate direction.
Inventors: |
Metzger; Andrew T.; (Belle
Plaine, KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG, VOIT & MAYER, LTD.;(SEATTLE OFFICE)
TWO PRUDENTIAL PLAZA
SUITE 4900
CHICAGO
IL
60601-6780
US
|
Assignee: |
The Coleman Company, Inc.
Wichita
KS
|
Family ID: |
36204796 |
Appl. No.: |
10/973726 |
Filed: |
October 26, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/713 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/082 20130101;
F04D 29/503 20130101; F04D 25/084 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/713 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/08 20060101
A47C027/08; A47C 27/10 20060101 A47C027/10 |
Claims
1. An inflatable product, comprising: an air bladder; and a pump in
fluid communication with the air bladder, the pump comprising: an
inflate valve; a fan; a motor for driving the fan; and a deflate
valve; the inflate valve, the fan, and the deflate valve being
arranged so that actuation of the mechanical inflate valve while
rotating the fan in a first direction causes the pump to inflate
the bladder and actuation of the deflate valve while rotating the
fan in the first direction causes the pump to deflate the
bladder.
2. The inflatable product of claim 1, wherein the motor is a single
direction motor.
3. The inflatable product of claim 1, wherein the inflate valve is
a mechanical valve.
4. The inflatable product of claim 3, wherein the deflate valve is
a mechanical valve.
5. The inflatable product of claim 1, wherein the deflate valve is
a mechanical valve.
6. The inflatable product of claim 1, wherein the pump further
comprises a housing in which the fan is mounted, and wherein the
housing comprises: a first pathway for directing air drawn by the
fan when the deflate valve is open from the bladder, through the
fan, and out of the housing and bladder, and a second pathway for
directing air drawn by the fan when the inflate valve is open from
outside the housing and bladder through the fan and into the
bladder.
7. The inflatable product of claim 6, wherein the inflate valve
comprises two valves for opening and closing an inlet into the
housing and an outlet into the bladder.
8. The inflatable product of claim 7, wherein the two valves are
mechanical valves, and are connected together for substantially
simultaneous operation.
9. The inflatable product of claim 8, further comprising a switch,
the switch being arranged and configured to be engaged to turn on
operation of the motor as the two valves are opened.
10. The inflatable product of claim 7, wherein the deflate valve
comprises two valves for opening and closing an inlet from the
bladder and an outlet of the housing.
11. The inflatable product of claim 6, wherein the deflate valve
comprises two valves for opening and closing an inlet from the
bladder and an outlet of the housing.
12. The inflatable product of claim 11, wherein the two valves are
mechanical valves, and are connected together for substantially
simultaneous operation.
13. The inflatable product of claim 8, further comprising a switch,
the switch being arranged and configured to be engaged to turn on
operation of the motor as the two valves are opened.
14. An inflatable product, comprising: an air bladder; and a pump
in fluid communication with the air bladder, the pump comprising: a
housing; a mechanical inflate valve; a fan; a motor for driving the
fan; and a mechanical deflate valve; the inflate valve, the fan,
and the deflate valve being arranged so that actuation of the
mechanical inflate valve while rotating the fan causes the pump to
inflate the bladder and actuation of the deflate valve while
rotating the fan causes the pump to deflate the bladder.
15. The inflatable product of claim 14, wherein the inflate valve
comprises two valves for opening and closing an inlet into the
housing and an outlet into the bladder.
16. The inflatable product of claim 15, wherein the two valves of
the inflate valve are connected together for substantially
simultaneous operation.
17. The inflatable product of claim 16, further comprising a
switch, the switch being arranged and configured to be engaged to
turn on operation of the motor as the two valves are opened.
18. The inflatable product of claim 15, wherein the deflate valve
comprises two valves for opening and closing an inlet from the
bladder and an outlet of the housing.
19. The inflatable product of claim 15, wherein the deflate valve
comprises two valves for opening and closing an inlet from the
bladder and an outlet of the housing.
20. The inflatable product of claim 11, wherein the two valves of
the deflate valve are connected together for substantially
simultaneous operation.
21. The inflatable product of claim 8, further comprising a switch,
the switch being arranged and configured to be engaged to turn on
operation of the motor as the two valves are opened.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to inflatable products,
and more specifically to airbeds.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] An airbed is a large rectangular rubber or plastic (e.g.,
vinyl) bag that is filled with air so that it may be used as a bed.
Airbeds are well known in the art and have proven themselves to be
very useful. On the one hand, an inflatable airbed may be deflated
and folded to store the airbed in a closet or basement. On the
other hand, when guests arrive or when the owner of the airbed
takes a trip to a place where there is no bed, the airbed may be
inflated and may be used as a bed.
[0003] One thing airbeds have in common is that they must be
inflated for use. To this end, a valve or valves are supplied on an
airbed for a user to provide air or another gas into the airbed.
The user may utilize his or her breath, i.e., by blowing into a
valve or valves, may utilize a manual or electric pump, or may use
an air compressor, as examples.
[0004] More recently, some manufacturers have begun incorporating
pumps into airbeds. Examples can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos.
4,224,706, 5,588,811, and 6,543,073. Incorporating the pump into
the airbed or airbed frame provides a convenient location for
storage of the pump, and may provide better fitting of the pump to
the airbed.
[0005] Most contemporary built-in pumps are power inflation and
vented deflation. These pumps utilize a weak spring valve design,
where the valve is opened, against the pressure of the weak spring,
by the pressure delivered by the pump. These pumps have inherent
airtight issues caused by the valve design. They also require a
secondary dump valve and manual force to fully deflate the bed.
[0006] One prior art built-in pump design utilizes mechanical
advantage to allow for better sealing of the deflation valve. This
design also utilizes a unique fan system to allow for power
deflation. The inherent problems with this design are the
complexity of the unit, the limited performance ability of the fan,
and the potential failure of the mechanical mechanisms for opening
the valve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The following presents a simplified summary of some
embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic
understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive
overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify
key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of
the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of
the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more
detailed description that is presented later.
[0008] In accordance with an embodiment, a built-in pump is
provided for an airbed that permits both power inflation and power
deflation. In accordance with an embodiment, the built-in pump
utilizes mechanical advantage to open valves for the pump.
[0009] In one embodiment, separate inflate and deflate valves are
utilized for the built-in pump. A single direction, centrifugal fan
is used to both inflate and deflate the airbed. The fan is
activated when one of the valves is actuated, allowing air to flow
into or out of the airbed. Channels in the pump guide airflow in
the appropriate direction.
[0010] Other features of the invention will become apparent from
the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with
the drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an airbed incorporating
an air pump in accordance with the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the air pump for use in
the airbed of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an exploded side perspective view of the air pump
of FIG. 2;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the air pump of FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a top, sectional view of the air pump of FIG.
2;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a cutaway view of the pump of FIG. 2, with an
inflate valve actuated;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a cut away view, similar to FIG. 6, of the air
pump of FIG. 2, with the deflate valve assembly in an actuated
position;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a partial cutaway view showing a portion of the
deflate valve assembly 42 in a closed position;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a partial cutaway view, similar to FIG. 8, showing
the deflate valve assembly in an intermediate position; and
[0020] FIG. 10 shows an alternate embodiment of the bottom of the
air pump of FIG. 2, wherein a rocker arm engages the inflate and
deflate valve assemblies.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] In the following description, various embodiments of the
present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation,
specific configurations and details are set forth in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it
will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present
invention may be practiced without the specific details.
Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in
order not to obscure the embodiment being described. In addition,
to the extent orientations are given, such as "upper," "lower,"
"right," "left," "top," "bottom," and the like, such orientations
are given for ease of reference only.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows an airbed 20 that may utilize aspects of the
present invention. In the embodiment shown, the airbed 20 includes
a receptacle 22 for a receiving a pump 24. In the embodiment shown,
the pump 24 is attached to the receptacle 22. However, if desired,
the pump 24 may be redesigned so as to be removable. To the extent
that the pump 24 is attached to the airbed 20 and may remain
attached thereto so as to be stored in that manner, the pump 24 is
"built-in" to the airbed 20, and thus it is a built-in pump. To
this end, aspects of the present invention may be implemented in an
airbed, such as the airbed 20, having a built-in pump, such as the
pump 24, or may be implemented in a pump that is not built-in to an
airbed.
[0023] Details of the pump 24 can best be seen in FIG. 2
(assembled) and FIG. 3 (exploded). The pump 24 shown in the
drawings is generally rectangular in shape, but may be configured
in another manner. As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the pump 24
includes a housing 26 having an inflate knob 28 and a deflate knob
30 mounted at an upper portion. In the embodiment shown, a power
cord 32 extends into the housing 26 through a top of the
housing.
[0024] Turning now to the FIG. 3, the housing 26 includes a top
housing 34, a middle housing 36, and a bottom housing 38. The
inflate knob 28 is attached to an inflate valve assembly 40,
further described below. Similarly, the deflate knob 30 is attached
to a deflate valve assembly 42, also described below.
[0025] The top housing 34 includes a lower skirt 48 that surrounds
and fits against the upper surface of the middle housing 36. The
top housing 34 also includes two holes 50, 52 through which the
inflate knob 28 and the deflate knob 30 protrude. The top housing
34 also includes an internal wall 54 extending through a central
section of the right hand side (i.e., the deflate knob 30 side) of
the top housing 34. As can best be seen in FIG. 5, the internal
wall 54 extends parallel to side walls of the lower skirt 48 for a
distance, and then extends diagonally toward one of the side walls.
The function of the internal wall 54 is described below.
[0026] The middle housing 36 includes an inflation valve spring
seat 56 that extends upward from the middle housing and is coaxial
with the inflate valve assembly 40. Similarly, the middle housing
36 includes a deflation valve spring seat 58 that extends upward
from the middle housing 36 and is coaxial with the deflate valve
assembly 42. A deflation air inlet 60 is located adjacent to the
deflation valve spring seat 58, and a deflation air outlet 62 is
located on an opposite side of the deflation valve spring seat. As
can be seen in FIG. 5, the deflation air inlet and the deflation
air outlet 62 are located on opposite sides of the internal wall 54
of the top housing 34.
[0027] A fan air inlet 64 is centered on the middle housing 36. A
fan skirt 66 extends downward from the middle housing 36 and is
coaxial with the fan air inlet 64.
[0028] A fan, such as a centrifugal fan 68, is positioned in the
fan skirt 66. The fan 68 is rotated by a motor 70 which, in one
embodiment, is connected to the power cord 32. In alternate
embodiments, the motor 30 may be operated by an external DC source,
such as one or more rechargeable batteries or non-rechargeable
batteries, or an internal DC source, such as one or more
rechargeable batteries, such as the battery 72. If needed, the
design of the fan 68 may be altered for a desired performance.
[0029] The middle housing 36 also includes valve assembly openings
74 that are coaxial with the inflation and deflation valve spring
seats 56, 58 and extend through the middle housing 36. The inflate
and deflate valve assemblies 40, 42 extend through the valve
assembly openings 74.
[0030] The bottom housing 38 includes a tub 76. An internal wall
78, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, closes off a portion of the bottom
housing 38 relative to the rest of the bottom housing. A pair of
openings 80, 82 is located in a bottom panel of the bottom housing
38. The first opening 80 is positioned in the larger part of the
tub 76, and the second opening 82 is positioned in the portion of
the tub 76 confined by the internal wall 78.
[0031] Each of the inflate valve assembly 40 and the deflate valve
assembly 42 includes the same components. Thus, for the benefit of
the reader, the details of only one of the valve assemblies, the
inflate valve assembly 40, will be described.
[0032] At the upper portion of the inflate valve assembly 40 is the
inflate knob 28. The inflate knob 28 tapers inward to a recess 86
and then flares outward to form an upper valve 88. When the inflate
knob 28 is in the closed position, this upper valve 88 seats
against the hole 50 in the top housing 34, as can be seen in FIG.
7.
[0033] A spring 90 is located below the upper valve 88. The spring
90 seats against the inflation valve spring seat 56 of the middle
housing 36 and presses upward against the bottom of the upper valve
88. In an embodiment, the spring 90 is strong enough to seat the
upper valve 88 against the inner surface of the hole 50.
[0034] An actuator arm 92 extends outward from a lower portion of a
shaft 93 for the inflate valve assembly 40. The upper part of the
shaft 93 connects to the upper valve 88. A valve guide 94 is
attached to a bottom of the tub 76 of the bottom housing 38 and
includes an opening through which the shaft 93 is received. The
shaft 93 is free to slide in this opening relative to the valve
guide 94, and as such the valve guide maintains alignment of a
bottom portion of the shaft 93.
[0035] A lower valve 96 is attached to the end of the shaft 93 and
is positioned so that it closes the opening 80 when the inflate
valve assembly 40 is in the closed position (FIG. 7). The lower
valve 96 moves with the shaft 93 and the rest of the inflate valve
assembly 40.
[0036] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the inflate valve
assembly 40 includes an upper rubber seal 98 positioned on the
shaft 93. A lower rubber seal 100 is located below the upper rubber
seal 98. Each of these seals 98, 100 may be, for example, a rubber
bushing, although other structures may be used. The rubber seals
98, 100 are positioned so that they close the valve assembly
opening 74 in the middle housing 36 when the inflate valve assembly
40 is in the opened and closed positions, as can be seen in FIGS. 6
and 7.
[0037] The lower rubber seal 100 is arranged to engage a ball
bearing 102. The ball bearing is biased toward the shaft 93 by a
spring 104. The spring 104 and the ball bearing 102 are maintained
in position by a guide 106.
[0038] The bias of the spring 104 and the engagement of the ball
bearing 102 with the lower rubber seal 100 resist movement of the
inflate valve assembly 40 in and out of the housing 26. As can be
seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the lower rubber seal 100 is located below
the ball bearing 102 when the inflate valve assembly 40 is in the
open position (FIG. 6), and the ball bearing 102 is located below
the lower rubber seal 100 when the inflate valve assembly 40 is in
the closed position (FIG. 7). A user may grip the inflate knob 28
and pull or push the inflate valve assembly 40 against the bias of
the spring 104 and the engagement of the ball bearing 102 with the
lower rubber seal 100 so that the ball bearing rolls over the lower
rubber seal 100, as shown in FIG. 9. During this movement, the ball
bearing 102 moves inward as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 8.
[0039] As an alternative to these two rubber seals 98, 100, a
diaphragm may be provided attaching the shaft 93 to the middle
housing 36. In this alternative embodiment, a separate structure,
such as a stop or flange, may be provided for resisting movement of
the inflate valve assembly 40 in and out of the housing 26. The
flange or stop may engage, for example, the ball bearing 102.
[0040] Two switches 110, 112 are positioned so they are engaged by
the actuator arm 92 of the inflate valve assembly 40 and deflate
valve assembly 42, respectively. Thus, for example, when the
inflate valve assembly 40 is moved to the open position shown in
FIG. 6, the actuator arm 92 engages the switch 110 and turns the
motor 70 to an on position. Similarly, when the deflate valve
assembly 42 is pressed to the inward, open position shown in FIG.
7, the actuator arm 92 for the deflate valve assembly 42 engages
the switch 112, turning on the motor.
[0041] In operation, the pump 24 is positioned in the receptacle 22
of the airbed 20. As described above, the pump 24 may be
permanently attached to the receptacle 22, as in the embodiment
shown, or may alternatively be removable. Normally, the inflate
knob 28 and the deflate knob 30 are both in an outward position,
and the motor 70 is not operating. To inflate the airbed, the
inflate knob 28 is pushed inward, driving the inflate valve
assembly 40 into the housing 26. During this movement, the lower
rubber seal 100 rolls against and moves inward the ball bearing 102
against the bias of the spring 104. Once the lower rubber seal 100
has passed the ball bearing 102, the spring 104 drives the ball
bearing back toward the shaft 93, holding the inflate valve
assembly 40 in position against the bias of the spring 90. When the
inflate valve assembly 40 is pushed inward, the actuator arm 92
engages the switch 110, turning on the motor 70, which in turn
rotates the fan 68.
[0042] When the inflate valve assembly is in this open position,
the fan 68 draws air into the housing 26 past the upper valve 88 as
indicated by the arrow 120 (FIG. 6). This air flow continues
through the fan air inlet 64 and into the fan 68, as indicated by
the arrow 122. The air flows out of the fan 68 and into the tub 76
and then out of the opening 80 past the lower valve 96. This
exiting of the air is shown by the arrow 124. The air thus flowing
goes into the airbed 20, inflating the airbed.
[0043] To stop inflation, a user grips the inflate knob 28 and
pulls outward. The lower rubber seal 100 rolls over the ball
bearing 102 and, once the rubber seal 100 reaches the midway point
shown in FIG. 9, the bias of the spring 90 pops the deflate knob 30
and upper valve 88 into position against the hole 50 in the top
housing 34. When the inflate valve assembly 40 moves upward, the
actuator arm 92 releases the switch 110, shutting off the motor 70.
Thus, the motor stops and the valves 88, 96 close at the same time,
ensuring a minimal loss of air.
[0044] To deflate the airbed, a user grasps the deflate knob 30 and
presses inward to drive the deflate knob and deflate valve assembly
42 inward. The lower rubber seal 100 rolls under the ball bearing
102 as described with reference to the inflate valve assembly 40.
Similarly, the actuator arm 92 engages the switch 112, turning on
the motor 70. This position is shown in FIG. 7.
[0045] When the deflate valve assembly 42 is pushed inward and the
motor 70 is operating, air is drawn from the airbed 20 into the
housing 26 by the fan 68 through the opening 82 and past the lower
valve 96 for the deflate valve assembly 42. This air flow is
indicated by the arrow 126. Air initially drawn into the housing 26
flows into the portion of the tub 76 confined by the internal wall
78. The air is drawn from the tub 76 in through the deflation air
inlet 60 and then down through the fan air inlet 64 and into the
fan 68, as indicated by the arrow 128 in FIGS. 5 and 7. The air
blows down into the tub 76 on the opposite side of the internal
wall 78, as indicated by the arrow 129 in FIG. 7. The air pressure
generated by the fan 68 blows this air out of the deflation air
outlet 62 as indicated by the arrow 130 in FIG. 5. This air then
blows out through the hole 52 and around the upper valve 88 of the
deflate valve assembly 42, as indicated by the arrow 132 in FIG.
7.
[0046] Thus, the fan 68, although in the embodiment shown rotates
in only one direction, may be used to both power deflate and power
inflate the airbed 20. This feature is provided by routing the air
through different channels or pathways of the housing 26 when the
inflate and deflate valve assemblies 40, 42 are actuated. This
structure is less expensive than a pump utilizing a reversible
motor but performs its function without the need for moving parts
other than the valve assemblies 40, 42. Instead, air is routed
through the housing 26 along different pathways for the inflate and
deflate modes. In addition, the two valves are mechanical, in that
they require mechanical force to operate, which provides a much
less expensive valve structure than electronically actuated valves
(e.g., solenoids).
[0047] As an added feature, a rocker arm 120 (FIG. 10), may be
provided that is hinged to a center of the bottom of the housing 26
and engages the bottom of each of the lower valves 96. The rocker
arm 120 may be utilized to ensure that only one of the inflate
valve assembly 40 and deflate valve assembly 42 is actuated at a
given time.
[0048] The embodiment shown utilizes direct force on the inflate
and deflate valve assemblies 40, 42 to open the valve assemblies.
This simplifies the mechanism for the pump. In addition, utilizing
separate inflate and deflate valve assemblies 40, 42 permits a
single direction, centrifugal fan to be used, and/or a single
direction motor (i.e., a motor that is designed to rotate in only
one direction). The design also provides more versatility on fan
style and performance.
[0049] While the present invention is described with reference to
an airbed, the pump 24 of the present invent may be utilized with
any inflatable product, including but not limited to air mats,
rafts, inflatable furniture, inflatable pools, inflatable boats,
and other inflatable products.
[0050] Variations are within the spirit of the present invention.
Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment
thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in
detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no
intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms
disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all
modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling
within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the
appended claims.
[0051] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar
referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in
the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover
both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein
or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising,"
"having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as
open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,")
unless otherwise noted. The term "connected" is to be construed as
partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together,
even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of
values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of
referring individually to each separate value falling within the
range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value
is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually
recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in
any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise
clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples,
or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is
intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention
and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless
otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be
construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the
practice of the invention.
[0052] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described
herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying
out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may
become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading
the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to
employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for
the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically
described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the
claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover,
any combination of the above-described elements in all possible
variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise
indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
* * * * *