U.S. patent application number 11/138329 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-30 for inflatable air mattress pull band.
Invention is credited to Hsin-Tsai Wu.
Application Number | 20060265810 11/138329 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37461596 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060265810 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu; Hsin-Tsai |
November 30, 2006 |
Inflatable air mattress pull band
Abstract
A pull band for an inflatable air mattress particularly of
medium and large sizes to provide for the mattress excellent
elongation and self-balanced mechanism is divided into an upper and
a lower portions to respectively jointed to the upper and the lower
perimeters of the mattress in symmetric, corresponding and inverse
fashion to form an enclosure for providing pull strength to
regulate the form of and to support the mattress; the band yielding
support for the mattress saturated with the air to effectively cope
with external pressure for maintaining in shape; and the mattress
being automatically restored to its shape once the external
pressure is released.
Inventors: |
Wu; Hsin-Tsai; (Taipei City,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONG C LEI
PMB # 1008
1867 YGNACIO VALLEY ROAD
WALNUT CREEK
CA
94598
US
|
Family ID: |
37461596 |
Appl. No.: |
11/138329 |
Filed: |
May 27, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/712 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/081 20130101;
A47C 27/087 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/712 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/08 20060101
A47C027/08 |
Claims
1. A pull band in an inflatable air mattress is essentially
comprised of multiple built-in pull rings and a pull band; wherein
the band related to an enclosure of an integral strip in an
inclined configuration; an air vent channel being provided at four
rounded corners of the band; the upper perimeter of the top edge of
the band being shorter than that of the bottom edge of the band;
the upper perimeter of the band being jointed to the inner
perimeter of the mattress; and the lower perimeter of the band
being jointed to that of the girder of the bank to provide traction
by inclined joint.
2. The pull band in the inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein
both ends are jointed to form the enclosure; four rounded corners
are jointed in a triangle; and each joint is provided with an air
vent channel to give the inclined configuration to the band.
3. The pull band in the inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein
the enclosure of the band is broken into two identical shorter
sections and two identical longer sections that are jointed to one
another; each joint is made in an inclined fashion; four rounded
corners being each provided with an air vent channel and indicating
the same inclined fashion as that of the band.
4. The pull band in the inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein
the band is applied to a multi-layer inflatable air mattress; the
band being arranged in an internally or externally inclined
configuration; the band being divided into an upper portion and a
lower portion; both portions being respectively jointed to the
inner perimeter and the upper girder of the mattress as well as the
lower girder and the base perimeter of the mattress in symmetric,
corresponding and inverse fashion to provide traction among the
layers.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is related to a pull band for an
inflatable air mattress of medium or large size, and more
particularly to one that provides an excellent elongation and
automatic restoration mechanism.
[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Whereas most of inflatable products generally available in
the market are for entertaining, sports and leisure activities, the
product is inflated without compromising its handy and lightweight
features to operate on land or surface.
[0005] An inflatable air mattress (A1) of the prior art as
illustrated in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings having been
introduced into the market for many years contains multiple pull
rings (A2) and a pull band (A3), both being critical to whether the
mattress (A1) maintains its shape in use or not. Those pull rings
(A2) are arranged in a check fashion and each is disposed with an
air vent channel (A21) to provide air convection between them and
the mattress (A1). The primary purpose, however, of those pull
rings (A2) is to prevent the inflated mattress (A1) from becoming a
spherical shape by maintaining the top and the bottom of the
mattress (A1) in parallel to each other.
[0006] To improve pull strength on four sides of the mattress (A1)
and keep it in a fixed form, four pull bands (A3) are provided in
the mattress (A1) to respectively lay flushed against four sides of
the mattress (A1) to provide traction for its top and the bottom.
Accordingly, four sides of the mattress (A1) are prevented from
bulging and the mattress (A1) is kept in a consistent form.
[0007] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a band (A3) is comprised of four
individual sections (A3), two identical shorter sections and two
identical longer sections. Those four sections (A3) of the band
(A3) directly and vertically connect the top and the bottom of the
mattress (A1) to provide traction mechanism by vertical link.
However, the prior art of the band is found with the following
flaws: [0008] 1. Whereas the band (A3) inside the mattress (A1) are
divided into four sections to respectively provide traction for two
shorter and two longer sides of the mattress (A1), the traction
forces exerted are naturally unbalanced; and four corners of the
mattress (A1) tend to bulge due to the absence of the pull
strength. Eventually, the mattress (A1) is not properly aligned.
[0009] 2. Whereas the band (A3) inside the mattress (A1) directly
and vertically connects the top and the bottom of the mattress
(A1), such application of force is referred as a linear pull force
in dynamics. Therefore, once the mattress (A1) is inflated, there
is the absence of traction on the tope edge and sidewalls of the
mattress (A) to pop up to negatively affect the appearance of the
entire mattress. [0010] 3. For the same reason given in the
preceding subparagraph 2, the force from the band (A3) is only
applied to the inner edge perimeter, resulting in protruded
deformation on the circumference of the mattress to significantly
compromise the resilience and comfort of the mattress as it is
directly related to the balanced pressure and stabilizing effect of
the mattress.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide
an improved construction of the pull band in the inflated air
mattress that eliminates those flaws found with the prior art. To
achieve the purpose, the band of the present invention is made in
an integral enclosure as a breakthrough in solving the problem of
deformation at four corners of the mattress. Meanwhile, the band is
linked either as an entire piece or by section at a certain
inclination to guide the pull and the traction otherwise on the top
to the sides of the mattress in forming a perfect integrated
traction not only to reduce the deformation when the mattress is
inflated but also to give automatic restoration for the shape of
the mattress. Furthermore, as the mattress is well balanced and
stabilized, it offers the optimal resilience and comfort to sleep
on.
[0012] The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief
introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these
and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention
itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the
art, the following detailed description of the invention and the
claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical
reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0013] Many other advantages and features of the present invention
will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making
reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets
of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment
incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the prior art with a
cutaway.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment with
a cutaway of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a construction of the
pull band of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is schematic view showing another construction of the
pull band of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a construction of another
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing a construction of another
preferred embodiment yet of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing an outwardly inclined
construction of a lower pull band of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments
only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or
configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following
description provides a convenient illustration for implementing
exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the
described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement
of the elements described without departing from the scope of the
invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an inflatable air mattress (1)
is essentially comprised of multiple pull rings (11) arranged in a
check fashion and an enclosure of pull band (12). The pull ring
(11) similar to that of the prior art is provided with an air vent
channel (111) and connects the top (13) and the base (14) of the
mattress (1) to define it a basic configuration. The pull band (12)
as illustrated in FIG. 3 surrounds and connects an inner perimeter
(131) of the top (13) at a certain inclination to become, together
with a girder (132) of the top (13), an oblique traction band to
secure the configuration of the mattress (1).
[0024] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the band (12) is comprised
of a complete strip enclosed to fence the inner space defined by
the top (13) and the perimeter (131) of the top (13) before having
both ends of the band (12) jointed in position. Four rounded
corners (122) of the band (12) are further jointed in a triangle
where a circular or an oval air vent channels (123) is disposed to
give the band (12) an outwardly inclined configuration as
illustrated in FIG. 5.
[0025] In the outwardly inclined configuration of the band (12), a
plane defined by a perimeter of the top edge of the band (12) is
smaller in size than that by the base of the band (12).
Accordingly, a smaller top edge perimeter (124) of the band (12) is
connected to the perimeter of the top (13) while the greater base
perimeter (125) is connected to the girder (132) of the top (13) to
define a built-in inclined configuration for the band (12) for
providing pull as an enclosure.
[0026] Now referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the enclosure of the band
(12) is done by section. Wherein, two sides (126) of each section
of the band (12) are jointed in oblique for the entire band (12) to
indicate inclined configuration inwardly or outwardly as
illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the present invention is applied
in a multi-layer inflatable air mattress (1) by dividing the band
(12) into an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion
of the band (12) is respectively jointed to the inner perimeter
(131) of the mattress and the girder (132). As extended, the lower
portion of the band (12) is made in a configuration corresponding
to and in symmetry with that of the upper portion of the band (12)
but arranged in a fashion of inverse inclination to respectively
joint to a lower girder (133) of the mattress and an inner
perimeter (134) to provide the mattress (1) the traction between
the upper and the lower layers, thus to be further applied to the
multi-layer inflatable air mattress to provide interlayer traction
mechanism.
[0028] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together may also find a useful application
in other types of methods differing from the type described
above.
[0029] While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is
not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be
understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and
changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in
its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without
departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
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