U.S. patent application number 11/162019 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for airbag structure.
This patent application is currently assigned to APEX MEDICAL CORP.. Invention is credited to Chun-Chu Chen Han.
Application Number | 20070044240 11/162019 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37802010 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070044240 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen Han; Chun-Chu |
March 1, 2007 |
AIRBAG STRUCTURE
Abstract
The present invention relates to an airbag structure comprising
an airbag with multiple straight walls defining a hermetic
interior; a plurality of baffles received in the interior of the
airbag and a plurality of valves for communicating the interior
with an air supply. Thus, contact area between the airbags and the
human body is widely good,and the shape of the airbag structure of
the mattress results in good comfort for a bed patient.
Inventors: |
Chen Han; Chun-Chu;
(Tu-Cheng, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIKOLAI & MERSEREAU, P.A.
900 SECOND AVENUE SOUTH
SUITE 820
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Assignee: |
APEX MEDICAL CORP.
9, Min Sheng St. Taipei Country
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
37802010 |
Appl. No.: |
11/162019 |
Filed: |
August 25, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/655.3 ;
5/711 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G 7/05776
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
005/655.3 ;
005/711 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/08 20060101
A47C027/08 |
Claims
1. An airbag structure comprises: an airbag with multiple straight
walls defining a hermetic interior; a plurality of baffles received
in the interior of the airbag; and a plurality of valves for
communicating the interior with an air supply.
2. The airbag structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the airbag
is configured as a rectangular prism with four contiguous long side
walls and two opposed end walls connected to respective ends of the
long side walls.
3. The airbag structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the
plurality of baffles are configured as a single jointed cruciform,
extends along the interior of the airbag, and distal edges of the
plurality of baffles are securely connected to an interior
periphery of a respective one of the long side walls.
4. The airbag structure as recited in claim 3, wherein the
plurality of baffles comprise four belts each joined to the others
at a first long edge thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an airbag structure, and
more particularly to an airbag structure applied to a mattress for
convenient use.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A bed patient is likely to suffer from skin diseases
resulted from lying on the bed for a long time without movement
therefore an air mattress is created to help blood circulation. A
conventional air mattress has several interconnected airbags
arranged upon the mattress and an air pump for inflating the air
cells.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional air mattress.
The air mattress comprises a pad body 10', a plurality of annular
loops 20', and a plurality of airbags 30'. The annular loops 20'
are mounted on an upper surface of the pad body (10') and arranged
symmetrically in two rows. Each airbag 30' is located under a
respective pair of the annular loops 20' and fixed on the pad body
10') by the annular loops 20'. The airbags 30' are connected to an
air pump (not shown) to be inflated by the air pump. With the
function of alternately inputting and outputting air by the air
pump, the air mattress has the massage effect therefore skin
diseases are avoided.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional taken along line 2-2 in FIG.1
and it is quite clearly shown that both the contact area between
the adjacent airbags 30' or the areas between the airbags 30' and a
human body (not shown) are small according to the prior arts.
However, the distance between the human body and the airbag 30' is
still too large therefore the expected effect of the mattress is
not achieved.
[0007] Based on the above-mentioned details, although the
techniques according to the prior arts are successfully used to
prevent skin diseases, the shape of the air structure of the
mattress still results in patient discomfort. Accordingly, there is
a long and unfulfilled need to overcome the foregoing problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
an airbag for achieving a minimal crevice space between adjacent
airbags, therefore avoiding patients easily sinking into the
crevices and thus further avoiding discomfort from irregular
positioning on the bed.
[0009] The present invention relates to an airbag structure
comprising an airbag with multiple straight walls defining a
hermetic interior; a plurality of baffles received in the interior
of the airbag and a plurality of valves for communicating the
interior with an air supply. Thus, contact area between the airbags
and the human body is broad. Hence, the shape of the airbag
structure of the mattress results in particularly good comfort for
the patient.
[0010] However, other aspects and further features, advantages and
benefits of the invention will become apparent in the following
description taken in conjunction with the following drawings. The
accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of
this application and, together with the description, serve to
explain the principles of the invention in general terms.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional air
mattress;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in
FIG.1;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an airbag structure of the
first embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side chart showing the airbag upon the pad body
of the first embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENT
[0015] In the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that
form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of the
illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be
practiced. It is understood that other embodiments maybe utilized
and structure changes maybe made without departing from the scope
of the present invention.
[0016] With reference to FIG. 3, an airbag structure 10 in
accordance with the present invention includes an airbag
10.quadrature. a belt set 20 and at least one valve 30. The airbag
10 is shaped substantially as a rectangular prism with four long
contiguous walls, two opposed end walls and a hermetic interior.
However, it is to be appreciated that other prismatic
configurations are feasible though description thereof is omitted
for the sake of brevity. The at least one valve 30 selectively
communicates the interior with a compressed air supply (not shown).
It is preferred that two of the valves 30 are provided whereby
compressed air can enter and exit the airbag 1 0 in a pulsating
manner to provide a massage effect to a patient. The belt set 20
can vary in configurations but in the preferred embodiment of FIG.
3, four belts 21, 22, 23, 24 of equal size, shape and materials are
joined together to construct a cruciform configuration when viewed
from a distal end. That is, each belt is a substantially
rectangular strip with two opposed long sides and two opposed short
sides. First long sides of the belts are securely joined together.
Second long sides of the belts are secured to an inner periphery of
a respective long wall of the airbag, and at a central axis of the
respective long wall. Each short side is secured to an interior of
the respective one of the end walls. A single route for an air
supply to travel from an entrance to an exit is provided though
more than one route is also practical.
[0017] It is to be appreciated that the belt structure attachment
points within the airbag may be varied without departing from the
structure as herein claimed. It is further to be appreciated that
the belt structure may be formed as a single cruciform
extrusion.
[0018] FIG. 4 shows multiple airbag structures 1 0 arranged along a
pad 40 whereby a mattress in accordance with the present invention
is achieved.
[0019] According to the present invention, an airbag structure is
provided. After the airbags are arranged in a row, not only are the
airbags located upon the pad body stably, but also the patient is
able to directly or indirectly lie down flat upon the airbag
structure. The inconvenience of the prior art wherein irregular
support caused the patient to sink into the crevices between the
airbags is eliminated by the present invention.
[0020] It is understood that the above description is intended to
be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will
be apparent to those of the skill in the art upon reviewing the
above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be
determined with reference the appended claims, along with the full
scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
* * * * *