Water Bed Having An Attached Pillow

Abstract

A plastic enclosure to be filled with a fluid to define a body upon which one may recline has an inflatable pillow fixed to a region of the enclosure by an elongated web and is movable to a defined position at the head of the enclosure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to inflatable mattresses, such as water beds, and more particularly relates to a water bed having a pillow fixed thereto.

Water-filled mattresses, commonly known as water beds, have certain advantages over conventional mattresses. Thus, because they inherently evenly distribute the weight of one reclining on the mattress, such mattresses are extremely comfortable. However, it is difficult to use a head pillow on such mattresses since such pillows tend to slide off the mattress. This is due to the wave motion of the water within the mattress which causes outward ripples which tend to move the pillow off the mattress. Moreover, since the mattress is filled with water, the edges of the mattress are rounded, tending to cause the pillow to slide off the edge of the mattress.

In accordance with the invention, a pillow, adapted to be filled with air or water, is permanently fixed to a generally central portion of the mattress by a web portion. When the web and pillow portion are extended toward an edge of the mattress, the pillow is properly disposed at the head of the mattress to receive the head of one reclining on the mattress.

It will be noted that while the invention is described herein in reference to a water bed, that both the mattress and pillow could be filled with any similar or different fluids, whether liquid or gas. Moreover, while the invention herein is described as formed from plastic sheets, specifically polyvinylchloride, having a thickness of about 20 mils, and free of pinholes, and held together by heat-sealing, that any desired type of plastic and securement of the plastic sheets could have been used.

The securement of the pillow to centrally disposed regions of the mattress means that the region of securement of the web extending from the pillow is substantially removed from the edge of the head of the mattress. This is distinguished from known arrangements for swimming pool covers in which bags, which can be filled with water to serve as weights for holding the cover in place, are secured to the swimming pool cover at its edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one particular size mattress constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken across the section line 2 -- 2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken across the section line 3 -- 3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mattress of FIGS. 1 to 4 when inflated with suitable fluids.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the figures, the main body of the mattress is formed of two opposing flexible sheets 10 and 11 which are heat-sealed at their outer periphery, shown by heat seals 12, 13, 14 and 15 to form an enclosed rectangular volume. Note that sheets 10 and 11 could have been formed of a single panel, doubled over and sealed at its three edges. A valve 16, which is of a conventional and commercially available type, is heat-sealed into sheet 10 to permit entry of water, or any other desired fluid such as air, into the sealed interior of sheets 10 and 11 to expand the mattress to the form generally shown in FIG. 4.

For illustrative purposes, the mattress shown in FIG. 1 may have a length of 84 inches and a width of 36 inches. The mattress of FIG. 4, when inflated with about 80 gallons of water, may have a thickness of about 8 inches. Sheets 10 and 11 are of polyvinylchloride, having a thickness of about 20 mils. Obviously, any dimensions could be selected, as desired, for the mattress, and suitable frames could be provided. Moreover, any suitable material could be selected for sheets 10 and 11 which have the requisite strength, and fluid-imperviousness needed for its application as a mattress. Preferably, the material selected should also be capable of being heat-sealed or of being easily secured with inexpensive and waterproof adhesives.

In accordance with the present invention, a pillow for the mattress is provided of a strip 20 of material which may be the same material as sheets 10 and 11. Thus, strip 20 is folded over and sealed at its edges 21 and 22 and one of its ends 23 to form an inflatable volume. A valve 24 provides access to the interior volume of the pillow and will be on the rear of the pillow when it is placed in its operative position at the head of the mattress as in FIG. 4. Note that the pillow can be filled with fluid or air. The outer end of strip 20 then defines a flexible web 25 which is heat-sealed at its end at heat seal 26 to a central region of sheet 10. Note that seal 26 could be made before assembly of sheets 10 and 11 and that seal 26 could be an adhesive seal. Note that the entire pillow can rotate around seal 26.

The strip 20 could be formed in many other ways, and could consist of separate panels secured together by heat-sealing or by adhesives or the like. Moreover, the pillow could have any desired width and length. Preferably, however, the web 25 should have a length such that, upon rotation of sheet 20 on seal 26, the pillow section will fall at the head of the mattress as in FIG. 4.

In a typical embodiment, strip 20 is of 20 mil polyvinylchloride having a length of about 36 inches and a width of about 24 inches. The long dimension is then folded and heat-sealed with seals 21, 22 and 23, and valve 24 is sealed thereto, leaving web 25 to have a length of about 9 inches. The end of web 25 is then sealed to sheet 10 by heat seal 26.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is preferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A water filled mattress having a pillow secured thereto; said water-filled mattress comprising first and second opposing panels secured to one another about their edges to define pairs of spaced sides and an inflatable volume; a valve means connected to said mattress for admitting and holding a fluid into said volume; said pillow comprising an inflatable flexible member having a given width and a given length; an edge portion of said pillow extending along the width thereof being secured to the outer surface of said first panel along a line parallel to the top side of said mattress and displaced from said top side by a distance greater than the said given length of said pillow; said pillow being freely rotatable about said edge portion secured to said mattress.

2. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said pillow has a flexible web extending from said edge of said pillow; the outer edge of said web being secured to said first panel for securing said pillow to said mattress.

3. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said pillow and said panels are formed of plastic material which is pinhole-free and is capable of being heat-sealed to itself; all of said regions secured to one another being secured by heat-seal means.

4. The mattress of claim 1, and wherein said pillow is filled with air.

5. The mattress of claim 1 wherein said pillow has a valve therein; said valve being disposed on the interior surface of said pillow when said pillow is disposed at the head of said mattress.

6. The mattress of claim 2 wherein said pillow and said web are formed of a single strip of material; said single strip of material folded over and sealed at the sides and end of said fold to define said pillow.

7. The mattress of claim 6 wherein said pillow and said panels are formed of plastic material which is pinhole-free and is capable of being heat-sealed to itself; all of said regions secured to one another being secured by heat-seal means.

8. The mattress of claim 7 wherein said pillow has a valve therein; said valve being disposed on the interior surface of said pillow when said pillow is disposed at the head of said mattress.

9. The mattress of claim 8, and wherein said pillow is filled with air.