Systems and methods for internal airbed structure

• US 10,327,563 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polygroup Macau Limited (MDF Commerce, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polygroup Macau Limited (MDF Commerce, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ocegueda Gallaga, Victor Hugo, Lan, Chaolong, Ma, Minglian
• Primary Examiner(s): Conley, Fredrick C
• Application Number:
  US15/147,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20160331148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 5706, 5710-712
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/087 with means for connecting opposite sides, e.g. internal ties or strips

Abstract

An air mattress comprises an internal structure for helping the air mattress maintain a desired geometric shape when inflated and for preventing shearing of the top and bottom surfaces of the mattress. The internal structure comprises a plurality of connection strips or a mesh web that are attached to a plurality of top surface connection points and bottom surface connection points.

Claims

1. An inflatable air mattress comprising:

a top surface having a plurality of top surface connection points;

a bottom surface having a plurality of bottom surface connection points;

one or more side surfaces connecting the top surface to the bottom surface such that the top surface, bottom surface, and side surfaces form an airtight enclosure that comprises the exterior of the inflatable air mattress; and

a mesh structure attached to an internal surface of the inflatable air mattress at the top surface connection points and bottom surface connection points, wherein the top surface connection points and bottom surface connection points are positioned such that the mesh structure has a three-dimensional approximately sinusoidal shape when the inflatable air mattress is inflated.

2. The inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein the top surface connection points and bottom surface connection points are positioned to be offset in location relative to each other when the inflatable air mattress is inflated.

3. The inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional approximately sinusoidal shape is formed with top and bottom humps extending in upwards or downward directions when the inflatable air mattress is inflated.

4. The inflatable air mattress of claim 3, wherein each top hump'"'"'s peak is attached to the inflatable air mattress at a top surface connection point and each bottom hump'"'"'s trough is attached to the inflatable air mattress at a bottom surface connection point.

5. The inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein the top surface connection points are located on the top surface'"'"'s bottom side and the bottom surface connection points are located on the bottom surface'"'"'s top side.

6. The inflatable air mattress of claim 1, wherein the mesh structure comprises a single piece of material including a plurality of apertures.

7. An inflatable air mattress comprising:

a top surface having a plurality of top surface connection points;

a bottom surface having a plurality of bottom surface connection points;

one or more side surfaces connecting the top surface to the bottom surface such that the top surface, bottom surface, and side surfaces form an airtight enclosure that comprises the exterior of the inflatable air mattress; and

a plurality of connection strips, each connection strip attached to (i) one top surface connection point and two bottom surface connection points or (ii) two top surface connection points and one bottom surface connection point, and wherein at least some of the connection strips extend at a non-right angle between top surface connection points and bottom surface connection points to create a web-like internal structure.

8. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein the at least some of the connection strips extending at a non-right angle between top surface connection points and bottom surface connection points comprise a plurality of angled connection strips arranged in rows.

9. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein the top surface connection points are located on the top surface'"'"'s bottom side and the bottom surface connection points are located on the bottom surface'"'"'s top side.

10. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein at least one of the connection strips comprises an attachment strip at each end thereof, the attachment strip being configured to secure the connection strip to a top surface connection point and bottom surface connection point.

11. The inflatable air mattress of claim 10, wherein an attachment strip, a portion of a connection strip, and a portion of the top surface or bottom surface are welded together.

12. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein at least one connection point of the plurality of top surface connection points or at least one connection point of the plurality of bottom surface connection points has a group of connection strips of the plurality of connection strips extending away from the at least one connection point towards an opposing surface.

13. The inflatable air mattress of claim 12, wherein each of the connection strips of the group of connection strips extends away from the connection point and connects to a different connection point on the opposing surface.

14. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein the plurality of top surface connection points and the plurality of bottom surface connection points are spaced apart at predetermined intervals.

15. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein the plurality of bottom surface connection points are located on the bottom surface in positions that are offset relative to locations of the plurality of the top surface connection points on the top surface.

16. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of connection strips are aligned in one or more rows that are parallel to a side surface upon inflation of the inflatable air mattress.

17. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of connection strips are parallel to the length of the inflatable air mattress.

18. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein at least some of the plurality of connection strips are parallel to the width of the inflatable air mattress.

19. The inflatable air mattress of claim 7, wherein the plurality of connection strips are constructed from a single piece of material.