Inflatable body support

• US 3,919,730 A
• Filed: 08/14/1974
• Issued: 11/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John J. Regan
• Original Assignee: John J. Regan
• Inventors: Regan, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Calvert, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US05/497,240
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 5/348,349,350,353,243,348R 128/33
• US Class Current: 5/710
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Abstract

A body support primarily designed for supporting the human body in a reclining position including a plurality of body supporting elements mounted for retraction from a body engaging position to reduce sensory impulses by relieving body pressures, with each of the body supporting elements consisting of an upper section that conforms to the shape of the body through the provision of a spring biased body engaging member and a lower section for reciprocating the upper section from a body engaging position to a retracted position that includes an inflatable and deflatable air chamber mounted on a generally horizontal frame.

Claims

1. In a body support having a base, a plurality of body support elements mounted on and extending upwardly from said base, wherein the improvement comprises:

each body support element including a retractable lower section movable between extended and retracted positions, a body conforming upper section, said upper section having a seat portion, a resilient means carried on the seat portion, a body engaging member carried by said resilient means, said body engaging member slidable with respect to said seat portion to conform the body engaging members of each support element independently of the lower section to the contour of a body supported on the plurality of elements; and

means for selectively moving the lower sections of the plurality of body support elements between their respective extended and retracted positions.

2. The body support of claim 1 in which the lower retractable section of the body support element is a chamber with a resilient wall and when inflated moves to the extended position.

3. The body support of claim 2 in which the means for selectively moving the lower section between extended and retracted positions includes a source of air pressure and a vent to atmosphere and means for selectively connecting the chamber alternately with the source of air pressure and vent.

4. The body support of claim 2 in which the resilient wall of the chamber of the lower section is collapsible.

5. The body support of claim 4 in which said resilient wall has a preformed bellows configuration.

6. The body support of claim 1 in which the resilient means of the body conforming upper section of the body support element is a spring mounted within the seat portion, and the body engaging member is carried by the spring.

7. The body support of claim 6 in which said body engaging member slides longitudinally with respect to said seat portion.

8. The body support of claim 7 in which said seat portion is cylindrical, said spring is a coil spring extending axially in said seat portion and said body engaging member has an inverted cup shape, is carried by said spring and is telescoped with said cylindrical seat portion.

9. The body support of claim 1 in which the body engaging member of the upper section of said support element includes a cushion on top of its body engaging surface.

10. A body support element comprising:

a retractable lower section movable between extended and retracted positions;

a body conforming upper section, said upper section having a cylindrical seat portion, a coil spring extending axially in said seat portion and an inverted cup-shaped body engaging surface with one degree of freedom for longitudinal displacement so that the body engaging surface is telescoped with respect to said cylindrical seat portion to conform the body engaging surface of the support element to the contour of a body supported thereon.

11. The body support element of claim 10 wherein the lower retractable section of the body support element is a chamber with a resilient wall and when inflated moves to the extended position.