Electric heating mattress

• US 4,162,393 A
• Filed: 07/18/1978
• Issued: 07/24/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BEL Air Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BEL Air Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Balboni, Allen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mayewsky, Volodymyr Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/925,809
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 219/211, 219/212, 219/217, 219/345, 219/477, 219/527, 219/528, 219/529, 219/545, 219/549, 338/210, 338/212, 5/343, 5/347, 5/361 B
• US Class Current: 219/217
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/048 for heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/033 Heater including particular mechanical reinforcing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/037 Heaters with zones of different power density
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/36 heating conductor embedded in insulating material

Abstract

An electric mattress and subcombinations characterized by a thick fire-retardant foam rubber pad overlying one or more heating pads with a plurality of separately controllable heating zones.

Claims

1. An electric heating mattress, comprising a base layer of foam material, an upper layer of foam material of substantially the same length and width as said base layer and defining an occupant supporting member, and a heating pad interposed between said layers of foam material and occupying less than the full length and width thereof, said heating pad including at least three separate heating zones that are disposed in head-to-foot relation and normally underlie an occupant, wherein a selected portion of the body of said occupant may be heated as required, the upper layer of foam having a cellular construction that without a load applied thereto normally inhibits the transfer of heat therethrough, the cellular foam material from which said upper layer is formed being compressible under the load of an occupant on the upper surface thereof to the extent that transfer of heat is permitted therethrough for increasing the temperature of the portions of the upper layer in contact with said occupant, said heating pad being defined by relatively thin layers of rubberized material between which resistance wires are embedded, said pad as interposed between said foam layers being located more closely adjacent to the upper surface of said mattress than the bottom thereof, wherein heat is more readily transferred through the areas of the upper layer of foam compressed by the occupant to the body of the occupant, means for securing said pad in place between said base and upper layers, means for encasing said base and upper layers with said heating pad therebetween for the location thereof in oriented relation, means electrically connected to said resistance wires and to a source of electricity for supplying current to said resistance wires, and means for controlling the flow of current to said resistance wires for controlling the temperature of said pad and the occupant supporting layer thereover.

2. An electric heating mattress, comprising a base layer of flexible and compressible material, an upper layer of foam material of substantially the same length and width as said base layer and defining an occupant supporting member, and a heating pad interposed between said base layer and said upper layer of foam material and including a heating area that occupies less than the full length and width of said layers, said heating area including a plurality of separate heating zones that are disposed in head-to-foot relation and normally underlie an occupant, wherein a selected portion of the body of said occupant may be heated as desired, the upper layer of foam having a cellular construction that without a load applied thereto normally inhibits the transfer of heat therethrough, the cellular foam material from which said upper layer is formed being compressible under the load of an occupant on the upper surface thereof to the extent that transfer of heat is permitted therethrough for increasing the temperature of the portions of the upper layer in contact with said occupant, said heating pad being defined by at least one layer of flexible material to which electrically insulated resistance wires are secured, said resistance wires defining the heating area, said pad as interposed between said foam layer and said base layer being located more closely adjacent to the upper surface of said mattress than the bottom thereof, wherein heat is more readily transferred through the areas of the upper layer of foam compressed by the occupant to the body of the occupant, means for securing said pad in place between said base and upper layers, means for encasing said base and upper layers with said heating pad therebetween for the location thereof in oriented relation, means electrically connected to said resistance wires and to a source of electricity for supplying current to said resistance wires in said heating zones, and means for controlling the flow of current to said resistance wires in said heating zones for controlling the temperature of said heating zones and the occupant supporting layer located thereover.