Waterbed mattress with inflatable margins

• US 4,349,926 A
• Filed: 12/19/1977
• Issued: 09/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Liberty Vinyl Corporation
• Original Assignee: Liberty Vinyl Corporation
• Inventors: Winther, Howard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frazier, Roy D.
• Application Number:
  US05/861,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 5/365, 5/368, 5/371
• US Class Current: 5/687
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/085 of liquid type, e.g. filled with water or gel

Abstract

A waterbed mattress adapted to fit within a rigid frame comprises a water-containing main chamber and at least one supplemental chamber along the perimeter of the main chamber for containing a fluid giving structural rigidity to the perimeter, particularly along the upper boundary abutting the frame. The supplemental chamber is established by an imperforate flexible membrane internally spanning the mattress corner between the top panel and the adjacent side panel. The cross sectional length of the membrane is not greater than the dimension of the adjacent top and side panel segments which constitute the outer walls of the chamber.

Claims

1. In a waterbed mattress including a bladder formed of pliant sheet material defining a top panel, a bottom panel, and side panels joining said top and bottom panels at upper peripheral margins and lower peripheral margins respectively, said side panels being adapted to conform to a rigid, circumscribing peripheral framework preventing lateral distortion thereof, the improvement comprising:

at least one supplemental panel of a pliant sheet material which internally spans said upper peripheral margins, sealably separating said bladder into a main chamber for containing a liquid and at least one upper corner chamber for containing a selected fluid, the cross sectional length of said supplemental panel being no greater than the total cross sectional lengths of the portions of said top panel and said adjacent side panel forming said upper corner chamber whereby said at least one upper corner chamber establishes the structural rigidity of said upper peripheral margins.