Waterbed mattress marginal perimeter air support and method of manufacture thereof

• US 4,941,223 A
• Filed: 02/19/1988
• Issued: 07/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip J. Santo
• Original Assignee: Philip J. Santo
• Inventors: Santo, Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US07/158,640
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 5/451, 5/452, 5/450, 5/444, 156/217
• US Class Current: 5/681
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/085 of liquid type, e.g. filled with water or gel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1036 Bending of one piece blank and joining edges to form article

Abstract

An improved construction for an air perimeter support for the marginal perimeter of a waterbed mattress, and the method for manufacturing such improved air perimeter support. The improved air perimeter support includes a first sheet of flexible, substantially dimensionally stable material folded back on itself and joined together at a location spaced from the longitudinal marginal side edges thereof to form an elongated chamber, of substantially rectangular cross-section, intermediate the marginal side edges. One longitudinal marginal side edge is again folded back and joined to the chamber at the wall opposite the wall formed by the other longitudinal marginal side edge. A second sheet of flexible, substantially dimensionally stable material, is located in the interior of the elongated chamber and joined to at least three adjacent walls of the chamber starting with the the wall to which the one longitudinal marginal side edge is joined and going around said chamber opposite to the fold of the one longitudinal marginal side edge.

Claims

1. An air perimeter support for supporting the marginal perimeter of a waterbed mattress, said air perimeter support comprising:

a first elongated sheet of flexible, substantially dimensionally stable material folded back on itself and joined together at a location spaced from the longitudinal marginal side edges thereof to form an elongated chamber, of substantially rectangular cross-section, intermediate said longitudinal marginal side edges, one longitudinal marginal side edge being again folded back and joined to said chamber at the wall opposite the wall formed by the material adjacent to the other longitudinal marginal side edge; and

a second sheet of flexible, substantially dimensionally stable material, said second sheet being located in the interior of said elongated chamber and joined to at least three adjacent walls of said chamber starting with the said wall to which said one longitudinal marginal side edge is joined, and going around said chamber opposite to the fold of said one longitudinal marginal side edge.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein assemblies of said first and second sheets are of appropriate lengths corresponding to lengths of sides of a desired external perimeter of said air perimeter support, and selected lengths are sealed together to form said air perimeter support.

3. The invention of claim 2 further including a bottom sheet attached to said formed assemblies, said bottom sheet having a portion extending beyond the line of attachment between said sheet and said assemblies, said portion including means for releasably attaching a cover for said air perimeter and waterbed mattress.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the assembly of said first and second sheets is of a length corresponding to the length of a desired external perimeter of said air perimeter support, said assembly defining a plurality of cutouts spaced apart a distance corresponding to the lengths of the sides of said support so that edges of said cutouts can be sealed together to form said air perimeter support.

5. A method for manufacturing an air perimeter support for supporting the marginal perimeter of a waterbed mattress, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) on a substantially flat surface, overlaying an elongated flexible, substantially dimensionally stable sheet of a first width with an elongated flexible, substantially dimensionally stable sheet of a second width greater than the width of said first sheet;

(2) gathering two spaced apart portions of said second sheet intermediate and substantially parallel to the longitudinal marginal side edges thereof so that said portions are spaced from said first sheet;

(3) sealing said second sheet to said first sheet along substantially parallel lines respectively on either side of said gathered portions of said second sheet;

(4) folding said second sheet back on itself with one longitudinal marginal side edge overlying the other longitudinal marginal side edge to form a loop with first sheet being internal of said loop;

(5) sealing together portions of said second sheet along a line at the base of said loop;

(6) sealing together portions of said second sheet along a line parallel to said line at the base of said loop and between said line at the base of said loop and said longitudinal marginal side edge;

(7) folding one longitudinal marginal side edge back to the top of said loop; and

(8) sealing said one longitudinal marginal side edge to the top of said loop to form an elongated arrangement.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the sealing steps (5) and (6) are accomplished at substantially the same time.

7. The invention of claim 5, further including the steps of cutting said formed elongated arrangement to a plurality of lengths corresponding respectively to lengths of portions of the external perimeter of the air perimeter support, and joining such cut ends together.

8. The invention of claim 7 further including the step of attaching a bottom sheet to said joined assembly of elongated arrangement lengths.

9. The invention of claim 5 further including the steps of cutting said formed elongated arrangement to a length corresponding to the length of the desired external perimeter of the air perimeter support;

oppositely notching the ends of said elongated arrangement;

providing a series of V-shaped cutouts in said elongated assembly intermediate said notched ends at intervals between said notched ends spaced apart so that the distance between the apexes of respective cutouts correspond to the desired longitudinal dimensions of the sides of said air perimeter support; and

joining such notched ends together.