AIR MATTRESS

• US 20120304385A1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paramount Bed Company Limited (Paramount Bed Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Paramount Bed Company Limited (Paramount Bed Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Yoshinori, Matsumiya, Rika, Ohno, Kenta
• Granted Patent: US 9,597,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/613
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/083 with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 Weighing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Abstract

Provided is an air mattress in which internal pressure can be controlled according to the movements of a bed.

The air mattress is provided with a plurality of air cell groups lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress, each of which groups is made from a plurality of bladder-shaped cells; an air supply/release pump; and an air tube connecting the air cell groups and the air supply/release pump in an independent system for each air cell group of two or more air cell groups out of said air cell groups. Air supply/release by the air supply/release pump to each of the air cell groups is controlled by a controller, at least a part of information needed to control the bed is received from an external sensor for detecting such information, and air supply/release by the air supply/release pump for each of the air cell groups is controlled on the basis of the received information.

Claims

1. An air mattress to be laid upon a frame of a bed, comprising:

a plurality of air cell groups lined up in a lengthwise direction of the air mattress, each of which groups being made of a plurality of bladder-shaped cells;

an air supply/release pump;

an air tube connecting said air cell groups and said air supply/release pump in an independent system for each air cell group of two or more air cell groups out of said air cell groups; and

a controller for receiving from an external sensor for detecting information needed to control said bed at least a part of said information, and controlling air supply/release for the air supply/release pump for each of said air cell groups on the basis of the received information.

2. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in a widthwise direction of the air mattress, and are configured so that the bladder-shaped cells are lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.

3. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein:

said bed comprises a plurality of frames including at least a raisable back frame; and

the information from said external sensor comprises information on the raising angle of said back frame.

4. The air mattress according to claim 3, wherein:

said plurality of air cell groups includes air cell groups corresponding to the back area and thigh area of a person lying on the air mattress; and

when said back frame is raised, said controller increases the pressure of said air cell groups corresponding to the back area and thigh area, and performs a control so that the pressure of said back-area and thigh-area air cell groups is greater than the pressure of said buttock-area air cell group.

5. The air mattress according to claim 4, wherein said controller controls the pressure of said air cell groups so that the pressure of said buttock-area air cell group increases in accordance with an increase in the raising angle of said back frame.

6. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein that the information from said external sensor comprises information on the body weight of a person lying on the air mattress;

and said controller controls the pressure of said air cell groups so as to increase as body weight increases.

7. The air mattress according to claim 2, wherein:

said bed comprises a plurality of frames including at least a raisable back frame; and

the information from said external sensor comprises information on the raising angle of said back frame.

8. The air mattress according to claim 2, wherein that the info anon from said external sensor comprises information on the body weight of a person lying on the air mattress;

and said controller controls the pressure of said air cell groups so as to increase as body weight increases.

9. The air mattress according to claim 3, wherein that the information from said external sensor comprises information on the body weight of a person lying on the air mattress;

and said controller controls the pressure of said air cell groups so as to increase as body weight increases.

10. The air mattress according to claim 4, wherein that the information from said external sensor comprises information on the body weight of a person lying on the air mattress;

and said controller controls the pressure of said air cell groups so as to increase as body weight increases.

11. The air mattress according to claim 5, wherein that the information from said external sensor comprises information on the body weight of a person lying on the air mattress;

and said controller controls the pressure of said air cell groups so as to increase as body weight increases.