Inflatable device for adjusting the support and comfort of a mattress
Apparatus for adjusting the firmness, support, or sag of a mattress includes an inflatable device having a substantially convex cross-sectional shape that is thicker in the center region and gradually thinner toward the edges, a material and constitution for maintaining the convex shape under the weight of the mattress and a person, and a set of dimensions large enough to adjust firmness, support, or sag for the majority of an area of the mattress used by the person.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of mattresses and box springs. More particularly, the invention pertains to means for adjustment of firmness, support, and sag of a mattress.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,645 to McWilliams discloses is an “Inflatable Insert for Worn Mattresses,” which has three separate rectangular, flat, pleated pads. It does not teach a one-piece unit having a convex shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,559 to Pettifer discloses an “Adjustable Spinal Support,” which is designed to help support the “lumbar region of a person's spine” and does not teach a convex shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,013 to Swezey et al. discloses a “Self-inflating Back Pillow and cold Therapy Device”. While this patent teaches a convex shape, it is a much smaller device used to support the lumbar region of chairs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,898 to Gordon teaches a “Device for correcting a Sagging Bed,” which lacks the convex shape and a structural design to maintain the shape. It is also inflated through long tubes, while the device is inserted between the mattress and box springs.
In addition to the foregoing patents, many people put boards between the mattress and box spring to help bolster the firmness of a mattress.
Thus, the prior art teaches inflatable spinal supports, head supports and other devices used to help support specific areas of a bed. However, the prior art does not appear to teach a support having a convex shape to create an adjustable area that supports the majority of a mattress. The prior art also lacks a structural design, which helps form and maintain the convex shape.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly stated, an apparatus for adjusting the firmness, support, or sag of a mattress includes an inflatable device having a substantially convex cross-sectional shape that is thicker in the center region and gradually thinner toward the edges, a material and constitution for maintaining the convex shape under the weight of the mattress and a person, and a set of dimensions large enough to adjust firmness, support, or sag for the majority of an area of the mattress used by the person.
The invention provides an inflatable device that is placed between the mattress and box spring and enabling the user to adjust the firmness, support, and sag. The inflatable convex mattress adjustment device acts like a board that can be infinitely adjusted in the proper proportions (the convex shape).
Prior to the present invention, there has been no inexpensive way to adjust the support, comfort, and sag of a conventional mattress. After experimenting with different prototypes, it became apparent to this inventor that a convex shape is highly desirable, and an inflatable device without controls to maintain the convex shape would not be stable.
The preferred embodiment includes three distinguishing features:
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- 1) A convex shape—this device generally is thicker in the center area and gradually tapered at the edges.
- 2) Means for maintaining the convex shape—this device is designed using one or more of the methods disclosed herein to maintain the convex shape, while the uneven pressure of a mattress and occupant press on it.
- 3) A single device generally controls the firmness, support, and sag of the majority of a single sleeping area. That is, not just the head region, spine region or leg region, but the majority of the area that gets depressed as a person lies upon a mattress.
The invention provides a convex-shaped, inflatable mattress support (see
When looked at from the side (see
This invention would include structural design to help maintain the convex shape. Without such a structure, a device of that size would squish and bulge, making the device unstable and ineffective. (see
One structural design used to help maintain the shape of the device is shown in
Another structural design used to help maintain the shape of the device is shown in
The third method of maintaining the convex shape is to use multiple chambers of varying diameters. This would require 2 or more separate chambers. The example in
From the top, all of the previous examples show an oval shaped device, but as long as the device is convex from the side the shape as viewed from the top does not matter.
Whether it is a single chamber device with a single air intake point or a multiple chambered device with multiple air intake points, the device may be inflated partially or fully to achieve the desired firmness and support.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as essential to the invention.
Claims
1. Apparatus for adjusting firmness, support, or sag of a mattress, comprising:
- a) a substantially convex cross-sectional shape that is thicker in the center region and gradually thinner toward the edges;
- b) a material and constitution for maintaining the convex shape under the weight of the mattress and a person; and
- c) a set of dimensions large enough to adjust firmness, support, or sag for the majority of an area of the mattress used by the person.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a substantially oval, elliptical, rectangular, diamond, rounded rectangular, rounded diamond, or rounded shape.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is inflatable to achieve adjustability to the level of firmness, support, or sag.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein baffles comprising a flexible material are attached inside the apparatus to both the top and the bottom thereof, preventing the further expansion of the apparatus at those points, with shorter pieces of said flexible material located toward the edges to keep the edges thinner, and with longer pieces of said flexible material located in the center areas to allow the center areas to expand thicker when inflated.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a plurality of hollow chambers inside the apparatus are attached to both the top and the bottom thereof, preventing the further expansion of the apparatus at those points, with shorter hollow chambers comprising a flexible material located toward the edges to keep the edges thinner, and with longer hollow chambers comprising a flexible material located in the center areas to allow the center areas to expand thicker when inflated.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein separate inflatable chambers of varying diameters are connected in such a way to form the convex shape, wherein chambers having a larger diameter are arranged near a center of said apparatus, and progressively smaller diameter chambers being arranged toward the edge thereof.
7. An apparatus for adding adjustability of firmness, support, or sag to a mattress, comprising:
- a) a plurality of inflatable chambers;
- b) a substantially convex cross-sectional shape, after inflation, that is thicker in the center region and gradually tapered toward the edges;
- c) an arrangement and shape of the chambers for maintaining the convex shape under the weight of the mattress and a person;
- d) a set of dimensions large enough to adjust firmness, support, or sag for the majority of an area of the mattress used by the person; and
- e) an adjustability of firmness, support, or sag controlled by degree of inflation of said chambers.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of chambers are inflatable by way of at least one inflation opening.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the plurality of chambers are separate, with each chamber inflatable by way of a separate inflation opening.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein baffles comprising a flexible material are attached inside the apparatus to both the top and the bottom thereof, preventing the further expansion of the apparatus at those points, with shorter pieces of said flexible material located toward the edges to keep the edges thinner, and with longer pieces of said flexible material located in the center areas to allow the center areas to expand thicker when inflated.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein a plurality of hollow chambers inside the apparatus are attached to both the top and the bottom thereof, preventing the further expansion of the apparatus at those points, with shorter hollow chambers comprising a flexible material located toward the edges to keep the edges thinner, and with longer hollow chambers comprising a flexible material located in the center areas to allow the center areas to expand thicker when inflated.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein separate inflatable chambers of varying diameters are connected in such a way to form the convex shape, wherein chambers having a larger diameter are arranged near a center of said apparatus, and progressively smaller diameter chambers being arranged toward the edge thereof.
13. A method of providing adjustability of firmness, support, or sag to a mattress comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an inflatable apparatus and inflating it so that it attains a substantially convex shape;
- b) inflating the apparatus to a desired degree for a desired level of firmness, support, or sag to the mattress;
- c) placing the apparatus under the mattress; and
- d) positioning the apparatus so that it supports the majority of an area of the mattress used by a person.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is placed between a mattress and a box spring.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the mattress is a king-size mattress.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the mattress is a queen-size mattress.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the mattress is a double-size mattress.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the mattress is a twin-size mattress.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 10, 2004
Publication Date: Aug 11, 2005
Inventor: Jon Pearson (Mt. Airy, MD)
Application Number: 10/775,634