Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include a shell that fits around the mattress of an adjustable bed. The shell may help cover unsightly pivot joints and motors that are part of the adjustable bed. The shell may help hold the mattress in place during the operation of the adjustable bed, or when a user exits or enters the bed. The shell may further help keep the shape of the mattress and prevent the mattress from sagging with time and use. Additionally, the systems and methods described herein include for providing additional features in the shell. Such features may help the user be more comfortable in the adjustable bed, and improve the user's quality of life. These features may be especially useful for patients confined an adjustable bed for prolonged periods of time, such as in a hospital or elderly home care.

Abstract: A mattress system has a cover, a crib, and a fluid bladder system. The crib surrounds the perimeter of the fluid bladder system and the cover overlies the top surface of the crib and fluid bladder system. The fluid bladder systems provide at least one conventional bladder therapy to a patient positioned on the mattress system. The fluid bladder system interconnects to the crib to not form a hammock effect so the crib functions as a restraint. The fluid bladder is also designed to bottom out to form an exterior cavity. A second cushion is inserted into the exterior cavity and positioned so the crib continues to function as a restraint. The second cushion provides a therapy to the patient that is different from the fluid bladder system.

Abstract: A waterbed includes a bed frame, a water mattress mounted on the bed frame, and a flapping device. The flapping device includes two longitudinal shafts rotatably supported by the bed frame and a plurality of flapping members securely mounted on each longitudinal shaft. The flapping members flap the water mattress when the longitudinal shafts turn, thereby creating water waves inside the water mattress. The user's body s can be massaged to obtain effects of exercise, fats removal, and weight losing.

Abstract: An amusement system is provided which gives children an opportunity to acquire a formative artistic sense in a simple and clean manner without soiling their bodies and clothes. The amusement system includes: a playing space (A) defined by a floor (10) and partition plates (20) projecting upright on the floor (10); a plastic member (30a) provided over the floor (10) in the playing space (A); and a plurality of plastic members (30b) stacked one on another in tiers along interior surfaces of the partition plates (20) to a height that players can reach. The plastic members (30a, 30b) are each obtained by filling a gel material as a plastic material (32) into a container bag (31) of a flexible urethane sheet to about one half the volume of the container bag (31), then removing residual air from the container bag (31) by suction and sealing the container bag (31).

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a human subject on a surface and for transferring a subject from one surface to another. The subject is situated on the top surface of a fluid enclosure and an actuator mechanism causes local deformations of the top surface in such a manner as to create traveling waves whereby a force tangential to the top surface is exerted on the subject for moving the subject with respect to the surface. The actuator mechanism may be a motor driver and may be a plurality of linear actuators configured so as to cause local deformations of the top surface in a direction having a vertical and/or horizontal component. The linear actuators may be shape memory fibers.

Abstract: A temperature and pressure control system for a water bed is provided and includes a temperature control circuit and a pressure control circuit. The temperature control circuitry consists of two temperature detecting elements for detecting an ambient air temperature and the mattress temperature, respectively. The detected temperatures are compared with each other and the resulting value, together with a set value from an adjusting circuit, are processed by a microprocessor to produce a target temperature. When the target temperature is higher or lower than the mattress temperature, a heater is turned on or off, respectively, so that the mattress can be maintained at a value set according to a user's preferred temperature. The pressure control circuitry consists of a pressure detecting element for detecting the air pressure within air chambers of the mattress.

Abstract: A massage apparatus includes a flexible bladder filled with a fluid and a plurality of bladder displacement devices coupled to the flexible bladder for displacing the flexible bladder in accordance with a specified displacement plan. A signal source is coupled to the bladder displacement devices to provide the specified displacement plan. The signal source outputs first and second frequency modulated (FM) signals. The FM signals are identical in spectrum and start at zero phase, but are propagated 180.degree. out-of-phase with respect to one another. The first FM signal is fed to one half of the bladder displacement devices and the second FM signal is fed to the other half of bladder displacement devices. The FM signals are controlled in such a way that vibrational energy travels in the fluid-filled bladder for coupling to a user reclined on the bladder while ambient vibration of the apparatus is canceled.