Abstract: An air inflatable mattress for medical and hospital use is formed from upper and lower layers of flexible, air impervious material joined at a peripheral air impervious seam; laterally extending, elongate, spaced apart pillows extend between side edges of the mattress and are defined by lateral folds formed in the material of the upper layer; the pillows communicate at their opposed ends with longitudinally extending side plenums; the inflated pillows billow against each other in stress relieving contact effective to relieve air pressure bursting forces generated in the mattress.

Abstract: An air inflatable mattress for medical and hospital use is formed from upper and lower layers of flexible, air impervious material joined at a peripheral air impervious seam; laterally extending, elongate, spaced apart pillows extend between side edges of the mattress and are defined by lateral folds formed in the material of the upper layer; the pillows communicate at their opposed ends with longitudinally extending side plenums; the inflated pillows billow against each other in stress relieving contact effective to relieve air pressure bursting forces generated in the mattress.