INFLATABLE MATTRESS

Abstract

An inflatable mattress includes upper and lower air-impermeable layers, upper and lower linings that are respectively attached to the upper and lower air-impermeable layers, and a plurality of threads each of which has two ends respectively stitched to the upper and lower linings so as to permit each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user' s body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 101215572, filed on Aug. 13, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an inflatable mattress, more particularly to an inflatable mattress with a substantially flat surface for supporting a user' s body.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 shows an internal structure of an inflatable mattress, which is disclosed in Taiwanese patent no. 160140, and which includes an inflatable bladder layer 10 and a ventilation layer 20 that is supported by the inflatable bladder layer 10.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an inflatable mattress having a substantially flat surface for supporting a user's body.

According to a first aspect of this invention, an inflatable mattress includes:

upper and lower air-impermeable layers which are sealed to each other along peripheries thereof so as to cooperatively define an inflatable chamber therebetween;

an upper lining attached to the upper air-impermeable layer, and having an upper central portion which has a plurality of stitched upper points that are evenly distributed in the upper central portion;

a lower lining attached to the lower air-impermeable layer, and having a lower central portion that has a plurality of stitched lower points which are arranged such that when the inflatable chamber is in an inflated state, each of the stitched lower points is in register with a corresponding one of the stitched upper points; and

a plurality of threads each having two ends respectively stitched to corresponding ones of the stitched upper and lower points, and a thread length defined between the two ends such that when the inflatable chamber is in the inflated state, the threads are tensed and each of the stitched lower points is spaced apart from the corresponding one of the stitched upper points by a predetermined distance substantially equal to the thread length, so as to permit each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user' s body.

According to a second aspect of this invention, a method for forming an inflatable mattress includes:

(a) providing upper and lower linings respectively having upper and lower central portions, the upper central portion having a plurality of upper points to be stitched, the lower central portion having a plurality of lower points to be stitched, the upper and lower linings being superimposable upon each other such that the upper points are in register with the lower points, respectively;

(b) forming a plurality of threads by thread stitching, such that each of the threads has two ends respectively stitched to corresponding ones of the upper and lower points, and a predetermined thread length defined between the two ends thereof;

(c) attaching the upper and lower linings respectively to upper and lower air-impermeable layers; and

(d) sealing the upper and lower air-impermeable layers to each other along peripheries thereof so as to define an inflatable chamber between the upper and lower air-impermeable layers such that when the inflatable chamber is in an inflated state, each of the stitched upper points is spaced apart from a corresponding one of the stitched lower points by a distance substantially equal to the predetermined thread length, so as to permit each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user' s body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded elevation view of an internal structure of a conventional inflatable mattress;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an inflatable mattress according to this invention;

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of a plurality of stitched upper (lower) points of an upper (lower) lining of the inflatable mattress shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of a plurality of stitched upper (lower) points of an upper (lower) lining in a modified preferred embodiment of an inflatable mattress according to this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Before the present invention is described in greater detail, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of an inflatable mattress 100 according to this invention is shown to include an upper air-impermeable layer 11, a lower air-impermeable layer 12, an upper lining 21, a lower lining 22, and a plurality of threads 3.

The upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, 12 are sealed to each other along peripheries 111, 121 thereof so as to cooperatively define an inflatable chamber 4 therebetween. Each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, 12 is made preferably from a biodegradable material, and more preferably from a polyurethane-based material.

The upper lining 21 is attached or adhered to an inner surface of the upper air-impermeable layer 11, and has an upper central portion 211 (see FIG. 3). The upper central portion 211 has a plurality of stitched upper points 212 that are evenly distributed in the upper central portion 211 in a regular manner.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the stitched upper points 212 are grouped into a plurality of sets that are displaced from one another in a transverse direction (Y). The stitched upper points 212 in each set are displaced from one another in a longitudinal direction (X) to form a zigzag stitched line 213.

In a modified embodiment, the stitched line 213 formed by each set is a straight stitched line (see FIG. 4).

The lower lining 22 is attached or adhered to an inner surface of the lower air-impermeable layer 12, and has a lower central portion 221 (see FIG. 3). The lower central portion 221 has a plurality of stitched lower points 222 which are also grouped to form a plurality of stitched lines 223 corresponding in position to those formed by the stitched upper points 212, and which are arranged such that when the inflatable chamber 4 is in an inflated state, each of the stitched lower points 222 is in register with a corresponding one of the stitched upper points 212.

Each of the upper and lower linings 21, 22 is made preferably from a biodegradable material, and more preferably from a polyurethane-based material, and is formed by weaving.

Each of the threads 3 has two ends respectively stitched to corresponding ones of the stitched upper and lower points 212, 213, and a thread length defined between the two ends such that when the inflatable chamber 4 is in the inflated state, the threads 3 are tensed and each of the stitched upper points 212 is spaced apart from the corresponding one of the stitched lower points 222 by a predetermined distance that is substantially equal to the thread length, so as to permit each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user's body. The threads 3 have substantially the same thread length so that the inflatable mattress 100 has substantially flat surfaces. The thread length is preferably greater than 2 cm (for example, 2.5 cm), and can be varied to change the thickness of the inflatable mattress 100 so as to meet users' needs.

In addition, with the provision of the zigzag stitched lines 213, 223, the weight of the user can be more evenly distributed over the inflatable mattress 100 in both the longitudinal direction (X) and the transverse direction (Y).

The preferred embodiment of a method for forming the inflatable mattress 100 according to this invention includes the following steps (a) to (d).

In step (a), upper and lower linings 21 are prepared. The upper lining 21 has an upper central portion 211 which has a plurality of upper points 212 to be stitched. The lower lining 22 has a lower central portion 221 which has a plurality of lower points 222 to be stitched. The upper and lower linings 21, 22 are superimposable upon each other such that the upper points 212 are in register with the lower points 222, respectively.

In step (b), a plurality of threads 3 are formed by thread stitching such that each of the threads 3 has two ends respectively stitched to corresponding ones of the upper and lower points 212, 222, and has a predetermined thread length defined between the two ends thereof.

Steps (a) and (b) can be implemented separately. On the other hand, steps (a) and (b) can be implemented at the same time so that the upper and lower linings 21, 22 together with the threads 3 stitched therein can be formed into a roll which can be cut into desired sizes.

In step (c), the upper and lower linings 21, 22 are respectively attached or adhered to upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, 12.

In step (d), the upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, 12 are sealed to each other along respective peripheries 111, 121 thereof so as to define an inflatable chamber 4 between the upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, 12 such that when the inflatable chamber 4 is in an inflated state, the threads 3 are tensed and each of the stitched upper points 212 is spaced apart from a corresponding one of the stitched lower points 222 by a distance substantially equal to the predetermined thread length, so as to permit each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers 11, 12 to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user's body.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. An inflatable mattress comprising:

upper and lower air-impermeable layers which are sealed to each other along peripheries thereof so as to cooperatively define an inflatable chamber therebetween;

an upper lining attached to said upper air-impermeable layer, and having an upper central portion which has a plurality of stitched upper points that are evenly distributed in said upper central portion;

a lower lining attached to said lower air-impermeable layer, and having a lower central portion that has a plurality of stitched lower points which are arranged such that when said inflatable chamber is in an inflated state, each of said stitched lower points is in register with a corresponding one of said stitched upper points; and

a plurality of threads each having two ends respectively stitched to corresponding ones of said stitched upper and lower points, and a thread length defined between said two ends such that when said inflatable chamber is in the inflated state, said threads are tensed and each of said stitched lower points is spaced apart from the corresponding one of said stitched upper points by a predetermined distance substantially equal to the thread length, so as to permit each of said upper and lower air-impermeable layers to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user's body.

2. The inflatable mattress of claim 1, wherein the thread length is greater than 2 cm.

3. The inflatable mattress of claim 1, wherein said stitched upper points are grouped into a plurality of sets displaced from one another in a transverse direction, said stitched upper points in each of said sets being arranged in a longitudinal direction to form a straight stitched line.

4. The inflatable mattress of claim 1, wherein said stitched upper points are grouped into a plurality of sets displaced from one another in a transverse direction, said stitched upper points in each of said sets being displaced from one another in a longitudinal direction to form a zigzag stitched line.

5. The inflatable mattress of claim 1, wherein each of said upper and lower air-impermeable layers is made from a polyurethane-based material.

6. The inflatable mattress of claim 1, wherein each of said upper and lower linings is made from a polyurethane-based material.

7. The inflatable mattress of claim 1, wherein said threads are made from a polyurethane-based material.

8. A method for forming an inflatable mattress, comprising:

(a) providing upper and lower linings respectively having upper and lower central portions, the upper central portion having a plurality of upper points to be stitched, the lower central portion having a plurality of lower points to be stitched, the upper and lower linings being superimposable upon each other such that the upper points are in register with the lower points, respectively;

(b) forming a plurality of threads by thread stitching, such that each of the threads has two ends respectively stitched to corresponding ones of the upper and lower points, and a predetermined thread length defined between the two ends thereof;

(c) attaching the upper and lower linings respectively to upper and lower air-impermeable layers; and

(d) sealing the upper and lower air-impermeable layers to each other along respective peripheries thereof so as to define an inflatable chamber between the upper and lower air-impermeable layers such that when the inflatable chamber is in an inflated state, each of the stitched upper points is spaced apart from a corresponding one of the stitched lower points by a distance substantially equal to the predetermined thread length, so as to permit each of the upper and lower air-impermeable layers to provide a substantially flat surface for supporting a user's body.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein steps (a) and (b) are implemented at the same time.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined thread length is greater than 2 cm.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the stitched upper points are grouped into a plurality of sets displaced from one another in a transverse direction, the stitched upper points in each of the sets being arranged in a longitudinal direction to form a straight stitched line.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the stitched upper points are grouped into a plurality of sets displaced from one another in a transverse direction, the stitched upper points in each of the sets being displaced from one another in a longitudinal direction to form a zigzag stitched line.