US005904172C1
`(12) EX PARTE REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE (9998th)
`United States Patent
`US 5,904,172 C1
`(10) Number:
`Jan. 3, 2014
`Gifft et a].
`(45) Certi?cate Issued:
`
`(54) VALVE ENCLOSURE ASSEMBLY
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`(75) Inventors: James Edwin Gifft, Maple Grove, MN
`(US); Paul James Mahoney, Stillwater,
`MN (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Select Comfort Corporation, Plymouth,
`MN (US)
`
`Reexamination Request:
`No. 90/012,456, Oct. 17, 2012
`
`Reexamination Certi?cate for:
`Patent No.:
`5,904,172
`Issued:
`May 18, 1999
`Appl. No.:
`08/901,144
`Filed:
`Jul. 28, 1997
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`A47C 27/08
`(52) US. Cl.
`USPC
`
`(2006.01)
`
`137/224; 137/271; 137/596.16; 137/5962;
`5/710; 5/713
`
`(58) Field of Classi?cation Search
`None
`See application ?le for complete search history.
`
`224 me 220
`2202H3
`“‘1;
`
`To vieW the complete listing of prior art documents cited
`during the proceeding for Reexamination Control Number
`90/012,456, please refer to the USPTO’s public Patent
`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system under the
`Display References tab.
`
`Primary Examiner * Joseph A. Kaufman
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`An improved valve enclosure assembly for use With an air
`in?atable mattress includes at least one air bladder, a pump
`?uidly coupled to the at least one air bladder for providing
`compressed air thereto, and a processor for providing com
`mands to the improved valve enclosure assembly during an
`in?ate/ de?ate cycle. The improved valve enclosure assembly
`is ?uidly coupled intermediate the pump and the at least one
`air bladder for controlling the in?ation of the at least one air
`bladder. An enclosure de?nes a substantially ?uidly sealed air
`chamber and has at least one air inlet to the air chamber being
`?uidly coupled to the pump. A pressure monitor is operably
`coupled to the processor and is in ?uid communication With
`the at least one bladder for continuously monitoring the pres
`sure in the at least one bladder. A method of effecting a
`desired pressure in a bladder of an air in?atable mattress is
`also disclosed.
`
`196 “x
`o 180
`210 El! 2l4
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1003, p. 1
`
`

`

`US 5,904,172 C1
`
`1
`EX PARTE
`REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE
`ISSUED UNDER 35 U.S.C. 307
`
`THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS
`INDICATED BELOW.
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appeared in the
`patent, but has been deleted and is no longer a part of the
`patent; matter printed in italics indicates additions made
`to the patent.
`
`AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN
`DETERMINED THAT:
`
`The patentability of claims 2, 4-6, 11, 12 and 14-18 is
`con?rmed.
`Claims 1 and 10 are cancelled.
`Claim 9 is determined to be patentable as amended.
`NeW claims 19-25 are added and determined to be
`patentable.
`Claims 3, 7, 8 and 13 were not reexamined.
`
`9. A method of effecting a desired pressure in a bladder of
`an air in?atable mattress, comprising the steps of:
`providing a commanded desired pressure of the bladder;
`opening a valve [?uid] ?uidly coupled to the bladder,
`wherein the valve is one ofa plurality ofvalves at least
`partially contained within, or formed integral to, a sub
`stantially?uidly sealed air chamber ofa valve enclosure
`assembly;
`continuously monitoring the existing pressure in the blad
`der at a tap on [a] the valve enclosure assembly, the tap
`de?ning an opening through the valve enclosure assem
`bly and into an interior ofthe air chamber;
`determining the differential between the existing pressure
`in the bladder and the desired pressure in the bladder;
`exhausting air from the bladder through the valve When the
`differential indicates that the existing pres sure in the
`bladder is greater than the desired pressure;
`energizing a pump ?uidly coupled to the valve for provid
`ing compressed air to the bladder When the differential
`indicates that the desired pressure in the bladder is
`greater than the existing pressure in the bladder to in?ate
`the bladder; and
`closing said valve When the existing pressure in the bladder
`substantially equals the desired pressure in the bladder.
`19. An improved valve enclosure assembly for use with an
`air in?atable mattress having at least one air bladder in?ated
`by compressed air, apump?uidly coupled to the at least one
`air bladder for providing compressed air thereto, and a pro
`cessor for providing commands to the improved valve enclo
`sure assembly during an in?ate/de?ate cycle, the improved
`valve enclosure assembly being ?uidly coupled intermediate
`the pump and the at least one air bladderfor controlling the
`in?ation ofthe at least one air bladder, comprising:
`an enclosure de?ning a substantially ?uidly sealed air
`chamber and having at least one air inlet to the air
`chamber being ?uidly coupled to the pump;
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`2
`pressure monitor means including a sensor being operably
`coupled to theprocessor and being in?uid communica
`tion with the at least one bladder through a pressure
`monitoring port de?ning an opening the enclosure and
`into an interior ofthe air chamber, the sensor con?gured
`for continuously monitoring the pressure in the at least
`one bladder during an in?ate/de?ate cycle by monitor
`ing the pressure in the air chamber, and
`two or more valves being ?uidly sealingly disposed in
`respective valve apertures de?ned in the enclosure by a
`snap-?t engagement therewith and being in?uid com
`munication with both the exterior of the enclosure and
`with the air chamber.
`20. An improved valve enclosure assembly for use with an
`air in?atable mattress having at least one air bladder in?ated
`by compressed air, a pump ?uidly coupled to the at least one
`air bladder for providing compressed air thereto, and a pro
`cessor for providing commands to the improved valve enclo
`sure assembly during an in?ate/de?ate cycle, the improved
`valve enclosure assembly being ?uidly coupled intermediate
`the pump and the at least one air bladderfor controlling the
`in?ation ofthe at least one air bladder, comprising:
`an enclosure de?ning a substantially ?uidly sealed air
`chamber and having at least one air inlet to the air
`chamber being?uidly coupled to the pump, the enclo
`sure beingformed ofan enclosure portion and a rear
`cover portion, a ?exible seal being compressively inter
`posed between the enclosure portion and the rear cover
`portion to @fect a substantially ?uid tight seal therebe
`tween;
`two or more valves being in?uid communication with both
`the exterior of the enclosure and with the air chamber;
`and
`pressure monitor means including a sensor being operably
`coupled to theprocessor and being in?uid communica
`tion with the at least one bladder through a pressure
`monitoringport de?ning an opening through the enclo
`sure and into an interior ofthe air chamber, thepressure
`sensor con?gured for continuously monitoring the pres
`sure in the at least one bladder during an in?ate/de?ate
`cycle.
`2]. The improved valve enclosure assembly of claim 20
`wherein the pressure monitoring port is disposed on the rear
`cover portion of the enclosure.
`22. The improved valve enclosure assembly of claim 2
`further including at least one solenoid con?gured to operate
`a valve, wherein the at least one solenoid is at leastpartially
`received within the air chamber of the enclosure.
`23. The improved valve enclosure assembly of claim 2
`further including at least one solenoid con?gured to operate
`a valve, wherein the at least one solenoid is positioned
`entirely within the air chamber ofthe enclosure.
`24. The improved valve enclosure assembly of claim 2
`wherein the enclosure is formed of an enclosure portion and
`a rear cover portion.
`25. The improved valve enclosure assembly of claim 24
`wherein a ?exible seal is compressively interposed between
`the enclosure portion and the rear cover portion to eject a
`substantially ?uid tight seal therebetween.
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1003, p. 2
`
`