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United States Patent [191
`Kery
`
`3,784,994
`[111
`[451 Jan. 15, 1974
`
`[54] AIR BED
`[76] Inventor: Edmund Kery, 908 E. 55th St., New
`York, N.Y. 11234
`
`Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel
`Assistant Examiner—Andrew M. Calvert
`Attorney—Sydney B. Schlessel
`
`Nov. 27, 1972
`[22] Filed:
`[211 Appl.No.:309,734
`
`[52] US. Cl. ............................ ..'. .... .. 5/348, 297/284
`[51] lint. Cl. .......................................... .. A47c 27/08
`[58] Field of Search ...................... .. 5/348, 349, 350,
`5/351, D16. 2; 297/DlG. 8, BIG. 3, 284
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`
`3,605,145
`
`9/1971
`
`Graebe ................................. .. 5/348
`
`3,192,541
`
`7/1965 Moore . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . . . i. 5/349
`
`2,897,520
`
`8/1959 Bradford . . . . . . . . . , . . .
`
`. . . . . . . .. 5/348
`
`2,814,053 '
`
`'1 1/1957
`
`Sevcik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . . . . . . .. 5/348
`
`2,779,034
`2,350,711
`
`Arpin ............................. .. 5/348
`l/l957
`6/1944 Amos ........................... .. 297/DlG. 8
`
`ABSTRACT
`[5 7 ]
`An air bed comprising an air spring unit disposed on a
`support platform and comprising aplurality of paral
`lel, uniformly spaced and vertically aligned in?atable
`bellows having closed tops and open ends, the tops in
`terlocked and the ends ?xed through the platform,
`and an elastic expandable member coupled to the
`open end of each bellows and disposed within an ex
`pansion-limiting frame. An air tube is coupled to each
`elastic member and leads into an enclosed distributor
`by engagement with a valve mounted therethrough.
`Inflation of the combined bellows and elastic member
`is effected by air pumped from a compressor having
`an air line leading into the distributor. Closing and
`opening of the valves is effected by a table within the
`distributor selectively moveable against the valve re
`lease pins.
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.1
`
`

`

`PATENTEDJAN 15 1974
`'
`
`sum 10F 4
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`
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`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.2
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.2
`
`

`

`PAIENTEDJM 15 1974
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`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.3
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.3
`
`
`

`

`PATENTED JAN 15 IBM
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`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.4
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.4
`
`
`
`
`

`

`PATENTEDJAN 15 I974
`
`3. 784.994
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`Petitioner Tgmpur Sealy - Ex}. 1006, p.5
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.5
`
`

`

`1
`AIR BED
`
`3,784,994
`
`2
`siliency and buoyancy to the entire bed, with the extent
`of in?ation of the elastic member limited by a restric
`tive member. With the release of the pressure applied
`to the bed, as by removal of its occupant, the elastic
`members will constrict to original size, returning the
`displaced air to the respective air springs and thereby
`restoring them to their original size and shape. As is ob
`vious, shifting of the body on the bed will cause some
`of the air springs to compress further and some to ex
`pand, depending on the shift of weight, so that the sup
`port member continues to follow the body contours.
`Compressor means is provided to in?ate the air springs
`to deisred pressure and means to de?ate them, as well
`as to regulate the ?rmness of the support member, or
`its softness, depending on the individual taste of the
`user.
`It is therefore the principal object of my invention to
`provide an air bed wherein the resiliency and buoyancy
`of the bed is adjustable to any desired degree of ?rm
`ness or softness.
`A second important object of my invention lies in the
`provision of an air bed wherein application of bodily
`weight will cause temporary displacement of the con
`tained air, as well as compression.
`A third important object of my invention lies in the
`provision of an air bed wherein depression of specific
`areas thereof is accomplished by the extent of weight
`disposed, thereby conforming the bed to the contours
`of the reclining body.
`A fourth important object of my invention will be
`found in the provision of an air bed wherein shifting of
`bodily weight will cause appropriate adjustment of the
`air springs.
`A ?fth important object of my invention lies in pro‘
`viding an air bed whose ?rmness can be quickly and
`easily adjusted to individual taste of the user.
`Still another important object of my invention lies in
`the provision of an air bed composed of individual units
`which can be separately replaced where required.
`These and other salient objects, advantages and func
`tional features of my invention, together with the novel
`features of construction, composition and arrangement
`of parts, will become more readily apparent from an ex
`amination of the following description, taken with the
`accompanying drawings, wherein:
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodi
`ment of my invention;
`FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG.
`1, partly broken away, to show disposition of the air
`springs;
`FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on lines 3—~3
`of FIG. 2;
`FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing
`one of the air springs in normal expansion, partly bro
`ken away;
`FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing compres
`sion of the air spring;
`FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on lines 6-6
`of FIG. 4;
`FIG. 7‘ is an enlarged top view, partly in section, of
`the distributor;
`FIG. 8 is an enlarged exploded view of the distributor
`of FIG. 7;
`'
`FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the distributor of
`FIGS. 7 and 8; and
`
`5
`
`5
`
`20
`
`25
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field of the Invention
`This invention relates to beds and bedding and has
`for its objective the provision of an air bed whose resil
`iency to support a human body in scienti?c comfort in
`repose is provided for by a support member encom
`passing a plurality of spaced, vertically-aligned, inde
`pendent air springs, or air-in?ated bellows, disposed
`therein beneath a soft protective layer of material and
`maintained with a constant air content, each air spring
`coupled to an elastic member, whereby bodily weight
`applied to the support member not only causes tempo
`rary compression of each air spring, in accordance with
`the amount of weight borne by it, but allows some of
`the contained air to pass into and in?ate the elastic at
`tached member within designated limits, thereby to
`provide greater and more uniform adaptability of the
`support member to the contours of the human body,
`the support member returning to its original shape with
`the removal of the imposed weight.
`2. Prior Art
`In the prior state of the art there have been provided
`various forms of air cushions and mattresses. Some of
`these devices provide for their in?ation with air as a
`single unit, so that when pressure is applied to one area
`of the cushion or mattress air is displaced to areas not
`subjected to pressure, thereby making them bulky, mis
`shaped and wobbly, contributing very little to comfort.
`In other forms the cushions and mattresses are subdi
`vided into partitioned areas, with each partitioned area
`individually ?lled with air. When pressures are applied
`to any speci?c partitioned area or areas, resiliency is
`limited to compression of the contained air, since the
`latter is con?ned to the limits of its enclosure. In fur
`ther forms of the present art air mattresses or supports
`are provided with individually, air-?lled bellows dis
`posed across the area of the mattress, so that depres
`sion of speci?c bellows is encompassed by the degree
`of pressure applied to each. In these forms, however,
`resiliency is restricted to the extent to which the en- I
`trapped air is capable of compression, with no provi
`sion for temporary escape of a part of the contained air
`from its bellows, so that the greater the-pressure ap
`plied, the greater the resistance to such pressure.
`
`45
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The aforementioned disadvantages are overcome by
`my invention, which provides for an air bed including
`a support member in which a plurality of spaced air
`springs or bellows are supported in vertical alignment
`below a protective layer of material, with each air
`spring in communication with an elastic and in?atable
`member and individually ?lled with air to a pre
`selected, uniform pressure. When ?lled with air to the
`desired pressure the volume of air contained in each air
`spring and communicating elastic member remains
`constant, regardless of pressure or compression. When
`pressure is applied, as by a reclining body, to the sup
`port member the air springs will compress indepen
`dently, in accordance with the degree of weight or pres
`sure applied, thereby to fit the contours of the reclining
`body, with the air contained in each air spring not only
`compressing to a speci?c degree, but also relieved by
`the escape of some of the air into the elastic, in?atable
`member, and thereby providing a higher degree of re
`
`65
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.6
`
`

`

`3
`FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view, taken on lines
`l0—l0 of FIG. 9.
`Similar reference characters designate similar parts
`throughout the different views.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`Illustrative of the embodiment shown in the draw
`ings, my air bed 10 comprises a support frame 12,
`formed with side walls 14 and end walls 16, and pro
`vided with a platform 18 ?tted into grooves in the walls
`14 and 16 and adapted to support the air spring unit 20.
`Disposed adajcent the head portion of the bed 10 there
`is provided an enclosed headboard housing 22 having
`a recessed front wall section 24, adapted to accomo
`date the end wall 16 of the frame 12, so as to bring the
`rear end of the air spring unit 20 into close abutment
`with the unrecessed front wall 26. The top surface 28
`of the headboard housing 22 is inclined, as shown, and
`is provided with an opening to seat a control panel 30,
`by means of which the air bed 10 may be in?ated and
`de?ated, as will be hereinafter described. The surface
`28 may also provided other openings or support for ap
`pliances, such as a lamp or radio(neither shown).
`Referring now to FIGS. 2—6, the air spring unit 20
`contains a plurality of uniformly sapced air springs 32
`vertically disposed in parallel relationship throughout
`the unit 20, as shown. Each air spring 32 is preferably,
`but not necessarily, composed ofa heavy gauge plastic
`material, molded in the shape of a collapsible bellows,
`suitably creased, as shown, and adapted to compress
`with the application of pressure on its top surface 34,
`so that its enlarged areas converge, as is seen in FIG.
`5. The angular sides of the air springs 32 may be pro
`vided with stiffener elements 33, if desired, to give
`them greater rigidity under pressure, as shown in FIGS.
`4 and 5. Each air spring 32 is provided with a closed ?at
`top surface 34, on which is mounted a steel ring 36
`locked in place by support rings 38 and 40, the ring 36
`being provided with four spaced arcuate slots 42
`around its outer perimeter, by which the top of each air
`spring 32 is secured in position with respect to adjoin
`ing air springs 32, in tensioned spaced relationship, by
`tie members 44 whose converging ends are secured to
`gether by central tie rings 46, as shown in FIG. 2.
`The bottom end of each air spring is enlarged to form
`a pedestal 48 extending into a reduced circular ?ange
`50 adapted to extend through a circular aperture 52 in
`the frame platform 18, with the lower surface 54 of the
`pedestal 48 abutting and resting upon the upper surface
`of the platform 18, whereby each air spring 32 is thus
`supported in a ?xed, vertical position. Each air spring
`32 is thus disposed so that air can be introduced there
`into through the ?ange 50. An elastic in?atable ball 56
`is secured to the air spring 32 by the engagement of its
`enlarged neck 58 around the ?ange 50, secured thereto
`by a locking ring 60, the ball 56 being reinforced
`around its outer area by a network 62 of elastic stiff
`ener bands, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The end of the
`ball 56, opposite its neck 58 is provided with an open
`ing 64 to which is coupled the end of an air tube 66,
`through which air is introduced into the combined air
`spring 32 and ball 56, as will hereinafter be described.
`Expansion of the ball 56 is limited by the circumfer
`ence of a rigid basket element 68, in which the ball 56
`is disposed, the basket element 68 being secured to
`sapced ribs 70 extending from the undersurface of the
`platform 18, as by screws 72 threaded into the ribs 70
`
`4
`through a support member 74 formed integral with the
`basket element 68.
`The air spring unit 20 is provided with a suitable sup
`port layer 76, composed of foam rubber topped by cot
`ton or wool, or other similar materials, as is well known
`in the art, which is disposed across the tops of the air
`springs 32, the entire unit 20 including a casing 78 fit
`ted around the layer 76 and air springs 32, the bottom
`surface of the casing 78 provided with apertures 80
`through which the pedestal ?anges 50 extend below the
`platform 18, the upper surface of the casing 78 being
`tufted, as shown in FIG. 1.
`Coming now to FIG. 3, the air tubes 66, one of which
`is coupled to each ball 56, extend through the frame
`12, passing through an opening 82 in wall 16 and an
`opening 84 in the headboard housing 22, wherein each
`air tube 66 is coupled to a valve 86 disposed through
`the top of a distributor 88, which is mounted to the un
`dersurface 90 of the inclined surface 28 of the head
`board housing 22, as shown, the end of the distributor
`88 thereby forming the panel 30 exposed through the
`opening in the surface 28 heretofore described, and the
`valves 86 providing communication between the air
`tubes 66 and the interior of the distributor 88. The air
`tubes 66 pass through, and are supported by, rings(not
`shown) secured in the bottom surfaces of the ribs 70.
`A compressor 92 is secured to the ?oor of the head
`board housing 22, as by bolts(not shown) and is pro
`vided with an air line 94 leading into the interior of the
`distributor 88, and is connected to a suitable source of
`electric current(not shown), with its activating wires
`terminating in a switch 130 mounted on the control
`panel 30.
`Referring now to FIGS. 7-10, the distributor 88 com
`prises a housing 96 provided with a closure member 98,
`the latter containing the air valves 86 whose locking
`pins 100 extend into the housing 96, and the closure
`member 98 is secured in air-tight engagement with the
`housing 96 by screws 102 threaded through extensions
`104 of the closure member 98 into extensions 106 of
`the housing 96, a gasket 108 being disposed thereinbe
`tween.
`The distributor 88 contains a footed table 110 pro
`vided with bores 112 extending through its feet 114,
`and is thereby adapted to seat around corresponding
`rods 116 ?tted in the ?oor of the housing 96 and ex
`tending into the closure member 98, whereby the table
`110 is adapted to be raised and lowered within the
`housing 96, in raised position to depress the valve pins
`100 to open the valves 86, and in lowered position to
`release the pins 100, thereby closing the valves 86.
`Raising and lowering of the table 110 is effected by
`means of a shaft 118 rotatively journeled through the
`end walls of the housing 96 below the table 110, and
`provided with a pair of eccentric cams 120 disposed in
`abutment with the undersurface of the table 110, the
`shaft 118 extending through an end wall of the housing
`96 to be exposed through the control panel 30, and ter
`minating in a knob 122 ?tted with and indicator sym
`bor 124 to show the position of the table 110 within the
`distributor 88, the knob 122 constituting means for ro
`tation of the shaft 118. Tension springs 117 are
`mounted around the rods 116 between the table 110
`and the closure member 98 to force the table 110 away
`from the valve pins 100 when the shaft 118 is rotated
`to lower the table 110.
`
`3,784,994
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`65
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.7
`
`

`

`3,784,994
`
`5
`The distributor is further provided with an exhaust
`valve 126 fitted through its end wall, and a monometer
`128, both in communication with the interior of the dis
`tributor 86, the valve 126, manometer 128, knob 122
`and switch 130 being all mounted in the end wall of the
`distributor 88 forming its control panel 30.
`
`OPERATION OF THE INVENTION
`My air bed 10 is in?ated for use, through operation
`of the control panel, as follows: switch 130 is thrown to
`activate the compressor 92 and force air therefrom
`through its air line 94 into the distributor 88. Knob 122
`is then turned to raise the table 110 to depress the valve
`pins 100, whereby the air is uniformly forced through
`the air tubes 66 into the combined air springs 32 and
`elastic balls 56, the operator meanwhile noting the air
`pressure on the manometer 128. When the air springs
`32 and balls 56 have been inflated to the desired air
`pressure, as indicated on the manometer 128, the knob
`122 is rotated to its original position, releasing the
`valve pins 100 from the table 100, the closing off all of
`the valves 86, the compressor 92 is then deactivated.
`After testing the bed 10 for ?rmness, if the bed 10 is
`considered toosoft for comfort, the above procedure is
`repeated to increase the air pressure. On the other
`hand, should the bed 10 be considered too hard or ?rm
`for comfort, the air pressure can be selectively reduced
`by rotating the knob 122 to open the valves 86, and de
`pressing the exhaust valve 126 to exhaust air from the
`air springs 32 and balls 56 as it passes back into the dis
`tributor 88, until the pressure descends to the desired
`reduction. In this manner the ?rmness or softness of the
`bed 10 can be adjusted quickly and easily, to any de
`gree desired.
`In the event that any part of the air bed 10 malfunc
`tions, such as, for example, an air spring 32, elastic ball
`56, or air tube 66, the part is easily and quickly replace
`able with a new part, as is obvious from the disclosed
`construction.
`It is further to be noted that the embodiment shown
`and described is by way of illustration and not of limita
`tion, and that various changes may be made in the con
`struction, composition and arrangement of parts with
`out limitation upon or departure from the spirit and
`scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of the advan
`tages thereof inherent therein, all of which are claimed.
`Having described my invention, I claim:
`1. An air bed comprising a support framework pro
`vided with an horizontal platform and an air spring unit
`disposed thereon and comprising a plurality of bellows
`shaped in?atable members constituting air springs hav
`ing ?at closed tops and open bottoms, the air springs
`disposed in parallel, sapced, vertical alignment, with
`their top surfaces interlocked and their open bottoms
`fixedly disposed through apertures formed in the plat
`
`6
`form, an elastic expandable member coupled to the
`open bottom of each air spring and providing intercom
`munication therewith, a rigid enclosure member dis
`posed around each elastic member and adapted to limit
`its exapnsion, an air tube coupled to each elastic mem
`ber, means to in?ate the combined air springs and elas
`tic members, means to indicate the air pressure therein,
`means to selectively open and close the air tubes,
`means to adjust the air pressure and means to exhaust
`the air from the combined air springs and elastic mem
`bers.
`2. An air bed as described in claim 1, the air spring
`unit being further provided with a layer of soft material
`disposed across the top surfaces of the air springs and
`a casing enclosing the layer of soft material and the air
`springs.
`3. An air bed as described in claim 2, the means to
`in?ate the combined air springs and elastic members
`comprising a distributor including a housing sealed by
`a closure member, a plurality of valves mounted
`‘through the closure member and opening outwardly
`therefrom and having their release pins disposed in
`alignment within the housing, one of the air tubes cou
`pled to the exposed end of each of the valves, and a
`compressor provided with an air line leading into the
`distributor.
`4. An air bed as described in claim 3, the means to
`register the air pressure within the combined air springs
`and elastic members comprising a manometer mounted
`on the outer surface of the distributor and in communi
`cation with the interior thereof.
`5. An air bed as decribed in claim 4, the means to se
`lectively open and close the air tubes comprising a plu
`rality of rods ?xed in the floor of the distributor hous
`ing and extending into the closure member, a table re
`ciprocally mounted on the rods and a shaft journeled
`through the housing below the table and provided with
`ecentric cams abutting the table undersurface, whereby
`rotation of the shaft alternately raises the table to de
`press the valve pins and lowers the table to release the
`valve pins, one end of the shaft extending from the dis
`tributor and terminating in a knob for manual rotation
`of the shaft.
`6. An air bed as described in claim 5, a spring
`mounted around each of the rods between the table
`and the closure member and adapted to tension the
`table against the closure member.
`7. An air bed as described in claim 6, the means to
`exhaust the air from the combined air springs and elas
`tic members and to adjust the air pressure comprising
`an exhaust valve disposed through the end wall of the
`distrbutor and in communication with the interior
`thereof.
`
`25
`
`30
`
`45
`
`50
`
`*
`
`>i<
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
`
`55
`
`60
`
`65
`
`Petitioner Tempur Sealy - Ex. 1006, p.8
`
`

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