March 27, 1945.
`
`
`
`F. G. MANSON ETAL
`PNEUMATIC MATTRESS
`Filed July 25, 1941 .
`
`2,372,218
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`Sleep Number Corp.
`EXHIBIT 2018
`IPR2019-00514
`Page 1
`
`

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`March 27, 1945.
`
`F. G. MANSON ETAL
`PNEUMATIC MATTRESS
`
`2,372,218
`
`Filed July 25, 1941
`
`2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .
`
`- Fig. 5 -
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`Sleep Number Corp.
`EXHIBIT 2018
`IPR2019-00514
`Page 2
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`

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`Patented Mar. 27, 1945
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`2,372.218
`
`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
`
`s
`
`2,372,218
`PNEUMACMAT TRESS
`Frank G. Manson and James J. Maskey,
`Dayton, Ohio
`Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. 404,030
`2 Claims. (C. 5-348)
`(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as
`amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757)
`The invention described herein may be manu
`the valves 5 being normally operative to prevent
`factured and used by or for the Government for
`flow of air from the mattress to the bag. The
`governmental purposes, without the payment to
`Open end of the bag also serves as a means for
`us of any royalty thereon.
`manual access to the valves S for operating the
`This invention relates to a pneumatic mattress,
`same to deflate the mattress. The valve con
`and particularly to a mattress having a bag-like
`struction will now be described.
`member constituting a bellows for inflating the
`Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the valve
`same, and a valve mechanism operatively asso
`comprises a body portion B suitably integrally
`ciated with the bellows for facilitating inflation
`united with the portion of the mattress a con
`and deflation of the mattress.
`stituting the bottom of the bag. Member B is
`O
`It is, therefore, an object of this invention to
`provided with an opening 9 internally screw
`provide in a pneumatic mattress, a mechanism
`threaded to receive an externally and internally
`integral therewith for readily inflating and de
`screw-threaded cylindrical member 7 provided
`flating the Same.
`with a valve disk engaging projecting member 8,
`Other objects of the invention will become ap
`for holding the disk T in valve-open position,
`parent from the following description taken in
`and a plurality of discharge openings 9. The
`connection with the drawings, in which:
`body portion 6 is provided at its upper end with
`Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pneumatic mattress
`an annular recess for receiving an airtight seal
`incorporating the novel features of the invention;
`ing means 0.
`Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;
`20
`Cylindrical member 7 is provided with an an
`Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
`nular groove
`for receiving a suitable loss-pre
`lines 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the valve in stopper
`venting fastening means f2, suitably attached
`closed position;
`to the mattress. The cylindrical member is
`Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3
`knurled as at 3 to facilitate manual removal
`and showing the stopper removed and the Valve
`25
`thereof from the valve body member. A stopper
`in discharging position;
`member 4, of rubber or other suitable material,
`Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 with
`is screw-threaded into the cylindrical member 7
`the valve in closed but bag-inflatable position.
`in airtight engagement therewith. For prevent
`Fig. 6 is a view showing the manner of em
`ing loss of the stopper 4, a fastening means 5
`ploying the mattress inflating means.
`3)
`suitably attached to the mattress is provided.
`Referring to the drawings, a hollow pneumatic
`The body portion 6 has attached thereto at the
`mattress , composed of rubber or other airtight
`lower end thereof a screen portion f6 adapted
`material and having therein longitudinally dis
`to slidably receive and floatingly support a disk
`posed form-sustaining ribs 2, is provided with a
`valve 7 of suitable lightweight material having
`flexible flap-like bag 3 which is open at its upper
`5 high air-sealing properties when in contact with
`end and having its lower end secured to the top
`the lower portion of body member 6.
`of the mattress by means of a patch 4 cemented
`Coming now to the operation of the device:
`or otherwise secured to both the bag and the
`The parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 3 when
`mattress. The bottom of the bag indicated by
`the mattress is inflated for use. When it is de
`reference character a thus forms an integral
`40
`sired to deflate the mattress, the stopper member
`part of the mattress and is provided with a plu
`4 is removed and with the parts as shown in
`rality of valve members, each generally indicated
`Fig. 4, air is allowed to discharge to the atmos
`by the reference numeral 5, which afford a means
`phere through screen 6 and orifices 9, valve 7
`of flow communication between the bag 3 and
`being held in inoperative position by stem mem
`45
`the interior of the mattress. If the bag 3 is ex
`ber 8. This construction enables quick and ready
`tended and the upper edges gathered together
`discharge of air from the pneumatic mattress,
`in the manner of closing a paper bag, a Con
`without using extraneous tools. When it is de
`siderable volume of air will be trapped in the bag
`sired to again inflat the mattress, the cylindrical
`3. By then rolling up the bag in the manner
`member 7 is removed from the valve as shown in
`50 Fig. 5 and with the bag 3 in expanded position,
`shown in Fig. 6, the same will act as a pump and
`compress the air therein and the valves 5 are so
`the upper end portions thereof are gathered to
`constructed as to permit the compressed air to
`gether and the air trapped thereinforced through
`flow into the mattress to inflate the same. The
`the valve by rolling the bag into a compact cylin
`bag may be extended and rolled up as many times
`drical roll. When the bag is in its completely
`as necessary to completely inflate the mattress,
`rolled position, the bag is again distended so as
`
`Sleep Number Corp.
`EXHIBIT 2018
`IPR2019-00514
`Page 3
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`2
`2,872,218
`to fill up with air from the atmosphere, valve
`valve guide carried by said valve body, a disc
`being moved by the difference in air pressure
`valve guidingly supported by said valve guide and
`between the interior and exterior of the mattress
`adapted to cooperate with said valve seat to open
`into valve-closing position as shown in Fig. 5.
`or close said passage in accordance with the pres
`The rolling operation of the bag may be repeated
`sure within the mattress being less or greater
`as many times aS is desirable, or necessary to
`than the pressure within the mattress respective
`reach the desired degree of inflation, whereupon
`ly, a member Sealingly received in said valve body
`the cylindrical members 7-with the stopper 4
`passage and axially movable therein, said mem
`in place-is screw-threaded into the body mem
`ber having an air-flow passage therethrough, a
`10
`ber 6 to assemble the parts as in Fig. 3.
`removable plug for opening or closing said air
`Various modifications may be made in the de
`flow passage and means carried by said member
`vice without departing from the spirit of the in
`for engaging said disc valve to maintain the same
`in non-closing position and permitting mattress
`vention, it being intended that the scope of the
`deflation upon removal of said plug.
`invention be limited only by the terms of the
`appended claims.
`. 2. A valve comprising a valve body member
`having a valve seat portion thereon, a disc valve
`We claim:
`adapted to rest on said valve seat and freely
`1. In combination, a pneumatic mattress, an
`slidably carried by said body, a hollow cylindrical
`extensible bag-like inflating member secured to
`said mattress and having one end open and the
`member carried by said body member and axially
`other end forming a bottom wall integral with
`movable with respect thereto, said cylindrical
`member having flow passages therethrough, a
`the mattress, and valve means positioned in the
`said bottom wall and controlling communication
`disc valve depressing member carried by said
`between the inflating member and the interior
`cylindrical member and removable plug means
`of the mattress, Said valve means including a
`sealingly received in the hollow of said cylindrical
`valve body sealingly secured in said bottom wall,
`member.
`a central passage in Said valve body terminating
`in a valve seat within the mattress interior, a
`
`FRANK. G. MANSON.
`JAMES J. MASKEY.
`
`5
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`20
`
`25
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`Sleep Number Corp.
`EXHIBIT 2018
`IPR2019-00514
`Page 4
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