摘要 |
<p>An air-filled mattress with virtually no air loss has a plurality of air-filled bags (20) grouped into zones of uniform air pressure. A controller (26) monitors the air pressure in each zone and activates a blower (150) to adjust the pressure in any zone in which the measured pressure differs from the desired pressure by more than a threshold amount. The blower (150) is otherwise deactivated. The bags (20) are deflated by reversing the direction of flow from the bags to the blower. The bags are fastened to a mattress base using an attachment fitting (34) that receives an elongated bead (44) on the bag's bottom edge into a chamber (56) along the mattress base fitting. The mattress base can be attached to any of a variety of different conventional bed frames (12). Tabs (32) fastened to the mattress base having a hinge (82) and a hand malleable aluminum plate (78) can be bent to grasp a variety of different bed frames. A unique air manifold (59) between the blower and the bags, a unique hose coupling (90, 106) between the blower (150) and the manifold (59) and a unique air coupling (42) between the manifold and the bags are also described. The controller (26) is incorporated into an independent housing (124) with an adjustable handle (30), wheels (28) and a movable keyboard (128).</p> |