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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. A bed assembly comprising:
an air mattress for supporting a human body, said air mattress having an
overall firmness determined by the quantity of air in said air mattress
and a port for admitting and releasing air to and from said air mattress;
means for supporting said air mattress above a surface; and
means for adjusting the overall firmness of said air mattress by adjusting
the amount of air in said air mattress;
said adjusting means including at least one chamber defining a variable
internal volume for containing a variable quantity of air, conduit means
for connecting said chamber with the port of said air mattress for fluid
communication between said chamber and said air mattress, and means for
changing and for maintaining a particular volume of said chamber to change
the pressure within said chamber and within said air mattress thereby
altering and maintaining the overall firmness of said air mattress.
2. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 1 including a plurality of said
chambers, said conduit means including an individual inlet-outlet tube
connected to an inlet-outlet port of each chamber and a transfer tube
connected to each of said inlet-outlet tubes and to the port of said air
mattress whereby fluid communication is established between each of said
chambers and said air mattress.
3. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said chamber is
comprised of a flexible walled balloon, and said volume changing means
includes means for applying pressure to said balloon.
4. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said chambers
is comprised of a flexible walled balloon, and said volume changing means
includes means for applying pressure to each of said balloons.
5. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said volume changing
means includes a pair of walls between which said balloons are supported
and a means for moving one of said walls relative to the other wall.
6. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein one of said walls is a
base plate for supporting said balloons and the other of said walls is a
top plate supported spaced from and above said base plate.
7. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein said moving means is
coupled to said top plate for moving said top plate upwardly and
downwardly relative to said base plate.
8. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 6 wherein said volume changing
means includes upright side walls surrounding said base plate and said top
plate and said moving means is supported by said side walls and is coupled
to said top plate for moving said top plate upwardly and downwardly
relative to said base plate.
9. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said moving means is
comprised of a scissor jack having a support bar, a screw supported for
rotary motion by said bar, a rod connected to said screw for rotation
therewith, and a pair of linkage arms drivingly coupled to said screw,
said support bar having opposite ends, each of said ends being attached to
one of said side walls, each linkage arm having a first end drivingly
coupled to said screw and a second end pivotally connected to said top
plate whereby the rotation of said screw changes the distance between said
first ends of said linkage arms to thereby raise or lower said top plate.
10. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 9 including a crank handle
attached to said rod.
11. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 9 including a drive motor
connected to said rod for rotatably driving said rod and screw.
12. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 9 including means for
indicating the overall firmness of said air mattress, said indicating
means including means for determining the location of said top plate
relative to said bottom plate.
13. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein said determining
means includes a pair of microswitches attached to said support bar, each
microswitch having a control arm disposed for activation by the first end
of one of said linkage arms.
14. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 1 including means for
indicating the overall firmness of said mattress.
15. A bed assembly comprising:
a support structure including a platform with a top surface, a bottom
surface and an outer perimeter, and means for supporting said platform in
a generally horizontal position at a location spaced from a surface;
at least one air mattress supported on top of said platform, said air
mattress having an overall firmness determined by the quantity of air in
said mattress and a port for admitting and releasing air to and from said
air mattress;
means for adjusting the overall firmness of said air mattress by adjusting
the amount of air in said air mattress;
said adjusting means including a set of flexible walled balloons, conduit
means for connecting in fluid communication each of said balloons with
said port of said air mattress, and means for applying pressure to said
balloons to transfer air between said balloons and said air mattress;
said pressure application means including a housing with a top wall, a
bottom wall, a plurality of upright side walls, and means for moving one
of said walls relative to the other walls, said moving means including
means for holding said movable wall at a fixed position after a desired
overall firmness is selected, said housing being supported below and
within the outer perimeter of said platform.
16. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 15 including a second air
mattress supported on top of said platform in a side-by-side relationship
to said first air mattress, said second air mattress having a second port
for admitting and releasing air to and from said second air mattress,
second discrete means for adjusting the overall firmness of said second
air mattress by adjusting the amount of air in said second air mattress,
said second adjusting means including a second set of flexible walled
balloons, second conduit means for connecting in fluid communication said
second balloons with said port of said second air mattress and second
means for applying pressure to said second balloons to transfer air
between said second balloons and said second air mattress, said second
pressure application means including a second housing having a second top
wall, a second bottom wall, second upright side walls and second means for
moving one of said second walls relative to the other second walls, said
second housing being supported below and within the outer perimeter of
said platform.
17. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein each moving means is
connected to a respective top wall for moving the respective top of wall
relative to an associated bottom wall.
18. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 17 wherein said support
structure includes a plurality of outer walls extending along sides of
said platform and extending between a supporting surface and said
platform, and wherein each housing includes four of said upright walls
connected to one another in a generally rectangular configuration about
said bottom and top walls.
19. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 18 wherein each moving means
includes a scissor jack having a support bar, a screw supported for rotary
motion by said bar, a rod connected to said screw for rotary motion
therewith, and a pair of linkage arms drivingly coupled to said screw,
said support bar having opposite ends, each of said ends being attached to
one of said side walls, each linkage arm having a first end drivingly
coupled to said screw and a second end pivotally connected to said top
wall whereby the rotation of said rod and said screw change the distance
between said first ends of said linkage arms to thereby raise or lower one
of said top plates.
20. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 19 including a discrete drive
motor connected to each of said rods for independently driving each of
said screws.
21. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 19 wherein each rod extends
outward of an outer wall through an aperture therethrough, and a discrete
crank handle connected to each of said rods at a location outside of said
support structure.
22. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 19 including discrete
indicating means for indicating the overall firmness of each of said air
mattresses, each indicating means including a plurality of lights
indicative of the relative firmness of an air mattress and means for
determining the location of one of said top walls relative to a respective
bottom wall and for lighting one of the said lights dependent upon the
location of said top wall.
23. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 22 wherein each determining
means includes a pair of microswitches supported adjacent to said support
bar, each of said microswitches having a control arm, said control arms
being disposed so that the motion of one of said first ends of a linkage
arm can activate said control arms.
24. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said air mattress
has a generally four-sided rectangular configuration, and wherein soft
resilient material surrounds the four sides of said air mattress, a sheet
of soft resilient material extending across the top of said air mattress,
and a cover member surrounding said soft resilient materials and said air
mattress.
25. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 16 wherein each of said air
mattresses has a generally rectangular configuration having a top side, a
bottom side, and a pair of lateral sides, said air mattress being arranged
in a side-by-side relationship wherein one of the lateral sides of a first
of said air mattresses is disposed adjacent one of the lateral sides of a
second of said air mattresses and a perimeter boundary of said air
mattresses is formed by the other lateral sides, both of the top sides and
both of the bottom sides, said perimeter boundary being surrounded by soft
resilient material, a sheet of soft resilient material covering a top
surface of both of said air mattresses, and a cover member surrounding
said soft resilient materials, and both of said air mattresses.
26. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 25 including a strip of soft
resilient material having a generally T-shaped cross section with a top
member and a downwardly extending member, the downwardly extending member
being disposed between said two air mattresses.
27. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 15 including a spring-type
mattress supported on top of said platform in a side-by-side relationship
to said air mattress.
28. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 15 including a water-bag
mattress supported on top of said platform in a side-by-side relationship
to said air mattress.
29. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 15 including a foam-type
mattress supported on top of said platform in a side-by-side relationship
to said air mattress.
30. A bed assembly comprising:
an air mattress for supporting a human body, said air mattress having an
overall firmness determined by the quantity of air in said air mattress
and a port for admitting and releasing air to and from said air mattress;
means for supporting said air mattress above a surface;
means for adjusting the overall firmness of said air mattress by adjusting
the amount of air in said air mattress;
said adjusting means including a plurality of flexible walled balloons
defining a variable internal volume for containing a variable quantity of
air, conduit means connecting said balloons with the port of said air
mattress for fluid communication between said chamber and said air
mattress, and means for changing the internal volume of said balloons and
for setting the internal volume at a desired internal volume whereby a
desired overall air mattress firmness is established by adjusting and
setting the total internal volume in said air mattress and in said
balloons;
said conduit means including an individual inlet-outlet tube connected to
an inlet-outlet port of each balloon and a transfer tube connected to each
of said inlet-outlet tubes and to the port of said air mattress whereby
fluid communication is established between each of said balloons and said
air mattress;
said volume changing means including a base plate for supporting said
balloons, upright side walls surrounding said base plate, a top plate and
a moving means supported by said side walls and coupled to said top plate
for moving said top plate upwardly and downwardly relative to said base
plate to apply pressure to each of said balloons; and
said moving means including a scissor jack having a support bar, a screw
supported for rotary motion by said bar, a rod connected to said screw for
rotation therewith, and a pair of linkage arms drivingly coupled to said
screw, said support bar having opposite ends, each of said ends being
attached to one of said side walls, each linkage arm having a first end
drivingly coupled to said screw and a second end pivotally connected to
said top plate whereby the rotation of said screw changes the distance
between said first ends of said linkage arms to thereby raise or lower
said top plate.
31. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 30 including a crank handle
attached to said rod.
32. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 30 including a drive motor
connected to said rod for rotatably driving said rod and screw.
33. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 30 including means for
indicating the overall firmness of said air mattress, said indicating
means including means for determining the location of said top plate
relative to said bottom plate.
34. A bed assembly in accordance with claim 33 wherein said determining
means includes a pair of microswitches attached to said support bar, each
microswitch having a control arm disposed for activation by the first end
of one of said linkage arms. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates broadly to a bed assembly which utilizes an
air mattress for at least a portion of the body supportive surface of the
bed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bed assembly
wherein the overall firmness of the air mattress can be adjusted.
Mattresses which utilize air-filled bags or cores are known in the prior
art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 954,284 to Hecht; 2,000,873 to Arens; and
2,823,394 to Smith each disclose a mattress, a portion of which is filled
with air. In the mattresses disclosed in Arens and Smith a central
air-filled core is surrounded by padding material.
Bed assemblies which utilize air mattresses and which have some control
mechanism to adjust the inflation of the air mattress are also known in
the prior art. Examples of such bed assemblies are illustrated in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 3,605,138 to Tucker; 3,784,994 to Kery; and 3,822,425 to Scales.
Such inflation control mechanisms, however, have generally been complex
and utilized valving and/or compressor mechanisms, or individual cell
systems. Applicants are unaware of a simple and inexpensive firmness
control mechanism for use with an air mattress used in a bed assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,501 to Kery, hereinafter Kery '501 patent, discloses
several embodiments of air chairs and convertible sofas. The chairs and
sofas of the Kery '501 patent utilize air mattress type cushions. Each
cushion communicates with an air spring and a specified quantity of air is
filled within a respective cushion and air spring. The air springs are
spring biased to a collapsed position so that when no pressure is applied
to the cushions, the air springs remain completely collapsed. However,
when pressure is applied to a cushion, air is forced into and extends the
air spring. The firmness of a cushion thus adjusts to the pressure
applied. However, a mechanism for adjusting and setting the firmness as
disclosed in the present invention is not provided.
Other complex air cushions and air inflation mechanisms for use in
automobile seats are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,136,510; 3,326,601; and
3,363,941.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bed assembly. The bed assembly includes
an air mattress for supporting a human body. The air mattress has an
overall firmness determined by the quantity of air in the air mattress.
The air mattress has a port for admitting and releasing air to and from
the air mattress. A means is provided for supporting the air mattress
above a surface. Also, means for adjusting the overall firmness of the air
mattress by adjusting the amount of air in the air mattress is provided.
The adjusting means includes at least one chamber defining a variable
internal volume for containing a variable quantity of air; conduit means
connecting the chamber with the port of the air mattress for fluid
communication between the chamber and the air mattress; and means for
changing the internal volume of the chamber and for setting the internal
volume at a desired internal volume whereby a desired overall air mattress
firmness is established by adjusting and setting the relative quantity of
air in the air mattress and in the chamber.
In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of the chambers are utilized and,
preferably, the chambers are formed of flexible walled bladders or
balloons. The balloons can be supported within a housing below the air
mattress. One of the walls of the housing, preferably the top wall, is
movable relative to the other walls of the housing. In this manner,
pressure can be applied to the balloons to force air from the balloons to
the air mattress. By forcing more air into the air mattress, the overall
firmness of the air mattress is increased, while coversely allowing more
air to be contained in the balloons decreases the overall firmness of the
air mattress.
A scissor jack can be used to move the top wall of the housing upwardly and
downwardly. When a scissor jack is used, a means for indicating the
overall firmness can be coupled to the scissor jack to indicate the
relative location of the top plate and, hence, the amount of air forced
into the air mattress. In this manner, the overall firmness of the air
mattress can be indicated. The indicating means preferably includes a pair
of microswitches activated by a nut or runner secured to an upper end of a
linkage arm of the scissor jack. The microswitches control current flowing
through a plurality of indicating lights supported on an edge of the bed
assembly. The indicating lights provide visual indication of the relative
overall firmness of the air mattress.
In one embodiment of the invention, a pair of air mattresses are used in
the bed assembly. Each of the air mattresses has its own firmness
adjusting mechanism. In another embodiment, one of the two air mattresses
is replaced by a conventional foam or spring type mattress. In another
embodiment, one of the two air mattresses is replaced by a waterbed type
of mattress. Thus, the firmness and type of sleeping surface can be suited
to the personal taste of two individuals.
Various advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and
forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the
invention, its advantages, and objects attained by its use, reference
should be had to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the
accompanying descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated and
described certain preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, illustrating a bed
assembly in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a mechanism for adjusting
the overall firmness of an air mattress;
FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the
scissor jack and attached microswitches;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of another embodiment of
the invention;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view, partially broken away, illustrating a further
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7 is an end view, partially in section, illustrating a pair of
mattresses with a resilient spacer disposed between the two air
mattresses;
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a circuit used with the firmness
indicator mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like
elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a bed assembly in accordance with the
present invention designated generally as 10. The bed assembly 10 includes
a support structure 12 and a body supporting section 14. The support
structure includes four outer walls interconnected in a rectangular
configuration. Two outer walls, 16 and 18, are shown in the Figures. The
outer walls each have a lower edge adapted to rest upon a support surface
20.
The support structure 12 may also include a base 22 connected to the lower
edges of the outer walls. A platform 24 for supporting the body support
section 14 is carried by the support structure 12. The platform 24 is
preferably made of a plurality of individual planks 26. The planks 26 are
relatively narrow as compared to the length of the entire platform 24. In
this manner, a few of the planks 26 can be individually moved to gain
access to the area of the support structure 12 below the platform 24. The
planks 26 are removably held to the remaining portion of the support
structure 12 by a suitable means, such as support beams 28 attached to the
inner surfaces of the outer walls. See FIGS. 2 and 3 wherein two of the
support beams 28 are shown. The support beams 28 extend around the entire
perimeter of the outer walls.
The body supporting section 14 preferably includes a sheet of resilient
material 30, a first air mattress 32, a second air mattress 34, soft
resilient material 36, a second sheet of resilient material 38, and a
cover member 40. The sheet of resilient material 30 is supported above the
platform 24. The first and second air mattresses 32,34 are thereafter
supported upon the sheet 30. The air mattresses 32,34 are conventional in
construction and preferably have a four-sided rectangular configuration.
The mattresses 32,34 are arranged in a side-by-side relationship wherein
one lateral side of the first air mattress 32 is disposed adjacent one
lateral side of the second air mattress 34. A perimeter boundary around
the two air mattresses 32,34 is formed by the other lateral sides and both
of the top sides and both of the bottom sides of the air mattresses 32,34.
The soft resilient material 36 is supported atop the sheet 30 and
surrounds the perimeter boundary of the first and second air mattresses
32,34. The resilient material 36 is preferably made of four longitudinally
extending blocks of material, such as foam rubber. The second sheet of
resilient material 38 rests on top of the soft resilient material 36 and
on top of the two air mattresses 32,34. The sheets 30,38, the air
mattresses 32, 34 and the soft resilient material 36 are all received
within the cover member 40. The cover member 40 has a zipper 42 extending
around at least a portion of its length so that the cover member 40 may be
readily removed.
Each air mattress 32,34 is connected respectively to a discrete means 44,46
for adjusting the overall firmness of the respective air mattresses 32,34.
Since the air mattresses 32,34 and the firmness adjusting means 44,46 are
identical, only the air mattress 32 and the associated firmness adjusting
means 44 will be described hereinafter in detail.
The firmness adjusting means 44 includes a plurality of flexible balloons
or bladders 48,50,52 and 54 in fluid communication with the air mattress
32 via a conduit means 56. The balloons 48-54 are made of a strong
flexible material capable of withstanding the pressures which will be
exerted upon them. A plurality of balloons is utilized so that the total
pressure will not be exerted upon any single balloon. The conduit means 56
includes an inlet-outlet tube 58 in fluid communication with a port 60 of
the balloon 48 and an inlet-outlet tube 62 connected in fluid
communication with a port 64 of the balloon 50. A Y-connector 66 connects
the tubes 58, 62 to an intermediate tube 68. Balloons 52,54 are similarly
connected in fluid communication to an intermediate tube 70 via
inlet-outlet tubes 72,74, ports 76,78 and a Y-connector 80. The
intermediate tubes 68,70 are connected to a transfer tube 82 via a
Y-connector 84. A Y-connector 86 couples a branch inlet tube 88 to the
transfer tube 82. The branch inlet tube 88 is used to fill both the
balloons 48-54 and the air mattress 32 with a specified quantity of air.
Thereafter the end of the branch tube 88 is sealed by any suitable means,
such as cap 90. In order to provide fluid communication between the
balloons 48-54 and the air mattress 32, the transfer tube 82 is connected
to the air mattress 32 via a port (not shown) in the air mattress 32.
The balloons 48-54 define chambers having variable internal volumes. When
pressure is applied to the balloons 48-54, air is forced from the balloons
48-54, through the conduit means 56, and into the air mattress 32. In this
manner, the overall firmness of the air mattress 32 is increased. If the
internal volume is held after the pressure is applied, the firmness
remains at a set value. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate in detail a preferred
pressure application means that is capable of holding the balloons 48-54
at a set internal volume.
The balloons 48-54 are held within a housing 92. The housing 92 includes
four upright side walls 94,96,98 and 100, a base plate or wall 102 and a
top plate or wall 104. In order to apply pressure to the balloons 48-54,
one of the walls 94-104 is movable with respect to the other walls 94-104.
Preferably the top wall 104 is made movable upwardly and downwardly with
respect to the base wall 102.
A scissor jack 106 is used to move the top wall 104 upwardly and
downwardly. The scissor jack 106 has a support bar 108 which has opposite
ends connected to the side walls 96 and 100. A screw 110 is rotatably
carried by the support bar 108. A rod 112 is attached to one end of the
screw 110 for rotary motion therewith. The rod 112 extends outwardly of
the outer wall 18 and has a handle 114 fixed to its distal end. By
cranking the handle 114, the rod 112 and the screw 110 can be rotated. A
pair of linkage arms 116, 118 are drivingly coupled to the screw 110. Each
linkage arm 116, 118 has a first end 120 coupled to the screw 110 and a
second end 122 pivotably connected to a block 124. The block 124 is
fixedly secured to the top wall 104. The rotation of the screw 110 causes
the ends 120 to move along the longitudinal axis of the screw 110 toward
and away from one another. This causes the second end 122 to pivot within
the block 124 and to thereby move the top wall 104 upwardly and
downwardly. The top plate 104 and the linkage arms 116, 118 are shown in
an upward disposition in full line in FIG. 3 and in a lower disposition in
phantom line in FIG. 3. An electric motor can be coupled to the rod 112 in
place of the handle 114. Such an electric motor could be supported within
or outside of the support structure 12. A motorized, instead of a manual,
firmness adjusting means would thus be provided.
By moving the plate 104 upwardly and downwardly, the set quantity of air
within the balloons 48-54 and the air mattress 32 can be transferred
therebetween. The overall firmness of the air mattress 32 can thereby be
adjusted. Since the scissor jack 106 will hold the top wall 104 in a set
position, the overall firmness of the air mattress 32 is also set. Means
are provided for indicating the relative overall firmness of the air
mattress 32. The means includes a pair of microswitches 126,128 and a
series of lights 130,132 and 134. As will be explained below, the
microswitches 126,128 and lights 130-134 are used to sense and indicate
the vertical position of the top plate 104 and, hence, the overall
firmness of the air mattress 32. As is best seen in FIG. 4, the
microswitches 126,128 are mounted to the support bar 108 adjacent a
longitudinally extending slot 136 formed therein. A nut or slide member
138 is secured to the first end 120 of the linkage arm 116. The nut 138 is
slidably received within the slot 136 to guide the first end 120 along the
length of the screw 110. A similar slot 136 is provided on the other side
of the support bar 108 and a similar nut or slide member 138 is secured to
the first end 120 of the other linkage arm 118. The nut 138 of the linkage
arm 118 is slidably received within the respective slot 136.
A circuit diagram which illustrates the connection of the microswitches
126,128 and the lights 130-134 to an electrical source is shown in FIG. 8.
A low voltage transformer 140 is connected to an electrical source (not
shown) and provides current to the illustrated circuit. A DC battery can
be substituted for the transformer 140, so that the circuit need not be
connected to house current. A switch can be interposed between the
electrical source or the DC battery and the remainder of the circuit, so
that the indicator means can be turned on and off as desired. A first
terminal 142 of the transformer 140 is connected to an input terminal A of
the first microswitch 126. A second terminal 144 of the transformer 140 is
connected to a common lead or conductor 146 which is connected to one side
of each of the first, second and third lights 130, 132, 134. Both of the
microswitches 126, 128 are normally closed microswitches, each having an
actuator arm 148. The microswitches 126,128 each have a normally closed
output terminal B and an output terminal C through which current passes
when the respective actuator arm 148 is activated.
When the plate 104 is in an upward disposition and the nut 138 is disposed
to the left of the slot 136 and does not engage either of the actuator
arms. In such a position, a circuit is complete through the terminal 142,
the input lead A of microswitch 126, through the normally closed output
terminal B of the microswitch 126, through a conductor 150 to the first
light 130 and through the common lead 146 to the second terminal 144 of
the transformer 140. The first light 130 thus indicates relatively soft
firmness of the air mattress 32. As the top plate 104 is moved downwardly,
the nut 138 moves to the right and engages the actuator arm 148 of the
first microswitch 126. The microswitch 126 thus moves from its normally
closed position to a position wherein current passes through output
terminal C. In this manner, the circuit through the first light 130 is
opened and the circuit is completed through the second light 132 through
the second microswitch 128 via the terminal C of the microswitch 126, a
lead or conductor 152, the input terminal A of the second microswitch 128,
output terminal B of microswitch 128, a conductor or lead 154 to the
second light 132, and then through the common lead 146 to the second
terminal 144 of the transformer 140. An intermediate level of firmness is
thus indicated by the second light 132. As the top plate is moved further
downwardly, the nut 138 moves further to the right and engages both of the
actuator arms 148. Both of the microswitches 126,128 are moved from their
normally closed modes and current flows through both output leads C. The
circuit through the second light 132 is thus opened and the circuit
through the third light 134 is completed through the output terminal C of
the second microswitch 128, a conductor or lead 156 which connects the
terminal C of microswitch 128 with the light 134, and through the common
lead 146 to the second terminal 144 of transformer 140. In this position,
the plate 104 is in its lowermost disposition and the third light
indicates that the air mattress 32 is in its firmest condition.
FIG. 7 illustrates a manner of expanding the bed assembly 10 to a larger
size of bed, such as a conventional king size bed. A strip of resilient
soft material 158, which has a generally T-shaped cross section, is used.
The upright section 160 of the T-shaped cross section is interposed
between the two air mattresses 32',34'. Additional sheets of resilient
material can be placed on the air mattress 32',34' to form a continuous
surface with the strip 158. In this manner, the two air mattresses 32',34'
are spaced apart and a continuous soft body support area is provided
which covers an expanded surface area.
FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. The body
supporting section 14" utilizes only a single air mattress 32". In place
of the other air mattress, a standard mattress 162 is used. The mattress
162 may be either a box spring type or a foam type.
Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 6. In
the body supporting section 14'" only a single air mattress 32'" is used.
In place of the other air mattress, a waterbed mattress 4 is used. The
last two embodiments of the present invention illustrate the versatility
of the bed assembly 10. The bed assembly 10 can accommodate not only the
firmness requirement of two individuals, but may also cater to the taste
of two individuals who prefer different types of sleeping surfaces.
Numerous characteristics and advantages of the invention have been set
forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure
and function of the invention, and the novel features thereof are pointed
out in the appended claims. The disclosure, however, is illustrative only,
and changes may be made in detail especially in matters of shape, size,
and arrangement of parts, within the principle of the invention, to the
full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which
the appended claims are expressed.
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