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MATTRESS ARTICULATION STRUCTURE
BACKGROUND SUMMARY OF THE
INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mattress structure that 5 includes an articulatable platform, and more particularly to a mattress structure that includes a base platform, top plates hinged to the platform, and inflatable bladders coupled to the top plates and the base platform.
Many people, especially those with medical conditions, 10 have beds that include air mattresses. Air mattresses are often formed from several bladders or air sacks that support the person and provide adjustable support and firmness characteristics. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,896,389 to Chamberland and 4,949,413 to Goodwin. Often, a user of 15 these air mattresses also needs to elevate their feet, and/or their head periodically.
It is known that beds are manufactured to have articulated frames with head and lee sections that the user of the bed can
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raise and lower. A person using these beds are therefore able to adjust their head and/or legs to a desired inclined position. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,559,655 to Peck and 4,751,754 to Bailey et al. Beds that have articulated frames are often expensive and are commonly quite heavy. ^
In the past, inflatable bodies have been used to elevate whole or selected portions of an air mattress of a bed. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,522 to Walker. Side-to-side stability is, however, a concern when an air mattress is positioned upon inflatable bodies. For example, as a person resting on the air 3Q mattress rolls over or leans to the side, the relative movement of the air mattress on the supporting inflatable body can create the sensation of falling or instability. What is needed is an articulatable mattress platform that prevents side-to-side movement of an air mattress situated on the 35 platform when the person resting on the mattress rolls, leans, or turns, especially during articulation of the mattress. A mattress apparatus that can convert a stationary platform of a bed to an articulatable platform and is foldable for easy transportation, and particularly a mattress apparatus that 4Q includes several inflatable bladder segments maximizing the apparatus' response time to the user's command input, would be appreciated by users of such systems. In addition, a mattress apparatus that can be adjusted so that the elevated positioning of various sections of the mattress are easily 45 changed to suit the needs of the person supported on top of the mattress would be welcomed by users of such apparatuses.
According to the present invention a mattress structure for converting a platform such as a box spring on a bed to an 50 articulatable platform for the bed is provided.
The mattress structure comprises a mattress, a base platform that is formed to rest on the box spring, first and second top plates hinged on the base platform, a head-end bladder fastened between the first top plate and the base platform, 55 and a foot-end bladder fastened between the second top plate and the base platform. The mattress structure further comprises a fastener mechanism that both holds the mattress on the top plates and limits side-to-side movement of the mattress on the top plates. In addition, an attachment mecha- 60 nism holds the base platform on the box spring.
According to another embodiment of the present invention a bed is provided. The bed comprises a base platform and first and second top plates. Each top plate includes opposite edges and an inner end that extends between the 65 edges and is pivotally coupled to the base platform. The bed further comprises a first bladder positioned between the first
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top plate and the base platform, a second bladder positioned between the second top plate and the base platform, and a mattress positioned on the first and second top plates and formed to include opposite ends and opposite edges that extend between the ends. The bed further comprises a fastener mechanism coupled to the top plates and mattress. The faster mechanism is configured to prevent substantial sliding movement of the opposite edges of the mattress across the opposite edges of the top plates, that holds the mattress on the top plates.
A support structure for a person is provided in another embodiment of the present invention. The support structure comprises a frame that has opposite ends and side edges extending between the ends, a base platform that is carried by the frame and includes a central block portion and a first and second bottom plates. The bottom plates extend from the central block portion in opposite directions and toward opposite ends of the frame. In addition, the support structure has inflatable bladders that are carried by the first and second bottom plates. Top plates are hinged to the block portion of the base platform and rest upon the inflatable bladders. The support structure further comprises an air mattress that is positioned to lie on the top plates and a holding means for keeping the air mattress on the top plates so that the mattress is prevented from sliding over the side edges of the frame.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention an articulatable structure suited for use with a mattress is provided. The structure comprises a base platform, a head plate pivotably coupled to the base platform for support in a head portion of the mattress, and a knee plate pivotably coupled to the base platform for supporting a leg portion of the mattress. The structure further comprises a first bladder located between the base platform and the head plate to raise and lower the head plate and a second bladder located between the base platform and the knee plate to raise and lower the knee plate. In addition, a controller is provided for selectively inflating and deflating the first and second bladders to raise the head and knee plates and the head and leg portions of the mattress located thereon. The controller is configured to inflate the second bladder each time an operator inflates the first bladder so that the knee plate always moves to an elevated position as the head plate is elevated.
In still another embodiment of the present invention a bed is provided. The bed comprises a base platform and first and second top plates. Each top plate includes opposite edges and an inner end that extends between the edges and is pivotally coupled to the base platform. The bed further comprises a first bladder positioned between the first top plate and the base platform, a second bladder positioned between the second top plate and the base platform, and an air mattress positioned to lie on the first and second top plates. In addition, the bed comprises a first source of pressurized fluid coupled to the air mattress and a second source of pressurized fluid coupled to the first and second bladders.
In another embodiment of the present invention a structure for converting a platform to an articulatable platform that supports a mattress thereon is provided. The structure comprises a base platform having a first bottom plate, a second bottom plate, and a hinge coupled to the first and second bottom plates and first and second top plates. Each top plate has opposite edges and an inner end extending between the opposite edges and pivotally coupled to the base platform. In addition, the structure comprises a first bladder positioned between the first top plate and the first bottom plate, a second bladder positioned between the second top plate and the second bottom plate, a first conduit coupled to
