Patent ID: 8413277
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: A47C,A61G,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system of inflating or deflating stacked mattresses comprising, in combination: a unidirectional valve arranged in air flow communication between each of a first inflatable mattress and a second inflatable, said unidirectional valve including a first housing configured to sealingly penetrate a portion of said first inflatable mattress with at least one opening in said first housing communicating with an interior of said first inflatable mattress and a conduit communicating between an interior portion of said first housing and an ambient external environment wherein said first housing includes a central pier having an intermittent free edge, a downwardly projecting annular wall, and two spaced apart, coaxially arranged annular rings that project downwardly from an under surface of said central pier, such that said two spaced apart annular rings are arranged in coaxial relation to said downwardly projecting annular wall and said central pier structurally supports an annular flange with a plurality of struts that extend radially outwardly in circumferentially spaced relation to one another from said free edges and further wherein one of said struts is wider and thicker than other of said struts so as to provide sufficient structural support for said conduit communicating between said interior portion of said first housing and said external ambient environment; a second housing configured to sealingly penetrate a portion of said second inflatable mattress so as to be in mating relationship with said first housing, said second housing having at least one opening communicating with an interior of said second mattress wherein said second housing includes a plate and an upwardly projecting annular wall arranged on said plate so as to be complementarily positioned with respect to said first housing; and a resilient diaphragm captured by said first housing so as to isolate said conduit from said interiors of said inflatable mattresses thereby maintaining said interior portion of said first housing at an ambient external pressure during inflation or deflation of said first and second inflatable mattresses.