Abstract:
A waterbed sheeting system includes a clamping device with a pressure panel movable between open and closed positions for respectively releasing and gripping sheets on a waterbed. An actuator assembly includes a lever subassembly with a lower handle end and an upper cam end. The upper cam end engages the pressure panel in its open position. The lever subassembly is mounted on a frame of the waterbed and is rotatably for actuating the pressure panel between its open and closed position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to sheeting systems, and in particular to a waterbed sheeting system with a clamping device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Various clamps and related mechanisms have heretofore been proposed for clamping and securing various objects. Such devices can be designed to meet the requirements of their particular applications, taking into account the characteristics of the objects to be clamped, the magnitudes of the required clamping forces, and other factors. The arrangements for setting and releasing the clamping devices are also commonly addressed in their designs. 
     Bed sheets for typical mattresses are commonly secured by either folding them under the mattresses or by providing elastic-fitted corners for receiving the mattress corners. Waterbeds, however, can present special sheeting problems. For example, one type of waterbed includes a generally rectangular, box-like water mattress formed of flexible plastic for placement within a rigid, rectangular frame. The weight of the water and the outward pressure of the water mattress against the frame can contribute to difficulties encountered in waterbed sheeting procedures. 
     One solution to these problems is to enclose the water mattress in a semi-rigid frame having the general configuration of a conventional mattress to which conventional fitted sheets can be applied. Such self-contained water mattresses may contain less water and thus be lighter in weight than more conventional water mattresses, but they can involve a sacrifice of some of the traditional waterbed &#34;feel&#34;, and can be more expensive than conventional waterbeds. 
     Heretofore there has not been available a waterbed sheeting system with the advantages and features of the present invention, which addresses some of the problems and considerations as noted above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the practice of the present invention, a waterbed sheeting system is provided which can be mounted on a waterbed including head, foot and opposite side rails forming a bed frame resting on top of a bed floor, which can be supported on a pedestal. The waterbed sheeting system includes a clamping device which includes a pressure panel assembly comprising a pressure panel swingably mounted on the bed floor by a hinge. The pressure panel is generally located between a bed frame rail and a wall of a water mattress. An actuator assembly includes a mounting bracket subassembly for mounting on the frame rail between the pressure panel and the rail inside face. An actuator lever subassembly includes an upper, actuator end and a lower, handle end interconnected by a shaft journaled in the mounting subassembly for rotation of the lever subassembly between a clamp position with said pressure panel clamping a sheet against said rail and a release position with said pressure panel spaced from said rail. The shaft extends through an opening in the bed floor and the lever handle end mounts a handle accessible from beneath the bed floor. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
     The objects and advantages of the present invention include: providing a waterbed sheeting system; providing such a sheeting system which includes clamping device; providing such a device which facilitates sheeting and unsheeting a waterbed; providing such a device which facilitates the use of flat sheets with waterbeds; providing such a device which is adaptable for use with waterbeds having frames and water mattresses; providing such a device which is adaptable for use with waterbeds having safety liners; providing such a device which can be attached to one or more of the frame rails of a waterbed; providing such a device which is substantially hidden from view when installed on a waterbed; providing such a device which is relatively easy to operate on a waterbed; providing such a device which is economical to manufacture, efficient in operation, capable of a long operating life and particularly well-adapted for the proposed usage thereof. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. 
     The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, top, inner perspective view of a waterbed sheeting system with a clamping device embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical, cross-sectional view thereof, showing the clamping device in a release position. 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical, cross-sectional view thereof, showing the clamping device in a clamped position. 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof showing the clamping device in its release position and taken generally along line 4--4 in FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view thereof taken generally along line 5--5 in FIG. 4. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching on skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, the words &#34;upwardly&#34;, &#34;downwardly&#34;, &#34;rightwardly&#34; and &#34;leftwardly&#34; will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words &#34;inwardly&#34; and &#34;outwardly&#34; will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the embodiment being described and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of a similar import. 
     Without limitation on the generality of useful applications of the clamping device 10, an exemplary application shown and described herein is on a waterbed 12 for clamping a sheet or sheets 14 thereon. The waterbed 12 includes a platform 16 comprising a pedestal 18 for supporting the waterbed 12 on a floor and a bed floor 20 placed on top of the pedestal 18. The pedestal 18 can include built-in drawers (not shown) for storage under the bed floor 20. 
     A bed frame 22 includes a pair of side rails 24 with upper and lower edges 26, 28 and inner and outer faces 30, 32. The side rails 24 can be connected to head and foot rails or boards (not shown) to provide the bed frame 22 with a generally rectangular configuration. The rail lower edges 28 rest on the bed floor 20 whereby a relatively shallow, rectangular, upwardly-open mattress receptacle 34 is bounded by the rails and the bed floor 20. 
     The platform 16 and the rails are collectively referred to as a frame assembly 36. The waterbed 12 also includes a mattress liner 38 with a configuration generally conforming to that of the mattress receptacle 34 with a liner floor 40 positioned on top of the bed floor 20 and a liner wall 42 positioned against the rail inside faces 30. A water mattress 44 includes upper and lower panels 46, 48 and mattress walls 50. The water mattress 44 can be filled with water 52. 
     The waterbed 12 described thus far is of a type which is commonly available. However, the clamping device 10 could be applied to other structures, including other types of waterbeds. 
     The clamping device 10 generally comprises a panel assembly 54 and an actuator assembly 56. 
     II. Panel Assembly 56 
     The panel assembly 56 includes a pressure panel 58 with upper and lower edges 60, 62 and inner and outer faces 64, 66. 
     A hinge base member 68 includes upper and lower surfaces 70, 72 and inner and outer edges 74, 76, and is installed in the mattress receptacle 34 with the lower surface 72 on top of the bed floor 20 and the outer edge 76 against the rail inner face 30 adjacent to its lower edge 28. A generally vertical notch or base receiver 78 extends between and is open at the upper and lower surfaces 70, 72, and is outwardly-open at the hinge base member outer edge 76. The hinge base member 68 can be fastened to the bed floor 20 by suitable mechanical fasteners such as screws 79. 
     A butt-type hinge 80 includes a base leaf 82 mounted on the base member upper surface 70 and a panel leaf 84 mounted on the panel inner face 64. The leaves 82, 84 are pivotally interconnected by a hinge pin 86 which is axially aligned on a pivotal axis 88 located just above an intersection of the hinge base member upper surface 70 and inner edge 74. The pressure panel 58 is thus pivotable about the pivotal axis 88 between a release or open position (FIG. 2) and a clamp or closed position (FIG. 3). 
     A sheet-gripping subassembly 90 includes a J-channel 92 mounted on the pressure panel upper edge 60 and a resilient, ribbed material strip 94 mounted on the J-channel 92 facing upwardly and outwardly therefrom for resilient, frictional clamping engagement with the sheet 14. 
     III. Actuator Assembly 56 
     The actuator assembly 56 includes a mounting bracket subassembly 96 comprising a bracket base plate 98 and a saddle clamp 100 with an arch 102 forming a bracket receiver 104 with the base plate 98. The mounting bracket subassembly 96 can be attached to the rail 24 by suitable mechanical fasteners, such as bracket-to-rail screws 106. 
     A lever subassembly 108 includes a lower, handle end 110 and an upper, cam end 112 interconnected by a generally vertical shaft 114 journaled in the base and mounting bracket receivers 78, 104. The lever handle end 110 can include a handle shaft 116 mounting a handle 118 and the upper, cam end 112 can include an arcuate extension leg 120 and a downwardly-extending return leg 122 whereby the upper, cam end 112 has an inverted U-shaped general configuration. A pair of ears 124 can be formed in the shaft 114 adjacent to the upper, cam end 112 for rotatably bearing upon the mounting bracket subassembly 96. The upper, cam end 112, the shaft 114 and the handle shaft 116 can be formed, e.g. bent, from a single piece of a suitable material, such as steel rod. 
     IV. Installation and Operation 
     For retrofitting on an existing waterbed 12, the water mattress 44 should preferably be drained. The clamping device 10 can also be installed on waterbeds when they are originally manufactured. 
     A waterbed can include multiple clamping devices 10 installed on side rails 24 and on head and foot rails or boards. The pressure panels 58 can be of sufficient width that one clamping device 10 per rail will normally suffice, or multiple clamping devices 10 can be installed on each rail. Installing a pair of clamping devices 10 on the side rails 24 can significantly expedite installation and removal of sheets 14 on the waterbed 12, and additional clamping devices 10 can be provided on the head and foot rails or boards to further expedite installation and removal of the sheets 14 thereat. 
     The panel assembly 54 can be generally centered on a respective side rail 24 and a hole 126 (for example with a 3/8&#34; diameter) can be drilled in the bed floor 20 for alignment with the base member notch or receiver 78. The lever subassembly 108 can be installed by inserting the handle shaft 116, without the handle 118, through the bed floor hole 126. The base member 68 can be fastened to the bed floor 20 with suitable mechanical fasteners, such as base-to-floor screws 128. When the base member 68 is installed, its notch or receiver 78 receives the shaft 114. 
     The mounting bracket subassembly 96 is installed by placing the shaft 114 in the bracket receiver 104 and fastening the mounting bracket subassembly 96 to the rail 24 with suitable mechanical fasteners, such as the bracket-to-rail screws 106. The bed floor hole 126, the base member receiver 78 and the bracket receiver 104 are all preferably vertically aligned on a rotational axis 132 of the shaft 114, which is journaled in the hole 126 and in the receivers 78, 104. The handle 118 can be installed on the handle shaft 116. 
     The lever subassembly 108 can be sealed to the mattress liner 38 with duct tape 134 or with any other suitable gasket and/or sealing means. The mounting screws 128, 130 normally will not significantly compromise the effectiveness of the mattress liner 38 where they penetrate it because such penetrations are generally covered by the base member 68 and the bracket base plate 98 respectively, but these penetrations could also be sealed by any suitable means. 
     In operation, installing and removing the sheet 14 is facilitated. In a release position (FIG. 2), a clearance 136 is formed between the pressure panel upper edge 60 and the rail inner face 30. The clearance 136 can receive the sheet 14. The actuator assembly 56 can be maintained in a release or open position by frictional engagement between the pressure panel outer face 66 and the lever assembly upper cam end 112. Alternatively, the pressure panel outer face 66 could be provided with a detent or notch 138 for receiving the lever return leg 122 (FIG. 4). 
     Turning the lever subassembly 108 approximately 90 degrees in either direction from its open or release position by means of the handle 118 places the clamping device 10 in its closed or clamp position (FIG. 3) with the sheet 14 clamped between the sheet-gripping strip 94 and the rail inner face 30. The weight of the water 52 in the mattress 44, which exerts an outwardly-directed force due to the flexibility of the mattress 44, biases the pressure panel 58 outwardly (i.e. clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5), and also securely grips the sheet 14. Thus, the sheet or sheets 14 will tend to remain secured in place and can be made relatively taut. 
     Installing and removing the sheet or sheets 14 is facilitated because the clearance 136 is maintained by the actuator assembly 56 without having to hold the handle 118 to maintain the lever subassembly 108 in its open or release position. With the clamping device 10 in its closed or clamp position, the clamping device 10 is substantially concealed from view because the sheet 14 is clamped to the mattress liner 38 or the rail inner face 30, and the handle 118 is located under the bed floor 20 and can be spaced inboard of the rail outer face 32. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention nave been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. 
     For example, alternative actuator means could be provided in lieu of the actuator assembly 56. Such alternative actuator means could comprise, for example, an inflatable, fluid-actuated bladder placed between the rail inner face 30 and the pressure panel outer face 66, with the bladder being inflatable by a suitable pump or compressor whereby the pressure panel 58 is rotated inwardly to its open or release position. The bladder could be drained or deflated to allow the pressure panel 58 to rotate to its closed or clamp position.