Soft edging for a water bed

Abstract: The invention relates to a soft edging for a water bed the edging of which being formed by a hollow profile (5), two sides, (6, respectively 7), directed towards each other and the uppermost of these sides, (6), determines an inwardly and downwardly directed surface onto which a foam rail (19) rests, while the lowermost (7) determines with the bed plate (1) a continuous hollow space wherein a wedging-shaped component (20), which is connected to said foam rail (19) by a flexible material, such as a strip of textile (21), can be kept clamped.

Description: The invention relates a soft edging for a waterbed which consists mainly of a socle supporting a base plate and the water mattress resting inside the soft edging consisting of a foam rail extending along the two longitudinal and the two transversal edges of the base plate which foam rail is enclosed in a sleeve which is extended to form a second sleeve wherein a component is lodged which is intended to be kept secured with regard to the above base plate. A soft edging of this kind is described in W090/07892. The object of the invention is to design an edging for a waterbed which insures a safe blocking of the soft side of same with respect to the base plate even when the water mattress is not filled with water. To enable this according to the invention, the edging further comprises a hollow profile resting with one side upon said base plate while two sides converge towards each other and the uppermost of these sides defines an inwardly and downwardly directed surface supporting a foam rail which forms the soft edging, while the lowermost of these two sides defines with the base plate a continuous hollow space wherein said component, designed as a wedging shaped component, can be kept clamped. Still according to the invention, said foam rail consists of a flexible material enclosed in a textile sleeve, which textile sleeve extends over an inwardly directed side of said profile and forms further a sleeve for said wedging-shaped component in such a manner that the wedging-shaped component and the foam rail are maintained connected with each other over said inwardly directed side. In a preferred embodiment, the soft edging comprises, along this side of the water bed forming the main extremity, an intermediate piece acting as an "adapter" through which the soft edging is situated at a distance of the main extremity. Other details and particularities will become apparent from the following description of a soft edging for a water bed according to the invention. This description is only given by way of example and does not limit the invention. The reference numerals relate to elements shown in the figures annexed hereto. Figures 1 to 4 show schematically a series of embodiments pertaining to the known state of the art. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the profile which is a part of the soft edging according to the invention. Figures 6 and 7 show a cross sectional view of the profile according to the invention and two possible fastener means for the upholstery of this profile. Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate finishing possibilities of the profile according to the invention. Figures 11 and 12 show a cross sectional view of the profile according to the invention and the soft edging pertaining thereto, at two different stages. Figures 13 and 14 show a cross sectional view of the profile according to the invention and the soft edging (and "adapter") pertaining thereto according to the invention. Figure 15 shows schematically the connection between a profile according to the invention and the socle skirt of the water bed. Figure 16 is a perspective view of a cap for closing the extremities of the profiles according to the invention. Figure 17 shows on a very reduced scale a partially cut-away perspective view of a water bed with a soft edging according to the invention. The soft edging for a water bed shown in these figures rests on a plate 1 resting on its turn on a base 2 in a usual manner. Base 2 and plate 1 do not pertain to the essence of the invention and can therefore have different structures. Upon referring now to known embodiments pertaining to the state of the art according to figures 1 to 4, it will be noticed that the so-called soft edges for a water mattress 3 never solve at the same time the problem of comfort and handy insertion of sheets and blankets. The soft edging is here simply formed by the presence of continuous blocs 4 if necessary in combination with blocs 4'. These blocs can be made from a more or less soft deformable elastic material or a non-resilient material. The invention proposes the use of a profile 5 the external form, the internal structure and the cross profile of which clearly become apparent from the figures 6 to 14. The profile 5 has a polygonal cross-section and has i.a. an upper side 6 and a lower side 7 directed towards each other. Between the edgings directed towards each other of these lower and upper sides 6, respectively 7, a side 8 is situated with at least one, but preferably two or more continuous grooves 9 wherein an auxiliary profile 10 can be slid with a stroke enabling an entanglement, clipped or fixed in another way. A similar groove for a similar auxiliary profile 10 is situated at the lower side 11 of the profile 5. Since the profile has to be provided with a textile upholstery 12, this upholstery can easily be connected to such entanglement stroke. According to figure 7, a modified profile 13 is used which can clamp the upholstery 12 in the groove 9 without having to use an entanglement stroke. Caps 24 (figure 16) match in the extremities of the profile wherein the upholstery is first folded inwards, so that these caps keep the upholstery strongly clamped in the profile. In the corners they join each other under an angle of 45°. If necessary, the profile 5' can have the profile which can be deducted from figures 8, 9 and 10. This variant of the profile 5' has in the outwardly directed side 14 a continuous slot 15 with a swallow's tail shaped cross section. Herein, the finishing panels 16 can be clicked. A further very important feature of the profile 5 is the hollow chamber 17 extending in the longitudinal direction thereof, which can be slid over a base socle 25 of a water bed. A profile 5 can indeed be immobilised with respect to the vertical base socle but can also rest simply on the plate 2. Figures 11 and 12 clarify the essential object which is aimed at by the structure and the form of the profiles 5, i.e. to form a soft edging with technically easy means which improves the comfort of the bed while both mounting the edging and inserting a mattress protector, sheets and blankets are simplified. Between the foam rail 19 embedded in a textile sleeve 18 and the wedging-shaped component 20 which is embedded in an appropriate textile sleeve 18', a strip of textile 21 extends pertaining to these sleeves. In this way, a hinge connection is, so to say, formed between the foam rail 19 and the component 20. This hinge connection can very clearly be deducted from the figures 11 and 12. Finally, the foam rail 19 and wedging-shaped component 20 which are connected as if by means of hinges connected to each other can be used in combination with an adapter 22 along the main extremity 23. The adapter has a cross-section which is adapted on the one hand to the sides 6 and 7 directed towards each other of the profile 5 and, on the other hand, to the corner formed by the foam rail 19 and the component 20 with a textile strip 21. From the description of the invention given hereinabove, it appears that a soft edging can be made with technically reliable means, which both increases the comfort of the bed and improves considerably the insertion of mattress protectors, sheets and blankets.

Claims: A soft edging for a waterbed which consists mainly of a socle (2) supporting a base plate (1) and the water mattress (3) resting inside the soft edging consisting of a foam rail (19) extending along the two longitudinal and the two transversal edges of the base plate (1) which foam rail (19) is enclosed in a sleeve (18) which is extended to form a second sleeve (18') wherein a component (20) is lodged which is intended to be kept secured with regard to the above base plate (1), characterised in that the edging further comprises a hollow profile resting with one side upon said base plate while two sides (6,7) converge towards each other and the uppermost (6) of these sides defines an inwardly and downwardly directed surface supporting said foam rail (19) which forms the soft edging, while the lowermost (7) of these two sides defines with the base plate (1) a continuous hollow space wherein said component (20), designed as a wedging shaped component, can be kept clamped. A soft edging according to claim 1, characterised in that said foam rail (19) is enclosed in a textile sleeve (18), which textile sleeve extends over an inwardly directed side (8) of said profile (5) and forms further a sleeve for said wedging-shaped component (20) in such a manner that the wedging-shaped component (20) and the foam rail (19) are maintained connected to each other over said inwardly directed side (8). A soft edging according to claim 2, characterised in that said inwardly directed side (8) of said profile (5) shows at least one continuous groove (9) for receiving a profile (10), respectively for attaching an entanglement stroke. A soft edging according to any one of the claims 1 - 3, characterised in that along the side of the water bed which forms the head portion (23), an intermediate piece (22) acting as "adapter" and having a cross section adapted to the cross section of the profile (5) between said profile (5) is located and said foam rail (19) is located. A soft edging according to any one of the claims 1 - 4, characterised in that, when considered in the use position, the bottom side of said profile (5) comprises a hollow chamber (17), which extends in the longitudinal direction of the profile. A soft edging according to any one of the claims 1 - 5, characterised in that said profiles (5) are closed by caps (24).

Inventors: TILMANS ETIENNE, TILMANS, ETIENNE
Applicants: TILMANS ETIENNE, TILMANS, ETIENNE
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A47C1
IPC codes: A47C27