Abstract:
An air bed structure capable of alternate aerating and lying thereon on one&#39;s side, wherein, the air bed is divided into a right and a left part each being comprised of a plurality of elongate air bladders in several sets or groups. Air bladders of each set are communicated with one another. The air bladders in each side both are alternately arranged mutually to cooperate with two air valves of specific design, a plurality of pipe lines and a controlling electronic circuit to provide various aeration states of complete aeration, first one-side aeration, second one-side aeration, first alternate aeration, second alternate aeration etc. Thereby a patient lying on the air bed can adjust the aeration state of the air bed in pursuance of requirement. This is extremely ideal and convenient for patients and old people.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is related to an air bed structure capable of alternate aerating and lying thereon on one&#39;s side. And especially to an air bed structure of which the aeration function can include the multiple styles such as complete aeration, first one-side aeration, second one-side aeration, first alternate aeration, second alternate aeration etc. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A serious ill patient generally needs lying on a bed for several decades of days, several years or for the whole life long. Lying for years on a bed makes him contact the mattress with his back and buttocks, the skins on these areas will get decubitus by long pressing and bad aeration, and getting rotten skin is the worse. In view of this, the art of medical instrument has had studied and developed air beds which are capable of separate aeration and discharging, in order that time of being pressed of skins may be reduced as much as possible. However, conventional air beds only has too simple function to satisfy the patients&#39; requirement by virtue that an air bed is divided only into several air bladders which are alternately aerated and discharged. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the non-ideally practical function of the conventional air beds, the inventor studied and develops the present invention to provide an ideal and practical air bed with its novel structure as well as effect for the patients lying long thereon. 
     The direct object of the present invention is to provide an air bed structure capable of alternate aerating and lying thereon on one&#39;s side. Wherein, the air bed is divided into a right and a left side part (which each includes several air bladders) except an elongate air bladder used as a protection cushion or a bottom cushion. Air bladders of each part are divided into several sets which are alternately arranged relative to each other. Air bladders of each set are communicated with one another. In this way, two air valves with unique structural design and with unique piping arrangement as well as electronic control are provided to render the air bladders of the air bed to have the novel function of complete aeration, first alternate aeration, second alternate aeration, and especially, first one-side aeration and second one-side aeration etc. Thereby, with the present invention, an object of lying on the air bed on one&#39;s side can be achieved. 
     Following the above stated direct object, the present invention can have the indirect objects as stated below: 
     1. As for a patient or an old person lying on the air bed for a long period, the function of lying on the air bed on one&#39;s side (right side or left side) can get rid of dullness and boringness induced when he can only lie on his back to see the ceiling, and can enlarge his field of view to make more pleasure as to his emotion psychologically. 
     2. As for a patient with drowned lungs, by virtue that the present invention allows lying on the air bed on one&#39;s side, water in the lungs can be made shaking timely to lower propagation rate of germs and thus to avoid rapid propagation of germs due to unmoving for a long time (this is like the way that mosquitoes propagate in a vessel with water). 
     3. As for a patient being subjected to getting phlegm and pus in his respiratory organ, by virtue that the present invention allows lying on the air bed on one&#39;s side, rate of suffocation by over amount of phlegm and pus can be lowered. 
     4. As for a patient being in need of changing dressing of a wound or in need of patting his back, a nurse can change dressing of the wound or pat his back easily after lying on one side of the patient on the bed. This can reduce inconvenience and suffering of body weight. 
     The present invention will be apparent in its composition of structure and the effect created after reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an analytic perspective view of two air valves of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is another analytic perspective view of two air valves of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing connection of the two air valves and the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the state of the first air valve in a complete aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the state of the second air valve in the complete aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the state of the air bed in the complete aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the state of the first air valve in discharging of an air pipe ( 1241 ) of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the state of the second air valve in a first one-side aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the state of the air bed in the first one-side aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the state of the second air valve in a first alternate aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the state of the air bed in the first alternate aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the state of the first air valve after being rotated; 
     FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing the state of the first air valve in a second alternate aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing the state of the second air valve in the second alternate aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing the state of the air bed in the second alternate aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing the state of the second air valve in a second one-side aeration of the air bed of the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing the state of the air bed in the second one-side aeration of the air bed of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1,  2  and  3 , the present invention is comprised mainly of a first air valve  1 , a second air valve  2  and an air bed  9 . By controlling aeration of the first air valve I and the second air valve  2 , various states of aeration and discharging of the air bed  9  can be provided. 
     Wherein, the first air valve  1  is comprised of an upper rotation lid  11  and a lower seat  12 , the upper rotation lid  11  is mounted on the lower seat  12 . The upper rotation lid  11  and the lower seat  12  are provided at the centers thereof respectively with a through hole  110  and a through hole  120 . A driving structure  117  is provided on the top of the upper rotation lid  11 , thereby, an external motor (not shown) can drive the upper rotation lid  11  to rotate, while the lower seat  12  maintains unmoved. The top surface of the upper rotation lid  11  is a sealed surface; a big air chamber  115  and a small air chamber  116  are formed beneath the top surface. Area of the big air chamber  115  is larger than that of the small air chamber  116 ; a block  119  and a block  118  are provided between them. The top of the small air chamber  116  is provided with a plurality of discharge holes  1160 . The upper rotation lid  11  is provided on the external annular wall thereof with four lugs  111 ,  112 ,  113  and  114  separated one from the next by an angle of about 90 degrees, the lugs  111 ,  112 ,  113  and  114  are not exactly at the same level relatively. The lower seat  12  is in the form quite similar to the upper rotation lid  11 , it is provided on the wall appropriately at its lateral side with a transverse main intake  121 . The lower seat  12  is provided beneath the top surface thereof with an annular air chamber  122  which is communicated with the transverse main intake  121 . A transverse central discharge pipe  123  is provided on the external wall of the lower seat  12  opposite to the transverse main intake  121  and is communicated with the annular air chamber  122 . In other words, the transverse main intake  121  is communicated with the transverse central discharge pipe  123 . The transverse central discharge pipe  123  is provided at the two sides thereof with an air pipe  1251  and an air pipe  1241 . While the annular air chamber  122  is provided at the two sides thereof with an air chamber  1252  and an air chamber  1242  which are opened on their tops. The air chamber  1252  and the air chamber  1242  are provided on the bottoms thereof respectively with a vertical lower air pipe  1253  and a vertical lower air pipe  1243  communicating respectively with the interiors of the air pipe  1251  and the air pipe  1241 . The air chamber  1252  and the air chamber  1242  of the lower seat  12  are provided respectively at the outer lateral sides thereof with a receiving seat  126  and  127  for mounting therein respectively two micro-switches  31 ,  32  as well as a micro-switch  33  and a pad  34  by a plurality of screws  39 . 
     The second air valve  2  is comprised of an upper rotation lid  21  and a lower seat  22 , the upper rotation lid  21  is mounted on the lower seat  22 . The upper rotation lid  21  and the lower seat  22  are provided at the centers thereof respectively with a through hole  210  and a through hole  220 . A driving structure  218  is provided on the top of the upper rotation lid  21 , thereby, an external motor (not shown) can drive the upper rotation lid  21  to rotate, while the lower seat  22  maintains unmoved. The top surface of the upper rotation lid  21  is a sealed surface; an air chamber  215  and an air chamber  216  are formed beneath the top surface. Area of the air chamber  215  is similar to that of the air chamber  216 ; a block  219  is provided between them. The upper rotation lid  21  is provided on the external annular wall thereof with four lugs  211 ,  212 ,  213  and  214  separated one from the next by an angle of about 90 degrees, the lugs  211 ,  212 ,  213  and  214  are not exactly at the same level relatively. The lower seat  22  is in the form quite similar to the upper rotation lid  21 ; the bottom thereof is a sealed surface; the top thereof is divided into a first air chamber  221 , a second air chamber  222 , a third air chamber  223  and a fourth air chamber  224  separated by a cross shaped partition plate  229 . The bottoms of these air chambers  221 ,  222 ,  223  and  224  are provided respectively vertically with a first air pipe  2210 , a second air pipe  2220 , a third air pipe  2230  and a fourth air pipe  2240 . The second air chamber  222  and the fourth air chamber  224  of the lower seat  22  are provided respectively at the outer lateral sides thereof with a receiving seat  226  and  227  for mounting therein respectively a micro-switch  41  as well as a micro-switch  42  and a pad  43  by a plurality of screws  39 . In the present invention, any micro-switch ( 31 ,  32 ,  33 ; and  41 ,  42 ) contacting with a corresponding lug ( 111 ,  112 ,  113  and  114 ;  211 ,  212 ,  213  and  214 ) at the same level will make turning off of its corresponding motor to stop rotation of its corresponding upper rotation lid ( 11 ,  21 ). 
     The air bed  9  is comprised of a plurality of elongate air bladders  91 ,  92 ,  93 ,  94  and  95 . Wherein, the elongate air bladders  91  and  92  are provided on the same side, while elongate air bladders  93  and  94  are provided on the same other side. The elongate air bladders  91  and  92  are alternately arranged mutually; the elongate air bladders  93  and  94  are alternately arranged mutually too. The elongate air bladder  95  extends to both sides of the whole of the elongate air bladders  91 ,  92 ,  93  and  94  and is at a level higher than that of the elongate air bladders  91 ,  92 ,  93  and  94 . The elongate air bladder  95  is used as a protection cushion (or can be extended to the ground as a bottom cushion) to prevent a patient from dropping off the air bed  9 . 
     Terminology of the functions of the air bed  9  is listed below in the first place: 
     Complete aeration: the air bladders  91 ,  92 ,  93  and  94  are all aerated. 
     First one-side aeration: the air bladders  91  and  92  are aerated, while the air bladders  93  and  94  are discharged, now a person can lie on one side of him on the bed. 
     Second one-side aeration: the air bladders  93  and  94  are aerated, while the air bladders  91  and  92  are discharged, now a person can lie on the other side of him on the bed. 
     First alternate aeration: the air bladders  91  and  93  are aerated, while the air bladders  92  and  94  are discharged, now a person lying on the bed can have less contact area with the bed. 
     Second alternate aeration: the air bladders  91  and  93  are discharged, while the air bladders  92  and  94  are aerated, now a person lying on the bed can have less contact area with the bed too. 
     The above stated functions are described now referring to the connections shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings: The main intake  121  is connected to an external air supply pump (not shown); the central discharge pipe  123  is connected to the elongate air bladder  95  via a pipe line  51 ; the air pipe  1251  is connected to the air bladders  91  via a pipe line  52 ; the vertical lower air pipe  1253  is connected to the first air pipe  2210  of the first air chamber  221  via a pipe line  54 ; the lower air pipe  1243  is connected to the third air pipe  2230  of the third air chamber  223  via a pipe line  55 ; the second air pipe  2220  of the second air chamber  222  is connected to the air bladders  93  via a pipe line  56 ; and the fourth air pipe  2240  of the fourth air chamber  224  is connected to the air bladders  92  via a pipe line  57 . 
     It shall be explained in the first place that, when the main intake  121  intakes air, air can be delivered to the central discharge pipe  123  via the annular air chamber  122  to aerate the air bladder  95 . The air bladder  95  is always aerated in operation of the present invention. The present invention further includes external electronic circuit soft and hard-wares to appropriately control rotation and rotating time of the upper rotation lids  11 ,  21 . 
     When it is desired to provide the air bed with a complete aeration state: Referring to FIG. 4, when the main intake  121  intakes air, air can be delivered to the central discharge pipe  123  via the annular air chamber  122  to aerate the air bladder  95 . Air is now divided to flow to the air chambers  1252  and  1242  to give air to the air pipes  1251  and  1241 . Therefore, the air bladders  91  and  94  are aerated. On the other hand, the air chambers  1252  and  1242  obtain air to thereby give air to the lower air pipes  1253  and  1243 . Therefore, the pipe lines  54 ,  55  and in turn the first air chamber  221  and the third air chamber  223  obtain air (as shown in FIG.  5 ). Air is led to the second air chamber  222  and the fourth air chamber  224  via the upper rotation lid  21  of the second air valve  2 . The pipe lines  56 ,  57  are aerated, thereby the air bladders  92  and  93  are aerated. Now all the air bladders  91 ,  92 ,  93  and  94  are aerated (as shown in FIG.  6 ). 
     When it is desired to provide the air bed with the first one-side aeration state: Referring to FIG. 7,  8  and  9 , to get the state as shown in FIG. 9, the air bladders  91 ,  92  shall be aerated, while the air bladders  93 ,  94  are not aerated. In this way, air is taken in from the main intake  121 , and fills the annular air chamber  122 , the central discharge pipe  123  and the air bladder  95 . The air flows respectively into the air pipe  1251  and the lower air pipe  1253 . The part flowing into the air pipe  1251  goes through the pipe line  52  to the air bladder  91 . The part flowing into the air pipe  1253  goes through the pipe line  54 , the first air pipe  2210 , the fourth air pipe  2240  and the pipe line  57  to the air bladders  92 . The air originally in the air bladders  94  flows to the small air chamber  116  via the pipe line  53  and the air pipe  1241  for discharging through the discharge hole  1160 . While the air originally in the air bladders  93  flows to the small air chamber  116  via the pipe line  56  and the second air pipe  2220 , the third air pipe  2230 , the pipe line  55  and the lower air pipe  1243  for discharging through the discharge hole  1160 . Hence the first one-side aeration state is provided, and a person lying on the bed can lie on one side of him. 
     When it is desired to provide the air bed with the first alternate aeration state: Referring to FIG. 7 and 10, air for the first air valve  1  is taken in from the main intake  121 , and flows through the annular air chamber  122  to the big air chamber  115 . Then the air gets into the air pipe  1251  and the lower air pipe  1253 , through the pipe line  52  to aerate the air bladder  91 . And flows into the air pipe  1253 , the pipe line  54 , the first air chamber  221 , the second air chamber  222 , the pipe line  56  and the air bladders  93 . Air in the air bladders  92 , in pursuance of the structure of the second air valve  2 , is discharged via the pipe line  57 , the fourth air pipe  2240 , the fourth air chamber  224 , the third air chamber  223 , the third air pipe  2230 , the pipe line  55 , the lower air pipe  1243 , the air chamber  1242 , the small air chamber  116  and the discharge hole  1160 . While air in the air bladders  94  is discharged via the pipe line  53 , the air pipe  1241 , the air chamber  1242 , the small air chamber  116  and the discharge hole  1160 . In this way, the air bladders  91 ,  93  are aerated, while the air bladders  92 ,  94  are discharged, that is to say, the air bed  9  is in the first alternate aeration state (as shown in FIG.  11 ). 
     FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing the state of the first air valve  1  after being rotated, the function of air bed  9  is the same as that when in the state of FIG.  4 . 
     As shown in FIG. 13,  14  which are schematic views showing the states of the air valves in aeration of the air bladders  92 ,  94  and in discharging of air bladders  91 ,  93  of the air bed of the present invention. Wherein, the air chamber  1242 , the air pipe  1241 , the lower air pipe  1243 , the pipe line  53  and the air bladders  94  are filled with air. And the lower air pipe  1243 , the pipe line  55 , the third air chamber  223 , the fourth air chamber  224 , the pipe line  57  and the air bladders  92  are filled with air. While the air bladders  91  are discharged by means of the air chamber  1252  which is communicated with the small air chamber  116  and the discharge hole  1160 . Air in the air bladders  93  is discharged via the pipe line  56 , the second air pipe  2220 , the second air chamber  222 , the air chamber  216 , the first air chamber  221 , the first air pipe  2210 , the pipe line  54 , the air pipe  1253  and the air chamber  1252 . And this forms the second alternate aeration state as shown in FIG.  15 . 
     FIG. 13 and 16 show the states of the air valves in the first one-side aeration of the air bladders  93 ,  94  and in discharging of air bladders  91 ,  92  of the air bed of the present invention. Wherein, air is taken in from the main intake  121 , and flows through the annular air chamber  122  to the big air chamber  115 . Then the air gets into the air pipe  1241 , the lower air pipe  1243 , the pipe line  53  and the air bladders  94 . And the lower air pipe  1243 , the pipe line  55 , the third air chamber  223 , the second air chamber  222 , the pipe line  56  and the air bladders  93  are aerated. Air in the air bladders  92  originally, in pursuance of the structure of the second air valve  2 , is discharged via the pipe line  57 , the fourth air pipe  2240 , the fourth air chamber  224 , the first air chamber  221 , the first air pipe  2210 , the pipe line  54 , the lower air pipe  1253 , the air chamber  1252  the small air chamber  116  and the discharge hole  1160  (as shown in FIG.  17 ). 
     When in practice of the present invention, a user can use micro-switches taking advantage of the electronic circuits of the present invention depending on the states of contact of the lugs  111 ,  112 ,  113  and  114  as well as the lugs  211 ,  212 ,  213  and  214  with the micro-switches  31 ,  32 ,  33  and the micro-switch  41 ,  42 , to get a state of aeration and discharging by himself without observing the above described sequences of aeration and discharging. 
     In conclusion, the air bed structure capable of alternate aerating and lying thereon on one&#39;s side is the first one achieving all the functions of complete aeration, first one-side aeration, second one-side aeration, first alternate aeration and second alternate aeration etc. among the products of such kind. It effectively gets rid of the conventional defects, and therefore is practical and improved. Such effect can not be achieved with any product existed in the markets. The product of the present invention has never disclosed in a document nor has existed in the markets and hence is outstanding. 
     Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States are: