Abstract:
An inflatable mattress assembly having a peripheral frame disposed around an upper periphery of the mattress forming an upper tubular periphery that provides a contiguous support surface. The peripheral frame is secured along two seams so that it is flat, smooth, and immovable. The seam where the peripheral frame is connected to the side layer creates a circumferential, horizontal indentation or groove giving the mattress an appearance that mimics a traditional two-layered pillow-top mattress. The components of the inflatable mattress assembly are in fluid communication with each other.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention pertains to the field of inflatable mattresses. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Inflatable air mattresses are popular because they are portable and have a relatively low cost compared to traditional mattresses. Further, inflatable air mattress designs have been developed to mimic the appearance and comfort provided by traditional two-layered, pillow-top mattresses. However, prior inflatable mattresses were found by many people to be uncomfortable and/or unattractive. 
   For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,214 by Klimenko discloses an inflatable mattress having top and bottom layers and having top and bottom peripheral frames wrapped around each layer. The disadvantage with this device is that the top frame is sealed to the bottom frame along a single seam that is substantially interior of the outermost edge of the top frame. While this construction gives the appearance that the upper layer is separate from and lying above the bottom layer it results in unattractive and uncomfortable deformation and creasing of the top frame. 
   Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an attractive and comfortable inflatable mattress that mimics the appearance of a traditional two-layered pillow-top mattress. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an air mattress with a frame extending around the periphery of the mattress top that is secured in a manner so that it is flat, smooth and immovable. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an air mattress with a frame extending around the periphery of the mattress top that is economical to manufacture. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The foregoing objects are met by the present invention directed to an improved inflatable mattress assembly. The improved inflatable mattress assembly features a main mattress body constructed of top and bottom panels, a peripheral side panel, and a peripheral frame disposed around an upper periphery of the mattress. 
   The top panel has a plurality of elongated, upwardly extending projections which create a variable-height support surface to provide increased support and comfort. The peripheral frame forms a border for the support surface and may have a vertical height approximately the same as the support projections on the top panel. The top panel forms a portion of the peripheral frame to provide a contiguous support surface. The peripheral frame provides increased comfort to the user by giving extra support and cushioning in an area that frequently gives when the weight of a head is placed thereon. For additional comfort, the top corner areas of the mattress may be seamless. 
   The peripheral frame is secured along two parallel seams so that it is immovable and not subject to undesirable deformation or creasing. The immovable peripheral frame provides increased comfort as compared to other support structures such as a prior frame fixedly secured along only one seam because the peripheral frame will not crease or undesirably deform when the user places his/her head or other body part thereon. The peripheral frame is in fluid communication with the remainder of the mattress such that the mattress may be inflated from a single inflation valve. 
   The seam where the peripheral frame is connected to the side layer creates a circumferential, horizontal indentation or groove which gives the mattress an appearance of having a two-layered construction similar to the appearance of a high quality spring mattress that has a pillow-top construction. The groove also gives the mattress an appearance that the two layers are connected to each other. 
   The inflatable mattress assembly also has support structures inside the main mattress body that are attached to the interior surface of the bottom panel and extend to the interior surface of the top panel. The support structures prevent the top and bottom panels from bowing when inflated and allow the mattress body to form the shape of a traditional mattress. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred but, nonetheless, illustrative embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  provides a top perspective view of the improved inflatable mattress assembly; 
       FIG. 2  provides a side elevation sectional view of the inflatable mattress assembly; 
       FIG. 3  provides an end elevation sectional view of the inflatable mattress assembly; and 
       FIG. 4  provides a side elevation sectional view of an embodiment of the inflatable mattress assembly having an upper contiguous interior sheet and a lower contiguous interior sheet. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With particular reference to the drawings, the present invention is directed to an improved inflatable mattress assembly  2 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the mattress assembly  2  may be in a standard mattress size such as twin, full, queen, and king, or any other suitable size or shape. The inflatable mattress has a top panel  8 , bottom panel  22 , peripheral side panel  16 , and peripheral frame  28  forming a main mattress body  4 . The panels and peripheral frame may be composed of rubber, plastic or other materials well known in the art. The panels and peripheral frame  28  may be attached together by heat or by other sealing methods well known in the art. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , the peripheral side panel  16  may be an integral piece of material or may consist of several pieces arranged in a contiguous loop. A bottom edge  17  of the side panel  16  is connected to a peripheral edge  24  of the bottom panel  22 . 
   The peripheral frame  28  forms an upper tubular periphery of the inflatable mattress  2 . An internal wall  30  of the peripheral frame  28  interconnects the top panel  8  to the side panel  16  and is located within an interior volume  6  of the inflatable mattress  2 . 
   The internal wall  30  is connected to an interior surface  19  of the side panel  16  along a first peripheral seam  38  located substantially below (such as several inches below) a level of the top panel  8 . The internal wall  30  is connected to an interior surface  14  of the top panel  8  along a second peripheral seam  40  located substantially inwardly (such as several inches inwardly) from, and aligned substantially parallel to, the first peripheral seam  38 . Thus, the internal wall  30  is disposed at a substantially upwardly and inwardly inclined angle. 
   The peripheral frame  28  also has an external wall  32  interconnecting the first and second seams  38 ,  40 . The external wall  32  forms part of the boundary of the inflatable mattress and has a top portion  34  disposed above a level of the second peripheral seam  40 . 
   The internal wall  30  of the peripheral frame  28  is under tension and preferably includes a fluid passage  36  therethrough such that the internal wall  30  is in substantial pressure equilibrium within the interior volume  6  of the mattress. As such, the internal wall  30  preferably has a substantially linear cross-section between the first and second seams  38 ,  40 . 
   The peripheral frame  28  is inflated by air pressure within the interior volume  6  of the mattress  2  and the external wall  32  has a substantially curved or arcuate cross-section between the first and second seams  38 ,  40 . 
   The first seam  38  forms a circumferential indentation or groove in the side panel  16  which provides the appearance that the inflatable mattress  2  has a two-layered, pillow-top construction. 
   Preferably, the external wall  32  comprises an upper peripheral portion  20  of the side panel  16 , which upper portion may be integral with a lower portion  18  of side panel  16 . The external wall  32  also preferably comprises an outer peripheral portion  12  of the top panel  8 , which outer peripheral portion  12  may be integral with an inner portion  10  of the top panel  8 . The upper peripheral portion  20  of the side panel  16  and the outer peripheral portion  12  of the top panel  8  are interconnected along a third peripheral seam  42  located at an extreme periphery of the mattress  2 . Thus, the top panel  8  preferably forms the entirety of a support surface of the mattress  2 . If desired, the top panel  8  may include a comfortable surface coating such as a felt-like coating, or any other suitable coating, over an entire surface thereof. 
   A plurality of elongated, lateral support structures  46  interconnect interior surfaces  14 ,  26  of the top and bottom panels  8 ,  22  within the interior volume  6  of the mattress  2 . Preferably, each support structure  46  is of a double Y-beam construction, having a linear middle portion  54  and a pair of opposed, V-shaped portions  50 ,  56 . An upper V-shaped portion  50  is in an upright orientation and has a base  48  sealed to a top edge  58  of the middle portion  54 , and has a pair of spaced-apart, free ends  52 ,  60  sealed to the interior surface  14  of the top panel  8 . A lower V-shaped portion  56  is in an inverted orientation and has a base  62  sealed to a bottom edge  64  of the middle portion and a pair of spaced-apart free ends  66 ,  68  sealed to the interior surface  26  of the bottom panel. 
   The V-shaped portions of each support structure  46  form an elongated support projection  44  in the associated top or bottom panel  8 ,  22  which creates a desirable variable-height support surface. More specifically, the free ends of the V-shaped portions exert a horizontal force on the associated top and bottom panel in a direction towards the base thereof which bows the associated top or bottom panel  8 ,  22  between the free ends  52 ,  60  of the V-shaped portions to create a support projection and also flattens the associated top or bottom panel  8 ,  22  between adjacent V-shaped portions. It can also be appreciated that each double Y-beam also exerts a vertical force on the top and bottom panel towards the middle portion of the Y-beam thereby generally flattening the top and bottom panels to conform to the shape of a traditional mattress. Preferably, the seals between the free ends  52 ,  60 ,  66 ,  68  and the associated top and bottom panels  8 ,  22  are substantially sinusoidal, which forms major support projections  44  of varying height and width. However, as can be appreciated, such seals may be straight or any other suitable linear or curvilinear configuration. 
   In the alternative embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , upper and lower sets of the V-shaped portions  150  of the lateral support structures  146  are formed from upper and lower contiguous interior sheets  170 ,  172 , respectively. The upper contiguous interior sheet  170  underlies and is sealed at certain points  176  to the top panel  8  and the lower contiguous interior sheet  172  lies above and is sealed at certain points  178  to the bottom panel  22 . Horizontal support structures  174  of the contiguous sheets  170 ,  172  span between and interconnect the ends  152 ,  160  of adjacent V-shaped portions  150 ,  170  of the upper and lower sets which ends are sealed to the adjacent top or bottom panel  8 ,  22 . The horizontal support structures  174  are in tension and exert a horizontal force on the sealed ends  152 ,  160 , which bows the associated top or bottom panel between the sealed ends, forming a plurality of minor elongated support projections  76  intermediate the major support projections  44 . The minor elongated support projections  76  provide increased support and comfort for the user. 
   It should be understood, of course, that the specific form of the invention herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the clear teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.