Patent Publication Number: US-2011067178-A1

Title: Heating air mat and air mat heating system having the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a heating air mat and an air mat heating system including the same and, more particularly, to a heating air mat and an air mat heating system including the same that supplies heated air into the mat to provide heat to a user. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A typical indoor heating apparatus is generally classified into a boiler heating type and an electric heating type. In the boiler heating type, water heated by a boiler is supplied to and circulated through a heating pipe arranged on the bottom of a building, thereby heating the bottom of an indoor room. 
     In the electric heating type, heating is performed in two manners, that is, a bottom heating manner and an air conditioner manner. In the bottom heating manner, a heating pipe having a liquid heat storage medium and a heat generating wire on a panel is buried in the bottom of the room and electric energy is supplied to the heat generating wire to thereby heat the bottom of the room. In the air conditioner manner, indoor air is heated. It should be understood that the electric heating type includes a heating manner using an electric heating mat. 
     However, both the boiler heating type and the electric heating type heat the room by heating the bottom of the room and thus have low heating efficiency in view of bed users. In other words, since a person lying on a bed is separated a predetermined distance from the bottom of the room, these heating types have low thermal efficiency with respect to the body of the person and consume lots of energy by heating the entire bottom of the room to thereby providing low heating efficiency. 
     Although an electric mattress, an electric blanket, an electric heat mat, or the like is used for local heating or assistant heating, these have problems such as a short circuit of an electric wire, a complicated manufacturing process, high manufacturing costs, and the like. Particularly, when using any of these local heating or assistant heating articles, a user directly contacts a heat generating member of the article and is influenced by electromagnetic waves emitted therefrom which are not good for the user&#39;s health. 
     Further, a heating method of the electric mattress and the like using the electric wire provides a temperature variation on the surface thereof, which can cause scalding of a user approaching or contacting the electric wire and can provide an unpleasant feeling to the user when using the electric mattress and the like for a long time. 
     Moreover, when using the electric mattress as the assistant heating article by laying the electric mattress under a bed mattress, the surface of the bed mattress is liable to be discolored by the electric wire of the electric mattress. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is conceived to solve the problems of the related art, and an aspect of the invention is to provide a heating air mat and an air mat heating system including the same, which supplies heated air into the mat to provide heat to a user. 
     Another aspect of the invention is to provide a heating air mat and an air mat heating system including the same, which discharges heated air outside the mat to increase heating efficiency. 
     A further aspect of the invention is to provide a heating air mat and an air mat heating system including the same, which has a higher temperature inside a surface contact region of the air mat contacting the body of a user than outside the surface contact region. 
     Still another aspect of the invention is to provide a heating air mat and an air mat heating system including the same, which can simultaneously realize surface heating on a surface of the mat contacting the body of a user and space heating in a certain space using heated air discharged from the air mat. 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the present invention provides an air mat heating system including: a heating air mat having a mat body into which heated air is injected, and a heated air injection part through which the heated air is injected into the mat body; and a heater connected to the heated air injection part of the air mat to supply the heated air into the air mat. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a heating air mat connected to a heater to receive heated air from the heater, wherein the heating air mat includes a mat body providing heat as the heated air is injected into the mat body and a heated air injection part formed at one side of the mat body to receive the heated air supplied from the heater and communicating with an interior of the mat body to inject the heated air into the mat body. 
     According to the embodiments of the invention, the heating air mat provides heat to a user by supplying heated air into the air mat, thereby eliminating accidents relating to the use of electricity while ensuring good heating efficiency and reduction of energy consumption when used for local heating and assistant heating. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an air mat heating system including a heating air mat disposed on a bed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the heating air mat shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the heating air mat in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the heating air mat, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, including a heated air discharge port through which heated air is discharged; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the heating air mat in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention disposed on a bed; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a heating air mat in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the detailed description of the embodiments, like components will be denoted by like reference numerals and a repetitious description thereof will be omitted herein. 
     First, a heating air mat in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention and an air mat heating system including the same will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an air mat heating system including a heating air mat disposed on a bed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention,  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the heating air mat shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  is a plan view of the heating air mat in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, and  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the heating air mat, in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, including a heated air discharge port through which heated air is discharged. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the air mat heating system according to the first embodiment includes a heating air mat  100  and a heater  200  which supplies heated air into the air mat  100 . 
     The air mat  100  may be disposed at any of various desired locations, for example, on a bed or on the bottom of a room. In this embodiment, the air mat  100  is disposed on the bed as shown in  FIG. 1 . Then, when receiving heated air from the heater  200 , the air mat  100  supplies heat to a person who lies or sits on the air mat  100 . 
     Generally, the bed includes a bed frame  11  made of metal or plastics and a head supporter  12 . The bed frame  11  is provided with a bed mattress  20 , on which the air mat  100  according to this invention will be disposed. 
     The heater  200  supplies heat, i.e. heated air, into the air mat  100  and is connected to the air mat  100 . The heater  200  is selectively connected to the air mat  100 . More specifically, the heater  200  may be detachably connected to the air mat  100 . Thus, when the heater  200  is connected to the air mat  100  and operated in this state, heated air generated by the heater  200  can be supplied into the air mat  100 . 
     The air mat  100  includes a mat body  110  and a heated air injection part  120  through which heated is injected into the mat body  110 . When the heated air is injected into the mat body  110 , the mat body provides heat to the outside of the mat body  110 . 
     The heated air injection part  120  is provided to the mat body to allow the heated air to be injected into the mat body  110  therethrough. The heated air supplied from the heater  200  is first introduced into the heated air injection part  120  and is then supplied into the mat body  110 . Here, the heated air injection part  120  and the mat body  110  communicate with each other. 
     The heated air injection part  120  may be integrally connected to one side of the mat body, more specifically, to an edge of the mat body  110 . However, it should be noted that the invention is not limited thereto. The heater  200  includes a heating unit (not shown) and a housing  210  which accommodates the heating unit. The housing  210  includes at least one first outlet  211  through which heated air generated by the heating unit (not shown) is discharged. 
     The heated air injection part  120  may be directly connected to the first outlet  211  of the heater  200  or may be connected thereto via a separate heated air supply passage (not shown). The heated air supply passage may be formed, but is not limited to, to have a variable shape by a flexible material. 
     To have flexibility, the heated air supply passage may be made of woven fabrics, for example, natural fiber, synthetic fiber, and the like. More specifically, the heated air supply passage may be made of non-woven fabrics or cotton fabrics. When the heated air supply passage has a variable shape, the heated air supply passage can be flexibly bent or curved to permit smooth supply of heated air even in the case where one of the air mat  100  and the heater  200  is moved with the other fixed at a certain place. 
     In this embodiment, the heated air injection part  120  is directly detachably connected to the first outlet  211  of the heater. Thus, when the heater  200  is detached from the heated air injection part  120  and operated in this state, it is possible to heat an indoor space via convection. Further, when the heater  200  is connected to the heated air injection part  120  and operated in this state, the air mat  100  can directly supply heat to the body of a user. 
     The heated air injection part  120  of the air mat may be coupled to the first outlet  211  of the heater via any of various manners such as screw fastening, connector coupling, hook coupling, compressing, or the like. Further, at least one of the heated air injection part  120  and the first outlet  211  may be provided with a sealing member (not shown) which blocks a gap between the heated air injection part  120  and the first outlet  211  to prevent leakage of heated air. 
     The first outlet  211  may be formed at any location such as an upper side and/or a lateral side of the housing  210 . The housing  210  may further include a second outlet (not shown) through which heated air is discharged outside the housing  210  to heat an outside space of the heater  200 . 
     On the other hand, the housing  210  is formed with an intake port  212  and is provided with a blower unit (not shown) such as a fan or the like to force a flow of air. 
     The heating unit may include a coil heater (not shown) which generates heat using electricity or may include a burner (not shown) which generates heat using fossil fuel. However, the invention is not limited thereto and any apparatus may be used as long as it can heat air. 
     Although air, that is, heated air, directly heated by the coil heater or the burner may be supplied to the air mat, air to be supplied into the air mat may be heated via a heat sink (not shown), which has good thermal conductivity and is heated by the coil heater or the burner, to prevent the air from being overheated. 
     In the air mat heating system described above, when a user sits or lies on the air mat  100  disposed on the bed mattress  20 , heat is supplied from the air mat  100  to the user. As a result, when the user sleeps or rests under indoor conditions of a low temperature, the air mat provides good heating effect in a local region, thereby avoiding difficulty of heating the overall indoor space. 
     It should be understood that the air mat  100  can be disposed at any different places. For example, the air mat  100  may be disposed on the bottom or on a sofa in the room as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Therefore, in the air mat heating system according to this embodiment, since the air mat  100  can provide warmth to the body of a user using the heated air supplied from the heater  200 , it is possible to minimize heat loss and reduce energy consumption while increasing heating efficiency by eliminating a need for heating the overall space of the room, when a blanket is covered on the user sitting or lying on the mat body  110 . 
     On the other hand, a plurality of air passages  111  may be formed inside the mat body  110 , so that heated air supplied from the heater  200  is introduced into the plurality of air passages  111 . The air passages  111  are arranged in parallel to each other and communicate with each other. The air passages  111  may form a corrugated shape on an upper surface of the mat body  110 . 
     The mat body  110  may be made of a flexible material, such as woven fabrics or synthetic resins, which can be easily folded or unfolded for convenient storage and/or movement. The mat body  110  may be expanded to form a cushion when heated air is supplied into the mat body through the heated air injection part  120 . 
     The mat body  110  receives the heated air supplied from the heater and is heated by the heated air, thereby providing heat to the body of a user. 
     The mat body  110  may include at least one heated air discharge port  111   a . With this configuration, heated air having a proper temperature can be continuously supplied from the heater  200  into the mat body  110 . 
     The entire area of the at least one heated air discharge port  111   a  may be smaller than that of an inlet of the heated air injection part  120 . 
     On the other hand, according to the embodiment of this invention, the heating air mat  100  can provide heat to the user not only by heating the surface of the mat body  110  using the heated air supplied into the mat body  110 , but also by discharging the heated air through the heated air discharge port  111   a.    
     In other words, the surface of the mat body  110 , particularly, the upper surface of the mat body  110 , is formed with the heated air discharge port  111   a , through which the heated air can be discharged outside the mat body  110  and come into contact with the user, thereby providing heat to the user. 
     When the upper surface of the mat body is formed to have the corrugated shape by the air passages  111  as in this embodiment, the heated air discharge port  111   a  is formed, but is not limited to, on a vertex, that is, a ridge (top), of each of the air passages  111 . 
     Additionally, the mat body  110  of the heat air mat according to this embodiment may further include an opening/closing valve  111   b  for air discharge provided to the heated air discharge port  111   a . The opening/closing valve  111   b  allows the heated air to be selectively discharged from the mat body  110  to the outside through the heated air discharge port  111   a.    
     The opening/closing valve  111   b  for air discharge selectively opens at least part of the heated air discharge port  111   a . In this embodiment, the mat body  110  includes the plurality of heated air discharge ports  111   a  formed on the surface of the mat body  110 , particularly, on the upper surface of the mat body  110 . Further, the opening/closing valves  111   b  are provided to the respective heated air discharge ports  111   a.    
     When an external force is applied to the upper surface of the mat body  110 , heated air is discharged through at least one of the heated air discharge ports  111   a . More specifically, when one of the heated air discharge ports  111   a  is compressed by the external force, the heated air is discharged above the mat body  110  therethrough. 
     In this embodiment, the opening/closing valve  111   b  is disposed inside the heated air discharge port  111   a  to be brought into close contact with and close the heated air discharge port  111   a  by air pressure inside the mat body  110  when a force is not applied to the heated air discharge port  111   a , and to form a gap with respect to the heated air discharge port  111   a  to thereby open the heated air discharge port  111   a  such that air can be discharged through the gap when a force is applied to the heated air discharge port  111   a.    
     More specifically, when a person lies or sits on the mat body to apply a force to the upper surface of the mat body, a gap is formed between the opening/closing valve  111   b  and the heated air discharge port  111   a  to allow heated air to be discharged above the mat body  110  therethrough, so that heat can be provided to the person lying or sitting on the mat body  110 . 
     Particularly, since the heated air is discharged mainly through the heated air discharge ports  111   a  compressed by the weight of the person lying or sitting on the mat body  110 , discharge of the heated air can be minimized or prevented through the heated air discharge ports  111   a  which are subjected to no external force, thereby lowering heat loss. 
     Therefore, since the upper surface of the mat body  110  has a higher temperature inside the contact region contacting the body of a user than outside the contact region, the heating air mat has improved heating efficiency. 
     In this embodiment, a flexible film type valve plate is disclosed as one example of the opening/closing valve  111   b  and is disposed inside each of the heated air discharge ports  111   a  to open or close the heated air discharge ports  111   a.    
     More specifically, the valve plate of the opening/closing valve  111   b  is secured to an inner rim of the heated air discharge port  111   a  by a securing portion  111   c , which may be formed in various manners such as thermal compression or adhesion. Then, when a person lies or sits on the mat body  110 , the rest of the rim of the valve plate excluding a portion of the rim of the valve plate where the securing portion  111   c  is formed is widened to form a gap between the heated air discharge port  111   a  and the valve plate for discharging air. 
     Thus, when there is no load applied to the mat body  110 , that is, when no external force is applied to the heated air discharge port  111   a , the opening/closing valves  111   b  are respectively brought into close contact with the heated air discharge ports  111   a  by pressure of the heated air supplied into the mat body  110  to close the heated air discharge ports  111   a , thereby preventing the heated air from being discharged outside the mat body  110 . 
     On the other hand, when a person lies or sits on the mat body  110  to apply a load to the heated air discharge port  111   a , close contact between the opening/closing valves  111   b  and the heated air discharge ports  111   a  is released to open the heated air discharge ports  111   a , so that heat can be discharged from the mat body  110  to the outside. 
     Conclusively, the opening/closing valves  111   b  allow only the heated air discharge ports  111   a  located at portions of the mat body  110  where a person lies or sits to be opened, thereby significantly improving heating efficiency with respect to the body of the person. 
     The heated air injection part  120  includes an air injection port  121  connected to the heater  200 . The heated air injection part  120  may further include a flow path  122  which guides air to the mat body when the air is introduced into the heated air injection part  120  through the air injection port  121 . 
     In other words, the flow path  122  is formed at one side thereof with the air injection port  121  connected to the first discharge port  211  of the heater and is connected at the other side with the mat body  110  so that the heater  200  and the mat body  110  communicate with each other through the flow path  122 . Here, the flow path  122  may be made of a flexible material. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the air mat heating system according to this embodiment may be used on the floor of a living room  30  as well as on the bed. 
     When the air mat heating system is used on the floor of the living room  30 , the first outlet  121   b  of the heater  200  may be formed on a lateral side or a front side of the housing  210  instead of the upper side thereof. 
     The air mat  100  may be formed to have various lengths. For example, the air mat  100  may be fabricated to have a length corresponding to the lower half of a person&#39;s body as shown in  FIG. 6 . In this case, the air mat  100  can provide heat to the lower half of the person who lies on a bed. 
     Medically, the upper half of a person&#39;s body has a higher temperature than the lower half. Thus, when heated air is supplied to the lower half of the body, heat can be rapidly provided to the person to balance the body temperature between the upper half and lower half of the body, thereby improving blood circulation and promoting metabolism. 
     Further, when supplying the heated air to the lower half of the body, the sympathetic nerve mainly distributed in the lower half of the body is released, thereby efficiently maintaining the body temperature of a user and allowing the user to feel heat more rapidly. 
     It should be understood that the air mat  100  may be fabricated in various sizes suitable for cushions. Further, in the air mat heating system, the air mat  100  may be made of any lightweight and flexible material to be easily folded or unfolded for convenience of movement and storage, and the heater  200  may be fabricated in a small size to be used with a chargeable or non-chargeable battery or fossil fuel. 
     Further, although the air mat heating system according to this invention realizes heating with the air mat by supplying hot air from the heater to the air mat, the air mat heating system may be configured to realize cooling with the air mat by connecting a cooling apparatus capable of supplying cold air to the air mat to supply cold air from the cooling apparatus to the air mat. In other words, the air mat heating system according to this embodiment may be converted into an air mat cooling system. 
     The air mat according to the embodiments and the air mat heating system including the same provide the following effects. 
     First, the air mat heating system provides heat to a user by supplying heated air into the mat body, thereby eliminating accidents relating to the use of electricity while ensuring good heating efficiency and reduction of energy consumption when used for local heating and assistant heating. 
     Second, the air mat heating system discharges heated air from the mat body to the outside of the air mat to allow heating on the surface of the mat body and heating in a local space by convection of the heated air to be simultaneously performed, thereby improving heating efficiency. 
     Third, the opening/closing valve is provided to each of the heated air discharge ports, so that the surface of the mat body has a higher temperature inside a contact region contacting the body of a user sitting or lying on the mat body than other portions of the mat body, thereby improving heating efficiency while minimizing heat loss. 
     Fourth, the air mat can be used in a folded state to provide convenience in maintenance and carriage, thereby significantly improving convenience of use. 
     Fifth, the air mat acts like a cushion, thereby providing comfort to the body of a user. 
     Although some embodiments have been provided to illustrate the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments are given by way of illustration only, and that various modifications, changes, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the accompanying claims and equivalents thereof.