Patent Publication Number: US-6709246-B2

Title: Inflation/deflation device having spring biased value

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to fluid pumps and controls having valves and switches associated with the pumps for regulating fluid pressure in one or more fluid accommodating structures. More particularly, the invention is directed to air pumps and hand controls for supplying air under pressure to air mattresses and adjusting the pressure of the air in the air mattresses. 
     2. Related Art 
     Air beds use air mattresses to provide yieldable body support. The air mattresses are often inflated with pumps, such as hand operated pumps and bag pumps. Motor driven blowers and pumps have also been used to supply air under pressure to air mattresses. The biasing or firmness characteristic of an air mattress is determined by the pressure of the air in the air mattress. The air mattress firmness can be varied by supplying additional air or venting air from the air mattress. Control mechanisms have been used to adjust the inflation of air mattresses. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,829,616; 4,897,890; 5,509,154 and 5,267,363 disclose different types of inflation devices used with air mattresses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is drawn to an apparatus for supplying fluid, such as air, under pressure to an air mattress and automatically adjusting the fluid pressure. The apparatus has a coupling device which attaches the apparatus to the air mattress. A housing encloses a motor, an impeller, a two-way valve and a solenoid. The solenoid opens the two-way valve to allow inflation or deflation of the air mattress. The motor is reversible and the impeller is used to force fluid into or out of the mattress. A controller is used to inflate and deflate the mattress. The controller can be attached to the apparatus or it can be a remote control. 
     A power source supplies the power necessary to operate the motor. The power source can be of any type including AC, DC, or battery. The two-way valve is similar to the valve disclosed in my U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/909,794 filed on Jul. 20, 2001 (herein incorporated by reference). A display may be used to indicate the pressure in the air mattress as detected by an optional pressure transducer in the apparatus. The pressure transducer can accurately determine the pressure in the air mattress because the two-way valve seals the system. The invention may also include a pressure shut-off switch which is activated at a predetermined pressure. The pressure shut-off switch opens the circuit providing power to the solenoid and the motor. As a result the motor stops operating and the two-way valve is returned to its normally closed position by a biasing spring which pushes the actuator arm of the solenoid away. 
     In addition to the pressure shut-off switch, there may be a thermal shut-off switch attached to the motor. At a predetermined temperature the thermal shut-off switch is activated with the same results as the pressure shut-off switch. 
     The coupling device attaches to the air mattress in a number of manners. When the mattress has a threaded opening the coupling device attaches by screwing on to the threaded opening. A resilient o-ring is sandwiched between the opening and the coupling device providing a fluid tight seal. The device can also be used to inflate items without a threaded opening. Different diameter outlets can be selected depending on the application. In the event of a valved closure located on the mattress, the device utilizes an opener extending from the periphery of the outlet. 
    
    
     Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings: 
     FIG.  1 ( a ) illustrates a cutaway view of the device in a closed state; 
     FIG.  1 ( b ) illustrates a cutaway view of the device in an open state; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a connector for use with the device; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates an additional connector for use with the device; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an additional connector used with a valved mattress; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a blow up of the two-way valve; and 
     FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the impeller used in the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate like elements, FIGS.  1 ( a ) and  1 ( b ) illustrate the inflation/deflation device  1  with a portion of the exterior removed to show the components and the interrelationships of these components. A housing  10  encloses the device  1  and transitions to a coupling device  12 . The housing  10  can be any suitable material but in the preferred embodiment is plastic. The device attaches to an air mattress  5  at an orifice  14  in order to inflate or deflate the air mattress  5 . The air mattress  5  could also be referred to as an inflatable bladder. In the preferred embodiment the orifice  14  has threads  16  located outside the orifice  14 . A threaded collar  18  is sized to mate with the threads  16 . An o-ring  20  is compressed as the threaded collar  18  is screwed onto the threads  16  providing a fluid tight seal. 
     The device  1  can also be used with an air mattress  5  having a different type of orifice  14 . For example, the air mattress  5  can have an orifice  14  which is not threaded. In an alternative embodiment, an adapter  22  (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) is provided which has a hollow truncated cone  24  opposite a threaded portion  26 . The truncated cone  24  can be of different sizes as needed and is made of a slightly resilient material in order to create a fluid seal when pushed into an orifice  14 . The truncated cone  24  terminates in an opener  28 . In the preferred embodiment, the opener  28  is an extension of a portion of the truncated cone  24 . Opener  28  could also be configured as the opener having semi-circular cutouts in the truncated cone as shown in my U.S. Ser. No. 09/909,794 patent application which has been incorporated by reference and is shown in FIG.  4 . In addition to the threaded portion  26  of the adapter  22 , any other suitable attachment mechanism could be utilized. The adapter  22  could be configured with (FIGS. 2 and 3) or without (FIG. 4) an opener  28 . 
     Returning to FIGS.  1 ( a ) and  1 ( b ), housing  10  extends away from coupling device  12 . In the preferred embodiment, a two-way valve  32  is located in the housing  10  and divides the housing into a coupling side  34  adjacent the coupling device  12  and a vent side  36 . The two-way valve  32  creates a seal between the coupling side  34  and the vent side  36 . Looking to FIG. 5 it can be seen that the two-way valve  32  comprises a valve seat  35  which has a partition  38  extending towards and integrally molded into the housing  10  (not shown in FIG.  5 ). A spring seat  44  and a spring  46  are provided. Spring  46  abuts a volcano plug  48  biasing the volcano plug  48  to a closed position in which the volcano plug  48  abuts the valve seat  35 . When two-way valve  32  is opened fluid can flow past the volcano plug  48 . Other types of valves may also be used in the device, such as a diaphragm valve, a ball valve, a gate valve, a hinged valve, a general valve, a butterfly valve etc., none of which are shown in the drawings. 
     Returning to FIGS.  1 ( a ) and  1 ( b ), located adjacent to the two-way valve  32  is a solenoid  50 . Solenoid  50  has an actuator  52  which is moved by the solenoid  50 . When solenoid  50  is in a first state it is de-energized and the actuator  52  is extended from the solenoid  50 . When the solenoid  50  is in a second state it is energized to retract the actuator  52  and open the valve. When the solenoid  50  is de-energized and placed in the first state the spring  46  pushes the volcano plug  48  towards valve seat  35  closing the two-way valve  32 . The result is a two-way valve  32  which is “spring loaded” towards a closed position. The solenoid could also be located on the opposite side of the valve and be used to push the valve open rather than pull the valve open (not shown). 
     Attached to the housing  10  on the coupling side  34  of the device  1  is a pressure transducer  56 . Pressure transducer  56  can accurately measure the pressure inside the air mattress  5  when the two-way valve  32  is closed and the device  1  is attached to the air mattress  5  with a fluid tight seal. 
     In the preferred embodiment a motor  58  is located inside the housing  10  on the vent side  36 . Of course the motor  58  could be located anywhere inside the housing  10  (i.e. either side of the two way valve  32 ). Motor  58  is reversible wherein the output can be reversed. A drive shaft  60  is rotated by the motor  58 . Attached to the drive shaft  60  are an inbound impeller  62  and outbound impeller  63 . Inbound impeller  62  has blades  64  arranged such that fluid is forced away from the motor  58  when rotated. When the motor  58  is driven in a first direction fluid is forced towards the coupling device  12  by the inbound impeller  62 . When the motor  58  is reversed the outbound impeller  63  is engaged and fluid is driven away from the coupling device  12 . A vent  66  is located in the housing  10  on the vent side  36 . A thermal shut-off switch  68  is located adjacent the motor  58 . 
     A power source  70  is provided for the device  1 . In the preferred embodiment, the power source  70  is AC delivered by a power cord  72 . Power cord  72  could also be used to deliver DC current. An alternative embodiment of the device  1  uses batteries as the power source  70 . Both disposable and rechargeable batteries could be used. 
     A controller  74  is used to operate the device  1 . Controller  74  has a selector  76  to allow a user to choose from four options: Inflate position, Deflate position, Valve Open position, and Off position. In the Inflate position the controller  74  controls both the motor  58  and the solenoid  50  such that power is supplied to the motor  58  causing the drive shaft  60  and the impeller  62  to rotate and force fluid towards said two-way valve  32 . Simultaneously, the controller  74  delivers power to the solenoid  50  such that the two-way valve  32  is opened and fluid has an unobstructed pathway  54  from the vent  66  through the impeller  62  through the two-way valve  32  and finally through the coupling device  12  and into the air mattress  5 . In the deflate position of the controller  74 , the solenoid  50  again is energized to open the two-way valve  32  and the motor  58  is reversed and the impeller  62  is rotated in an opposite direction. The result being that the air mattress  5  is deflated as air is pulled from the air mattress  5  by the impeller  62  past the two-way valve  32  and out vent  66 . In the Valve Open position, the controller  74  causes the solenoid  50  to energize and open the valve, allowing air to escape. This allows minor adjustments in the firmness of the air mattress  5  when activating the Deflate position would cause too much air to escape. In the off position the controller  74  does not deliver power to the solenoid  50  nor to the motor  58 . As a result the two-way valve  32  remains closed and fluid neither enters nor leaves the air mattress  5 . 
     The controller  74  is designed to be tethered to the device  1  by a cord  78 . This allows the controller  74  to remain in close proximity to both the air mattress  5  and the device  1 . The controller can be part of the housing  10  or it can be a remote control (without cord  78  the controller becomes remote). The remote control can control the device using radio frequency or infra-red signals. 
     The thermal shut-off switch  68  is connected to the controller such that the controller  74  automatically reverts to the “off position” when a predetermined temperature is sensed. Similarly, a pressure shut-off switch  84  is connected to the pressure transducer  56  and the controller  74 . At pressures sensed by the pressure transducer  56  above a predetermined pressure, the pressure shut-off switch  84  causes the controller  74  to be placed in an “off position”. 
     A display  82  can be provided to the device  1 . The display  82  can be located on the controller  74  (FIGS.  1 ( a ) and  1 ( b )) or on the housing  10 . The display  82  utilizes LED or LCD indicators. The display  82  can be used to indicate the pressure inside the air mattress  5  measured by the pressure transducer  56 . The display  82  can also display the position of the selector  76  of the controller  74 . Any other desired value such as the time can be displayed by the display  82 . 
     An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG.  6 . In this embodiment a single impeller  162  is used. Impeller  162  is constructed such that fluid is impelled in a direction of a right hand moment  164  to the rotation of the drive shaft  60 . In other words, impeller  162  is a reversible impeller. When the motor is operated in the inflate position fluid is forced towards the coupling device  12 . In the deflate position the controller  74  causes motor  58  to turn the drive shaft  60  in an opposite direction and impeller  162  forces fluid away from said coupling device  12 . 
     In use the device  1  is attached to an air mattress  5 . The selector  76  of the controller  74  is switched to the “inflate position”. This sends power to both the motor  58  and the solenoid  50 . The solenoid  50  is energized and the two-way valve  32  is opened. The motor  58  is activated and the drive shaft  60  is rotated such that impeller  62  forces fluid from the vent  66 , through two-way valve  32 , through the coupling device  12  and into air mattress  5 . After the air mattress  5  is sufficiently filled the selector  76  of the controller  74  is returned to the “off position” and the solenoid  50  de-energizes and the two-way valve  32  closes by the combined force of the spring  46  and the air pressure on a back face of the valve. The motor  58  also stops running. To deflate the air mattress  5 , the reverse process is employed. The display  82  indicates to a user the pressure in the air mattress  5 . The air mattress  5  can be firmed or softened by using the device to inflate or deflated the air mattress  5 . Minor adjustments can be made by engaging the Valve open position to energize the solenoid  50  and opening the two-way valve  32 . 
     In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several advantages of the invention are achieved and attained. 
     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. For example, the solenoid could be located on the same side of the two-way valve as the motor. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.