Patent ID: 8413674

Claim:
A method of regulating an amount of fluid within an inflatable device comprising an inflatable bladder, a self-sealing valve, a fluid moving device and an electromechanical assembly, the method comprising: providing the inflatable bladder with the self-sealing valve, the fluid moving device and the electromechanical assembly all at least partially recessed within a profile of the inflatable bladder; biasing open the self-sealing valve with sufficient fluid pressure provided from the fluid moving device to an inlet side of the self-sealing valve so as to provide the fluid through the self-sealing valve to the inflatable device; biasing the self-sealing valve to a closed position in the absence of the sufficient fluid pressure from the fluid moving device to the inlet side of the valve; and in the absence of sufficient fluid pressure from the fluid moving device to the inlet side of the self-sealing valve, controlling the electromechanical device to bias the self-sealing valve to at least a partially opened position so as to regulate an amount of fluid within the inflatable device.