Patent ID: 7426766

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an apparatus for a tufted air mattress, said method comprising the steps of: coating one surface of a first sheet with an ink to form a first coated region, said first coated region defining a first sheet peripheral edge and a plurality of first uncoated spots arranged in a first pattern, said plurality of first uncoated spots having an ovoid shape, said first sheet being an air-impermeable thermoplastic material and said first coated region including a fluoropolymer; coating one surface of a second sheet with said ink to form a second coated region, said second coated region defining a second sheet peripheral edge and a plurality of second uncoated spots arranged in a second pattern, said plurality of second uncoated spots having said ovoid shape, said second sheet being an air-impermeable thermoplastic material and said second coated region including a fluoropolymer; positioning a center sheet between said first and second sheets with said center sheet adjacent said first coated region and said second coated region, said first pattern offset from said second pattern; and applying heat across substantially a full width and for substantially a full length of said first sheet to heat fuse said first sheet to said center sheet at said first sheet peripheral edge, to heat fuse said second sheet to said center sheet at said second sheet peripheral edge, to heat fuse said first sheet to said center sheet at said plurality of first uncoated spots thereby forming a first set of tufts, and to heat fuse said second sheet to said center sheet at said plurality of second uncoated spots sheet thereby forming a second set of tufts, said first sheet and said center sheet defining a first chamber, said second sheet and said center sheet defining a second chamber, said first chamber isolated from said second chamber by said center sheet, wherein said first, second, and third sheets are heat fused together in a single step.