EP0116237A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Body support system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1983-12-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-12-30
Abstract
Abstract A support system for mattresses or cushions used in body support appliances comprising, spaced air springs in the form of tubular biadders (13) provided with a series of longitudinally spaced nockets (17) having open mouths (18) accommodating the ends of transversely extending slats (11). The pockets are formed in a tangential flap (15) connected to the tubular bladder (13) along a longitudinal connection line (16) at the surface of the tubular bladder (13) such that the open mouths (18) of the pockets (17) are spaced along a longitudinal edge of the flap (15).
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon Douglas Griffin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 07:34
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C23/00; A47C23/30; A47C23/06; A47C23/062; A47C23/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A air spring (12) for supporting ends of parallel slats (11) in a support system of the kind defined, which air spring (12) comprises an inflatable tubular bladder (13) provided with a series of longitudinal spaced pockets (17, 44) having open mouths (18) to receive the ends of the slats (11) to be supported, characterised in that the pockets (17) are formed in a tangential flap (15, 43) connected to the tubular bladder (13) along a longitudinal connection line (16) at the surface of the tubular bladder (13) such that the open mouths (18) of the pockets (17) are spaced along a longitudinal edge of the flap (15).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A air spring (12) for supporting ends of parallel slats (11) in a support system of the kind defined, which air spring (12) comprises an inflatable tubular bladder (13) provided with a series of longitudinal spaced pockets (17, 44) having open mouths (18) to receive the ends of the slats (11) to be supported, characterised in that the pockets (17) are formed in a tangential flap (15, 43) connected to the tubular bladder (13) along a longitudinal connection line (16) at the surface of the tubular bladder (13) such that the open mouths (18) of the pockets (17) are spaced along a longitudinal edge of the flap (15).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An air spring as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said bladder (13) and the flap (15) are formed of heat welded sheet plastics material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
An air spring as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the bladder (13) has a longitudinal welded seam and the flap (15) is formed by a continuation of the sheet material of the bladder beyond the seam which is folded and heat welded to form the pockets (17) so that the flap (15) is integrally connected with the bladder (13) at said seam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
An air spring as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the flap (15) extends laterally substantially equally to either side of the longitudinal connection line (16).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
An air spring as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the flap (43) has an additional series of longitudinally spaced pockets (45) with open mouths spaced along the other longitudinal edge of the flap.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of making an air spring, comprising forming a tube (13) of heat weldable sheet plastics material with a longitudinal heat welded seam (16) and so as to leave a longitudinal strip of said sheet material projecting beyond the seam (16) exteriorly of the tube (13), and folding and welding said strip of material to form a tangentail flap (15, 43) with longitudinally spaced, pockets (17) having open mouths (18) spaced along a longitudinal edge of the flap (15, 43).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of making an air spring, comprising forming a tube (13) of heat weldable sheet plastics material with a longitudinal heat welded seam (16) and so as to leave a longitudinal strip of said sheet material projecting beyond the seam (16) exteriorly of the tube (13), and folding and welding said strip of material to form a tangentail flap (15, 43) with longitudinally spaced, pockets (17) having open mouths (18) spaced along a longitudinal edge of the flap (15, 43).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
112 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said strip is double folded such that the sheet material extends from the seam (16) to a first longitudinal side edge (31) of the flap where it is folded back (at 32) to extend to the second longitudinal side edge (33) of the flap where it is folded back (at 34) to extend to a free edge (35) at the first said edge (31) of the flap and the three layers of the sheet material between the seam (16) and said first side edge (31) of the flap are heat welded together at intervals along the length of the flap to define the pockets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flap extends substantially equally to either side of the longitudinal seam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A support system of the type defined comprising spaced air spring (12) each as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, a plurality of transversely extending slats (11)-having their respective ends accommodated in the pockets (17, 44) of said air springs and stabiliser means interconnecting said air springs (12) to provide lateral stability.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A support system as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said stabiliser means comprises a member (55) having spaced apertures (56) each accommodating, without clearance, one of the air springs (12).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A support system as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said member (55) is tubular and has one of said slats (lla) extending lengthwise along its upper portion and a rod (60) extending lengthwise along its lower portion so that the stabiliser, in use, is of triangular configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
A support system as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said member (55) is tubular and has one of said slats (11) extending lengthwise along its upper portion and a further slat (11), not forming part of the support surface, extending lengthwise along its lower portion so that the stabiliser, in use, is of rectangular configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A support system as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said member (55) has spaced rods (60) extending lengthwise, respectively, along its upper and lower portions, said member (55) being positioned between adjacent slats.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A support system as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that said member (55) comprises a single membrane having rod-accommodating chambers formed along its upper and lower edges.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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