Inflatable foam pad

Claim 2

A PAD COMPRISING: A RESILIENT FOOAMED OPEN-CELLED MATERIAL, HAVING A DENSITY OF FROM ABOUT 0.5 TO 1.5 POUNDS PER CUBIC FOOT, A PAIR OF TAUT SKINS, OF REINFORCING FABRIC COATED WITH FLEXIBLE FLUID TIGHT MATERIAL, COVERING AND BONDED TO THE FOAMED MATERIAL TO FORM AN ENVELOPE WITH THE SURFACE OF THE SKINS THAT EXTEND BEYOND THE FOAMED MATERIAL JOINED TOGETHER, AND A FIRST VALVE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSIDE OF THE ENVELOPE THROUGH WHICH A FLUID MAY BE INTRODUCED, REMOVED OR RETAINED, SAID VALVE HAVING A DIAMETER SIZED TO THE THICKNESS OF THE FOAM MATERIAL TO PERMIT RAPID MOVEMENT OF FLUID THERETHROUGH, AND A SECOND SMALLER VALVE WITHIN THE FIRST VALVE COMPRISING AN EXTENDED FLEXIBLE TUBE HAVING A STOPPER TO ALLOW FOR TIME ADJUSTMENT OF THE FLUID FLOW THERETHROUGH.

Claim 3

A pad as in claim 1 further comprising a tee type joint between the extending surfaces of the skins.

Claim 4

A pad as in claim 2, wherein the fluid is water.

Claim 5

A pad as in claim 2, wherein the fluid is air at a pressure of at least 5 p.s.i.

Claim 6

A pad as in claim 1, further comprising a lap type joint between the extending surfaces of the skins.

Claim 7

A pad as in claim 5, wherein the fluid is water.

Claim 8

A pad as in claim 5, wherein the fluid is air at a pressure of at least 5 p.s.i.

Claim 9

A self inflating pad capable of being compressed and retained in the compressed state for space saving in transit or in storage comprising: a resilient foamed material of about 0.5 to 1.5 pounds per cubic foot, having a multitude of interconnecting interstices; a pair of flexible fluid tight taut skins covering and bonded to the foamed material to form an envelope with the surface of the skins extending beyond the foamed material joined all around in a tee type joint; the resilience of the foamed material, the flexibility of the taut envelope and the tee type joint allows the pad to be compressed; and a valve within a valve communicating with the inside of the envelope permits air to be expelled from the pad during compression while the valve is open, prevents air entering the compressed pad when the valve is closed, allows air to enter and self inflate the compressed pad to the resilience of the foamed material when the valve is open, and holds the air in and the inflated pad firm when the valve is closed, said valve within a valve further comprising; a tube bonded to the envelope and having one end of the tube inside the envelope and the other end outside the envelope; a removable first stopper for the tube, having a plugged hole therethrough, said plug comprising a flexible tube inserted into and extending beyond the first stopper; and a second removable stopper in the flexible tube such that removal of the second stopper gives fine adjustment of fluid flow and removal of the first stopper gives maximum fluid flow.

Claim 10

A self inflating pad capable of being compressed and retained in the compressed state for space saving in transit or in storage comprising: a resilient foamed material of about 0.5 to 1.5 pounds per cubic foot, having a multitude of interconnecting interstices; a pair of flexible fluid tight taut skins covering and bonded to the foamed material to form an envelope with the surface of the skins extending beyond the foamed material joined all around in a tee type joint; the resilience of the foamed material, the flexibility of the taut envelope and the tee type joint allows the pad to be compressed; and a valve within a valve communicating with the inside of the envelope permits air to be expelled from the pad during compression while the valve is open, prevents air entering the compressed pad when the valve is closed, allows air to enter and self inflate the compressed pad to the resilience of the foamed material when the valve is open, and holds the air in and the inflated pad firm when the valve is closed, said valve within a valve further comprising; a tube bonded to the envelope and having one end of the tube inside the envelope and the other end outside the envelope; a removable first stopper for the tube, having a plugged hole therethrough, said plug comprising a flexible tube inserted into and extending beyond the first stopper; and a second removable stopper in the flexible tube such that removal of the second stopper gives fine adjustment of fluid flow and removal of the first stopper gives maximum fluid flow.