Support appliances

Claim 2

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; c. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular member; d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; and e. a layer of foam rubber positioned between each said cell and said respective tubular member, said inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell, through said foam rubber and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; f. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.

Claim 3

A support appliance as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a rigid nozzle member in tight sealing engagement with each of said inlet and outlet apertures.

Claim 4

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members and including a pair of spaced parallel web members attached generally along the length of the exterior of the air cell, said web members extending along opposite sides of the respective tubular member; c. means for anchoring said web members to the respective tubular members, said adjacent wall of said tubular members being between said pair of web members; and d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; e. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.

Claim 5

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members and including a pair of spaced parallel web members attached generally along the length of the exterior of the air cell, said web members extending along opposite sides of the respective tubular member; c. means for anchoring said web members to the respective tubular members, said adjacent wall of said tubular members being between said pair of web members; and d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; e. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.

Claim 6

A support appliance as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for mounting each said cell comprises means for anchoring said web portions to the opposite sides of each of said elongated tubular members such that the elongated portion of said cell between said web portions and adjacent the surface of said tubular member is maintained relatively slack whereby the air pressure within each air cell presses said slack portion against the surface of said tubular member to provide a seal about said inlet and outlet apertures between the surface of the tubular member and said cell.

Claim 7

A support appliance as claimed in claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises fixed members spaced on said opposite sides of said tubular members forming narrow elongated slots between said fixed members and said opposite sides of said tubular members, a hem along the free end of each of said web portions and rigid elongated means having a width greater than said slot mounted in each hem whereby each said web member is anchored in one of said slots, movement through said slot being prevented by said rigid elongated meanS in said hem.

Claim 8

A support appliance as claimed in claim 3 wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of rigid elongated members mounted adjacent said opposite sides of each of said tubular members, each said web member passing around one of said rigid elongated members to secure said web member between one of said bars and the respective side of a tubular member.

Claim 9

A support appliance which comprises a. a base having a firm surface thereon, b. at least one air cell mounted on said base, c. air inlet and outlet means extending between said air cell and said base, said air inlet and outlet means comprising holes in said firm surface of said base aligned with holes in the wall of said cell, d. means attached to the wall of said cell at at least two positions spaced from the holes in the wall of said cell for attaching said cell to the base such that a relatively slack portion of the cell wall is provided about each hole, e. whereby air pressure in said air cell causes the slack portion of said cell to effectively seal with said firm surface of said base about said holes.

Claim 10

A support appliance which comprises a. a base having a firm surface thereon, b. at least one air cell mounted on said base, c. air inlet and outlet means extending between said air cell and said base, said air inlet and outlet means comprising holes in said firm surface of said base aligned with holes in the wall of said cell, d. means attached to the wall of said cell at at least two positions spaced from the holes in the wall of said cell for attaching said cell to the base such that a relatively slack portion of the cell wall is provided about each hole, e. whereby air pressure in said air cell causes the slack portion of said cell to effectively seal with said firm surface of said base about said holes.

Claim 11

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; c. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular member; d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; e. a layer of resilient material positioned between each said cell and said respective tubular member, said inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell, through said resilient material and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; and f. a rigid tubular nozzle member extending through and in tight sealing engagement with each of said inlet and outlet apertures; g. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.

Claim 12

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; c. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular member; d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; e. a layer of resilient material positioned between each said cell and said respective tubular member, said inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell, through said resilient material and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; and f. a rigid tubular nozzle member extending through and in tight sealing engagement with each of said inlet and outlet apertures; g. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.

Claim 13

A support appliance in the form of a bed which comprises a. a pair of elongated hollow frame members extending the length of the bed along opposite sides thereof; b. a plurality of elongated tubular members extending transversely to the length of the bed and being supported on said frame members adjacent the opposite ends thereof; c. cooperating apertures extending from a wall in each of said hollow frame members to a wall in each of said tubular members; d. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; e. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular members; and f. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; g. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may flow from the interior of one of said hollow frame members through one of said cooperating apertures to all of said tubular members, through said inlet apertures to all of said cells, through said outlet apertures to all of said tubular members and finally through the other of said cooperating apertures to the other of said hollow frame members.

Claim 14

A support appliance in the form of a bed which comprises a. a pair of elongated hollow frame members extending the length of the bed along opposite sides thereof; b. a plurality of elongated tubular members extending transversely to the length of the bed and being supported on said frame members adjacent the opposite ends thereof; c. cooperating apertures extending from a wall in each of said hollow frame members to a wall in each of said tubular members; d. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; e. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular members; and f. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; g. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may flow from the interior of one of said hollow frame members through one of said cooperating apertures to all of said tubular members, through said inlet apertures to all of said cells, through said outlet apertures to all of said tubular members and finally through the other of said cooperating apertures to the other of said hollow frame members.

Claim 15

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; c. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular member; d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; and e. a layer of resilient material positioned between each said cell and said respective tubular member, said inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell, through said resilient material and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; f. said plurality of cells being arranged in a plurality of groups, all the cells in one group being adapted to be maintained at one air pressure while the pressure of the remaining groups are independently controllable; g. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.

Claim 16

A support appliance which comprises a. a plurality of elongated tubular members; b. a plurality of elongated inflatable cells, each arranged parallel to one of said tubular members; c. means mounting each said cell on the respective tubular member; d. separate inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; and e. a layer of resilient material positioned between each said cell and said respective tubular member, said inlet and outlet apertures extending through the wall of said cell, through said resilient material and through the adjacent wall of the respective tubular member; f. said plurality of cells being arranged in a plurality of groups, all the cells in one group being adapted to be maintained at one air pressure while the pressure of the remaining groups are independently controllable; g. whereby a continuous flow of pressurized air may be maintained in each of said cells between the inlet and outlet apertures thereof.