Adjustably conformable bed

Claim 2

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; and means for effectively securing said element to at least one of said sections interiorly of said assembly.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said flexible element is disposed entirely within said bag.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which further includes a pair of supports individually affixed to space-opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 which includes a plurality of said flexible elements disposed within said bag with a like plurality of pairs of said supports secured to said element and with each said pair being individually affixed to corresponding different space-opposed portions of said bag as to confine expansion of said portions in the direction of said elements.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said supports are affixed to respective portions of said bag oriented to be disposed adjacent to corresponding lateral margins of said pad.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which, when inflated, said bag presents external surface area unengaged with either of said pad and substrate, and in which at least one of said portions is in said area.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which one of said supports includes a coupling external to said bag and which further includes means for tying said coupling to said frame assembly.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said coupling is manually detachable from said tying means.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said coupling is pivotally attached to said tying means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said tying means includes a connector swingably secured on said frame assembly.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which said tying means is composed of a shank, a bearing on one end of said shank forming said connector and a trunnion on the other end of said shank and engageable with said coupling.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which a plurality of said supports including respective ones of said couplings are distributed successively along one side of said bag in a direction transverse of said pad, and in which a corresponding plurality of said tying means are individually associated with respective different ones of said couplings only on said one side of said bag.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which at least one of said supports comprises a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 in which one of said plates includes means that defines a coupling to a tying member that connects to said frame assembly.

Claim 16

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; a pair of supports individually affixed to space-opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections and comprised of: one of said plates including means that defines a coupling to a tying member that connects to said frame assembly; and wherein the other of said plates includes means defining an opening that extends through said plate, and in which said one end portion projects through said opening and is secured interally thereof.

Claim 17

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; a pair of supports individually affixed to space-opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections and comprised of: one of said plates including means that defines a coupling to a tying member that connects to said frame assembly; and wherein the other of said plates includes means defining an opening that extends through said plate, and in which said one end portion projects through said opening and is secured interally thereof.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 15 which further includes means defining a hollow nut disposed to encircle the exterior of said opening.

Claim 19

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections; a pair of supports individually affixed to space opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; and one of said plates including an internally threaded bore and the other of said plates including an externally threaded stud matable with said bore to enable compression of said plated onto said margin.

Claim 20

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections; a pair of supports individually affixed to space opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; and one of said plates including an internally threaded bore and the other of said plates including an externally threaded stud matable with said bore to enable compression of said plated onto said margin.

Claim 21

In combination with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections; a pair of supports individually affixed to space opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a rigid first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second rigid plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; and one end portion of said flexible element being secured to one of said plates.

Claim 22

In combination with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections; a pair of supports individually affixed to space opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a rigid first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second rigid plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; and one end portion of said flexible element being secured to one of said plates.

Claim 23

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; a pair of supports individually affixed to space-opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections and comprised of: one of said plates including an outwardly projecting hub that defines a cavity internally thereof and a slot in the end wall thereof, and a tying member connectable to said frame assembly, said tying member including a trunnion on one end thereof and insertable through said slot and into a seated position within said cavity across said slot.

Claim 24

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; a pair of supports individually affixed to space-opposed portions of said bag and respectively secured to corresponding opposite ends of said element; at least one of said supports comprising a first plate sized to overlie an opening in the wall of said bag, a second plate sized to overlie the other side of said opening, and means included in said first and second plates to enable sealing of said plates around the margin of said opening; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections and comprised of: one of said plates including an outwardly projecting hub that defines a cavity internally thereof and a slot in the end wall thereof, and a tying member connectable to said frame assembly, said tying member including a trunnion on one end thereof and insertable through said slot and into a seated position within said cavity across said slot.

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 19 which further includes a plurality of lugs on the wall of said cavity and engageable with said trunnion in confining relationship.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said flexible element is a strap which encircles said bag and is secured to said frame assembly.

Claim 27

Apparatus as defined in claim 21 in which said strap is secured to an intermediate portion of each of said sections but is unsecured to the portions thereof which are hinged together.

Claim 28

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections; and said frame assembly including means defining a central section disposable beneath the central region of said pad, a first end section disposable beneath one end region of said pad and hinged to said central section and a second end section disposable beneath the other end region of said pad and also hinged to said central section.

Claim 29

For use with a flexible pad which overlies a supporting substrate and includes a feature of flexural adjustability of said pad to a plurality of different positions, the improvement comprising: an inflatable bag shaped to be positioned between said pad and said substrate; means for inflating said bag; at least one elongated flexible element secured with respect to said bag and of a specific length which limits and defines contour of said bag upon inflation thereof; a frame assembly disposed between said bag and said pad and including a plurality of sections hinged together to permit spatial inclination of one section relative to another; means for effectively securing said bag to at least one of said sections; and said frame assembly including means defining a central section disposable beneath the central region of said pad, a first end section disposable beneath one end region of said pad and hinged to said central section and a second end section disposable beneath the other end region of said pad and also hinged to said central section.

Claim 30

Apparatus as defined in claim 23 in which said bag is coupled only along one side thereof to a portion of said frame assembly at the vicinity of hinging between said central section and an end section.

Claim 31

Apparatus as defined in claim 24 which includes a second inflatable bag coupled only along one side thereof to another portion of said frame assembly in the vicinity of hinging between said central section and the other of said end sections.

Claim 32

Apparatus as defined in claim 25 in which one of said end sections projects rigidly from said central section to the corresponding end of said pad, and the other of said end sections is composed of a pair of mutually hinged subsections together projecting from said central section to the other end of said pad.

Claim 33

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said inflating means includes: a housing; means defining a vent in said housing for the flow of air between the interior of said housing and the surrounding atmosphere; a pump in said housing for drawing air from said atmosphere into said housing; first and second outlets in said housing; means for coupling said first and second outlets individually to respective different ones of said inflatable bags; first and second valves disposed individually in respective ones of said outlets; and control means for selectively opening said first and second valves and for selectively energizing said pump.

Claim 34

Apparatus as defined in claim 27 in which said control means enables opening of said valves independently of energizing of said pump, the opening of a valve without energization of said pump allowing deflation of the corresponding one of said bags.

Claim 35

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means for hingedly coupling said sections that comprise a first portion fixed to an element of one section and a second portion securing an element of another section for movement in relative mutual inclination.

Claim 36

Apparatus as defined in claim 29 in which said first portion is in the form of a semi-circular element matable to a part of said assembly and is integrally joined by a cylindrical element that encircles another part of said assembly.

Claim 37

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said inflating means includes a control unit having a switch assembly, and in which said switch assembly comprises: a button mounted for rockable depression; at least one downwardly depending leg secured to said button and resiliently flexural in a horizontal direction; means for securing the lower end of said leg; a switch disposed beneath said button and having a switch operator activatable upon horizontal movement thereof; and means coupling said button to said operator for activating said switch upon rocking movement of said button.

Claim 38

Apparatus as defined in claim 31 in which said leg and said coupling means are integrally formed along with said button.