US4382305A — Self-sealing waterbed mattress

Claim 1

Independent Claim 76 words

A self-sealing waterbed mattress comprising a polymeric, puncturable envelope and an internal layer of viscous, water-resistant, sealing material comprising polybutene for sealing leaks in the envelope, the sealing material having a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the envelope and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the envelope and seal the envelope against water leaks through the puncture.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 76 words

A self-sealing waterbed mattress comprising a polymeric, puncturable envelope and an internal layer of viscous, water-resistant, sealing material comprising polybutene for sealing leaks in the envelope, the sealing material having a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the envelope and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the envelope and seal the envelope against water leaks through the puncture.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 1 in which the polybutene is filled with particulate filler.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 2 in which the sealing material comprises polybutene and particulate filler in a weight ratio of polybutene to filler of from about 3:1 to about 1:5.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 1 in which the layer of sealing material is less than about 50 mils thick.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 4 in which the layer of sealing material is from about 5 to about 10 mils thick.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 38 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 1 including an internal liner, wherein the layer of sealing material is between the envelope and the internal liner, and when water is in the mattress, the water is within the internal liner.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 6 in which the internal liner is formed of a material that is substantially permanently unaffected by long-term direct contact with water.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 12 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 7 in which the liner comprises polyethylene.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 86 words

A self-sealing waterbed mattress comprising an exterior, puncturable envelope and an internal liner assembly conforming generally to the shape of the envelope, the liner assembly comprising two flexible, polymeric films with a layer of viscous sealing material therebetween, the sealing material having a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the films and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the films and seal the puncture against water leakage therethrough.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 86 words

A self-sealing waterbed mattress comprising an exterior, puncturable envelope and an internal liner assembly conforming generally to the shape of the envelope, the liner assembly comprising two flexible, polymeric films with a layer of viscous sealing material therebetween, the sealing material having a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the films and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the films and seal the puncture against water leakage therethrough.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 9 in which each sheet of polymeric film is comprised of polyethylene.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 14 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 9 in which water is within the liner assembly.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 17 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 9 in which the sealing material comprises polybutene filled with particulate filler.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 17 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 9 in which the sealing material weighs less than about ten pounds.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 118 words

In a waterbed mattress comprising a polyvinylchloride envelope for holding water therein, the improvement comprising an internal liner assembly conforming generally to the shape of the envelope for protecting the envelope from the water and for sealing leaks in the envelope, the liner assembly comprising an internal layer of polyethylene and a film of polybutene on the outward facing surface of the internal layer of polyethylene, the polybutene being filled so that it has a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the envelope and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the envelope and seal the puncture against water leakage therethrough.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 118 words

In a waterbed mattress comprising a polyvinylchloride envelope for holding water therein, the improvement comprising an internal liner assembly conforming generally to the shape of the envelope for protecting the envelope from the water and for sealing leaks in the envelope, the liner assembly comprising an internal layer of polyethylene and a film of polybutene on the outward facing surface of the internal layer of polyethylene, the polybutene being filled so that it has a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the envelope and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the envelope and seal the puncture against water leakage therethrough.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 14 wherein the liner assembly comprises another layer of polyethylene, wherein the film of polybutene is between the two layers of polyethylene.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 14 in which the film of polybutene is less than 50 mils thick.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 21 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 16 in which the film of polybutene is from about 5 to about 10 mils thick.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 87 words

A self-sealing waterbed mattress comprising a polymeric, puncturable envelope and an internal layer of viscous, water-resistant sealing material for sealing leaks in the envelope, the sealing material having a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the envelope and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the envelope and seal the envelope against water leaks through the puncture, the mattress containing water which is in direct contact with the sealing material.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 87 words

A self-sealing waterbed mattress comprising a polymeric, puncturable envelope and an internal layer of viscous, water-resistant sealing material for sealing leaks in the envelope, the sealing material having a sufficiently high viscosity at 110° F. that it does not flow through a puncture in the envelope and a sufficiently low viscosity at 60° F. that it can flow into a puncture in the envelope and seal the envelope against water leaks through the puncture, the mattress containing water which is in direct contact with the sealing material.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 15 words

The waterbed mattress of claim 1 or 18 in which the envelope comprises polyvinyl chloride.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-05-09	1986-11-08	1987-05-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-05-09	1990-11-08	1991-05-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-05-09	1994-11-08	1995-05-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Self-sealing waterbed mattress

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