Inflatable mattress structure

Claim 1

An inflatable mattress structure for use on an invalid bed or the like, the mattress structure having a length dimension and a width dimension, which comprises: a plurality of pairs of separately inflatable air cushions defining respective pairs of separately inflatable air cushion mattress portions, each of the air cushions including an essentially flat manifold having a smooth bottom, a separate inflation valve and a grid-like array of intersecting rows of separate, simultaneously inflatable bulbs extending upwardly from the manifold, with each intersecting row including a plurality of the separate, simultaneously inflatable bulbs; each singular cushion of the pair of cushions which makes up each pair of the separately inflatable air cushion mattress portions having an edge portion permanently bonded by an adhesive to an adjacent edge portion of the corresponding singular cushion which makes up the pair, the pair of air cushion mattress portions defining a removable and replaceable mattress section having a dimension which corresponds to and defines the width of the inflatable mattress structure; and cooperable snap-type fastener means on other transversely extending edge portions of each of the singular cushions of the pair of cushions which makes up each of the paris of inflatable air cushion mattress portions, for interconnecting the mattress sections defined by the pairs of air cushion mattress portions together to define the length of the mattress structure, the snap-type fastener means and the smooth bottoms of the air cushions combining to facilitate selective separation of at least one of the mattress sections from the remainder of the mattress structure, removal of the separated mattress section from beneath a patient on the mattress structure, subsequent replacement of the removed mattress section beneath the patient, and reconnection of the replaced mattress section to the remainder of the mattress structure, the pairs of air cushion mattress portions also essentially defining respective opposite halves of the mattress structure so that the patient on the mattress structure can be selectively positioned on one half or the other half of the mattress structure by selective inflation and deflation of the air cushion mattress portions.