Air cushion valve and air mattress

Abstract

The present application discloses an air cushion valve and an inflatable mattress, comprising a valve seat and a valve cover. The valve seat comprises a valve body, a pair of air inlet pipes and a pair of air outlet pipes connected to the valve body at one end. The valve body further comprises a pair of air inlets connected to the access ends of the air inlet pipes, and a pair of air outlets connected to the access ends of the air outlet pipes. An air inlet and an air outlet constitute an air inlet and outlet group. The valve body further comprises an exhaust channel, which forms an exhaust port on the surface of the valve body. The valve cover is rotatably connected to the valve body and can be rotated relative to the valve body between an inflation position and an exhaust position. The valve cover is further provided with a gas communication bridge that can connect the air inlet and the air outlet of the same air inlet and outlet group in the inflation position, and connect the air outlet and the exhaust port in the exhaust position. The air cushion can be inflated and exhausted only by the valve cover and the valve seat, and has a simple structure and is easy to operate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to an air cushion valve and an inflatable mattress. Background Art

[0002] Comatose or paralyzed patients need to lie flat in bed for extended periods. The prolonged pressure on the parts of their bodies that bear gravity can lead to localized skin ischemia and hypoxia, leading to necrosis and the development of bedsores. Currently, an effective method for preventing and treating bedsores is the use of an anti-bedsore inflatable mattress. These mattresses regularly rotate two sets of air bags, inflating and deflating them alternately, constantly shifting the body's position. This not only acts as an artificial massage, but also promotes blood circulation, prevents muscle atrophy, and allows for rapid healing of existing bedsores due to adequate air circulation.

[0003] In some scenarios, it may be necessary to control an independent airbag, which is equipped with an air valve. This valve can be used to control the inflation and deflation of the independent airbag. For example, to provide convenience for patients, an anti-bedsore inflatable mattress has an independent airbag at the defecation hole. When defecation is needed, the air in the airbag is discharged through the air valve. However, the air circuit structure of the existing air valve to control inflation and deflation is relatively complex, resulting in the air valve being unable to quickly switch between inflation and deflation. Moreover, due to the complex structure of the existing air valve, it is also relatively large in size, which is very detrimental to the user's operating experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems regarding the air valve structure, the present application provides an air cushion air valve, which has a simple structure and can quickly realize the switching of inflation and exhaust functions. The switching function can be completed only by the valve seat and valve cover. It is small in size and easy to operate.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems regarding the combination of air valves and mattresses, the present application also provides an inflatable mattress, in which the structure for controlling inflation and exhaust by the air valve and the structure for user operation are respectively placed inside and outside the mattress, reducing exposed pipes and making the entire inflatable mattress structure more compact and easier to store.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present application provides an air cushion valve, which includes a valve seat and a valve cover, the valve seat including a valve body, and a pair of inlet pipes and a pair of outlet pipes connected to the valve body at one end, the valve body also having a pair of air inlets respectively connected to the access ends of each of the inlet pipes, and a pair of air outlets respectively connected to the access ends of each of the outlet pipes, one of the inlet ports and one of the outlet ports forming an air inlet and outlet group, the valve body also having an exhaust channel, the exhaust channel forming an exhaust port on the surface of the valve body; the valve cover is rotatably connected to the valve body, the valve cover can be rotated and switched relative to the valve body between an inflation position and an exhaust position, the valve cover is also provided with a gas communication bridge which can connect the air inlet and the outlet of the same air inlet and outlet group in the inflation position, and connect the outlet and the exhaust port in the exhaust position.

[0007] The gas bridge, in conjunction with the three gas ports, switches between inflation and exhaust, resulting in a simple structure and ease of production and processing. Switching between inflation and exhaust is accomplished solely through the valve seat and valve cover, simplifying the valve's overall structure and reducing its size for easier operation and storage. The position of the gas bridge is controlled by turning the valve cover, making operation quick and easy.

[0008] In a preferred implementation of the air cushion air valve, the end face or side face of the valve body serves as an adjustment surface, the valve cover has a control surface that fits against the adjustment surface, the air inlet, the air outlet, and the exhaust port are formed on the adjustment surface, and the gas communication bridge is a groove or hollow channel provided on the control surface. The fit between the adjustment surface and the control surface provides a good sealing effect, and the gas communication bridge, which is a groove or hollow channel, has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

[0009] In a preferred implementation of the air cushion valve, the adjustment surface of the valve body is provided with a pair of exhaust ports, and the gas communication bridges are a pair of inflation and exhaust communication bridges. In an inlet and outlet group, along the rotational path of the inflation and exhaust communication bridges, the outlet port of the valve body is located between the exhaust port and the inlet port. In the inflation position, the inflation and exhaust communication bridges connect the inlet and outlet ports of an inlet and outlet group, while in the exhaust position, the inflation and exhaust communication bridges connect one outlet and one exhaust port. Only one pair of inflation and exhaust connection bridges is required, simplifying the structure and improving production efficiency.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the air cushion valve, the inlet and outlet ports within a given inlet and outlet group, as well as the exhaust port corresponding to that group, are sequentially arranged on a common circumference centered on the axis of the valve body. This results in a rational and uniform port layout, a simple structure, easy production, and low assembly precision requirements.

[0011] In a preferred implementation of the air cushion valve, the adjustment surface of the valve body is provided with a pair of exhaust ports, and the gas communication bridges include a pair of inflation communication bridges and a pair of exhaust communication bridges. In the inflation position, the inflation communication bridges connect the inlet and outlet ports of an inlet and outlet group, while in the exhaust position, the exhaust communication bridges connect one outlet and one exhaust port. The inflation and exhaust communication bridges function independently and do not affect each other. Switching between inflation and exhaust functions can be accomplished simply by rotating them through a certain angle, resulting in simple operation.

[0012] In a preferred implementation of the air cushion air valve, the valve body has an operating side and an adjustment side along its assembly direction, and the air cushion air valve also includes an operating member arranged on the operating side, a connecting member penetrating the valve body and connecting the valve cover and the operating member, and the operating member drives the valve cover to rotate and switch between the inflation position and the exhaust position relative to the valve body through the connecting member, the air inlet, the air outlet and the exhaust port are opened on the adjustment side of the valve body, and the valve cover is arranged on the adjustment side of the valve body.

[0013] After adopting the above structure, the user can operate the operating part on the operating side of the valve body to drive the connecting part, so that the connecting part drives the valve cover located on the adjustment side of the valve body to rotate. The valve cover completes the switching of inflation and exhaust by rotating in cooperation with the valve body, thereby realizing the separation of the operating part and the valve cover, and at the same time realizing the control of the valve cover on the adjustment side on the operating side. Therefore, the operating side of the valve body only needs to realize the operating function of the air valve, while the adjustment side of the valve body is used to complete the function of controlling the inflation and exhaust of the air valve. The operation on the operating side will not directly affect the stability and airtightness of the cooperation between the valve cover and the valve body. In other words, the user's operation on the operating side will not increase the wear between the valve cover and the valve body. Conversely, the airtightness design between the valve cover and the valve body (such as fitting friction) will not directly affect the user's operating feel, and it also reduces the design and production difficulty to a certain extent. For the operating part and valve cover of the air valve, if one of them is damaged, it can be replaced or repaired separately, which reduces the cost. Especially under the frequent operation of the user, the operating structure of the air valve is more easily damaged. For example, the operating structure is an operating part installed on the connecting part. When the operating part is damaged, the operating part can be replaced only on the operating side, which is very convenient.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the air cushion valve, the air cushion valve further comprises an elastic member. The valve cover is sleeved and slidably connected to the connecting member. The connecting member has a fixed portion at its end. The elastic member is disposed between the fixed portion and the valve cover. A first gap is defined between the fixed portion and the valve cover along the assembly direction. The elastic member can consistently abut the valve cover to ensure a continuous seal between the valve cover and the valve body. The first gap allows the valve cover to slide along the connecting member, preventing the valve cover from being too closely attached to the valve body, which could result in difficulty in rotation.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the air cushion valve, the bottom of the valve cover has a stopper sleeved on the connector, and the elastic member sleeves on the stopper. This increases the contact area between the stopper and the connector, minimizing deviation in the installation direction and ensuring a more uniform pressure applied by the elastic member to the valve cover.

[0016] In a preferred implementation of the air cushion air valve, a second gap is provided between the operating member and the valve body along the assembly direction, and the exhaust passage is connected to the second gap, so that gas can be discharged in a timely manner between the operating member and the valve body on the operating side.

[0017] In a preferred implementation of the air cushion valve, the air cushion valve further comprises a pressure plate provided on an operating side of the valve body, and the pressure plate is provided with an air release hole communicating with the exhaust channel.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the air cushion valve, the air cushion valve further comprises a spring arm disposed on the pressure plate and protruding toward the connecting member, and a protrusion disposed on a side surface of the connecting member. When the valve cover rotates between the inflation position and the deflation position, the protrusion shifts the spring arm. This provides the user with a certain amount of shifting feedback during operation to inform the user of the current position of the valve cover, and the shifting feedback can be transmitted to the user together with the audible feedback.

[0019] The present application also provides an inflatable mattress, comprising a mattress body and an air cushion valve. The mattress body is provided with a through hole communicating with the interior. The valve seat and the valve cover are disposed within the mattress body. The operating side of the valve body is fixedly connected to the inner side of the mattress body. The connecting member extends from the mattress body through the through hole and connects to the operating member. The exhaust passage is connected to the through hole. The structure for controlling the inflation and exhaust of the air valve (the valve cover) and the structure for user operation (the operating member) are respectively placed inside and outside the mattress, reducing exposed piping, making the entire inflatable mattress structure more compact and easier to store. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structural explosion of an embodiment of an air cushion air valve.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic axial view of the assembly structure of an embodiment of an air cushion air valve.

[0023] Figure 3 This is an axial schematic diagram of a valve cover in one embodiment of an air cushion air valve.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first state of an air cushion air valve in one embodiment.

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the second state of the provided air cushion valve.

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first state of another embodiment of the air cushion air valve.

[0027] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the second state of the provided air cushion valve.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembly structure of an air cushion air valve in one embodiment.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the spring arm and the protrusion in one embodiment of the air cushion air valve.

[0030] Figure 10 for Figure 8 An underside view of the valve cover in the provided air cushion valve.

[0031] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the first state of the valve cover and valve seat side fitting of an embodiment of an air cushion valve.

[0032] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the second state of the valve cover and valve seat side fitting of an embodiment of an air cushion valve.

[0033] Description of reference numerals:

[0034] 10 valve seat, 12 air inlet pipe, 13 air outlet pipe;

[0035] 20 valve body, 201 operating side, 202 adjustment side, 203 adjustment surface;

[0036] 21 air inlet, 22 air outlet, 23 exhaust channel, 24 exhaust port;

[0037] 30 connectors;

[0038] 40 valve cover, 41 control surface;

[0039] 50 gas connecting bridge, 51 charging connecting bridge, 52 exhaust connecting bridge, 53 charging and exhaust connecting bridge;

[0040] 61 elastic member, 62 fixing portion, 63 first gap, 64 limiting platform;

[0041] 70 operating member, 701 second gap, 72 pressing plate, 721 air release hole;

[0042] 81 spring arm, 82 protrusion;

[0043] 90 mattress body, 91 through hole;

[0044] 100 assembly direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In order to more clearly illustrate the overall concept of the present application, a detailed description is given below in combination with the accompanying drawings by way of examples.

[0046] It should be noted that many specific details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application is not limited to the specific implementation methods disclosed below.

[0047] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "up", "down", "left", "right", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limitations on this application.

[0048] In this application, references to "first," "second," and the like are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of these features.

[0049] Figure 1 The figure is an exploded view of a schematic embodiment of an air cushion valve. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The combined state diagram of the structure shown is as follows Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the air cushion air valve includes a valve seat 10 and a valve cover 40 .

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the valve seat 10 includes a valve body 20, and a pair of air inlet pipes 12 and a pair of air outlet pipes 13 connected to the valve body 20 at one end. Figure 6 Taking the embodiment shown as an example, Figure 6 The figure is a structural diagram of the adjustment surface 203 of the valve body. The adjustment surface 203 of the valve body 20 is provided with a pair of air inlets 21a and 21b respectively connected to the access ends of the air inlet pipes 12, and a pair of air outlets 22a and 22b respectively connected to the access ends of the air outlet pipes 13. That is, the air inlets 21a and 21b are respectively connected to the corresponding air inlet pipes 12, and the air outlets 22a and 22b are respectively connected to the corresponding air outlet pipes 13. Figure 6 As shown, an air inlet 21a and an air outlet 22a form one air inlet and outlet group, and correspondingly, an air inlet 21b and an air outlet 22b form another air inlet and outlet group. In addition, the adjustment surface 203 of the valve body 20 also has an exhaust port 24, which is connected to the exhaust channel provided in the valve body (described in detail later).

[0051] Please continue to see Figure 6 The air inlet, outlet and exhaust port are located on the adjustment surface of the valve body and can be seen at the same time. Figure 3 The gas communication bridge 50 is provided on the control surface 41 of the valve cover. When the adjustment surface 203 is in contact with the control surface 41, the gas communication bridge 50 and the valve body adjustment surface 203 cooperate to establish a closed gas passage between the two gas ports, so that the gas can only flow through the gas communication bridge, thereby realizing the gas transportation of intake or exhaust. In a specific embodiment, see Figure 1 or Figure 3 The gas communication bridge is a groove formed on the control surface of the valve cover. When the control surface and the adjustment surface are aligned, the groove serves as the only passage for gas to pass through, connecting the air inlet with the air outlet, or connecting the air outlet with the exhaust port. In other embodiments, the gas communication bridge can also be a hollow channel formed on the valve cover, with two air holes on the control surface, respectively connecting the air inlet with the air outlet, or respectively connecting the air outlet with the exhaust port, to achieve gas communication. Of course, the gas communication bridge can also take other forms, which are not limited in this application.

[0052] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the air inlet 21, the air outlet 22, and the exhaust port 24 may also be openings of pipelines extending out of the valve body 20, and may not be on the same plane, as long as the switching of charging and exhaust is satisfied. Similarly, this application does not impose any restrictions on whether the adjustment surface and the control surface are curved or flat, as long as the switching of charging and exhaust is satisfied.

[0053] In such Figure 4 and Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the physical structure of the valve cover is omitted in the schematic diagram, and only the projection of the gas communication bridge on the adjustment surface of the valve body when the valve cover and the valve body are matched is shown with a dotted line to illustrate the charging and discharging process. Figure 4 As shown, the gas communication bridge is a pair of charging and exhaust communication bridges 53, which are located on the valve body 20. Figure 4 Taking the air inlet 21, air outlet 22 and exhaust port 24 in the upper part of the figure as an example, along the rotation path of the charging and exhaust connecting bridge 53, the air outlet 22 is located between the air inlet 21 and the exhaust port 24. Figure 4 The diagram is a diagram of the valve cover in the inflation position. A pair of inflation and exhaust connecting bridges 53 are connected to the air inlet and outlet of the two air inlet and outlet groups respectively to realize inflation. Figure 4Turn the valve cover 40 in the direction of the arrow in the middle so that the valve cover 40 is in the Figure 5 The exhaust position shown in Figure 5 A pair of gas-inflating and exhausting connecting bridges are connected to an outlet and an exhaust port respectively to realize the exhaust function. This application does not require the form and number of the gas-inflating and exhausting connecting bridges, as long as the corresponding gas-inflating and exhausting functions can be switched when the two positions are switched.

[0054] Different from the implementation method in which the air inlet, air outlet and exhaust port are opened on the adjustment surface of the valve body, Figure 11 and Figure 12 The embodiment in which the adjustment surface 203 is arranged on the side of the valve body 20 is also shown, and the control surface 41 of the valve cover 40 is also arranged on the side of the valve cover 40. Figure 11 The diagram is a diagram of the valve cover in the inflation position, where a pair of inflation and exhaust connecting bridges 53 connect the air inlet 21 and the air outlet 22 of the two air inlet and outlet groups respectively to realize the inflation function. Figure 11 After turning in the direction of the arrow Figure 12 The exhaust position shown in Figure 12 A pair of charging and exhaust connecting bridges 53 in the middle respectively connect the air outlet 22 and the exhaust port 24 of the two air inlet and outlet groups to realize the exhaust function. Figure 12 The valve cover in the valve can be rotated in the opposite direction to rotate the valve cover from the exhaust position to the intake position. Figure 11 and Figure 12 Only one embodiment in which the adjustment surface is located on the side of the valve body is shown. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments in which the adjustment surface is located on the side of the valve body, such as embodiments in which the exhaust passage and the exhaust port are both opened on the valve cover, are also within the scope of protection of this application.

[0055] For Figure 4 and Figure 5 A further optimization of the illustrated embodiment is that the inlet 21, outlet 22, and exhaust port 24 of an inlet and outlet group are sequentially arranged on the same circumference with the axis of the connector 30 as the center. This eliminates the need for multiple measurements during machining of the valve body 20, facilitating machining. Furthermore, the distance between the inlet and outlet is equal to the distance between the outlet and exhaust, making it easier to design the gas communication bridge. The equal distance between the ports ensures a relatively uniform sealing distance between the edge of the gas communication bridge and each port, ensuring sealing reliability. The two inflation and exhaust groups can be arranged centrally and symmetrically relative to the axis of the connector to simplify machining and mating. Of course, this application does not limit the relative positional relationship between the two inflation and exhaust groups.

[0056] Of course, the difference between the gas communication bridge on the valve cover and the embodiment of the pair of charging and exhaust communication bridges can be seen in Figure 3 or Figure 6The gas communication bridges 50 on the control surface 41 may specifically include a pair of charging communication bridges 51 and a pair of exhaust communication bridges 52 .

[0057] Figure 6 and Figure 7 The physical structure of the valve cover is also omitted, and only the projection of the gas communication bridge on the adjustment surface of the valve body when the valve cover and the valve body are matched is represented by a dotted line to illustrate the charging and exhausting process. Figure 6 This is the corresponding schematic diagram when the valve cover is in the inflation position. Figure 7 This is the corresponding schematic diagram when the valve cover is in the exhaust position. Figure 6 A pair of gas-filled connecting bridges 51 connect the inlet 21a and outlet 22a, and the inlet 21b and outlet 22b of each inlet and outlet group. Taking the upper inlet and outlet group in the figure as an example, the inlet 21a is connected to the outlet 22a through the gas-filled connecting bridge 51, so that the gas in the upper inlet pipe 12 in the figure can enter the upper outlet pipe 13 through the inlet 21a, the gas-filled connecting bridge 51, and the outlet 22a to achieve inflation. When exhaust operation is required, the valve cover 40 can be driven along the rotating connecting member 30. Figure 6 Rotate in the direction of the arrow in the middle to move the valve cover and the charging and exhaust connecting bridges 51 and 52 thereon from Figure 6 The inflation position shown is moved to Figure 7 Exhaust location shown, Figure 7 In the embodiment, a pair of exhaust connecting bridges 52 are connected to the air outlets 22a and 22b and the corresponding exhaust ports 24 respectively. Taking the air outlet pipe 13 as an example, the gas in the air outlet pipe 13 can enter the exhaust channel through the air outlet 22a, the exhaust connecting bridge 52 and the exhaust port 24 and be discharged from the operating side of the valve body. It can be understood that when the valve cover needs to be rotated from the exhaust position to the charging position, Figure 7 Turn the valve cover in the counterclockwise direction to Figure 6 The inflation position can be adjusted.

[0058] For exhaust ducts, see Figure 8 The exhaust channel 23 is arranged inside the valve body 20 and passes through the valve body 20. One end of the exhaust channel 23 has an exhaust port 24 on the adjustment surface 203 of the valve body, and the other end extends to the other side of the valve body 20 to connect the exhaust port 24 with the other side of the valve body 20, so that the gas entering the exhaust channel 23 through the exhaust port 24 can be discharged from the other side of the valve body 20. Figure 8 The exhaust channel 23 shown is a schematic expression. Those skilled in the art will understand that the structure, quantity, and arrangement of the exhaust channel can be designed according to the actual product structure. For example, there can be one exhaust channel with two exhaust ports on the adjustment surface, or there can be two exhaust channels, each corresponding to one exhaust port. As long as the exhaust port, the exhaust connecting bridge, the exhaust port, and the exhaust channel can be connected in sequence, this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0059] In such Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the valve seat 10 includes a valve body 20, and a pair of air inlet pipes 12 and a pair of air outlet pipes 13 connected to the valve body 20 at one end. Figure 1 The direction of the arrow shown in the assembly direction 100) has an operating side 201 and an adjustment side 202, that is, the operating side 201 is Figure 1 The upper side of the middle valve body 20, the adjustment side 202 is Figure 1 The lower side of the middle valve body 20. Figure 1 The air cushion valve further includes a connector 30 and an operating member 70. The operating member 70 is disposed on the operating side 201 of the valve body 20. The air cushion valve further includes a valve cover 40 disposed on the adjustment side 202 of the valve body 20. The connector 30 can penetrate the valve body 20 and connect the operating member 70 and the valve cover 40 together. The connector 30 is rotatable relative to the valve body 20. The operating member 70 drives the connector 30 to rotate, thereby driving the valve cover 40 to rotate relative to the valve body between an inflation position and an exhaust position. This allows the valve cover 40, which controls the inflation and exhaust structure, to be separated from the operating side 201 and independently located on the adjustment side 202 of the valve body 20.

[0060] First, after adopting the above structure, the user can adjust the connecting member 30 on the operating side 201 of the valve body 20 so that the connecting member 30 drives the valve cover 40 located on the adjustment side 202 of the valve body to rotate, for example Figure 1 In the embodiment shown in , the valve cover 40 can be controlled by using an operating member 70 in conjunction with the connecting member 30. The valve cover 40 completes the switching of charging and exhausting by rotating in conjunction with the valve body 20, thereby realizing the separation of the operating structure of the air valve and the structure for controlling charging and exhausting, and at the same time realizing the control of the valve cover on the adjustment side on the operating side. Therefore, only the operating function of the air valve needs to be realized on the operating side of the valve body, while the function of controlling charging and exhausting of the air valve is completed on the adjustment side of the valve body. The operation on the operating side will not directly affect the stability and air tightness of the cooperation between the valve cover and the valve body. In other words, the user's operation on the operating side will not increase the wear between the valve cover and the valve body. Conversely, the airtightness design between the valve cover and the valve body (such as fitting friction) will not directly affect the user's operating feel, and it also reduces the design and production difficulty to a certain extent.

[0061] Secondly, if either the valve operating member or the valve cover is damaged, it can be replaced or repaired separately, reducing costs. This is especially true for valve operating members, which are more susceptible to damage due to frequent operation. If a damaged operating member is damaged, it can be replaced simply on the operating side, making it very convenient.

[0062] Finally, the separation of the valve operating structure from the inflation / exhaust control mechanism enables a more direct connection between the air mattress and the valve. Specifically, the valve's inflation / exhaust control mechanism (valve cover and valve body) can be located inside the mattress, enabling inflation / exhaust of the air inside the air mattress without requiring external piping, making the mattress more compact and easier to store. A connector extending from the operating side of the valve body can extend outward from the mattress or connect to an operating member on the outside of the mattress, enabling operation from outside the mattress. The mattress body can be installed between the valve body and the operating mechanism, which neither interferes with the rotation of the operating mechanism nor the sealing and inflation / exhaust control mechanism. Furthermore, the valve can be secured to a fixed position on the air mattress, ensuring optimal use. With the mattress installed between the valve body and the operating mechanism, the mating portion of the valve cover and valve body located inside the mattress provides a degree of protection, making this portion less susceptible to damage. Furthermore, the operating mechanism, exposed to the outside of the mattress, can be readily replaced if damaged. On the other hand, the valve seat of the air valve can be fixedly arranged inside the mattress, so that the valve seat will not rotate relative to the mattress. When operating, the user can complete the screwing of the operating structure on the operating side with only one hand, making the operation very simple.

[0063] Figure 8 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of an air mattress is shown. A mattress body 90 is provided with a through-hole 91 communicating with its interior. The operating side of the valve seat is fixedly connected to the inner side of the mattress body. The exhaust passage on the operating side of the valve body communicates with the through-hole to effectively exhaust air from the mattress. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various connection methods, such as bolting and adhesive bonding, can be used to connect the valve seat to the mattress body, and this application does not impose any limitations thereon.

[0064] In such Figure 8In a specific embodiment shown, the valve cover 40 is sleeved on the connecting member 30 and can slide relative to the connecting member. A fixing portion 62 is provided at one end of the connecting member 30 that extends downwardly from the valve cover 40. The fixing portion 62 can be a gasket connected to the connecting member 30 by bolts. The other end of the connecting member 30 can pass through the valve body 20 and be fixedly connected to the operating member 70 to prevent the connecting member 30 from escaping from the valve seat 10 to the side of the valve cover 40. The air cushion air valve also provides an elastic member 61 between the fixing portion 62 and the valve cover 40. The elastic member 61 is fixedly connected to the fixing portion 62. The elastic member 61 is compressed between the fixing portion 62 and the valve cover 40 to maintain a certain elastic potential energy. The elastic member 61 can maintain a certain resistance pressure on the valve cover 40, so that the control surface of the valve cover 40 can fit the adjustment surface of the valve body, so that a good fit and seal is maintained between the control surface and the adjustment surface, and a good sealing effect can be continuously maintained even when the valve cover 40 switches between the inflation position and the exhaust position. A first gap 63 is reserved between the fixing portion 62 and the valve cover 40. This first gap 63 allows the valve cover 40 to move relative to the connector 30 along the connector's axis when the valve cover 40 rotates and switches. This first gap 63 can, to a certain extent, prevent the valve cover 40 from being too tightly fitted to the valve body, which can cause rotational difficulties. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the elastic member can also be made of an elastic material such as polyurethane. When the elastic member is a spring, the spring can be mounted on the connector or multiple springs can be provided around the connector, as long as the spring can effectively push the valve cover. The term "pressing" as used herein refers to abutting and pressing.

[0065] For Figure 8 The embodiment shown is further optimized in that the bottom of the valve cover 40 has a limit platform 64 sleeved on the connecting member 30, and the elastic member 61 is sleeved on the limit platform. Figure 10 By setting a limit platform, the contact area between the valve cover and the connecting piece can be made larger, and the limit platform extends axially along the connecting piece, which can make the positioning between the valve cover and the connecting piece more accurate when the valve cover is sleeved on the connecting piece, and can minimize or avoid positional deviation of the valve cover, connecting piece and valve seat during assembly. By sleeve-mounting the elastic part on the limit platform, the elastic part can be fully in contact with the valve cover, which is conducive to ensuring that the elastic potential energy of the elastic part acts on the valve cover in full, and can evenly apply force to the valve cover by sleeve-mounting, so that the pressure sealing effect is more uniform and more effective.

[0066] For the operating member 70, see Figure 8 , a second gap 701 is left between the operating member 70 and the valve body 20 on the operating side. On the one hand, the gas transported to the operating side through the exhaust channel can be discharged to the outside through the second gap in a timely manner; on the other hand, the second gap between the operating member and the valve body can avoid sliding friction between the operating member and the valve body to a certain extent. Figure 8In the specific embodiment shown, a second gap can be reserved between the operating room and the pressure plate, and gas can pass through the vent holes on the pressure plate and then be discharged to the outside through the second gap. Of course, in addition to the method of reserving a second gap, holes can also be opened on the operating member for ventilation.

[0067] Please continue to see Figure 8 The air cushion valve also includes a pressure plate 72 provided on the operating side of the valve body. The pressure plate is provided with an air release hole 721 connected to the exhaust channel. By providing the pressure plate, the mattress body fabric can be clamped between the pressure plate and the valve seat to achieve a fixed connection. Through the fixed connection, the valve seat will not move relative to the mattress body. By adjusting the operating member on the operating side, the valve cover on the adjustment side can be adjusted to achieve the switching of inflation and exhaust. Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the pressure plate is provided with a vent hole 721, which is connected to the exhaust channel so that the gas in the exhaust channel can be discharged from the valve through the vent hole. Figure 8 In addition to the separate vent holes shown, in another embodiment, a gas passageway allowing gas to pass through can be formed between the pressure plate and the valve body. A spring arm provided on the pressure plate has a slit allowing gas to pass through. The passageway between the pressure plate and the valve body can connect the exhaust passageway and the slit, so that gas exhausted from the exhaust passageway is discharged from the operating side of the valve body through the gas passageway and the slit. Of course, other methods can be used to discharge gas from the pressure plate side of the valve body, as long as the gas in the exhaust passageway can be discharged from the operating side of the valve body.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment, the air cushion valve further includes a spring arm 81 disposed on the pressure plate 72 and a protrusion 82 disposed on the side of the connecting member 30. When the valve cover rotates between the inflation position and the exhaust position, the protrusion moves the spring arm. The contact between the spring arm and the protrusion can provide a toggle feedback to the user's hand, informing the user whether the toggle has reached the desired position. For details, please refer to Figure 9 The spring arm 81 is a spring arm provided on the pressure plate and protruding from the connecting member, and the protrusion 82 is a protrusion provided on the connecting member. When the connecting member rotates, the protrusion on it can move the two spring arms. Figure 9 As shown in the figure, the valve cover is in the inflation position. The connector rotates counterclockwise in the figure, first actuating the first spring arm, generating a tactile feedback and a crisp sound. The connector continues to rotate counterclockwise, actuating the second spring arm, generating a second tactile feedback and a second crisp sound. The connector then drives the valve cover to rotate to the exhaust position, completing the inflation and exhaust switching process. Of course, this application does not impose any restrictions on the number and shape of the spring arms and protrusions, as long as they can provide the user with a feedback signal when switching between the inflation and exhaust positions.

[0069] The technical solutions protected by this application are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. It should be noted that the combination of the technical solutions of any one embodiment with the technical solutions of one or more other embodiments falls within the scope of protection of this application. Although this application has been described in detail above using general descriptions and specific embodiments, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications or improvements can be made based on this application. Therefore, these modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of this application fall within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

Claims

1. An air cushion valve, characterized in that: include: A valve seat, the valve seat comprising a valve body, and a pair of air inlet pipes and a pair of air outlet pipes connected to the valve body at one end, the valve body further comprising a pair of air inlets respectively connected to the access ends of the air inlet pipes, and a pair of air outlets respectively connected to the access ends of the air outlet pipes, one air inlet and one air outlet forming an air inlet and outlet group, the valve body further comprising an exhaust channel, the exhaust channel forming an exhaust port on the surface of the valve body; A valve cover is rotatably connected to the valve body, and the valve cover can be rotated relative to the valve body between an inflation position and a deflation position. The valve cover is also provided with a gas communication bridge that can connect the air inlet and the air outlet of the same air inlet and outlet group in the inflation position, and connect the air outlet and the exhaust port in the deflation position. The valve cover and the valve body are located inside the mattress, and can be used to inflate and exhaust the air inside the air mattress without connecting to an external pipeline. The valve body has an operating side and an adjustment side along its assembly direction. The air cushion air valve also includes an operating member arranged on the operating side, and a connecting member that penetrates the valve body and connects the valve cover and the operating member; the operating member cooperates with the connecting member to realize control of the valve cover; the air cushion air valve also includes an elastic member, the valve cover is sleeved and can be slidably connected to the connecting member, the end of the connecting member has a fixing part, the elastic member is arranged between the fixing part and the valve cover, and a first gap is provided between the fixing part and the valve cover along the assembly direction.

2. The air cushion valve according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end face or side face of the valve body is an adjustment surface, the valve cover has a control surface that can fit the adjustment surface, the air inlet, the air outlet, and the exhaust port are opened on the adjustment surface, and the gas communication bridge is a groove or hollow channel arranged on the control surface.

3. The air cushion valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment surface of the valve body is provided with a pair of exhaust ports. The gas communication bridge is a pair of charging and discharging communication bridges. In an air intake and outlet group, along the rotation path of the charging and exhaust connecting bridge, the air outlet of the valve body is located between the exhaust port and the air intake port. The charging and exhaust connecting bridge at the charging position connects the air inlet and the air outlet of an air intake and outlet group, and the charging and exhaust connecting bridge at the exhaust position connects one of the air outlets and one of the exhaust ports.

4. The air cushion valve according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air inlet, the air outlet in the same air inlet and outlet group, and the exhaust port corresponding to the air inlet and outlet group are sequentially arranged on the same circumference with the axis of the valve body as the center.

5. The air cushion valve according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment surface of the valve body is provided with a pair of exhaust ports. The gas communication bridge includes a pair of inflation communication bridges and a pair of exhaust communication bridges. The inflation communication bridge at the inflation position connects the air inlet and the air outlet of an air inlet and outlet group, and the exhaust communication bridge at the exhaust position connects one air outlet and one exhaust port.

6. An air cushion valve according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The operating member drives the valve cover to rotate and switch between the inflation position and the exhaust position relative to the valve body through the connecting member. The air inlet, the air outlet and the exhaust port are opened on the adjustment side of the valve body, and the valve cover is arranged on the adjustment side of the valve body.

7. The air cushion valve according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the valve cover is provided with a limiting platform sleeved on the connecting piece, and the elastic piece is sleeved on the limiting platform.

8. The air cushion valve according to claim 6, characterized in that: A second gap is defined between the operating member and the valve body along the assembly direction, and the exhaust passage is connected to the second gap.

9. The air cushion valve according to claim 6, characterized in that: The air cushion air valve further includes a pressure plate arranged on the operating side of the valve body, and the pressure plate is provided with an air release hole communicating with the exhaust channel.

10. The air cushion valve according to claim 9, characterized in that: The air cushion air valve further includes a spring arm provided on the pressure plate and protruding toward the connecting member, and a protrusion provided on a side surface of the connecting member. When the valve cover rotates and switches between the inflation position and the exhaust position, the protrusion shifts the spring arm.

11. An air mattress, characterized in that: include: A mattress body, wherein the mattress body is provided with a through hole communicating with the interior, and The air cushion valve according to claim 6, wherein the valve seat and the valve cover are arranged inside the mattress body, the operating side of the valve body is fixedly connected to the inner side surface of the mattress body, the connecting member extends out of the mattress body through the through hole and is connected to the operating member, and the exhaust channel is connected to the through hole on the operating side of the valve body.

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