air bed

Abstract

To provide an air bed which provides good feeling in a bed, has resistance for wet, and whose volume can be reduced by exhausting air sealed therein in non use time, the air bed capable of being reduced in an air sealing amount relative to a rectangular solid air bed having a same height even when, a sleeping plane is raised, and being also excellent in stability.SOLUTION: An air bed 100 comprises: a frame body part 10 extending upward to an installation plane and continuous in a circumferential direction; and a top face part 20 covering a top end opening of the frame body part 10. The frame body part 10 is formed of a first air body in which, air can be sealed. A height dimension from a lower end face of the frame body part 10 to a top face part 20, is 30 cm or greater, and a thickness dimension of the frame body part 10 is 4 cm or greater.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an air bed, and more particularly to an air bed that has excellent stability while having a reduced amount of gas sealed in compared to conventional rectangular parallelepiped air beds. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, blankets and cardboard beds were the most common bedding used in evacuation shelters during disasters. These bedding items were sometimes stockpiled at the shelter before the disaster occurred, and sometimes delivered as relief supplies after the disaster.

[0003] The cardboard beds used in place of futons are bulky, making them difficult to pack and transport, and they are difficult to handle. Furthermore, cardboard beds lose their strength when wet and are prone to mold growth. Furthermore, because cardboard beds are designed to be strong enough to maintain their shape even when a person lies on them, they can be hard and uncomfortable to sleep on.

[0004] To address the problems associated with cardboard beds, air beds, which can be inflated by sealing gas inside, are expected to be used as bedding in evacuation shelters as an alternative to cardboard beds. Air beds can be reduced in bulk by venting the gas inside them as needed when not in use, making them easy to handle during packaging, storage, and transportation. However, air beds require the use of an air pump or other device to supply gas to the inside of the bed when in use. In particular, air mattresses have traditionally been generally rectangular in shape, and rectangular air beds of an appropriate size for use as beds are typically pumped with an electric pump. However, in the event of a disaster, electricity may be unavailable, posing the problem of requiring considerable time and effort to manually inflate the air. Therefore, air beds have been practically unsuitable as bedding in evacuation shelters where bedding must be provided to a large number of people.

[0005] In response to this, Patent Document 1 proposes an air bed (hereinafter also referred to as Prior Art 1) that includes an air bag that forms a surface on which a person lies and a plurality of columnar air supports arranged along the length of the bed on the underside of the air bag. More specifically, Prior Art 1 includes plate-shaped air supports of a predetermined thickness that extend along the short sides of the rectangular air bag in a plan view and are arranged in parallel along the length of the bed, with belts connecting the air supports to the underside of the air supports. It is explained that the belts are configured to prevent the air bed from sagging. In other words, when gravity is applied, such as when a person lies on the top of the air bag, the belts maintain a distance between the air supports (especially the air supports arranged at both ends of the bed in the length direction) so that they pull on each other, presumably preventing the centers of the air bags from sagging downward.

[0006] Prior Art 1 is made of non-breathable materials, making it resistant to water, and when the air inside is expelled, it reduces in volume, making it easy to pack and transport. Prior Art 1 also makes it possible to reduce the volume of the inner chamber where the gas is sealed compared to an air bed made of a single rectangular parallelepiped. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-131760 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, the above-mentioned prior art 1 has the following problems. In the configuration of Prior Art 1, when a load is applied vertically downward from the top side of the air bag, the presence of the belt prevents the air bag from bending, making it possible to use it as a bed, but when a load is applied to the air bag in a direction other than vertically downward, the upper ends of the multiple air cradles (near the joint between the air cradles) or the middle part in the vertical direction bend, causing the multiple air cradles to tilt and crush the entire bed. In other words, when the user lies down or turns over in their sleep, it is difficult for the air cradle to be firmly supported with the air bed of Prior Art 1, making it insufficient in stability.

[0009] However, evacuation shelters such as gymnasiums tend to be dusty and unhygienic due to the large number of people who spend long periods of time there and the difficulty of cleaning them. To address this issue, it is desirable to raise the sleeping surface (the upper surface of the air bed) above the floor to a moderate level. Furthermore, air beds with a moderate sleeping surface height are also desirable because they make it easier for elderly people to get up and fall asleep. In contrast, while it is easy to design a conventional rectangular parallelepiped air bed to ensure a certain height from the floor to the sleeping surface, this further increases the volume of the air bed's interior, and the labor and time required to seal the gas inside the air bed increases. Also, with Prior Art 1, it is possible to increase the height of the sleeping surface by increasing the vertical length of the legs (i.e., the air support), but the longer the legs are, the less stable the air bed becomes, and the more likely it is to tilt or collapse during use.

[0010] The present invention was made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems. That is, the present invention provides an air bed that is comfortable to sleep on, resistant to water, and can be reduced in volume by venting the gas sealed inside when not in use, and even when the sleeping surface is raised, the amount of gas sealed inside can be reduced compared to a rectangular air bed of the same height, and the air bed also has excellent stability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The air bed of the present invention has a frame portion that extends upward relative to the installation surface and is continuous in the circumferential direction, and an upper surface portion that covers the upper end opening of the frame portion. It is an air bed that The frame body is composed of a first air body capable of sealing gas inside, and the height dimension from the lower end surface of the frame body to the upper surface is 30 cm or more, and in the design dimensions before air is sealed into the air body and expanded, the frame body has a constant thickness in the vertical direction, the thickness dimension being 4 cm or more, and when the air bed is observed in the longitudinal direction, the vertical cross section of the frame body is a long rectangle in the vertical direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, the air bed of the present invention has a frame body made of a first air mass, an upper surface portion covering the upper opening of the frame body, and is configured so that the user lies on the upper surface. The air bed of the present invention is configured so that the upper surface portion is supported by the frame body, and because the inside of the frame body is empty, the volume of the internal chamber for sealing in gas is smaller than that of a rectangular parallelepiped air bed of the same height. Therefore, the labor and time required for sealing in gas during use is reduced. Furthermore, because the upper surface portion is supported by a circumferentially continuous frame body, stability is good, and tilting during use is unlikely to occur, even when the sleeping surface is set at a sufficiently high height. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an air bed according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2A is a cross-sectional view of the air bed shown in FIG. 1 taken along line AA, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the air bed shown in FIG. 1 taken along line BB. [Figure 3] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the air bed shown in FIG. 1 taken along line CC. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an air bed according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the air bed shown in FIG. 4 taken along line DD. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a modified example of the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of an air bed according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7A taken along line EE. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an air bed of Comparative Example 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all drawings, similar components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted where appropriate. The various components of the present invention do not necessarily exist independently of one another; it is acceptable for multiple components to be formed as a single member, for one component to be formed from multiple members, for one component to be part of another component, or for part of one component to overlap with part of another component. The following definitions apply to several terms used in the description of the present invention. In the present invention, the term "up-down direction" refers to the top-to-bottom direction when the air bed is placed on a surface. The first and second air bodies used in the present invention may be collectively referred to as "air bodies." The dimensions of the air bed or each of its constituent parts (height dimension t1, thickness dimension t2, short side dimension t3, long side dimension t4, thickness dimension t5) shown in the following description all refer to the design dimensions before air is sealed into the air body and inflated. An air bed that has been inflated and can be used as a bed due to the sealing of gas into the air body may vary by several centimeters from its design dimensions due to the inflation of the air body.

[0015] [First embodiment] An air bed 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the air bed 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of the air bed 100 shown in Figure 1 taken along line AA, and Figure 2B is a cross-sectional view of the air bed 100 shown in Figure 1 taken along line BB. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air bed 100 shown in Figure 1 taken along line CC.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the air bed 100 comprises a frame body portion 10 that extends upward from the placement surface and is continuous in the circumferential direction, and an upper surface portion 20 that covers the upper end opening of the frame body portion 10. The frame 10 is composed of a first air body that can be filled with gas and expands to become stable and self-standing. In the present invention, the height t1, which is the distance from the bottom surface of the frame 10 to the top surface of the upper surface 20, is 30 cm or more, and the thickness t2 of the frame 10 is 4 cm or more. As described above, the air bed 100 has the upper surface 20 supported by the frame 10, which has a sufficient thickness t2 and is continuous in the circumferential direction. This allows a person lying on the upper surface 20 to maintain a stable upright position. Furthermore, the present invention provides a sufficiently high height t1, which prevents or minimizes the inhalation of dust and other particles from the floor when the air bed 100 is used in an evacuation shelter or other similar location. Furthermore, the air bed is also provided with a height that makes it easy for elderly people to get on and off. The first air body and the air body constituting the second air body described below have an internal chamber capable of sealing a gas therein, and expand when the gas is sealed in the internal chamber. The air body used in the present invention is made of an air-impermeable sheet having a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm, and therefore the volume of the internal chamber is approximately the same as the volume calculated from the external dimensions of the air body, and for convenience, these will be described as the same.

[0017] The air bed 100 of this embodiment has an opening 14 on the lower end surface in its overall shape, and the upper surface side forms a cylindrical body with the lower end open and closed by the upper surface part 20. The space surrounded by the installation surface, the frame body part 10, and the upper surface part 20 is the external space. In other words, the air bed 100 is a cylindrical body with the opening 14 located on the lower surface side. Compared to a rectangular parallelepiped air bed that has the same height as the height dimension t1 of the air bed 100 and the same base area as the area defined by the outer edge of the cross section of the frame body 10, the air bed 100 requires a smaller amount of enclosed gas, thereby reducing the time and effort required for installation. Note that the volume calculated from the height dimension t1 of the air bed 100 and the area defined by the outer edge of the cross section of the frame body 10 will hereinafter be referred to as the "virtual volume calculated from the outer dimensions of the air bed 100" or simply as the "virtual volume."

[0018] From the viewpoint of further reducing the time and effort required for installation, it is preferable that the total volume of each air body that constitutes air bed 100 is 85% or less of the virtual volume calculated from the external dimensions of air bed 100, more preferably 75% or less, even more preferably 65% ​​or less, and particularly preferably 50% or less.

[0019] The size of the air bed 100 can be determined as appropriate, but from the perspective of providing an air bed that can be used by adult men in evacuation shelters, the following dimension range is preferable. That is, the height dimension t1 is 30 cm or more, preferably 35 cm or more, and more preferably 40 cm or more. The upper limit of the height dimension t1 is not particularly limited, but from the perspective of preventing injuries from falls and making it easy to get on and off the upper surface portion 20, it is preferably 60 cm or less, and more preferably 50 cm or less. A bed height within the above range allows for sufficient distance between the user of the air bed 100 and the surface on which it is placed, which is preferable from the perspectives of hygiene and ease of getting on and off. Furthermore, the short side dimension t3 of the cross section of the frame body portion 10 is preferably 65 cm or more and 100 cm or less, more preferably 70 cm or more and 95 cm or less, and even more preferably 75 cm or more and 90 cm or less. Furthermore, the longitudinal dimension t4 of the cross section of the frame body portion 10 is preferably 180 cm or more and 210 cm or less, and more preferably 185 cm or more and 200 cm or less. As shown in Fig. 3, the outer edge of the frame body 10 in this embodiment is rectangular in cross section, with the short dimension t3 being the length of the short side of the rectangle and the long dimension t4 being the length of the long side of the rectangle. However, the present invention also encompasses air beds having frame body parts whose outer edge in cross section is other than rectangular (for example, elliptical). When the outer edge in cross section of the frame body 10 is non-rectangular, such as elliptical, the short dimension described above can be interpreted as the length of the short axis, and the long dimension as the length of the long axis.

[0020] The air bed 100 functions as a bed when gas is sealed in the air body and the air body is inflated. When the air bed 100 is filled with gas to an extent that it can be used as a bed, the height (distance from the lower end surface of the frame body 10 to the upper surface 20) of the air bed 100 is preferably 30 cm or more, more preferably 35 cm or more, even more preferably 35 cm or more, and even more preferably 40 cm or more. If the bed height is within the above range, a sufficient distance can be maintained between the user of the air bed 100 and the surface on which it is placed, which is preferable from the standpoint of hygiene and ease of getting on and off.

[0021] When not in use, the air bed 100 can be made compact by releasing the gas from the air mass, reducing its volume and making it easy to handle for storage, transport, etc. The volume of the air bed 100 when it is compacted after the gas has been released varies depending on the dimensions of the air bed 100 and the thickness of the members (sheets) that make up the air bed 100, but an air bed with dimensions within the preferred range described above and made of sheet-like members with a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm can have a volume of, for example, 40 L or less when not in use.

[0022] (Top part) Next, the upper surface portion 20 will be described. In this embodiment, the upper surface portion 20 is made of a second air body that can seal gas inside. That is, in the air bed 100 of this embodiment, not only the frame body portion 10 but also the upper surface portion 20 is made of air. Therefore, the air bed 100 has high cushioning properties and is comfortable to sleep on, and when a user lies down on the air bed 100, excessive downward sinking of the upper surface portion 20 is effectively prevented.

[0023] The second air body may be made of a flexible, non-breathable material such as a resin sheet. From the viewpoint of good processability, a sheet member made of a thermoplastic resin that can be fused or welded is preferred. More specifically, examples include a thermoplastic polyurethane resin (TPU) sheet, a polyvinyl chloride resin (PVC) sheet, and a laminated sheet (including tarpaulin) in which a thermoplastic polyurethane resin or a polyvinyl chloride resin is laminated on at least one side of a fabric. For example, by using a laminated sheet in which a resin is laminated on one side of a fabric and using the fabric surface as the exposed surface to create the second air body, the feel of the upper surface portion 20 can be improved, providing even better sleeping comfort.

[0024] The shape of the second air body constituting the upper surface portion 20 is not particularly limited, but generally, by making the shape the same as or similar to the shape of the frame portion 10 when viewed from above, it is possible to provide an air bed 100 with a sense of unity. Furthermore, the thickness dimension t5 of the second air body constituting the upper surface portion 20 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of providing sufficient stability and a comfortable sleeping experience, it is preferably 3 cm or more, more preferably 4 cm or more, and even more preferably 5 cm or more. In this embodiment, the thickness t2 of the first air body and the thickness t5 of the second air body are the same dimension.

[0025] The second air body and the first air body constituting the frame portion 10 connected thereto may have separate internal chambers or may be connected to each other in a manner that allows ventilation. In this embodiment, the first air body constituting the frame portion 10 and the second air body constituting the upper surface portion 20 are connected to each other in a manner that allows ventilation. Therefore, only one air inlet 12 can be provided at any location in the air body, and gas can be sealed into both the frame portion 10 and the upper surface portion 20 through this air inlet 12. Of course, the present invention does not prohibit the provision of two or more air inlets 12 for filling the air body with gas. A sealing plug 12a is provided in the air inlet 12 to prevent the air sealed inside the air body from escaping.

[0026] (Frame part) Next, the frame body 10 will be described. The frame 10 is configured with a first air body that can be filled with gas and that can support the upper surface 20 when in an expanded state with the gas filled. As shown in Fig. 3, the frame 10 is continuous in the circumferential direction when viewed from above. Therefore, when a user lies on the upper surface 20, the frame 10 is less likely to bend like the legs in Prior Art 1, and exhibits excellent stability.

[0027] The first air body constituting the frame portion 10 is made of a flexible, non-breathable material such as a resin sheet, and is resistant to water. The details of this material are the same as those of the second air body constituting the upper surface portion 20 described above, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted here. The first air body and the second air body may be made of the same material or different materials, but from the viewpoint of improving processability, it is preferable that they be made of the same material.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the frame 10 in this embodiment has a generally rectangular outer shape when viewed in cross section. That is, the frame 10 in this embodiment is a cylindrical body with a rectangular cross section, with the upper opening covered by the upper surface 20 and the lower opening having an opening 14. The thickness t2 of the first air body is 4 cm or more, and from the viewpoint of providing a better sense of stability, it is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 7 cm or more, and even more preferably 9 cm or more. Meanwhile, there is no particular upper limit to the thickness of the first air body constituting the frame 10, but from the viewpoint of providing good stability while sufficiently reducing the total volume of the air bodies constituting the air bed 100 relative to the virtual volume described above, it is preferably 20 cm or less, more preferably 18 cm or less, and even more preferably 15 cm or less.

[0029] (fishing cloth) The air body in this embodiment is provided with a fishing cloth 30 inside. The fishing cloth 30 is a sheet member of a predetermined width that spans between the opposing inner circumferential surfaces inside the air body. The fishing cloth 30 is bonded to one inner circumferential surface and the opposing inner circumferential surface. When gas is sealed inside the air body, the distance between the opposing inner circumferential surfaces at the location where the fishing cloth 30 is provided is maintained within the width of the fishing cloth 30. This prevents the entire air body from expanding too much and becoming unnecessarily rounded. Instead of providing the fishing cloth 30, the opposing inner circumferential surfaces inside the air body may be directly bonded at predetermined locations. However, in this case, the unevenness of the surface of the air body may become more pronounced, reducing comfort or making the air body more prone to bending at the recessed portions.

[0030] In this embodiment, the fishing cloth 30 may be provided with one or more through holes, or at least one of the longitudinal ends of the fishing cloth 30 may be positioned so as to be spaced apart from the inner surface of the air body, so that the interior of the air body is not divided into multiple spaces completely separated by the fishing cloth 30. This creates an air passage 32 that allows ventilation between the end and the inner surface of the air body, ensuring breathability throughout the entire interior of the air body.

[0031] The fishing cloth 30 is preferably provided inside at least one of the first air body and the second air body, and more preferably both. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 2A, and 3, the fishing cloth 30 is provided inside both the first air body and the second air body. In this embodiment, the fishing cloth 30 provided inside the first air body constituting the frame body 10 is a sheet member having a width approximately equal to the thickness dimension t2 of the frame body 10, and extends in the vertical direction. Multiple such fishing cloths 30 are provided, and are arranged in parallel in the circumferential direction of the frame body 10. In this way, by providing multiple fishing cloths 30 extending in the vertical direction inside the first air body in the circumferential direction, it is preferable because it prevents the frame body 10 from bending in the vertical middle when a load is applied from above.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fishing cloth 30 provided inside the second air body constituting the upper surface portion 20 is a sheet member having a width approximately equal to the thickness dimension t5 of the upper surface portion 20, and extends along the short side of the upper surface portion 20, which is rectangular in plan view. Multiple such fishing cloths 30 are provided, and are arranged side by side along the long side of the upper surface portion 20. By providing multiple fishing cloths 30 extending in the short side direction and in the long side direction inside the second air body in this way, when a user lies down on the upper surface portion 20, the mat shape can be maintained while providing sufficient strength to support the person.

[0033] [Second embodiment] An air bed 120 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 4 and 5, and an air bed 140 according to a modified example of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the air bed 120 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the air bed 120 shown in Figure 4 taken along line DD. Figure 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the air bed 140 according to a modified example of the second embodiment.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4, the air bed 120 includes a frame portion 11 that extends upward relative to the installation surface and continues in the circumferential direction, and an upper surface portion 25 that covers the upper end opening of the frame portion 11. The frame portion 11 is made up of a first air body that can seal gas inside, and can stand on its own stably by expanding with the gas sealed inside.

[0035] The frame body 11 in this embodiment is configured similarly to the frame body 10 in the first embodiment, except that the upper and lower end openings are covered by the sheet members, upper surface 25 and lower surface 40. Therefore, for the frame body 11, the description of the frame body 10 in the first embodiment should be referred to as appropriate, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0036] The upper surface portion 25 of this embodiment differs from the air bed 100 of the first embodiment in that it is made of a sheet body rather than an air body. The sheet body constituting the upper surface portion 25 is the surface on which the user of the air bed 100 lies, and is therefore preferably made of a material strong enough to withstand such pressure. The sheet body may be made of fabric such as woven fabric or mesh fabric, or may be made of a resin sheet. Examples of the resin sheet include a thermoplastic polyurethane resin sheet, a vinyl chloride resin sheet, and a laminated sheet (including tarpaulin) in which a thermoplastic polyurethane resin or a vinyl chloride resin is laminated on at least one side of a fabric. When the sheet body of the upper surface portion 25 is made of such a laminated sheet, it is preferable to use it so that the fabric is on the upper surface side, from the viewpoint of providing a bed that is comfortable to the user.

[0037] 5, the air bed 120 of this embodiment is provided with a lower surface portion 40 that covers the lower end opening of the frame body portion 11. The lower surface portion 40 is preferably made of a sheet. The sheet provided on the lower surface portion 40 corresponds to the installation surface of the air bed 120, and is therefore preferably made of a waterproof resin sheet. Examples of such resin sheets include a thermoplastic polyurethane resin sheet, a vinyl chloride resin sheet, and a laminated sheet (including tarpaulin) in which a thermoplastic polyurethane resin or a vinyl chloride resin is laminated on at least one side of a fabric. As described above, the air bed 120 of this embodiment has both the upper and lower openings of the frame body 11 covered with sheet members, forming a hollow body with an internal main body hollow section 42. In this air bed 120, at least one of the frame body 11, the upper surface section 25, and the lower surface section 40 is provided with an air vent 27 that ventilates the main body hollow section 42 of the air bed 120 and allows ventilation between the air bed 120 and the outside.

[0038] When air is injected into the first air mass constituting the frame body 11 through the air supply holes 12 provided in the frame body 11 and the frame body 11 expands to stand up, air flows into the hollow body 42 through the air vents 27, and the upper surface 25 and lower surface 40 each become roughly stretched in response to the expansion of the frame body 11. When the injection of gas into the frame body 11 is completed, the air bed 120 is completed, having an internal hollow body 42 surrounded by the frame body 11, the upper surface 25, and the lower surface 40. In other words, the air bed 120 can also have gas flow into the hollow body 42 simply by sealing the air into the frame body 11, thereby providing an air bed with a volume substantially equal to the virtual volume calculated from the external dimensions of the air bed 120.

[0039] After the operation of sealing the gas in the frame body 11 is completed, the air supply hole 12 is sealed with a sealing plug 12a to prevent the sealed gas from leaking to the outside. On the other hand, since the upper surface 25 is supported by the expanded frame body 11, the air vent 27 does not necessarily need to be provided with a sealing plug. Of course, a sealing plug may also be provided for the air vent 27. For example, in order to adjust the degree of inflation of the entire air bed 120 to the user's preference, after the air bed 120 is completed by inflating the frame portion 11, gas may be artificially sealed into the main body hollow portion 42 through the air vent 27, and the air vent 27 may be sealed with a sealing plug (not shown) to maintain this state. Note that the sheets constituting the upper surface portion 25 and the lower surface portion 40 may be either breathable or non-breathable. However, particularly in the case where the air vent 27 is sealed with a sealing plug, it is preferable that both the sheets constituting the upper surface portion 25 and the lower surface portion 40 be non-breathable. This allows the air bed 120 to be a hollow body with an airtight interior space.

[0040] The first air body constituting the frame body 11 is preferably provided with a fishing cloth 30 inside, as with the frame body 10 in the first embodiment, to prevent the frame body 11 from expanding too much in the horizontal direction. In addition, in this embodiment, since the upper surface 25 is made of a sheet body, it is more preferable that the fishing cloth 30 extending in the vertical direction prevents bending in the vertical direction.

[0041] The thickness dimension t2 of the frame body 11 is 4 cm or more, and from the viewpoint of providing a better sense of stability, it is preferably 5 cm or more, more preferably 7 cm or more, and even more preferably 9 cm or more. On the other hand, there is no particular upper limit to the thickness dimension t2 of the first air body constituting the frame body 11. For example, because the upper surface portion 25 is a sheet body, even if the thickness dimension t2 of the frame body 11 is sufficiently ensured, from the viewpoint of being able to sufficiently reduce the ratio of the volume of the air body (first air body) provided in the air bed 120 to the virtual volume calculated from the external dimensions of the air bed 120, it is preferably 25 cm or less, more preferably 20 cm or less, and even more preferably 18 cm or less.

[0042] The air bed 120 of this embodiment described above has been described as having a frame portion 11 made of a first air body and an upper surface portion 25 and a lower surface portion 40 made of a sheet body. However, as a variation of this embodiment, the present invention also includes an embodiment that does not have a lower surface portion 40, such as the air bed 140 shown in Figure 6.

[0043] The air bed 140 does not have a bottom surface 40, but has an opening 14 at its bottom end. When the frame body 11 is inflated, the top surface 25, which is made of a sheet, follows suit and becomes taut. Because it has an opening 14 at its bottom end, there is no particular need for an air vent 27 to allow air to flow inside. The air bed 140 has a very simple configuration, which reduces the effort and time required to seal in gas when in use, and also reduces the overall volume when the gas is released and the bed is not in use, making it suitable for storage and easy to transport.

[0044] [Third embodiment] An air bed 160 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7A is a perspective view of the air bed 160 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in Figure 7A.

[0045] The air bed 160 is provided with air struts 50 that are provided along the surface of the upper surface portion 25. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the air bed 120 of the second embodiment. Therefore, for the configuration of the air bed 160 other than the air struts 50, the description of the second embodiment is to be referred to as appropriate.

[0046] Air struts 50 are thin hollow sections extending in a predetermined direction, and can be filled with gas through air supply holes 52. Air supply holes 52 are provided with sealing plugs (not shown). By providing air struts 50, the support force of upper surface 25 made of a sheet body is improved, and when a user lies down on air bed 160, sinking of upper surface 25 can be appropriately suppressed.

[0047] In this embodiment, air struts 50 are arranged in multiple short-side direction air struts 50a extending in the short direction of top surface portion 25 in the longitudinal direction of top surface portion 25. By providing short-side direction air struts 50a in this manner, the effect of suppressing sinking of top surface portion 25 is more fully exerted.

[0048] In this embodiment, communicating air struts 50b are provided to connect the multiple short-side air struts 50a to each other so that they can breathe. Because the entire air strut 50 is connected by the communicating air struts 50b, the entire air strut 50 can be inflated by sealing in gas through one air supply hole 52.

[0049] In this embodiment, the communication air struts 50b are thin hollow sections extending in the longitudinal direction of the top surface section 25, and are formed to connect one end of the short-side air struts 50a, as shown in Fig. 7A, for example. In this embodiment, a communication air strut 50b is provided at each end of the short-side air strut 50a. However, the formation position of the communication air struts 50b is not limited to this, and they may be provided in any position as long as the short-side air struts 50a can communicate with each other. [Example]

[0050] Examples of the present invention and comparative examples are shown below. Example 1 Example 1 was fabricated, with a configuration similar to the modified example (air bed 140) of the second embodiment shown in Figure 6. Specifically, an air bed with a bottom opening was fabricated, including a frame body made of a first air body and an upper surface made of a sheet body covering the upper opening of the frame body, but no lower surface. The frame body was constructed using a sheet-like material with a thickness of 0.25 mm and composed of a fabric with TPU attached to one side. The first sheet body was constructed using the same sheet-like material as the frame body. Inside the frame body, 10 cm x 30 cm hanging cloths were installed in 19 locations along the long side and 9 locations along the short side, extending vertically between the opposing side surfaces, as in Figure 1. The external dimensions of the air bed, the thickness of the first air body, the size when not in use after the internal gas has been released, the designed total volume of the first air body, and the apparent volume calculated from the external dimensions of the air bed are shown in Table 1. Example 2 Example 2 was produced, which has the same configuration as the first embodiment (air bed 100) shown in Figures 1 to 3. Specifically, a second air body measuring 190 cm in length, 80 cm in width, and 10 cm in thickness was used instead of the sheet body on the upper surface of Example 1, and Example 2 was produced in the same manner as Example 1, except that the height of the frame body made of the first air body was changed taking into account the height dimensions of the bed and the thickness of the second air body. The second air body was placed so as to cover the upper surface of the first air body, which is the frame body, and the two air bodies were arranged so that they were integrally joined together. Examples 3 to 5 Air beds were prepared in the same manner as in Example 2, except that the height of the external dimensions of the air bed and the thickness of the first air body and the second air body were changed to the values ​​shown in Table 1, and the height of the frame body portion consisting of the first air body was changed taking into account the height dimension of the bed and the thickness of the second air body.These were designated Examples 3 to 5. Example 6 An air bed was fabricated in the same manner as in Example 1, except that a lower surface portion made of a sheet body covering the lower end opening of the frame body was provided and ventilation holes were provided in the upper surface portion, and this was designated Example 6. See Figures 5 and 6 for the configuration of Example 6. The sheet body constituting the lower surface portion was the same as the sheet-like member constituting the first sheet body. (Examples 7 and 8) Air beds were prepared in the same manner as in Example 6, except that the thickness of the first air body was changed to that shown in Table 1, and designated as Examples 7 and 8. (Comparative Example 1) An air bed shown in Fig. 8 was fabricated and designated Comparative Example 1. Specifically, an air bed 200 was fabricated that had an upper surface 220 measuring 190 cm in length, 80 cm in width, and 10 cm in thickness, and three legs 210 connected to the underside of the upper surface 220. Three rod-shaped air bodies measuring 80 cm in length, 10 cm in width, and 20 cm in thickness were used for the legs 210, with two attached along the short sides of the underside of the upper surface and one leg attached to the middle of them. Additionally, strings 230 were attached in a taut state to the undersides of the three legs.

[0051] (evaluation) For each example and comparative example, the reduction rate (%) of the total volume of the air body used in the air bed relative to the apparent volume calculated from the external dimensions of the air bed was calculated using the following formula (1) and is shown in Table 1. [Number 1] Volume reduction rate (%) = (apparent volume - total volume) ÷ apparent volume × 100 (1)

[0052] The sleeping comfort of each example and comparative example was evaluated as follows, and the results are shown in Table 1. Ten adult males participated in the evaluation, and the most common evaluation result was used. ◎: It felt stable and comfortable to sleep on. Good: It felt stable, but the upper end of the frame felt like it was touching my shoulders or arms. ×: The air bed was unstable, and when lying on the upper surface or turning over, the entire air bed tilted and the upright position was not maintained.

[0053] [Table 1]

[0054] The present invention described above encompasses the following technical ideas. (1) a frame body portion extending upward relative to the installation surface and continuing in the circumferential direction; an upper surface portion that covers an upper end opening of the frame body portion, The frame portion is configured from a first air body capable of sealing a gas therein, An air bed characterized in that the height dimension from the lower end surface of the frame body to the upper surface is 20 cm or more, and the thickness dimension of the frame body is 4 cm or more. (2) An air bed as described in (1) above, in which the upper surface portion is composed of a second air body capable of sealing gas inside. (3) An air bed as described in (1) above, wherein the upper surface portion is made of a sheet body. (4) A lower surface portion covering the lower end opening of the frame body portion, The lower surface portion is made of a sheet body, An air bed as described in (3) above, in which an air vent is provided in at least one of the frame body, the upper surface, and the lower surface, allowing ventilation between the hollow portion of the air bed body and the outside. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10, 11... Frame body part 12, 52... Air intake 12a...Sealing plug 14...Aperture 20, 25...Top part 27. Ventilation hole 30 Fishing cloth 30a···Frame body hanging cloth 30b···Top surface hanging cloth 32...Ventilation channel 40...Bottom part 42....Main body hollow section 50···Air strut 50a Short-side air strut 50b....Communicating air support 100, 120, 140, 160... Air bed 230... String section t1: Height dimension t2, t5...thickness dimensions t3 Short side dimension t4...Longitudinal dimension

Claims

1. a frame portion extending upward relative to the installation surface and continuing in a circumferential direction; An air bed having an upper surface portion that covers an upper end opening of the frame body portion, The frame portion is configured from a first air body capable of sealing a gas therein, The height from the bottom surface of the frame body to the top surface is 30 cm or more, and The design dimensions before air is sealed into the air body and expanded are as follows: An air bed characterized in that the frame body has a constant thickness in the vertical direction, the thickness dimension being 4 cm or more, and when the air bed is observed in the longitudinal direction, the vertical cross section of the frame body is a long rectangle in the vertical direction.

2. 2. The air bed according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface portion is formed of a second air body capable of sealing gas therein.

3. 2. The air bed according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface portion is made of a sheet.

4. a lower surface portion that covers a lower end opening of the frame body portion, The lower surface portion is made of a sheet body, An air bed as described in claim 3, wherein at least one of the frame body, the upper surface, and the lower surface is provided with an air vent that allows ventilation between the hollow portion of the main body of the air bed and the outside.

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