Internal-Pump Air Mattress Layout for Pressure Relief and Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air mattresses with external air supply/release devices are cumbersome to move and maintain, and those with internal pumps have complex structures that complicate caretaking and maintenance, while not effectively dispersing body pressure or reducing the risk of decubitus ulcers.
Innovation Solution
An air mattress with internal rod-shaped bladder cells and an integrated air supply/release pump system, where the pump is housed in a space between the heel area cells and the mattress edge, allowing independent pressure control for each cell group and easy handling and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the air supply/release device is disposed on the exterior of the base mat, then the device can be accessed for operation, but the device must be moved separately from the mattress when the mattress is being moved, reducing the ease of performing medical or caretaking work and increasing the risk of the device and air tube breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply/release device is integrated with the base mat to form a unified structure. The device is embedded within the base mat rather than being separate, so that when the mattress is moved, the device moves together with it. This eliminates the need to separately handle the device during mattress relocation, improving ease of caretaking work and reducing the risk of damage to the device and air tube.
2Ease of operation
If the air supply pump is embedded within the soft member at an end of the air mattress, then the pump is integrated with the mattress, but the structure becomes complicated and the size of the air mattress is increased more than necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The base mat is divided into multiple air bladders arranged in a grid pattern, while the air supply/release device is positioned in the space between these segmented air bladders. This segmentation allows the device to be integrated into the mattress structure without requiring additional reinforcing members or flexible members, thereby avoiding increased structural complexity and size while still achieving pump integration.
3Ease of operation
If the air supply pump and air tube are embedded within the interior of the air mattress, then the pump is integrated with the mattress, but the ease of maintenance of the pump and air tube is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply/release device is positioned in the space between the air bladders, which provides accessible positioning for maintenance purposes. The device can be easily removed from this inter-bladder space without disassembling the entire mattress structure, allowing for simple maintenance of both the pump and air tube while still maintaining integration with the mattress during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An air mattress with an internal pump, includes a plurality of air cell groups lined up in a lengthwise direction of the air mattress, each of which groups is made from a plurality of bladder-shaped cells, all of the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups being rod-shaped cells extending in a widthwise direction of the air mattress, and being lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress, an air supply/release pump, an air tube linking said air cell groups and said air supply/release pump in a system for each air cell group of two or more air cell groups out of said air cell groups, a connector for connecting said air supply/release pump and said air tube detachably, and a controller for controlling the pressure within the bladder-shaped cells for each of the air cell groups among the air cell groups.