Pumps – With muffler acting on pump fluid
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-15
2001-03-27
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Pumps
With muffler acting on pump fluid
C005S713000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206654
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to an assembly for inflating and deflating air mattresses and more specifically to an air mattress inflator/deflator assembly which provides controlled inflation and deflation of an associated air mattress and generates minimal noise during operation.
Mattresses have evolved through the years much as many other consumer products. Decades ago a standard mattress comprised metal springs with layers of padding over the springs.
From about 1970 to 1980, interest in water filled mattresses peaked. While they are still popular, many consumers consider their relatively great weight and immovability to be an inconvenience. These characteristics also often make them unwelcome in rental and lease properties. In addition to weight and immovability issues, though small, there is also the possibility that they will leak.
Water mattresses underwent significant change during their popularity. Early water mattresses included nothing more than an envelope or outer skin which contained, but did not control, wave motion of the water. Many users found the undamped motion of the water unpleasant. The industry responded with various products which, to a greater or lesser extent, damped such uncontrolled wave motion. Such products included air filled tubes, baffles extending between the top and bottom panels and fiber inserts, to name but three.
Air mattresses which comprise a bladder or envelope filled with air under low pressure now enjoy popularity. Such air mattresses provide obvious benefits relative to a water mattress: significantly lower weight, portability and, though not leak proof, suffer leaks which are far less problematic than water leaks.
Another benefit of such mattresses is their ability to be inflated or deflated to suit the personal preference of a user. Devices are available which are selectively controllable by the user to add or release air from the mattress and adjust its firmness. However, they generate excessive and unpleasant sound levels when operating. Such high sound levels are particularly unpleasant when it is noted that such inflating apparatus will most frequently be operated at night when it is relatively quiet. Thus, in a relative sense, while the sound levels of such devices might not be objectionable when used during the day with typically daytime ambient sound levels, during the night, in a bedroom, the high sound levels generated can be noticeable and decidedly unpleasant.
The present invention is directed to providing an air mattress inflator/deflator assembly which addresses the problem of high operating sound levels common to prior art inflator/deflator assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An air mattress inflator/deflator assembly includes a cylindrical housing which contains a device for pressurizing the housing, generally a blower and motor. The blower is located near one end of the housing, and pressurizes its interior. One or more valves are selectively operable to direct the pressurized air in the housing to tubing which communicates with an air mattress. The internal pressure of the air mattress can be increased by activating the motor and blower and a valve, pressurizing the housing and directing pressurized air to the air mattress. The internal pressure of the air mattress can be decreased by activating a valve, and releasing air in the air mattress through the housing and out to the ambient.
To provide an inflator/deflator assembly for an inflatable mattress that can be easily located beneath a bed or in close proximity thereto, it is necessary to keep the size of the assembly to a minimum. Consequently, the motor and blower are relatively small, and operate at high speed to provide the necessary differential pressure and volume for effective and acceptably rapid inflation of the mattress. A significant drawback of high-speed operation is noise.
The present invention reduces the noise associated with operation of the inflator/deflator assembly by enclosing the motor and blower inside a cylindrical housing, and disposing the housing into a close fitting closed cell foam block or surround. The cylindrical shape of the housing eliminates planar surfaces which might sympathetically vibrate and augment noise from operation of the motor and fan. The closed cell foam surround both damps vibration of the housing and suppresses transmission of noise from the housing to the outside environment. The blower draws in ambient air through a sintered metal intake muffler.
Thus it is an object of this invention to provide an air mattress inflator/deflator assembly having a housing without flat surfaces that can sympathetically vibrate and transmit noise and vibration from the motor and blower to the ambient.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an air mattress inflator/deflator assembly having a circular housing contained within a foam surround which minimizes noise transmission to the ambient while the assembly is operating.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an air mattress inflator/deflator assembly having an intake muffler disposed adjacent a blower which produces transmission of operating noise to the ambient.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a quiet air mattress inflation/deflation device that can be used to independently control the air pressure in a single or multiple chamber air mattress.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following description of the preferred embodiment and appended drawings wherein like numbers refer to the same component, element or feature.
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Pages from Halcyon Waterspring, Inc. entitled “Air Water Foam”, dated Jul. 10, 1998. Pages from Select Comfort,Knoxville, TN, entitled “Modern Sleep”, dated spring/summer 1999. Pages from Select Comfort, Minneapolis, MN, entitled “Introducting a Revolutionary New Way to Improve Your Sleep”.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
DLM Plastics Corporation
Pwu Jeffrey C
Walberg Teresa
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