Claims
- 1. A pressure adjustable foam support apparatus comprising:
a resilient, air pressure adjustable, self-inflating foam core; a flexible airtight covering that encloses said core; at least one air passageway formed through said covering in pneumatic communication with said foam core, which passageway carries a valve for alternately permitting and blocking passage of air into and out of said core through said passageway, said valve being opened to exhaust air from and at least partially collapse said core and to allow a core that is at least partially collapsed to draw in air through said passageway and expand, said valve being selectively closed with said core in one of a plurality of fully inflated and partially collapsed states to maintain a selected air pressure within said core, whereby corresponding levels of density and firmness are exhibited by said core, at least one such level of density and firmness in a partially collapsed state providing said core with a viscoelastic or latex foam feel.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a vacuum pump communicably engagable with said passageway through said valve and operable to exhaust air from said foam core through said passageway to at least partially collapse said core.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said foam core has a density of 1-2.5 pounds per cubic foot and an indentation force deflection of 18-65 in a fully inflated state.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said core includes an original cellular structure at atmospheric pressure and a modified cellular structure at subatmospheric pressure.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said passageway includes a first pipe portion disposed within said covering and a second pipe portion attached communicably and extending transversely to said first pipe portion, said second pipe portion extending through and being pneumatically communicable with air exteriorly of said covering.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 2 further including a baffle disposed adjacent said passageway intermediate said foam core and said cover to restrict said cover from being sucked into said passageway by operation of said pump.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said foam core includes multiple, discrete foam pieces within said cover.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including at least one partition formed in said cover and defining a plurality of compartments therein, each compartment accommodating at least one of said foam pieces, each compartment further having at least one said passageway and a respective said valve in pneumatic communication therewith and with each said foam piece in said compartment.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said foam pieces have multiple respective densities and indentation force deflections.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said pump is attached to said passageway interiorly of said covering.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the air pressure in said core is adjustable such that said core includes density of at least 3 lbs/ft3 and an indentation deflection force of less than 15.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the air pressure in said core is adjustable such that said core includes density of at least 3 lbs/ft3 and an indentation force deflection of less than 15.
- 13. A method of producing a body supporting apparatus, which apparatus includes selected levels of density and firmness, said method comprising:
providing a resilient, air pressure adjustable, self-inflating foam core; enclosing said foam core in a flexible airtight covering; providing at least one air passageway through said covering and in pneumatic communication with said foam core, which passageway carries a valve for alternately permitting and blocking the passage of air into and out of said core through said passageway; opening said valve and selectively exhausting air from said core and introducing air into said core through said passageway to adjust the air pressure within said core until said core achieves selected levels of density and firmness.
- 14. The method of claim 13 in which air is exhausted from said core by opening said valve and by pumping air from said core outwardly through said passageway.
- 15. The method of claim 13 wherein selectively exhausting and introducing air modifies the cellular structure of said foam to achieve the selected levels of density and firmness at least said level providing said core with a viscoelastic or latex foam feel.
- 16. The method of claim 13 further including adjusting the air pressure in said core until a density of at least 3 lbs/ft3 and an indentation force deflection of below 15 are achieved.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said multiple foam pieces include respective elongate pieces juxtaposed longitudinally within said cover.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said foam pieces are juxtaposed laterally within said cover.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said foam pieces are arranged in substantially planar layers within said cover.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a selectively inflatable and deflatable air bladder juxtaposed beneath and supporting said foam core for adjusting the height thereof.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/016,722 filed Oct. 30, 2001, which is in turn a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/800,752 filed Mar. 7, 2001.
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10016722 |
Oct 2001 |
US |
Child |
10163041 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09800752 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Child |
10016722 |
Oct 2001 |
US |