AU707043B2 - Bed warming device and method - Google Patents

Description

BED WARMING DEVICE AND METHOD The present invention relates to a device useful for warming beds and to a method of use therefore. More particularly, it relates to a device and method of using hot air to warm a bed prior to use.

For many years, different methods have been used to warm beds prior to the occupant retiring for the night. The earliest of these methods rely upon the introduction of a heated body between the sheets. The heated body may be used simply to warm the sheet (eg. a warming pan), or may be used to warm the sheets and then be left in the bed to provide further warmth to the occupant, (eg.

heated stones, hot water bottles). These methods have the disadvantage of providing heat in a relatively small locale, whilst the temperature of the remainder of the bed is substantially unaltered. In addition, such methods are often messy .i or inconvenient and result in a sleeper being awakened by contact with a cold ~15 body in the bed once the heat from the heated body has dissipated.

More recently, a common method of warming a bed has been to use a pad or blanket which is heated electrically and placed beneath the lower sheet of the bed. Such electric blankets go a long way towards providing uniform heat over most of the bed, although are usually sized so as to avoid the edges of the mattress where the electrical wires within the pad may become kinked and damaged. This means that the edges of the bed are often unheated.

A further problem with electric blankets is the danger of fires started through electrical faults and/or the danger of electrocution of the sleeper. This is particularly a problem where the sleeper is a young child or elderly person and there is a risk of night time incontinence. These risks may be avoided by ensuring that the electric blanket is turned off before retiring, however, this is easily forgotten, particularly when the occupant of the bed is tired. Even without the risk of fires and/or electrocution, an electric blanket can cause overheating and restless sleep if left on throughout the night. Electric blankets are also difficult to launder.

The object of the present invention is to overcome or alleviate at least some of the difficulties associated with the prior art.

JJ C:\WINWORD\ACKIE\RUSSELL\SPECIRJWDEVICE.BED Accordingly, the present invention provides a device including a base layer and an upper layer which are joined at their respective peripheries to define at least one inflatable chamber, the base layer and upper layer preferably having a size and shape which substantially covers the upper surface of a mattress, each inflatable chamber having an aperture therein of sufficient size to enable the ingress of heated air into the chamber so as to inflate the chamber and to allow the heated air to diffuse throughout the chamber. Preferably, the aperture in the chamber is located adjacent a side of the chamber and is adapted to accommodate a nozzle which provides a source of heated air. The aperture may conveniently be formed by leaving a space in the join between the base layer and the upper layer.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the device previously described is equipped with a flexible conduit which is connected to the aperture in the chamber, the flexible conduit being adapted to receive a nozzle which provides heated air via the flexible conduit to inflate the chamber. The aperture or flexible conduit may also be equipped with restricting means such as a drawstring or elasticated opening, so that a large opening to accommodate a large nozzle may be restricted to form a smaller opening which closely fits a smaller nozzle.

The present invention also lies in a method of heating a bed which includes providing an inflatable chamber, the shape and size of which is preferably adapted to substantially cover the upper surface of a mattress; placing the inflatable chamber on the mattress, preferably under an upper cover on the bed; introducing a source of heated air to an aperture in the inflated chamber and inflating the chamber with heated air for sufficient time to allow the bed to reach a desired temperature. Quite considerable temperatures can be achieved by this method, and heating in this manner may be sufficient to destroy or retard the growth of dust mites and other parasites in bedding.

In the device of the present invention, the base layer is preferably formed from a sheet of cotton fabric, although other natural or synthetic fibres may be used. The upper layer preferably includes a fire resistant material such as a chemically treated cotton material. In one embodiment of the invention, the upper layer is composed only of the fire resistant material, in which case the device JJ C:\WINWORD\JACKE\RUSSELL\SPECIRJW\DEVICE.BED would normally be situated between the mattress and a lower sheet on the bed.

Alternatively, the upper layer may include a layer of fire resistant material and a covering layer of bed-sheeting material, in which case a sleeper may lie directly upon the upper layer of the device. Preferably, at least the upper layer is sufficiently permeable to air to allow heated air to pass through the upper layer to assist in heating the bed clothes placed above the upper layer. The permeability of the material used to construct the inflatable chamber as a whole should be such as to retard the passage of air through the upper and/or base layers to a sufficient degree to enable the chamber to be fully inflated, thereby ensuring that heated air passes to substantially all of the area of the upper surface of the bed.

Where the device of the invention is provided with a flexible conduit attached to the aperture, the flexible conduit is preferably a tube of cloth through which heated air can pass from a nozzle and into the inflatable chamber via the S"aperture. The tube of cloth may be flattened when not in use and tucked under the mattress of the bed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inflatable chamber is equipped with attachment means to secure it to the mattress. The attachment means may take the form of elastic straps attached at each end to adjoining edges of the inflatable chamber near each corner of the inflatable chamber. Each elastic strap is stretched diagonally under the corner of the mattress nearest to that corner of the inflatable chamber, to secure the inflatable chamber to the mattress.

An alternative means of attaching the inflatable chamber to the mattress is in the form of a sleeve having an elasticated cuff which depends from the edges of the inflatable chamber. When the inflatable chamber is positioned on the upper surface of the mattress, the dependent sleeve covers the sides of the mattress, whilst the elasticated cuff, which defines an opening smaller than the mattress, is stretched over the sides of the mattress until it can contract beneath the mattress thereby drawing the sleeve tight against the sides of the mattress and the inflatable chamber tight against the top of the mattress. This method of attachment is already known in respect of fitted sheets.

JJ C:\WINWORDUACKIE\RUSSELL\SPECIRJMOEVICE

BED

Various modifications to the basic device are possible. The aperture into the inflated chamber (and any associated flexible conduit) is preferably situated adjacent an edge of the inflatable chamber. In one preferred embodiment, the aperture is situated approximately half way along the edge which will lie adjacent one side of the bed in use. By placing the aperture in this position, the device may be readily used even if one side of the bed is not readily accessible because it is placed against a wall or the like. If this is the case, the device is simply rotated 1800 so that the head and foot of the device exchange places and the aperture is moved to the other side of the bed.

In another embodiment, the aperture may be situated at the foot of the device. This positioning takes advantage of the fact that some variation in temperature may be experienced between the aperture and other areas of the inflatable chamber, the temperature nearer the aperture generally being slightly ,••*higher than in areas remote from the aperture. By placing the aperture at the foot o of the device, the region near the feet of the user may be warmer than the region near the head of the user, which some users may prefer.

In a further embodiment, where the device is intended for use on a double, queen-size or king-size bed, the device may include two separate inflatable chambers, each running from the head of the bed to the foot of the bed. Each separate chamber has an associated aperture through which heated air may be passed into the separate chamber. By controlling the time for which heated air is passed into each separate chamber, variations in temperature between one side of the bed and the other side of the bed may be obtained, thus allowing for different preferences of the users of each side of the bed.

Because the device of the present invention does not contain electrical components, the risk of electrocution is removed. Further, the device may be readily laundered and is cheaper to produce than an equivalent size electric blanket.

The nozzle providing the source of heated air may conveniently be the nozzle of a hair dryer. Tests have shown that using a 1200 Watt hair dryer on "high" setting enables a queen-size bed to be fully heated in no more than 3 minutes, which is considerably less than the time taken by a normal electric JJ C:\WINWORDUACKIE RUSSELLSPECIRJMDEVICE.BED 6 blanket. Depending upon the amount of insulation in the form of blankets, eiderdowns, duvets, bedspreads and the like, the interior of the bed will remain appreciably warmer than the surrounding room for upwards of approximately minutes.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 depicts a partially cut away perspective view of a device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

As shown in the drawing, the device of the present invention includes a base layer 1 and an upper layer 2 which are joined together at their edges 3, 3a.

The joining of upper layer 2 to base layer 1 may be carried out by any suitable means eg gluing, sewing, heat bonding, ultrasonic fusing and the like. On edge 3a, part of the join between upper layer 2 and base layer 1 is left undone to create an aperture 4 which is sufficiently large to enable a nozzle providing heated air to be inserted into the space between base layer 1 and upper layer 2 0% 0 15 so as to fill the space between the layers with heated air.

Sleeve 5 is attached to the edges 3, 3a of the joined layers and is adapted to cover the sides of a mattress. Elastic cuff 6 attached to the lower edge of sleeve 5 is stretched over the sides of the mattress and contracts the ends of a.

0" sleeve 5 under the mattress, drawing sleeve 5 tight against the sides of the 0 mattress and the joined layers 1, 2 onto the top of the mattress.

It will be appreciated that various modifications to the specific o. aembodiments of the invention described herein may be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

,i a a oa JJ C:\WINWORDUACKIE\RUSSELLSPECIRJ DVIC.C E The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A heating device adapted for heating a bed, said device including a base layer and an upper layer which are joined at their respective peripheries to define at least one inflatable chamber, each inflatable chamber having an aperture therein to permit the ingress of heated air into the chamber so as to inflate the chamber and allow the heated air to diffuse throughout the chamber, wherein the chamber is provided with attachment means to secure it to a mattress, and wherein the base layer and the upper layer are sufficiently impermeable to air to allow the heated air to inflate the chamber, whilst still allowing some heated air to escape to warm layers of bed clothes placed above the heating device.

2. A heating device according to claim 1, wherein the base layer and upper layer are adapted to substantially cover the upper surface of a mattress.

3. A heating device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the aperture is situated at a side of the inflatable chamber, approximately midway along the side.

S o o° 4. A heating device according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aperture is 20 adapted to accommodate a nozzle, said nozzle being a source of heated air, said :aperture including restricting means so that the size of the aperture may be adapted to closely surround the nozzle.

OO

A heating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the 25 aperture is provided with a flexible conduit leading from the aperture, said conduit being adapted to accommodate a nozzle, said nozzle being a source of heated air which flows through the conduit and the aperture so as to diffuse throughout the chamber.

6. A heating device according to claim 5, wherein the flexible conduit is provided with restricting means so that the size of the end of the conduit which S accommodates the nozzle may be adapted to closely surround the nozzle.

cl iiL' JJ C:\WINWORD\JACKIE\RJWSPECI\DEVICE.BEDF /X/ A x

Claims (6)

1. 7. A heating device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the attachment means includes a sleeve depending from the peripheries of the base layer and the upper layer, said sleeve having an elasticated cuff, wherein the elasticated cuff is passed over the mattress and allowed to contract beneath the mattress so as to draw the sleeve snugly against the sides of the mattress.
2. 8. A heating device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper layer includes a fire-resistant material.
3. 9. A heating device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein .i the upper layer is a composite layer, including a fire-resistant material on the surface adjacent to the base layer and a bed-sheeting layer on the upper surface of the upper layer. S
4. 10. A heating device according to any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein the nozzle supplying the heated air is the nozzle of a hair dryer.
5. 11. A heating device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating device is adapted for use on a double, queen-sized or king-sized bed, and wherein the base layer and upper layer define two conjoined inflatable chambers, each adapted to be positioned on respective opposite sides of the longtitutional axis of the bed and each inflatable chamber having a separate aperture therein to permit ingress of heated air.
6. 12. A heating device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1. DATED 28 April, 1999 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: 0 DR FRANK IERINO and ROBERT IERINO JJ C:'WINWODJACKIE'RJWSPEC1 OEVCE ABSTRACT A heating device adapted for heating a bed, said device including a base layer and an upper layer which are joined at their respective peripheries to define at least one inflatable chamber, each inflatable chamber having an aperture therein to permit the ingress of heated air into the chamber so as to inflate the chamber and allow the heated air to defuse throughout the chamber. .S *e C:\WINWORDWACKIE\RUSSELL\SPECIRJDEVICE