GB2097665A

GB2097665A - Water bed liner retainer

Info

Publication number: GB2097665A
Application number: GB8210860A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dunlop Olympic Ltd
Current assignee: Dunlop Olympic Ltd
Priority date: 1981-04-16
Filing date: 1982-04-14
Publication date: 1982-11-10
Also published as: AU8266782A; GB2097665B

Abstract

A water bed liner retainer comprises a structure 15, 16 of resilient foam material forming a continuous vertical wall which defines, with a surface on which it is supported, a cavity to receive a water bed liner. The vertical wall incorporates flat strip reinforcement 17, 18 that is substantially rigid in the direction transverse to the wall and flexible in the vertical direction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved water bed liner retainer This invention relates to a retainer for housing the liner of a water bed, so as to constrain the liner when filled with water in the required shape. Normally a retainer defines a rectangular cavity to receive the liner, however, the retainer may define a cavity of another desired shape, such as circular.

It has been previously known to construct the retainer of wood or like rigid material but these are relatively heavy and expensive. It is also known for retainers to be made of a non-flexible or substantially rigid foam material which can be produced in lengths of rectangular cross section and then fabricated to form a retainer defining a rectangular cavity.

Retainers built in this way from rigid foam are comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture they do not have the required strength to resist outward deflection when subjected to the loads arising from the static liner filled with the required quantity of water, and the dynamic loads arising when the bed is in use.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a retainer for a water bed liner which can be simply and inexpensively manufactured and yet possesses the required mechanical strength to retain the liner in position without distortion of the retainer.

There is provided by the present invention a water bed liner retainer comprising a structure forming a continuous vertical'wall which defines with a surface on which it is supported a cavity to receive a water bed liner, said vertical wall being composed of a resilient foam material and incorporates a reinforcement structure that is substantially rigid in the direction transverse to the wall and flexible in the vertical direction.

Conveniently the reinforcement structure is a member or members of a shape and a material that are substantially rigid in said transverse direction, to resist deflection of the wall in that direction, and flexible in the vertical direction, to permit resilient deflection of the wall in the vertical direction. The member or members are preferably strips of a material that is normally considered rigid, but the strips are of a thickness to be flexible in one direction. The materials are also preferably sufficiently resilient to be capable of deflection in the direction of the thickness of the strip, without permanent set, when subjected to the loads normally encounted in this environment.

In one convenient form the vertical walls of the retainer comprise at least two superimposed members of resilient foam material with a reinforcing member sandwiched therebetween.

Preferably the reinforcing member is constructed from plywood, solid timber, or a non-foam plastic material. The rigid member is located between the two foam members so that the length of the member extends in the direction of the length of the wall. The width of the member extends transversely of the wall and the thickness of the member extends in the vertical direction of the wall. With the rigid member so located it provides the maximum resistance to bending or deflection of the retainer wall in the direction transverse to the wall.

The reinforcing member is preferably bonded to both of the foam members between which it is sandwiched, and may be located in a recess formed in one or both of the members on the interface therebetween.

Where the retainer is of a rectangular shape a reinforcing member is provided in each of the two opposite side walls of the retainer, and in each of the opposite end walls.

It has also been found desirable to provide a similar arrangement of reinforcing members on the underface of the retainer wall, that is, the face which contacts the surface upon which the retainer is supported.

In one preferred embodiment a plurality of flexible substantially inextensible straps are secured to the reinforcing members on the undersurface of the retainer walls, and extend between opposite sides of the retainer. Where the retainer is of a rectangular shape there is preferably provided straps extending in the longitudinal and transverse direction of the retainer. Depending upon the size of the retainer two or more straps may be provided in each direction.

The straps can be effectively secured to the rigid members attached to the lower face of the retainer wall, and may be wrapped partially or fully around the rigid member and secured thereto such as by staples.

The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of one practical arrangement of the water bed liner retainer as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of the water bed liner retainer.

Figure2 is a section view along line 2-2 in Figure 1 with the components of the retainer in the assembled state.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the area 'A' in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings the retainer 10 is to receive and contain a liner of rectangular shape, and has two opposite parallel side walls 11, and two opposite parallel end walls 12. Each side wall is formed of two superimposed elongated members 13 of rectangular cross section. The members 13 are made of resilient foam material of the type commonly used in mattresses and upholstered furniture. The end walls 12 are similarly formed of two superimposed elongated members 14.

The side and end members 13 and 14 abut at the corners and are bonded together to form upper and lower rectangular frames 15 and 16 respectively. It will be noted in Figure 1 that the join line between the side and end members on the upper and lower frames are offset at the corresponding corners for greater strength.

Interposed between the upper and lower frames 15 and 16 on each side and each end are respective reinforcing strips 17. These strips are made of a non foam plastic material such as high impact polystyrene. The strips 17 have a thickness of the order of 2 to 5 mm and width of the order of 40 to 80mm.

These proportions result in the strip being resiliently flexible in the direction of its thickness, and rigid in the direction of the width of the strip.

The strips 17 are interposed between the upper and lower side and end members of the frames 15 and 16 and bonded thereto. The strips 17 are of a width and length less than that of the side and end members, and the side and end member of the upper and lower frames are bonded together over the remainder of the width and length of the respective members.

A further series of reinforcing strips 18, of the same material and dimensions as the strips 17, are secured by bonding to the under surface of the end and side members of the lower frame 16. In order to provide further restraint against the spread of the side and end walls of the assembly of frames there are provided a series of longitudinal and transverse straps 20. The straps 20 are of a flexible nonextensible character, and may be made of a suitable plastic material, such as nylon. The straps may be of solid or woven form. In a typical double bed size retainer the straps are of a width of the order of 10 to 20 mm and a thickness of 2 to 3mm.

As can be seen in Figure 3 the ends of the straps 20 are looped at 21 about the reinforcing strips 17 on the underside of the members of the lower frame 16.

The loops 21 are formed by a welded join at 22.

The water bed liner retainer constructed as described is of light weight and has sufficient strength to resist bulging of the side and end walls under the lateral load applied thereto by the water filled liner.

Also in this construction the side and end walls are soft and resilient in the vertical direction to provide the necessary comfort required when a user of the bed sits or lies on these areas of the bed.

Normally in use a layer of resilient foam material will be placed in the retainer to form a base covering the straps 20. The retainer and liner are preferably enclosed in a fabric cover which may be quilted particularly on the upper surface.

Claims

1. A water bed liner retainer comprising a structure forming a continuous vertical wall which defines with a surface on which it is supported a cavity to receive a water bed liner, said vertical wall being composed of a resilient foam material and incorporates a reinforcement structure that is substantially rigid in the direction transverse to the wall and flexible in the vertical direction.

2. A retainer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reinforcement structure is a plurality of members of a shape and material selected so the members are flexible in a first direction and rigid in a second direction at right angles to the first direction, said members being located in the walls of the retainer so said first direction is vertical and the second direction is transverse to the walls.

3. A retainer as claimed in claim 2 wherein the walls of the retainer is composed of two superimposed members of resilient foam material with the reinforcing members sandwiched therebetween.

4. A retainer as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including at least one flexible non extendable member extending across the base of the cavity defined by the wail and attached at its ends to the wall on opposite sides of the cavity.

5. A retainer as claimed in claim 4 having a plurality of said flexible non extendable members including one group of said members extending in a first direction across said cavity and a further group extending in a second direction inclined to said first direction across said cavity.

6. A water bed liner retainer comprising a continuous vertical wall defining with a surface upon which it is supposed a rectangular cavity to receive a water bed liner, said wall comprising two opposite parallel side wall portions and two opposite parallel end wall portions, each wall portion comprising two superimposed members of resilient foam material with a reinforcing member sandwiched between and bonded to the two members, said reinforcing member being substantially rigid in the direction transverse to the wall portion and flexible in the vertical direction.

7. A retainer as claimed in claim 6 including a further reinforcing member bonded to the lower face of each wall portion, said further reinforcing members being substantially rigid in the direction transverse to the wall portion.

8. A retainer as claimed in claim 6 wherein flexible non-extendable members extend between and are attached to the further reinforcing members on the lower face of the opposite side wall portions.

9. A retainer as claimed in claim 7 or 8 wherein flexible non-extendable members extend between and are attached to the further reinforcing members on the lower face of the opposite end wall portions.