GB2228671A

GB2228671A - A waterbed

Info

Publication number: GB2228671A
Application number: GB9004684A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Gibson Soper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-03-03
Filing date: 1990-03-02
Publication date: 1990-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-02
Also published as: GB9004684D0; GB2228671B; GB8904911D0

Abstract

A waterbed comprises a frame consisting of sidewalls (2) and a base or plinth (5), wherein the sidewalls (2) are made of a foam plastics material having an undulatingly curved inner surface (14) adapted to accommodate and cushion a water-filled mattress. The base (5) may be wooden or upholstered and is preferably not as wide as the upper part of the bed and provides recesses at opposite sides of the base. The base (5) may consist of a deck (6) to support a water-filled mattress and upstanding sidewalls (7), the upper part (8) of which support the foam sidewalls (2). The upper part (8) may be surrounded by an additional frame (4) of foam plastics material. The bed may be assembled using corner brackets as fixing means. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE t Waterbed The present invention relates to a waterbed.

Soft-sided waterbeds, that is using sidewalls of materials such as foam plastics material, have been known for some years.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved waterbed which provides better support for the foam sidewalls and a protective barrier to the bed by cushioning the sidewalls and reducing the width of the base or plinth adapted to support a water-filled mattress contained by the bed. The base or plinth usually comprises two sides and two ends that connect at the corners with brackets, which, when combined together, are especially easy to assemble, dismantle and transport. Certain preferred features described hereinafter provide additional advantages.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a waterbed comprising a frame consisting of sidewalls and a base or plinth, wherein the sidewalls are made of a foam plastics material having an undulatingly curved inner surface adapted to accommodate and cushion a water-filled mattress.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a combination of the waterbed defined in the preceding paragraph and a water-fillable mattress therefor.

Preferably the base or plinth isvnot as wide as the upper part of the bed and provides recesses at opposite sides of the base or plinth. The base or plinth may consist of a deck to support a water-filled mattress and upstanding sidewalls, and advantageously the bed is assembled using corner brackets as fixing means, for instance within the said recesses at opposite sides of the base or plinth and at the centre of the deck along each side. Preferably the said upstanding sidewalls may have an upper part to support the said foam sidewalls and preferably the said upper part may be bounded by an additional surrounding frame of foam plastics material.Expediently there is provided a recess between the said foam sidewalls and the said additional surrounding frame of foam plastics material to attach bedding to the mattress, and especially a lip is provided in the said recess to anchor the bedding within the said recess.

By way of example a preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a waterbed; Figure 2 is a sectional view to an enlarged scale of part of the waterbed of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an explanatory perspective view of a corner of the waterbed of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an explanatory perspective view of the upstanding sidewalls showing how they are connected to each other by corner brackets, and Figure 5 is a plan view showing the upstanding sidewalls assembled around the plinth or base.

Figure 1 shows a frame consisting of sidewalls 2 of foam plastics material and a base or plinth 5 which is usually a wooden or upholstered plinth. In use, the inside space 1 of the frame will be occupied by a waterfilled mattress (not shown). The sidewalls 2 are normally covered in a quilted cover or ticking 3. Figure 2 shows an undulatingly curved inner surface 14 intended to accommodate and cushion a water filled mattress.

The base of plinth 5 is not as wide as the upper part of the bed and shows a recess 13 at opposite sides of the base or plinth 5. The base or plinth 5 consists of a deck with batten 12 to support a water filled mattress and upstanding sidewalls 7. The upper part 8 of sidewall 7 supports the foam sidewall 2, the upper part 8 being bounded by an additional surrounding frame 4 of foam plastics material, which is usually upholstered. -A recess 9 is provided between the frame 4 and an underside portion of the sidewall 2 to attach conventional bedding to the mattress, a small lip 10 being provided to hold the bedding firmly in place. A recess 11 is provided to receive the upper part 8 between the frame 4 and a lower portion of the sidewall 2.

The bed can be readily assembled using simple corner brackets 16 at regions indicated at 15 and elsewhere as indicated in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 4 shows the location of corner brackets 16 and battens 17 fixed to the sidewalls 7. Figure 5 shows the provision of loosely arranged centre supports 18 to distribute the load of the water-filled mattress not shown.

A further feature of this invention is the interlocking between the sidewalls and the base which allows for easy dismantling and assembly giving easy portability.

Claims

1. A waterbed comprising a frame consisting of sidewalls and a base or plinth, wherein the sidewalls are made of a foam plastics material having an undulatingly curved inner surface adapted to accommodate and cushion a water-filled mattress.

2. A waterbed according to Claim 1, wherein the base or plinth is not as wide as the upper part of the bed and provides recesses at opposite sides of the base or plinth.

3. A waterbed according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the base consists of a deck to support a water-filled mattress and upstanding sidewalls.

4. A waterbed according to Claim 3, wherein the bed is assembled using corner brackets as fixing means.

5. A waterbed according to Claim 4, wherein the corner brackets are located within the said recesses at opposite sides of the base or plinth and at the centre of the deck along each side.

6. A waterbed according to any one of Claims 3 to 5, wherein the upstanding sidewalls have an upper part to support the said foam sidewalls.

7. A waterbed according to Claim 6, wherein the said upper part is bounded by an additional surrounding frame of foam plastics material.

8. A waterbed according to Claim 7, wherein a recess is provided between the said foam sidewalls and the said additional surrounding frame of foam plastics material to attach bedding to the mattress.

9. A waterbed according to Claim 8, wherein a lip is provided in the said recess to anchor the bedding within the said recess.

10. A waterbed substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A combination of the waterbed defined by any preceding claim and a water-fillable mattress therefor.