JPH08332134A - Mattress device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To decrease the running noises of a supply pump by controlling the start and stop of the supply pump in accordance with the results of detection of supply air pressures with a mattress device which changes elasticity and hardness by controlling the air pressures in air bags inserted between an elastic body and a sheath body. CONSTITUTION: This mattress device is constituted by disposing the first to third air bags 10 (10a to 10c) in juxtaposition in the state of housing these bags into cases atop spring units formed to a rectangular planar shape and supplying compressed air by the supply pump 21 to the respective air bags 10. A discharge valve 25 is interposed to a main supply pipe 22 from this supply pump 21 and supply valves 27a to 27c are interposed at respective branch pipes 23a to 23c reaching the respective air bags 10. The air in the air bags 10 is discharged when the pressures in the respective air bags 10 detected by detecting sensors 31a to 31c attain the values large than the set values. The supply pump 21 is driven to feed the air to the bags when the pressures attain the values smaller than the set values.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mattress device constructed by using an air bag.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a conventional mattress device has a spring unit in which a large number of coil springs are connected in a matrix, and a protective material such as a sisal pad and a synthetic resin net body and a urethane foam are provided on the upper surface of the spring unit.
An elastic body such as a rubber is sequentially polymerized, and the polymer is covered with an exterior body.

However, in the mattress device having such a structure, the elasticity and hardness given to the user cannot be changed. Therefore, an air bag is interposed between the elastic body and the exterior body, and the air bag is
By controlling the pressure of compressed air supplied to the bag,
There has been proposed a mattress device capable of changing elasticity and hardness given to a user.

Although the above-mentioned air bag is formed in a bag shape by a flexible airtight sheet such as a sheet-shaped rubber or a rubber-lined cloth, the compressed air filled inside leaks due to use. Inevitably, the elasticity and hardness change as a result.

Conventionally, in order to maintain the elasticity and hardness of the air bag constant, a supply pump for supplying compressed air is always operated, and the pressure in the air bag in the supply pipe becomes a predetermined value or more. It has been practiced to maintain a constant air pressure in the airbag by providing a relief valve that is opened when the air bag is opened.

However, if the pressure of the air bag is kept constant in this way, the supply pump has to be constantly operated, and the operating noise may become noise, and the running cost is high. Becomes
Furthermore, the life of the supply pump may be shortened.

Further, in order to improve comfort and sleeping comfort for a user, the air bag is usually divided into a plurality of parts along the longitudinal direction of the mattress device, and the pressure of each air bag is changed. , The back, buttocks, and legs of the user's body are supported with different elasticity and hardness depending on the user's body shape and taste.

However, when the air bag is divided into a plurality of pieces, conventionally, compressed air is supplied to each air bag at a predetermined pressure, and the pressure is controlled to be maintained for a long time. Was not done. Therefore, the elasticity and hardness of each air bag change over time, and it has been sometimes impossible to maintain a good state of comfort and sleep for the user for a long time.

[0009]

As described above, in the conventional mattress device using the air bag, the pressure of the air bag is kept constant by constantly operating the supply pump. The operation noise of the supply pump was sometimes noisy.

Further, when the airbag is divided into a plurality of pieces, the control of maintaining the pressure of each airbag constant is not performed, so that the performance of each airbag deteriorates with time. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. An object of the present invention is to operate the supply pump only when the pressure of the air bag becomes a predetermined value or less, thereby reducing the noise caused by the supply pump. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mattress device capable of reducing the degree of occurrence.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mattress device capable of easily and reliably controlling the pressure of each airbag when the airbag is divided into a plurality of pieces.

[0013]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention set forth in claim 1 is a mattress device having an air bag filled with compressed air, wherein compressed air is supplied to the air bag. Supply pump, discharge means for discharging the compressed air supplied to the air bag, detection means for detecting the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air bag, and compressed air detected by the detection means. When the pressure is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, the supply pump is operated to supply the compressed air, and when the pressure is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the supply pump is stopped and the discharge means is operated to discharge the compressed air. It is characterized by that.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in a mattress device having a plurality of air bags filled with compressed air, a compressed air supply pump, a main supply pipe connected to the supply pump, and a main supply pipe connected to the supply pump are provided. A plurality of branch pipes branched from a main supply pipe and supplying compressed air to the plurality of airbags respectively, an exhaust valve provided in the main supply pipe, and a supply valve provided in each of the branch pipes, Each of the plurality of detection sensors for detecting the pressure of the compressed air supplied to each air bag, and when the pressure of the compressed air in the air bag detected by the detection sensor is below a predetermined value, the supply pump is operated and the air The supply valve provided on the branch pipe communicating with the bag is opened, and when the value is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the supply pump is stopped to provide the branch pipe communicating with the airbag. Wherein the feed valve and equipped with a control device for opening the exhaust valve.

[0015]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the supply pump operates to supply the compressed air only when the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air bag is less than the predetermined value, noise is generated by the supply pump. The degree is reduced.

According to the invention of claim 2, a supply pump,
By controlling the exhaust valve provided in the main supply pipe and the supply valve provided in each branch pipe, the pressure of each divided airbag can be set respectively.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The mattress device M shown in FIG. 3 includes a spring unit 1 as a cushion body formed in a rectangular plate shape having a predetermined thickness. This spring unit 1
Is formed by arranging a plurality of continuous springs 2 in parallel as shown in FIG.

In the continuous spring 2, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of coil portions 3 are continuously formed in a line by one wire, and the upper and lower ends of the adjacent coil portions 3 are respectively U-shaped. Upper connecting rod 4a and lower connecting rod 4b
Is continuous by. The upper connecting rod portion 4a and the lower connecting rod portion 4b are arranged with a pitch shifted in the vertical direction, and the adjacent coil portions 3 intertwine midway portions.

In the plurality of continuous springs 2 arranged in parallel, the upper and lower ends of the adjacent coil portions 3, that is, the side portions of the adjacent upper connecting rod portions 4a and the side portions of the lower connecting rod portions 4b are springs. They are connected by a helical wire 5 provided along the width direction of the unit 1.

A protective sheet 6 such as felt is provided on the upper surface of the spring unit 1 with its peripheral portion connected to the spring unit 1 by a clip 7. A case 8 is laminated on the upper surface of the protective sheet 6 with its lower surface adhered and fixed to prevent the sliding movement on the sprig unit 1.

The case 8 is made of a semi-hard elastic material such as urethane foam, which has breathability and elasticity, and contains a fungicide and a fungicide, as shown in FIG. A frame body 8b which is composed of a bottom plate 8a and a urethane foam equivalent to the bottom plate 8a, and which is provided on the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the bottom plate 8a.
And are integrally connected.

As a result, the casing 8 is opened at the upper surface thereof and the housing portion 9 is surrounded by the frame body 8b.
Are formed. The accommodating portion 9 has the first to third parts 3
Two airbags 10a to 10c are accommodated side by side. Therefore, the airbags 10a to 10c have the frame 8
The shape is maintained by b without crushing the peripheral portion. That is, the external shape of the mattress device M is maintained by the frame body 8b.

Each of the air bags 10a to 10c is formed in a bag shape by joining the peripheral portions of the upper sheet and the lower sheet, and when air is filled, the concave portion 11 and the convex portion are formed on both front and back surfaces. 1
The above-mentioned sheets are joined at a plurality of positions so that the number 2 is formed. Then, a through hole 13 is formed at a location that becomes the recess 11.

The through holes 13 are provided in the air bags 10a-10a.
Each of the airbags 1 communicates with the front and back surfaces of c and has the shape of the concave portion 11 and the convex portion 12 in the housing portion 9 in the case 8.
The air permeability of 0a to 10c is maintained well.

The above spring unit 1 and case 8
The laminated body consisting of is covered with the exterior body 15.
The exterior body 15 covers a lower mirror surface 15a that covers the lower surface of the spring unit 1, an upper mirror surface 15b that covers the upper surface of the case 8, and the outer peripheral surfaces of these, and the upper and lower ends of each of the mirror surfaces. It is composed of a gusseted material 15c sewn to the periphery by a tape 16. Fastener 1 in the above town area 15c
7 is provided over the entire circumference so that the exterior body 15 can be opened and closed.

Compressed air is supplied to each of the air bags 10a to 10c by a supply pump 21 as shown in FIGS. That is, one end of the main supply pipe 22 is connected to the supply pump 21. The other end of the main supply pipe 22 has three first to third branch pipes 23a.
To 23c. The branch pipes 23a to 23c are respectively connected to the first to third airbags 10a to 10c.
connected to c.

An electromagnetic exhaust valve 25 is provided in the main supply pipe 22.
Are connected via an exhaust pipe 26, and each of the branch pipes 23a ...
23c also includes electromagnetic first to third supply valves 27a.
.About.27c are respectively interposed. The exhaust valve 25 and the supply valves 27a to 27c are controlled to open and close by a drive signal from the control device 28 as described later.

Although not shown, by connecting capacitors to the electromagnetic coils of the exhaust valve 25 and the supply valves 27a to 27c, the operating curve of each valve can be moderated. Thereby, the collision noise of the plunger during the operation can be reduced.

One ends of pressure detecting tubes 28a to 28c are connected to the air bags 10a to 10c, respectively. The other ends of the pressure detection tubes 28a to 28c are introduced into the sensor unit 29. The sensor unit 29 is provided with pneumatic first to third detection sensors 31a to 31c, and the other ends of the pressure detection pipes 28a to 28c are connected to the respective sensors.

The sensors 31a to 31c output detection signals (electrical signals) corresponding to the pressures from the pressure detection tubes 28a to 28c to the control device 28. This controller 28
As shown in FIG. 2, the first to third setting units 32a to 32a
2c is provided. The detection signals from the sensors 31a to 31c are compared with the set values set in the first to third setting units 32a to 32c.

The setting values set in the setting sections 32a to 32c can be changed in three steps of high, medium and low. When the detection signal is larger or smaller than the set value by a predetermined width or smaller, that is, when the pressure of each of the airbags 10a to 10c is higher than the set value by a predetermined width or smaller than the set value, each of the first to third parts
Different drive signals are output to the drive units 33a to 33c.

When the drive signal input to the drive units 33a to 33c is larger than the set value, an output signal for opening the exhaust valve 25 and the supply valves 27a to 27c is output via the output unit 34, If it is small, the output section 3
4 outputs an output signal for driving the supply pump 21, a signal for closing the exhaust valve 25, and an output signal for opening the supply valves 27a to 27c.

The output section 34 is provided with a delay circuit (not shown), whereby the first to third drive sections 3 are provided.
When the drive signals from 3a to 33c are input, the output signals are output with a delay of 2 to 3 seconds with respect to the drive signals. That is, each air bag 10a-10c
The compressed air is supplied or exhausted only when the pressure of the is surely changed.

With this structure, the pressure of any one of the three airbags 10a to 10c is set to the setting portion 32a.
When it becomes larger than the set value set to ~ 32c, the compressed air of the air bag is discharged, and when it becomes smaller, the supply pump 21 is driven to supply until the set value is reached. .

Next, the case of using the mattress device M having the above structure will be described. Each air bag 10a-
When the pressure of 10c is in the range of the set values set by the setting units 32a to 32c, the supply pump 21 is stopped, the exhaust valve 25 and the supply valves 27a to 27c are closed, and each of the airbags 10a to 10a. The pressure of 10c is maintained in that state.

When the pressure of the first airbag 10a becomes lower than the set value due to long-term use, which is detected by the first sensor 31a, the first setting section 32a causes the first setting unit 32a to set the first pressure. A drive signal is input to the drive unit 33a, and in response thereto, an output signal for driving the supply pump 21 and an output signal for opening the first supply valve 27a are output from the output unit 34. Thereby, the supply pump 2
The compressed air generated at 1 is supplied from the main supply pipe 22 to the first airbag 10a through the first branch pipe 23a.

When the pressure of the first air bag 10a reaches a set value, which is detected by the first sensor 31a, the supply pump 21 is driven from the first drive section 33a through the output section 34. An output signal for stopping and an output signal for closing the first supply valve 27a are output. As a result, the supply of compressed air to the first airbag 10a is stopped and the pressure is maintained at the set value.

Similarly, the second airbag 10b,
Even when the pressure of the third air bag 10c drops,
Compressed air is supplied so that the pressure is within the set value range.

Of the three airbags, for example, when the user jumps on the second airbag 10b at the center, the internal pressure rises sharply, and when the pressure rise is detected by the second sensor 31b. The detection signal is compared with the set value by the second setting unit 32b, and the detection signal is output from the setting unit 32b to the second drive unit 33b.

The drive signal for opening the exhaust valve 25 and the drive signal for opening the second supply valve 27b are output from the second drive section 33b to the output section 34. Thereby, the second
The compressed air in the air bag 10b is discharged, and the rapid increase in the internal pressure of the compressed air is relieved in a short time. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the second air bag 10b from being damaged by the rapid pressure increase. it can.

Similarly, the first airbag 10a and the third airbag 10a
Even when the internal pressure of the airbag 10c suddenly rises, it is possible to prevent the airbags 10a and 10c from being damaged.

On the other hand, the first to third setting sections 32a to
By changing the set value set to 32c, the hardness of the entire air-mattress device M can be made harder or softer. That is, the hardness can be set according to the preference of the user.

Moreover, the hardness of each of the air bags 10a to 10c can be set to different hardness. For example, if the second airbag 10b that supports the buttocks of the user is set to be harder than the other airbags 10a and 10c, it is possible to prevent the buttocks of the user from falling, so that the sleeping posture with the back muscles extended. Can be supine.

The pressure of each of the air bags 10a to 10c is adjusted by the supply pump 21 only when compressed air is supplied.
Is activated, and the supply pump 21 is stopped at other times. Therefore, the operating time of the supply pump 21 is sufficiently shorter than the stop time, so that the generation of noise accompanying the operation of the supply pump 21 is very small, and the operating time of the supply pump 21 is short, so that the service life of the supply pump 21 is reduced. The (durability) can be improved.

It should be noted that in the above embodiment, three airbags are used.
Although the case of dividing into two has been described, the number of airbags is not limited to three, and may be one or two or four or more in the invention of claim 1, and two in the invention of claim 2. It may be one or four or more.

[0046]

As described above, according to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the supply pump is operated only when the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air bag is equal to or lower than the predetermined value, and the compressed air is supplied. I was supposed to supply it.

Therefore, not only can the noise generation degree be reduced as compared with the conventional case in which the supply pump is always operated, but the durability can be improved by reducing the operation time.

Further, according to the invention of claim 2, the air-
When the bag is divided into multiple parts, the pressure of each air bag can be automatically controlled according to the pressure fluctuation, so the overall hardness can be changed according to the user's preference,
Not only can the hardness be partially changed, but when the pressure rises sharply, the compressed air of the air bag is automatically evacuated in response to the pressure rise, so that the air bag is damaged. Can be prevented.

Further, even though a plurality of air bags are provided, the air can be exhausted from each air bag by providing only one exhaust valve in the main supply pipe.
In some cases, the number of exhaust valves is reduced and the structure is simplified.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a compressed air supply system diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control device.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the mattress device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the interior of the same in section.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of the continuous spring.

[Explanation of symbols]

10a to 10c ... Air bag, 21 ... Supply pump, 2
3a to 23c ... Branch pipe, 25 ... Exhaust valve, 28 ... Control device, 31a-31c ... Detection sensor.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A mattress device having an air bag filled with compressed air, comprising: a supply pump for supplying compressed air to the air bag; and a discharge means for discharging compressed air supplied to the air bag. Detecting means for detecting the pressure of the compressed air supplied to the air bag, and when the pressure of the compressed air detected by the detecting means is below a predetermined value, the supply pump is operated to supply the compressed air, A mattress device comprising: a control means for discharging the compressed air by stopping the supply pump and operating the discharge means when the value is equal to or more than the value. 2. A mattress device having a plurality of air bags filled with compressed air, comprising: a compressed air supply pump; a main supply pipe connected to the supply pump; and a plurality of branch pipes branched from the main supply pipe. A plurality of branch pipes for supplying compressed air to the respective air bags, an exhaust valve provided for the main supply pipe, a supply valve provided for each of the branch pipes, and a respective air bag. A plurality of detection sensors for detecting the pressure of the compressed air respectively, and when the pressure of the compressed air in the airbag detected by the detection sensor is below a predetermined value, the supply pump is operated and a branch pipe communicating with the airbag is provided. The supply valve and the exhaust valve provided on the branch pipe communicating with the airbag by opening the supply valve and stopping the supply pump when the value exceeds a predetermined value. Mattress apparatus according to, characterized by comprising a control device for open.