Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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69695
INDENPENDENT EQUIPMENT FOR BEDDING STRAIGTENING
DESCRIPTION
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, as stated herein, relates to an independent equipment
for bedding
straightening intended for automatically unfolding and straightening bed
clothing by means of
compressed air inflatable sleeves associated with bed clothes, such that when
the air is
introduced under pressure into such inflatable sleeves, these are unfolded and
straightened
pulling bedding along which become also straightened.
On the one hand, equipment activation of the present invention straightens a
bottom sheet
covering mattress by means of a first smaller inflatable sleeve, and on the
other hand, the device
activation also straightens a set consisting of a top sheet, at least one
blanket, and a bedspread,
such that these three elements are fully attached as a single unit associated
to the larger inflatable
sleeve.
In the light of the above, the object of this invention is an independent
device which can be
applied to any existing bed on the market.
To achieve this, the independent equipment consists of a particular structure,
comprising a group
of elements enabling a simple and fast adaptation to a conventional bed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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At present, beds comprising bedding straightening equipment are well known,
such as the Patent
of Invention, publication number WO 2009/144530.
This bedding straightening equipment consists of a structure associated with a
bed base,
comprising an air compressor, an air distribution valve, a first inflatable
sleeve associated with a
bottom sheet covering the bed mattress, and a second inflatable sleeve
associated to a unit
comprising a top sheet, at least one blanket, and a bedspread, such that when
the distribution
valve is activated, the compressed air is circulated towards the inflatable
sleeves causing them to
to straighten and unfold, thereby the bottom sheet as well as the unit
comprising the top sheet,
blanket and bedspread are also being unfolded and straightened.
This straightening equipment has the drawback that it cannot be adapted to bed
already existing
on the market since it is an integral part of the bed including the equipment.
Also known is the document US 3.895.404, which describes a system to enable
automatic
bedding straightening. Such system is composed of a series of inflatable ducts
which, together
with the actuation of an air injection system within such ducts, facilitates
bedding unfolding and
straightening.
Even though the system of document US 3.895.404 also discloses equipment which
can be
adapted to different types of beds, it is clear the it does not comprise the
same fastening and
support structures, nor the mechanisms for bottom sheet straightening, which
are encompassed
by the present invention.
Therefore, in the light of the aforementioned documents and the manner it will
hereinafter be
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demonstrated, the present invention has its own distinctive characteristics
which aim at solving a
series of technical drawbacks in the prior art.
DESCRIPTION
In order to achieve the objectives, and to avoid the aforementioned
inconveniences, the invention
proposes independent equipment for bedding straightening which comprises,
among others, the
following elements:
to - A smaller inflatable sleeve attached to a bottom sheet covering the
top of a mattress.
- A larger inflatable sleeve attached to a unit comprising a top sheet, a
blanket, and a
bedspread, this unit being laid during the straightening thereof around a
direction
corresponding to the rear smaller side of the mattress which matches with the
foot end of
the bed.
Both inflatable sleeves receive pressured air regulated through a distribution
valve mediation fed
from a pressured air station.
The independent equipment of the invention comprises a flat structural base
which is attached to
such smaller inflatable c-shaped sleeve adopting such form by intervening
surrounding pieces
which embrace and adapt to the lower cornered zones of the corresponding bed
mattress. The
structural base is arranged on the plane that separates the lower face of the
mattress from the
upper face of the bed base.
The structural base is also attached to the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve
by means of a pair
of angle brackets associated to the crosspiece of such C-shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve, and
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also by means of opposing connections that communicate with lateral branches
of the C-shaped
smaller inflatable sleeve.
Distribution valve is attached to the center of the crosspiece of the C-shaped
smaller inflatable
sleeve.
The crosspiece of the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve is arranged to match
the mattress rear
smaller edge, while the lateral branches are arranged to match the
longitudinal edges of said
mattress.
A first distribution valve outlet connects with the C-shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve, while the
second distribution valve outlet connects with the larger inflatable sleeve.
Likewise, a third
ventilation inflatable sleeve also connects with a third distribution valve
outlet, wherein such
third ventilation inflatable sleeve surrounds, following the shape of such C-
shaped smaller
is inflatable sleeve, the rear smaller edge and longitudinal edges of the
mattress.
The flat structural base of the independent equipment comprises a central
platform, a plurality of
diagonal braces coming from the central platform and where the free ends
thereof connect with
the surrounding pieces, two inner braces coming from the central platform and
where the free
ends thereof connect with angle braces, and a cross brace where the ends
thereof connect with
the lateral branches of the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve.
In turn, the aforementioned surrounding pieces contain grooves allowing the C-
shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve and diagonal braces of the flat structural base to fit
together.
Likewise, the horizontal branches of the angle brackets contain matching
grooves through with
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the ends of the structural base inner braces are fit together and fixed. The
angle brackets also
include, on the outer faces, bedding rear edge fastening devices matching the
foot end thereof as
well as an anchorage device to be attached to the bed base. In a preferred
embodiment of the
invention, the fastening devices are two.
The fastening devices comprise a winding extension coming from the vertical
branch of the
angle bracket and a terminal head; an intermediate space being defined between
this and the
winding extension where bedding rear edges associated with the larger
inflatable sleeve are
introduced under pressure so that the elasticity of fastening device materials
provide the
io necessary tightening to hold bed clothes.
The anchorage device is located in the lower part of the angle bracket
vertical branch,
comprising an elbow flange that get hooked on the bed base through snap fit.
The larger inflatable sleeve comprises rectangular frame structure, wherein
the smaller back side
of the such larger inflatable sleeve comprises a narrowing which connects from
within with the
first compressed air distribution valve outlet, while the larger side of such
inflatable sleeve
gradually narrow toward the ends connecting with the other flat smaller side
of such larger
inflatable sleeve corresponding to the bed headrest.
The ventilation inflatable sleeve is arranged parallel to the C-shaped
Framework, while at the
same time the ventilation inflatable sleeve comprises terminal appendices
which release
controlled amounts o fair air allowing the bottom sheet and bedding in general
to ventilate.
In order to provide a better understanding of this specification, and being an
integral part thereof,
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a series of figures in which the object of the invention has been represented
with an illustrative
and not limitative manner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1.- Depicts a perspective view of the independent equipment for bedding
straightening
by means of a first C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve associated with a
bottom sheet, and a
second larger inflatable sleeve associated with a unit comprising the group
that consists of an
upper sheet, a blanket and a bedspread.
Figure 2.- Depicts a perspective view of the equipment of the invention
applied to a
conventional bed.
Figure 3.- Depicts a perspective view of a flat structural base being part of
the invention. Also
depicted are angle brackets and corner surrounding pieces attached to the
structural base.
Figure 4.- Depicts a perspective view of one of the angle brackets comprising
a pair of bedding
edge fastening devices also including an anchorage device to fix to the bed
flat structural base.
Figure 5.- Depicts a perspective view of one of the corner surrounding pieces.
Figure 6.- Depicts a top view of the bed at an initial phase of the unit
straightening process
comprising the group of upper sheet, blanket, and bedspread.
Figure 7.- Depicts a view of the different phases of the unfolding or
straightening process of the
unit comprising the group of upper sheet, blanket and bedspread.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Considering numerical references included in the figures of the present
invention, a preferred,
but not limited, embodiment of the independent equipment for bedding
straightening can be
described.
The independent equipment for bedding straightening comprises a flat
structural base to be
attached, by means of the action of a series of braces coming from a central
platform 1 a, to a C-
shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2. Said braces and such C-shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve,
connect through surrounding pieces 3 which embrace and adapt to the mattress 4
lower corner
areas of a bed 5, such that the said flat structural base 1 is arranged in the
plane that separates the
lower face of the mattress 4 and the upper face from de base 6 of the bed 5.
s Likewise, the flat structural base 1 is also attached to the crosspiece
2a of the C-shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve 2 by means of a pair of angle brackets 7 as well as by means
of two end
connections of a cross brace Id connecting with lateral branches 2b of the C-
shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve 2.
The crosspiece 2a of the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2 is arranged to
match the mattress
back edge 4 in line with the foot end of the bed 5, while the lateral branches
2b of the C-shaped
smaller inflatable sleeve 2 are arranged in line with the two longitudinal
edges of the mattress 4.
The equipment of the invention also comprises a third ventilation inflatable
sleeve 8 arranged
parallel to the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2 and a rectangular frame-
shaped larger
inflatable sleeve 9 whose one of the smaller sides thereof, defined by a
narrowing 9a, is arranged
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in line with the foot end of the bed 5.
The ventilation inflatable sleeve 8 is associated with a bottom sheet 10
covering the top of the
mattress 4, through terminal appendices 11 which release controlled amounts of
air allowing the
bottom sheet and the bed in general to ventilate, while the larger inflatable
sleeve 9 is attached to
a unit 12 comprising a group of a bottom sheet, at least one blanket and a
bedspread, such that
when said inflatable sleeves 2, 8, 9 receive air under pressure, bed clothes
are automatically
straightened and ventilated.
In one embodiment of the invention, the larger inflatable sleeve 9 is attached
to the unit 12
composed of the upper sheet, blanket, and bedspread, by means of anchorage
devices not
depicted in the figures, which can be represented by contact fastening
mechanisms, through
adherent materials such as velcro, or others such as "fastening pegs".
Inflation and deflation of the inflatable sleeves 2, 8, 9 is carried out by
means of a distribution
valve 13 comprising multiple air outlets which at the same time is preferably
located at the
center of the crosspiece 2a of the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2.
One of the several outlets of the distribution valve 13 connects with one of
the smaller sides
defined by a narrowing 9a of the larger inflatable sleeve 9, while the other
outlet of the
distribution valve 13 connects with the crosspiece 2a of the C-shaped smaller
inflatable sleeve 2,
such that when such distribution valve 13 is activated through a first button
13a, the inflatable
sleeves 2, 9 are pressurized thus straightening bed clothes. Indeed, by
pressurizing the C-shaped
smaller inflatable sleeve 2, lateral sliding in different directions occurs in
the bottom sheet 10,
resulting in the straightening thereof. In turn, activation of the ventilation
smaller inflatable
sleeve 8 allows controlled air release by means of terminal appendices 11,
resulting in a bed
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ventilation process. In one embodiment of the invention, this ventilation
process, may be
omitted if the air outlet corresponding to distribution valve 13 is not
activated.
In one embodiment of the invention, not depicted in the figures, distribution
valve 13 allows the
air conduction hose to couple, in order to facilitate, for example, to
facilitate drying in ill
patients. Likewise, in an embodiment not depicted, the invention comprises a
mattress covering
system allowing the air coming from distribution valve to be distributed
across the entire
extension of the bed.
In turn, when a second button 13b of the distribution valve 13 is activated,
pressure is released
from inflatable sleeves 2-8-9 until a determined pressure is achieved, such as
for example, that
pressure required to situate the unit 12 comprising the top sheet, blanket and
bedspread, from
position shown in step "d" (maximum pressure) of figure 6, to step "e", and
from the latter to
the final state corresponding to step "f" where the bed is fully made.
In these figures 7a to 7f, it is emphasized that when pressure diminished
inside inflatable sleeves,
weight of unit 12 is pulled down by gravity having the bed fully made up.
Pressured air flow is supplied by a compressor 14 that can be integrated in
the equipment of the
invention itself being housed within the mattress itself 4 or at the base 6 of
the bed 5. Such
station optionally supplies cold or warm air. In this case, in an embodiment
not depicted in
figures, the equipment of the invention allows the arrangement of additional
inflatable sleeves
superficially crossing mattress 4, allowing bed to be warmed up. Such
additional inflatable
sleeves, in an inflated condition, optionally, allow the possibility for ill
patients to change
positions, or else, massage application. Additionally, the equipment of the
invention may
comprise complementary disinfecting and sanitizing equipment, such as
ultraviolet light and
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ionizing equipment, or else, aromatization equipment included in the
compressed air station, for
example, to aromatize the bed with the smell of laundry detergent or freshly
washed sheet. Or
else, for application of health therapies based on fragrances (aromatherapy)
Another option implies an independent, mountable and demonountable, and outer
pressured air
station (with operational autonomy by means of a charging cell or photovoltaic
panel, therefore
requiring low voltage) to the bed unit 5, such that, such compressed air
station could be used in
complementary household shores such as for example, vacuum cleaning or
ventilation. The
compressed air station can be operated at different rates, for example,
"fast", "normal", and
"slow".
The larger sides 9b of the inflatable sleeve 9 progressively narrows toward
the ends connection
a smaller side 9c of said inflatable sleeve 9 corresponding to the head rest
of the bed 5.
s On the other side, the flat structure base 1 comprises a central platform
la and several diagonal
braces lb whose free ends connect with corner surrounding pieces 3, which
comprise grooves 3a
through which they connect with the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2 and
with the flat
structural base 1.
The flat structural base 1 comprises other two inner braces 1 c coming form
the central platform
1 a whose free ends connect with angle brackets 7 which, in turn, are attached
to the crosspiece
2a of the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2. The horizontal branches 7a of
the angle brackets
7 comprise a groove 7c to facilitate coupling thereof to said inner braces lc
of the flat structural
base 1.
The flat structural base 1 also comprises a cross brace id whose ends connect
with lateral
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branches 2b of the C-shaped smaller inflatable sleeve 2. Noteworthy is the
fact that the ends of
such cross brace Id comprise through grooves le.
Angle brackets 7 comprise a pair of fastening devices 15 of the bedding back
edges
corresponding to the foot end thereof as well as an anchorage device 16 to
attach to the base 6 of
the bed 4.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, fastening brackets 15 comprise a
winding extension
15a coming from the vertical branch 7b of the angle brackets 7 and a terminal
head 15b,
defining between the latter and the winding extension 15a an intermediate
space 15c where
bedding back ends 5 are se introduced under pressure, associated with the
larger inflatable sleeve
9, so that the device material elasticity of fastening devices 15 can provide
the required
tightening to hold bed clothes 5. Other fastening options are possible, for
example, contact
fastening of velcro-type adherent surfaces, or any other fastening means that
allow bedding 5 to
is be hold in place.
The anchorage device 16 is located in the lower part of the vertical branch 7b
of the angle
brackets 7, comprising an elbow flange that get hooked on the base 6 of the
bed 5 through snap
fit.
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