Reinforced Wall Soft Side Waterbed

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and, together with a general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view in cross section of a rail and side wall of a waterbed incorporating the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an assembled rail and side wall arrangement of a waterbed according to the teactings of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a side wall, deck and pedestal before and after it is unpacked from a shipping carton;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of one of the deck and side wall sections shown in FIG. 3 before being preassembled;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the rail and side wall assembly step;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a mattress cover and the deck assembly shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a partially assembled perspective view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded and partially assembled perspective view of a liner and the assembled arrangement of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a water mattress and the arrangement shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a partially assembled perspective view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 9 with the mattress cover partially rolled around the rails before filling the waterbed mattress.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a rail assembly for a reinforced wall soft side waterbed comprising: at least one cushion assembly, each cushion assembly including an upper rail of resilient material having upper, lower, and inside surfaces; a lower rail having upper, lower, and inside surfaces and ends; a reinforcing bar including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being secured to the lower surface of the upper rail and the upper surface of the lower rail; and the second portion extending from the first portion, overlaying the inside surface of the lower rail and including a depending flange portion extending past the lower surface of the lower member.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rail assembly for a reinforced soft side waterbed comprises at least one cushion assembly 30, each cushion assembly 30 including an upper rail 32 of resilient material such as open cell polyurethane foam having an upper surface 34, a lower surface 36 and an inside surface 38. The cushion assembly also includes a lower rail 40 having an upper surface 42, a lower surface 44, an inside surface 46 and ends 48.

Each cushion assembly also includes a reinforcing bar 50 made from high impact polystyrene material including a first portion 52 and a second portion 54. The first portion 52 is secured to the lower surface 36 of the upper rail 32 and the upper surface 42 of the lower rail 48. The second portion 54 of the reinforcing bar 50 extends from the first portion 52. Second portion 54 overlays the inside surface 46 of lower rail 48 and includes a depending flange portion 56 extending past the lower surface 44 of the lower rail 48.

Upper rail 32 and lower rail 40 preferably constitute one integral rail which is a single piece of flexible polyurethane foam such that the lower surface 36 of upper rail 32 and the upper surface 42 of lower rail 40 define a wall of a slot for receiving the first portion 52 of reinforcing bar 50 prior to assembly to the reinforcing bar 50. In such a preferred construction, lower rail 40 is composed of the same resilient material as upper rail 32.

The integral rail has an upper surface 34, a lower surface 44, and an inside surface 38 and 46. A longitudinal slot is formed along the inside surface of the rail, the slot including walls 36 and 42 extending inward from the inside surface 38 and 46 of the rail. One flange 52 of a reinforcing bar 50 having two flanges 52 and 54 is inserted into the slot and the reinforcing bar 50 is fastened in the slot so that the second flange 54 of the reinforcing bar extends past the lower surface 44 of the integral rail.

There are two preferred ways of accomplishing this method. The first way includes performing the forming steps prior to the inserting and fastening steps by forming the integral rail apart from the reinforcing bar, separating the wall 36 and 42 of the slot and applying adhesive to at least one of the slot walls and the first flange 52 of the reinforcing bar 50, and closing the walls 36 and 42 of the slot to contact and adhere to the first flange 52 of the reinforcing bar. The second way of accomplishing the method is to perform the forming, inserting, and fastening steps at one time by molding the integral rail around the first flange 52 of the reinforcing bar.

As shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable that both the first portion 52 and the second portion 54 extend along substantially the full length of upper rail 32 and lower rail 40. Such an arrangement gives great strength to the structure through a leaf spring type of action to contain a waterbed located between the rails.

Reinforcing bar 50 is preferably L-shaped in cross section having first and second flanges, wherein the first portion 52 is one flange of the L-shape and the second portion 54 is the second flange of the L-shape.

As shown in FIG. 3, there is further provided a deck assembly 58 which is placed on pedestal assembly 60. Deck assembly 58 includes a side wall 62 preferably made of an expanded polystyrene block which is mounted on a wafer board deck 63 as shown in FIG. 4. Wafer board deck 63 constitutes deck means attached to the lower surface 66 of side wall 62 for supporting a waterbed mattress within side wall 62. Side wall 62 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with wafer board deck 63 removed for clarity.

As shown in FIG. 1, side wall 62 includes an upper surface 64, a lower surface 66, and an inside surface 68. The lower surface 44 of lower rail 40 of the cushion assembly 30 overlies the upper surface 64 of the side wall 62 so that the depending flange portion 56 of reinforcing bar 50 overlies the inside surface 68 of side wall 62. As shown in FIG. 2, such an arrangement allows cushion assembly 30 to be securely interlocked with side wall 62 through the use of flange portion 56. Even though the cushion assembly 30 and side wall 62 are interlocked to prevent relative lateral movement, cushion assembly 30 may be removed and replaced by lifting it vertically from side wall 62 as shown in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, deck assembly 58 preferably includes at least two assemblable parts, 70 and 72, each part 70 and 72 including a preassembled portion of the deck 63 and the side wall 62, parts 70 and 72 defining a line 74 where the parts 70 and 72 abut each other upon assembly to each other. As shown in FIG. 5, line 74, shown as a broken line, is positioned between the ends 48 of lower rail 40, for purposes of strength and stability, so as not to be aligned with the ends 48 of the lower rail. For the same reason, the flange portion 56 has two ends such that the line of assembly 74 is positioned between the ends of flange portion 56 so as not to be aligned with the ends of flange portion 56.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the rail assembly preferably includes four cushion assemblies 30 so that the four cushion assemblies each comprise a side of and are assemblable to form a four-sided rectangular cushion frame. In addition, the side wall frame 62 is a four-sided rectangular frame underlying the cushion frame 30. Such an arrangement allows for easy shipping, storage, assembly, and disassembly. Although cushion assembly 30 is preferably made in four pieces, it can be made in more or less pieces including a single annular unit.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, it is preferable that a first angle A between first portion 52 and second portion 54 of reinforcing bar 50 is obtuse and substantially equal to a second angle A between the upper surface 42 of lower rail 48 and inside surface 46 of lower rail 48. It is further preferable that first and second angles A are substantially equal to a third angle B between the upper surface 64 of the side wall 62 and the inner surface 68 of side wall 62. It is additionally preferable that the first, second, and third angles are substantially equal to a fourth angle D between the upper surface 34 of top rail 32 and the inside surface 38 of the top rail 32. It is preferable that the first and second angles A are approximately 114 degrees. By using a frame with an obtuse inner surface, the waterbed mattress is supported more at the bottom where there are higher hydrostatic pressures. In addition, this arrangement prevents the side wall from bending laterally when sat upon by a user.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention having right angles A-D.

The present invention provides a method for assemblying a bed frame from partially preassembled component units including the following steps, each illustrated sequentially in a separate figure. As shown in FIG. 3, two preassembled deck sections 70 and 72 are placed on top of pedestal 60 so that they contact each other along line 74.

As shown in FIG. 6, heater pad 76 is placed on upholstered deck 63 and mattress cover 78 is placed into deck assembly 58 so that it extends over and beyond the top surface 64 of side wall 62.

As shown in FIG. 7, mattress cover 78 is wrapped around side wall 62 in preparation for the next step.

As shown in FIG. 5, resilient rail assemblies 30 are then inserted so that they overlie the upper surface of side wall 62 and the flange portion 56 overlies the inside of side wall 62.

As shown in FIG. 8, a snap lock liner 80 is placed inside the resilient rail assembly 30 and side wall 62 and tucked around the outside of resilient rail assemblies 30.

As shown in FIG. 9, an empty water mattress 82 is placed inside the cavity formed by resilient rail 30 and side wall 62.

As shown in FIG. 10, mattress cover 78 is rolled up on resilient rail 30 and the top portion 79 of mattress cover 78 is placed over the top surface of water bed mattress 82 and rails 30. Conventional bed clothes can then be used to make up the bed and can be tucked into the interface between resilient rail 30 and side wall 62.

The use of this arrangement of elements in a reinforced wall soft side waterbed allows reinforcement of the walls to prevent bowing and, consequently, enhances the durability of the system. It also creates a self locking positioning of the wall structure eliminating any possibility of misalignment the structure can be assembled without the use of tools or hardware. In addition, it furnishes a firm, comfortable seating area in the walls by providing a leaf spring type of action which further enhances the durability of the wall structure. It is clear that these principles may be easily adapted and employed in wall structures of different configurations, thicknesses, and depths and the invention is therefore not limited to the shape illustrated.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention and its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants' general inventive concept.