Low pressure valve assembly

A valve assembly for use with a system for supporting a body positioned on a support surface having at plurality of inflatable chambers, said valve assembly comprising:

• a valve housing having a first channel and a plurality of second channels, said first channel being configured to receive from and to supply fluid at a low pressure to exterior said valve housing and each of said plurality of second channels each being configured for connection to one of said plurality of inflatable chambers to receive therefrom and to supply thereto said fluid at a low pressure;
• a plurality of valves each positioned in said valve housing, each of said plurality of valves being connected to receive from and supply said fluid at a low pressure to said first channel and each of said plurality of valves being connected to receive and supply said fluid at a low pressure from and to one of said plurality of second channels, each of said plurality of valves being operable between an open position in which said fluid at a low pressure is flowable between said first channel and said one of said plurality of said second channels and a closed position in which the flow of said fluid at a low pressure between said first channel and said one of said plurality of said second channels is inhibited;
• each of said plurality of valves further comprising:
• a valve seat with an aperture for said fluid to flow there through, said aperture in communication with said first channel, said valve seat circular in projection and formed to have a circular edge;
• and
• a valve stem sized to extend outwardly away from said edge of said valve seat to define an area on the outside valve stem when in said closed position sized to interact with the fluid in said chamber at a chamber pressure above said low pressure and to move down to open said valve to protect said chamber from an overpressure condition;
• and
• a plurality of solenoids each positioned in said valve housing and each connected to operate one of said plurality of valves between said open position and said closed position, each of said solenoids being connectable to a remote source of operating signals to cause said solenoid to operate said valve between said open position and said closed position.