Mattress having an upper internal material-containing chamber

A water bed mattress for use in a rigid containing frame for supporting an individual in an inclined position and which mattress generally assumes its peripheral shape from said frame, said mattress comprising:

• a. an upper sheet,
• b. a lower sheet in spaced apart relationship to said upper sheet,
• c. a continuous outer side wall extending between and secured in operative relationship to said upper and lower sheets,
• d. a continuous panel being operatively secured to said upper sheet inwardly of a peripheral end margin of said upper sheet by a first continuous seal, said panel also being secured to said upper sheet at a point in close proximity to the peripheral margin thereof by a second continuous seal to form an air chamber bounded at least by a portion of said upper sheet between said first and second seals and said panel, with a water chamber bounded by at least said lower sheet, said side wall and a portion of said upper sheet, and
• e. said air-containing chamber extending continuously around the periphery of the upper sheet and being located above the water chamber at least in the region between said first and second seals and effectively being on top of said water chamber so that it is free of certain hydrostatic pressures which would otherwise be exerted on the air-containing chamber and so that an individual reclining on said upper sheet may be peripherally supported by the air in said air chamber.

A mattress for use in a rigid containing frame for supporting an individual in an inclined position and which mattress generally assumes its peripheral shape from said frame, said mattress comprising:

• a. an upper sheet,
• b. a lower sheet in spaced apart relationship to said upper sheet,
• c. a downwardly struck flap integral with said upper sheet and an upwardly struck flap integral with said lower sheet, said flaps being sealed to each other to form a continuous outer side wall extending between said upper and lower sheets,
• d. a continuous panel operatively extending across said upper sheet from an area inwardly of the peripheral end margin of said upper sheet to an area in close proximity to the peripheral margin thereof, said panel having a terminal flange extending peripherally therearound which is heat sealed by a continuous seal to said upper sheet in close proximity to its peripheral margin and said panel having another flange extending peripherally therearound on its opposite side and being heat sealed by a second continuous seal to said upper sheet inwardly of its peripheral end margin to form a material-containing chamber bounded by at least a portion of said upper sheet and said panel between said first and second seals, with a liquid chamber bounded at least by said lower sheet, said side wall, and a portion of said upper sheet, said upper and lower sheets and said panel and outer side wall are formed of a flexible, foldable plastic material,
• e. a first valve located in one of the upper sheet or panel and communicating with the material containing chamber, and a second valve located in said upper sheet and communicating with said liquid chamber, said valves both being located in close proximity to the heat seal where the panel is secured to said upper sheet by the second continuous seal,
• f. said material-containing chamber extending continuously around the periphery of the upper sheet and being located above the liquid chamber at least in the region between said first and second seals and effectively being on top of said liquid chamber so that it is free of certain hydrostatic pressures which would otherwise be exerted on the material-containing chamber and so that an individual reclining on said upper sheet may be peripherally supported by the material in said material-containing chamber.