Mattress structure

A control system for a variable firmness mattress structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, transversely extending air bladders and an air supply for filling each bladder to desired air pressures to support a user at a desired mattress firmness, the control system comprising:

• an air controller cooperating with the air supply for filling the air bladders to desired air pressures;
• a hand-held controller in communication with the air controller, the hand-held controller including a key pad having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned generally above the second end when held by the user, the key pad including air adjustment buttons, at least one memory set button to permit the user to establish at least one user preferred air-firmness setting in the air bladders, and at least one memory recall button to permit the user to transmit to the air controller at least one air memory recall input from the user representing the user preferred air-firmness setting;
• and
• the air controller filling the air bladders to the at least one user preferred air-firmness setting in response to the user activating the at least one memory recall button.

A variable firmness mattress structure for use by a user, the mattress structure comprising:

• a bladder configured to contain air at a pressure, and
• a pressure control system including
• a pressure regulator measuring the air pressure in the bladder and providing a pressure signal in response thereto,
• an air supply in fluid communication with the bladder, an inlet valve interposed between the air supply and the bladder,
• an exhaust line in fluid communication with the bladder, an exhaust valve interposed between the bladder and the exhaust line,
• a controller receiving inputs from the user and providing user signals in response thereto, and
• a mattress control board operatively coupled to the inlet valve, the exhaust valve, the pressure regulator, and the controller, the mattress control board receiving the pressure signal and the user signals and providing operation signals to the inlet valve and the exhaust valve in response thereto so that the air pressure in the mattress is manually increased or decreased in response to the inputs from the user to vary the firmness in the mattress,
• the mattress control board further comprising a memory device and receiving a memory set signal from the controller when the pressure in the bladder is at a preferred pressure selected by the user, the memory device storing a memory code corresponding to the memory set signal, the controller further comprising a memory recall button providing a memory recall signal to the mattress control board when the memory recall button is activated, the mattress control board providing operation signals to one of the inlet valve and the exhaust valve in response to the memory recall signal and the memory code to automatically adjust the air pressure in the bladder to the preferred pressure selected by the user.

A bed and variable firmness mattress structure comprising:

• a frame including a seat section and a head section that is movable relative to the seat section of the frame,
• a mattress carried by the frame, the mattress including a bladder,
• means for selecting a preferred position of the head section relative to the seat section and for selecting a preferred pressure of air in the bladder at which the bladder provides selected firmness and support characteristics when the head section is in the preferred position,
• means for manually adjusting the pressure of the air in the bladder to vary the firmness in the mattress,
• means for manually adjusting the position of the head section relative to the seat section, and
• means for automatically adjusting the head section to the preferred position and for automatically adjusting the pressure in the bladder to the preferred pressure.

A bed and variable firmness mattress structure for use by a user providing user inputs, the bed and mattress structure comprising:

• an articulating deck including a head section that is movable relative to a seat section,
• a mattress including a bladder containing air at a pressure,
• a controller configured to receive user inputs and provide user position signals and user pressure signals in response thereto,
• a deck control system configured to position the head section relative to the seat section in response to the user position signal, and
• a bladder control system configured to adjust the pressure of air in the bladder in response to the user pressure signal to vary the firmness in the mattress,
• the controller including:
• a bed position button, the controller providing user position signals when the bed position button is activated to manually manipulate the position of the head section relative to the seat section,
• a mattress control button, the controller providing user pressure signals when the mattress control button is activated to manually manipulate the pressure of air in the bladder, and
• a memory button and a set button, the controller providing a memory code in response to activation of both of the memory button and the set button corresponding to a user selected position of the articulating deck and a user selected pressure of air in the bladder, the controller providing a memory signal when the memory button is activated to automatically move the articulating deck to the user selected position and automatically adjust the pressure of air in the bladder to the user selected pressure of air in the bladder.