Self-actuating control valve for a bed pad or seat pad

A fluid operated control valve for controlling fluid flow of a system, the control valve comprising:

• a hollow casing with closed first and second ends;
• a piston member slidably disposed within the casing and defining thereby within the casing a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber having a volume variable depending upon the position of the piston member;
• a first magnetic member disposed adjacent the first casing end for attracting the piston member to a first terminal position;
• a second magnetic member disposed adjacent the second casing end for attracting the piston member to a second terminal position;
• an input port disposed adjacent to an intermediate location in the casing for receiving operating fluid thereto;
• a first output port disposed in the casing in fluid communication with the first chamber;
• a second output port disposed in the casing in fluid communication with the second chamber;
• and
• a passageway for alternately guiding the operating fluid from the input port to the first chamber and the second chamber depending upon the position of the piston member within the casing, the position of the piston being reciprocally moveable between the two terminal positions when a pressurizing chamber reaches a maximum pressure overcoming attracting force between the piston member and the one then-holding magnetic member.

A fluid operated control valve for controlling fluid flow of a system, the control valve comprising:

• a hollow casing with closed first and second ends;
• a piston member slidably disposed within the casing and defining thereby within the casing a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber having a volume variable depending upon the position of the piston member;
• a first magnetic member disposed adjacent the first casing end for attracting the piston member to a first terminal position;
• a second magnetic member disposed adjacent the second casing end for attracting the piston member to a second terminal position;
• an input port disposed adjacent to an intermediate location in the casing for receiving operating fluid thereto;
• a first output port disposed in the casing in fluid communication with the first chamber;
• a second output port disposed in the casing in fluid communication with the second chamber;
• and
• a passageway for alternately guiding the operating fluid from the input port to the first chamber and the second chamber depending upon the position of the piston member within the casing, the position of the piston being reciprocally moveable between the two terminal positions when a venting chamber reaches a minimum pressure.

An amenity system for use with a fluid source for providing operating fluid to the system, comprising:

• an amenity member including a first and a second fluid channels therein;
• and
• a control valve disposed in fluid communication with the fluid source and the fluid channels of the amenity member and for alternately inflating and deflating the fluid channels, the control valve including:
• a hollow casing with closed first and second ends;
• a piston member slidably disposed within the casing and defining thereby within the casing a first chamber adjacent to the first end of the casing and a second chamber adjacent to the second end of the casing, each chamber having a volume variable depending upon the position of the piston member;
• a first magnetic member disposed adjacent the first chamber for attracting the piston member to a first terminal position;
• a second magnetic member disposed adjacent the second chamber for attracting the piston member to a second terminal position;
• an input port disposed adjacent to an intermediate location in the casing for receiving the operating fluid thereto from the fluid source;
• a first output port disposed in the first chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber and the first fluid channel of the amenity member;
• a second output port disposed in the second chamber in fluid communication with the second chamber and the second fluid channel of the amenity member;
• and
• a passageway for alternately guiding the operating fluid from the input port to the first chamber and the second chamber depending upon the position of the piston member within the casing, the position of the piston being reciprocally moveable between the two terminal positions when pressure difference between a pressurizing chamber and the other chamber reaches a pressure overcoming attracting force between the piston member and the one then-holding magnetic mating member, thereby allowing alternate pressurizing of the fluid channels of the amenity member.