US 4,897,890 · Granted 1990-02-06
The Solenoid-Powered Air Pump That Made Airbeds Self-Inflating
Imagine an airbed that pumps itself up at the push of a button instead of you huffing and puffing for ten minutes. This patent describes a motorized pump controlled by hand switches that automatically fills or deflates an air mattress using electromagnetic force.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a system combining an electrically controlled solenoid-driven diaphragm pump with a hand-operated valve controller. What's protected here is the specific mechanism of using electromagnetic force to move the diaphragm back and forth, pressurizing air and pushing it into the mattress chambers, plus the paired valve system that lets you switch between inflating and venting modes from a simple control panel.
Why it matters
Before automatic inflation systems, airbeds were an inconvenient novelty—you had to manually pump them up, making them impractical for guests or travel. This patent automated that tedious process, transforming airbeds from a hassle into a practical furniture option. The solenoid-pump design became the standard architecture for motorized airbeds that remain popular in guest rooms and RVs today.
Real-world use
When you press the inflate button on a modern guest airbed and watch it puff up on its own within seconds, you're benefiting from the basic pump-and-valve system this patent locked down in 1990.
Original USPTO abstract
An air pump having a diaphragm moved with a solenoid operates to supply air under pressure to air mattresses of an air bed. A hand control having a pair of valves functions to control the operation of the air pump to supply air to the air mattresses and vent air from the air mattresses.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 4,897,890
- Filing date
- 1986-05-02
- Grant date
- 1990-02-06
- Assignee
- Walker Robert A
- Inventor(s)
- WALKER; ROBERT A.
- CPC class
- A47C27/083
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