US 5,887,304 · Granted 1999-03-30
The Anti-SIDS Mattress That Pumps Away Deadly CO2
Babies sometimes die in their sleep from breathing in their own exhaled carbon dioxide, which gets trapped around their face in the crib mattress. This patent describes a special mattress with tiny holes and air channels that continuously push fresh air across the sleeping surface to clear away that dangerous exhaled breath before it can build up.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a mattress design with an internal air chamber (plenum) connected to holes on the top surface, plus the mechanical system for continuously pumping air through those holes to create even airflow across the entire sleeping surface. What's protected here is the specific engineering approach of distributing air evenly rather than from a single point, ensuring carbon dioxide gets dispersed no matter where the baby lies on the mattress.
Why it matters
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) was a major cause of infant mortality in the 1990s, and rebreathing exhaled carbon dioxide was identified as one possible contributing factor. This patent represents an engineering attempt to address that specific hazard through hardware design, offering parents a potentially life-saving alternative to conventional mattresses. The invention combines passive safe-sleep design with active air management.
Real-world use
A parent places their baby on this mattress, and without any visible action, the built-in air pump quietly circulates fresh air up through thousands of tiny holes, continuously clearing away any exhaled breath before it pools around the infant's face.
Original USPTO abstract
An apparatus and method for preventing asphyxiation of an infant due to breathing of exhaled carbon dioxide. A mattress with optional mattress pad provides an even air flow that removes exhaled carbon dioxide that accumulates at or near the surface of the mattress or mattress pad. The infant may be located anywhere on the surface of the mattress or mattress pad as the even air flow disperses carbon dioxide across the entire surface. In a preferred embodiment, the even air flow is accomplished by forcing air into a cavity, or plenum chamber, in the body of the mattress which air distributes equally to air flow holes on the top surfaces of the mattress and mattress pad. Optional temperature regulating or medicine dispensing devices respectively heat or cool the air flow, or introduce medicine into the air flow. In another embodiment, the mattress is itself a mattress pad. That is, the mattress pad provides an even air flow as described and may be placed on the sleeping surface of a conventional mattress.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,887,304
- Filing date
- 1997-07-10
- Grant date
- 1999-03-30
- Assignee
- Von Der Heyde; Christian P.
- Inventor(s)
- VON DER HEYDE; CHRISTIAN P.
- CPC class
- A47C21/044
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