US 5,903,941 · Granted 1999-05-18
The Patent That Lets You Control Each Side of Your Air Bed Separately
Imagine an air mattress where you and your bedmate can each have their own firmness level—one person gets extra soft, the other gets rock-hard support. This patent describes the wireless remote control system that makes that possible, automatically pumping air into separate chambers on each side of the bed.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers an automatic control system for air mattresses that includes a motorized pump, a central control unit, and a wireless hand-held remote that communicates with that control unit via radio signals. Specifically, it protects the ability to independently adjust the air pressure in two separate bladders (air chambers) within a single mattress from a single remote, and the noise-reduction design of the pump itself that prevents motor vibration from traveling into the bed.
Why it matters
This patent gave Select Comfort the exclusive right to sell dual-zone adjustable air beds—a major selling point that let couples customize firmness independently without disturbing each other. The wireless remote control aspect was significant in the 1990s, when most mattress adjustments still required manual hand pumps or wired controls. This type of comfort customization became a key differentiator for premium air bed products.
Real-world use
When you're lying in a Sleep Number bed and your partner adjusts their side to be softer while you keep yours firm, you're using the exact dual-control technology this patent protects.
Original USPTO abstract
An automatic control system for controlling the firmness of a fluid supported mattress of a bed assembly. The control system includes a motorized fluid pump, a control unit for operating the pump to adjust the firmness of the air mattress, a hand held remote control unit for actuating the control unit, and a transceiver system for transmitting information signals between the hand held unit and the control unit. The air control system provides for independent control of both bladders in a two bladder air mattress from a single unit, and allows a user to consistently set the firmness of each mattress air bladder to a desired value. The air control system includes an air pump specially designed to minimize transmission of motor noise into the environment.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,903,941
- Filing date
- 1997-03-27
- Grant date
- 1999-05-18
- Assignee
- Select Comfort Corporation
- Inventor(s)
- SHAFER; DAVID C., DUVAL; EUGENE P.
- CPC class
- A47C27/083
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