Pneumatic lift with unidirectional valve

Abstract

A pneumatic lift including inflatable mattresses stacked one atop another and arranged in air flow communication with one another, but with each being independently deflatable.

1 . A unidirectional valve arranged in air flow communication between each of a first inflatable mattress and a second inflatable, said unidirectional valve comprising:
 a first housing configured to be sealingly located in a panel of a first inflatable mattress, said first housing having at least one opening in air flow communication with an interior of said first inflatable mattress and a conduit communicating between an interior portion of said first housing and an external ambient environment;   a second housing configured to be sealingly located in a panel of a second inflatable mattress so as to be in mating relationship with said first housing, said second housing having at least one opening communicating with an interior of said second inflatable mattress; and   a resilient diaphragm captured by said first housing so as to isolate said conduit from said interiors of said inflatable mattresses thereby maintaining said interior portion of said first housing at an ambient external pressure during inflation and deflation of said first and second inflatable mattresses.   
     
     
         2 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 1  wherein said resilient diaphragm is outwardly biased. 
     
     
         3 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 2  wherein said resilient diaphragm is outwardly biased by a spring located within said interior portion of said first housing. 
     
     
         4 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 1  wherein said first housing includes a central pier having an intermittent free edge, a downwardly projecting annular wall, and two spaced apart, coaxially arranged annular rings that project downwardly from an under surface of said central pier. 
     
     
         5 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 4  wherein said annular rings are arranged in coaxial relation to said downwardly projecting annular wall and said central pier structurally supports an annular flange with a plurality of struts that extend radially outwardly in circumferentially spaced relation to one another from said free edges. 
     
     
         6 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 5  wherein one of said struts is wider and thicker than other of said struts so as to provide sufficient structural support for said conduit communicating between said interior portion of said first housing and said external ambient environment. 
     
     
         7 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 6  wherein said conduit extends below an outer surface of said thicker strut and communicates between a region surrounding said coaxially arranged annular rings and a region adjacent to an outer surface of said downwardly projecting annular wall. 
     
     
         8 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 4  wherein a plurality of recesses are defined between said free edges, said struts, and an inner edge of said annular flange. 
     
     
         9 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 4  wherein said second housing includes a plate and an upwardly projecting annular wall arranged on said plate so as to be complementarily positioned with respect to a downwardly projecting first housing. 
     
     
         10 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A unidirectional valve comprising:
 a first housing configured to be sealingly located in a wall of a first inflatable object, said first housing having at least one opening in air flow communication with an interior of said first inflatable object and a conduit communicating between an interior portion of said first housing and an external ambient environment;   a second housing configured to be sealingly located in a wall of a second inflatable object so as to be in mating relationship with said first housing, said second housing having at least one opening communicating with an interior of said second inflatable object; and   a resilient diaphragm captured by said first housing so as to isolate said conduit from said interiors of said inflatable objects thereby maintaining said interior portion of said first housing at an ambient external pressure during inflation and deflation of said first and second inflatable objects.   
     
     
         17 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 16  wherein said first housing includes a central pier having an intermittent free edge, a downwardly projecting annular wall, and two spaced apart, coaxially arranged annular rings that project downwardly from an under surface of said central pier. 
     
     
         18 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 17  wherein said annular rings are arranged in coaxial relation to said downwardly projecting annular wall and said central pier structurally supports an annular flange with a plurality of struts that extend radially outwardly in circumferentially spaced relation to one another from said free edges. 
     
     
         19 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 17  wherein one of said struts is wider and thicker than other of said struts so as to provide sufficient structural support for said conduit communicating between said interior portion of said first housing and said external ambient environment. 
     
     
         20 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 18  wherein said conduit extends below an outer surface of said thicker strut and communicates between a region surrounding said coaxially arranged annular rings and a region adjacent to an outer surface of said downwardly projecting annular wall. 
     
     
         21 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 17  wherein a plurality of recesses are defined between said free edges, said struts, and an inner edge of said annular flange. 
     
     
         22 . A unidirectional valve according to  claim 17  wherein said second housing includes a plate and an upwardly projecting annular wall arranged on said plate so as to be complementarily positioned with respect to a downwardly projecting first housing.