Adjustable Width Mattress

Abstract

An adjustable-width mattress includes a support surface that has a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to the length dimension. The width dimension of the support surface may be varied.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable-width mattress comprising:
 a support surface having a length dimension and a width dimension perpendicular to the length dimension, wherein the width dimension of the support surface may be varied.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable width mattress of  claim 1 , wherein the support surface has a first width dimension when in an unloaded state, and has a second width dimension when the mattress is subject to an inward force applied in a direction parallel to the width dimension, the first width dimension being greater than the second width dimension. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable width mattress of  claim 2 , wherein the length dimension of the support surface when the support surface has the first width dimension is the same as the length dimension of the support surface when the support surface has the second width dimension. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable width mattress of  claim 2 , wherein the first width is approximately 42 inches and the second width is approximately 36 inches. 
     
     
         5 . An adjustable-width mattress comprising:
 a support surface having a length dimension along a longitudinal axis and a width dimension that is perpendicular to the length dimension;   a central portion that provides a portion of the support surface;   an expansion portion that provides a portion of the support surface;   wherein an inward force applied to the expansion portion in a direction parallel to the width dimension causes the expansion portion to collapse so that the width dimension of the support surface is decreased.   
     
     
         6 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 5 , wherein when the inward force is removed the expansion portion expands to an unloaded state. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable width mattress of  claim 5 , the expansion portion comprising an air cell containing an expansion foam, wherein fluid is displaced from the expansion portion when the expansion portion collapses. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable width mattress of  claim 7 , the central portion comprising an air cell that is in fluid communication with the expansion portion, wherein fluid is displaced from the expansion portion into the central portion when the expansion portion collapses. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 7 , further comprising a second expansion portion that provides a portion of the support surface, the second expansion portion comprising an air cell containing a second expansion foam, wherein an inward force applied to the second expansion portion in a direction parallel to the width dimension causes the second expansion to collapse and air is displaced from the second expansion portion so that the width dimension of the support surface is decreased. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 9 , wherein the expansion portion and the second expansion portion are located on opposed sides of the central portion. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 10 , the central portion comprising an air cell that is in fluid communication with the expansion portion and in fluid communication with the second expansion portion;
 wherein fluid is displaced from the expansion portion into the central portion when the expansion portion collapses, and fluid is displaced from the second expansion portion into the central portion when the second expansion portion collapses   
     
     
         12 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 11 , further comprising an air inlet that allows fluid from an external fluid reservoir into the central portion;
 an air outlet that allows fluid to flow from the central portion to the external fluid reservoir when the pressure in the central portion exceeds a target pressure.   
     
     
         13 . An adjustable-width mattress comprising:
 a support surface having a length dimension along a longitudinal axis and a width dimension that is perpendicular to the length dimension;   a first central portion that provides a portion of the support surface, the first central portion comprising an air cell containing a foam inflation structure;   a second central portion that provides a portion of the support surface, the second central portion comprising an air cell containing a second foam inflation structure;   a first expansion portion that provides a portion of the support surface, the first expansion portion comprising an air cell containing a first expansion foam inflation structure; and   a second expansion portion that provides a portion of the support surface, the second expansion portion comprising an air cell containing a second expansion foam inflation structure;   wherein the first central portion is located between the second expansion portion and the second central portion, and is in fluid communication with the first expansion portion; and   the second central portion is located between the first expansion portion and the first central portion, and is in fluid communication with the second expansion portion.   
     
     
         14 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 13 , wherein the first central portion is in fluid communication with an external fluid reservoir, the second central portion is in fluid communication with the external fluid reservoir, and the first central portion is not in fluid communication with the second central portion. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a first air inlet that allows fluid from the external fluid reservoir into the first central portion;   a first air outlet that allows fluid to flow from the first central portion to the external fluid reservoir when the pressure in the first central portion exceeds a target pressure;   a second air inlet that allows fluid from the external fluid reservoir into the second central portion;   a second air outlet that allows fluid to flow from the second central portion to the external fluid reservoir when the pressure in the second central portion exceeds a second target pressure;   
     
     
         16 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 15 , wherein the target pressure has the same value as the second target pressure. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 15 , wherein in the first expansion portion comprises a first outer cell that encapsulates a foam element that occupies no more than half the cross-sectional space of the first outer cell and a first inner cell that encapsulates a foam element that occupies no more than half the cross-sectional space of the first inner cell. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 17 , wherein the first outer cell and the first inner cell are connected by a hinge that allows relative rotational movement between the first outer cell and the first inner cell. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 18 , wherein when the first outer cell is rotated about the hinge relative to the first inner cell, both the first outer cell and the first inner cell are at least partially collapsed. 
     
     
         20 . The adjustable-width mattress of  claim 19 , wherein when the first outer cell and the first inner cell are at least partially collapsed air contained in the first inner cell and the first inner cell to travel to the first center air cell.