(19) United States
`(2) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0031265 A1
`Song et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Feb. 9, 2012
`
`US 2012003.1265A1
`
`(54) INFLATABLE PAD HAVING REINFORCING
`BELTS
`
`(76) Inventors:
`
`Rong-Jyh Song, Taipei (TW);
`Tsung-Ping Yen, Taipei (TW)
`12/905,553
`(21) Appl. No.:
`Oct. 15, 2010
`(22) Filed:
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`(30)
`Aug. 9, 2010 (CN) ......................... 201020284.747.1
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`FI6.J H2/00
`
`(2006.01)
`
`
`
`(52) U.S. Cl. .......................................................... 92/145
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`An inflatable pad includes: an inflatable pad body having a
`looped surrounding layer interconnecting top and bottom
`layers to cooperatively define an inflatable space; and a rein
`forcing belt unit disposed in the inflatable space in the inflat
`able pad body and connected between the top and bottom
`layers of the inflatable pad body. The reinforcing belt unit
`includes two coupling belts and a main reinforcing belt. Each
`coupling belt is attached fixedly and partially to a correspond
`ing one of the top and bottom layers of the inflatable pad body,
`and has a central portion that is spaced apart from the corre
`sponding one of the top and bottom layers of the inflatable pad
`body and that is connected to a corresponding one of opposite
`looped end portions of the main reinforcing belt.
`
`INTEX EXHIBIT 2026, Pg. 1
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 9, 2012 Sheet 1 of 4
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`US 2012/0031265 A1
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`131
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`| 33
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`11
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`?º-z-z-z-z-z-ZNTZTDZLZLZTLZIZ /
`ST
`S
`
`132
`13
`
`10
`
`.
`
`==9.
`STSTX
`/TNTNTNTNTNT N. ZINTNN N N N N N N.
`| 3 |
`133
`12
`
`FIG. I
`PRIOR ART
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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 9, 2012 Sheet 2 of 4
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`US 2012/0031265 A1
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`
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`s
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`INTEX EXHIBIT 2026, Pg. 3
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`

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`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 9, 2012 Sheet 3 of 4
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`US 2012/0031265 A1
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`INTEX EXHIBIT 2026, Pg. 4
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Feb. 9, 2012 Sheet 4 of 4
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`US 2012/0031265 A1
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`
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`INTEX EXHIBIT 2026, Pg. 5
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
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`

`

`US 2012/003.1265 A1
`
`Feb. 9, 2012
`
`INFLATABLE PAD HAVING REINFORCING
`BELTS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`[0001] This application claims priority of Chinese Appli
`cation No. 201020284747.1, filed on Aug. 9, 2010.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
`[0003] The invention relates to an inflatable pad, and more
`particularly to an inflatable pad having reinforcing belts.
`[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
`[0005] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional inflatable pad is
`shown to include an inflatable pad body 1 configured with a
`closed inflatable space 10, and a plurality of reinforcing belts
`13 (only one is shown) disposed in the inflatable space 10 for
`interconnecting top and bottom layers 11, 12 of the pad body.
`Each reinforcing belt 13 is made of a thermoplastic material,
`and has opposite generally-horizontal side portions 131 that
`are welded respectively to the top and bottom layers 11, 12,
`and a generally-vertically intermediate portion 132 intercon
`necting the side portions 131 for maintaining a distance
`between the top and bottom layers 11. It is noted that the side
`portions 131 of each reinforcing belt 13 become hard after
`welding. A connecting point 133 between the intermediate
`portion 132 and each side portion 131 is bent and is tension
`ally extended when a pressure, for example, user’s weight, is
`applied to the inflatable pad. As a result, the connecting points
`133 of the reinforcing belt 13 may be broken after a long
`period of use.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to
`provide an inflatable pad that can overcome the aforesaid
`disadvantage.
`[0007] According to the present invention, an inflatable pad
`comprises:
`[0008] an inflatable pad body having a top layer, a bot
`tom layer, and a looped surrounding layer interconnect
`ing the top and bottom layers to cooperatively define an
`inflatable space; and
`[0009] at least one reinforcing belt unit disposed in the
`inflatable space in the inflatable pad body and connected
`between the top and bottom layers of the inflatable pad
`body, the reinforcing belt unit including
`[0010] two coupling belts, each of which is attached
`fixedly and partially to a corresponding one of the top
`and bottom layers of the inflatable pad body and has a
`central portion spaced apart from the corresponding
`one of the top and bottom layers of the inflatable pad
`body, and
`[0011] a main reinforcing belt having opposite looped
`end portions that are connected respectively to the
`central portions of the coupling belts.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`[0012] Other features and advantages of the present inven
`tion will become apparent in the following detailed descrip
`tion of the preferred embodiment with reference to the
`accompanying drawings, of which:
`[0013] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view of
`a conventional inflatable pad;
`
`[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred
`embodiment of an inflatable bad according to the present
`invention;
`[0015] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, partly sectional perspective
`view of the preferred embodiment; and
`[0016] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view of
`the preferred embodiment.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`[0017| Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the preferred embodiment
`of an inflatable pad according to the present invention is
`shown to include an inflatable pad body 2, and two reinforc
`ing belt units 3.
`[0018] The inflatable pad body 2 has a top layer 21, a
`bottom layer 22, and a looped annular surrounding layer 23
`interconnecting the top and bottom layers 21, 22 to coopera
`tively define an inflatable space 20.
`[0019] The reinforcing belt units 3 are disposed spacedly in
`the inflatable space 20 in the inflatable pad body 2, and are
`connected between the top and bottom layers 21, 22 of the
`inflatable pad body 2. Each reinforcing belt unit 3 includes
`two coupling belts 31, and a main reinforcing belt 32.
`[0020) For each reinforcing belt unit 3, each coupling belt
`31 is attached fixedly and partially to a corresponding one of
`the top and bottom layers 21, 22 of the inflatable pad body 2,
`and has a central portion 310 spaced apart from the corre
`sponding one of the top and bottom layers 21, 22 of the
`inflatable pad body 2, as best shown in FIG.4. In this embodi
`ment, each coupling belt 31 includes a belt body 312, and a
`thermoplastic layer 311 coated over the belt body 312 and
`welded partially to the corresponding one of the top and
`bottom layers 21, 22 of the inflatable pad body 2. Preferably,
`the belt body 312 of each coupling belt 31 is made of one of
`nylon and cotton cloth materials. In addition, the thermoplas
`tic layer 311 of each coupling belt 31 is made of PVC (poly
`vinylchloride) material. The main reinforcing belt 32 has
`opposite looped end portions 321 that are connected respec
`tively to the central portions 310 of the coupling belts 31, and
`a generally-vertical intermediate portion 322 interconnecting
`the looped end portions 321 for limiting a distance between
`the central portions 310 of the coupling belts 31. In this
`embodiment, the main reinforcing belt 32 is made of one of
`nylon and cotton cloth materials. The looped end portion 321
`of the main reinforcing belt 32 are sewn respectively to the
`central portions 310 of the coupling belts 31, as shown in
`FIGS. 3 and 4.
`[0021] In sum, for each reinforcing belt unit 3, the thermo
`plastic layer 311 of each coupling belt 31 has a relatively large
`area for bonding with the corresponding one of the top and
`bottom layers 21, 22 of the inflatable pad body 2 as compared
`to the prior art. The main reinforcing belt 32 interconnects the
`central portions 310 of the coupling belts 31. In addition, the
`central portion 310 of each coupling belt 31 is spaced apart
`from the corresponding one of the top and bottom layers 21,
`22 of the inflatable pad body 2. As a result, the reinforcing belt
`units can provide larger bonding force for interconnecting the
`top and bottom layers 21, 22 of the inflatable pad body 2,
`thereby effectively maintaining the shape of the inflatable pad
`body 2 filled with air. Furthermore, the outer surface of the
`inflatable pad body 2 is less wavy, thereby providing a rela
`tively comfortable surface for use. Moreover, a vertical pull
`force from the main reinforcing belt 32 is directly applied to
`the central portion 310 of each coupling belt 31. As a result,
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`US 2012/003.1265 A1
`
`Feb. 9, 2012
`
`the vertical pull force from the main reinforcing belt 32 is
`divided onto two pull forces, each of which is applied to a
`corresponding welding portion of each coupling belt 31
`through the central portion 310 and is smaller as compared to
`the prior art. Therefore, damage to the coupling belts 31 can
`be reduced, thereby prolonging the service life of the inflat
`able pad.
`[0022] While the present invention has been described in
`connection with what is considered the most practical and
`preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is
`not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to
`cover various arrangements included within the spirit and
`scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all
`such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
`What is claimed is:
`1. An inflatable pad comprising:
`an inflatable pad body having a top layer, a bottom layer,
`and a looped surrounding layer interconnecting said top
`and bottom layers to cooperatively define an inflatable
`space; and
`at least one reinforcing belt unit disposed in said inflatable
`space in said inflatable pad body and connected between
`said top and bottom layers of said inflatable pad body,
`said reinforcing belt unit including
`
`two coupling belts, each of which is attached fixedly and
`partially to a corresponding one of said top and bot
`tom layers of said inflatable pad body and has a central
`portion spaced apart from the corresponding one of
`said top and bottom layers of said inflatable pad body,
`and
`a main reinforcing belt having opposite looped end por
`tions that are connected respectively to said central
`portions of said coupling belts.
`2. The inflatable pad as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of
`said coupling belts includes a belt body, and a thermoplastic
`layer coated over said belt body and welded partially to the
`corresponding one of said top and bottom layers of said
`inflatable pad body.
`3. The inflatable pad as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
`said belt bodies of said coupling belts and said main rein
`forcing belt are made of one of nylon and cotton cloth
`materials; and
`said looped end portions of said main reinforcing belt are
`sewn respectively to said central portions of said cou
`pling belts.
`
`INTEX EXHIBIT 2026, Pg. 7
`Bestway v. Intex; PGR2017-00003
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`