Inflatable article of furniture and method of using same

Abstract

An inflatable article of furniture ( 100 ) includes at least two inflatable mattresses ( 1, 2 ), a hinge ( 5 ), and at least one tube ( 3, 4 ) positioned external to the hinge. The hinge connects the two mattresses together and is adapted to permit rotation of at least one of the inflatable mattresses relative to the other. The tube(s) permits passage of an inflating substance between the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress such that both mattresses may be rapidly inflated in a single step upon introducing an inflating substance into one of the mattresses. The article of furniture may optionally include a backrest ( 8 ) and one or more armrests ( 9, 10 ) that are fixedly connected to one of the mattresses and integrally connected together to facilitate use of the article of furniture in several different configurations.

1 . An inflatable article of furniture comprising: 
 a first inflatable mattress;    a second inflatable mattress;    a hinge connecting the first inflatable mattress to the second inflatable mattress, the hinge being adapted to permit rotation of at least one of the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress relative to the other; and    at least one tube connected at a first end to the first inflatable mattress and at a second end to the second inflatable mattress, the at least one tube being positioned external to the hinge and adapted to permit passage of an inflating substance between the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress.    
   
   
       2 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress includes four sides, respectively, when inflated, wherein the hinge is connected substantially adjacent a first side of the first inflatable mattress and substantially adjacent a first side of the second inflatable mattress, the inflatable article of furniture further comprising: 
 at least one releaseably connector coupling a second side of the first inflatable mattress to a second side of the second inflatable mattress, wherein the at least one connector is adapted to limit lateral and vertical movement of the first inflatable mattress in relation to the second inflatable mattress when the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress are in a stacked arrangement and the at least one connector is fastened.    
   
   
       3 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one connector comprises a snap-lock buckle.  
   
   
       4 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an inflatable backrest fixedly connected to the first inflatable mattress.    
   
   
       5 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 at least one inflatable armrest fixedly connected to the first inflatable mattress and integrally connected to the inflatable backrest such that an inflating fluid passes freely between the at least one inflatable armrest and the inflatable backrest.    
   
   
       6 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge connects an edge of the first inflatable mattress to an edge of the second inflatable mattress.  
   
   
       7 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge is rotatable through at least about 180 degrees of rotation to facilitate positioning the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress in a stacked arrangement.  
   
   
       8 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge is rotatable so as to facilitate positioning the first inflatable mattress adjacent the second inflatable mattresses in a substantially flat arrangement.  
   
   
       9 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress comprise polyvinylchloride.  
   
   
       10 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises polyvinylchloride.  
   
   
       11 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the first inflatable mattress has a length, a width, and a height that are approximately equal to a length, a width, and a height of the second inflatable mattress.  
   
   
       12 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the inflating substance is a gas.  
   
   
       13 . The inflatable article of furniture of  claim 1 , wherein the inflating substance is a fluid.  
   
   
       14 . An inflatable furniture system comprising: 
 an inflation device; and    an inflatable article of furniture, said inflatable article of furniture including:    a first inflatable mattress;    a second inflatable mattress;    a hinge rotatably connecting the first inflatable mattress to the second inflatable mattress, the hinge being adapted to permit rotation of at least one of the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress such that the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress overlay one another; and    at least one tube connected at a first end to the first inflatable mattress and at a second end to the second inflatable mattress, the at least one tube being positioned external to the hinge and adapted to permit an inflating substance sourced by the inflation device to communicate between the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress.    
   
   
       15 . A method of using an inflatable article of furniture comprising: 
 providing an inflatable article of furniture in a deflated state, wherein the inflatable article of furniture includes a first inflatable mattress, a second inflatable mattress, a hinge rotatably connecting the first inflatable mattress to the second inflatable mattress, and at least one tube connected at a first end to the first inflatable mattress and at a second end to the second inflatable mattress, the at least one tube being positioned external to the hinge and adapted to permit passage of an inflating substance between the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress;    inflating the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress in a single step by introducing the inflating substance into one of the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress; and    rotating one of the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress about the hinge to arrange the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress in a stacked configuration.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein each of the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress includes four sides, respectively, when inflated, wherein the hinge is connected substantially adjacent a first side of the first inflatable mattress and substantially adjacent a first side of the second inflatable mattress, the method further comprising: 
 providing at least one connector coupling a second side of the first inflatable mattress to a second side of the second inflatable mattress, wherein the at least one connector is adapted to limit lateral and vertical movement of the first inflatable mattress in relation to the second inflatable mattress when the first inflatable mattress and the second inflatable mattress are in a stacked arrangement.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 providing an inflatable backrest in a deflated state, the inflatable backrest being fixedly connected to the first inflatable mattress;    providing at least one inflatable armrest in a deflated state, the at least one inflatable armrest being fixedly connected to the first inflatable mattress and integrally connected to the inflatable backrest; and    inflating the inflatable backrest and the at least one inflatable armrest in a single step by introducing the inflating substance into one of the inflatable backrest and the at least one inflatable armrest.