Built in air blower to automatically open/close an air channel to inflate/deflate an air-cushioned bed

Abstract

A built in air blower for inflation/deflation an of air bed includes a casing adapted to be received in a side face of the air bed in an air tight manner. The casing has a body with a through hole defined in a side face of the body. An air blower having a mouth extends into the through hole and has an engaging plate formed inside the mouth. A nozzle assembly is sealingly connected to the through hole of the casing and has a hollow cylinder with two open ends and an annular flange to engage with the periphery of the through hole in an air tight manner. A crossbar is formed inside the hollow cylinder and a membrane is operably connected to the engaging plate to selectively close one of the two open ends of the hollow cylinder.

1 . A built in air blower for inflation/deflation an air bed, the air blower comprising: 
 a casing adapted to be received in a side face of the air bed in an air tight manner, the casing having a body with a U-shaped cross section and a through hole defined in a side face of the body;    an air blower having a mouth extending into the through hole and having an engaging plate formed inside the mouth; and    a nozzle assembly sealingly connected to a periphery defining the through hole of the casing and having a hollow cylinder with two open ends and an annular flange to engage with the periphery of the through hole in an air tight manner, a crossbar formed inside the hollow cylinder and a membrane operably connected to the engaging plate to selectively close one of the two open ends of the hollow cylinder thereby allow air from the air blower to escape from the air bed or to enter the air bed; and    a securing device securely formed in the body to selectively retain the air blower inside the casing.    
   
   
       2 . The air blower as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle assembly further has a linkage sandwiched between the membrane and the engaging plate to drive movement of the membrane.  
   
   
       3 . The air blower as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the linkage includes a substrate, a central rod formed on top of the substrate and two auxiliary rods formed on top of the substrate and spaced apart from each other by the central rod, the crossbar has a central hole defined through the crossbar to correspond to and receive an extension of the central rod, two positioning holes defined in the crossbar and spaced apart from each other by the central hole to correspond to and securely receive therein the two auxiliary rods, an annular stop securely connected to a top portion of the central rod to sandwich a spring with the crossbar such that the linkage is able to move relative to the hollow cylinder.  
   
   
       4 . The air blower as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the substrate further has two apertures defined in the substrate to correspond to and receive therein two extensions formed on the membrane so that the movement of the linkage is able to drive the membrane to move and the through hole of the casing is selectively closed/opened.  
   
   
       5 . The air blower as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the securing device includes: 
 a sliding seat with two oppositely defined tracks each provided with a notch defined therein, a recessed area defined between the two tracks; and    a position plate slidably connected to the sliding seat along the tracks and having two position ears respectively and oppositely formed on a side wall and a cap formed between the two side walls to engage and secure the air blower inside the body after the two position ears are received in the two notches.    
   
   
       6 . The air-cushioned bed assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a limiting groove is defined in a top portion of the recessed area, the position plate has a U-shaped cut to form a tongue having two opposed bosses formed to correspond to the limiting groove.  
   
   
       7 . The air-cushioned bed assembly as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each side wall has a truncated edge formed on a lower portion thereof such that when the position plate is moved along the tracks, the two truncated edges of the two side walls engage with the air blower to force the outlet of the air blower to be received in the through hole.  
   
   
       8 . The air-cushioned bed assembly as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a bottom face defining the recessed area is tilted so that when the tongue is moved along the recessed area, the tongue is abutted by the bottom face of the recessed area due to the bosses and the bosses will be received in the limiting groove while the air blower is being removed from the body.