Mattress leveling device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a system for leveling the mattress used in trucks of the type including tractor trailers used in cross country trucking and also for travel trailers and recreational vehicles. The present invention discloses a rigid frame that can be placed under a mattress. A plurality of lifting devices attached to the rigid frame can be raised or lowered individually or in designated groups as needed to make the top surface of the mattress level.

1 . A mattress leveling device comprising: 
 a non-jointed rigid frame in the shape of a quadrilateral;    a plurality of lifting devices generally disposed on the non-jointed rigid frame; and    a lifting device communication and control system capable of individually controlling each of the plurality of lifting devices to raise or lower the rigid non-jointed frame.    
   
   
       2 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 1  wherein each of the lifting devices is disposed near each of the four corners of the rigid frame.  
   
   
       3 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 2  wherein the rigid frame comprises two transverse members, three longitudinal members, a plurality of intermediate cross members, a plurality of end cross members, and a plurality of lifting device mounting plates.  
   
   
       4 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 3  wherein the two transverse members and the three longitudinal members are made from substantially square tubes made from metal material that is about 14 gauge and thick and that is about 1 inch square.  
   
   
       5 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of intermediate cross members are made from bar stock metal material that is about 3 inches wide and about ⅛ inch thick and wherein the plurality of end cross members  6  are made from bar stock metal material that is about 2 inches wide and about ⅛ inch thick.  
   
   
       6 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 5  wherein the rigid frame is made from at least two portions including a first end and a second end.  
   
   
       7 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 6  further comprising a plurality of splice plates and a plurality of mounting hardware that is used to connect the first end and the second end of the rigid frame together.  
   
   
       8 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 7  wherein the rigid frame is about 69 inches in length and 32 inches in width and wherein when the plurality of lifting devices are fully lowered, the height of the mattress leveling device is about 1¼ inch and wherein when the plurality of lifting devices are fully raised the height of the mattress leveling device is about 7 inches.  
   
   
       9 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 8  wherein the lifting devices are electromechanical lifting devices.  
   
   
       10 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 9  wherein the electromechanical lifting devices are connected to an electrical power source from a truck's onboard electrical system.  
   
   
       11 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 9  wherein the electromechanical lifting devices are connected to a source other than a vehicle's onboard electrical system and includes at least one of either a battery or 120V AC 60 Hz power source.  
   
   
       12 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 8  wherein the plurality of lifting devices are fluid chambers.  
   
   
       13 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 12  wherein the lifting device communication and control system is capable of individually controlling the inflation and deflation of each of the plurality of fluid chambers.  
   
   
       14 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 13  wherein the lifting device communication and control system is connected to a vehicle's onboard compressed fluid system and further comprises at least one switch that is capable of individually controlling the inflation and deflation of at least one of the plurality of fluid chambers.  
   
   
       15 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 14  each of the plurality of lifting devices is a fluid chamber comprising two inner tubes that are substantially assembled together with their longitudinal axes aligned such that when the two inner tubes are is assembled together, there are a plurality of openings remaining between the inner tubes that can be used to insert at least one mounting device between the two assembled inner tubes such that the mounting devices are capable of being used to attach the lifting devices to the rigid frame to substantially dispose the plurality of lifting devices near each corner of the quadrilateral shape of the rigid frame.  
   
   
       16 . A mattress leveling device comprising: 
 a non-jointed rigid frame comprising two transverse members, three longitudinal members, a plurality of intermediate cross members, a plurality of end cross members, and a plurality of lifting device mounting plates, wherein the two transverse members and the three longitudinal members are made from substantially square tubes made using material that is about 14 gauge and that is about 1 inch square, and wherein the plurality of intermediate cross members are made from bar stock material that is about 3 inches wide and about ⅛ inch thick and wherein the plurality of end cross members  6  are made from bar stock material that is about 2 inches wide and about ⅛ inch thick;    a plurality of lifting devices positioned generally disposed on an underside of the non-jointed rigid frame wherein each of the lifting devices is disposed near each of the four corners of the rigid frame, wherein the plurality of lifting devices are fluid chambers; and    a lifting device communication and control system capable of individually controlling the inflation and deflation of each of the plurality of the fluid chambers to raise or lower the rigid non-jointed frame, wherein the lifting device communication and control system is connected to a vehicle's onboard compressed fluid system and further comprises at least one switch that is capable of individually controlling the inflation and deflation of at least one of the plurality of fluid chambers.    
   
   
       17 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 16  wherein the rigid frame is made from at least two portions including a first end and a second end, and further comprising a plurality of splice plates and a plurality of mounting hardware that is used to connect the first end and the second end of the rigid frame together wherein when the rigid frame is assembled the rigid frame is about 69 inches in length and 32 inches in width.  
   
   
       18 . A mattress leveling device comprising: 
 means for supporting a mattress having a quadrilateral shape wherein such means does not include the ability to either partially or fully fold the mattress; and    means for individually raising each of the four corners of the mattress to thereby orient a top surface of the mattress to be substantially level.    
   
   
       19 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 18  wherein the means for individually raising each of the four corners of the mattress comprises at least one of either an electromechanical lifting device or a fluid operated lifting device.  
   
   
       20 . The mattress leveling device of  claim 19  wherein means for individually raising each of the four corners of the mattress comprises at least one fluid operated lifting device.