Waterbed

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A waterbed, water mattress, or flotation mattress is a bed or mattress filled with water. Waterbeds intended for medical therapies appear in various reports through the 19th century. The modern version, invented in San Francisco and patented in 1971, became a popular consumer item in the United States through the 1980s with up to 20% of the market in 1986 [1] and 22% in 1987. [2] [3] By 2013, they accounted for less than 5% of new bed sales. [4]

Contents

Construction

Softside Waterbed Outside.JPG
Softside Waterbed Inside.JPG
Softside waterbed 160 by 200 centimetres (63 by 79 in) with dual heating (top) and two water chambers and flexible chamber isolation inside (bottom).

Waterbeds primarily consist of two types, hard-sided beds and soft-sided beds.

A hard-sided waterbed consists of a water-containing mattress inside a rectangular frame of wood resting on a plywood deck that sits on a platform.

A soft-sided waterbed consists of a water-containing mattress inside of a rectangular frame of sturdy foam, zippered inside a fabric casing, which sits on a platform. It looks like a conventional bed and is designed to fit existing bedroom furniture. The platform usually looks like a conventional foundation or box spring, and sits atop a reinforced metal frame.

Early waterbed mattresses, and many inexpensive modern mattresses, have a single water chamber. When the water mass in these "free flow" mattresses is disturbed, significant wave motion can be felt, and they need time to stabilize after a disturbance. Later models employed wave-reducing methods, including fiber batting. Some models only partially reduce wave motion, while more expensive models almost eliminate wave motion.

Water beds are normally heated. If no heater is used, the water will equalize with the room air temperature (around 70 °F). In models with no heater, there are at least several inches of insulation above the water chamber. This partially eliminates the body-contouring benefit of a waterbed, and the ability to control the bed temperature. For these reasons, most waterbeds have temperature control systems. Temperature is controlled via a thermostat and set to personal preference, most commonly around average skin temperature, 30 °C (86 °F). A typical heating pad consumes 150–400 watts of power. Depending on insulation, bedding, temperature, use, and other factors, electricity usage may vary significantly.

Waterbeds are usually constructed from soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or similar material. They can be repaired with practically any vinyl repair kit.

Types of waterbed mattresses

History in 1800s

A form of waterbed was invented in 1833 by the Scottish physician Neil Arnott. Dr. Arnott's Hydrostatic Bed was devised to prevent bedsores in patients, and comprised a bath of water with a covering of rubber-impregnated canvas, on which lighter bedding was placed. Arnott did not patent it, permitting anyone to construct a bed to this design. [6] [7]

The use of a waterbed (for the ailing Mrs. Hale) is mentioned in Elizabeth Gaskell's 1855 novel North and South . [8]

On May 18, 1863, a proposal for waterbed supplies was posted to newspapers by the USA Medical and Hospital Department, Medical Purveyor's Office, Washington D.C. The proposal requested a supplier for "water-beds, India Rubber Rubber Cushions, for air or water". [9]

In 1871, a waterbed was in use in Elmira, New York, for "invalids". It was briefly mentioned by Mark Twain in his article "A New Beecher Church", which was published in The New York Times on 23 July 1871. Twain wrote: "In the infirmary will be kept one or two water-beds (for invalids whose pains will not allow them to be on a less yielding substance) and half a dozen reclining invalid-chairs on wheels. The water-beds and invalid-chairs at present belonging to the church are always in demand, and never out of service".

A newspaper classified want ad in 1877 requested "AN INDIA RUBBER Water-bed. 3 feet by 2 feet, new or second hand. Call immediately at 1,222 Broadway." [10]

The protagonist Graham is placed on a waterbed in a glass case during his coma of 203 years in the 1898 H. G. Wells novel "The Sleeper Awakes".

Heinlein descriptions

Science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein described therapeutic waterbeds in his novels Beyond This Horizon (1942), Double Star (1956), and Stranger in a Strange Land (1961). In 1980 Heinlein recalled in Expanded Universe :

I designed the waterbed during years as a bed patient in the middle thirties; a pump to control water level, side supports to permit one to float rather than simply lying on a not very soft water filled mattress. Thermostatic control of temperature, safety interfaces to avoid all possibility of electric shock, waterproof box to make a leak no more important than a leaky hot water bottle rather than a domestic disaster, calculation of floor loads (important!), internal rubber mattress and lighting, reading, and eating arrangements—an attempt to design the perfect hospital bed by one who had spent too damn much time in hospital beds.

Heinlein made no attempt to build his invention, but its first builder, Charles Hall, was denied a patent claim based on Heinlein's "prior works". [11]

Apparently, the initial patent application by Charles Hall for the waterbed was denied as being too broad, as the device itself had been described by Heinlein in several of his novels that had been published more than 25 years prior to Hall trying to make one. Hall was later granted a patent when he modified and specified his design. [12]

The Hall waterbed

The modern waterbed was created by Charles Prior Hall in 1968, while he was a design student at San Francisco State University in California. Hall originally wanted to make an innovative chair. His first prototype was a vinyl bag chair with 300 pounds (136 kg) of cornstarch. [13] Ultimately, he abandoned working on a chair, and settled on perfecting a bed. [14]

Hall was granted a patent (#3,585,356) on his waterbed in 1971, which he originally called "liquid support for human bodies." The same year, he founded Innerspace Environments, a manufacturing and sales company which became the leading retailer of waterbeds in the United States, with 30 owned-and-operated stores. [15] The patent came to trial in 1991 in Intex v. Hall /wbx. The patent was upheld in court, and Hall received a $4.8 million judgment for infringement. Hall /wbx received additional royalties from licensing. Some later lawsuits were dismissed because of laches.

In 1987, sales peaked at 22% of the domestic mattress industry. [16] Although the waterbed was initially advertised as offering "undisturbed sleep", Hall admitted that customers "bought it for the sensual or the sexual part of it", and the sexually associated advertising was highly effective in the 1970s and early 1980s. Henry Petroski of Duke University said of the waterbed: "Not only was it the cool new gadget, but it emerged during a time when the culture embraced anything different, especially a product that embodied sexual liberation". [17]

Advantages and disadvantages

Regarding usage

The waterbed can be useful and comfortable for some and dangerous for others. The main feature of the waterbed found attractive is its form-fitting, pressure-minimizing nature. Not only is this beneficial to those seeking mere comfort, but the removal of pressure from the spine can provide relief to those with back pain. [18] In addition, the distribution of weight can prevent bedsores among users who are paralyzed or comatose. [19] [20] However, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development warns that the form-fitting nature of the water-bed poses a danger to infants, providing a possibility of asphyxiation. [21]

Another advantage of a waterbed is its easy cleaning. It is impossible for dirt and dead skin particles to penetrate the water mattress, which can then be wiped away periodically with a cloth and vinyl cleaner. The cover over the mattress can be regularly washed—thus virtually eliminating house dust mites in the bed.[ citation needed ] Dust mites can trigger asthma, eczema, and allergies in people sensitive to them.

Other factors

First, since some hard-sided waterbeds are of different sizes from other mattresses, bed sheets are harder to find and come in fewer varieties. Second, moving a waterbed is more difficult than moving a normal bed; the water must be drained and the frame disassembled, then the frame must be reassembled, the mattress refilled with water, and the water heated for a potentially long period to get the new water to the correct temperature. Heating the bed can be costly; a waterbed consumes between 300 and 1,500 kWh/year ($36–180 USD at 12c/kWh, the US national average cost for residential energy), depending on the climate, bed size, and other factors. The energy usage can be decreased by about 60% with the use of a soft-sided waterbed. [22] The ability to heat the bed is lost if there is a power outage, and this can make the bed too cold to sleep on, particularly if the power outage occurs during winter, and/or the room cannot be heated. The water itself can pose challenges when water mattresses occasionally leak. Plastic liners will reduce damage, but emptying, patching, refilling, and reheating the bed (and sleeping elsewhere until all this is completed) can be an inconvenience. Another factor is the weight of a waterbed. Waterbed mattresses, depending on the size, hold about 80–235 US gal (300–890 L) of water, which could bring the weight of the entire bed to over 2,000 lb (910 kg). This weight could pose a risk to the floor the bed is on. Some landlords may not allow a tenant to have a waterbed due to this, especially if it is on a higher floor.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air mattress</span> Type of mattress

An air mattress is an inflatable mattress or sleeping pad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upholstery</span> Covering of furniture with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather

Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word also refers to the materials used to upholster something.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mattress</span> Large soft sheet for lying on to sleep

A mattress is a large, usually rectangular pad for supporting a lying person. It is designed to be used as a bed, or on a bed frame as part of a bed. Mattresses may consist of a quilted or similarly fastened case, usually of heavy cloth, containing materials such as hair, straw, cotton, foam rubber, or a framework of metal springs. Mattresses may also be filled with air or water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedding</span> Bed covering fabrics

Bedding, also called bedclothes or bed linen, is the materials laid above the mattress of a bed for hygiene, warmth, protection of the mattress, and decorative effect. Bedding is the removable and washable portion of a human sleeping environment. Multiple sets of bedding for each bed are often washed in rotation and/or changed seasonally to improve sleep comfort at varying room temperatures. Most standardized measurements for bedding are rectangular, but there are also some square-shaped sizes, which allows the user to put on bedding without having to consider its lengthwise orientation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bed</span> Piece of furniture used as a place to sleep or relax

A bed is an item of furniture that is used as a place to sleep, rest, and relax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bed sheet</span> Rectangular piece of cloth or linen cotton used to cover a mattress

A bed sheet is a rectangular piece of cloth used either singly or in a pair as bedding, which is larger in length and width than a mattress, and which is placed immediately above a mattress or bed, but below blankets and other bedding. A bottom sheet is laid above the mattress, and may be either a flat sheet or a fitted sheet. A top sheet, in the many countries where they are used, is a flat sheet, which is placed above a bottom sheet and below other bedding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Box-spring</span> Type of bed base

A box-spring is a type of bed base typically consisting of a sturdy wooden frame covered in cloth and containing springs. Usually, the box-spring is placed on top of a wooden or metal bedframe that sits on the floor and acts as a brace, except in the UK where the divan is more often fitted with small casters. The box-spring is usually the same size as the much softer mattress placed on it. Working together, the box-spring and mattress make up a bed. It is common to find a box-spring and mattress being used together without the support of a frame underneath, the box spring being mounted directly on casters standing on the floor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memory foam</span> Component primarily utilized for making cushions or mattresses

Memory foam consists mainly of polyurethane with additional chemicals that increase its viscosity and density. It is often referred to as "viscoelastic" polyurethane foam, or low-resilience polyurethane foam (LRPu). The foam bubbles or ‘cells’ are open, effectively creating a matrix through which air can move. Higher-density memory foam softens in reaction to body heat, allowing it to mold to a warm body in a few minutes. Newer foams may recover their original shape more quickly.

Underlay may refer to flooring or roofing materials, bed padding, or a musical notation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep Number</span> U.S. manufacturing company

Sleep Number Corporation is an American manufacturer that makes the Sleep Number and Comfortaire beds, foundations and bedding accessories. The company is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to its Minnesota headquarters, Sleep Number has manufacturing and distribution facilities in South Carolina and Utah. As of 2023, the company employed 5,515 people across the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Arnott</span> Scottish physician and inventor

Dr Neil Arnott FRS LLD was a Scottish physician and inventor. He was the inventor of one of the first forms of the waterbed, the Arnott waterbed, and was awarded the Rumford Medal in 1852 for the construction of the smokeless fire grate, as well as other improvements to ventilation and heating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot water bottle</span> Container filled with hot water used for heating

A hot-water bottle is a bottle filled with hot water and sealed with a stopper, used to provide warmth, typically while in bed, but also for the application of heat to a specific part of the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sofa bed</span> Form of sofa that converts into a bed

A sofa bed or sofa-bed is a multifunctional furniture typically consisting of a sofa or couch that, underneath its seating cushions, hides a metal frame and thin mattress that can be unfolded or opened up to make a bed. A western-style futon differs from a sofa bed, although sofa beds using futon mattresses are common.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric blanket</span> Blanket with electric heating

An electric blanket is a blanket that contains integrated electrical heating wires. Types include underblankets, overblankets, throws, and duvets. An electric underblanket is placed above the mattress and below the bottom bed sheet. This is the most common type in the UK and Commonwealth countries, where it is known by default as an "electric blanket"; in the U.S. and Canada, where it is less common, it is called an electric heated mattress pad. An electric overblanket is placed above the top bed sheet, and is the most common type in the U.S. and Canada, where it is called an "electric blanket".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mattress pad</span>

A mattress pad, mattress topper, or underpad is designed to lie atop a mattress. Made from a variety of materials including wool, cotton, memory foam, feather and latex, its function is to provide an extra layer of comfort, especially when the existing mattress is worn or uncomfortable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bed base</span> Component of a bed that supports the mattress

A bed base, sometimes called a foundation, is the part of a bed that supports the mattress. The bed base can itself be held in place and framed by the bedstead. In the United States, box-spring bed bases are very common. In Europe, sprung slats are much more common.

Newborn care and safety are activities and precautions recommended for new parents or caregivers. It is an educational goal of many hospitals and birthing centers to promote newborn care and safety as parents take their infant home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eight Sleep</span> American technology company

Eight Sleep is an American company that develops products for "sleep fitness".

John Clark (1785-1853) was a British printer and inventor who created the first automated text generator, the Latin Verse Machine between 1830 and 1843. Clark also patented a method for rubberising cloth that was used for air beds.

References

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