air mattress
The air mattress is an inflatable mattress made of an elastic, airtight material ( PVC , natural or synthetic rubber ) that forms one or more separate cavities, the so-called chambers . One or more valves are used to inflate and deflate the mattress, usually with a bellows or an air pump .
More comfortable models are also available with a cover made of cotton or a suede - flocking available as an easily transportable sleeping mat. A special form is the thermal air mattress, a self-inflating air mattress with the properties of a sleeping mat .
Air mattresses are not moisture-regulating, as all moisture is blocked on the surface, which means that condensation forms at low temperatures. Larger models are usually referred to as air beds.
PVC air mattresses are often used as swimming aids ; under supervision and in shallow water, this is harmless, but otherwise very dangerous for non-swimmers such as swimmers in deep water, because
- you can easily slip off the smooth air mattress,
- if there is a loss of air there is a risk of drowning ,
- you can drift away in a short time by wind or current so that your own strength is no longer sufficient to return to the shore.
In addition, sunburn of the skin occurs much faster than on land due to the reflection of rays from the water surface and the refraction of water splashes.
photos
Air mattress in the shape of a cell phone
Air mattress as a guest bed
Air mattress design by the engineer Konrad Kyeser (approx. 1405)
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literature
- Jürgen Brück: Laptop, laser, advertising pillar: The ingenious things of everyday life and their fascinating history , Compact, Munich 2008, p. 66, ISBN 978-3-8174-6415-9 (history of seemingly completely normal things).
