Such carriers are generally known, wherein an envelope is arranged round a filling with determined characteristics in respect of compressibility and comfort. Feathers may optionally have been added to the filling in the carrier, for example in the case of a mattress, in order to influence these characteristics.

Carriers according to the known art have the drawback that the properties and characteristics thereof cannot be changed. Particularly in the case of a mattress it may be desirable in use to adapt the properties and characteristics hereof to a user and/or a plurality of users. This is not possible with the known carriers. Nor can the known carriers be adapted to specific requirements of one particular user changing through time, when this user desires on one occasion a firmer support than on another.

The present invention has for its object to solve at least the above-stated problems, and for this purpose a carrier is provided which is distinguished in that it comprises : a resilient body with at least one inflatable compartment and a covering of resilient material on the body, wherein on the side directed toward the body the covering fits closely onto the shape of at least the compartment in the inflated situation, and on the other side forms a flat surface for lying or sitting on.

Because the body forms the basis of the carrier and is inflatable or comprises at least one inflatable compartment, the properties and characteristics of the carrier can be adjusted in simple manner in respect of the compressibility and the"hardness", wherein a

comfortable flat surface for lying and sitting on is still always provided.

It is noted by the way that waterbeds do not even approximate to the present invention because they display completely different properties, for instance the undulating or sloshing of the water, wherein it is only possible to influence the properties and characteristics by placing water hoses between the carrier and a water-point and so on. This is very time- consuming compared with the present invention. Air mattresses are also generally known which, however, are used mainly for camping purposes and the like due to the inflatability thereof, but they do not have a covering and therefore have bulging, uncomfortable surfaces for lying and sitting. This is therefore a bare core without covering.

In a preferred embodiment an additional covering is arranged on the side of the body opposite the covering.

In this way the resilient body, and therefore the compartment, forms the core of a unit closed on the upper surface and lower surface thereof. The protection against leakage from the compartment of the body is hereby optimized and the demands made of the material of the compartment can be reduced. The additional covering preferably forms as it were a support surface on the bottom of the carrier. The carrier can then be placed thereon and has optimal stability.

The covering and the additional covering are preferably connected directly to each other along at least one edge of the body, so that the resilient body is enclosed therebetween, wherein additionally or alternatively the covering and the additional covering are connected along at least one edge of the body by means of a closing piece arranged on the covering and the additional covering. When the covering and the additional covering are connected directly to each other without interposing of a closing piece, they have to extend beyond the edge of the body, whereas with the use

of the closing piece the covering and the additional covering only have to extend as far as the edge. If use is made of a closing piece, the closing piece preferably has a compressibility corresponding to that of at least the compartment. In this manner the carrier displays the same properties and characteristics over the whole of the thereby formed surface for lying or sitting on, also along an edge thereof where a closing piece is applied.

As material for the body with the compartment use can for instance be made of polyether, and the covering and/or additional covering can be manufactured from latex or a material with similar characteristics.

A body with a plurality of mutually connected compartments preferably has the property that a passage has dimensions which choke air displacement between compartments. Thus is achieved that the carrier gradually adapts to a varying load over the surface thereof, which enhances comfort.

The body can consist of at least two mutually isolated compartments such as a mattress with a surface for lying on and a pillow part. It is then desirable herein that the separate isolated compartments can also be inflated independently of each other and are provided with their own valves or the like, such as pumps.

These and other advantages, properties and measures according to the present invention will be elucidated with reference to the figure description following hereinbelow of a non-limitative example of an embodiment of the present invention, wherein : fig. 1 shows a schematic exploded view of a mattress according to the present invention ; and fig. 2 shows a cross-section through a mattress corresponding to fig. 1 in assembled state.

Mattress 1 comprises a resilient body designed as air core 2 ; a covering designed as first cover layer 3 ; an additional covering designed as second cover layer 4.

First cover layer 3 and second cover layer 4 have a shape which fits closely onto air core 2 on the side

directed toward air core 2. On the opposite sides first cover layer 3 and second cover layer 4 are flat.

Air core 2 consists of compartments 8 which are in mutual communication at side edges 11 where air flows from compartment to compartment 8 are choked.

In the uninflated situation the compartments 8 of air core 2 have a dimension of for instance 19. 5 cm, which decreases to 12 cm by inflating air core 2. The dimension of the passages between compartments 8 along side edges 11 are approximately 6 cm in the uninflated situation, which dimension decreases to 3 cm in the inflated state of air core 2. It will be apparent that with such dimensions of compartments 8 and of the passages along side edges 11 a chocking action will result when air is displaced from compartment to compartment 8. This is desirable to allow the mattress to adapt gradually to a new weight distribution over the surface thereof when a user moves or has moved. As shown in fig. 2, compartments 8 are shaped on two sheets of material lying on top of one another, where at regular distances these sheets are welded together to form compartments 8 therebetween. The welds do not extend up to side edges 11 but to a point just before the edges so that the choking passages are formed. The number of compartments and the width thereof can be chosen freely, depending on the desired dimensions of mattress 1. It is however necessary herein to take account of the dimensions of first cover layer 3 and second cover layer 4 as well as the design thereof on the side directed toward air core 2.

First cover layer 3 and second cover layer 4 extend beyond the short sides 12 of air core 2, where they are fixed to each other along these short sides. The material of the first cover layer and of the second cover layer is for instance latex, which has desired characteristics and is moreover weldable, so that this connection along the short sides 12 of air core 2 can be

brought about without problem and very easily with a weld. Other materials can also be used for this purpose.

Side edges 5 are arranged along the side edges 11 of air core 2. These can be manufactured from the same material as first cover layer 3 and second cover layer 4, so that a similar type of welding operation can be applied as along the short sides 12 so as to completely enclose air core 2. Side edges 5 have longitudinal grooves 13 in the outward directed surface, whereby the stiffness thereof is manipulated such that it substantially corresponds with the compressibility of mattress 1 close to the middle thereof. There thus result no or only slight differences in the lying comfort over the surface of mattress 1.

Air core 2 is provided with a valve 6 which is placed through a passage 7 in one of the side edges 5. A pump, for instance a hand-pump, can be connected to valve 6. The hardness or stiffness and compressibility of mattress 1 can then be influenced herewith in accordance with the wishes of the user.

In an embodiment which is not shown, a carrier according to the present invention as mattress also comprises additional compartments which are not in open communication with compartments 8 of air core 2 but which are isolated therefrom. These can be arranged for instance at a location corresponding with a pillow, so that a part of the function of the pillow is already incorporated into the mattress. It is also possible to apply separate (sets of) compartments for legs and body so as to enable adjustment of the lying comfort per body zone. Each separate set of compartments is then provided with its own valve and, optionally, pump. In addition to the cylindrical compartments shown in fig. 2, other shapes are of course also possible, for instance of elliptical or even angular cross-section. What is important is that in the inflated state of air core 2 the shape is limited by the covering (s) in order to smooth out these expanded shapes in the inflated state

and provide a flat surface for lying or sitting on, while the compressibility and other characteristics are hereby optimized for high lying comfort, and to distribute load uniformly over the compartments. As shown in fig. 2, a further layer 10 with a sleeve 9 thereover is also arranged on first cover layer 3 and second cover layer 4. A capacity to absorb perspiration is hereby provided, particularly in the layer 10, which function cannot be fulfilled by first cover layer 3 or second cover layer 4 if they are manufactured from latex. The use of perhaps first cover layer 3 and/or second cover layer 4 to absorb perspiration is possible by using a different material, as is combining layer 10 and sleeve 9.

Many embodiments and designs of the present invention other than those shown here will occur to the skilled person after examination of the foregoing. These variants must however all be deemed as lying within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. Other materials can thus be used, different dimensions can be applied and the carrier does not necessarily have to be a mattress, but may for instance form a loose cushion or also an element of a car seat, a couch, etc.