Patient support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507147-B2
Application number	US-201715616242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2017
Priority date	Jul 8, 2005
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

This disclosure describes certain exemplary embodiments of a patient support having a plurality of vertically-oriented on substantially can-shaped inflatable bladders. In one embodiment, the patient support includes a support layer positioned above the vertical bladders. In another embodiment, the patient support includes a high air loss device. In still another embodiment, the patient support includes a pneumatic device located within the patient support.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A patient support comprising
a mattress having a plurality of inflatable bladders including an air loss enclosure having a first opening adjacent a foot end of the air loss enclosure and having a second opening adjacent a head end of the air loss enclosure, the second opening being oblong,
a valve box located within the mattress, and
a control unit spaced from the mattress, wherein inside the control unit a compressor is housed and a blower is housed, the compressor being pneumatically coupled through the valve box to a first inflatable bladder of the plurality of inflatable bladders, the blower being pneumatically coupled through the valve box to the air loss enclosure of the plurality of inflatable bladders.

2. The patient support of claim 1 , wherein the mattress includes an inflatable deck filler that is inflated to conform a shape of the mattress to be compatible with a bed having a step deck configuration.

3. The patient support of claim 2 , wherein the deck filler is deflated when the mattress is used on a bed having a flat deck configuration.

4. The patient support of claim 1 , wherein the mattress includes a head section and further comprising a head angle sensor coupled to the head section to provide information regarding an angle of inclination of the head section of the mattress.

5. The patient support of claim 4 , wherein the head angle sensor comprises a ball switch or a string potentiometer.

6. The patient support of claim 4 , wherein the head angle sensor comprises a ball switch having three balls, each ball having a position at which a respective threshold angle from among three thresholds angles is signaled by the ball sensor.

7. The patient support of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor inside the mattress, the at least one sensor providing information to the control unit that is used to control inflation of the mattress via the valve box.

8. The patient support of claim 7 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor pad.

9. The patient support of claim 1 , wherein the mattress includes a foot section and the valve box is located within the foot section.

10. The patient support of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable bladders includes a plurality of main body support bladders among which the first inflatable bladder is included, wherein the air loss enclosure is situated above the main body support bladders, the compressor operates to inflate the plurality of main body support bladders, and the blower operates to circulate air through the air loss enclosure.

11. The patient support of claim 10 , wherein the air loss enclosure comprises a low air loss enclosure through which air moves at about ½ cubic feet per minute (CFM).

12. The patient support of claim 10 , wherein the air loss enclosure comprises a high air loss enclosure through which air moves at about 2 to about 10 cubic feet per minute (CFM).

13. The patient support of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of main body support bladders comprises a plurality of vertical bladders.

14. The patient support of claim 10 , further comprising a three dimensional fiber network material located within the air loss enclosure.

15. The patient support of claim 14 , wherein the three dimensional fiber network material comprises an air permeable material.

16. The patient support of claim 1 , further comprising a switch valve that is located in the control unit and that is coupled to the compressor, the switch valve is switchable to provide for the application of air pressure or a vacuum to the first inflatable bladder via the valve box.

17. The patient support of claim 16 , further comprising a muffler that is located in the control unit and that is coupled to the switch valve.

18. The patient support of claim 16 , wherein application of vacuum is used to place the mattress in a collapsed state for moving to another location.

19. The patient support of claim 16 , wherein application of vacuum is used to place the mattress in a collapsed state for providing a CPR function.

20. The patient support of claim 1 , wherein the valve box includes a first valve module including a first set of valves associated with bladders supporting a first side of a patient and wherein the valve box includes a second valve module including a second set of valves associated with bladders supporting a second side of the patient.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Bobey John A
• Branson Gregory W
• Ginther Rebecca A
• Hakamiun Reza
• Lachenbruch Charles A
• Mueller Jonathan H
• Soltani Sohrab
• Wilson Bradley T
• Douglas Stephen L
• Chambers Kenith W
• King Rachel H
• Meyer Eric R
• O'Keefe Christopher R
• Stacy Richard B
• Uzzle Thomas E

Classifications

• A61G2203/42

  for inclination · CPC title

• A61G2200/16

  bariatric, e.g. heavy or obese · CPC title

• A61G2203/34

  for pressure · CPC title

• A61G7/001

  with means for turning-over the patient · CPC title

• A61G7/05769

  with inflatable chambers · CPC title