Variable width person support system and control system therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10799407-B2
Application number	US-201916423435-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2019
Priority date	Jun 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A variable width support system includes an adjustable width person support apparatus (PSA), an adjustable width person support surface (PSS), and first and second controllers. The first controller controls a function of the PSA and receives a first input corresponding to a function of the PSA via a first user interface. The second controller controls a function of the PSS and: a) receives a second input corresponding to a function of the PSS via a second user interface when the first controller is not in communication with the second controller, and b) receives a third input corresponding to a function of the PSS via the first controller when the first controller is in communication with the second controller. The second controller controls a function of the PSS in accordance with the third input when the first controller is in communication with the second controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A variable width support system comprising:
an adjustable width person support apparatus;
an adjustable width person support surface configured to be supported on the support apparatus;
a first controller configured to control a function of the person support apparatus, the first controller configured to receive a first input corresponding to a function of the person support apparatus via a first user interface; and
a second controller configured to control a function of the person support surface, the second controller configured to:
a) receive a second input corresponding to a function of the person support surface via a second user interface when the first controller is not in communication with the second controller, and to
b) receive a third input corresponding to a function of the person support surface via the first controller when the first controller is in communication with the second controller, wherein the second controller is configured to control a function of the person support surface in accordance with the third input when the first controller is in communication with the second controller.

2. The support system of claim 1 , wherein the first controller is configured to receive a fourth input corresponding to a function of the person support surface via the first user interface when the first controller is in communication with the second controller.

3. The support system of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface is disabled when the first controller is in communication with the second controller.

4. The support system of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface is enabled when communication between the first controller and the second controller is interrupted.

5. The support system of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface is configured to display information when the first controller is in communication with the second controller.

6. The support system of claim 1 , wherein the second user interface is configured to lock out function controls when the first controller is in communication with the second controller.

7. The support system of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface does not include function controls for the person support surface.

8. The support system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first user interface and the second user interface displays an error when the first controller is not in communication with the second controller.

9. The support system of claim 1 wherein the first controller is also configured to control a function of the person support apparatus in response to manual operation to alter width of the person support apparatus.

10. The support system of claim 1 wherein the first controller is a person support apparatus controller, and the second controller is a person support surface controller.

11. The support system of claim 1 wherein when the first controller is in communication with the second controller, one of the first and second user interfaces is disabled, and the other user interface is adapted to control functions of both the person support apparatus and the person support surface.

12. The support system of claim 11 wherein when the first controller is in communication with the second controller, the second user interface is disabled, and the first user interface is adapted to control functions of both the person support apparatus and the person support surface.

13. The support system of claim 11 wherein the disabled user interface does not display information.

14. The support system of claim 11 wherein the disabled user interface displays information but is not usable to control the person support surface.

15. The support system of claim 1 wherein the person support surface includes a core and side bolsters on either side of the core, and wherein when communication between the first controller and the second controller is interrupted, the side bolsters are deflated.

16. The support system of claim 15 wherein the deflated side bolsters are reinflatable by way of use of the second user interface.

17. The support system of claim 1 wherein when the first controller and the second controller are not in communication with each other, a deck extension/retraction function of the person support apparatus is locked out and the second controller maintains the person support surface in the state it was in prior to loss of communication between the first controller and the second controller.

18. The support system of claim 1 wherein when the width of the person support apparatus is reduced manually, and if the second controller determines that a pressure spike in the person support surface is greater than a predetermined threshold, the second controller causes a fluid supply to initiate deflation of a portion of the person support surface.

19. The support system of claim 18 wherein the person support system includes side bolsters and the portion of the person support surface is the side bolsters.

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Christie John D
• Lanning Mark E
• Bossingham Robert A
• Rigsby Mark Tyler
• Lattimore James D
• Thodupunuri Mahesh Kumar
• Bhai Aziz Ali
• Lubbers David P
• Corbin Scott M

Classifications

• A61G7/005

  tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position {(rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493)} · CPC title

• A61G2203/20

  Displays or monitors · CPC title

• A61G7/05792

  with low air loss function, e.g. in mattresses, overlays or beds · CPC title

• A61G7/018

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title

• A61G7/0514

  mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections · CPC title