Mattress air supply

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11206928-B2
Application number	US-201716609358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2017
Priority date	Sep 26, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An air supply supplies air to multiple different inflatable devices. The air supply includes an air compressing device, and at least two pressure valves. The air supply operates to introduce air from the first pressure valve to a first inflatable device at a first pressure that is within a first air pressure range. The air supply also operates to introduce air, on demand, from the second pressure valve to a second inflatable device at a second pressure within a second air pressure range while continuing to supply air to the first inflatable device at a pressure within the first air pressure range. The second pressure and/or the second pressure range is different from the first pressure and/or the first pressure range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air supply comprising:
an air compressing device;
a first pressure valve; and
a second pressure valve;
wherein the air compressing device is operable to introduce air from the first pressure valve to a first inflatable device at a first pressure within a first air pressure range while the first inflatable device releases air therefrom, and, on demand, to introduce air from the second pressure valve to a second inflatable device at a second pressure within a second air pressure range while the second inflatable device releases air therefrom and while continuing to supply air to the first inflatable device at a pressure within the first air pressure range and the first inflatable device releasing air therefrom, the second pressure being different from the first pressure, the air compressing device comprising a first compressor and a second compressor each contained within a housing, the first compressor fluidically coupled to the first pressure valve and the second compressor fluidically coupled to the second pressure valve.

2. The air supply of claim 1 , comprising an air reservoir assembly, the air reservoir assembly comprising a first air reservoir in fluid communication with the air compressing device and the first pressure valve, and a second air reservoir in fluid communication with the air compressing device and the second pressure valve.

3. The air supply of claim 1 , further comprising an air reservoir assembly, the air reservoir assembly comprising a first air reservoir in fluid communication with the first compressor device and the first pressure valve, and a second air reservoir in fluid communication with the second compressor device and the second pressure valve.

4. The air supply of claim 1 , comprising:
an air reservoir in communication with the air compressing device, the air reservoir having a first reservoir outlet and a second reservoir outlet;
the first pressure valve being in fluidic communication with the first reservoir outlet, the first pressure valve further configured to control the pressure at which the first reservoir port supplies air; and
the second pressure valve being in fluidic communication with the second reservoir outlet, the second pressure valve further configured to control the pressure at which the second reservoir port supplies air.

5. The air supply of claim 1 , comprising:
a first air reservoir in fluid communication with the first pressure valve;
a second air reservoir in fluid communication with the second pressure valve;
a third pressure valve in communication with the air compressing device and the first air reservoir and controlling the introduction of air into the first air reservoir; and
a fourth pressure valve in communication with the air compressing device and the second air reservoir and controlling the introduction of air into the second air reservoir.

6. The air supply of claim 1 , wherein the first pressure is a pressure suitable for a therapy mattress having at least one air release port that releases air from within the mattress at a controlled rate, and wherein the first air pressure level is configured to maintain a consistent internal air pressure within the therapy mattress.

7. The air supply of claim 1 , wherein the second pressure is a pressure suitable for a patient transfer mattress having at least one air cushion port configured to release air at an air pressure level sufficient to at least partially lift the patient transfer mattress off of a resting surface.

8. The air supply of claim 1 wherein the air compressing device is configured to introduce air from the second pressure valve to the second inflatable device in response to a conduit of second inflatable device being connected to the air compressing device.

9. An air mattress system comprising:
an air compressing device;
a first pressure valve; and
a second pressure valve;
a therapy air mattress having release ports that maintain a controlled release of air;
a patient transfer mattress having cushion outlets on an underside of the patient transfer mattress that release air to form an air cushion;
wherein the air compressing device is operable to introduce air from the first pressure valve to the therapy air mattress at a first pressure within a first air pressure range while the therapy air mattress releases air therefrom, and, on demand, to introduce air from the second pressure valve to the patient transfer mattress at a second pressure within a second air pressure range while the patient transfer mattress releases air therefrom and while continuing to supply air to the therapy air mattress at a pressure within the first pressure range and the therapy air mattress releasing air therefrom, the patient transfer mattress thereby releasing air through the cushion outlets to generate the air cushion, the air cushion providing sufficient lift to reduce the force of friction between the patient transfer mattress and a resting surface, the air compressing device comprising a first compressor and a second compressor each contained within a housing, the first compressor fluidically coupled to the first pressure valve and the second compressor fluidically coupled to the second pressure valve.

10. The air mattress system of claim 9 , comprising a first conduit establishing a fluid communication between the first pressure valve and the therapy air mattress and a second conduit establishing a fluid communication between the second pressure valve and the patient transfer mattress.

11. The air mattress system of claim 9 , the second pressure being different from the first pressure.

12. The air mattress system of claim 9 wherein the air compressing device is operable to introduce the air from the first pressure valve to the air therapy mattress at a first flow rate and the air compressing device is operable to introduce the air from the second pressure valve to the patient transfer mattress at a second flow rate, wherein the second flow rate is in the range of 2-20 times the first flow rate.

13. A method comprising:
supplying air from an air supply to a therapy mattress at a first air pressure within a first air pressure range thereby releasing air through release ports on an upper surface of the therapy mattress;
in response to activating a second air source from said supply, supplying air from the second source to a patient transfer mattress at a second air pressure level within a second air pressure range, the second pressure being different from the first pressure, the patient transfer mattress thereby releasing air through cushion outlets to generate an air cushion sufficient to reduce the force of friction between the patient transfer mattress and a resting surface while maintaining the flow of air to said therapy air mattress at a pressure within the first air pressure range.

14. An air supply comprising:
an air compressing device;
a first pressure valve; and
a second pressure valve;
wherein the air compressing device is operable to introduce air from the first pressure valve to a first inflatable device at a first volumetric flow rate within a first flow rate range while the first inflatable device releases air therefrom, and, on demand, to introduce air from the second pressure valve to a second inflatable device at a second volumetric flow rate within a second flow rate range while the second inflatable device releases air therefrom and while continuing to supply air to the first inflatable device at a volumetric flow rate within the first flow rate range and the first inflatable device releasing air therefrom, the second volumetric flow rate being different from the first vol

Assignees

• Medline Industries Lp

Inventors

• Dorshorst Christine

Classifications

• A47C27/083 Primary

  with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors · CPC title

• A61G7/1021

  Inflatable cushions · CPC title

• A61G7/05761

  where patient is supported on a free, unbounded, film or cushion of air · CPC title

• A61G7/05784

  with ventilating means, e.g. mattress or cushion with ventilating holes or ventilators · CPC title

• A61G7/1028

  by a support moving on air cushion · CPC title