Energy management for a stretcher or other occupant support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241348-B2
Application number	US-201916659696-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2018
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

An occupant support includes a framework which includes a frame, an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame, and a lockable gas spring whose components include a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section. The piston assembly includes a piston and a connecting rod. The piston divides the interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment. The non-isolated compartment has an inlet and an outlet. An outflow check valve resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment. An inflow check valve resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment. A turbine receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment. An electrical generator is coupled to the turbine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An occupant support comprising:
a framework comprised of a frame and an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame;
a lockable gas spring whose components include a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the piston assembly including a piston and a connecting rod, the piston dividing an interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment;
an outlet of the non-isolated compartment of the lockable gas spring;
a turbine which receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment;
an accumulator flowisely intermediate the outlet and the turbine, the accumulator having an intake which receives fluid from the outlet of the lockable gas spring and a discharge port;
a reverse flow check valve which resists fluid flow into the accumulator by way of the discharge port and enables fluid flow out of the accumulator by way of the discharge port, wherein the piston moves longitudinally within the cylinder in conjunction with a change of orientation of the deck section thereby changing the volume of the non-isolated compartment, whereby a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment expels air out of the non-isolated compartment and through the turbine in a first direction, and a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment draws air through the turbine in a second direction and into the non-isolated compartment; and
an electrical generator coupled to the turbine.

2. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conduit extending from the non-isolated compartment to the turbine.

3. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inlet and an outlet of the non-isolated compartment;
an outflow check valve which resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment by way of the inlet and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment; and
an inflow check valve which resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment by way of the outlet and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment.

4. The occupant support of claim 1 , wherein lockability of the lockable gas spring is permissive lockability.

5. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second gas spring including a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the second gas spring operable to resist a change in angular orientation of the deck section from a first orientation to a second orientation which is more horizontal than the first orientation, and to assist the change in angular orientation of the deck section from the second orientation to the first orientation.

6. The occupant support of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upstream conduit segment extending from the outlet to the accumulator intake and a downstream conduit segment extending from the accumulator reverse flow check valve to the turbine.

7. An occupant support comprising:
a framework comprised of a frame and an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame;
a lockable gas spring whose components include a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the piston assembly including a piston and a connecting rod, the piston dividing an interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment;
a turbine which receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment;
a reverse flow check valve which resists fluid flow into an accumulator disposed between the lockable gas spring and the turbine by way of a discharge port and enables fluid flow out of the accumulator by way of the discharge port, wherein the piston moves longitudinally within the cylinder in conjunction with a change of orientation of the deck section thereby changing the volume of the non-isolated compartment, whereby a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment expels air out of the non-isolated compartment and through the turbine in a first direction, and a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment draws air through the turbine in a second direction and into the non-isolated compartment; and
an electrical generator coupled to the turbine.

8. The occupant support of claim 7 , further comprising:
a conduit extending from the non-isolated compartment to the turbine.

9. The occupant support of claim 7 , further comprising:
an inlet and an outlet of the non-isolated compartment.

10. The occupant support of claim 9 , further comprising:
an outflow check valve which resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment by way of the inlet and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment.

11. The occupant support of claim 9 , further comprising:
an inflow check valve which resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment by way of the outlet and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment.

12. The occupant support of claim 7 , wherein lockability of the lockable gas spring is permissive lockability.

13. The occupant support of claim 7 , further comprising:
a second gas spring including a piston assembly coupled to one of the frame and the deck section and a cylinder coupled to the other of the frame and the deck section, the second gas spring operable to resist a change in angular orientation of the deck section from a first orientation to a second orientation which is more horizontal than the first orientation, and to assist the change in angular orientation of the deck section from the second orientation to the first orientation.

14. An occupant support comprising:
a framework comprised of a frame and an orientation adjustable deck section supported by the frame;
a lockable gas spring having a cylinder and a piston assembly that includes a piston and a connecting rod, the piston dividing an interior of the cylinder into an isolated compartment and a non-isolated compartment;
a turbine which receives fluid which flows out of the non-isolated compartment;
a reverse flow check valve which resists fluid flow into an accumulator and enables fluid flow out of the accumulator, wherein the piston moves within the cylinder in conjunction with a change of orientation of the deck section, whereby a decrease in a volume of the non-isolated compartment expels air out of the non-isolated compartment and through the turbine in a first direction, and a decrease in the volume of the non-isolated compartment draws air through the turbine in a second direction and into the non-isolated compartment; and
an electrical generator coupled to the turbine.

15. The occupant support of claim 14 , further comprising:
a conduit extending from the non-isolated compartment to the turbine.

16. The occupant support of claim 14 , further comprising:
an inlet and an outlet of the non-isolated compartment.

17. The occupant support of claim 16 , further comprising:
an outflow check valve which resists fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment by way of the inlet and admits ambient fluid into the non-isolated compartment.

18. The occupant support of claim 16 , further comprising:
an inflow check valve which resists fluid flow into the non-isolated compartment by way of the outlet and enables fluid flow out of the non-isolated compartment.

19. The occupant support of claim 14 , wherein lockability of the lockable gas spring is permi

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Wiggermann Neal

Classifications

• F02C1/02 Primary

  the working fluid being an unheated pressurised gas · CPC title

• A61G1/04

  Parts, details or accessories, e.g. head-, foot-, or like rests specially adapted for stretchers · CPC title

• F05D2220/62

  with energy recovery turbines · CPC title

• F02C6/12

  Turbochargers, i.e. plants for augmenting mechanical power output of internal-combustion piston engines by increase of charge pressure · CPC title

• A61G7/018 Primary

  Control or drive mechanisms · CPC title