Mattress system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12485050-B2
Application number	US-202016795879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2020
Priority date	Feb 20, 2020
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A patient support apparatus includes a mattress that defines a plurality of grooves. A bladder is disposed within each groove. Each bladder is operable between a deployed state and a non-deployed state. A flap is disposed adjacent to each groove. Each flap includes a broad contact surface and a narrow contact surface. A manifold is in fluid communication with each bladder. The manifold is configured to direct fluid into each bladder to adjust the bladders between the deployed state and the non-deployed state, and consequently move the flaps between a raised position and a lowered position, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mattress system for a patient support apparatus, comprising:
a mattress having a support surface extending between a head end and a foot end, wherein the mattress defines a cavity therein extending from the head end to the foot end with the support surface extending over the cavity, the mattress having a head region at the head end, a leg region at the foot end, and a torso region between the head and leg regions; a stationary support structure is disposed in the cavity at the head end; first bladders disposed within the cavity in the torso region and the leg region; second bladders disposed within the cavity in the torso region and the leg region proximate the first bladders, wherein the first and second bladders are arranged in an alternating pattern from adjacent to the stationary support structure in the torso region to the foot end, and wherein each of the first bladders and the second bladders is operable between an expanded state, a compressed state, and a neutral state, and wherein each of the first bladders and the second bladders includes:
an outer membrane defining a chamber; and
a core disposed within the chamber, wherein the core defines a shape of the respective bladder when in the neutral state, the core configured to support a person on the mattress when the respective bladder is in the neutral state, and wherein fluid is directed into the chamber to adjust the respective bladder to the expanded state by moving the outer membrane from abutting a surface of the core toward the support surface to be at least partially spaced from the surface of the core when the respective bladder is in the expanded state to influence a shape of the support surface and contribute to a local discharge of pressure based on a height difference between the first and second bladders;
a retaining band disposed around the outer membrane of each bladder, respectively, wherein the retaining band defines the shape of the respective bladder in the expanded state; a pump in fluid communication with each of the first bladders and the second bladders to evacuate fluid from and direct fluid to the first and second bladders for adjusting the first and second bladders between the compressed state, the neutral state, and the expanded state, wherein the pump defines a first port and a second port for simultaneously directing fluid in opposing directions relative to the first and second bladders; and a manifold in fluid communication between the pump and the first and second bladders, wherein the pump is configured to:
evacuate fluid from the first bladders via the first port to adjust the first bladders to the compressed state and compress the cores in the first bladders while directing fluid to the second bladders via the second port to adjust the second bladders to the expanded state with the outer membranes spaced from the cores when the manifold is in a first operating state;
evacuate fluid from the second bladders via the first port to adjust the second bladders to the compressed state and compress the cores in the second bladders while directing fluid to the first bladders via the second port to adjust the first bladders to the expanded state with the outer membranes spaced from the cores when the manifold is in a second operating state, and wherein the cores define the shape of the first and second bladders in the compressed state where the outer membranes are moved away from the support surface and the outer membranes define the shape of the first and second bladders in the expanded state to influence the shape of the support surface of the mattress;
adjust the first and second bladders in the torso region in a first pattern while adjusting the first and second bladders in the leg region in a second pattern; and
adjust the first bladders in the torso region to the compressed state including adjusting the cores in the first bladders to a compressed condition and the second bladders in the torso region to the expanded state simultaneously while maintaining the first bladders in the leg region in the neutral state and adjusting the second bladders in the leg region to the compressed state.

2 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold defines a first fluid path between the first bladders and the first port when in the first operating state and a second fluid path between the second bladders and the second port when in the first operating state, and wherein the first fluid path is parallel to the second fluid path.

3 . The mattress system of claim 2 , wherein the manifold defines the first fluid path between the first bladders and the second port when in the second operating state and the second fluid path between the second bladders and the first port when in the second operating state, and wherein the first fluid path and the second fluid path are in a crossing configuration.

4 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of each of the first bladders and the second bladders are co-planar when the first bladders and the second bladders are each in the neutral state.

5 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein the core is operable between a neutral condition and the compressed condition, wherein the neutral condition of the core defines the shape of the first and second bladders when in the neutral state to form a flat condition of the support surface between the stationary support structure and the foot end, wherein the compressed condition of the core defines the shape of the first and second bladders when in the compressed state, and wherein the chambers are configured to receive the fluid, which consequently moves the outer membranes away from the cores, to adjust the first bladders and the second bladders, respectively, to the expanded state to move the support surface and influence the shape of the support surface to contribute to the local discharge of pressure.

6 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein a first height difference is defined when the first bladders are in the compressed state and the second bladders are in the expanded state and a second height difference is defined when the first bladders are in the compressed state and the second bladders are in the neutral state, the first height difference being greater than the second height difference to contribute to a greater local discharge of pressure between the person and the mattress compared to the second height difference.

7 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein the manifold includes a connector configured to adjust the manifold between the first operating state and the second operating state.

8 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein the retaining band disposed around the outer membrane of each of the first bladders and the second bladders is spaced from the respective outer membrane when the first bladders and the second bladders are in the compressed state, respectively.

9 . The mattress system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is configured to evacuate fluid from the first bladders and the second bladders and compress the cores as the first bladders and the second bladders are adjusted to the compressed state, and wherein the cores are configured to expand as the first bladders and the second bladders adjust to at least one of the neutral state and the expanded state, and further wherein the pump is configured to also direct fluid into the first and second bladders to adjust the first and second bladders to the expanded state.

10 . The mattress system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller communicatively coupled to the pump and the manifold, wherein the controller is configured to control the pump and the manifold to continually adjust a first fluid path and a second fluid pa

Assignees

• Hill Rom Services Inc

Inventors

• Maho Mikael
• Thepaut Anthony
• Yvernault Etienne
• Le Naour Pierre-Yves
• Guyot David

Classifications

• A47C27/10

  with two or more independently-fillable chambers · CPC title

• A61G13/10

  Parts, details or accessories (surgical drape sheets A61B46/00) · CPC title

• A47C27/08

  Fluid mattresses · CPC title

• A61G1/04

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

• A61G13/06

  raising or lowering of the whole table surface (A61G13/04 takes precedence) · CPC title