LOW AIR LOSS MOISTURE CONTROL MATTRESS OVERLAY
First Claim
1. Methodology for regulating humidity of air circulating relative to a patient support, comprising:
- providing a mattress coverlet for association with a main patient support structure, such coverlet defining at least one air inlet thereof and at least one air outlet thereof;
providing a plurality of humidity sensors, coupled respectively adjacent to such mattress coverlet air inlet and such air outlet, so as to detect humidity adjacent such air inlet and air outlet, and so as to provide respective output signals indicative of each;
providing a coverlet air pump, coupled to such coverlet and configured to move air inside such coverlet from such air inlet thereof to such air outlet; and
providing a controller coupled to such coverlet air pump and such respective output signals of the humidity sensors, for controlling the humidity of the air moved inside such coverlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for controlling humidity (i.e., moisture) within and/or adjacent a coverlet associated with a multi-layer air mattress. Humidity sensors may be incorporated at selected locations within the coverlet and coupled to a controller that is configured to provide a closed-loop control signal to vary air flow rate through the coverlet to control the rate of moisture adjustment, such as removal. In part, present subject matter may include a combination of a Low-Air-Loss (LAL) topper, having a pair of humidity sensors, one of which is at an inlet to the LAL topper and the other of which is at a selected one of existing outlets of the LAL topper. Air flow through the LAL topper is kept constant, in accordance with its basic operation, while the two humidity sensors are part of a closed-loop feedback control system, which adjusts the humidity of the air being input at the inlet. Additionally portions of a closed-loop feedback control system may depend on the sensed rate of change of moisture, to facilitate more rapid response to changing moisture conditions. Separately, and not as part of the control feedback loop, a temperature sensor may be provided for simply indicating the temperature of the air relative to the LAL topper.
65 Citations
9 Claims
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1. Methodology for regulating humidity of air circulating relative to a patient support, comprising:
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providing a mattress coverlet for association with a main patient support structure, such coverlet defining at least one air inlet thereof and at least one air outlet thereof; providing a plurality of humidity sensors, coupled respectively adjacent to such mattress coverlet air inlet and such air outlet, so as to detect humidity adjacent such air inlet and air outlet, and so as to provide respective output signals indicative of each; providing a coverlet air pump, coupled to such coverlet and configured to move air inside such coverlet from such air inlet thereof to such air outlet; and providing a controller coupled to such coverlet air pump and such respective output signals of the humidity sensors, for controlling the humidity of the air moved inside such coverlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification