Patient Support with Orientation Sensitive Air Bladder Control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A patient support comprising:
- a cover defining an interior region,an air permeable first layer located in the interior region,a first air supply coupled to the first layer to provide air flow through the first layer,a plurality of air bladders located beneath the air permeable first layer including one or more transverse bladders and one or more upright can-shaped bladders,a second air supply coupled to the air bladders to selectively inflate and deflate the air bladders,a first angle sensor located in the interior region in a first articulatable portion of the patient support,a second angle sensor located in the interior region in a second articulatable portion of the patient support, anda controller coupled to the first and second air supplies and the first and second angle sensors to control inflation and deflation of the air bladders in response to angle signals received from the first and second angle sensors and to control air flow through the air permeable layer.
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Abstract
This disclosure describes a patient support having an air permeable layer, a plurality of inflatable bladders, a pressure-sensing assembly and a controller. In one embodiment, a combination of transverse bladders and vertically oriented can-shaped bladders is provided. In one embodiment, one or more angle sensors are provided in articulatable sections of the patient support.
48 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A patient support comprising:
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a cover defining an interior region, an air permeable first layer located in the interior region, a first air supply coupled to the first layer to provide air flow through the first layer, a plurality of air bladders located beneath the air permeable first layer including one or more transverse bladders and one or more upright can-shaped bladders, a second air supply coupled to the air bladders to selectively inflate and deflate the air bladders, a first angle sensor located in the interior region in a first articulatable portion of the patient support, a second angle sensor located in the interior region in a second articulatable portion of the patient support, and a controller coupled to the first and second air supplies and the first and second angle sensors to control inflation and deflation of the air bladders in response to angle signals received from the first and second angle sensors and to control air flow through the air permeable layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A patient support comprising:
- a cover,
an air permeable first support layer located within the cover, an air supply coupled to the first support layer, a second support layer located beneath the first layer, the second layer including a head zone and a seat zone, a first sensing assembly located beneath the head zone, a second sensing assembly located beneath the seat zone, and a controller to receive signals from the first and second sensing assemblies and determine whether the patient support is occupied by a patient and adjust air flow through the air permeable first layer based on the signals received from the first and second sensing assemblies. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- a cover,
Specification