APPARATUS FOR MONITORING VITAL SIGNS HAVING FLUID BLADDER BENEATH PADDING

• US 20100174198A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sleep Number Corporation
• Original Assignee: BAM Labs, Inc. (Sleep Number Corporation)
• Inventors: Young, Steven J., Rifredi, Richard V., Zhovnirovsky, Yuri
• Granted Patent: US 8,444,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/484
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/144 inside the mattress or cushion
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/15 consisting of two or more layers A47C27/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/123 for beds or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices

Abstract

A sleeping monitoring system includes a first padding layer. A fluid bladder is beneath the first padding layer. A sensor is in fluid communication with the fluid bladder. The sensor is configured to output a vital sign signal.

Claims

1. A sleep monitoring system comprising:

a first padding layer;

a fluid bladder beneath the padding layer; and

a sensor in fluid communication with the fluid bladder, the sensor configured to output a vital sign signal.

2. The sleep monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a second padding layer beneath the first padding layer.

3. The sleep monitoring system of claim 2, wherein a firmness of the second padding layer is greater than a firmness of the first padding layer.

4. The sleep monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the fluid bladder defines at least one aperture extending between a top side of the fluid bladder upon which the first padding layer rests and a bottom side of the fluid bladder.

5. The sleep monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the at least one aperture includes a plurality of apertures in a grid formation.

6. The sleep monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the at least one aperture includes multiple longitudinally extending slots spaced across a width of the fluid bladder.

7. The sleep monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the fluid bladder encloses longitudinally extending fluid pathways.

8. The sleep monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the sensor is in fluid communication with at least one of the pathways.

9. The sleep monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the fluid bladder encloses supports extending between a top side of the fluid bladder upon which the first padding layer rests and a bottom side of the fluid bladder, the supports at least partially defining the pathways.

10. The fluid bladder of claim 9, wherein the supports are perpendicular to one another.

11. The fluid bladder of claim 1, wherein the height of the fluid bladder is sufficiently great to prevent contact between a top of the fluid bladder and a bottom of the fluid bladder when the fluid bladder is subject to expected shearing forces.

12. The fluid bladder of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to determine at least one vital sign based on the vital sign signal.

13. The fluid bladder of claim 12, further comprising a control unit in communication with the controller, the control unit is operative to at least one of display the vital sign, produce an alarm when warranted by the vital sign, and control at least one of the sensor and the controller.

14. The fluid bladder of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter in communication with a database.

15. The sleep monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to detect a pressure change in the fluid bladder in response to at least one of a heart rate and a respiration rate of a person lying on the first padding layer.

16. The sleep monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a single pressure sensor.

17. A mattress for determining a vital sign of a person lying thereon, the mattress comprising:

a first foam layer;

a second foam layer;

a fluid bladder between the first and second foam layers, the fluid bladder defining at least one aperture extending between a top side of the fluid bladder that the first foam layer rests on and a bottom side that rests on the second foam layer; and

a sensor in fluid communication with the fluid bladder, the sensor configured to output a vital sign signal.

18. The mattress of claim 17, wherein a firmness of the first foam layer is less than a firmness of the second foam layer.

19. The mattress of claim 17, wherein the sensor is configured to determine at least one of a heart rate and a respiration rate of a person lying on the first padding layer by detecting fluid pressure changes resulting from waves propagating through the fluid bladder.

20. A sleep monitoring system comprising:

a fluid bladder;

a sensor in fluid communication with the fluid bladder and operative to determine a pressure within the fluid bladder; and

a controller configured to determine at least one vital sign based on the pressure within the fluid bladder,

wherein the sleep monitoring system is operable in a privacy mode.