METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING FOOT RETRACTION IN A MATTRESS REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20110113561A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Douglas, Stephen L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,677,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/713
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/40 for distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0755 for the legs or feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/16 converting a lying surface into a chair

Abstract

A patient support surface, such as a mattress, includes one or more sensors to sense movement of at least a portion of the mattress caused by extension or retraction of an associated mattress support section of a bed frame. A pneumatic control system adjusts inflation and/or deflation of at least one inflatable bladder of the mattress in response to a signal received from the one or more sensors.

Claims

1. A mattress for use on a bed frame having mattress support sections including an extendable and retractable foot section, the mattress comprising:

a cover having an interior region,

at least one inflatable bladder situated in the interior region,

a pneumatic controller configured to inflate and deflate the at least one inflatable bladder, and

a sensor situated in the interior region and operable to signal the pneumatic controller that movement of a foot portion of the cover caused by movement of the bed frame to extend or to retract the foot section has been detected, the pneumatic controller operating to inflate or deflate the at least one inflatable bladder in response to receipt of the signal.

2. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the sensor is situated in the interior region beneath the at least one inflatable bladder.

3. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a string potentiometer.

4. The mattress of claim 3, wherein the pneumatic controller includes a valve box situated in the interior region and the string potentiometer includes a housing coupled to the valve box.

5. The mattress of claim 4, further comprising a mounting plate coupled to a foot end wall of the cover and the string potentiometer has a string extending from the housing and attached to the mounting plate.

6. The mattress of claim 4, wherein the string potentiometer has a string extending from the housing and the string has an end coupled to a foot end wall of the cover.

7. The mattress of claim 4, further comprising a mounting plate coupled to a bottom layer of the cover near a foot end wall of the cover and the string potentiometer has a string extending from the housing and attached to the mounting plate.

8. The mattress of claim 4, wherein the string potentiometer has a string extending from the housing and the string has an end coupled to a bottom layer of the cover near a foot end wall of the cover.

9. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the at least one bladder comprises a plurality of inflatable bladders, each bladder extending upwardly along a respective vertical axis, the vertical axes of the plurality of inflatable bladders being substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the cover.

10. The mattress of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one Hall Effect sensor and a magnet.

11. The mattress of claim 10, wherein the sensor further includes a retractable housing coupled to the Hall Effect sensor and the magnet.

12. The mattress of claim 11, wherein the retractable housing has a first end adjacent a foot end wall of the cover.

13. The mattress of claim 11, wherein the pneumatic controller comprises a valve box situated in the interior region of the cover and the retractable housing is situated between the valve box and a foot end wall of the cover.

14. A method of adjusting inflation of a bladder of a mattress situated on a bed frame having mattress support sections, the method comprising:

detecting, with a sensor located in an interior region of the mattress, movement of a cover of the mattress caused by at least one of the mattress support sections of the bed frame changing one of length and width,

inputting to a pneumatic controller a signal from the sensor to indicate that the at least one of the mattress support sections of the bed frame has changed one of length and width, and

inflating or deflating, with the pneumatic controller, the bladder in response to the signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises a string potentiometer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pneumatic controller includes a valve box situated within an interior region of the cover and the string potentiometer includes a housing coupled to the valve box.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor comprises at least one Hall Effect sensor and a magnet.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one Hall Effect sensor comprises a plurality of Hall Effect sensors.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sensor comprises a retractable housing to which the plurality of Hall Effect sensors are coupled.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pneumatic system includes a valve box situated within an interior region of the cover and the retractable housing is located between the valve box and a substantially vertical wall of the cover.