TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE REGULATING TOPPER FOR NON-POWERED PERSON-SUPPORT SURFACES

• US 20110247143A1
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Kerr, Andrew, Alsaeede, Sam M., Flint, Stephen C., Lachenbruch, Charles A., O'Keefe, Christopher R., Richards, Sandy M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/713
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/044 with active means, e.g. by using air blowers or liquid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/088 incorporating elastic bodies, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/10 with two or more independently-fillable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0064 of gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/70 for cooling
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/90 for heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/057 Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05792 with low air loss function, e.g. in mattresses, overlays or beds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86035 Combined with fluid receiver

Abstract

A person-support surface comprises a non powered mattress and a coverlet positionable on the non powered mattress. The coverlet includes an entry positioned at a first end of the coverlet, an exit positioned at a second end of the coverlet opposite the entry, an upper air impermeable layer, and a lower air impermeable layer coupled to the upper air impermeable layer to form an air flow path along the coverlet between the entry and the exit. The upper air impermeable layer is a vapor permeable and the lower air impermeable layer is a vapor permeable.

Claims

1. A person-support surface comprising:

a non powered mattress; and

a coverlet positionable on the non powered mattress and including

an entry positioned at a first end of the coverlet,

an exit positioned at a second end of the coverlet,

an upper air impermeable layer, and

a lower air impermeable layer coupled to the upper air impermeable layer to form an air flow path along the coverlet between the entry and the exit, wherein the upper air impermeable layer is vapor permeable , the lower air impermeable layer is vapor permeable .

2. The person-support system of claim 1 further comprising an air supply configured to provide air to the coverlet, the air supply and the coverlet cooperating to maintain at least one of a surface temperature, a relative humidity, and a heat withdrawal capacity of at least a portion of a surface of the coverlet within a predefined range.

3. The person-support system of claim 1, wherein the non powered mattress includes a mattress core and an air impermeable and vapor impermeable cover enclosing the mattress core.

4. The person-support system of claim 3, wherein the mattress core is composed of foam.

5. The person-support system of claim 1, wherein the non-powered mattress includes multiple zones, at least one of the zones is configured to have a different interface pressure characteristic than the other zones.

6. The person-support system of claim 1, wherein the non-powered mattress includes an array of gas filled bladders in fluid communication with each other, the gas filled bladders configured to communicate gas therebetween as a function of the pressure being applied to the array of gas filled bladders.

7. The person-support system of claim 6, wherein the gas filled bladders include foam positioned therein.

8. The person-support system of claim 1, wherein the non-powered mattress includes foot section where an occupant'"'"'s feet can be positioned, the foot section being negatively sloped with respect to a reference plane.

9. The person-support system of claim 1 further comprising a three dimensionally engineered spacer interposed between the upper and lower layers to facilitate air flow through the coverlet.

10. A person-support surface, comprising:

a non powered mattress including a mattress core substantially enclosed within an air and vapor impermeable mattress cover; and

a topper removably coupled to the non-powered mattress and including an occupant interfacing surface and a non-powered mattress interfacing surface coupled together to define a chamber therebetween, the occupant interfacing surface and the non-powered mattress interfacing surface being vapor permeable and air impermeable, the topper having a first opening into the chamber along one side of the enclosure and a second opening along another side of the enclosure; and

a dedicated air supply in fluid communication with the topper through a conduit, the air entering the chamber though the first opening in the topper, flowing through the chamber, and exiting the chamber through the second opening, the air flow though the topper being configured to exhaust heat and moisture communicated into the chamber through the occupant interfacing surface out through the second opening.

11. The person-support surface of claim 10, wherein the mattress core includes at least one air bladder.

12. The person-support surface of claim 10, wherein the mattress core is composed of foam.

13. The person-support surface of claim 10, wherein the conduit is removably couplable to at least one of the air supply and the topper, the air supply being activated when the conduit is connected to the air supply and the topper.

14. The person-support surface of claim 10, wherein the air supply is deactivated when the conduit is disconnected from at least one of the air supply and the topper.

15. A fluid supply system, comprising:

a gas blower; and

a conduit coupled to the gas blower and configured to communicate gas therethrough, the conduit including a connector configured to be removably coupled to a medical device, the gas blower configured to be activated when the conduit is coupled to the medical device.

16. The fluid supply system of claim 15, wherein the gas blower is positioned under a foot section of a bed frame.

17. The fluid supply system of claim 15, wherein the gas blower is included in a mattress replacement system.

18. The fluid supply system of claim 15, wherein the medical device is a temperature and moisture regulating coverlet.

19. The fluid supply system of claim 18, wherein the gas blower cooperates with the temperature and moisture regulating coverlet to maintain at least one of a surface temperature of at least a portion of a surface of the coverlet between about 90°

F. and about 95.5 °

F., a relative humidity of at least a portion of a surface of the coverlet between about 55% relative humidity and about 95% relative humidity, and a heat withdrawal capacity of at least a portion of a surface of the coverlet between about 60 W/m² and about 125 W/m².

20. The fluid supply system of claim 15, wherein the medical device is a powered mattress including a gas bladder.

21. The fluid supply system of claim 15, wherein the medical device is a therapy garment.