AIR MATTRESS

• US 20120291204A1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paramount Bed Company Limited (Paramount Bed Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Paramount Bed Company Limited (Paramount Bed Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Takeda, Kazuhiro, Aoki, Shuichi, Ueki, Shinji, Ohno, Kenta
• Granted Patent: US 9,114,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 5/710
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/10 with two or more independently-fillable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/44 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0527 Weighing devices
• 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 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Abstract

Provided is an air mattress capable of preventing the occurrence of decubitus ulcers in a person lying on the air mattress.

The air mattress has a plurality of air cell groups made from a plurality of bladder-shaped cells and lined up with respect to the lengthwise direction of the air mattress so as to support at least a head area, shoulder area, back area, buttock, thigh area, knee area, and heel area of a person lying on said air mattress; an air supply/release pump; and an air tube connecting said bladder-shaped cells and said air supply/release pump in one or a plurality of independent first systems for each of the air cell groups out of said air cell groups and one or a plurality of independent second systems for each of specific bladder-shaped cells out of the plurality of air cell groups. Air supply/release by the air supply/release pump is controlled by a controller, and the pressure in at least air cell groups corresponding to a back area and a thigh area is greater than the pressure in an air cell groups corresponding to a buttock area.

Claims

1. An air mattress, comprising:

a plurality of air cell groups made from a plurality of bladder-shaped cells and lined up with respect to the lengthwise direction of the air mattress so as to support at least a head area, shoulder area, back area, buttock area, thigh area, knee area, and heel area of a person lying on said air mattress;

an air supply/release pump;

an air tube connecting said bladder-shaped cells and said air supply/release pump in one or a plurality of independent first systems for each of the air cell groups out of said air cell groups and one or a plurality of independent second systems for each of specific bladder-shaped cells out of the plurality of air cell groups; and

a controller for controlling air supply/release by the air supply/release pump to said first systems and second systems;

wherein;

said controller performs a control so that the pressure in at least those air cell groups, out of the air cell groups to which air is supplied via said first system, corresponding to the back area and thigh area of the person lying on said air mattress is greater than the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to the buttock area.

2. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein:

said controller performs a control so that the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to the head area and heel area of the person lying on said air mattress is maintained at a fixed level.

3. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein:

said controller controls pressure so that the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to the head area of the person lying on said air mattress is maintained at a fixed level, and the air cell groups corresponding to the heel area are repeatedly inflated and deflated.

4. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein:

the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in the widthwise direction of the air mattress, and the bladder-shaped cells are configured so as to be lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.

5. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area, buttock area, and thigh area has a lower section of bladder-shaped cells and an upper section of bladder-shaped cells;

the lower section bladder-shaped cells are connected to said first system via said air tube;

the pressure of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area and thigh area is maintained at a fixed level greater than the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to said buttock area;

each of the bladder-shaped cells in each of the air cell groups corresponding to said shoulder area, knee area, as well as the upper section of the back area, buttock area, and thigh area, are connected to one system out of the plurality of said second systems via said air tube; and

each of the air cell groups is controlled so as to repeatedly inflate and deflate in order for each of the systems.

10. The air mattress according to claim 2, wherein:

the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in the widthwise direction of the air mattress, and the bladder-shaped cells are configured so as to be lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.

11. The air mattress according to claim 3, wherein:

the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in the widthwise direction of the air mattress, and the bladder-shaped cells are configured so as to be lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.

12. The air mattress according to claim 2, wherein:

each of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area, buttock area, and thigh area has a lower section of bladder-shaped cells and an upper section of bladder-shaped cells;

the lower section bladder-shaped cells are connected to said first system via said air tube;

the pressure of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area and thigh area is maintained at a fixed level greater than the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to said buttock area;

each of the bladder-shaped cells in each of the air cell groups corresponding to said shoulder area, knee area, as well as the upper section of the back area, buttock area, and thigh area, are connected to one system out of the plurality of said second systems via said air tube; and

each of the air cell groups is controlled so as to repeatedly inflate and deflate in order for each of the systems.

13. The air mattress according to claim 3, wherein:

each of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area, buttock area, and thigh area has a lower section of bladder-shaped cells and an upper section of bladder-shaped cells;

the lower section bladder-shaped cells are connected to said first system via said air tube;

the pressure of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area and thigh area is maintained at a fixed level greater than the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to said buttock area;

each of the bladder-shaped cells in each of the air cell groups corresponding to said shoulder area, knee area, as well as the upper section of the back area, buttock area, and thigh area, are connected to one system out of the plurality of said second systems via said air tube; and

each of the air cell groups is controlled so as to repeatedly inflate and deflate in order for each of the systems.

14. The air mattress according to claim 4, wherein:

each of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area, buttock area, and thigh area has a lower section of bladder-shaped cells and an upper section of bladder-shaped cells;

the lower section bladder-shaped cells are connected to said first system via said air tube;

the pressure of the air cell groups corresponding to said back area and thigh area is maintained at a fixed level greater than the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to said buttock area;

each of the bladder-shaped cells in each of the air cell groups corresponding to said shoulder area, knee area, as well as the upper section of the back area, buttock area, and thigh area, are connected to one system out of the plurality of said second systems via said air tube; and

each of the air cell groups is controlled so as to repeatedly inflate and deflate in order for each of the systems.

6. An air mattress, comprising:

a plurality of air cell groups made from a plurality of bladder-shaped cells and lined up with respect to the lengthwise direction of the air mattress so as to support at least a head area, shoulder area, back area, buttock area, thigh area, knee area, and heel area of a person lying on said air mattress;

an air supply/release pump;

an air tube connecting said bladder-shaped cells and said air supply/release pump in a plurality of independent systems for each of the air cell groups out of said air cell groups; and

a controller for controlling air supply/release by the air supply/release pump to said plurality of systems;

wherein;

said controller performs a control so that the pressure in at least those air cell groups, out of the air cell groups to which air is supplied via said first system air tube, corresponding to the back area and thigh area of the person lying on said air mattress is greater than the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to the buttock area.

7. The air mattress according to claim 6, wherein:

said controller performs a control so that the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to the head area and heel area of the person lying on said air mattress is maintained at a fixed level.

8. The air mattress according to claim 6, wherein:

said controller controls pressure so that the pressure in the air cell groups corresponding to the head area of the person lying on said air mattress is maintained at a fixed level, and the air cell groups corresponding to the heel area are repeatedly inflated and deflated.

15. The air mattress according to claim 8, wherein:

the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in the widthwise direction of the air mattress, and the bladder-shaped cells are configured so as to be lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.

9. The air mattress according to claim aims 7, wherein:

the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in the widthwise direction of the air mattress, and the bladder-shaped cells are configured so as to be lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.

16. The air mattress according to claim 9, wherein:

the bladder-shaped cells of said air cell groups comprise rod-shaped cells extending in the widthwise direction of the air mattress, and the bladder-shaped cells are configured so as to be lined up in the lengthwise direction of the air mattress.