DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM

• US 20170003191A1
• Filed: 06/29/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Wank, Darcy Richard, Olson, Michael John, Raymond-Krochmal, Justin, Sidhu, Anuj K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,267,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/082 with non-manual inflation, e.g. with electric pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 27/083 with pressure control, e.g. with pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3218 for flexible or elastic containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3272 for verifying the internal pressure of closed containers

Abstract

A method of diagnosing a pneumatic system that (1) pressurizes the system to a first inflation pressure, (2) ceases the pressurizing for a settling-in time period, (3) measures a settled-in pressure after the settling-in time period, (4) measures a decayed pressure after a decay time period, (5) determines a determined rate of decay of the pressure in the system over the decay time period, and (6) compares the determined rate of decay to a first stored decay rate.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing a pneumatic system comprising:

pressurizing the system to a first inflation pressure;

ceasing the pressurizing for a settling-in time period;

measuring a settled-in pressure after the settling-in time period;

measuring a decayed pressure after a decay time period;

determining a determined rate of decay of the pressure in the system over the decay time period; and

comparing the determined rate of decay to a first stored decay rate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said pressurizing comprises inflating an inflatable component of the pneumatic system, and further comprising measuring an inflation time period for inflating the inflatable component to the first inflation pressure.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the inflation time period to a first stored time period;

determining whether the inflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than the first stored time period; and

displaying (1) whether the determined rate of decay is greater, equal to, or less than the first stored decay rate or (2) whether the inflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than the first stored time period.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising deflating the inflatable component to a deflation pressure after measuring the decayed pressure.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

measuring a deflation time period for deflating the inflatable component to the deflation pressure;

determining whether the deflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than a second stored time period; and

displaying whether the deflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than the second stored time period.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the inflatable component of the pneumatic system comprises a plurality of zones of inflatable components, said inflating an inflatable component comprises inflating each zone of said plurality of zones.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining a determined rate of decay comprises calculating a change in pressure between the settled-in pressure and the decayed pressure over the decay time period.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether the determined rate of decay is less than a second stored decay rate.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising displaying whether the determined rate of decay is greater, equal to, or less than the first stored decay rate or the second stored decay rate.

19. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 1 in combination with a mattress, the mattress having one or more bladders, and said control system for diagnosing said one or more bladders in said mattress.

10. A pneumatic diagnostic system comprising:

a control system for a pneumatic system, said control system having one or more memory devices, a fluid delivery device, and a sensor; and

software stored in said one or more memory devices, said software configured to;

control said fluid delivery device to pressurize said pneumatic system;

pressurize said pneumatic system to an inflation pressure;

cease the pressurization for a settling-in time period;

detect a settled-in pressure in said pneumatic system based on one or more signals from said sensor at an end of the settling-in time period;

determine a determined rate of decay of the pressure in said pneumatic system over a decay time period; and

compare the determined rate of decay to a first stored decay rate.

11. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 10, wherein said software is further configured to inflate an inflatable component of said pneumatic system to the inflation pressure.

12. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 11, wherein said software is further configured to measure an inflation time period to inflate said inflatable component to the inflation pressure.

13. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 12, wherein said software is further configured to compare the inflation time period to a first stored time period and to determine whether the inflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than said first stored time period.

14. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 13, further comprising a display, said software being configured to show at said display an indication (1) whether the determined rate of decay is greater, equal to, or less than said first stored decay rate or (2) whether the inflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than said first stored time period.

15. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 13, wherein said software is further configured to detect a decayed pressure and to deflate said inflatable component to a deflation pressure after detecting the decayed pressure.

16. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 15, wherein said software is further configured to:

(1) measure the deflation time period for deflating the inflatable component to the deflation pressure;

(2) determine whether the deflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than a second stored time period; and

(3) generate a display indicating whether the deflation time period is greater, equal to, or less than said second stored time period.

17. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 16, wherein said diagnostic system comprises a plurality of zones of inflatable components, said software is further configured to inflate each zone of said plurality of zones.

18. The pneumatic diagnostic system according to claim 10, wherein said software is further configured to:

(1) measure the decayed pressure in the system at the end of the decay time period and, further, calculate the determined rate of decay;

(2) determine whether the determined rate of decay is greater, equal to, or less than a second stored decay rate; and

(3) generate a display indicating whether the determined rate of decay is greater, equal to, or less than said first or second stored decay rates.