Dual mode patient support system
First Claim
1. A patient support system, comprising:
- (a) a frame;
(b) at least one inflatable sack carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body;
(c) a fluidizable medium carried by said frame to support a different portion of the patient'"'"'s body; and
(d) means for containing said fluidizable medium, and for permitting the diffusion of air therethrough, said containing and diffusing means being carried by said frame and containing said fluidizable medium.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A patient support system has a fluidizable surface formed by air fluidizing a mass of fluidizable material and a surface formed by a plurality of inflatable sacks disposed on an articulatable member. The two surfaces are disposed end to end so that the inflatable sacks support the head, chest and upper torso of the patient, and the fluidized material supports the buttocks, legs and feet of the patient. The fluidizable material is contained by a member which is at least partially collapsible so as to facilitate the patient'"'"'s ingress and egress to and from the support system. The collapsible member can comprise an air impermeable panel which can form an inflatable elastic wall having one or more internal webs defining separately pressurizable compartments. The fluidizable surface can be formed by a plurality of fluidizable cells disposed and attached atop an air permeable support. Each of these cells is detachably removable from the support for ease of cleaning and replacement. A blower inflates the sacks, the elastic wall, and the fluidizable material via a network including manifolds, valves, and flexible tubing. A microprocessor controls actuation of the various valves and the blower according to signals inputted by operating personnel or supplied by various sensors which monitor the patient support system.
99 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A patient support system, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) at least one inflatable sack carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (c) a fluidizable medium carried by said frame to support a different portion of the patient'"'"'s body; and (d) means for containing said fluidizable medium, and for permitting the diffusion of air therethrough, said containing and diffusing means being carried by said frame and containing said fluidizable medium.
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2. A patient support system, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) at least one inflatable sack carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (c) means for maintaining a preselected pressure in each said sack; (d) a fluidizable medium carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (e) means for supporting said fluidizable medium and for diffusing air therethrough, said supporting and diffusing means being carried by said frame; (f) means for defining an air plenum beneath said supporting and diffusing means, said air plenum defining means being carried by said frame; (g) means for retaining said fluidizable medium generally above said supporting and diffusing means, said retaining means being carried by said frame; (h) means for fluidizing said fluidizable medium, said fluidizing means communicating with said plenum; and (i) an air permeable sheet connected to said retaining means so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between said retaining means and said sheet, said sheet being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A patient support system, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) at least one inflatable sack carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (c) a tank having a bottom, a pair of opposite sidewalls, a closed end wall, an open top, and one open end; (d) a diffuser board disposed above said tank bottom and forming a plenum between said tank bottom and said diffuser board, said diffuser board being permeable to passage of air therethrough; (e) a mass of fluidizable material supported by said diffuser board, said diffuser board being impermeable to passage of said material therethrough; (f) an interface sack being disposed across said open end of said tank so as to prevent passage of air and fluidizable material between said sack and said diffuser board and between said sack and said tank sidewalls, said interface sack separating said fluidizable material from said inflatable sack; and (g) an air permeable sheet covering said tank top, said sheet being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough, one edge of said sheet being attached to said sack so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between said sack and said sheet, said remaining edges of said sheet communicating with said tank sidewalls so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between said sidewalls and said sheet. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A patient support system, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) an articulatable member connected to said frame so as to permit acticulating movement relative thereto; (c) at least one inflatable sack carried by said articulatable member to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (d) a tank having a bottom and an open top; (e) a plenum carried by said frame and having an upper wall thereof defining a diffuser board being permeable to passage of air therethrough; (f) a mass of fluidizable material supported by said diffuser board and disposed to support a different portion of the patient'"'"'s body, said diffuser board being impermeable to passage of said material therethrough; (g) an elastic wall disposed to extend above said diffuser board and further configured and disposed to retain said fluidizable material over said diffuser board; and (h) an air permeable sheet covering said tank top, said sheet being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough, the periphery of said sheet being connected to said elastic wall so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between said elastic wall and said sheet. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A patient support system, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) an articulatable member connected to said frame so as to permit articulating movement relative to said frame; (c) at least one inflatable sack carried by said articulatable member to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (d) a tank having a bottom and an open top; (e) a plenum carried by said frame and having an upper wall thereof defining a diffuser board being permeable to passage of air therethrough; and (f) a mass of fluidizable material supported by said diffuser board and disposed to support a different portion of the patient'"'"'s body, said diffuser board being impermeable to passage of said material therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A patient support system, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) at least one inflatable sack carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body; (c) a tank having a bottom and an open top; (d) means for defining a plenum above said tank bottom, said plenum defining means being permeable to air through a predetermined section thereof; (e) a mass of fluidizable material supported by said plenum defining means and disposed to support a different portion of the patient'"'"'s body, said plenum defining means being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough; (f) an elastic wall configured and disposed to retain said fluidizable material over said predetermined air permeable section of said plenum defining means; and (g) an air permeable sheet having a periphery connected to said elastic wall so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between said elastic wall and said sheet, said sheet being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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Specification