Rotational therapy apparatus for a bed

• US 5,781,949 A
• Filed: 05/07/1997
• Issued: 07/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Branson, Gregory W., Meyer, Eric R., Kramer, Kenneth L., Ulrich, David J., Brooke, Jason C., Weismiller, Matthew W., Thomas, James M. C., Butterbrodt, Jay T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grosz, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US08/852,361
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 5/715, 5/710, 5/713, 5/615, 5/600, 5/618, 5/613, 5/714
• US Class Current: 5/715
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/001 with means for turning-over the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/005 tiltable around transverse horizontal axis, e.g. for Trendelenburg position rocking beds for physical therapy A61H1/003; hanging patient inclined downwardly for drawing him out A61H2203/0493
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/018 Control or drive mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/053 Aids for getting into, or out of, bed, e.g. steps, chairs, cane-like supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05715 with modular blocks, or inserts, with layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1021 Inflatable cushions
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/16 converting a lying surface into a chair

Abstract

A rotational therapy apparatus is provided for use on a bed having a base frame, a deck coupled to the base frame, a support surface located on the deck, an air handling unit, an electrical communication network, and a rotation control module including a controller coupled to the communication network. The rotational therapy apparatus includes a normally deflated rotation air bladder located between the support surface and the deck. The rotation air bladder remains deflated during normal use of the bed. The rotation air bladder is coupled to the rotation control module for selectively inflating and deflating the rotation air bladder to provide rotational therapy to a body located on the support surface. The apparatus also includes a graphical interactive display coupled to the electrical communication network. The graphical interactive display is configured to transmit command signals for the rotation air bladder to the controller of the rotation control module over the electrical communication network to control the rotation air bladder.

Claims

1. A rotational therapy apparatus for use on a bed having a base frame, a deck coupled to the base frame, a support surface located on the deck, an air handling unit, an electrical communication network, and a rotation control module including a controller coupled to the communication network, the rotational therapy apparatus comprising:

a normally deflated rotation air bladder located between the support surface and the deck, the rotation air bladder remaining deflated during normal use of the bed, the rotation air bladder being coupled to the rotation control module for selectively inflating and deflating the rotation air bladder to provide rotational therapy to a body located on the support surface; and

a graphical interactive display coupled to the electrical communication network, the graphical interactive display being configured to transmit command signals for the rotation air bladder to the controller of the rotation control module over the electrical communication network to control the rotation air bladder.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation air bladder includes a plurality of elongated air bladders extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bed, the rotation control module selectively inflating the plurality of air bladders to control rotation of the patient on the support surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotation air bladder is divided into at least three separate air zones which are independently controlled by the rotation control module.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical interactive display includes a display and a user input, the rotation control module transmitting display commands to the display related rotation air bladder.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the display commands from the controller provide a menu driven list of options to the display to permit selection of control options for rotation air bladder.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air handling unit is coupled to both the support surface of the bed and the rotation air bladder.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical communication network is a peer-to-peer communication network.

8. An air therapy system for use on a bed having a base frame, a deck coupled to the base frame, an electrical communication network, an air handling unit mounted on the base frame, the air therapy system comprising:

a support surface air bladder located on the deck, the support surface air bladder includes a plurality of independently controlled air zones;

a decubitus prevention control module coupled to the support surface air bladder and to the air handling unit to control each of the plurality of air zones of the support surface with a common connection to the air handling unit, the decubitus prevention module being coupled to the electrical communication network;

a decubitus treatment control module for independently coupling the plurality of air zones of the support surface air bladder to the air handling unit, the decubitus treatment module being coupled to the electrical communication network;

a rotation bladder located between the deck and the support surface air bladder;

a rotation control module for coupling the rotation air bladder to the air handling unit, the rotation control module being coupled to the electrical communication network; and

a control interface coupled to the electrical communication network for transmitting command signals to the communication network, the control interface including a display and a user input, each control module transmitting display commands to the display related to the corresponding air therapy device.

9. The air therapy system of claim 8, wherein the rotation air bladder is stored in a deflated, flat configuration during normal use of the bed, and wherein the rotation control module selectively inflates portions of the rotation bladder to provide rotation of a body located on the support surface air bladder.

10. The air therapy system of claim 8, wherein the deck includes a planar foot deck section, further comprising a surface foot section including a first set of air bladders configured to collapse in a first direction generally parallel to the foot deck section when the first set of bladders is deflated, and a second set of air bladders configured to collapse in a second direction when the second set of bladders are deflated, and a foot section control module for coupling the first and second sets of bladders to the air handling unit, the foot section control module being coupled to the electrical communication network.

11. The air therapy system of claim 10, wherein the deck is an articulating deck which is movable from a bed configuration to a chair configuration, the foot section control module deflating the first and second sets of air bladders when the articulating deck is in the chair configuration, and the foot section control module inflating the first and second sets of air bladders when the articulating deck is in the bed configuration.

12. The air therapy system of claim 10, wherein each of the second air bladders is independently coupled to the air handling unit and controlled as a separate air zone by the foot section control module, the foot section control module selectively inflating and deflating the second air bladders independently to provide a heel pressure relief in the surface foot section.

13. The air therapy system of claim 8, further comprising a sequential compression therapy device, and a sequential compression device air control module for coupling the sequential compression device to the air handling unit, the sequential compression device air control module being coupled to the electrical communication network.

14. The air therapy system of claim 8, further comprising a percussion and vibration bladder located on the deck for providing percussion and vibration therapy, and a percussion and vibration control module for coupling the percussion and vibration bladder to the air handling unit, the percussion and vibration module being coupled to the electrical communication network.

15. The air therapy system of claim 8, further comprising a percussion and vibration control module for coupling a selected air zone of the support surface air bladder to the air handling unit, the percussion and vibration module being coupled to the electrical communication network to provide percussion and vibration therapy in the selected air zone.

16. The air therapy system of claim 8, further comprising an auxiliary air port control module coupled to the air handling unit and to the electrical communication network, the air port control module providing an auxiliary air outlet on the bed.

17. The air therapy system of claim 8, wherein the display commands from the control modules provide a menu driven list of options to the display to permit selection of control options for the air therapy devices from the user input.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electrical communication network is a peer-to-peer communication network.