Mattress structure

• US 6,378,152 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1998
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Marasligiller, Ares, Washburn, Robyn P., Luff, Larry E., Weigold, Steven E., Stolpmann, James R., Reeder, Ryan A., Westerfeld, Steven R., Dalton, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US09/033,116
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 570/6, 571/0, 571/1, 571/2, 571/3, 571/4, 571/5, 572/2, 593/5, 318/16, 318/600, 318/601, 318/604
• US Class Current: 5/713
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/926 Low friction, e.g. slippery material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/935 with adjustable firmness

Abstract

A variable firmness mattress structure includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, transversely extending air bladders and an air supply for filling each bladder to a respective desired air pressure to support a user at a desired mattress firmness. A control system for the variable firmness mattress structure includes at air controller cooperating with the air supply for filling the air bladders to desired air pressures and a hand-held controller in communication with the air controller. The hand-held controller is configured to receive a first input from the user indicating that a first desired mattress firmness currently exists and to transmit to the air controller a first signal corresponding to the first input. The first desired mattress firmness corresponds to a first set of respective desired air pressures in the bladders. The hand-held controller is further configured to receive a second input from the user indicating a desire to restore the first desired mattress firmness and to transmit to the air controller a second signal corresponding to the second input. The air controller responds to the second signal by restoring the first set of respective desired air pressures in the bladders.

Claims

1. A control system for a variable firmness mattress structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, transversely extending air bladders and an air supply for filling each bladder to a respective desired air pressure to support a user at a desired mattress firmness, the control system comprising:

an air controller cooperating with the air supply for filling the air bladders to desired air pressures; and

a hand-held controller in communication with the air controller, the hand-held controller being configured to receive a first input from the user indicating that a first desired mattress firmness currently exists and to transmit to the air controller a first signal corresponding to the first input, wherein the first desired mattress firmness corresponds to a first set of respective desired air pressures in the bladders, and being further configured to receive a second input from the user indicating a desire to restore the first desired mattress firmness and to transmit to the air controller a second signal corresponding to the second input;

wherein the air controller responds to the second signal by restoring the first set of respective desired air pressures in the bladders.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the air controller includes a microprocessor and software in communication with the hand-held controller for storing data representative of the first set of respective desired air pressures in the bladders, and controlling the air controller to establish the first set of respective desired air pressures in the bladders in response to receiving the second signal from the hand-held controller.

3. The control system of claim 1, in which the hand-held controller includes a key pad having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned generally above the second end when held by the user, the key pad including buttons arranged having the most frequently selected buttons positioned near the first end, the least frequently selected buttons positioned near the second end, and the remaining buttons positioned therebetween in the order of frequency of use with the most frequently used buttons positioned nearest the first end.

4. The control system of claim 1, in which the hand-held controller includes a key pad having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned generally above the second end when held by the user, the key pad including buttons arranged in the order that the user generally will use the buttons in a typical operation sequence, the first buttons generally used in the typical operation sequence being positioned nearest the first end and the last buttons generally used in the typical operation sequence being positioned nearest the second end.

5. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a frame configured to support the mattress, the frame including longitudinally spaced head, seat, thigh, and foot sections, the head, thigh, and foot sections being movable relative to each other and relative to the seat section and further comprising a drive controller for tilting the frame sections to various desired positions.

6. The control system of claim 5, wherein the hand-held controller is further configured to receive drive memory set inputs from the user to permit the user to establish at least one user preferred position setting of the frame sections, and to transmit to the drive controller at least one drive memory recall input from the user representing the user preferred position setting, the drive controller tilting the frame sections to the at least one user preferred position setting in response to the drive memory recall input.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the drive controller includes microprocessor and software in communication with the hand-held controller for storing at least one drive memory set input received from the hand-held controller, and controlling the drive controller to establish desired frame section positions in response to receiving the at least one drive memory recall input from the hand-held controller.

8. A control system for a variable firmness mattress structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart, transversely extending air bladders and an air supply for filling each bladder to desired air pressures to support a user at a desired mattress firmness, the control system comprising:

an air controller cooperating with the air supply for filling the air bladders to desired air pressures;

a hand-held controller in communication with the air controller, the hand-held controller including a key pad having a first end and a second end, the first end being positioned generally above the second end when held by the user, the key pad including air adjustment buttons, at least one memory set button to permit the user to establish at least one user preferred air-firmness setting in the air bladders, and at least one memory recall button to permit the user to transmit to the air controller at least one air memory recall input from the user representing the user preferred air-firmness setting; and

the air controller filling the air bladders to the at least one user preferred air-firmness setting in response to the user activating the at least one memory recall button.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the at least one memory set button is positioned to lie adjacent the first end of the key pad.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory recall button is positioned to lie adjacent the at least one memory set button.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the air adjustment buttons are positioned to lie between the at least one memory recall button and the second end of the key pad.

12. The control system of claim 8, wherein the air controller includes microprocessor and software in communication with the hand-held controller for storing at least one air memory set input received from the hand-held controller upon activation of the at least one memory set button, and controlling the air controller to establish desired bladder pressures in response to activation of the at least one memory recall button.

13. The control system of claim 8, wherein the frame includes longitudinally spaced head, seat, thigh, and foot sections, the head, thigh, and foot sections being movable relative to each other and relative to the seat section and further comprising a drive controller for tilting the frame sections to various desired positions.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the drive controller includes microprocessor and software in communication with the hand-held controller for storing at least one drive memory set input received from the hand-held controller upon activation of the at least one memory set button, and controlling the drive controller to establish desired frame section positions in response to activation of the at least one memory recall button.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the air controller includes microprocessor and software in communication with the hand-held controller for storing at least one air memory set input received from the hand-held controller upon activation of the at least one memory set button, and controlling the air controller to establish desired bladder pressures in response to activation of the at least one memory recall button.

16. A control system for a bed and a variable firmness mattress structure for use by a user, the bed and mattress structure including a mattress having at least one air bladder, a pressure regulator measuring the air pressure in the at least one bladder and providing a pressure signal in response thereto, an air supply, an inlet valve interposed between the air supply and the bladder, and an exhaust valve, the control system comprising:

a mattress control board operatively coupled to the pressure regulator, the inlet valve, and the exhaust valve, and

a controller operatively coupled to the mattress control board and configured to receive user inputs and to relay the user inputs to the mattress control board, the mattress control board being configured to operate the inlet valve and the exhaust valve in response to user inputs to vary the firmness in the mattress, the controller including a memory recall button and providing a memory recall signal when the memory recall button is pressed, the mattress control board operating one of the inlet valve and the exhaust valve in response to the memory recall signal and the pressure signal so that the pressure in the bladder provides firmness and support characteristics pre-selected by the user.

17. A variable firmness mattress structure for use by a user, the mattress structure comprising:

a bladder configured to contain air at a pressure, and

a pressure control system including

a pressure regulator measuring the air pressure in the bladder and providing a pressure signal in response thereto,

an air supply in fluid communication with the bladder, an inlet valve interposed between the air supply and the bladder,

an exhaust line in fluid communication with the bladder, an exhaust valve interposed between the bladder and the exhaust line,

a controller receiving inputs from the user and providing user signals in response thereto, and

a mattress control board operatively coupled to the inlet valve, the exhaust valve, the pressure regulator, and the controller, the mattress control board receiving the pressure signal and the user signals and providing operation signals to the inlet valve and the exhaust valve in response thereto so that the air pressure in the mattress is manually increased or decreased in response to the inputs from the user to vary the firmness in the mattress,

the mattress control board further comprising a memory device and receiving a memory set signal from the controller when the pressure in the bladder is at a preferred pressure selected by the user, the memory device storing a memory code corresponding to the memory set signal, the controller further comprising a memory recall button providing a memory recall signal to the mattress control board when the memory recall button is activated, the mattress control board providing operation signals to one of the inlet valve and the exhaust valve in response to the memory recall signal and the memory code to automatically adjust the air pressure in the bladder to the preferred pressure selected by the user.

18. A bed and variable firmness mattress structure comprising:

a frame including a seat section and a head section that is movable relative to the seat section of the frame,

a mattress carried by the frame, the mattress including a bladder,

means for selecting a preferred position of the head section relative to the seat section and for selecting a preferred pressure of air in the bladder at which the bladder provides selected firmness and support characteristics when the head section is in the preferred position,

means for manually adjusting the pressure of the air in the bladder to vary the firmness in the mattress,

means for manually adjusting the position of the head section relative to the seat section, and

means for automatically adjusting the head section to the preferred position and for automatically adjusting the pressure in the bladder to the preferred pressure.

19. A bed and variable firmness mattress structure for use by a user providing user inputs, the bed and mattress structure comprising:

an articulating deck including a head section that is movable relative to a seat section,

a mattress including a bladder containing air at a pressure,

a controller configured to receive user inputs and provide user position signals and user pressure signals in response thereto,

a deck control system configured to position the head section relative to the seat section in response to the user position signal, and

a bladder control system configured to adjust the pressure of air in the bladder in response to the user pressure signal to vary the firmness in the mattress,

the controller including;

a bed position button, the controller providing user position signals when the bed position button is activated to manually manipulate the position of the head section relative to the seat section,

a mattress control button, the controller providing user pressure signals when the mattress control button is activated to manually manipulate the pressure of air in the bladder, and

a memory button and a set button, the controller providing a memory code in response to activation of both of the memory button and the set button corresponding to a user selected position of the articulating deck and a user selected pressure of air in the bladder, the controller providing a memory signal when the memory button is activated to automatically move the articulating deck to the user selected position and automatically adjust the pressure of air in the bladder to the user selected pressure of air in the bladder.