Adjustable mattress and pillow system
First Claim
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1. An adjustable mattress and pillow system comprising:
- (a) a mattress which adapts, based on a user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and in response to variation of the pose, to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s body, the mattress comprising a mattress top face and a mattress bottom face, the mattress top face being covered in part by an electrically conductive sensing mat having a mat top outer face for receiving and supporting the user'"'"'s body and a mat bottom outer face in substantial contact with the mattress top face, the mat comprising an electrically conductive elastomeric membrane which exhibits a decreasing electrical resistance when compressed and which covers in part the mat top outer face;
(b) one or more inflatable mattress compartments located within the mattress, the compartments being positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the mattress and connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving and discharging a fluid;
(c) a pillow which is positioned on the top face of the mattress and which adapts to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s head and neck in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, the pillow comprising a top face for supporting the user'"'"'s head and neck and a bottom face in contact with the mattress top face;
(d) one or more inflatable pillow compartments located within the pillow, the compartments being positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the pillow and connected to the fluid reservoir for receiving and discharging the fluid to vary a contour of the top face of the pillow in response to variation in the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress;
(e) a pumping/control unit under microprocessor control and positioned remotely from the mattress and the pillow, the microprocessor control being in electrical contact with the mat for receiving and processing electrical signals from the mat, the pumping/control unit being connected to the fluid reservoir and the inflatable mattress compartments and the inflatable pillow compartments for transmitting the fluid from the reservoir to one or more of the compartments and for discharging the fluid from one or more of the compartments to the reservoir, wherein when the user reclines upon the mattress and the pillow, the microprocessor control;
(1) receives electrical input signals from the electrically conductive sensing mat which vary in relationship to the width of an area of the mat compressed by the user and the pressure exerted on the electrically conductive sensing mat as the pose of the user shifts;
(2) processes the input signals pursuant to preprogrammed instructions; and
(3) transmits an output signal to the pumping/control unit, and wherein depending upon the output signal, fluid is either transmitted from the reservoir by the pumping/control unit to one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or the inflatable pillow compartments, or is discharged from one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or the inflatable pillow compartments by the pumping/control unit to the reservoir to optimize the contours of the mattress and the pillow relative to the pose of the user on the mattress and in response to variation of the pose.
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Abstract
The invention provides a novel adjustable mattress and pillow system and related methods in which a sensing mat positioned on the top face of a mattress affects microprocessor-controlled optimization of the contour of the mattress and a pillow based on a user'"'"'s position. In one embodiment, the novel adjustable mattress and pillow system of the invention provides real time contour optimization through use of a variety of sensing techniques that make the system particularly useful in environments such as hospital critical care facilities where proper positioning of a user on a mattress and a pillow may prove important to user'"'"'s health.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. An adjustable mattress and pillow system comprising:
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(a) a mattress which adapts, based on a user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and in response to variation of the pose, to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s body, the mattress comprising a mattress top face and a mattress bottom face, the mattress top face being covered in part by an electrically conductive sensing mat having a mat top outer face for receiving and supporting the user'"'"'s body and a mat bottom outer face in substantial contact with the mattress top face, the mat comprising an electrically conductive elastomeric membrane which exhibits a decreasing electrical resistance when compressed and which covers in part the mat top outer face; (b) one or more inflatable mattress compartments located within the mattress, the compartments being positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the mattress and connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving and discharging a fluid; (c) a pillow which is positioned on the top face of the mattress and which adapts to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s head and neck in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, the pillow comprising a top face for supporting the user'"'"'s head and neck and a bottom face in contact with the mattress top face; (d) one or more inflatable pillow compartments located within the pillow, the compartments being positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the pillow and connected to the fluid reservoir for receiving and discharging the fluid to vary a contour of the top face of the pillow in response to variation in the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress; (e) a pumping/control unit under microprocessor control and positioned remotely from the mattress and the pillow, the microprocessor control being in electrical contact with the mat for receiving and processing electrical signals from the mat, the pumping/control unit being connected to the fluid reservoir and the inflatable mattress compartments and the inflatable pillow compartments for transmitting the fluid from the reservoir to one or more of the compartments and for discharging the fluid from one or more of the compartments to the reservoir, wherein when the user reclines upon the mattress and the pillow, the microprocessor control; (1) receives electrical input signals from the electrically conductive sensing mat which vary in relationship to the width of an area of the mat compressed by the user and the pressure exerted on the electrically conductive sensing mat as the pose of the user shifts;
(2) processes the input signals pursuant to preprogrammed instructions; and
(3) transmits an output signal to the pumping/control unit, and wherein depending upon the output signal, fluid is either transmitted from the reservoir by the pumping/control unit to one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or the inflatable pillow compartments, or is discharged from one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or the inflatable pillow compartments by the pumping/control unit to the reservoir to optimize the contours of the mattress and the pillow relative to the pose of the user on the mattress and in response to variation of the pose. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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12. An adjustable mattress and pillow system comprising:
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(a) a mattress which adapts, based on a user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and in response to variation of the pose, to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s body, the mattress comprising a mattress top face and a mattress bottom face, the mattress top face being substantially covered by an electrically conductive sensing mat having a mat top outer face for receiving and supporting the user'"'"'s body and a mat bottom outer face in substantial contact with the mattress top face, the electrically conductive sensing mat comprising an electrically conductive elastomeric membrane which exhibits a decreasing electrical resistance when compressed and which substantially covers the mat top outer face; (b) one or more inflatable mattress compartments located within the mattress, the compartments being (1) positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the mattress (2) connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving fluid, and (3) provided with at least one fluid vent under microprocessor control for discharge of the fluid; (c) a pillow which is positioned on the top face of the mattress and which adapts to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s head and neck in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, the pillow comprising a top face for supporting the user'"'"'s head and neck and a bottom face which is substantially in contact with the mat top face; (d) one or more inflatable pillow compartments located within the pillow to vary a contour of the top face of the pillow in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, the compartments being (1) positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the pillow, (2) connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving fluid, and (3) provided with at least one fluid vent under microprocessor control for discharge of the fluid; (e) a pumping/control unit under microprocessor control and positioned remotely from the mattress and the pillow, the pumping/control unit being connected to the fluid reservoir and the inflatable mattress compartments and the inflatable pillow compartments for transmitting the fluid from the reservoir to one or more of the compartments, wherein the microprocessor control (1) is in electrical contact with the electrically conductive sensing mat for receiving and processing electrical signals from the mat which vary in relationship to the width of an area of the mat compressed by the user and the pressure exerted on the mat as the pose of the user shifts, (2) processes the signals pursuant to preprogrammed instructions, and (3) transmits an output signal to the pumping/control unit and the fluid vents, and wherein, on the basis of the output signal, the fluid is either transmitted from the reservoir by the pumping/control unit to one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or one or more of the inflatable pillow compartments, or is discharged from one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or one or more of the inflatable pillow compartments by one or more of the fluid vents to optimize the contours of the mattress and the pillow relative to the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and the pillow and in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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27. A method of supporting a body element comprising:
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(a) providing an adjustable mattress and pillow system wherein a mattress adapts, based on a user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose, to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s body, the mattress comprising a mattress top face and a mattress bottom face, the mattress top face being covered in part by an electrically conductive sensing mat having a mat top outer face for receiving and supporting the user'"'"'s body and a mat bottom outer face in substantial contact with the mattress top face, the electrically conductive sensing mat comprising an electrically conductive elastomeric membrane which exhibits a decreasing electrical resistance when compressed and which substantially covers the mat top outer face; (b) providing one or more inflatable mattress compartments located within the mattress, wherein the compartments are (1) positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the mattress (2) connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving fluid, and (3) provided with at least one fluid vent under microprocessor control for discharge of the fluid; (c) providing a pillow which is positioned on the top face of the mattress and which adapts to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s head and neck in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, the pillow comprising a top face for supporting the user'"'"'s head and neck and a bottom face which is substantially in contact with the mat top face; (d) providing one or more inflatable pillow compartments located within the pillow for varying a contour of the top face of the pillow in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, wherein the compartments are (1) positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the pillow, (2) connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving a fluid, and (3) provided with at least one fluid vent under microprocessor control for discharge of the fluid; (e) providing a pumping/control unit under microprocessor control and positioned remotely from the mattress and the pillow, wherein the pumping/control unit is connected to the fluid reservoir and the inflatable mattress compartments and the inflatable pillow compartments for transmitting a fluid from the reservoir to one or more of the compartments, and wherein when the user is positioned upon the mattress top face and the pillow, the microprocessor control (1) is in electrical contact with the mat for receiving and processing electrical signals from the mat which vary in relationship to the width of the area of the mat compressed by the user and the pressure exerted on the mat as the pose of the user shifts, (2) processes the signals pursuant to preprogrammed instructions and, (3) transmits an output signal to the pumping/control unit and the fluid vents, and wherein, on the basis of the output signal, a fluid is either transmitted from the reservoir by the pumping/control unit to one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or the inflatable pillow compartments, or is discharged from one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or the inflatable pillow compartments by the fluid to optimize the contours of the mattress and the pillow relative to the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and the pillow and in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An adjustable mattress and pillow system comprising:
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(a) a mattress which adapts, based on a user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s body, the mattress comprising a mattress top face and a mattress bottom face, the mattress top face being covered in part by a sensing mat having a mat top outer face for receiving and supporting the user'"'"'s body and a mat bottom outer face in substantial contact with the mattress top face, the mat comprising an elastomeric sensing membrane which covers in part the mat top outer face and which, when compressed, transmits a sensing signal; (b) one or more inflatable mattress compartments located within the mattress, wherein the compartments are positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the mattress and are connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving or discharging fluid; (c) a pillow which is positioned on the top face of the mattress and which adapts to an optimum contour for support of the user'"'"'s head and neck in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, the pillow comprising a top face for supporting the user'"'"'s head and neck and a bottom face which is substantially in contact with the mattress top face; (d) one or more inflatable pillow compartments located within the pillow to vary a contour of the top face of the pillow in response to variation of the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress, wherein the pillow compartments are positioned between the top face and the bottom face of the pillow and are connected to a fluid reservoir for receiving or discharging a fluid; (e) a pumping/control unit which is under microprocessor control and which is positioned remotely from the mattress and the pillow, wherein the microprocessor control is in electrical contact with the mat for receiving and processing sensing signals from the mat, wherein the pumping/control unit is connected to a fluid reservoir and the inflatable mattress compartments and the inflatable pillow compartments for transmitting a fluid from the reservoir to one or more of the inflatable mattress compartment and the inflatable pillow compartments and for discharging fluid from one or more of the inflatable mattress compartment and the inflatable pillow compartments to the reservoir, and wherein, when the user reclines upon the mattress and the pillow, the microprocessor control (1) receives and processes input sensing signals from the sensing mat into electrical signals which vary in relationship to the width of the area of the mat compressed by the user and the pressure exerted on the sensing mat as the pose of the user shifts, (2) processes the electrical signals pursuant to preprogrammed instructions and, (3) and transmits an output signal to the pumping/control unit, and wherein on the basis of the output signal, the fluid is either transmitted from the reservoir by the pumping/control unit to one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or inflatable pillow compartments, or is discharged from one or more of the inflatable mattress compartments or inflatable pillow compartments by the pumping/control unit to the reservoir to optimize the contours of the mattress and the pillow relative to the user'"'"'s pose on the mattress and the pillow and in response to variation of the pose of the user on the mattress. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification