Bed with automatically identifiable mattress type

• US 7,461,425 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Incorporated (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Chambers, Kenith W., Butler, Mary, Bish, Suzanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Trettel; Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/774,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 569/0, 572/2, 572/3
• US Class Current: 5/690
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2200/16 bariatric, e.g. heavy or obese
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/12 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/40 for distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/002 having adjustable mattress frame
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0507 Side-rails
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/0514 mounted to individual mattress supporting frame sections
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 5/902 Mattress with nonrectangular supporting surface

Abstract

A bed includes a mattress having a core the core being one of at least two types. A control system is capable of automatically identifying the core type. In one variant, one core type is a bladder core type and another core type is a foam core type. The mattress may include a tag indicative of the core type and the control system may include a sensor for identifying the core type from the tag and wherein the sensor sends a signal to a controller to indicate a tag type and therefore a mattress type.

Claims

1. A bed, comprising:

a mattress having a core, the core being of a type selected from the group comprising a first type and a second type;

a control system capable of automatically identifying the core type.

2. The bed of claim 1 wherein the first type is a bladder core type and the second type is a foam core type.

3. The bed of claim 1 wherein the mattress includes a tag indicative of the core type, the control system includes a sensor for identifying the core type from the tag and wherein the sensor sends a signal to a controller to indicate a tag type and therefore a mattress type.