Method of inflating, in alternating manner, a support device having inflatable cells, and a device for implementing the method

• US 8,104,126 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill - Rom Industries SA
• Original Assignee: Hill - Rom Industries SA
• Inventors: Caminade, Jean-Luc, Basilio, Jean-Marie, Coupard, Olivier, Flocard, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Santos, Robert G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Polito, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/249,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 570/6, 571/0, 571/3, 571/5, 560/9, 561/4, 561/5, 564/4, 565/4, 565/53
• US Class Current: 5/715
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05776 with at least two groups of alternately inflated chambers

Abstract

A method of inflating, in alternating manner, inflatable cells of a support device for supporting an element to be supported is provided, which device is of the mattress type for supporting the body of a patient, said mattress being made up of cells that are inflatable with a fluid, in particular air, and having at least one zone made up of first and second series of inflatable cells referred to respectively as “first” cells and as “second” cells, the cells of each series communicating fluidly with one another and with inflation means, in which method alternating deflation and re-inflation cycles are performed during which each of said series of cells is deflated and then re-inflated in alternation and in succession, said first cells being deflated and then re-inflated simultaneously respectively with the re-inflation and with the deflation of said second cells, the alternating deflation and re-inflation of said first and second cells of the support device taking place in a cycle controlled by said inflation means being switched on/off, wherein the switching on/off of said inflation means is controlled as a function of the values of the pressures of the fluid measured inside said cells and of comparison of said values with at least one reference pressure value determined as a function of the morphology of the patient.

Claims

1. A method of inflating, in alternating manner, inflatable cells of a mattress for supporting the body of a patient, said mattress being made up of cells that are inflatable with air and having at least one zone made up of a first series and a second series of inflatable cells, the cells of each series communicating pneumatically with one another and with an inflation means, the cells of each series of cells being controlled to be either in a first state in which communication is open with the inflation means and with the other cells of the respective series of cells or in a second state in which communication is closed with the inflation means and with the other cells of the respective series and is open to ambient, the method comprising alternating deflation and re-inflation cycles so that each of said series of cells is deflated and then re-inflated in alternation and in succession, said first series of cells being deflated and then re-inflated simultaneously respectively with the re-inflation and with the deflation of said second series of cells, the alternating deflation and re-inflation of said first and second series of cells of the support device including at least one step of inflating said first and second series of cells to a value of a reference pressure whose value is determined on the basis of a substantially continuous measurement taken by means of a morphology sensor which is an electronic component measuring the stress generated by the patient'"'"'s body on the first and second series of cells, wherein the alternating deflation and re-inflation of said first and second series of cells take place in a cycle controlled by said inflation means being switched on or off, which switching on or off is controlled as a function of the values of the pressures of the fluid measured inside said first and second series of cells and of comparison of said values with said reference pressure value, said inflation means being switched on or off causes said first or second series of cells to be put into the first state in which communication is open with said inflation means or into the second state in which communication is closed therewith, wherein the first and second series of cells have associated therewith respective first and second electrically controlled valves, and wherein an upstream group of the cells of each of the first and second series of cells are upstream of the respective first and second electrically controlled valves such that air moved by the inflation means first passes through at least one cell of the upstream group of the cells of the first and second series of cells before reaching the respective first and second electrically controlled valves.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said inflation means are switched on or off as a function of the values of the pressures of the fluid measured in said first and second series of cells and of comparison of said values with a regulation pressure that is determined as a function of the morphology of the patient and with a value of a setpoint pressure that is greater than said regulation pressure and that is computed relative to said regulation pressure; and

said inflation means being switched on or off controlling which of said regulation pressure and setpoint pressure is chosen to be taken into account for said comparison for the next switching on or off of the inflation means during said cycle.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

each cell of said first series of cells are connected one after another in series;

each cell of said second series of cells are connected one after another in series;

the following successive steps are performed, in which;

a) when all of the cells of the first and second series are inflated to a pressure corresponding to said regulation pressure, the inflation means being off, and the cells of each series of cells being in the state in which communication is open with the inflation means and with the cells of the other said series of cells, detection of said regulation pressure in said first and second cells, causes;

a-1) said cells of the first series of cells to deflate by being connected to the surrounding air; and

a-2) said cells of the second series of cells to be over-inflated by switching the pump on until a determined setpoint pressure is reached that is greater than the regulation pressure; and

b) when the setpoint pressure is reached in said cells of the second series of cells, detection of said setpoint pressure in said cells of the second series of cells causes the inflation means to be switched off and each cell of the second series of cells to be put into the state in which communication is open with the inflation means and with the cells of the first series of cells, thereby making it possible for fluid to be transferred from said cells of the second series of cells to said cells of the first series of cells, and thus for said second series of cells to be deflated, and, simultaneously, for said first series of cells to be re-inflated, to a said regulation pressure; and

c) when all of said cells of the first and second series of cells are at a pressure corresponding to said regulation pressure, detection of a said regulation pressure in said cells causes the inflation means to be switched off, which switching off of the pump causes;

c-1) said cells of the second series of cells to be deflated by being connected to the surrounding air; and

c-2) said cells of the first series of cells to be over-inflated by switching the inflation means on until said setpoint pressure is reached; and

d) when said setpoint pressure is reached in said cells of the first series of cells, detection of said setpoint pressure in said cells of the first series of cells causes the inflation means to be switched off and each of the cells of the first series of cells to be put into the state in which communication is open with the inflation means and with the cells of the second series of cells, thereby making it possible for fluid to be transferred from said cells of the first series of cells to said cells of the second series of cells, and thus for said cells of the first series of cells to be deflated, and, simultaneously, for said cells of the second series of cells to be inflated to said regulation pressure; and

e) repeating steps a) to d).

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the setpoint pressure is determined relative to the regulation pressure so as to be greater by at least 10% than the regulation pressure.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein during a first portion of time of the alternating deflation and re-inflation cycles, air is transferred from the cells of the first series of cells to the cells of the second series of cells and during a second portion of time of the alternating deflation and re-inflation cycles, air is transferred from the cells of the second series of cells to the cells of the first series of cells.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first electrically controlled valve comprises a first solenoid valve and wherein the second electrically controlled valve comprises a second solenoid valve.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the morphology sensor comprises a force sensitive resistor device.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein a downstream group of the cells of each of the first and second series of cells are downstream of the respective first and second electrically controlled valves.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the morphology sensor is located underneath the downstream group of cells.

10. A method of inflating, in alternating manner, inflatable cells of a mattress for supporting the body of a patient, said mattress being made up of cells that are inflatable with air and having at least one zone made up of a first series and a second series of inflatable cells, the cells of each series communicating pneumatically with one another and with an inflation means, the cells of each series of cells being controlled to be either in a first state in which communication is open with the inflation means and with the other cells of the respective series of cells or in a second state in which communication is closed with the inflation means and with the other cells of the respective series and is open to ambient, the method comprising alternating deflation and re-inflation cycles so that each of said series of cells is deflated and then re-inflated in alternation and in succession, said first series of cells being deflated and then re-inflated simultaneously respectively with the re-inflation and with the deflation of said second series of cells, said inflation means being switched on or off causes said first or second series of cells to be put into the first state in which communication is open with said inflation means or into the second state in which communication is closed therewith, wherein the first and second series of cells have associated therewith respective first and second electrically controlled valves, and wherein an upstream group of the cells of each of the first and second series of cells are upstream of the respective first and second electrically controlled valves such that air moved by the inflation means first passes through at least one cell of the upstream group of the cells of the first and second series of cells before reaching the respective first and second electrically controlled valves.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein a downstream group of the cells of each of the first and second series of cells are downstream of the respective first and second electrically controlled valves.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor located underneath the downstream group of cells, the sensor providing a signal that is used to establish a reference pressure for the first and second series of cells.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the sensor comprises a force sensitive resistor device.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the first and second electrically controlled valves each comprise an inline compact solenoid valve.