Localized microclimate management
First Claim
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1. An occupant support, comprising:
- a mattress, a detector, and an energy management system comprising a plurality of straps defining thermally conductive pathways, and a controller for activating a selected pathway in response to information from the detector to regulate energy transfer at a detected region of risk on the mattress, wherein the energy management system includes a plurality of heat flow augmentors which each comprise a solid state device, each solid state device being coupled to an end region of a respective one of the plurality of straps such that the opposite end regions of each of the plurality of straps have a solid state device coupled thereto, the solid state device being configured so that, when a voltage is applied, heat is conducted via the thermally conductive pathways away form the region of risk.
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Abstract
An occupant support includes a mattress 20, a detector 54 and an energy management system comprising thermally conductive pathways and a controller 60. The controller activates one or more selected pathways in response to information from the detector to regulate energy transfer at a detected region of risk 66 on the mattress.
35 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An occupant support, comprising:
- a mattress, a detector, and an energy management system comprising a plurality of straps defining thermally conductive pathways, and a controller for activating a selected pathway in response to information from the detector to regulate energy transfer at a detected region of risk on the mattress, wherein the energy management system includes a plurality of heat flow augmentors which each comprise a solid state device, each solid state device being coupled to an end region of a respective one of the plurality of straps such that the opposite end regions of each of the plurality of straps have a solid state device coupled thereto, the solid state device being configured so that, when a voltage is applied, heat is conducted via the thermally conductive pathways away form the region of risk.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Specification