Microclimate system for a patient support apparatus
First Claim
1. A patient bed comprisinga mattress having a topper arranged to conduct air through the mattress to remove heat and/or moisture from a patient supported by the mattress,an air handling unit fluidly coupled with the topper to provide air therethrough, the air handling unit including a conditioning unit arranged to selectively alter the temperature and/or humidity of air provided to the topper, a pressure source fluidly connected with the conditioning unit and adapted to provide air through the topper, and a controller in communication with each of the conditioning unit and the pressure source to adjust operation of the air handling unit based on environmental conditions surrounding the mattress, anda sensor unit arranged to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided to the topper from the air handling unit in communication with the controller to communicate an indication of the input factor,wherein the controller is configured to determine a current level of evaporative capacity corresponding to the input factor, to compare the current level of evaporative capacity with a predetermined level of evaporative capacity, and to determine and execute new operation of air handling unit corresponding to the predetermined level of evaporative capacity if the current operation of the air handling unit does not provide the predetermined level of evaporative capacity, wherein the controller rechecks information indicated by the sensor unit in response to the determination that the current level of evaporative capacity is within an acceptable range of the predetermined level of evaporative capacity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to the present disclosure, a microclimate system includes a topper and an air box. The topper is configured to conduct air along a surface of the topper so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the topper are drawn away from the surface. The air box includes a blower coupled to the topper to provide air to the topper to be conducted along the surface of the topper. The air box may also include an environmental sensor unit coupled configured to detect environmental information corresponding to the environment around the microclimate system.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A patient bed comprising
a mattress having a topper arranged to conduct air through the mattress to remove heat and/or moisture from a patient supported by the mattress, an air handling unit fluidly coupled with the topper to provide air therethrough, the air handling unit including a conditioning unit arranged to selectively alter the temperature and/or humidity of air provided to the topper, a pressure source fluidly connected with the conditioning unit and adapted to provide air through the topper, and a controller in communication with each of the conditioning unit and the pressure source to adjust operation of the air handling unit based on environmental conditions surrounding the mattress, and a sensor unit arranged to detect an input factor corresponding to air provided to the topper from the air handling unit in communication with the controller to communicate an indication of the input factor, wherein the controller is configured to determine a current level of evaporative capacity corresponding to the input factor, to compare the current level of evaporative capacity with a predetermined level of evaporative capacity, and to determine and execute new operation of air handling unit corresponding to the predetermined level of evaporative capacity if the current operation of the air handling unit does not provide the predetermined level of evaporative capacity, wherein the controller rechecks information indicated by the sensor unit in response to the determination that the current level of evaporative capacity is within an acceptable range of the predetermined level of evaporative capacity.
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10. A patient support comprising
a support surface having a topper arranged to conduct fluid through the support surface to remove heat and/or moisture from a patient supported by the support surface, a handling unit fluidly coupled with the topper to provide fluid therethrough, the handling unit including a conditioning unit arranged to selectively alter the temperature and/or humidity of fluid provided to the topper, a pressure source fluidly connected with the conditioning unit and adapted to provide fluid through the topper, and a controller in communication with each of the conditioning unit and the pressure source to adjust operating conditions of the handling unit, and a sensor unit coupled between the conditioning unit and the topper to detect an input factor corresponding to fluid provided to the topper from the handling unit, the sensor unit arranged in communication with the controller to communicate an indication of the input factor to the patient support, wherein the controller is configured to determine a current level of evaporative capacity corresponding to the input factor, to compare the current level of evaporative capacity with a predetermined level of evaporative capacity, and to update at least one of the current operating conditions of handling unit if the current operating conditions of the handling unit do not provide the predetermined level of evaporative capacity.
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17. A patient support comprising
a support surface having a topper arranged to conduct fluid through the support surface to remove heat and/or moisture from a patient supported by the support surface, a handling unit fluidly coupled with the topper to provide fluid therethrough, the handling unit including a conditioning unit arranged to selectively alter the temperature and/or humidity of fluid provided to the topper, a pressure source fluidly connected with the conditioning unit and adapted to provide fluid through the topper, and a control system including a sensor arranged to communicate environmental conditions surrounding the patient support and a controller in communication with each of the sensor and at least one of the conditioning unit and the pressure source to adjust operating conditions of the handling unit based on environmental conditions surrounding the patient support, the controller configured to determine whether current operating conditions of the handling unit provide a predetermined level of evaporative capacity based on environmental conditions surrounding the patient support, and to update at least one of the current operating conditions of handling unit if the current operating conditions of the handling unit do not provide the predetermined level of evaporative capacity, and a connector conduit fluidly coupling the handling unit with the topper, the sensor arranged to detect a condition of the fluid within the connector conduit and to communicate a signal to the controller indicating the condition of the fluid.
Specification