Underbody warming systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An underbody support for a patient, the support comprising:
- one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume;
at least one of the inflatable chambers includes one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches located within the inflatable chamber;
whereinthe one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume,wherein at least one of the one or more compression sensitive switches comprise two layers of flexible, electrically conductive material separated by a compressible switch layer made of compressible material, andthe compressible switch layer includes a plurality of holes within which the two layers of electrically conductive material contact each other when at least one of the compression sensitive switches is sufficiently compressed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods related to an underbody support for supporting a body of a being, such as during surgery to prevent contact pressure injuries. In certain embodiments, the underbody support may include one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume. At least one of the inflatable chambers may include one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, and the one or more compression sensitive switches may be located within the inflatable chamber. In some embodiments the one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the said inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume.
243 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An underbody support for a patient, the support comprising:
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one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume; at least one of the inflatable chambers includes one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches located within the inflatable chamber;
whereinthe one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume, wherein at least one of the one or more compression sensitive switches comprise two layers of flexible, electrically conductive material separated by a compressible switch layer made of compressible material, and the compressible switch layer includes a plurality of holes within which the two layers of electrically conductive material contact each other when at least one of the compression sensitive switches is sufficiently compressed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An underbody support for supporting a body of a being, the underbody support comprising:
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an inflatable chamber enclosing a volume; a processor having a control algorithm configured to determine an inflation characteristic of the inflatable chamber; a switch disposed inside the inflatable chamber, the switch being in electrical communication with the processor, and the processor configured to determine the inflation characteristic of the inflatable chamber based on information from the switch, wherein at least one of the one or more switches is a compression sensitive switch comprising two layers of flexible, electrically conductive material separated by a switch layer made of compressible material, and the switch layer includes a plurality of holes within which the two layers of electrically conductive material contact each other when at least one of the switches is sufficiently compressed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. An underbody support for supporting a body of a being, the underbody support comprising:
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an inflatable chamber enclosing a volume; a processor having a control algorithm configured to determine an inflation characteristic of the inflatable chamber; a switch disposed inside the inflatable chamber, the switch being in electrical communication with the processor, and the processor configured to determine the inflation characteristic of the inflatable chamber based on information from the switch, wherein a control algorithm is configured to release air from the one or more inflatable chambers until a portion of the patient laying on the underbody support compresses and closes at least one of the one or more switches, wherein compression and closure of one or more of the switches initiates the control algorithm that activates a pump and a valve to re-inflate the inflatable chambers until the patient is lifted off of the one or more compressed switches and the one or more switches reopens, and wherein the reopening of the said one or more compressed switches initiates the control algorithm that turns the pump and the valve off so that the volume of the inflatable chamber is maintained in a controlled but partially deflated condition.
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31. An underbody support for a patient, the support comprising:
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one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume; at least one of the inflatable chambers includes one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches located within the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume, a layer of compressible material is positioned over at least a portion of an upper surface of the one or more inflatable chambers, the layer of compressible material is a polymeric foam; a flexible grounding electrode comprising a sheet of conductive or semi-conductive material having a top surface opposite a bottom surface, the flexible grounding electrode is approximately the same size as at least one of the one or more layers of compressible material, the flexible grounding electrode is positioned and secured co-planar to at least one of the one or more layers of compressible material across the top surface or the bottom surface; and a return electrode wire electrically connected to the flexible grounding electrode and adapted to connect to an electrosurgical generator.
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32. A method of providing underbody support to support a body of a being, the method comprising:
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providing an underbody support comprising; an inflatable chamber enclosing a volume, an openable and closeable switch disposed within the inflatable chamber, a processor having a control algorithm, the processor being in electrical communication with the switch, a pump for inflating the inflatable chamber, the pump being in electrical communication with the processor, and a valve for deflating the inflatable chamber, the valve being in electrical communication with the processor; placing the body on the underbody support; inflating or deflating the inflatable chamber with the pump or the valve to a partially inflated position until the switch switches from closed to open; and maintaining the volume of the inflatable chamber at the partially inflated position, wherein the partially inflated position occurs when a surface area contact between the underbody support and the supported body is within 20% of the maximum possible surface area contact. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. An underbody support for a patient, the support comprising:
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one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume; and at least one of the inflatable chambers includes one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches located within the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume, a layer of compressible material is positioned over at least a portion of an upper surface of the one or more inflatable chambers, at least one of the one or more layers of compressible material is bonded about its perimeter to two flexible side walls and two flexible end walls that are also made of polymeric foam, and the two flexible side walls and two flexible end walls are fastened to the perimeter of a base layer forming a box-like structure made of flexible foam, the box-like structure surrounds and contains the one or more inflatable chambers, upper edges of the two flexible side walls hinge inward in response to the weight of the patient depressing a central region of at least one of the one or more layers of compressible material, the hinging inward of the flexible side walls allows the layer of compressible material to deform maximally while accommodating the patient without creating a hammock effect.
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36. An underbody support for a patient, the support comprising:
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one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume; and at least one of the inflatable chambers includes one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, the one or more compression sensitive switches located within the inflatable chamber;
whereinthe one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume, wherein a control algorithm is configured to release air from the one or more inflatable chambers until a portion of the patient laying on the underbody support compresses and closes at least one of the one or more compression sensitive switches, wherein compression and closure of one or more of the compression sensitive switches initiates the control algorithm that activates a pump and a valve to re-inflate the inflatable chambers until the patient is lifted off of the one or more compressed, compression sensitive switches and the one or more compression sensitive switches reopens, and wherein the reopening of the said one or more compressed, compression sensitive switches initiates the control algorithm that turns the pump and the valve off so that the volume of the inflatable chamber is maintained in a controlled but partially deflated condition.
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Specification