2683results about "Fluid mattresses" patented technology

A cushioning element that has a number of substantially parallel elongate columns which buckle under an appropriate load. The cushioning element may be formed from a soft, easily deformable elastic or visco-elastic cushioning media. As a force is exerted against the cushioning element generally parallel to a column, the cushioning media may compress, and eventually the walls of the column may buckle. This equalizes pressure across the contact area of the object being cushioned.

A multi-layer cushion having a shaped base on which is positioned a resilient, cushioning layer. The shaped base is constructed from a supportive foam and has front and lateral bolsters. The cushioning layer is an inflatable air cell cushion having a flexible base and an array of individual air cells arranged in rows across the flexible base. Rows of cells around the perimeter of the air cell cushion are configured to provide comfortable transition areas between the bolsters and the air cell cushion. The cushion includes a cover that has a lower compartment for the foam base and an upper compartment for the air cell layer. The cover functions to keep the air cell layer in place on the foam layer.

A therapeutic mattress system and bed are disclosed for providing a comprehensive system of pulmonary and skin care therapies for the critically ill, immobilized patient. The features provided include rotational therapy, percussion therapy and pulsation therapy on a critical care bed frame with a low air loss patient support, all of which are controlled with various types of feedback from particularized sensors in the bed.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for automatically adjusting patient platform support height in response to patient related events. Sensor data is accessed from sensors that are monitoring a patient resting on a support platform that is a specified height above floor level. It is detected from the accessed input data that the patient is attempting to exit the patient support platform. The height of the support platform is lowered from the specified height to a lower height to reduce the potential fall distance of the patient in response to detecting that the patient is attempting to exit the support platform. In some embodiments, a support platform is rapidly lowered to essentially floor level in a controlled manner.

A patient support apparatus is provided. The patient support apparatus includes a plurality of therapeutic devices including a rotation device and a percussion-vibration device for carrying out rotation, percussion, and vibration therapy for a patient. The patient support apparatus includes a control system for controlling operation of the plurality of therapeutic devices. The control system comprises a touch-screen display segmented into a main menu portion and a data window portion. The therapeutic functions are represented by touch selectable buttons on the main menu portion. When any of these buttons are selected, a plurality of adjustable operating parameters appears in the data window portion. At the same time, the buttons corresponding to the therapeutic functions in the main menu portion remain visible such that an operator can easily select another therapeutic function. A method of tracking the therapeutic functions performed is provided. A rotation monitoring system and temperature control system of the patient support apparatus are provided. A display activation system is also provided.

An operating table including at least three elements which are moveable in relation to each other; at least two actuators, each controlling displacement of two elements in relation to the other; a controller which drives each actuator; a sensor to detect a risk of collision of one of the elements with an obstacle when executing a displacement request of a first actuator; a controller which determines a corrective command order of a second actuator different from the first actuator upon detecting a risk of collision, wherein execution of the corrective command order by the second actuator causes cessation of the detected risk of collision upon subsequent execution of the displacement request of the first actuator; and a display to view the corrective command order.

In one embodiment, the digital bed system is comprised of an array of support cells. Each support cells is capable of communicating with a controller and increasing and decreasing in firmness in response to commands issued by a controller. The support cells are operatively connected to a communication channel that is also connected to a controller. The controller is capable of receiving data from the support cells and is also capable of issuing commands to each of the support cells. The controller is programmed issue commands to increase or decrease the firmness of individual support cells within the support cells.

A system and a method are proposed for controlling at least one physical property of a bed based on the state of a person staying in the bed. A lying part in the bed is provided with a plurality of sensors adapted to continuously measure physical magnitudes as a measurement of the person's state. Measured values from the sensors are received, processed and analysed by a registration unit, for controlling physical properties of the bed.

A bariatric treatment system providing a comprehensive array of therapeutic services for the morbidly obese patient is disclosed. The treatment system generally comprises a stable bed frame upon which is mounted a low air loss therapeutic mattress system. Integrated hardware and software controls provide such therapies as pulsation, percussion, rotation, cardiac chair and Trendelenburg. Means are disclosed whereby the bariatric patient may safely and comfortably enter and exit the bed with relative ease. The bed is adaptable for transport within a hospital, including such features as a TRANSPORT MODE wherein the bed's lateral axis is minimized and battery backup to maintain necessary therapies during patient transport. A plurality of control means are disclosed for simplification of caregiver workload and ease of patient utilization.

A multiple convective cushion seating and sleeping system for providing temperature modified air to multiple surfaces, such as a seating surface and a sleeping surface, with the same air cooling or heating source. The invention includes the use of tubular spacer material including tubular spacer fabric. A power unit including a heat pump and blower is in fluid communication with a first convective cushion by a first duct and with a second convective cushion by a second duct to provide the temperature modified air to both convective cushions for controllably heating or cooling multiple users. A thermoelectric heat pump, a Stirling cycle heat pump or other type of heat pump can be used. The invention includes the use or one or more valves to control the air flow to one or more of the convective cushions and provides for manual operation, electronic control and operation by a remote telecommunications unit. The invention can be utilized in vehicles, such as tractor trailers and recreational vehicles, and in buildings such as apartments, dorm rooms and houses.

A cushion that is heated convectively using a positive coefficient of resistance type resistive heating element that is provided with heat exchanging surfaces, includes a mattress pad, seat or the like with a bottom surface secured around its perimeter to an air permeable top surface, forming a plenum and containing tubular spacer material therein. The plenum is connected to a power unit housing a blower, a heating module and a controller unit. The heating module preferably includes a PTC type heating element in conduction with a base plate and a number of heat exchanger fins. Preferably the heating element is sandwiched between a pair of the base plates and the heat exchanger fins, and there is a seal between the base plates to minimize air flow from the blower from passing there between. A remote control for the user's convenience may be provided, and a foldable antenna attachable to the convective unit facilitates wireless communication between the remote control and controller unit. The user resting atop the cushion is able to control the blower and heating module to deliver air of a desired temperature and quantity to the cushion and through the top surface. The invention advantageously replaces the current carrying, conductive wires and insulation found inside prior art heated mattresses, enhancing safety and performance while at the same time offering a cooled or ventilated capability.

A system for monitoring bed or mattress operation including portable monitor having a memory, a wireless input in selective communication with the bed, a wireless output in selective communication with the bed, a processor programmed to maintain in the memory a data structure including an identification for the bed and a control data associated with the bed identification, and selectively link with the bed via the output and receive computer readable information from the bed via the wireless input to update control data stored in the data structure; and control a display to report the control data to the user.

A compression garment for selective application for treatment of lymphedema and prevention of local ischemia of tissues at various locations of the body. The garment includes a pair or series of layers of hermetically sealed material, that can capture pressurized air, when applied therein, and is formed through the patterned sealing of the layers of the garment together, at select locations, to form air pockets that can selectively apply isolated points of pressure to the patient's affected area, without disrupting normal vascular and lymphatic functioning. The garment is design cut, for application to various segments of the body, and applies encompassing pressure over the entire affected area, and includes valves that can allow for the injection of measurable air, to the desired pressure points, or its deflation, after treatment. The compression device of this invention may also be formed as a segmented pad or mat, into which pneumatic pressurized air may be applied, at various segments, so as to regulate the amount of pressure applied to the surface of the body that is in contact with the pad or mat of this invention.

A high-profile air sleep system having a pair of air posturizing sleep surfaces which may be individually inclined and air adjusted comprises an air posturing module having an outer module mattress case. A first case section extends medially along a length of said mattress case to define a first movable posturing section, and a second case section extends along a length of said mattress case to define a second movable posturing section. A third fixed module case section is included in said mattress case below the first and second posturing sections. A first air chamber is carried in the first and third case sections, and a second air chamber is carried in the second and third module sections to provide first and second posturizing module sections with individually elevatable posturizing sleep surfaces.

The invention is a bladder formed of multiple layers of barrier film to provide multiple pressurized layers of cushioning fluid or gas when the bladder is filled. The sidewalls of the bladder can be constructed with an inverted seam construction to eliminate finishing steps in the manufacture of cushioning bladders and alternatively to provide a clean, seamless appearance along the side walls. The inverted seam can be formed by attaching the peripheral edges of inner barrier layers to the outer barrier layers adjacent a weld between inner barrier layers to provide an inside-out inverted seam appearance. An inverted seam can also be formed by providing separate sidewall elements attached to the barrier layers of the bladder to provide a seam displaced from the center of the sidewall.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for supporting a body element. The apparatus includes at least one support device with at least one closed or controlled-release chamber, a filling device and an emptying means device for filling said chamber with a filling fluid and emptying the fluid from the chamber, and a distance-measurement device for measuring the distance between a top face and a bottom face of the chamber. The apparatus further includes a reaction-measurement device for measuring the reaction of the support device relative to the morphological data of the body element to be supported, and a control system including a combination device for combining the measurement of the penetration distance d provided by the distance-measurement device and the measurement of the reaction provided by the reaction-measurement device. This combination is advantageously constituted by summing the two obtained measurements. The invention makes it possible to support the element to be supported substantially in a position of equilibrium corresponding substantially to a predetermined float line.

A siderail assembly for a hospital bed is provided. In one embodiment the bed is a chair bed having a first deck section, a second deck section and a third deck section. A pair of siderails are operably connected to the third deck section of the bed. In another embodiment, the siderail coupled to the third deck section remains stationary relative to the third deck section during movement of the third deck section between the generally horizontal and the substantially vertical position. The siderail is configured to be gripped by a patient while the patient is entering and exiting the chair bed.