Air Fluidized Therapy Bed With Integrated Percussion And Micro-Climate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Patient support apparatuses providing air fluidized therapy do not offer additional therapeutic options beyond weight redistribution and skin healing, which are often necessary for patients with compromised skin conditions such as burns or severe diabetes.
Innovation Solution
A patient support apparatus that integrates an air fluidization therapy bed with a micro-climate assembly, percussion/vibration therapy, and a garment for high-frequency chest wall oscillation, allowing for the delivery of multiple therapies through a controller and user interface that directs air flow to various components, including a micro-climate assembly and percussion/vibration bladders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If patient support apparatus provides only air fluidized therapy, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability and therapeutic versatility are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple therapeutic functions into a single patient support apparatus. The air supply system can selectively deliver pressurized air to different components: the air fluidized therapy bed for skin healing, percussion bladders for mechanical stimulation, and micro-climate assembly for environmental control. This multi-functional design allows one device to provide diverse therapies including weight redistribution, percussion/vibration therapy, and micro-climate management, thereby improving therapeutic versatility while managing device complexity through shared infrastructure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple therapy components are integrated into one apparatus, then the adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the patient support apparatus into distinct functional zones: a first patient support zone with an air fluidized therapy bed and a second patient support zone with percussion bladders and micro-climate assembly. Each zone can be independently controlled through the shared air supply system. This segmentation allows different therapeutic modalities to operate simultaneously or independently on different body regions, improving adaptability while managing complexity through modular functional organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves as an intermediary that manages the complex interactions between multiple therapy components. It receives user inputs and selectively activates different air flow paths to the air fluidized therapy bed, percussion bladders, or micro-climate assembly. This centralized control mechanism coordinates the various therapeutic functions, allowing diverse therapies to be delivered through a unified interface, thereby improving adaptability while abstracting away the operational complexity.
3Device complexity
If a single air supply serves multiple components, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of each individual therapy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of the air supply system through electronically controlled valves and a controller that can selectively direct pressurized air to different components based on therapeutic needs. The system can dynamically switch between serving the air fluidized therapy bed, percussion bladders, or micro-climate assembly, or provide simultaneous support to multiple components. This dynamic allocation ensures that each therapy receives adequate air supply when needed, maintaining reliability while using a shared air supply infrastructure that reduces overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances therapeutic outcomes by providing a comprehensive treatment approach that includes weight redistribution, percussion/vibration therapy, and micro-climate management, addressing the needs of patients with compromised skin conditions beyond basic air fluidized therapy.
Implementation Method 1
the air fluidization therapy bed receiving a flow of pressurized air from the air supply, the flow of pressurized air operable to fluidize the fluidizable medium
Implementation Method 2
the micro-climate assembly coupled to the air supply to selectively receive a flow of air therefrom, the flow of air entering the chamber through the inlet and exiting the chamber through the outlet
Implementation Method 3
a diverter valve coupled to the first conduit and a second conduit coupled to the diverter valve, the second conduit coupled to the micro-climate assembly, and in that the controller is operable based on user inputs to control the diverter valve to selectively direct a flow of air from the air supply to the micro-climate assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
A patient support apparatus includes an air supply and an air fluidization therapy bed including a fluidization space and a fluidizable medium positioned in the fluidization space. The air fluidization therapy bed receives a flow of pressurized air from the air supply. The flow of pressurized air operable to fluidize the fluidizable medium. The patient support apparatus is configured to provide other therapies, such as pulmonary therapies, in addition to the air fluidization therapy.