Microclimate system for a patient support apparatus
AssigneeHill-Rom Services, Inc.
InventorCharles A Lachenbruch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the present disclosure, a microclimate system includes a support surface, an air box, and an immersion sensor. The support surface is configured to support a patient and conduct air along a surface of the support surface so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the support surface are drawn away from the surface. The air box includes a blower coupled to the support surface to provide airflow to the support surface. The immersion sensor is configured to detect the immersion of the patient into the support surface.
Claims20
A microclimate system comprising
- a support surface including a topper, the topper configured to conduct air along a top face of the support surface so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the support surface are drawn away from the top face of the support surface,
- an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper, and
- an immersion sensor unit coupled to the controller, the immersion sensor unit detecting the immersion of the patient into the support surface,
- wherein the controller includes a processor and a memory device, wherein the memory device includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, operates the controller such that the controller receives the immersion information from the immersion sensor unit, determines if current operating parameters of the air box provide a rated level of heat withdrawal or evaporative capacity through the topper based at least in part on the amount of immersion of the patient into the support surface, modifies the current operating parameters of the air box to compensate for restriction of the air flow in the topper if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the desi red level of performance by the topper and the immersion information indicates that the immersion of the patient into the support surface restricts the flow of air in the topper.
A microclimate system comprising
- a topper,
- an air box including a controller and a blower coupled to the controller and coupled to the topper, and
- an immersion sensor unit coupled to the controller, the immersion sensor unit detecting an immersion of a patient into the topper,
- wherein the controller includes a processor and a memory device, wherein the memory device includes instructions that, when executed by the processor, operates the controller such that the controller receives the immersion information from the immersion sensor unit, determines if current operating parameters of the air box provide a rated level of heat withdrawal or evaporative capacity through the topper based at least in part on the amount of immersion of the patient into the topper, and modifies the current operating parameters of the air box to compensate for restriction of the air flow in the topper if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the rated level of heat withdrawal or evaporative capacity through the topper and the immersion sensor indicates that the amount of immersion of the patient into the support surface restricts the flow of air in the topper.
A method for controlling a microclimate system including a topper and an air box coupled to the topper to move pressurized air to the topper, the method comprising,
- detecting, using an immersion sensor, the immersion of a patient supported on the microclimate system into the topper,
- determining if current operating parameters of the air box provide a rated level of heat withdrawal or evaporative capacity through the topper, based at least in part on the immersion detected by the immersion sensor, and
- updating the current operating parameters of the air box to compensate for restriction of the air flow in the topper if the current operating parameters of the air box do not provide the rated level of heat withdrawal or evaporative capacity through the topper and the immersion sensor indicates that the amount of immersion of the patient into the support surface restricts the flow of air in the topper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.