US 11,112,761 B2 · Methods and apparatuses for controlling angular orientations of a person support apparatus

Abstract

A method for controlling an angular orientation of a person support apparatus including a bladder portion containing fluidized particulate material, an upper frame, and a base frame may include adjusting a height of the upper frame with respect to the base frame with at least one of a first and second actuator at respective speeds, determining a dynamic angular orientation of the upper frame with respect to the base frame based on at least one of a respective operating characteristic of the first and second actuator, determining a corrected angular orientation based on the dynamic angular orientation and a floor angle indicative of the orientation of the base frame with respect to horizontal, comparing the corrected angular orientation with an orientation reference range, and adjusting at least one actuator speed when the corrected angular orientation is outside the orientation reference range until it is within the orientation reference range.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for controlling an angular orientation of a person support apparatus including a base frame, an upper frame positioned on the base frame, a support surface having a bladder portion containing fluidized particulate material positioned on the upper frame, and a torso frame positioned on the upper frame, the method comprising:

receiving a head of bed (HOB) angle indicative of an angular orientation of the torso frame with respect to the upper frame;
receiving a weight of a person positioned on the person support apparatus;
determining a tilt angle of the upper frame with respect to the base frame based on the HOB angle and the weight of the person positioned on the person support apparatus, wherein the tilt angle corresponds to a minimum depth of the fluidized particulate material at a point of maximum immersion of the person on the bladder portion of the support surface;
and
adjusting an angular orientation of the upper frame with respect to the base frame until the upper frame is oriented at the tilt angle with respect to the base frame.

2 more elements

A system for controlling an angular orientation of a person support apparatus that includes a base frame, an upper frame positioned on the base frame, a support surface having a bladder portion containing fluidized particulate material positioned on the upper frame, and a torso frame positioned on the upper frame, the system comprising:

an electronic control unit comprising a processor communicatively coupled to a non-transitory computer storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
generate a head of bed (HOB) angle indicative of an angular orientation of the torso frame with respect to the upper frame;
generate a weight of a person positioned on the person support apparatus;
determine a tilt angle of the upper frame with respect to the base frame based on the HOB angle and the weight of the person positioned on the person support apparatus, wherein the tilt angle corresponds to a minimum depth of the fluidized particulate material at a point of maximum immersion of the person on the bladder portion of the support surface;
and
adjust an angular orientation of the upper frame with respect to the base frame until the upper frame is oriented at the tilt angle with respect to the base frame.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatuses for controlling angular orientations of a person support apparatus

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatuses for controlling angular orientations of a person support apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20