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US 12,016,811 B2Granted
Multi-stable compliant-mechanism mattress for bed sore prevention
AssigneesThe Regents of the University of California, Piyush Sheth
InventorsJonathan Hopkins, Piyush Sheth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pressure sore prevention mattress is provided alternating pressure points on the body of an occupant that is easily transformable between two stable configurations. The four-layer mattress construction has a top foam pad, a webbing layer, a dynamic layer of deformable panels trapezoid-shaped four-bar mechanisms that deform to produce an undulating pattern of peaks, and a base. Panel geometry can determine peak height. The mattress has a spatially hollow geometry that allows natural air convection through the breathable top foam pad to enable drying of moisture as well as the use of forced air convective drying or cooling. The mattress can be transformed from one configuration to the other while the occupant is on the mattress.
Claims22
A mattress apparatus for preventing bed sores, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a foundation layer which supports the mattress apparatus;
- (b) a dynamic layer comprising a plurality of mechanism panels, in which each mechanism panel has a plurality of rigid legs extending from a base to a deformable strip formed by a series of adjacently connected top bars on either side, wherein the base of each said mechanism panel is connected to extend orthogonally from said foundation layer;
- (c) a flexible webbing layer coupled to the top bars of the deformable strip in each of said mechanism panels, said flexible webbing layer is configured to retain the mechanism panels extending from the foundation layer in a parallel relationship to one another;
- (d) a compliant layer, or layers, covering over said flexible webbing to provide a desired level of padding;
- (e) wherein each said mechanism panel comprises a plurality of rigid element bistable mechanisms in which the plurality of rigid legs are connected through flexible joints to both said base and to said deformable strip formed by the connected top bars, and wherein said flexible joints are configured to allow angular changes in one axis of movement;
- (f) wherein each of said plurality of rigid element bistable mechanisms comprises a unit cell having first and second rigid legs, of the plurality of rigid legs, whose proximal ends are attached to joints at said base, with said rigid legs extending up with distal ends attached at joints at said deformable strip connected top bars, the rigid legs spaced in a trapezoidal shape, whereby movement of the deformable strip in a first direction causes the first rigid leg to create a peak in said deformable strip and the second rigid leg to create a valley in said deformable strip, while movement of the deformable strip in a second direction causes the first rigid leg to create a valley in said deformable strip and the second rigid leg to create a peak in said deformable strip which creates undulations in the top surface of the mattress;
- (g) a stop retained on the base between said first and second rigid legs, which limits the extent to which the first and second rigid legs can flex at their respective joints and that said deformable strip can move in said first direction and said second direction;
- and(h) wherein said dynamic layer of said mattress apparatus upon being moved between said first positional state and said second positional state, in response to application of horizontal force, alternates the pattern of pressure being applied to a body of an occupant received thereon, wherein pressure peak points become pressure valleys, and pressure valleys become pressure peak points, to prevent bed sores which can arise when the pattern of pressure peak points remains static.
5 more elements
A mattress apparatus for preventing bed sores, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a support substrate;
- (b) a plurality of mechanism panels, each having a jointed upper member, as a connected top bar, coupled to a base member with a plurality of rigid legs attached to the upper member and base members with flexible hinges, said base member mounted to said support substrate, said mechanism panels oriented parallel to each other;
- (c) wherein each of said mechanism panels comprises a series of unit cells, each cell comprising first and second rigid legs, of the plurality of rigid legs, attached at joints in a trapezoidal shape, whereby movement of the upper member in a first direction causes the first rigid leg to create a peak in said upper member and the second rigid leg to create a valley in said upper member, while movement of the upper member in a second direction causes the first rigid leg to create a valley in said upper member and the second rigid leg to create a peak in said upper member which creates undulations in the top surface of the mattress;
- (d)a stop retained on the base between said first and second rigid legs, which limits the extent to which the first and second rigid legs can flex from their respective joints to define the extent to which the rigid legs and upper member can move in both said first direction and said second direction;
- (e) wherein unit cells of adjacent mechanism panels, as attached to the base, are staggered so that the peaks and valleys created in the associated deformable strips create a two-dimensional checkerboard pattern of peaks and valleys;
- (f) a grid of straps joined to said upper member of said mechanism panels to maintain the mechanism panels extending from the support substrate are retained in a parallel relationship with one another;
- (q) at least one padding layer covering said grid of straps to provide a desired level of padding;
- and (h) wherein each upper member of said mechanism panels, in response to application of horizontal force, moves in relation to the base member between a first stable position to a second stable position which alternates the pattern of pressure being applied to a body of an occupant received on the mattress apparatus, wherein pressure peak points become pressure valleys, and pressure valleys become pressure peak points, to prevent bed sores which can arise when the pattern of pressure peak points remains static.
5 more elements
A multi-stable mechanism mattress apparatus for preventing bed sores, comprising:
- (a) a top layer comprising a pad to provide a desired level of padding;
- (b) a grid of straps beneath the top layer the straps configured for air circulation through the top layer;
- (c) a plurality of horizontally compliant mechanism panels beneath the grid of straps, the grid of straps providing support for the mechanism panels, the plurality of mechanism panels attached to the grid of straps moving together, along with the top layer of the multi-stable mechanism mattress, between two stable states;
- (d) a support substrate beneath the mechanism panels;
- (e) wherein each said mechanism panel comprises a plurality of rigid element bistable mechanisms in which rigid legs are connected through flexible joints to both said base and to a deformable strip to which said grid of straps is attached;
- (f) wherein each of said plurality of rigid element bistable mechanisms comprises a unit cell in which the rigid legs form a trapezoidal shape with said base and deformable strip, whereby movement of the deformable strip in a first direction causes the first rigid leg to create a peak in said deformable strip and the second rigid leg to create a valley in said deformable strip, while movement of the deformable strip in a second direction causes the first rigid leg to create a valley in said deformable strip and the second rigid leg to create a peak in said deformable strip which creates undulations in the top surface of the mattress;
- and
- (g) wherein the plurality of mechanism panels and the top layer of the multi-stable mechanism mattress is configured to move between first and second stable positions in response to application of horizontal force which alternates the pattern of pressure being applied to a body of an occupant received on said mattress.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.