Mattress system

A mattress system for a patient support apparatus, comprising:

• a mattress having a support surface extending between a head end and a foot end, wherein the mattress defines a cavity therein extending from the head end to the foot end with the support surface extending over the cavity, the mattress having a head region at the head end, a leg region at the foot end, and a torso region between the head and leg regions;
• a stationary support structure is disposed in the cavity at the head end;
• first bladders disposed within the cavity in the torso region and the leg region;
• second bladders disposed within the cavity in the torso region and the leg region proximate the first bladders, wherein the first and second bladders are arranged in an alternating pattern from adjacent to the stationary support structure in the torso region to the foot end, and wherein each of the first bladders and the second bladders is operable between an expanded state, a compressed state, and a neutral state, and wherein each of the first bladders and the second bladders includes:
• an outer membrane defining a chamber;
• and
• a core disposed within the chamber, wherein the core defines a shape of the respective bladder when in the neutral state, the core configured to support a person on the mattress when the respective bladder is in the neutral state, and wherein fluid is directed into the chamber to adjust the respective bladder to the expanded state by moving the outer membrane from abutting a surface of the core toward the support surface to be at least partially spaced from the surface of the core when the respective bladder is in the expanded state to influence a shape of the support surface and contribute to a local discharge of pressure based on a height difference between the first and second bladders;
• a retaining band disposed around the outer membrane of each bladder, respectively, wherein the retaining band defines the shape of the respective bladder in the expanded state;
• a pump in fluid communication with each of the first bladders and the second bladders to evacuate fluid from and direct fluid to the first and second bladders for adjusting the first and second bladders between the compressed state, the neutral state, and the expanded state, wherein the pump defines a first port and a second port for simultaneously directing fluid in opposing directions relative to the first and second bladders;
• and
• a manifold in fluid communication between the pump and the first and second bladders, wherein the pump is configured to:
• evacuate fluid from the first bladders via the first port to adjust the first bladders to the compressed state and compress the cores in the first bladders while directing fluid to the second bladders via the second port to adjust the second bladders to the expanded state with the outer membranes spaced from the cores when the manifold is in a first operating state;
• evacuate fluid from the second bladders via the first port to adjust the second bladders to the compressed state and compress the cores in the second bladders while directing fluid to the first bladders via the second port to adjust the first bladders to the expanded state with the outer membranes spaced from the cores when the manifold is in a second operating state, wherein the cores define the shape of the first and second bladders in the compressed state where the outer membranes are moved away from the support surface and the outer membranes define the shape of the first and second bladders in the expanded state to influence the shape of the support surface of the mattress;
• and
• evacuate fluid from the first bladders and compress the cores while the second bladders are retained in the neutral state to define a first height difference between the first and second bladders and evacuate fluid from the first bladders to adjust the first bladders to the compressed state while directing fluid to the second bladders to adjust the second bladders to the expanded state to define a second height difference between the first and second bladders, wherein the manifold is configured to disrupt fluid communication between the pump and the first and second bladders to adjust the first and second bladders to the neutral state.

A mattress system for a patient support apparatus, comprising:

• a mattress having a support surface extending between a head end and a foot end, wherein the mattress defines a cavity therein extending from the head end to the foot end with the support surface extending over the cavity, the mattress having a head region at the head end, a leg region at the foot end, and a torso region between the head and leg regions;
• a stationary support structure is disposed in the cavity at the head end;
• first bladders disposed within the cavity in the torso region and the leg region;
• second bladders disposed within the cavity in the torso region and the leg region proximate the first bladders, wherein the first and second bladders are arranged in an alternating pattern from adjacent to the stationary support structure in the torso region to the foot end, and wherein each of the first bladders and the second bladders is operable between an expanded state, a compressed state, and a neutral state, and wherein each of the first bladders and the second bladders includes:
• an outer membrane defining a chamber;
• and
• a core disposed within the chamber, wherein the core defines a shape of the respective bladder when in the neutral state, the core configured to support a person on the mattress when the respective bladder is in the neutral state, and wherein fluid is directed into the chamber to adjust the respective bladder to the expanded state by moving the outer membrane from abutting a surface of the core toward the support surface to be at least partially spaced from the surface of the core when the respective bladder is in the expanded state to influence a shape of the support surface and contribute to a local discharge of pressure based on a height difference between the first and second bladders;
• a retaining band disposed around the outer membrane of each bladder, respectively, wherein the retaining band defines the shape of the respective bladder in the expanded state;
• a pump in fluid communication with each of the first bladders and the second bladders to evacuate fluid from and direct fluid to the first and second bladders for adjusting the first and second bladders between the compressed state, the neutral state, and the expanded state, wherein the pump defines a first port and a second port for simultaneously directing fluid in opposing directions relative to the first and second bladders;
• and
• a manifold in fluid communication between the pump and the first and second bladders, wherein the pump is configured to:
• evacuate fluid from the first bladders via the first port to adjust the first bladders to the compressed state and compress the cores in the first bladders while directing fluid to the second bladders via the second port to adjust the second bladders to the expanded state with the outer membranes spaced from the cores when the manifold is in a first operating state;
• and
• evacuate fluid from the second bladders via the first port to adjust the second bladders to the compressed state and compress the cores in the second bladders while directing fluid to the first bladders via the second port to adjust the first bladders to the expanded state with the outer membranes spaced from the cores when the manifold is in a second operating state, and wherein the cores define the shape of the first and second bladders in the compressed state where the outer membranes are moved away from the support surface and the outer membranes define the shape of the first and second bladders in the expanded state to influence the shape of the support surface of the mattress, and further wherein the manifold is configured to disrupt fluid communication between the pump and the first bladders to adjust the first bladders to the neutral state.