Therapeutic seat cushion equipped for pressure monitoring and inflation system for same

A cushion system comprising:

• a fluid source;
• a cushion cover;
• and
• an array of a plurality of inflatable cells within the cushion cover defining a cushion and having a fixed, serial zoned arrangement defining at least 3 zones including a first, leading zone, a second, middle zone, and a third, trailing zone between a front cushion edge and a rear cushion edge;
• a valve assembly including a valve member, at least one fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid source, and at least one fluid outlet;
• the valve assembly being adjustable among at least three different inflation configurations and fluidly connecting some of the inflatable cells to the at least one fluid inlet, and some of the inflatable cells to the at least one fluid outlet in each of the different inflation configurations;
• a plurality of fluid conduits extending through the cushion between the valve assembly and the plurality of inflatable cells, the plurality of fluid conduits including leading conduits each fluidly connecting to a respective leading cell of each of the first, second, and third zones, middle conduits each fluidly connecting to a respective middle cell of each of the first, second, and third zones, and trailing conduits each fluidly connecting to a respective trailing cell of each of the first, second, and third zones, at a plurality of fixed fluid connection locations that are serially spaced apart within the cushion between the front seat cushion edge and the rear seat cushion edge, such that inflation fluid is conveyed into or out of the plurality of inflatable cells according to the fixed, serial zoned arrangement;
• and
• an electronic control unit configured to adjust the valve assembly among the at least three different inflation configurations such that a predetermined sequence of inflation, partial inflation, and deflation of the respective inflatable cells produces a first and a second plurality of propagating waves;
• a pressure sensor structured to monitor a pressure parameter of the cushion and communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit;
• the plurality of inflatable cells including a plurality of inflatable cells in a left side of the cushion configured to support a user's left leg, and a plurality of inflatable cells in a right side of the cushion configured to support a user's right leg;
• and
• wherein, during operating the cushion system, the first plurality of propagating waves travel between the front seat cushion edge and the rear seat cushion edge in the left side of the cushion under a user's left leg and the second plurality of propagating waves travel between the front seat cushion edge to the rear seat cushion edge in the right side of the cushion under a user's right leg;
• wherein the electronic control unit is configured to vary actuation of the valve assembly based on the monitored pressure parameter to vary at least one property of the propagating waves selected from the group comprising speed, frequency, wavelength, amplitude, waveform, and combinations thereof.

A seat cushion system comprising:

• a cushion cover;
• and
• a seat cushion within the cushion cover including a plurality of inflatable cells formed between a front seat cushion edge and a rear seat cushion edge, having a fixed, serial zoned arrangement defining at least a first, leading zone, a second, middle zone, and a third, trailing zone;
• a manifold formed within the cushion having at least one inflation inlet, and at least one deflation outlet, and wherein the manifold is inside the cushion cover;
• a valve assembly adjustable among at least three different valve configurations, and fluidly connecting some of the inflatable cells to the at least one inflation inlet and some of the inflatable cells to the at least one deflation outlet in each of the different valve configurations;
• the manifold further including a plurality of fluid conduits extending through the cushion between the valve assembly and the plurality of inflatable cells, the plurality of fluid conduits including leading conduits each fluidly connecting to a respective leading cell of each of the first, second, and third zones, middle conduits each fluidly connecting to a respective middle cell of each of the first, second, and third zones, and trailing conduits each fluidly connecting to a respective trailing cell of each of the first, second, and third zones, at a plurality of fixed fluid connection locations that are serially spaced apart within the cushion between the front seat cushion edge and the rear seat cushion edge, such that inflation fluid is conveyed into or out of the plurality of inflatable cells according to the fixed, serial zoned arrangement;
• a pressure sensor structured to monitor a pressure parameter of the cushion;
• and
• an electronic control unit coupled to the pressure sensor and structured to output a signal based on the monitored pressure parameter;
• and
• the electronic control unit being coupled to the valve assembly and configured to adjust the valve assembly based on the output signal among the at least three different inflation configurations according to a predetermined sequence producing a plurality of propagating waves between the front seat cushion edge and the back seat cushion edge, such that no two inflatable cells mutually adjacent in a fore-aft direction between the front seat cushion edge and the rear seat cushion edge are deflated at any one time and a repeating peristaltic pumping action is applied to the legs of a user seated upon the seat cushion.