US 2007/0180619 A1 · Profiling surface

Abstract

A bed (10) or trolley or similar consists of a platform (20) comprising a back section (21), seat section (22), thigh section (23) and foot section (24). The “auto contour” controls are configured such that when the sections (21, 23, 24) are driven from a flat condition, the back (21) and thigh (23) sections are moved simultaneously, until they reach the same angle. The thigh section (23) then remains at that position and the back section (21) continues until it reaches its maximum position. To lower the sections using the “auto contour” controls only the back section (21) is driven down until it reaches the equivalent position to the thigh section (23) and then both sections (21, 23) are driven down simultaneously. The patient is held in a relatively constant position, thereby reducing the shear between the patient's skin and the support surface.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A profiling surface for a bed or trolley comprising a frame supporting the surface, the surface having at least a back section and a thigh section, the back and thigh sections pivotally connected to the frame for movement from a horizontal position to a raised position, control means driving actuators to profile the sections, the control means raising the back and thigh sections simultaneously from a flat position until they reach a substantially equivalent angle, the thigh section remaining in that position and the back section continuing to be raised until it reaches its maximum condition, and for return of the sections to the flat position, the control means initially only lowering the back section until it reaches a substantially equivalent position to the thigh section position, and then simultaneously lowering both the back and thigh sections to the flat position.

A profiling surface for a bed or trolley comprising:

(i) a frame supporting the profiling surface;
(ii) a back section pivotally connected to the frame, the back section including a back section actuator drivable to angularly incline the back section between horizontal and non-horizontal positions;
(iii) a thigh section pivotally connected to the frame, the thigh section including a thigh section actuator drivable to angularly incline the thigh section between horizontal and non-horizontal positions;
wherein:
a. during an auto-contour raise command issued by a user, the actuators are controlled to:
(1) simultaneously pivotally raise the back and thigh sections toward each other if the back and thigh sections are each between a respective lowermost inclination and a respective intermediate inclination greater than the lowermost inclination;
(2) raise the back section, without raising the thigh section, if the back section is between its intermediate inclination and a maximum elevation;
and
b. during an auto-contour lower command issued by a user, the actuators are controlled to:
(1) lower the back section, without lowering the thigh section, if the back section is between its maximum inclination and its intermediate inclination;
(2) simultaneously pivotally lower the back and thigh sections away from each other if the back and thigh sections are each between their respective intermediate elevations and their respective lowermost inclinations.

8 more elements

A method for actuating a profiling surface for a bed or trolley, wherein:

(i) the bed or trolley includes a frame supporting the profiling surface,
(ii) the profiling surface includes a back section pivotally connected to the frame, the back section including at least one back section actuator drivable to angularly incline the back section between horizontal and non-horizontal positions,
(iii) the profiling surface includes a thigh section pivotally connected to the frame, the thigh section including at least one thigh section actuator drivable to angularly incline the thigh section between horizontal and non-horizontal positions,
the method comprising the steps of:
a. during an auto-contour raise command issued by a user, commanding the actuators to:
(1) simultaneously pivotally raise the back and thigh sections toward each other if the back and thigh sections are each between a respective lowermost inclination and a respective intermediate inclination greater than the lowermost inclination;
and
(2) raise the back section, without raising the thigh section, if the back section is between its intermediate inclination and a maximum elevation;
and
b. during an auto-contour lower command issued by a user, commanding the actuators to:
(1) lower the back section, without lowering the thigh section, if the back section is between its maximum inclination and its intermediate inclination;
(2) simultaneously pivotally lower the back and thigh sections away from each other if the back and thigh sections are each between their respective intermediate elevations and their respective lowermost inclinations.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Profiling surface

Life of this patent

Profiling surface

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18