Microclimate system for a patient support apparatus
AssigneeHill-Rom Services, Inc.
InventorsCharles A. Lachenbruch, Rachel L. Williamson, Katherine M. McDonnell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to the present disclosure, a microclimate system includes a topper and an air box. The topper is configured to conduct air along a surface of the topper so that heat and moisture from a patient lying on the topper are drawn away from the surface. The air box includes a blower coupled to the topper to provide air to the topper to be conducted along the surface of the topper. The air box may also include an environmental sensor unit coupled configured to detect environmental information corresponding to the environment around the microclimate system.
Claims14
1-20. (canceled)
A patient bed comprising
- a mattress having a topper arranged to conduct air through the mattress to remove heat and/or moisture from a patient supported by the mattress,
- an air handling unit fluidly coupled with the topper to provide air therethrough, the air handling unit including a conditioning unit arranged to selectively alter the temperature and/or humidity of air provided to the topper, a pressure source fluidly connected with the conditioning unit and adapted to provide air through the topper, and a controller in communication with each of the conditioning unit and the pressure source to adjust operation of the air handling unit based on environmental conditions surrounding the mattress, and
- a sensor unit arranged in communication with the controller to communicate environmental conditions surrounding the mattress,
- wherein the controller is configured to determine whether current operation of the air handling unit provides a predetermined level of evaporative capacity based on environmental conditions surrounding the mattress, and to update the current operation of air handling unit if the current operation of the air handling unit does not provide the predetermined level of evaporative capacity.
A patient support comprising
- a support surface having a topper arranged to conduct fluid through the support surface to remove heat and/or moisture from a patient supported by the support surface,
- a handling unit fluidly coupled with the topper to provide fluid therethrough, the handling unit including a conditioning unit arranged to selectively alter the temperature and/or humidity of fluid provided to the topper, a pressure source fluidly connected with the conditioning unit and adapted to provide fluid through the topper, and a controller in communication with each of the conditioning unit and the pressure source to adjust operating conditions of the handling unit based on environmental conditions surrounding the patient support, and
- a sensor unit arranged in communication with the controller to communicate environmental conditions surrounding the patient support,
- wherein the controller is configured to determine whether current operating conditions of the handling unit provide a predetermined level of evaporative capacity based on environmental conditions surrounding the patient support, and to update at least one of the current operating conditions of handling unit if the current operating conditions of the handling unit do not provide the predetermined level of evaporative capacity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.