Pneumatic chair jack

A jack element, comprising

• a body defining a perimeter chamber and a central chamber;
• a plurality of flow control stringers located between the perimeter chamber and the central chamber configured to control an air flow rate into each of the perimeter chamber and the central chamber, wherein the plurality of flow control stringers comprise a perimeter stringer and a plurality of lateral flow control stringers positioned within an internal volume defined by the perimeter stringer, wherein the plurality of lateral flow control stringers are configured to provide inflation of a first portion of the central chamber prior to inflation of a second portion of the central chamber, and wherein at least one of the plurality of flow control stringers define at least one lengthwise slit;
• and
• a valve coupled to the body and configured to provide air flow to the perimeter chamber, and wherein the perimeter chamber is coupled to the central chamber.

A system, comprising:

• a first jack element;
• and
• a second jack element, wherein each of the first and second jack elements comprise:
• a body defining a perimeter chamber and a central chamber;
• a plurality of flow control stringers located between the perimeter chamber and the central chamber configured to control an air flow rate into each of the perimeter chamber and the central chamber, wherein the plurality of flow control stringers comprise a perimeter stringer and a plurality of lateral flow control stringers positioned within an internal volume defined by the perimeter stringer, wherein the plurality of lateral flow control stringers are configured to provide inflation of a first portion of the central chamber prior to inflation of a second portion of the central chamber, and wherein at least one of the plurality of flow control stringers define at least one lengthwise slit;
• and
• a valve coupled to the body and configured to provide air flow to the perimeter chamber, and wherein the perimeter chamber is coupled to the central chamber,
• wherein the first jack element is configured to be attached to the second jack element.

A method of raising a patient, comprising:

• positioning a multi-cell inflatable jack under a patient, wherein the multi-cell inflatable jack comprises a plurality of inflatable jack elements, wherein each of the plurality of inflatable jack elements comprises:
• a body defining a perimeter chamber and a central chamber;
• a plurality of flow control stringers located between the perimeter chamber and the central chamber configured to control an air flow rate into each of the perimeter chamber and the central chamber, wherein the plurality of flow control stringers comprise a perimeter stringer and a plurality of lateral flow control stringers positioned within an internal volume defined by the perimeter stringer, wherein the plurality of lateral flow control stringers are configured to provide inflation of a first portion of the central chamber prior to inflation of a second portion of the central chamber, and wherein at least one of the plurality of flow control stringers define at least one lengthwise slit;
• and
• a valve coupled to the body and configured to provide air flow to the perimeter chamber, and wherein the perimeter chamber is coupled to the central chamber;
• inflating a first of the plurality of inflatable jack elements to raise a patient from a seated position to a first height;
• and
• inflating a second of the plurality of inflatable jack elements to raise a patient from the first height to a second height, wherein the second height is configured to position the patient in a standing position.