US 4,745,647 A · Patient support structure

Abstract

An improved patient support structure comprises an articulatable frame, a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks, a low pressure compressed air blower and a plurality of pipes for carrying gas from the blower to the sacks. The sacks rest atop a neoprene membrane which covers a planar upper surface of the frame. A variable autotransformer supplies power to the air blower and is adjustable by an electric motor mechanically connected to the autotransformer. Operation of the motor is controlled by an electronic circuit which balances the autotransformer voltage against a voltage output from a preset variable resistor. A multi-outlet, variable flow, gas valve comprises a housing defining an inlet and a passageway. The sacks can be rapidly deflated via a plurality of solenoid valves, and the pipes from the blower can be directed alternatively to different sacks by opening and closing a plurality of manually operated valves. A plurality of pressure sensitive switches indicates when a substantially deflated condition exists in one or more of the sacks. A plurality of fabric panels is attached via a plurality of snap members to the ends of the sacks and to a portion of the frame.

Claims31

Dependent claims

An improved patient support structure, comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks atop said frame;
(c) gas supply means in communication with each of said sacks for supplying gas to same;
(d) control means associated with said gas supply means and said sacks, for controlling supply of gas to each of said sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each said combination of sacks defining a separate support zone;
and
(e) gas flow switching means associated with certain of said sacks for switching said certain sacks between adjacent zones for accommodation of patients of differing heights and weights;
and
(f) said gas flow switching means including:
(i) at least two manifolds, each said manifold having one inlet and at least two outlets,
(ii) at least four valve means, one said valve means being in communication with each one of said outlets of said manifolds, each said valve means having an inlet port and an outlet port,
(iii) at least four gas pipes, one said gas pipe extending from each outlet port of each of said valve means, and
(iv) wherein one of said gas pipes extending from one of said valve means of one of said manifolds communicates with the second of said gas pipes of the second of said valve means from said other manifold, and the third of said gas pipes extending from the third of said valve means of one of said manifolds communicates with the fourth of said gas pipes connected to the fourth of said valve means from said other manifold.

9 more elements

An improved patient support structure, comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a plurality of elongated gas-inflatable sacks disposed side by side atop said frame, said sacks having opposing side walls, opposing top and bottom walls, and opposing end walls, said end walls having upper and lower attachment means thereon;
(c) frame attachment means located on said frame near said end walls of said sacks;
(d) gas supply means in communication with each of said sacks for supplying gas to same;
(e) control means associated with said gas supply means and said sacks, for controlling supply of gas to each of said sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each said combination of sacks defining a separate support zone;
and
(f) sack retaining means for retaining said sacks in a disposition when inflated such that side walls of same are generally vertically oriented with side walls of adjacent sacks being in contact along at least a significant portion of the heights of same, said retaining means having attachment means thereon matable with said upper and lower sack attachment means for removable securement of said sacks thereto, said retaining means attachment means being matable with said frame attachment means whereby said sacks when inflated are generally maintained in said disposition irrespective of pressure variance between sacks.

4 more elements

An improved patient support structure, comprising:

(a) a frame, said frame including at least one articulatable section for varying the position of a patient lying on the support structure;
(b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks atop said frame;
(c) gas supply means in communication with each of said sacks for supplying gas to same;
(d) control means associated with said gas supply means and said sacks, for controlling supply of gas to each of said sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each said combination of sacks defining a separate support zone;
(e) means associated with said frame for sensing one of a plurality of degrees of articulation of one of said articulatable sections of said frame;
and
(f) said control means operatively associated with said articulation sensing means to vary gas pressure in predetermined sacks, said control means varying the gas pressure according to the degree of articulation of said one of said articulatable sections of said frame, as determined by said articulation sensing means.

4 more elements

An improved patient support structure, comprising:

(a) a frame, said frame including at least one articulatable section to vary the position of a patient lying on the support structure, each said articulatable section defining a joint for articulating movement thereabout by each said articulatable section, said frame having a planar upper surface defining a plurality of openings, each said opening having a depressed portion therearound;
(b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks atop said frame;
(c) gas supply means in communication with each of said sacks for supplying gas to same;
(d) controls means associated with said gas supply means and said sacks, for controlling supply of gas to each of said sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each said combination of sacks defining a separate support zone;
(e) said gas supply means including an individual gas conduit means for each said sacks, each said conduit means including a length of flexible pipe having a conduit connector means communicating with one end thereof, each said connector means at least partially passing through one of said openings of said frame upper surface and being completely received within said depressed portion surrounding said opening in said upper surface so as not to project above said planar upper surface;
and
(f) each said sack comprising a plurality of walls and having an inlet opening extending through one wall thereof and further comprising an adaptor attached to said inlet opening in a gas impervious manner, said adaptor forming a gas impervious seal when connected to one of said conduit connector means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Patient support structure

Life of this patent

Patient support structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31