Inflatable bed
AssigneeHill-Rom, Inc.
InventorsWilliam H. Peck, Michael E. Poehner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is concerned with an improved air bed system. In this invention, the bed occupant can control the firmness of the bed. Two inflatable bladders are used with a pre-set pressure differential between them. The pressure in the lower bladder is always kept high enough to prevent bottoming of a bed occupant. The pressure in the upper bladder can be adjusted by the occupant to his or her own personal comfort level. The invention may also include various medical devices which are fluid powered, thus taking advantage of the presence of the pressurized working fluid. The invention may further include a warning circuit which senses the departure of an occupant from the bed and generates a warning signal in response thereto.
Claims28
An improved inflatable bed system which comprises:
- (A) A first inflatable bladder positioned to be distal from a person who lies on said bed;
- (B) A second inflatable bladder positioned in contacting proximity to said first inflatable bladder and located proximate to said first inflatable bladder and located proximate to a person who lies on said air bed;
- (C) Means for holding said first and second inflatable bladders together so that they co-operate as a unit;
- (D) A source of inflating fluid providing a pressure sufficient to inflate said first and second inflatable bladders to the degree necessary to support a person lying on said first and second inflatable bladders;
- and
- (E) Fluid circuit means, operatively connecting said source of inflating fluid and said first and second inflatable bladders for controlling the flow of said inflating fluid, said fluid circuit means including a differential pressure valve having a single inlet connected to said source of inflating fluid and having two outlets, one of said outlets being connected to said first inflatable bladder and the other of said two outlets being connected to said second inflatable bladder such that a pre-selected pressure differential is maintained between said first and second inflatable bladders and the first inflatable bladder is always at least partially inflated before inflation of said second bladder begins.
A method for controlling the firmness of an inflatable bed which comprises the steps of:
- (A) positioning a first inflatable bladder distal from a person lying on said bed;
- (B) positioning a second inflatable bladder proximate to a person lying on said bed and in overlying contacting location with respect to said first inflatable bladder;
- (C) providing a source of inflating fluid under pressure;
- (D) inflating said first bladder with said inflating fluid to a first pre-selected pressure level;
- (E) preventing the inflation of said second inflatable bladder until said first pre-selected pressure level is achieved;
- (F) continuing the inflation of said first inflatable bladder to its final pressure which is greater than said first pre-selected pressure level;
- (G) inflating said second inflatable bladder to its final pressure which is a pre-selected fixed percentage of the final pressure in said first inflatable bladder;
- and
- (H) venting pressure from said second inflatable bladder to adjust the firmness of said second inflatable bladder.
An improved inflatable bed system which comprises:
- (A) a first inflatable bladder positioned to be distal from a person who lies on said bed;
- (B) a second inflatable bladder positioned in contacting proximity to said first inflatable bladder and located proximate to said first inflatable bladder and located proximate to a person who lies on said bed;
- (C) means for holding said first and second inflatable bladders together so that they co-operate a unit;
- (D) a source of inflating fluid providing a pressure sufficient to inflate said first and second inflatable bladders to the degree necessary to support a person lying on said first and second inflatable bladders;
- (E) fluid circuit means, operatively connecting said source of inflating fluid and said first and second inflatable bladders for controlling the flow of said inflating fluid, said fluid circuit means including an electronic controller operatively connected to open and close valves interconnecting said first and second inflatable bladders and said source of inflating fluid to allow said inflating fluid to be furnished to said first and second inflatable bladders, said fluid circuit means further including pressure sensors connected to said electronic controller and sensing the pressure of said inflating fluid in said first and second inflatable bladders, said electronic said first and second inflatable bladders, said electronic controller being set to open and close said valves such that a pre-selected pressure differential is maintained between said first and second inflatable bladders and the first inflatable bladder is always at least partially inflated before inflation of said second bladder begins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.