Continuous airflow patient support with automatic pressure adjustment

An apparatus for automatically regulating the support pressure in at least one inflatable chamber forming at least part of the support surface of a patient support device supplied with inflating air via an air supply conduit, the inflatable chamber having a base disposed generally opposite the support surface of the chamber, the apparatus comprising:

• a means for exhausting air from the air supply conduit;
• a means for varying the flow of air exhausted from the air supply conduit by said air exhausting;
• a means for sensing when a portion of the patient is exceeding a predetermined degree of penetration into the support surface of the patient support device, said penetration sensing means being connected in communication with said exhaust flow varying means, wherein said penetration sensing means includes at least one tubular member, said tubular member being configured to be disposed at the base of at least one of the individual inflatable chambers of the patient support device so that above a predetermined threshold penetration of the patient into at least one of the chambers, a change in pressure is applied to at least one tubular member;
• and
• a plurality of tubular members configured to form with said at least one tubular member, an interconnected tubular grid that is configured to be disposed with each said tubular member at the base of one of the individual inflatable chambers of the patient support device so that an increase in pressure on the inflatable chamber produces an increase in pressure on at least one of said tubular members.

An apparatus for automatically regulating the support pressure in at least one inflatable chamber forming at least part of the support surface of a patient support device supplied with inflating air via an air supply conduit, the inflatable chamber having a base disposed generally opposite the support surface of the chamber, the apparatus comprising:

• a means for exhausting air from the air supply conduit;
• a means for varying the flow of air exhausted from the air supply conduit by said air exhausting means;
• a means for sensing when a portion of the patient is exceeding a predetermined degree of penetration into the support surface of the patient support device, said penetration sensing means being connected in communication with said exhaust flow varying means, wherein said penetration sensing means includes at least one tubular member, said tubular member being configured to be disposed at the base of at least one of the individual inflatable chambers of the patient support device so that above a predetermined threshold penetration of the patient into at least one of the chambers, a change in pressure is applied to at least one tubular member;
• and
• a means for supplying said penetration sensing means with air from the air supply conduit of the device without returning air from said penetration sensing means to the air supply conduit of the device, wherein said air supplying means includes a push button valve.

An apparatus for automatically regulating the support pressure in each of a plurality of individual inflatable chambers forming the support surface of a patient support device supplied with inflating air via an air supply conduit, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one tubular member configured to be disposed at the base of one of the individual inflatable chambers of the patient support device so that said tubular member is subjected to a change in pressure when the patient is being supported with more than a predetermined degree of penetration of the patient into the support surface of the patient support device;
• a plenum having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, said inlet opening being connected in communication with the air supply conduit of the device;
• a bellows disposed inside said plenum with the interior of said bellows being connected in communication with said at least one of said tubular members;
• a rigid member having one end pivotally mounted and having a portion disposed against said bellows;
• a means for biasing said portion of said rigid member against said bellows;
• an outlet tube disposed through said outlet opening in said plenum and having an entrance end;
• a flexible gasket carried by said rigid member and configured and disposed to variably engage said entrance end of said outlet tube;
• and
• a means for supplying said penetration sensing means with air from the air supply conduit of the device without returning air from said penetration sensing means to the air supply conduit of the device.