Body support with adaptive pressurization

A method for adjusting the pressures in an apparatus for supporting a body portion of a person, the apparatus comprising a plurality n of inflatable members M.sub.i (i=1, . . . , n) in a desired configuration, each member being individually adjustable to a desired pressure from a pressure source, a pressure-sensing arrangement for sensing the pressure in each of the members M.sub.i, and a control arrangement for adjusting the pressure in the members M.sub.i according to a protocol;

• the method comprising the steps of:
• (a) determining an initial pressure P.sub.Oj (j=i) of each member M.sub.i ;
• (b) determining the desired pressure P.sub.Di of each member M.sub.i as a function F.sub.i of the pressures P.sub.Oj (j=1, . . . n) such that P.sub.Di =F.sub.i (P.sub.01, . . . , P.sub.On);
• and
• (c) adjusting the pressure of each member M.sub.i to a final pressure P.sub.Fi similar to the desired pressure, such that P.sub.Fi =P.sub.Di =F.sub.i (P.sub.01, . . . , P.sub.On).

An apparatus for supporting a body portion of a person, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a plurality n of inflatable members M.sub.i (i=1, . . . , n) in a desired configuration, each member being individually adjustable to a desired pressure from a pressure source;
• (b) a sensing arrangement for sensing comfort as a function of the pressure in each of the members M.sub.i ;
• (c) a control arrangement for adjusting the pressure in the members M.sub.i according to a protocol, wherein the protocol includes:
• (i) initially inflating each member M.sub.i until a predetermined condition has been achieved;
• (ii) determining an initial comfort value by first measuring the pressure P.sub.Oj (j=i) of each member M.sub.i resulting after initial inflation and then calculating the comfort value from the pressures P.sub.Oj ;
• (iii) determining a desired comfort value and an associated desired pressure P.sub.Di for each member M.sub.i, the desired pressure P.sub.Di needed to achieve the desired comfort value;
• and
• (iv) adjusting the pressure of each member M.sub.i to a final pressure P.sub.Fi that matches the desired pressure determined for such member in step (iii), so that the desired comfort value is achieved.