Mattress for relieving pressure ulcers

A mattress comprising a crib, at least one cushion within the crib, means for inclining the cushion to at least one side of the mattress, and means for maintaining body alignment of a person lying on the mattress, wherein the inclining means comprises side-by-side first and second adjustably inflatable bladders extending substantially along and on opposed sides of a longitudinal axis of the mattress, and wherein each of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders comprises an upper inflatable bladder and a lower inflatable bladder so that an upper surface of the cushion is inclinable with respect to a horizontal orientation when the upper bladder of one of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is inflated while the lower bladder of the other of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is deflated.

A pressurizable mattress adapted to be received within a mattress cover, the mattress comprising at least one inflatable cushion having a pair of sides, a crib within which the cushion is received, the crib including a pair of elongate portions extending alongside spaced apart sides of the cushion, and at least one means for laterally stabilizing the crib, the lateral stabilizer comprising at least one fabric strip extending between and attached to both of the elongate portions, the fabric strip being different from any mattress cover in which the mattress is received, wherein the inflatable cushion comprises side-by-side first and second adjustably inflatable bladders extending substantially along and on opposed sides of a longitudinal axis of the mattress, and wherein each of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders comprises an upper inflatable bladder and a lower inflatable bladder so that an upper surface of the cushion is tiltable with respect to a horizontal orientation when the upper bladder of one of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is inflated while the lower bladder of the other of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is deflated.

In a mattress including a crib and at least one cushion within the crib means for lifting at least one side portion of the cushion for inclining the cushion at an angle, and means for determining the angle at which the cushion is inclined, wherein the lifting means comprises side-by-side first and second adjustably inflatable bladders extending substantially along and on opposed sides of a longitudinal axis of the mattress, and wherein each of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders comprises an upper inflatable bladder and a lower inflatable bladder so that an upper surface of the cushion is liftable with respect to a horizontal orientation when the upper bladder of one of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is inflated while the lower bladder of the other of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is deflated.

Apparatus for determining a distance between top and bottom surfaces of an inflated cushion comprising a blanket adapted to be folded so that a first portion thereof engages a top surface of the cushion and a second portion thereof engages a bottom surface of the cushion, a signal transmitting coil in one of the blanket portions, a signal receiving coil in an other of the blanket portions, and means for measuring signal strength at the signal receiving coil when a signal is transmitted thereto from the signal transmitting coil, wherein the cushion comprises side-by-side first and second adjustably inflatable bladders extending substantially along and on opposed sides of a longitudinal axis of the mattress, and wherein each of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders comprises an upper inflatable bladder and a lower inflatable bladder so that an upper surface of the cushion is tiltable with respect to a horizontal orientation when the upper bladder of one of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is inflated while the lower bladder of the other of the first and second adjustably inflatable bladders is deflated.