Percussion and vibration therapy apparatus

A percussion and vibration therapy apparatus having, in combination, a hospital bed and a module configured to be removably inserted into the hospital bed, the apparatus comprising:

• the hospital bed including:
• a receiving space configured to receive the module,
• an electrical communication network having at least one electrical connector coupled to the receiving space,
• a pressurized air supply system having at least one pneumatic port coupled to the receiving space,
• at least one percussion and vibration bladder in fluid communication with a percussion and vibration port and coupled to the receiving space;
• the module comprising:
• a housing formed to be received within the receiving space,
• at least a pressurized air input tubular port and a percussion and vibration bladder tubular port projecting from the housing along parallel axes and configured to be coupled to the pneumatic port and the percussion and vibration port of the bed respectively,
• an electrical connector coupled to the housing with an axis parallel with the axes of the tubular ports and configured to be coupled to the electrical connector on the bed;
• and
• a valve assembly within the housing and coupled to the tubular ports.

A percussion and vibration therapy apparatus having, in combination, a hospital bed and a module configured to be removably inserted into the hospital bed, the apparatus comprising:

• the hospital bed including:
• a receiving space configured to receive the module,
• an electrical communication network having at least one electrical connector coupled to the receiving space,
• a pressurized air supply system having at least one pneumatic port coupled to the receiving space,
• at least one percussion and vibration bladder in fluid communication with a percussion and vibration port coupled to the receiving space;
• the module comprising:
• a housing formed to be received within the receiving space,
• a pressurized air input port on the housing and configured to be coupled to the pneumatic port,
• a percussion and vibration bladder port on the housing and configured to be coupled to the percussion and vibration port,
• means for regulating fluid communication from the pressurized air input port to the percussion and vibration bladder port, and
• means coupled to the communication network for controlling the means for regulating;
• and
• wherein, each port and electrical connector on the bed automatically mate with the each respective port and electrical connector on the module when the module is inserted into the receiving space.

A pneumatic therapy apparatus having, in combination, a hospital bed and a module configured to be removably inserted into the hospital bed, the apparatus comprising:

• the hospital bed including:
• a receiving space configured to receive a plurality of specific modules at specific locations in the receiving space,
• an electrical connector at each location coupled to an electrical communication network,
• a supply port at each location coupled to a common pressurized air supply system,
• a bladder port at each location coupled to a bladder;
• and
• each module including:
• a housing configured to be received at a specific location in the receiving space,
• an electrical connector coupled to the housing and configured to be coupled to the electrical connector on the bed,
• a pressurized air input port on the housing configured to be coupled to the pneumatic port,
• a bladder port on the housing configured to be coupled to the percussion and vibration port, and
• an electric valve assembly coupled to the pressurized air input and bladder ports and the electrical connector on the housing.