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US 6,745,996 B1Granted
Alternating pressure valve system
AssigneeGaymar Industries, Inc.
InventorBrian L. Guthrie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alternating pressure valve system is provided comprising a blower with an air intake and an air outlet; a rotor valve assembly connected to the air outlet from the blower where the rotor valve assembly comprising: a housing with an air intake, a first air outlet, a second air outlet, and a circular chamber; and a wedged shaped rotor valve rotatably contained within the circular chamber of the housing such that the rotor valve can rotate to partially block the first air outlet, partially block the second air outlet, or block neither air outlets; The rotor valve is preferably controlled by a gearmotor and pressure sensors to detect the relative pressure in each outlet.
Claims17
An alternating pressure valve system for an alternating pressure mattress comprising:
- (a) a blower with an air intake and an air outlet;
- (b) a rotor valve assembly connected to the air outlet from the blower with the rotor valve assembly comprising:
- (1) a housing with an air intake, a first air outlet, a second air outlet, and a circular chamber for receiving the air from the air intake;
- and
- (2) a wedged shaped rotor valve rotatably contained within the circular chamber of the housing such that the rotor valve can rotate to block the first air outlet, block the second air outlet, or block neither air outlets;
- and
- (c) means for controlling the rotation of the rotor valve;
- wherein the rotor valve is shaped such that the top of the rotor valve completely blocks air flow to either the first or the second air outlet when the rotor valve is positioned in front of the first or the second air outlet and the shaft of the rotor valve is recessed from the circular chamber to allow for some air to flow around the rotor valve into the air outlet that is being partially blocked off bv the rotor valve shaft.
5 more elements
An alternating pressure valve system and mattress comprising:
- a variable speed blower with an air intake and an air outlet;
- a rotor valve assembly connected to the outlet from the blower where the rotor valve assembly comprises:
- a housing with an air intake, a first air outlet, a second air outlet, and a circular chamber;
- a wedged shaped rotor valve rotatably contained with the circular chamber of the housing such that the rotor valve can rotate to block the first air outlet, block the second air outlet, or block neither air outlets;
- a gearmotor connected to the rotor valve to rotate the valve from blocking the first air outlet to blocking the second air outlet;
- means for controlling the gearmotor and rotor valve to allow for different periods of time between allowing air to flow through the first air outlet and the second air outlet;
- pressure sensors for detecting the pressure at or near the air outlets connected to the gearmotor controlling means;
- means for controlling the speed of the variable speed motor to thereby control the pressure within an attached alternating pressure air mattress;
- a display to indicate the relative pressure within the alternating pressure air mattress;
- a low air loss alternating pressure air mattress connected to the first and the second air outlets such that some air to escape from the air mattress when there is air pressure within the air mattress and that alternating chambers or sacks are filled with air in the air mattress depending on the location of the wedged shaped rotor valve;
- wherein the rotor valve is shaped such that the top of the rotor valve completely blocks air flow to either the first or the second air outlet when the rotor valve is positioned in front of the first or the second air outlet and the shaft of the rotor valve is recessed from the circular chamber to allow for some air to flow around the rotor valve into the air outlet that is being partially blocked off by the rotor valve shaft.
8 more elements
An alternating pressure valve system for an alternating pressure mattress comprising:
- a variable speed blower with an air intake and an air outlet;
- a rotor valve assembly connected to the air outlet from the blower where the rotor valve assembly comprises:
- a housing with an air intake, a first air outlet, a second air outlet, and a circular chamber for receiving the air from the air intake;
- a wedged shaped rotor valve rotatably contained within the circular chamber of the housing such that the rotor valve can rotate to block the first air outlet, block the second air outlet, or block neither air outlets;
- a gearmotor connected to the rotor valve to rotate the valve from blocking the first air outlet to blocking the second air outlet;
- pressure sensors to sense the pressure at or near the first and second air outlets;
- means for controlling the gearmotor and rotor valve to allow for different periods of time between allowing air to flow through the first air outlet and the second air outlet;
- and
- means for controlling the speed of the variable speed motor to thereby control the pressure within an attached alternating pressure air mattress;
- wherein the rotor valve is shaped such that the top of the rotor valve completely blocks air flow to either the first or the second air outlet when the rotor valve is positioned in front of the first or the second air outlet and the shaft of the rotor valve is recessed from the circular chamber to allow for some air to flow around the rotor valve into the air outlet that is being partially blocked off by the rotor valve shaft.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.