Back to results
US 7,111,348 B2Granted
Mattress assembly
AssigneeHill-Rom Services, Inc.
InventorsCraig D. Ellis, Kenith W. Chambers, Stephen E. Glover, Kerry J. Mensching
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mattress assembly is provided that includes an adjustable width.
Claims34
A support apparatus configured to support a patient on a patient support frame, the support apparatus comprising:
- a core portion defined by a plurality of transversely extending bladders, each of the transversely extending bladders having a transverse length greater than a width,
- a plurality of width adjustment bladders positioned between the plurality of transversely extending bladders and a perimeter of the support apparatus, the width adjustment bladders having an inflated state and a deflated state, when in the inflated state, the support apparatus has a first width, when in the deflated state, the support apparatus has a second width less than the first width, the first width and the second width each having a width sufficient to support the patient, the first width being sufficient to extend substantially across the width of a patient support frame having a first frame width and the second width being sufficient to extend substantially across the width of a patient support frame having a second frame width different than the first frame width, the core portion having a width defining a majority of each of the first frame width and the second frame width, and
- a valve configured to control the volume of air in the plurality of width adjustment bladders to regulate when the plurality of width adjustment bladders are in the inflated and deflated states.
A support apparatus configured to support a patient on a patient support frame, the support apparatus comprising:
- a core portion, including at least one transversely extending bladder having a first width,
- an inflatable width adjustment portion including at least one width bladder having a second width less than the first width, the inflatable width adjustment portion positioned between the core portion and a perimeter of the support apparatus, the perimeter having a first perimeter width when the width adjustment portion is inflated and a second perimeter width when the width adjustment portion is deflated, the second perimeter width being less than the first perimeter width, the core portion having a width defining a majority of each of the first perimeter width and second perimeter width to maintain a patient in a preferred position above the patient support frame when the inflatable width adjustment portion is inflated and deflated,and
- an air supply in fluid communication with the inflatable width adjustment portion.
A support apparatus configured to support a patient on a patient support frame having a first width, the support apparatus comprising:
- a core portion,including at least one transversely extending bladder,
- a width adjustment portion including a plurality of bladders positioned between the core portion and a perimeter of the support apparatus, the width adjustment portion having a wide condition, and a narrow condition to support the patient on the patient support frame having the first width, the core portion and the width adjustment portion cooperating to define an adjustable width that is wider than the first width when the width adjustment portion is in the wide condition and narrower when the width adjustment portion is in the narrow condition, the core portion having a width defining a majority of the adjustable width.
A support apparatus configured to support a patient on a patient support frame, the support apparatus comprising:
- a central body support surface, and
- a plurality of width adjustment bladders, inflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladders increasing the width of the support apparatus, deflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladder decreasing the width of the support apparatus, the plurality of width adjustment bladders being in fluid communication for simultaneous inflation or deflation of the width adjustment bladders.
A support apparatus configured to support a patient on a patient support frame, the support apparatus comprising:
- a central body support surface,
- a plurality of width adjustment bladders, inflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladders increasing the width of the support apparatus, deflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladder decreasing the width of the support apparatus, the plurality of width adjustment bladders being in fluid communication to coordinate the inflation or deflation of the width adjustment bladders, and
- a selector configured to coordinate inflation or deflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladders.
A support apparatus configured to support a patient on a patient support frame, the support apparatus comprising:
- a cover defining an interior region,
- an inflatable central body support portion positioned in the interior region and configured to support the body of a patient,
- a pair of width adjustment portions positioned on opposite sides of the inflatable central body support portion, each of the width adjustment portions including a plurality of width adjustment bladders coupled to the cover, inflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladders increasing the width of the support apparatus, deflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladder decreasing the width of the support apparatus while the inflatable central body support portion remains inflated, the plurality of width adjustment bladders being in fluid communication to coordinate the simultaneous inflation or deflation of the width adjustment bladders,
- an air supply configured to provide pressurized air to the pair of width adjustment portions,
- a plurality of air lines in fluid communication with the air supply and the plurality of width adjustment bladders, and
- a selector configured to coordinate inflation and deflation of the plurality of width adjustment bladders.
3 more elements
A method of providing a support surface for a patient, the method comprising
- providing a support apparatus having a support surface having a core including at least one core bladder having a first width, a cover including an exterior and an interior region and a width adjustment bladder having a second width less than the first width, the width adjustment bladder being adjustable to permit selection of a width of the support apparatus defined by the width adjustment bladder and the core, and
- adjusting the width of the support apparatus to correspond to a width of a bed frame configured to support the support apparatus including deflating the width adjustment bladder while the core maintains normal support of the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.