EP0261830A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Improved patient support structure
Assignee: SSI Medical Services Inc
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Filing: 1987-09-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-09-08
Abstract
Abstract An improved patient support structure has an articulatable frame (34, 36) with a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) thereon, a low pressure compressed air blower (96, 104) and a plurality of pipes (98, 102) for carrying gas from the blower to the sacks. A multi-outlet, variable flow, gas valve (130) connects the blower (96) to the pipes and comprises a housing (136) defining an inlet (140) and a passageway (138). The valve housing (136) further defines at least two cylinder chambers communicating with the passageway and a discrete outlet for each cylinder chamber, a piston substantially non-rotatably disposed inside each cylinder chamber being movable by a motor (160) to vary flow from the inlet and passageway to the associated outlet. The sacks (70) rest atop a neoprene membrane (120) which covers a planar upper surface of the frame (34, 36) and a plurality of fabric panels (92) is provided for attaching the sacks (70) to the frame via a plurality of snap members (88, 88ʹ, 90, 94, 94ʹ), the panels (92) attaching to the ends of a plurality of sacks and serving to counter any tendency of one sack to rotate relative to another under the patient.
Inventors
- 👤 Vernon L. Goodwin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:32
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/05; A61G7/057; A61G7/05769; A61G7/05776; A61G7/002; A61G7/015; A61G2203/00; A61G2203/30; A61G7/018
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
An improved patient support structure, comprising a frame (34 - 36), a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) atop said frame, gas supply means (96, 98) in communication with each of the sacks for supplying gas thereto; control means associated with said gas supply means (96, 98) and the sacks (70), for controlling supply of gas to each of the sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each combination of sacks defining a separate support zone (1 to 5), and wherein at least one of the sacks comprises opposing side walls (76), opposing top and bottom walls (72, 74), and opposing end walls (78), the opposing side walls defining opposing slits (77) therein, each slit extending from a top portion of said side wall (76) in a perpendicular direction just short of the center of the side wall, and the top wall (72) being joined on two opposing edges thereof to the top perimeters of said side walls including the slits (77) and forming a slot (73) thereby.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
An improved patient support structure, comprising a frame (34 - 36), a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) atop said frame, gas supply means (96, 98) in communication with each of the sacks for supplying gas thereto; control means associated with said gas supply means (96, 98) and the sacks (70), for controlling supply of gas to each of the sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each combination of sacks defining a separate support zone (1 to 5), and wherein at least one of the sacks comprises opposing side walls (76), opposing top and bottom walls (72, 74), and opposing end walls (78), the opposing side walls defining opposing slits (77) therein, each slit extending from a top portion of said side wall (76) in a perpendicular direction just short of the center of the side wall, and the top wall (72) being joined on two opposing edges thereof to the top perimeters of said side walls including the slits (77) and forming a slot (73) thereby.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
A structure according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a preset variable resistor (R1), a power supply (T1), a reference resistor (R2) at the voltage supplied by said power supply, and a comparator circuit (C1, C2) for comparing voltages, and wherein the comparator compares the voltage output of said reference resistor (R2) with the voltage output of said preset variable resistor (R1), the power supply being connected to the reference resistor only when the compared voltages are out of balance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A structure according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one sack comprises a second slot, the slots being formed in substantially the same manner, and the two slots being spaced equidistantly relative to the end walls (78) of the sack and relative to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
112 words
A structure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, having sack retaining means (92) for retaining the sacks in a disposition when inflated such that their side walls (76) are generally vertically oriented with side walls of adjacent sacks being in contact along at least a significant portion of the heights thereof, the retaining means (92) having attachment means (94, 94ʹ) thereon matable with upper and lower attachment means (88, 88ʹ) on the sacks for removable securement of the sacks, the retaining means attachment means (94) being matable with frame attachment means (90) whereby the sacks (70) when inflated are generally maintained in the said disposition irrespective of pressure variance between sacks.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A structure according to claim 4, wherein the sack retaining means (92) comprises a fabric panel having a length dimension corresponding to a whole number multiple of the widths of the end walls of the sacks attached thereto.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A structure according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the upper attachment means (88) on each sack and the attachment means of said retaining means which are matable with the upper attachment means (88) are heavy-duty snaps.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
137 words
A structure according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the frame includes at least one articulatable section for varying the position of a patient lying on the support structure, and means associated with the frame for sensing the degree of articulation of the or each articulatable section, and the articulation sensing means being operable in stepwise fashion to sense when the or an articulatable section attains at least one predetermined articulated position, the articulation sensing means comprising a rod (176) having one end communicating with one of said articulatable sections of said frame whereby articulating movement of the said articulatable section displaces the rod (176) along the longitudinal axis and the rod comprising a step-wise linear switch (IV, IIV) whereby depending upon longitudinal displacement of the rod said switch connects to a preset reference voltage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
150 words
A structure according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the said control means comprises a zone valve control circuit (174) and a multi-outlet, variable flow, gas valve (130) at least one of whose outlets (144) is associated with a motor for varying the flow through the outlet, the valve also having a potentiometer (162) for yielding an output voltage corresponding to flow through the said outlet, and the said zone valve control circuit comprises a preset thumbwheel switch (TS1), a power supply (T-2) for driving said motor (160) and a comparator circuit (C3, C4) operable to compare the voltage output of the potentiometer (162) with the voltage output of the preset thumbwheel switch (TS1) and to cause said power supply to be connected to the motor (160) to drive same and adjust the flow through the associated outlet (144) only when the compared voltages are out of balance.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A structure according to claim 8, wherein the said control circuit further comprises articulation pressure adjustment means including at least a second preset thumbwheel switch (TS2) and means (S1) for selecting which of said preset thumbwheel switches (TS1, TS2 etc.) is compared voltaically by the comparator circuit (C3, C4) with the voltage of said potentiometer (162).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A structure according to claim 9, wherein the thumbwheel switch selection means (S1) selects a preset thumbwheel switch depending upon the degree of articulation of said one of said articulatable sections of said frame, as determined by said articulation sensing means (176).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
A structure according to claim 10, wherein the preset thumbwheel switch selection means includes an integrated circuit (IC2) communicating with said articulation sensing means, and operable to select one of the preset thumbwheel switches (TS1, TS2 etc.) according to the degree of articulation determined by said articulation sensing means (176).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
112 words
A structure according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the gas supply means (96, 98) includes an individual gas conduit means (108) for each sack (70), each conduit means (108) having a conduit connector means (114) at one end thereof and each sack (70) having an adaptor (82) at an inlet opening of the sack, the said adaptor and connector means coacting to form a gas impervious seal when the conduit connector means is attached to the sack, each individual gas conduit means preferably comprising a length of flexible pipe and the connector means preferably being freely received in a depressed portion (68) in an upper surface of the frame.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The structure according to claim 12, wherein when the adaptor is connected to a gas conduit connector means, said connected adaptor and conduit connector means are received within the said depressed portion (68).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
A structure according to any of claims 1 to 13, wherein a flexible fluid impervious membrane (120) is placed atop an upper surface of the frame so as to extend across the upper planar surface at least in the vicinity of joints between individual sections thereof, for preventing soilage of underlying portions of the structure and of the floor beneath the structure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
198 words
An improved patient support structure, comprising (a) a frame (34-36) including at least one articulatable section to vary the position of a patient lying on the support structure, each articulatable section defining a joint (32) for articulating movement thereabout by each articulatable section, the frame having a planar upper surface defining a plurality of openings (66) each having a countersunk portion (68) therearound; (b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) atop the frame; (c) gas supply means (96, 98) in communication with each of said sacks for supplying gas to same; the gas supply means including individual gas conduit means (108) for each sack, each connector means extending through one of the openings (66) of said frame and terminating in a connector means (114); (d) each sack having an inlet opening (80) fitted with an adaptor (82) in a gas impervious manner for forming a gas impervious seal with a conduit connector means (114); and there being (e) a flexible impervious membrane (120) received atop the upper surface of the frame and extending across each said joint (32) thereof, the membrane having openings (122) therethrough coincident with the openings (66) in the upper surface of said frame.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
198 words
An improved patient support structure, comprising (a) a frame (34-36) including at least one articulatable section to vary the position of a patient lying on the support structure, each articulatable section defining a joint (32) for articulating movement thereabout by each articulatable section, the frame having a planar upper surface defining a plurality of openings (66) each having a countersunk portion (68) therearound; (b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) atop the frame; (c) gas supply means (96, 98) in communication with each of said sacks for supplying gas to same; the gas supply means including individual gas conduit means (108) for each sack, each connector means extending through one of the openings (66) of said frame and terminating in a connector means (114); (d) each sack having an inlet opening (80) fitted with an adaptor (82) in a gas impervious manner for forming a gas impervious seal with a conduit connector means (114); and there being (e) a flexible impervious membrane (120) received atop the upper surface of the frame and extending across each said joint (32) thereof, the membrane having openings (122) therethrough coincident with the openings (66) in the upper surface of said frame.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A structure according to claim 15, wherein each membrane opening (122) is undersized relative to the frame openings (66), and said membrane opening (122) being adapted to form a fluid impervious seal with conduit connector means (114) or adaptor passing therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
113 words
A structure according to any of claims 1 to 16, wherein the control means includes a variable flow gas valve (130) having at least one cylinder (142) and piston (146) for controlling gas flow to one or more sacks (70), the valve having a rotary operator (150) coupled to the piston (146) for displacing the piston to vary the gas flow, and the valve including means for precluding or restricting rotation of the piston, the said means comprising a channel (155) formed in a wall of the cylinder (142) and extending generally along the longitudinal axis and a projection (154) associated with the piston extending into and confined within the said channel (155).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
51 words
A structure according to claim 17, wherein the valve (130) has a flow restriction means between the cylinder (142) and an outlet (144) of the valve, the restriction means comprising an opening (156) which communicates with the outlet and which is elongated generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
190 words
An improved patient support structure, comprising: (a) a frame (34 - 36); (b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) atop such frame; (c) gas supply means (96, 98) in communication with each of said sacks (70) for supplying gas to same; (d) gas control means (130) associated with gas supply means and said sacks, for controlling supply of gas to each of said sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each said combination of sacks defining a separate support zone (1 - 5 etc.), the gas control means comprising: (i) a housing (136) defining an inlet (140) and a passageway (138) which intercommunicate, (ii) at least one cylinder chamber (142) within the housing (136) and communicating with the passageway (138), (iii) a discrete outlet (144) for the or each cylinder chamber (142), said outlet being defined in the housing and communicating with the associated cylinder chamber, and (iv) means (146) for variably controlling communication of the inlet (140) with the or each outlet through said passageway (138) and the associated cylinder chamber (142).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
190 words
An improved patient support structure, comprising: (a) a frame (34 - 36); (b) a plurality of elongated inflatable sacks (70) atop such frame; (c) gas supply means (96, 98) in communication with each of said sacks (70) for supplying gas to same; (d) gas control means (130) associated with gas supply means and said sacks, for controlling supply of gas to each of said sacks according to a predetermined pressure profile across said plurality of sacks and according to a plurality of predetermined combinations of said sacks, each said combination of sacks defining a separate support zone (1 - 5 etc.), the gas control means comprising: (i) a housing (136) defining an inlet (140) and a passageway (138) which intercommunicate, (ii) at least one cylinder chamber (142) within the housing (136) and communicating with the passageway (138), (iii) a discrete outlet (144) for the or each cylinder chamber (142), said outlet being defined in the housing and communicating with the associated cylinder chamber, and (iv) means (146) for variably controlling communication of the inlet (140) with the or each outlet through said passageway (138) and the associated cylinder chamber (142).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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