Patent EP0375206A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0375206A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Patient support systems
Assignee: SSI Medical Services Inc
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Filing: 1989-12-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-07
Abstract
Abstract A patient support system has a fluidizable surface formed by air fluidizing a mass of fluidizable material (50), and a surface formed by a plurality of inflatable sacks (36) which may be disposed on an articulatable member. The two surfaces are disposed end to end so that the inflatable sacks (36) support the head, chest and upper torso of a patient, and the fluidized material (50) supports the buttocks, legs and feet of the patient. The fluidizable material (50) is contained by a member (66) which is at least partially collapsible so as to facilitate the patient's ingress and egress to and from the support system, the collapsible member for example comprising an air impermeable panel which can form an inflatable elastic wall (66) having one or more internal webs defining separately pressurizable compartments. A blower (40) inflates the sacks, the elastic wall (66), and the fluidizable material under the control of a microprocessor which controls actuation of various valves and the blower (40) according to signals inputted by operating personnel or supplied by various sensors which monitor the patient support system.
Inventors
- 👤 Sohrab Soltaninasab
- 👤 Robert C. Novack
- 👤 Thomas S. Hargest
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:41
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/05; A61G7/057; A61G7/05738; A61G7/05746; A61G2203/00; A61G2203/30; A61G2203/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) a fluidizable medium (50) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; and (d) means (66, 108, 52; 134) for containing the fluidizable medium (50) and for permitting the diffusion of air therethrough, said containing and diffusing means being carried by the frame (32) and containing the fluidizable medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) a fluidizable medium (50) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; and (d) means (66, 108, 52; 134) for containing the fluidizable medium (50) and for permitting the diffusion of air therethrough, said containing and diffusing means being carried by the frame (32) and containing the fluidizable medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
238 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) means (40-48) for maintaining a preselected pressure in each sack (36); (d) a fluidizable medium (50) carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (e) means (52) for supporting the fluidizable medium (50) and for diffusing air therethrough, the supporting and diffusing means (52) being carried by the frame (32); (f) means (52, 58) for defining an air plenum (97) beneath the supporting and diffusing means (52), the air plenum defining means being carried by the frame (32); (g) means (e.g. 66, 67) for retaining the fluidizable medium (50) generally above said supporting and diffusing means, said retaining means being carried by said frame; (h) means (40) for fluidizing the fluidizable medium (50), the fluidizing means communicating with the plenum (97); and (i) means to prevent escape of the fluidizable material (50), such as an air permeable sheet (108) connected to the retaining means (66, 67) so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material (50) between the retaining means and said sheet, said sheet being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough, the sheet by way of example being connected to the retaining means in the vicinity of the part of the latter closest to the supporting and diffusing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
238 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) means (40-48) for maintaining a preselected pressure in each sack (36); (d) a fluidizable medium (50) carried by said frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (e) means (52) for supporting the fluidizable medium (50) and for diffusing air therethrough, the supporting and diffusing means (52) being carried by the frame (32); (f) means (52, 58) for defining an air plenum (97) beneath the supporting and diffusing means (52), the air plenum defining means being carried by the frame (32); (g) means (e.g. 66, 67) for retaining the fluidizable medium (50) generally above said supporting and diffusing means, said retaining means being carried by said frame; (h) means (40) for fluidizing the fluidizable medium (50), the fluidizing means communicating with the plenum (97); and (i) means to prevent escape of the fluidizable material (50), such as an air permeable sheet (108) connected to the retaining means (66, 67) so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material (50) between the retaining means and said sheet, said sheet being impermeable to passage of said fluidizable material therethrough, the sheet by way of example being connected to the retaining means in the vicinity of the part of the latter closest to the supporting and diffusing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for retaining said fluidizable medium (50) generally above said supporting and diffusing means includes an elastic or flexible wall (66) surrounding the supporting and diffusing means (52) and extending in a direction substantially normally thereto, at least a portion of the said wall (66) separating the fluidizable medium from the inflatable sack(s) (36).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the said elastic wall (66) includes a deformable foam member (80) and, for example, the said wall (66) includes a substantially air impermeable envelope forming a compartment surrounding the foam member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the said wall (66) includes a substantially air impermeable envelope.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the frame (32) includes an articulatable section (116).
Claim 9
Independent Claim
111 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the plenum (97) is divided into at least two separate chambers (120, 122), and the plenum defining means (52, 58) comprise a first tier (41) disposed above one of the separate plenum chambers (120) and a second tier (43) disposed above a second of the separate plenum chambers (122), such that the depth of fluidizable material (50) supported by the first tier (41) is greater than the depth of fluidizable material supported by the second tier (43), the first tier being disposed to support a patient's buttocks and the second tier is disposed to support the patient's legs and feet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the separate plenum chambers is disposed to supply air to fluidize the fluidizable material for supporting only the buttocks of the patient.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising means (126, 128) for supplying air to the plenum chambers (120, 122) at independently preselected air flow rates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means (130, 126, 128) for intermittently supplying air flow to at least one of the plenum chambers.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 10, further comprising means (e.g. 112, 114) for detachably attaching the said sheet (108) to the retaining means so as to prevent passage of the fluidizable medium (50) past the attaching means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the attaching means includes an air tight zipper (112) or a pair of mating elastomeric members (114).
Claim 15
Independent Claim
99 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 12, further comprising at least one fluidizable cell (134) having an upper wall (136), a lower wall (138), and a sidewall (140) extending between and connecting the upper and lower walls, said cell containing a mass of fluidizable material (50) and the upper wall (136) and lower wall (138) being permeable to air and impermeable to the fluidizable material, while the sidewall (140) is impermeable to both air and said fluidizable material, the said lower wall (138) of the or each cell resting against the supporting and diffusing means (52).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
118 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, having a plurality of the cells (134), wherein the retaining means (e.g. 112 or 114) is connected to each cell so as to form an air impermeable seal between the retaining means and at least a portion of the periphery of the lower wall (138) of each cell; each cell (134) being disposed adjacent at least one other fluidizable cell (134); and there being air impermeable means for connecting portions of the lower walls (138) of the adjacent cells to the supporting and diffusing means (52), the said connecting means (82, 83) being selectively engageable and disengageable to permit the removal of each cell (134) and its replacement by another cell (134).
Claim 17
Independent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 14, wherein at least a section (81) of the retaining means is selectively collapsible to facilitate ingress and egress of the patient to and from the support system, the retaining means being vertically collapsible, or hinged for collapsibility, or deformably collapsible, for example elastically collapsible.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
237 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) a tank (58) having a bottom (60), a pair of opposite sidewalls (61, 62), a closed end wall (64), an open top, and one open end; (d) an air permeable diffuser board (52) disposed above the tank bottom (60) and forming a plenum (97) between the tank bottom (60) and the diffuser board (52); (e) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the diffuser board (52), which is impermeable to passsage of the said material therethrough; (f) an interface sack (67) being disposed across the open end of the tank (58) so as to prevent passage of air and fluidizable material between the said sack (67) and said diffuser board (52) and between the said sack and the tank sidewalls, the interface sack (67) separating the fluidizable material from the inflatable sack; and (g) an air permeable sheet (108) covering the tank top, the sheet being impermeable to passage of fluidizable material (50) therethrough, one edge of the sheet being attached to the sack (67) so as to prevent passage of the fluidizable material betveen the sack and the sheet, remaining edges of the sheet communicating with the tank sidewalls so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between the said sidewalls and the sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
237 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) a tank (58) having a bottom (60), a pair of opposite sidewalls (61, 62), a closed end wall (64), an open top, and one open end; (d) an air permeable diffuser board (52) disposed above the tank bottom (60) and forming a plenum (97) between the tank bottom (60) and the diffuser board (52); (e) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the diffuser board (52), which is impermeable to passsage of the said material therethrough; (f) an interface sack (67) being disposed across the open end of the tank (58) so as to prevent passage of air and fluidizable material between the said sack (67) and said diffuser board (52) and between the said sack and the tank sidewalls, the interface sack (67) separating the fluidizable material from the inflatable sack; and (g) an air permeable sheet (108) covering the tank top, the sheet being impermeable to passage of fluidizable material (50) therethrough, one edge of the sheet being attached to the sack (67) so as to prevent passage of the fluidizable material betveen the sack and the sheet, remaining edges of the sheet communicating with the tank sidewalls so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material between the said sidewalls and the sheet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the inflatable sack disposed across the open end of said tank (58) having at least two separately pressurizable compartments (77, 79) disposed one above the other, and - optionally - there may be at least one deformable member disposed within at least one of the compartments.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
189 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) an articulatable member (116) connected to the frame so as to permit articulating movement relative thereto; (c) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the articulatable member to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (d) a tank (58) having a bottom (60) and an open top; (e) a plenum (97) carried by said frame and having an upper wall thereof defining a diffuser board (52) which is permeable to passage of air therethrough; (f) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the diffuser board (52), the diffuser board being impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material (50) therethrough; (g) an e.g. elastic wall (66) extending above the diffuser board and further configured and disposed to retain the fluidizable material (50) over the diffuser board (52); and (h) an air permeable sheet (108) covering the tank top, the sheet being impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material (50) therethrough, the periphery of the sheet being connected to the wall (66) so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material (50) between the said wall and sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
189 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) an articulatable member (116) connected to the frame so as to permit articulating movement relative thereto; (c) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the articulatable member to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (d) a tank (58) having a bottom (60) and an open top; (e) a plenum (97) carried by said frame and having an upper wall thereof defining a diffuser board (52) which is permeable to passage of air therethrough; (f) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the diffuser board (52), the diffuser board being impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material (50) therethrough; (g) an e.g. elastic wall (66) extending above the diffuser board and further configured and disposed to retain the fluidizable material (50) over the diffuser board (52); and (h) an air permeable sheet (108) covering the tank top, the sheet being impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material (50) therethrough, the periphery of the sheet being connected to the wall (66) so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material (50) between the said wall and sheet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising means (130, 126) for defluidizing the mass of fluidizable material during elevation of the articulatable section.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
113 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) an articulatable member (116) connected to the frame so as to permit articulating movement relative to the frame; (c) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the articulatable member (116) to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (d) a tank (58) having a bottom (60) and an open top; (e) a plenum (97) carried by the frame and having an upper wall thereof defining a diffuser board (52) which is permeable to passage of air therethrough; and (f) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the diffuser board (52) which is impermeable to passage of said material therethrough.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
113 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) an articulatable member (116) connected to the frame so as to permit articulating movement relative to the frame; (c) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the articulatable member (116) to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (d) a tank (58) having a bottom (60) and an open top; (e) a plenum (97) carried by the frame and having an upper wall thereof defining a diffuser board (52) which is permeable to passage of air therethrough; and (f) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the diffuser board (52) which is impermeable to passage of said material therethrough.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
95 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the plenum (97) is divided into at least two separate chambers (120, 122) and the diffuser board (52) has a first tier (41) disposed above one plenum chamber (120) and a second tier disposed above a second plenum chamber (122), at least one of the plenum chambers (120, 122) being disposed to supply air to fluidize the fluidizable material for supporting only the buttocks of the patient, and the apparatus further comprising means (126, 128) for supplying air to each plenum chamber at independently preselected air flow rates.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising means (130, 126) for defluidizing the mass of fluidizable material (50) provided for supporting only the buttocks of the patient during elevation of the articulatable section (116).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
159 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) a tank (58) having a bottom (160) and an open top; (d) means (52) for defining a plenum (97) above the tank bottom, the plenum defining means being permeable to air through a predetermined section thereof; (e) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the said plenum defining means which are impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material therethrough; (f) an e.g. elastic wall (66) configured and disposed to retain the fluidizable material over the predetermined air permeable section of the plenum defining means; and (g) an air permeable sheet (108) having a periphery connected to the said wall so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material (50) between the said wall and the sheet (108), the latter being impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material therethrough.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
159 words
A patient support system, comprising: (a) a frame (32); (b) at least one inflatable sack (36) carried by the frame to support at least a portion of the patient's body; (c) a tank (58) having a bottom (160) and an open top; (d) means (52) for defining a plenum (97) above the tank bottom, the plenum defining means being permeable to air through a predetermined section thereof; (e) a mass of fluidizable material (50) supported by the said plenum defining means which are impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material therethrough; (f) an e.g. elastic wall (66) configured and disposed to retain the fluidizable material over the predetermined air permeable section of the plenum defining means; and (g) an air permeable sheet (108) having a periphery connected to the said wall so as to prevent passage of fluidizable material (50) between the said wall and the sheet (108), the latter being impermeable to passage of the fluidizable material therethrough.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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