Beds – Invalid bed or surgical support – Sectional user supporting surface
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2001-11-06
Trettel, Michael F. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Invalid bed or surgical support
Sectional user supporting surface
C005S613000, C005S616000, C005S710000, C005S713000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311348
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bed assembly and particularly, to a bed assembly with an air mattress and controller. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bed assembly having electrical and pneumatic circuitry to control the pressure within an air bladder of the air mattress.
Bed assemblies including mattresses having inflatable air bladders are known. Some mattresses having air bladders are used in hospitals to support patients requiring long term care and some mattresses having air bladders are used by consumers at home. Inflation of air mattresses may be accomplished by a fairly sophisticated control system having sensors that sense air pressure within one or more air bladders of the air mattress and having one or more microprocessors that control other components of the control system based on the pressure sensed by the sensors. Many conventional beds with air mattresses also include articulating frame sections that are moved to adjust the position of a patient supported by the mattress. The position of the articulated frame sections is sometimes controlled by yet another sophisticated control system. Consumers would welcome an economical bed assembly that may be purchased, initially, without an air mattress, and that may be upgraded, later, to include an air mattress.
According to the present invention, a method of upgrading a bed assembly from (a) a first configuration in which the bed assembly includes a foam mattress, an articulating frame for supporting the foam mattress, and a drive system for moving at least one section of the articulated frame, to (b) a second configuration in which the bed assembly includes an air mattress, the articulating frame, and the drive system, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of removing the foam mattress from the articulating frame, placing an air mattress that includes at least one air bladder on the articulating frame, coupling an air control module pneumatically to the at least one air bladder, and coupling the air control module electrically to the drive system so that command signals received by the drive system to adjust pressure of the at least one air bladder are routed from the drive system to the air control
6216
module to operate the air control module to adjust pressure of the at least one air bladder.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2996732 (1961-08-01), Draper
patent: 3921230 (1975-11-01), Hanning et al.
patent: 4066072 (1978-01-01), Cummins
patent: 4224706 (1980-09-01), Young et al.
patent: 4231019 (1980-10-01), Junginger et al.
patent: 4306322 (1981-12-01), Young et al.
patent: 4394784 (1983-07-01), Swenson et al.
patent: 4435862 (1984-03-01), Callaway
patent: 4449261 (1984-05-01), Magnusson
patent: 4542547 (1985-09-01), Sato
patent: 4679264 (1987-07-01), Mollura
patent: 4686722 (1987-08-01), Swart
patent: 4745647 (1988-05-01), Goodwin
patent: 4787104 (1988-11-01), Grantham
patent: 4797962 (1989-01-01), Goode
patent: 4829616 (1989-05-01), Walker
patent: 4839932 (1989-06-01), Williamson
patent: 4890344 (1990-01-01), Walker
patent: 4897890 (1990-02-01), Walker
patent: 4944060 (1990-07-01), Peery et al.
patent: 4949412 (1990-08-01), Goode
patent: 4982466 (1991-01-01), Higgins et al.
patent: 4986738 (1991-01-01), Kawasaki et al.
patent: 4995124 (1991-02-01), Wridge, Jr. et al.
patent: 4999867 (1991-03-01), Toivio et al.
patent: 5020176 (1991-06-01), Dotson
patent: 5035016 (1991-07-01), Mori et al.
patent: 5044029 (1991-09-01), Vrzalik
patent: 5062167 (1991-11-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5062169 (1991-11-01), Kennedy et al.
patent: 5073999 (1991-12-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5090077 (1992-02-01), Caden et al.
patent: 5105488 (1992-04-01), Hutchinson et al.
patent: 5129115 (1992-07-01), Higgins et al.
patent: 5142717 (1992-09-01), Everard et al.
patent: 5509154 (1996-04-01), Shafer et al.
patent: 5544376 (1996-08-01), Fromson
patent: 5652484 (1997-07-01), Shafer et al.
patent: 5829077 (1998-11-01), Neige
patent: 5870784 (1999-02-01), Elliott
patent: 1 178 719 (1984-11-01), None
patent: 1 224 888 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 627 060 A5 (1981-12-01), None
patent: 1778 769 (1971-08-01), None
patent: 24 20 598 A1 (1975-11-01), None
patent: 0 178 951 (1986-04-01), None
patent: 0 220 708 (1987-05-01), None
patent: 0 228 233 (1987-07-01), None
patent: 0 261 830 (1988-03-01), None
patent: 0 302 579 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 0 341 570 (1989-11-01), None
patent: 0 453 363 (1991-10-01), None
patent: 4-322611 (1992-11-01), None
patent: WO 96/13947 (1996-05-01), None
Luff Lawrence E.
Reeder Ryan A.
Westerfeld Steven R.
Barnes & Thornburg
Hewitt James M
Hill-Rom Services Inc.
Trettel Michael F.
LandOfFree
Bed assembly with an air mattress and controller does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Bed assembly with an air mattress and controller, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Bed assembly with an air mattress and controller will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2597187