Beds – Mattress – Having confined gas
Patent
1997-03-19
1998-05-26
Grosz, Alexander
Beds
Mattress
Having confined gas
5714, A47C 2710, A61G 7057
Patent
active
057550000
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to low air-loss mattresses and beds therefor.
Low air-loss beds and mattresses are known which essentially consist of a containment envelope of air permeable waterproofed material supplied with air under pressure and formed with a multiplicity of discrete holes through which air can leave the mattress. Such beds and mattresses are used in the treatment of patients at risk to the onset of skin maceration and the formation of pressure ulcers.
It has been found with known air-loss beds that patients are at risks of falling particularly when getting onto and off from the bed. Also many air-loss systems have limited facility for providing a profiled air pressure along the mattress length and for selectively changing the pressure of air within the mattress ad automatically maintaining that selected air pressure.
It is also the case that in some air loss mattresses there is no provision for being able to measure the pressure within the mattress in different areas so as to provide the benefit of variable pressures within the mattress.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention sets out in one aspect to provide a low air-loss mattress which includes additional safeguards against a patient falling and, in another aspect, a control system for selectively varying and automatically maintaining a selected air pressure within the mattress.
According to the present invention in one aspect there is provided a low air-loss mattress which comprises a containment envelope enclosing two inflatable side chambers of an air impervious material extending lengthwise of the mattress and each connected through a releasable connector to receive air under pressure from a source and connected to supply such air under pressure to a plurality of side-by-side inflatable air sacks of a permeable material extending laterally of the mattress and between the two side chambers, the arrangement being such that, when inflated, the upper surface of each side chamber lies at or above the upper surface of the air sacks.
In a preferred arrangement, alternate air sacks are connected to receive air under pressure from one side chamber, the other air sacks being connected to receive air under pressure from the other side chamber. Each releasable connector may include a restricted orifice which operates to regulate the flow of air to the respective air sack and the pressure of air within that air sack.
Means may be provided to retain the air sacks in side-by-side relation. This means may comprise a containment envelope for the air sacks which comprises upper and lower sheets joined together by a plurality of transverse partitions to define elongate pockets into each of which one of the air sacks is positioned. Other retention means may be employed, these including a series of straps attached to a lower sheet which define loops into each of which one of the air sacks can be positioned.
Each side chamber may be supplied with air under pressure through a manifold conduit located within the containment envelope and including connectors attachable to inlet connections of the two side chambers. The connectors may comprise push fit connectors. Other forms of connectors may however be employed.
Means may be provided for interrupting sequentially the supply of air under pressure to the two side chambers thereby alternately to increase and decrease the pressure in each of the side chambers. This operation will result in an alternating pressure listing between the air sacks being supplied with air by the respective chambers. Thus, each side chamber may be independently supplied with air under pressure, these supplies being sequentially controlled as described.
The manifold conduit may be connected to the source of air under pressure through control apparatus including a microprocessor which operates selectively to vary the pressure of air supplied to the manifold and/or to maintain within the mattress a required air pressure.
Thus the pressure of air within the manifold and/or one or both side chambers may
REFERENCES:
patent: 3678520 (1972-07-01), Evans
patent: 4525885 (1985-07-01), Hunt et al.
patent: 4797962 (1989-01-01), Goode
patent: 4995124 (1991-02-01), Wridge, Jr. et al.
patent: 5396671 (1995-03-01), Stacy
patent: 5634225 (1997-06-01), Miller, Sr. et al.
Egerton Hospital Equipment Limited
Grosz Alexander
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