Beds – Fluidized bed
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-26
2001-02-27
Trettel, Michael F. (Department: 3628)
Beds
Fluidized bed
C005S702000, C005S911000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192537
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention in general relates to a bed system. More particularly, this invention relates to a user support system for a bed, such as a mattress, which uses fluidizable granular material to support the user thereon.
The quality of sleep is generally influenced by the features of the mattress. The characteristics of a mattress affect the health of the user during the course of long time intervals. Important characteristics of the mattress can be considered to include reduced partial oppression, fitness for natural posture, stability in holding the user and potential for good ventilation.
In ordinary homes, water mattresses, air mattresses and gel mattresses are widely known as mattresses having a soft feel. Although these mattresses are simple in structure and are moderate in price, they have some problems which need to be overcome. These problems include several of:
(a) partial oppression caused by the tension of a sealed container holding the fluid;
(b) deterioration of supported posture, caused by a difference in weight (or specific gravity) of regions of the body;
(c) low stability in holding the body, resulting from high fluidity of the fluid;
(d) lack of ventilation, due to the use of the sealed container; and
(e) thermal disharmony caused by a large thermal capacity of a mass of water.
In the medical fields, fluidized beds are used for supporting the patient with little partial oppression. There are some problems associated with using fluidized beds in the home, including several of:
(a) extra weight relating to buoyancy of the fluidized granular material;
(b) extra energy consumed for thermal conditioning of the pressurized air;
(c) deterioration of supported posture, caused by a difference in weight (or specific gravity) of regions of the body; and
(d) unstable controllability in fluidizing the granular material, relating to the aerodynamics.
With respect to fluidized beds, the Goodwin patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,083) discloses a fluidized patient support apparatus, the Eady patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,335) discloses a mattress assembly, the Smith patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,723) discloses a semi-fluidized bed, the Kato patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,250) discloses a fluidized bead bed, the Romano patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,943) discloses an apparatus and method for percussion of fluidized support surface and the Voelker patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,920) discloses an adjustable mattress for pregnant mothers.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semi-fluid based body support system having reduced partial oppression, fitness for natural posture, stability in holding the user, potential for good ventilation and moderate (or relative) balance.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a semi-fluid based body support system including relatively simple machinery which is suitable for the fine and firm control of the granular material and is also suitable for a home bed with a shallow and wide structure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a semi-fluid based body support system having reduced weight.
The semi-fluid based body support system of this invention is suitable for a mattress and a bed. The semi-fluid based body support system is applicable to mattresses and beds in the medical fields where it is required to support a patient in reduced partial oppression. The patient or nurse can adjust this semi-fluid based body support system to fit the natural posture of the patient attained during sleep. This semi-fluid based body support system does not need the flow of pressurized air, so it is relatively easy to keep a bed warm. Furthermore, the mechanism of this semi-fluid based body support system can be embodied in a shallow and wide structure which is often used in a home bed. Therefore, this semi-fluid based body support system is especially suitable for a home mattress and a home bed in everyday life. Since this semi-fluid based body support system solves, to some extent, a conflict between reduced partial oppression and fitness for natural posture, this system has the potential of improving the quality of sleep in the home mattress and the home bed.
The semi-fluid based body support system of this invention is also suitable for production using automatic machine tools because the main machinery of this system can be embodied by repetitions of relatively simple apparatus, such as a rotary blade device.
The semi-fluid based body support system of this invention also gives a benefit of motive power to sleep because it can really apply powerful machinery to a mattress and a bed.
Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the detailed description of the invention, and from the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3840920 (1974-10-01), Voelker
patent: 4114214 (1978-09-01), VonHeck
patent: 4483029 (1984-11-01), Paul
patent: 4599755 (1986-07-01), Tominaga
patent: 4637083 (1987-01-01), Goodwin
patent: 4686723 (1987-08-01), Smith
patent: 4768250 (1988-09-01), Kato
patent: 4794659 (1989-01-01), Kurita et al.
patent: 4835802 (1989-06-01), Purcy et al.
patent: 4914760 (1990-04-01), Hargest et al.
patent: 4942635 (1990-07-01), Hargest et al.
patent: 4951335 (1990-08-01), Eady
patent: 4967431 (1990-11-01), Hargest et al.
patent: 5008965 (1991-04-01), Vrzalik
patent: 5168591 (1992-12-01), Hakumium et al.
patent: 5388291 (1995-02-01), Roux
patent: 5408711 (1995-04-01), McClelland
patent: 5539943 (1996-07-01), Romano
patent: 5590430 (1997-01-01), Sereboff
patent: 5781943 (1998-07-01), Moenning et al.
patent: 6016581 (2000-01-01), Miki
patent: 3716263 (1988-11-01), None
patent: 0051550 (1982-05-01), None
International search report to PCT/JP 99/05898, mailed on Mar. 1, 2000 for “Semi-Fluid Based Body Support System” Miki, Sakae.
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