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EP-4062885-B1 - PERSON SUPPORT SYSTEMS INCLUDING SEPARATELY SELECTABLE ALTERNATING PRESSURE ZONES

EP4062885B1EP 4062885 B1EP4062885 B1EP 4062885B1EP-4062885-B1

Inventors

  • SMITH, KATHRYN
  • FRANKLIN, Taylor
  • SAUSER, FRANK E.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220323

Claims (14)

  1. A person support system (100), comprising: a person support surface (104) comprising a plurality of bladders (281, 282, 283, 284, 285); an air supply fluidly coupled to the plurality of bladders (281, 282, 283, 284, 285) such that air is supplied by the air supply independently to each one of the plurality of bladders (281, 282, 283, 284, 285); an air control box fluidly coupled to the air supply and the plurality of bladders (281, 282, 283, 284, 285), the air control box configured to cause air from the air supply to periodically inflate and deflate a plurality of zones of bladders to provide air therapy; and a controller communicatively coupled to the air supply and the air control box, the controller configured to: determine which of the plurality of zones of bladders are located within at least one sector (S1-S4), the at least one sector (S1-S4) being selected via a user interface (124), by accessing, from a lookup table, information pertaining to which sectors are mapped to which bladders; generate a control schedule comprising a set of instructions for directing an inflation level of each of the zones of bladders only within the at least one selected sector (S1-S4) based on a selected air therapy and the information; and transmit the control schedule to the air supply and the at least one air control box.
  2. The person support system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine which at least one sector (S1-S4) was selected via a user interface, by accessing information pertaining to particular user selections mapped to particular sectors.
  3. The person support system (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of sectors (S1-S4) of the person support surface include a first head sector, a second head sector, a seat sector, and a foot sector.
  4. The person support system (100) according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising a user interface (124) programmed to receive the input corresponding to the at least one selected sector (S1-S4) and the selected air therapy.
  5. The person support system (100) according to claim 4, wherein the user interface (124) is further programmed to allow a user to adjust at least one of a size and a location of the at least one selected sector (S1-S4).
  6. The person support system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the person support surface (104) further comprises a second plurality of bladders arranged in a turn assist bladder layer (220), a percussion and vibration bladder, a first lateral side bolster (214) and a second lateral side bolster (216) of a surface foundation layer (210), a working cushion layer (230) positioned between the first lateral side bolster (214) and the second lateral side bolster (216) of the surface foundation layer (210), and an advanced articulation bladder layer.
  7. The person support system (100) according to claim 6, wherein the selected air therapy for the at least one selected sector (S1-S4) is alternating pressure (AP) therapy, alternating low pressure (ALP) therapy, continuous low pressure (CLP) therapy, continuous lateral rotation therapy (CLRT), percussion and vibration (P&V) therapy
  8. The person support system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the person support surface (104) comprises a top encasement portion (106) removably coupled to a bottom encasement portion (108) to define an internal cavity that encloses the plurality of bladders therein.
  9. The person support system (100) according to claim 8, wherein a sleeve is defined on a surface of the top encasement portion (106), wherein the sleeve is positioned to correspond with at least one of a head section (201), a seat section (203), or a foot section (207) of at least one person support apparatus (102), and wherein the sleeve is accessible to place a medical device under a subject positioned on the person support surface (104).
  10. The person support system (100) according to claim 8, wherein the top encasement portion (106) includes at least one fluid flap extending over at least one interlocking device (110) such that the person support surface (104) is one of fluid-resistant or fluid-proof.
  11. The person support system (100) according to any preceding claim, further comprising a microclimate management (MCM) layer positioned over the support cushion layer (240) and the foot bladder layer (260).
  12. The person support system (100) according to any preceding claim, further comprising a person support apparatus (102) that comprises the person support surface (104), wherein the person support apparatus (102) comprises at least one of a standard person support apparatus, an advanced articulation person support apparatus, or a chair egress person support apparatus.
  13. The person support system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one air control box is at least one of a pneumatic air control box or an electrical air control box.
  14. The person support system (100) according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one air control box comprises one or more of a valve and a manifold.

Description

The present disclosure generally relates to person support systems including alternating pressure (AP) surfaces, and more specifically, to person support systems including AP sectors that can be selectively activated or deactivated independently of one another. Technical Background Certain active subject support surfaces have the ability to change load distribution with or without an applied load by utilizing a plurality of bladders that are inflated, deflated, or vented based on particular scenarios. For example, some support surfaces incorporate AP features that allow for pressure redistribution via cyclic changes in the loading and unloading (e.g., inflation and deflation of air filled cells) as characterized by frequency, duration, amplitude, and/or rate of change parameters. However, such active subject support surfaces may be uncomfortable for the subjects supported thereon. For example, a subject may experience discomfort when the support surface decreases pressure in certain areas while increasing pressure in other areas. In another example, a subject may experience motion sickness type symptoms from the constant movement subjected to them when AP features are actuated. However, existing active subject support surfaces do not allow for AP features or other types of active support to be turned off in particular areas while at the same time maintaining AP or other types of active support in other areas. WO 2011/006093 A1 discloses a therapeutic mattress having a base layer, a plurality of separate air cell sections, an air source and a valve. The separate air cell sections have a plurality of fluidly interconnected air cell members extending vertically from a bottom wall. The valve is fluidly connected to the plurality of separate air cell sections. The air source is connected to the valve to independently increase the air pressure in the air cell sections to a desired air pressure. The invention is disclosed in the claims. In one aspect, a person support system includes a person support surface having a plurality of bladders, an air supply fluidly coupled to the plurality of bladders such that air is supplied by the air supply independently to each one of the plurality of bladders, and an air control box fluidly coupled to the air supply and the plurality of bladders. The air control box is configured to cause air from the air supply to periodically inflate and deflate a plurality of zones of bladders to provide air therapy. The person support system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the air supply and the air control box, the controller configured to determine which of the plurality of zones of bladders are located within at least one sector, the at least one sector being selected via a user interface, by accessing, from a lookup table, information pertaining to which sectors are mapped to which bladders. The controller is further configured to generate a control schedule comprising a set of instructions for directing an inflation level of each of the zones of bladders only within the at least one selected sector based on a selected air therapy and the information. The controller is further configured to transmit the control schedule to the air supply and the at least one air control box. The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative person support system that includes a person support apparatus with a person support surface positioned thereon according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 2 depicts an exploded perspective view of various illustrative internal component combinations of the person support surface of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 3 schematically depicts a top view of the various illustrative internal components of the person support surface of FIG. 1 with a top encasement portion removed according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 4 schematically depicts a cross sectional side view of the various illustrative internal components of the person support surface of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 5 schematically depicts a block diagram of illustrative control modules associated with the person support surface of the person support apparatus of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 6 schematically depicts a block diagram of an illustrative therapy or support surface control module associated with the person support surface of the person support apparatus of FIG. 1 according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 7A depicts a cross-sectional side view, along axis A-A of FIG. 2, of an illustrative person support surface according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;FIG. 7B depicts a cross-sectional side view, along axis D-D of FIG. 7A, of the person support su