The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/119,980, entitled “Pressure Relief Surface”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/119,991, entitled “Patient Support Having Real Time Pressure Control”, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/119,635, entitled “Lack of Patient Movement Monitor and Method”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/120,080, entitled “Patient Support”, all of which were filed on May 2, 2005, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and all of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
The present application is also related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/697,723, entitled “Patient Support”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/697,748, entitled “Pressure Control for a Hospital Bed”, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/697,708, entitled “Control Unit for a Patient Support” all of which were filed Jul. 8, 2005, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and all of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
It is known to provide hospital beds with a variety of types of mattresses including inflatable portions. It is also known to provide hospital beds which perform functions such as the prevention/treatment of decubitus ulcers (bedsores), pulmonary rotational therapy, or percussion/vibration therapy. Additionally, it is known to use inflatable mattresses with a variety of inflatable cell/zone structures. Examples of inflatable patient supports and functions of a mattress including cell/zone structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,413 to Goodwin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,079 to Hakamiun et al., and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/567,215 to Balaton et al., which are all assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
It is also known to provide an air supply device for use in providing fluid to an inflatable mattress or cushion. An example of one such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,799 to Ellis et al., which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention and the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention may comprise one or more features recited in the appended claims and/or one or more of the following features or combinations thereof.
The present invention relates to a connector for use with a mattress, pad, cushion, or bladder for a patient support such as a sleeping and/or seating surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a quick connector for use with an air supply for an inflatable mattress.
In accordance with one aspect of the present dislcosure, a connector is provided for operably coupling an air supply device to an inflatable mattress or cushion. Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a connector apparatus to couple an air supply apparatus to a mattress. The connector apparatus includes a connector assembly coupled to the air supply apparatus, and a hose assembly, coupled to the connector assembly. The hose assembly includes a first air hose having an interior region, and a second air hose and a cable both of which are located within the interior region of the first air hose.
In still another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a connector apparatus to connect an air supply unit to an inflatable mattress including a low air loss therapy device. The connector apparatus includes a connector assembly, coupled to the air supply unit and a hose assembly, coupled to the connector assembly. The hose assembly includes a first hose, a second hose, and a cable, wherein the first hose is adapted to be coupled to the low air loss therapy device, to supply air to the low air loss therapy device. The second hose is adapted to be coupled the inflatable mattress for inflation thereof. The cable is adapted to be coupled to the mattress to provide electrical communication to the mattress.
The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
The embodiments described below and shown in the figures are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Instead, the embodiments were selected for description to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a connector apparatus is provided to operably couple an air supply unit to an inflatable mattress or cushion. The inflatable mattress or cushion includes at least one inflatable bladder.
As shown in
Hose assembly 16 includes a main hose 24 including a housing 26, a secondary hose 28, and a data cable 30. Both secondary hose 28 and data cable 30 are located within an inner region 32 of main hose 24. Interior region 32 is defined at least in part by wall 26.
Secondary hose 28 is configured to provide high pressure air to a mattress or cushion (not shown). Low pressure, high volume air is provided to a mattress or cushion through main hose 24. In this way, a hose assembly 16 provides both the capability of inflating the mattress, providing low air loss therapy inside a single easy to handle housing 26.
In the illustrated embodiment, a data cable 30 is also provided within interior region 32 of housing 26. Data cable 30 is configured to provide electrical communication including power and network communication to the mattress (not shown). One example of a suitable data cable 30 is Part Number M2224 Power Data Cable, 8 Cond, 20AWG from Manhattan.
Illustratively, air supply unit 12 includes a body 34 having a first channel 35 and a front receiving portion 36. First connector 18 includes a first wall 40 configured to align with front receiving portion 36 and a second wall 42 adapted to be placed in channel 35 to hold first connector 18 in contact with body 34. As shown in
As shown in
Main body 44 includes a first side or cone side 54, a second side or hose side 56, and a central body 58. Central body 58 includes a button slot 60 configured to receive button assembly 46. Button assembly 46 includes a button slide 61 configured to cooperate with button slot 60 and a spring 62 configured to support button slide 61 in button slot 60. Button slide 61 includes a slide body 64, a ramp 65 and a release switch 66. Slide body 64 includes a pair of slide tabs 68 located on the sides of slide body 64 as shown. Slide tabs 68 are configured to hold button slide 61 in button slot 60. Slide tabs 68 cooperate with central body 58 by allowing button slide 61 to be placed in button slot 60 and prevents button slide 61 from being removed from button slot 60 by creating a positive lock between slide tabs 68 and central body 58.
Second connector 20 includes a first connector portion 70, a second connector portion 72, a spring button 74, a spring tube 76 configured to receive spring button 74, a compression spring 78 configured to cooperate with spring button 74, tube insert 50, a male pin connector 80, and a female pin connector 82 configured to receive male pin connector 80.
First connector portion 70 includes a first upper wall 84, a first center wall 86 and a first lower wall 88. First upper wall 84 and first center wall 86 cooperate to define an electrical channel 90 configured to receive a plug 92, as shown in
Second connector portion 72 includes a second upper wall 96, a second center wall 98, and a second lower wall 100. Second connector portion 72 further includes electrical channel 90 and secondary hose channel 94.
As shown in
As shown in
Main hose 24 includes a first section 122 of a first diameter 123 and a second section 124 of a second diameter 126. Second diameter 126 is smaller than first diameter 123. Main hose 24 may be a corrugated hose, with or without witness lines 128 showing, and may be configured so that the “spring” of the hose is internally located.
First section 122 of main hose 24 includes internal rib channels 130. Rib channels 130 correspond to and cooperate with ribs 120 of second connector 20 to hold the main hose in connection with second connector 20. First section 122 is at least one wall thickness smaller than first hose section 108. First section 122 is stretched and placed around hose section 108 to hold main hose 24 in place and aid in holding second connector 20 together.
Coupler section 112 of second connector 20 includes a coupler tab 114 configured to correspond with a coupler opening 116 defined in main body 44, as shown in
In one illustrative embodiment shown in
Data cables 30 include an outer shell 142 and a wire portion 144. Outer shell 142 protects wire portion 144 from moisture and from making contact with other objects. Male pin connector 80 includes a plurality of pins 146 and a pin backing 147 operable to couple to wire portion 144 to make electrical contact. Female pin connector 82 includes a pin receiving portion 148 configured to receive pins 146 when hose connector 20 is coupled to main body 44 and a circuit board backing 150 operable to be soldered to plug 92. When pins 146 are in contact with pin receiving portion 148 they are shielded from touch. This allows a user to touch male pin connector 80 or female pin connector 82 without contacting an electrical current flowing through wire portion 144.
Illustratively in operation, main hose 24 is placed over second connector 20. A user (not shown) aligns coupler tab 114 with coupler opening 116 and pushes second connector 20 into main body 44. As the user (not shown) pushes second connector 20 into main body 44, second connector 20 contacts ramp 65. The contact with ramp 65 pushes button slide 61 downwards compressing spring 68 downwards. Once second connector 20 is in pushed fully into position spring 68 forces button slide 61 backing into position locking second connector 20 in place. To remove hose connector from main body 44, the user (not shown) depresses release switch 66 which compresses spring 62 and moves button slide 61. This causes spring button 74 to depress spring 78 to force hose connector 22 out from main body 44. Alternatively if no spring button 74 was used, in order to allow removal the user (not shown) would need to pull second connector 20 from main body 44 after button slide 61 was moved. It may not be necessary for the user to actually pull hose connector 20 from main body 44 because air pressure will aid in removal.
Another illustrative embodiment of connector apparatus 10 is shown in
In another illustrative embodiment, a connector assembly 14′ is provided for use with a mattress (not shown), as shown in
Connector assembly 14′ further includes a first mattress clamp 202 and a second mattress clamp 204 as shown in
Illustratively, connector assembly 14 and connector assembly 14′ are used on opposite ends of the same main hose 24. This allows a single connector assembly to be manufactured saving time and cost. It also allows the user (not shown) to disconnect main hose 24 from either the mattress (not shown) or from air supply unit 12.
Another illustrative embodiment of a connector apparatus 310 is shown in
Hose connector 320 includes a connector housing 370, a button assembly 346, a tube insert 350, a first male pin connector 380, a second male pin connector 381, a first female pin connector 382, and a second female pin connector 483. First and second female pin connectors 382, 383 are configured to receive first and second male pin connectors 380, 381. Tube insert 350 includes an insert body 384 and a groove 386. A fitting coupler 387 is provided to cooperate with tube insert 350 to hold tube insert 350 in place, as shown in
Connector housing 370 includes a button support 390, a hose receiving side 392 and a connector body receiving side 400. Hose receiving side 392 is larger in diameter than inner region 322 in order to hold main hose 316 in place. Button support 390 includes a spring retainer 402 and a pair of hinge holes 404.
Button assembly 346 includes a button 406, a latch portion 407, a button spring 408, and a hinge pin 410. Button 406 includes a hinge slot 412 configured to receive hinge pin 410. Button spring 408 is placed in spring retainer 402. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Hose side 349 is configured to receive air seal 352. Air seal 352 includes a pair of data cable openings 426, a high pressure opening 428, a low pressure opening 430, and a plurality of gasket projections 432. Data cable openings 426 are configured to correspond to first and second pin protectors 416, 418 when air seal 352 is pressed against main body 344. Low pressure opening 428 and high pressure opening 430 are configured to correspond to low pressure connector 422 and high pressure connector 420 when air seal 352 is pressed against main body 344. Gasket openings 424 are configured to receive gasket projections 432 when air seal 352 is pressed against main body 344. Gasket projections 432 are sized larger than gasket openings 424 in order to hold air seal 352 in place to form an air tight seal.
As shown in
In another illustrative embodiment, a connector assembly 314′ is provided for use with a mattress (not shown), as shown in
Illustratively, connector assembly 314 and connector assembly 314′ are used on opposite ends of the same main hose 324. This allows a single connector assembly to be manufactured saving time and cost. It also allows the user (not shown) to disconnect main hose 24 from either the mattress (not shown) or from supply unit (not shown).
Another illustrative embodiment of a connector apparatus 610 is shown in
Hose connector 620 includes a connector housing 670 and a button assembly 646. Connector housing 670 includes a button support 690, a hose receiving side 692 and a connector body receiving side 700. Connector nut 631 includes a threaded portion (not shown) and is operable to couple to a threaded portion (not shown) of hose receiving side 692. Button support 690 includes a spring retainer (not shown) and a pair of hinge holes 704.
Button assembly 646 includes a button 706, a latch portion 707, a button spring (not shown), and a hinge pin (not shown). Hinge pin (not shown) operably connects button 706 to button support 690 by sliding through hinge holes 704 and a hinge slot (not shown).
As shown in
As shown in
Preferably, instructions for the assembly, installation, and/or use of connector apparatuses 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610 are provided with connector apparatus 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610 or otherwise communicated to permit a person or machine to assemble, install and/or use connector apparatus 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610. Such instructions may include a description of any or all portions of connector apparatus 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610 and/or any or all of the above-described assembly, installation, and use of connector apparatus 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610 or components of connector apparatus 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610. The instructions may be provided on separate papers and/or on the packaging in which connector apparatus 10, 10′, 310, 310′ and 610 is sold or shipped. These instructions may also be provided over the Internet or other communication system. Furthermore, the instructions may be embodied as text, pictures, audio, video, or any other medium or method of communicating instructions known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/636,252, titled “Quick Connector for Multi-Media”, filed Dec. 15, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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