Patent Application
20180140106
The present invention relates to systems and methods for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly. In particular, the present invention relates systems and methods for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly including an air bladder whereby pressure change data is collected and used to determine personalized pressure settings for a particular user.
Mattress assemblies that make use of air bladders, which are also known as air beds, are becoming increasing popular as an alternative to traditional mattresses. Unlike traditional mattress assemblies where the firmness of the mattress assemblies are not adjustable, the firmness of a mattress assembly that makes use of an air bladder is readily adjustable by increasing or decreasing the amount of air included in the air bladder present within the mattress assembly. In other words, by changing the pressure in the air bladder of such a mattress assembly, a user can readily change the firmness of the mattress assembly and, consequently, the support provided by the mattress assembly to the user.
Generally, in mattress assemblies that make use of an air bladder, a lower amount of pressure in the air bladder provides a decreased level of firmness, whereas a higher amount of pressure in the air bladder provides an increased level of firmness. However, it has been observed that when some users lay upon a mattress assembly that makes use of an air bladder, the lower pressure settings of such a mattress assembly do not simply provide for a softer “feel,” but instead often result in those mattress assemblies not supporting the entire weight of the user. In such situations, one or more portions of the body of a user are then often supported by the mattress assembly foundation, which is sometimes referred to as “bottoming out” the mattress assembly.
Conversely, it has also been observed that the higher pressure settings of some mattress assemblies that make use of air bladders are far too firm for a particular user. For instance, it has been observed that when some users lay upon such mattress assemblies, the pressure inside of the air bladders increases to a point where the mattress assembly is no longer comfortable for the user or where the pressure inside the air bladder exceeds the maximum allowable limits and damage to the air bladder occurs. Accordingly, systems and methods that allow for the pressure settings in a mattress assembly that makes use of an air bladder to be personalized for a particular user would be both highly desirable and beneficial.
The present invention includes systems and methods for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly. In particular, the present invention includes systems and methods for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly including an air bladder whereby pressure change data is collected and used to determine personalized pressure settings for a particular user. Thus, the present invention allows a particular user to personalize the pressure settings of the mattress assembly to increase their level of comfort, including sleep comfort.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a system for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly is provided that comprises a mattress assembly including an air bladder. The system also includes a pump that is operably connected to the air bladder and that inflates the air bladder, and a relief valve that is operably connected to the air bladder and that deflates the air bladder. In the system, a pressure sensor is additionally connected to the air bladder and functions to collect and provide pressure change data that can be used determine personalized pressure settings for a user.
The exemplary system further comprises a controller that is connected to a power supply and that communicates with the pump, the relief valve, and the pressure sensor. The controller is configured to receive a selection of one or more setup routines, which function to control the inflation and deflation of the air bladder. More specifically, the setup routines are directed to a selected timing for inflating and deflating the air bladder, and are also directed to a timing for collecting pressure change data from the pressure sensor to thereby determine a minimum and/or a maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder.
In operation, in one exemplary implementation of a method for personalizing pressure setting in a mattress assembly that makes use of such a system, minimum and maximum pressure limits are established for a particular user by first providing the mattress assembly including the air bladder. The air bladder is subsequently inflated by the air pump, via the output of a control signal from the processor of the controller, to a predetermined initial pressure. A user is then positioned on the mattress assembly and selects a setup routine, which is received by the controller. The setup routine is subsequently initiated by the controller and proceeds through a series of steps in which the controller initially sends an output signal to the relief valve to open and cause the air bladder to partially deflate. The pressure sensor then measures the air pressure in the air bladder after the initial deflation and communicates the measured air pressure to the controller, which, in turn, determines an amount of decrease in pressure in the air bladder and further determines the rate of change in the air pressure in the air bladder. Upon determining a rate of change in the air pressure in the air bladder, the controller then determines whether the rate of change in air pressure in the air bladder is at a threshold value. In this regard, the relief valve will typically remain open until the threshold value is reached, at which time the step of collecting pressure change data is complete. In some embodiments, however, if the relief valve is closed and the threshold value is not reached, the relief valve is opened again to allow more air to be released from the air bladder, and the amount of decrease in air pressure in the air bladder and the rate of change in air pressure in the air bladder are again determined until the threshold value is reached and the collection of pressure change data is complete.
After the threshold value is reached, a minimum personalized pressure for the air bladder is next determined and is based on the pressure change data collected. More particularly, the minimum personalized pressure is based on the pressure in the air bladder at the time when the rate of change of pressure reaches or exceeds the threshold value. Subsequent to determining the minimum personalized pressure for the air bladder in the mattress assembly, the maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder can be determined by adding a predetermined pressure difference to the previously-determined minimum personalized pressure or by limiting the maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder to a level not to exceed the maximum operating pressure for the air bladder (e.g., if adding the predetermined pressure difference to the minimum personalized pressure would result in the maximum operating pressure of the air bladder being exceeded).
In other implementations of the methods of the present invention, the minimum and maximum personalized pressures for an air bladder used in an exemplary system is not determined by measuring whether a rate of change has reached a given threshold value, but is instead determined by collecting pressure change data of a different nature subsequent to positioning a user on a mattress assembly. For example, in certain implementations, the initial steps of the method are performed substantially as described above, but, subsequent to determining the rate of change of pressure, the determined rate of change of pressure is not compared to a threshold value. Rather, in some implementations, the rate of change of pressure in the air bladder is compared to a control rate of change that is provided by a previously-established dataset that correlates various rates of change of air pressure in an air bladder to minimum pressures for the air bladder. In this regard, once the rate of change of air pressure in the air bladder has been compared to a control rate of change, the minimum personalized pressure for the air bladder can be determined by identifying the minimum personalized pressure in the dataset that is associated with the particular control rate of change. The maximum personalized pressure can then be determined by, for example, identifying the maximum air pressure for the air bladder or by adding a given predetermined pressure difference to the minimum personalized pressure, as described above.
As another example of an exemplary method of the present invention where the minimum and maximum personalized pressures are not determined by measuring whether a rate of change has reached a given threshold value, in some implementations and instead of deflating the air bladder and monitoring a rate of change in air pressure in the air bladder, an initial change in air pressure in the air bladder is determined subsequent to positioning the user on the air bladder and is used to determine minimum and maximum personalized pressures for the air bladder. More specifically, upon positioning the user on the mattress assembly, that initial change in air pressure is communicated to the controller which determines the minimum personalized pressure for the air bladder by comparing the initial change in pressure to a control value (e.g., a control value included in a pre-established dataset correlating various changes in pressure to minimum personalized pressures for particular user of the mattress assembly).
In still further implementations of the methods of the present invention, rather than collecting pressure change data after positioning a user on the mattress assembly and deflating the air bladder or after the initial change in air pressure that is experienced subsequent to positioning a user on the air bladder, pressure change data is collected and is used to determine a minimum and maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder while the air bladder is being inflated. For example, in one exemplary implementation, the mattress assembly is first provided and the air bladder is inflated to a low initial pressure. Then, when a particular user is subsequently positioned on the mattress assembly, the mattress assembly is already bottomed out or is inflated to the lowest possible pressure setting at which the user does not bottom out. The user can then select the appropriate setup routine, and the controller then causes the air bladder to be inflated to a secondary pressure. As the air bladder is being inflated to the secondary pressure, pressure change data is collected. At that point in time, after collecting the pressure change data, the initial pressure in the air bladder and the pressure change data collected for that particular user can be used to determine the minimum and maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art after a study of the description, figures, and non-limiting examples in this document.
The present invention includes systems and methods for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly. In particular, the present invention includes systems and methods for personalizing pressure settings in a mattress assembly including an air bladder whereby pressure change data is collected and used to determine personalized pressure settings for a particular user. Thus, the present invention allows a particular user to personalize the pressure settings of the mattress assembly to increase their level of comfort, including sleep comfort.
Referring first to
The system 10 further comprises a controller 60 that is connected to a power supply 70 and that communicates with the air pump 30, the relief valve 40, and the pressure sensor 50. The controller 60 is configured to receive a selection of one or more setup routines, which function to control the inflation and deflation of the air bladder 22. In particular, and as also described in further detail below, the setup routines are directed to a selected timing for inflating and deflating the air bladder 22, and are also directed to a timing for collecting pressure change data from the pressure sensor 50 to thereby determine a minimum and/or a maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder 22. In this regard, in addition to the selection of the one or more setup routines being received by the controller, the setup routines are typically stored in a data storage device 85 associated with the controller 60. Then, when a particular setup routine is selected, a processor 80 associated with the controller 60, outputs a control signal to the air pump 30 or to the relief valve 40 to inflate or deflate the air bladder 22, and further outputs a signal to the pressure sensor 50 to control the timing of the pressure change data collected by the pressure sensor 50.
With respect to the processor 80, the terms “processor” or “processing device” are used interchangeably herein to describe one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, central processing units, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or the like for executing instructions stored on the data storage device 85. Of course, with respect to the data storage device 85, the term “data storage device” is understood to mean physical devices (computer readable media) used to store programs (sequences of instructions) or data (e.g. program state information) on a non-transient basis for use in a computer or other digital electronic device, including primary memory used for the information in physical systems which are fast (i.e. RAM), and secondary memory, which are physical devices for program and data storage which are slow to access but offer higher memory capacity. Traditional secondary memory includes tape, magnetic disks and optical discs (CD-ROM and DVD-ROM). The term “memory” is often (but not always) associated with addressable semiconductor memory, i.e. integrated circuits consisting of silicon-based transistors, used for example as primary memory but also other purposes in computers and other digital electronic devices. Semiconductor memory includes both volatile and non-volatile memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include flash memory (sometimes used as secondary, sometimes primary computer memory) and ROM/PROM/EPROM/EEPROM memory. Examples of volatile memory include dynamic RAM memory, DRAM, and static RAM memory, SRAM.
As indicated, and to further provide control over the air pump 30 and the relief valve 40, as well as the inflation and deflation of the air bladder 22, the pressure sensor 50 included in the mattress assembly 20 directly measures the pressure in the air bladder 22 and then operates to communicate data relating to the pressure in the air bladder 22 to the controller 60 at a particular time point identified by the setup routine (e.g., subsequent to a user resting on the mattress assembly 20, as the air bladder 22 is deflating, etc.). In response to that pressure data, the controller 60 can then store and utilize the data gathered at various time points to calculate an increase in pressure, a decrease in pressure, a rate of change in pressure, or combinations thereof, which may then be used to establish minimum and maximum pressure limits for a particular user.
Referring now to
Referring still to
With further respect to determining the rate of change in pressure, in some implementations, the determination of the amount of decrease in pressure (step 134) can be done at a series of time points and then analyzed at each of the time points to determine the rate of change of the pressure (step 136) over the series of time points. Alternatively, in other implementations, the determination of the amount of decrease in pressure in step 134 can also be performed over a specific time period, such that the rate of change of the pressure can be determined more directly over a single time period. For example, a specific time period of ten seconds can be selected, and the rate of change of the pressure can be determined by calculating the total decrease in pressure in the air bladder over the ten second time period.
In addition to determining the amount of decrease in air pressure in the air bladder over a series of time points or over a single specific time period, in some implementations, each the individual steps collectively comprising the setup routine indicated generally by step 130 can also be performed while the air bladder 22 is continuously deflated (i.e. where the relief valve 40 remains open), such that the steps of determining the amount of decrease in air pressure in the air bladder (step 134) and determining the rate of change in the air pressure in the air bladder 22 are performed concurrently with the deflation of the air bladder 22 (step 132). Moreover, if desired, each the individual steps collectively comprising the setup routine indicated generally by step 130 can also be performed in a manner where the relief valve 40 is alternately opened and closed. For example, the relief valve 40 can be opened until a specific time has elapsed, until a specific change in pressure is measured in the air bladder 22, until a specific volume of air is released from the air bladder 22, or until some other predetermined event occurs. Once the predetermined event has occurred, the relief valve 40 can then be closed while the amount of decrease in the air pressure in the air bladder 22 is determined (step 134) and the rate of change in the air pressure is determined (step 136).
Regardless of whether the amount of decrease in air pressure in the air bladder 22 is measured over a series of time points or over a single specific time period, and also regardless of whether the air bladder 22 is continuously deflated or deflated in an stepwise manner, upon determining a rate of change in the air pressure in the air bladder 22, in the exemplary implementation shown in
With respect to the threshold value, various threshold values for the rate of change may be selected for a particular setup routine and can be selected with regard to the type of mattress assembly and air bladder being utilized and with regard to the pressure setting preferences of the particular user (i.e., whether the user prefers a “soft” or a “firm” feel). Generally, however, the threshold value for the rate of change in air pressure in the air bladder 22 in the mattress assembly 20 of the system 10 is a relative minimum value as the air bladder 22 is deflated from full or partially inflated to a minimum fill level. For instance, in some implementations and as part of a particular setup routine, the controller 60 can be configured to plot the amount of decrease in pressure observed in the air bladder 22 over a given time period and the threshold value can be the point at which the curve resulting from that plot begins to level or, in other words, the point at which the “knee” of the curve can be found. In this regard, the rate at which the air bladder 22 deflates will, of course, be specific to the particular user, as larger users will likely cause the air bladder 22 to deflate more quickly than smaller users, but the deflation rate of the air bladder 22 will also likely depend on the way in which a particular user's weight is distributed across the mattress assembly 20. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory or mechanism, however, it is believed that by plotting the amount of decrease in pressure observed in the system 10 over a given time period and by designating the threshold value as the point at which the resulting curve begins to level, a minimum pressure for the air bladder 22 that is personalized for a particular user can be determined more accurately than can be done in traditional mattress assemblies including an air bladder where the user is required to engage in a trial-and-error type of exercise to identify a desirable minimum pressure. In some implementations, the threshold value for the rate of change of the pressure is a minimum value for the rate of change of pressure that is representative of an equilibrium that is reached between the pressure exerted on the air bladder 22 by the particular user (e.g., mass of the user/surface area contact) and the pressure in the air bladder 22. At that equilibrium point, as air is released from the air bladder, the pressure in the air bladder exhibits a low rate of change (i.e., the pressure decreases slowly over a time period) until such time as a sufficient volume of air has been released and the air bladder 22 deflates to a point where the user contacts the underlying bed foundation and, in turn, the pressure in the air bladder 22 begins to drop at a faster rate due to the mass of the user being supported by the air bladder 22 and not the underlying foundation.
Regardless of the particular threshold limit utilized as part of the setup routine, and referring still to
Subsequent to determining the minimum personalized pressure for the air bladder 22 in the mattress assembly 20, the maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder 22 is then determined and both the minimum personalized pressure and maximum personalized pressure are stored in the data storage device 85 of the controller, as indicated by step ISO and step 160. Similar to the threshold values utilized to identify the minimum personalized pressure, the maximum personalized pressure for an air bladder can also vary depending on the type of mattress assembly and air bladder being utilized and the preferences of the particular user. Typically, however, to allow the softness or firmness of the air bladder 22 in the mattress assembly 20 to be adjusted in a stepwise manner, the maximum personalized pressure of the air bladder 22 is determined by adding a predetermined pressure difference (e.g., about 0.7 psi) to the previously-determined minimum personalized pressure. In this regard, the predetermined pressure difference can then be broken down into a series of increments to allow the feel of the mattress assembly 20 to be adjusted from the softer, minimum personalized pressure to the firmer, maximum personalized pressure. In some implementations, however, the air bladder 22 provided in the mattress assembly 20 can have a maximum operating pressure such that adding the predetermined pressure difference to the previously determined minimum personalized pressure for the air bladder 22 will cause the maximum operating pressure of the air bladder 22 to be exceeded, which, in turn, can damage or rupture the air bladder 22. In this regard, in such implementations, the step 150 of determining the maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder 22 instead comprises limiting the maximum personalized pressure for the air bladder 22 to a level not to exceed the maximum operating pressure for the air bladder 22 (e.g., limiting it to the maximum operating pressure). Of course, the difference between the minimum personalized pressure and the maximum personalized pressure in a particular air bladder will also depend, at least in part, on the material used to make the particular air bladder and the properties of those materials. For instance, in air bladders including elastomeric materials, such as rubber, the difference between the minimum personalized pressure and the maximum personalized pressure may be greater than in those air bladders comprised of less stretchable materials.
As a refinement to the methods of the present invention, in some implementations, the minimum personalized pressure for an air bladder used in an exemplary system is not determined by measuring whether a rate of change has reached a given threshold value, but is instead determined by comparing the rate of change of the air pressure in the air bladder to a control rate of change. Referring now to
For example, in certain implementations, a control rate of change can be established through the use of a previously-constructed dataset that correlates various rates of change of air pressure in an air bladder to minimum personalized pressures for that air bladder. Such a dataset can be established by providing the mattress assembly 20 including the air bladder 22 in the system 10 and then determining a series of minimum personalized pressures by individually positioning various users on the mattress assembly 20, deflating the air bladder 22 of the mattress assembly 20, and monitoring the rate of change in pressure in the air bladder 22, such as what is described herein above with reference to
Referring now to
As an even further refinement to the methods of the present invention, in some implementations, rather than collecting pressure change data after positioning a user on the mattress assembly 20 and deflating the air bladder 22 or rather than collecting pressure change data after the initial change in air pressure observed subsequent to positioning a user on the air bladder 22, pressure change data is collected while the air bladder 22 is inflated. For example, and referring now to
With respect to the systems and methods of the present invention, as indicated above, pressure change data is generally collected to determine a minimum and maximum pressure for the air bladder. However, it is additionally contemplated that, in certain embodiments, minimum and maximum pressures can be determined using one or more different or additional types of data. For instance, in certain implementations and with continued reference to
As another example of a method whereby minimum and maximum pressures can be determined using types of data different than or additional to pressure change data, in other implementations, the controller 60 can determine and adjust pressure limits for a particular user based on the inputting of a particular user's weight into the controller 60 and the subsequent selection by the controller 60 of suitable minimum and maximum pressure limits for the air bladder 22 from predetermined limits stored in the data storage device and that have been found suitable for certain weights of users.
With further respect to the systems and methods of the present invention, although the systems and methods described herein above have been described in relation to mattress assemblies that include an air bladder and that are dimensionally-sized to support a user lying in a supine or prone position, it is contemplated that the features described herein are equally applicable to other support cushions including head pillows, seat cushions, seat backs, neck pillows, leg spacer pillows, mattress topers, overlays, and the like. Likewise, while the above descriptions were made with reference to the use of a single air bladder, it is also contemplated that multiple air bladders can be included in a support cushion and then used in accordance with the systems and methods of the present invention.
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that additional embodiments or implementations are possible without departing from the teachings of the present invention or the scope of the claims which follow. This detailed description, and particularly the specific details of the exemplary embodiments and implementations disclosed herein, is given primarily for clarity of understanding, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2015/027267 | 4/23/2015 | WO | 00 |
