Patent Grant
8038632
The present invention relates to a cushioning device. Examples of such cushioning devices include and are not limited to mattresses and mattress overlays.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,754; Hand et al. disclose “a vibratory patient support system for providing therapeutic vibrational action or forces to a patient suffering from a respiratory ailment. The vibratory patient support system includes a rigid support frame such as a bed frame, [and] a plurality of inflatable sacs supported upon the support frame with each sac having an upper surface so that the plurality of sacs [sic] forms a patient support surface. The inflatable sacs are pressurized and maintained at a predetermined pressure. This predetermined pressure may be a patient height and weight specific pressure profile. A vibrating component is provided separate from the apparatus for pressurizing and maintaining the air sacs at the predetermined pressure. The vibrating component vibrates at least a portion of the patient support surface at a predetermined frequency. In this manner, the plurality of air sacs are maintained at their predetermined pressure and the portion of the patient support surface [sic] is simultaneously vibrated at the predetermined frequency. The vibrating means are further variably controllable so that an operator can vary the frequency, magnitude or amplitude, and duration of the vibrating therapy. The vibratory patient support system may include a specialty low air loss bed configuration including vibrating means for vibrating a portion of the patient support surface of the low air loss sacs at the predetermined frequency.” See the abstract of the '754 patent.
Hand et al.'s system has vibrating devices that create vibrational and/or pulsating forces within or outside the inflatable sacs. In every embodiment in the '754 patent, the vibrating devices are adjacent or contacting the patient support surface. That means, Hand et al. teach that those devices must be positioned over the inflatable sac to operate effectively. To obtain a correct position for the vibrating devices, Hand et al. disclose that the sacs could contain supports therein. The supports position those devices adjacent to the patient support surface.
According to Hand et al., at least one inflatable sac must be inflated at a predetermined pressure. The predetermined pressure is dependent on at least the patient's weight and/or height, not on the vibrational force applied to the patient.
As previously stated, Hand et al. disclose that those vibrational and/or pulsating force devices should be positioned above the inflatable sacs. That way, there is little chance of the devices falling away from the patient support surface. This method of applying vibrational forces, however, is not always practical. For example, positioning one of those vibrational and/or pulsating force devices so it contacts a patient may result in pinching and/or bruising the patient's skin or applying too many vibrational forces to the user. Obviously, such results could be deleterious. The present invention solves these problems.
The present invention is a vibratory patient support system. The support system has at least one bladder, at least one vibrational device, and first and second control units that respectively control (a) the inflation and deflation of the at least one bladder and (b) vibrational device. The at least one bladder (i) inflates when receiving a fluid at a faster rate than the fluid exiting the bladder; (ii) deflates when the fluid leaves the bladder at a faster rate than the fluid entering the bladder, and (iii) has a top surface that allows a user to apply pressure thereon and a bottom surface. The vibrational device (a) is positioned (i) under the bottom surface of the bladder, or (ii) within the bladder and below the top surface of the at least one bladder so it does not contact the top surface; and (b) generates a vibrational force. The first control unit can adjust the inflation of the at least one bladder. The second control unit can adjust the vibration forces generated from the vibration device. The first and second control units can operate in conjunction with each other to provide the desired vibrational application to the user.
a-g illustrates a cross-sectional view and alternative embodiments thereof of
a-d illustrate various electrical and/or fluid flow schematical embodiments of a first control unit.
a-b illustrate various electrical and fluid flow schematical embodiments of a second control unit.
a-b illustrate alternative embodiments of a vibrating pad.
The present invention, as shown in
The vibration pad 12 can provide both percussion and vibration characteristics. Which characteristic is generated depends on the number of beats per second that the vibration pad 12 generates. For example, and not to be limited to these examples, when a vibration pad 12 generates 1-7 beats per second that is generically described as percussion characteristics; similarly, then the vibration pad 12 generates more than 7, preferably 7 to 25 beats per second then that is generally referred to as a vibration characteristic.
A Greater Control Vibration Embodiment
The cushioning device 10 can be shaped like a mattress, a pad, a pillow, a mattress overlay, or any conventional cushioning device. As with many mattresses, the cushioning device 10 can have a cover 13, as illustrated in
The cover 13 is an optional component of the present invention. The cover 13 can be any conventional material such as and not limited to natural fibers, polymeric materials, or combinations thereof. The cover could be a vapor permeable material, a low air loss material (a low air-loss bladder and/or manifold is sometimes desired because it allows the fluid, like air, to reduce the temperature below the patient, there is a decreased chance of skin maceration which lowers the risk of bed sores), or a complete barrier to any fluid penetrating the interior components of the device 10. Which type of cover material is used, is dependent upon the user's and/or owner's objective(s). If a cover 13 is used, it could provide some benefits to the user and possibly the owner of the device 10. One of these benefits is that a cover 13 is easier to clean than the components within the cover 13.
a-g illustrate numerous and not exhaustive views of various cross-sectional embodiment views of
The first control unit 16 is preferred to be exterior to the frame 20 and the cover 13, as illustrated in
The first control unit 16 comprises at least a power unit 30 and at least a fluid control system 32, as illustrated in
The fluid control system 32 can be a conventional device, like a pump, that can draw the fluid from the reservoir 35 into the at least a portion of conduit 34. Conduit 34 can be a single unit or a plurality of units that transport the fluid and/or power to the respective components of device 10. In any embodiment, the fluid is directed toward the respective bladders designed to receive a fluid. One of those respective bladders is the first bladder 14, and if the vibrational pad 12 and the base cushion 17 are designed to receive a fluid then those components also receive the fluid.
The first bladder 14 can be any conventional inflatable bladder. It can have an inlet 39, see
In a preferred embodiment, the first bladder 14 has a center line 24, as illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment, the first bladder 14 contains conventional support elements 40, which could also be referred to as barriers. These support elements are commonly used in bladders to provide additional support to the bladder when a user lies thereon to decrease bottoming out or creeping of inflatable bladders. If these supports elements 40 are used, they should not apply extra pressure to the user. In the present invention, the support elements 40 can be used to position the vibrational pad 12 within the first bladder 14, as shown in
Whether the bladder 14 has the preferred center line 24, the supports 40, or not, the bladder 14 can have a conventional bladder design. Conventional bladder designs include and are not limited to dynamic bladders (able to be inflated, deflated or maintain status quo of inflation); low air-loss bladders (apertures in the bladder and/or manifold that allow fluid to escape and depending on the location of the apertures the fluid may or may not contact the user); rotational bladders as illustrated and described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,883 which is hereby incorporated by reference; bladders that extend the width of the mattress, bladders that extend the length of the mattress, bladders that extend at angles across the length and width of the mattress and/or combinations thereof. If bladder 14 is a rotational bladder system, those rotational bladders, as described in the '883 patent, allow the patient to be rotated to various angles, such as 45 degrees relative to point A on plane B-C, as shown in
The first bladder 14 also has, as shown in
The vibrational pad 12 can be any device able to provide a vibrational or percussion force to a user of the device 10. For example, the vibrational pad can be controlled pneumatically, electrically, or powered by natural fuels. The pad 12 can generate a frequency vibration of any desired amplitude and/or frequency. The vibrational force of the pad 12 can generate a pulsating wave, a variable frequency wave, a steady wave, a variable amplitude wave, a step wave, or any other conventional wave.
An example of such electrically powered vibrational pad is a conventional mechanical vibrating object. Such mechanical devices are, however, not preferred in the present invention. Instead, the preferred embodiment of the vibration pad 12 is capable of receiving a fluid and operating pneumatically. That preferred embodiment is explained in greater detail later in this application. When vibrational pads 12 operate, those pads generate a force, vibrational and/or percussion, in response to an electrical signal generated by at least a vibrational control unit 49.
The location of the vibrational control unit 49 can be associated with the first control unit 16 as shown in
The user and/or third party is also able to control and/or monitor through the pendant 50 the inflation of the first bladder 14. The user can program the desired inflation of the first bladder by inputting values through device 51 of the pendant 50 that correspond to the desired inflation of the first bladder 14. The pendant 50 then transmits the desired inflation value to the fluid control system 32. The fluid control system 32 in response to the inflation value directs a corresponding amount of fluid to the first bladder 14 to obtain the desired inflation, deflation, or status quo of fluid in the bladder 14.
For this embodiment of the present invention, the position of the vibrational pad 12 is critical. It is critical because this embodiment of the invention is directed to controlling the vibration forces applied to the user on the device 10. The vibrating pad 12 is positioned below the first bladder's 14 upper surface 42 and is designed not to contact the upper surface 42 when vibrational pad 12 is operating, and when positioned below the first bladder 14.
This objective is accomplished by securing the vibrating pad 12 on supports 40, as illustrated in
The design of having the vibrational unit below the upper surface 42 is critical for the present invention, for example, to avoid applying too much vibrational force to the patient. To initiate the vibration of the device 10, it is desired that the at least one bladder 12 associated with the vibrating device 14 be controllably deflatable and/or inflatable. Controllable deflation can occur through many means. Such means include and are not limited to the fluid control system 32 and corresponding pendant 50, and a CPR dump mechanism 54, as shown in
The CPR dump mechanism 54 can be any type of apparatus that rapidly depletes the fluid from any and all fluid containing bladders in the device 10. There are numerous embodiments of CPR dump mechanisms 54 that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In any case, a CPR dump mechanism is used to put the user on a non-fluid surface as fast as possible. Once on a non-fluid surface, someone can effectively perform CPR on the user. Alternatively, the first bladder 14 can be inflated to its maximum level for performing CPR on a patient. By maximizing the inflation, the bladder is equivalent to a hard surface. If this alternative method is used, it may be advisable to utilize a conventional CPR backboard between the patient and the bladder 14.
Such knowledge for controllable deflation and inflation, however, has been previously used for different purposes. Such purposes include and not limited to rotating a patient, and alternating the inflation of sets of bladders to create a wave-like motion to the user. Accordingly, such controllable inflation/deflation is known, but it has, according to the applicant's knowledge, never been used for the purpose of controlling the vibrational forces applied to a patient.
As previously stated, Hand et al. disclose that vibrational forces from a vibrational device are merely controlled by altering the frequency of the device through its control unit. The present invention, however, is able to provide greater control of the vibrational forces than previously obtained—through inflation control and vibration control.
The vibrational forces sometime need to be further adjusted than what is available through just a mere control unit, like that disclosed by Hand et al. To obtain this further control, applicant has devised a system of inflating or deflating at least the first bladder 14 associated with the vibrating pad 12. By adjusting the inflation or deflation of the bladder 14, the vibrational forces can be controlled with greater accuracy than previous vibrational devices. Moreover, by moving the vibrational device 12 below or within (without contacting the upper surface 42) the bladder 14 and controlling the inflation of the bladder 14, the vibrational pad 12 can be better controlled than prior vibrating cushions. Hence, the vibrational device 12 will be able to provide the desired frequency and amplitude of vibrational forces to the user.
Placing the vibrating pad 12 adjacent to or contacting the upper surface 42 is to be avoided while the pad 12 is operating and a user is on the device 10. It is to be avoided to prevent the vibrational pad 12, while vibrating, from being in direct contact with the patient. Indirect vibrational forces are desired in the present invention to have greater control of the forces that are applied to the patient.
A Double Control Unit Embodiment
The fluid does not always go directly to the vibrational pad 12. Instead, the fluid may be directed toward a second control unit 18, as illustrated in
For an embodiment of the vibrating pad 12 which will be discussed below, the second control unit 18 must have at least a double diaphragm system 55, as illustrated in
The valve unit 57 is interconnected to receive fluid from one of the units of conduit 34. The valve unit 57 allows a predetermined amount of fluid to pass therethrough. Once that predetermined amount is obtained, the double diaphragm system 55 receives no more fluid until the fluid volume is decreased. The fluid passes through the valve unit 57, through conduits, to the first and second diaphragm units 56, 58.
The second control unit 18 may also contain other conventional fluid distribution system(s) 62 for distributing fluid to any bladder positioned between the head section 28 and an arbitrary demarcation line 60 located between the head and the foot sections of device 10. See dotted line 60 in
If any bladders extend between the foot section and the demarcation line, the fluid control system 32 may provide the fluid directly to those bladders, as suggested in
There are numerous reasons for having two distinct control units, other than the reasons set forth above. One of those reasons is that it diminishes the chances of the conduits kinking. As suggested above, the fluid and power is generated in the first control unit 16. The first control unit combines all the conduits that direct fluid and power for all components positioned exclusively (and possibly, non-exclusively) between the head section and the demarcation line. By combining those conduits to the second control unit 18, there is a decreased chance of kinking. Moreover, by diminishing the number of conduits extending to the various bladders from the first control unit 16, cleaning the device 10 becomes easier. It becomes easier to clean because there are fewer components to detach and re-attach.
A Vibrating Pad Embodiment
A variation of a vibrating pad 12 has at least a first chamber 66 and a second chamber 68, as shown in
If this embodiment of the vibrating pad 12 is used, the vibrating pad 12 may have a center line 70 that separates the first chamber 66 from the second chamber 68. That center line makes it extremely convenient to attach, and thus secure, center line 70 to center line 24 as illustrated in
If the vibratory pad 12 receives a fluid, the vibratory pad 12 must (1) have (i) an inlet and an outlet or (ii) an inlet and outlet that are the same, and (2) be made of a material that can receive a fluid. Examples of such materials are the same as used with the bladder 12.
Base Embodiment
Below the vibrating pad 14 (
The third bladder 48, as illustrated in
Another embodiment of the present invention has wave bladders 68, as illustrated in
In another alternative embodiment, a temperature pad 70 can be positioned above, or alternatively within or below, the bladder 14. The temperature pad 70 can receive a fluid of any desired temperature. That means, the temperature pad can heat, cool or maintain the temperature of the patient positioned on the device 10. The fluid can be a gas or a liquid. Preferably, the fluid is a liquid and the temperature is controlled by a Medi-Therm® unit. The temperature pad 70 can even be a conventional electric blanket or a cover that is electrically conductive and can generate desired and sufficient thermal energy. In any case, the heating element is designed to dilate a user's bronchial passages. This allows the mucous to break up, which is assisted by the vibrator 12. The mucous can then be easily expelled from the user.
Temperature Control
Notwithstanding the temperature pad 70, the present invention can alter the fluid's temperature to any desired temperature. This can be accomplished through an appropriate fluid temperature device, like Gaymar's Medi-Therm unit. An example of such a device is illustrated in expired U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,804.
In some cases, the reservoir 35 or the first control unit 16 may be or contain such a fluid temperature controlling device 72, as shown in
Controlling the Fluid Pressure
There are numerous conduits used in the device 10 that direct a fluid to a respective device. The pressure of the fluid can be controlled in numerous conventional methods. One of those methods is the inner diameter of the conduits, which could be different for each bladder. Another method is to control the flow rate of the fluid from the various pumps or diaphragms. All of these various fluid pressure controls and other conventional methods can be utilized throughout the device 10 when desired.
Rotating Mattress Embodiment
Below the cover 13, or below the above-identified interior components of device 10 which includes elements 12-70 (excluding element 35 when outside the device 10) is a mattress rotating bladder 74, as shown in
Deep Vein Thrombosis Cuff
There are numerous types of deep vein thrombosis cuffs 76. An example of one such a device is described and illustrated in commonly assigned expired U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,384. The cuff 76 is designed to be interconnected to a fluid source. The fluid source is normally distinct from the mattress unit. To decrease unnecessary instruments around the mattress 10, the cuff 76 can be interconnected to at least one outlet 78 of the first control unit 16, in particular the fluid control system 32, or a second fluid control system 32a, as shown if
Swinging or Movable Pendant
The pendant 50 is a conventional pendant. It can be removeably attached or permanently attached to the first control unit 16. By removably attached, we mean the pendant can be a remote control unit (normally undesired in hospital settings), tethered to the first control unit 16, or removable so the pendant 50 can be programmed and when it is properly re-positioned onto a handle 82, as shown if
In many cases, the pendant is limited to a particular position on the first control unit 16. Such limitations may be undesired to the owner of the device 10 because of the position of the device 10 in a room, or the use of bed rails and the like. Accordingly, applicant has devised a unique method to provide the user with options for the placement of the pendant and/or the handle 82 for the pendant 50 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “control station” 84).
The first control unit 16 is a conventional box-like device with a top surface, a bottom surface and at least four sides positioned between the top and bottom surfaces. Two of the sides and a corresponding corner act like a lazy-susan turntable 86. This lazy-susan turntable has at least three sides and one of the sides contains the control station 84. It is preferred that the lazy-susan has at least one stop-position mechanism 88 that prevents the lazy-susan turntable 86 from hitting the control station 84.
It is possible that the lazy-susan turntable 86 can be positioned on either side of the device 10.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/728,498, filed on Dec. 5, 2003 (now allowed), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 60/457,638, filed on Mar. 26, 2003; and U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 60/498,088, filed on Aug. 27, 2003.
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