U.S. patent application number 12/508805 was filed with the patent office on 2011-01-27 for air cylinder design with integrated bolster features.
Invention is credited to Kenneth Scott Siegner, Charles Curtis Wyatt.
Application Number | 20110016634 12/508805 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43496000 |
Filed Date | 2011-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110016634 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Siegner; Kenneth Scott ; et
al. |
January 27, 2011 |
Air Cylinder Design with Integrated Bolster Features
Abstract
A support surface includes a plurality of air cylinders disposed
crosswise and aligned to define the support surface. The air
cylinders include a first foam therein. Adjacent cylinders are
provided with varying support characteristics to define multiple
support zones along a length of the support surface. At least some
of the plurality of air cylinders additionally include an
integrated bolster at ends thereof that is formed of a second foam,
firmer than the first foam.
Inventors: |
Siegner; Kenneth Scott;
(Calimesa, CA) ; Wyatt; Charles Curtis; (Corona,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
901 NORTH GLEBE ROAD, 11TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Family ID: |
43496000 |
Appl. No.: |
12/508805 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/709 ; 5/713;
5/730; 5/739 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 27/081 20130101;
A47C 27/088 20130101; A47C 27/10 20130101; A47C 27/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
5/709 ; 5/713;
5/730; 5/739 |
International
Class: |
A47C 27/00 20060101
A47C027/00; A47C 27/14 20060101 A47C027/14; A47C 27/10 20060101
A47C027/10; A47C 17/00 20060101 A47C017/00 |
Claims
1. A support surface comprising a plurality of air cylinders
disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface, the
air cylinders including a first foam therein, wherein adjacent
cylinders are provided with varying support characteristics to
define multiple support zones along a length of the support
surface, and wherein at least some of the plurality of air
cylinders additionally comprise an integrated bolster at ends
thereof, the integrated bolster being formed of a second foam
firmer than the first foam.
2. A support surface according to claim 1, further comprising a
source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the
air cylinders, the source of pressurized air selectively varying
the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to
which it is attached.
3. A support surface according to claim 1, wherein the first foam
is layered with differing structural characteristics to create
progressive support.
4. A support surface according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of
the air cylinders comprise the integrated bolsters, and wherein the
integrated bolsters of adjacent air cylinders are aligned to define
side rails along the length of the support surface.
5. A support surface according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of
air cylinders define a cylinder section of the support surface, the
support surface further comprising a head section attached to the
cylinder section at a head end thereof, a heel section attached at
a heel end thereof, a base layer disposed beneath the cylinder
section, and an interface layer disposed overlaying the cylinder
section.
6. A support surface according to claim 5, comprising ten air
cylinders.
7. A support surface according to claim 5, wherein the base layer
is disposed beneath the cylinder section and the head section, and
wherein the interface layer is disposed overlaying the cylinder
section and the heel section.
8. A support surface comprising: an air cylinder section including
a plurality of air cylinders; a head section attached to a head end
of the cylinder section; and a heel section attached to a heel end
of the cylinder section, wherein each of the plurality of cylinders
comprises a foam cavity including a foam insert therein, and
wherein at least some of the foam inserts comprise a center foam
section and foam bolster sections disposed at outside ends of the
center foam section, the foam bolster sections being firmer than
the center foam section.
9. A support surface according to claim 8, wherein the foam bolster
sections of adjacent air cylinders are aligned to define side rails
along a length of the support surface.
10. A support surface according to claim 8, wherein the foam
bolster sections are integral with the center foam section.
11. A support surface according to claim 8, further comprising a
source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the
air cylinders, the source of pressurized air selectively varying
the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to
which it is attached.
12. A support surface comprising a plurality of air cylinders
disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface, the
air cylinders including foam therein, wherein the air cylinders are
provided with varying support characteristics and comprise: a main
support component along a length of the support surface and in a
center of the support surface; and a pair of side support
components along the length of the support surface and on opposite
sides of the main support component, the side support components
being firmer than the main support component, wherein the main
support component and the side support components extend across
substantially an entire width of the support surface such that
substantially the entire width of the support surface is a
therapeutic surface.
13. A support surface according to claim 12, wherein the support
surface is less than 20'' wide.
14. A support surface according to claim 12, wherein the support
surface is about 18'' wide.
15. A support surface according to claim 12, wherein each of the
air cylinders comprises a center foam section and foam bolster
sections disposed at outside ends of the center foam section, the
foam bolster sections being firmer than the center foam
section.
16. A support surface according to claim 12, further comprising a
source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the
air cylinders, the source of pressurized air selectively varying
the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to
which it is attached.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] (NOT APPLICABLE)
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] (NOT APPLICABLE)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention relates to a support surface with increased
therapeutic surface area and, more particularly, to a support
surface including air cylinders that incorporate bolsters as an
integrated feature.
[0004] Foam-filled air cylinders are commonly used in medical
mattresses to provide alternating pressure therapy to patients.
These welded air cylinders can take on a variety of shapes. Using
open cell foam, the air cylinders serve to create a structured
shape when unloaded and achieve a wicking effect of air
transfer/movement from one cylinder to another when a patient/user
is supported on or moving on the support surface.
[0005] The foams in these air cylinders can be layered with
different support characteristics to create progressive support.
The foams can be single blocks of foam that differ from adjacent
cylinders to create zonal areas of support longitudinally from head
to foot. Additionally, the cylinders can be plumbed to operate with
or without a pump in an open or closed system.
[0006] Generally, these types of mattresses use firmer side rails
that lend a sense of stability to the patient and help provide
assurance that the patient will remain centered side-to-side on the
surface. Conventionally, this is accomplished using separate,
firmer bolsters (side rails) added to the outside of the air
cylinders to effectively frame in the air cylinders (the
therapeutic component) of the support surface. The side rails are
typically separate features in the mattress that are added to the
outside of the therapeutic component.
[0007] A problem arises, however, particularly with narrower
support surfaces such as stretchers or emergency pads or the like
in that less than the full width of the support surface can claim
to have a therapeutic application. Since the firmer bolsters are
attached to the outside of the air cylinders, the bolster portions
of the support surface are not capable of providing varying support
characteristics.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It would thus be desirable for a support surface to increase
the therapeutic surface area while maintaining the bolsters
function. A support surface includes air cylinders that incorporate
the bolsters as an integrated feature into the internal foam, which
is inside the cylinders themselves. These bolsters line up in a
cylinder cavity to define the bolstered side rails. By
incorporating firmer foam at the end of the foam within the air
cylinders, the side bolstering function can be achieved but with
the advantage of additional therapeutic surface area.
[0009] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a support
surface includes a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise
and aligned to define the support surface. The air cylinders
include a first foam therein. Adjacent cylinders are provided with
varying support characteristics to define multiple support zones
along a length of the support surface. At least some of the
plurality of air cylinders additionally include an integrated
bolster at ends thereof that is formed of a second foam, firmer
than the first foam. The support surface may additionally include a
source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the
air cylinders. The source of pressurized air selectively varies the
support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to
which it is attached. The first foam may be layered with differing
structural characteristics to create progressive support. In a
preferred construction, a plurality of the air cylinders comprise
the integrated bolsters, where the integrated bolsters of adjacent
air cylinders are aligned to define side rails along the length of
the support surface.
[0010] In one construction, the plurality of air cylinders define a
cylinder section of the support surface, where the support surface
further includes a head section attached to the cylinder section at
a head end thereof, a heel section attached at a heel end thereof,
a base layer disposed beneath the cylinder section, and an
interface layer disposed overlaying the cylinder section. In this
context, the support surface may include ten air cylinders.
Moreover, the base layer may be disposed beneath the cylinder
section and the head section, and the interface layer may be
disposed overlaying the cylinder section and the heel section.
[0011] In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a support
surface includes an air cylinder section including a plurality of
air cylinders, a head section attached to a head end of the
cylinder section, and a heel section attached to a heel end of the
cylinder section. Each of the plurality of cylinders has a foam
cavity including a foam insert therein, and at least some of the
foam inserts include a center foam section and foam bolster
sections disposed at outside ends of the center foam section, where
the foam bolster sections are firmer than the center foam section.
In this context, the foam bolster sections of adjacent air
cylinders may be aligned to define side rails along a length of the
support surface. Moreover, the foam bolster sections may be
integral with the center foam section.
[0012] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a support surface
includes a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise and
aligned to define the support surface. The air cylinders have foam
therein, and the air cylinders are provided with varying support
characteristics. The air cylinders include a main support component
along a length of the support surface and in a center of the
support surface, and a pair of side support components along the
length of the support surface and on opposite sides of the main
support component. The side support components are firmer than the
main support component. The main support component and the side
support components extend across substantially an entire width of
the support surface such that substantially the entire width of the
support surface is a therapeutic surface. The support surface may
be less than 20'' wide, and more preferably is about 18'' wide. In
one arrangement, each of the air cylinders includes a center foam
section and foam bolster sections disposed at outside ends of the
center foam section, where the foam bolster sections are firmer
than the center foam section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary air stretcher
board pad utilizing air cylinders with integrated bolsters;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the exemplary board pad showing the
arrangement of the air cylinders;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the exemplary board pad;
and
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cylinder with
integrated bolsters.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary stretcher board
pad 10 including a plurality of air cylinders 12 disposed crosswise
and aligned to define a cylinder section 13 of the support surface.
Adjacent cylinders 12 are provided with varying support
characteristics to define multiple support zones along a length of
the support surface 10. The air cylinders 12 include a cylinder
case 12a and a foam material 12b disposed within the cylinder case.
A head section 14 is attached to a head end of the cylinder section
13, and a heel section 16 is attached to a heel end of the cylinder
section 13. The head section 14 is formed using a foam head layer
18 that is of a low hardness and is suitable for supporting a
person's head. The heel section 16 includes a soft foam layer 20
suited for supporting a person's heels. As shown, a soft interface
layer 22 extends from above the heel section 16 and the cylinder
section 13. A nitril sponge base layer 24 extends underneath the
cylinder section 13 and the head section 14. In the exemplary
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the stretcher board pad 10 as
constructed is less than twenty inches wide and, more particularly,
about eighteen inches wide.
[0018] In the conventional construction, as described above, it is
typical to incorporate side rails to assist the patient in
remaining centered on the surface. The conventional means of
accomplishing this is by attaching separate, firmer bolsters (side
rails) to the outside of the air cylinders to, in effect, frame in
the air cylinders (the therapeutic component) of the support
surface. The added side rails, however, take away from the
therapeutic surface area.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a single air cylinder 12.
The foam material within the cylinder case includes a main support
component or center foam section 26 and side support components or
foam bolster sections 28 disposed at outside ends of the center
foam section 26. The foam bolster sections 28 are firmer than the
center foam section 26 to thereby provide the side bolstering
function. Preferably, the foam bolster sections 28 are integral
with the center foam section 26. When assembled, the foam bolster
sections 28 of adjacent air cylinders 12 are aligned to define side
rails along a length of the support surface. The center foam
section 26 and the foam bolster sections 28 preferably extend
across substantially an entire width of the support surface such
that substantially the entire width of the support surface is a
therapeutic surface.
[0020] The support surface 10 may additionally include a source of
pressurized air 30 communicating with at least some of the air
cylinders 12. The source of pressurized air 30 selectively varies
the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders 12
to which it is attached.
[0021] With the bolsters connected or integrated into the internal
foam in the air cylinders of a support surface, air movement can be
maximized in the support surface to the widest area possible. The
construction eliminates the need for added rails that typically
perform this function and enable the therapeutic surface area to be
increased.
[0022] While the invention has been described in connection with
what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements
included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *