Patent ID: 11883358
Assignee: LEGGETT & PLATT CANADA CO.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 16:
17. A pneumatic massage system comprising:
a source of pressurized air;
a plurality of fluidic switching modules, wherein each fluidic switching module of the plurality of fluidic switching modules includes
a first subsystem having a first air splitter downstream from and in fluid communication with the source of pressurized air,
wherein the first air splitter is configured to passively bias the airflow in a staggered fashion between a second subsystem in fluid communication with and downstream from the first subsystem, the second subsystem having a second air splitter, and
a third subsystem in fluid communication with and downstream from the first subsystem, the third subsystem having a third air splitter;
an array of bladder assemblies arranged in a plurality of rows, wherein each row of the plurality of rows of bladder assemblies includes at least two bladder assemblies, wherein each bladder assembly of the at least two bladder assemblies in a same row is in fluid communication with a same fluidic switching module of the plurality of fluidic switching modules,

wherein a first row of the plurality of rows of bladder assemblies includes a first bladder assembly having a first plurality of bladders and a second bladder assembly having a second plurality of bladders equal in number to the first plurality of bladders, and wherein a first fluidic switching module of the plurality of fluidic switching modules is in fluid communication with the first and second bladder assemblies and configured to inflate and deflate the first and second plurality of bladders in a same predefined sequence by selectively switching and deflecting an airflow toward each of the bladders of the first and second plurality of bladders in response to unequal air pressure fields created by a stationary airflow biasing feature formed in each of the first, second and third air splitters of the first fluidic switching module or in response to pressure feedback created in the first fluidic switching module, and
wherein a second row of the plurality of rows of bladder assemblies includes a third bladder assembly having a third plurality of bladders and a fourth bladder assembly having a fourth plurality of bladders equal in number to the third plurality of bladders, and wherein a second fluidic switching module of the plurality of fluidic switching modules is in fluid communication with the third and fourth bladder assemblies and configured to inflate and deflate the third and fourth plurality of bladders in a same predefined sequence by selectively switching and deflecting an airflow toward each of the bladders of the third and fourth plurality of bladders in response to unequal air pressure fields created by a stationary airflow biasing feature formed in each of the first, second and third air splitters of the second fluidic switching module or in response to pressure feedback created in the second fluidic switching module.