Abstract:
The present invention relates to an air cushion bed with a water-draining device, comprising a water tank with an air cushion on top, air conduits, pumps and a controller. The foregoing air cushion contains multiple air bladders that are linked together; the air conduits are installed at both sides of the upper part of the air cushion with air holes toward various directions; the controller activates the pump to convey air, further controlling the inflation and deflation of the air bladders and the air spurting from the air conduits. The base plate of the water tank is tilted, having a water outlet at the lowest part, therefore the wastewater, contained by the water tank, can be channeled through the tilted base plate and discharged through the water outlet. The foregoing air conduits spurt cold or hot air, enabling the user to keep warm during the winter and keep cool during the summer, and providing the disabled or patients in the persistent vegetative state with heat-preserving effect, and functions of both body-washing and excrement cleaning while in bed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a folding air cushion bed, with a water-draining device that is capable of containing the wastewater from the body-washing and excrement-cleaning, and discharging the wastewater with the tilted base plate through the water outlet. In addition, the present invention provides cool or warm air, preventing the user, with the function of heat-preserving and coolness-keeping, from dampening, germ-growing condition and skin affection, thus providing the user with functions of body cleaning, body drying and wastewater processing.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    For prior arts in sickbed design, aside from the consideration of the comfortability of the sick, certain additional functions, like beds with air cushions, are added to accommodate the need of the disabled or patients in the persistent vegetative state. However, no prior arts in sickbed design takes into account the bathing and cleaning needs for patients unable to get off the sickbeds themselves. Please refer to FIG. 1-A and FIG. 1-B of the prior arts. The air cushion bed  1  comprises multiple air bladders  11 , an air conduit  12  and a control valve  13 , with the air conduit  12  connecting the multiple air bladders  11  and jointing the control valve  13 . Therefore the user, by operating the control valve  13  to control the airflow, can adjust the air pressure of the air bladders  11 , and enable the air cushion bed to be in a state of undulation for comfortable use by the user.  
           [0005]    Nevertheless, the air cushion bed  1  of the prior art provides only the function of adjusting the air pressure of the air cushion for comfortable use, without considering the need of bodily sanitation for disabled patients and patients in the persistent vegetative state, leaving patients with foregoing conditions no choice but to wear adult diapers, thus creating tremendous financial burden to the families of the patients. Besides, even though the caregivers can use wet towels to clean the patients, the sanitary effect will not be thorough, for the caregivers cannot provide the patients with body-bathing and hair-washing needs. Even though the caregivers may try to bathe the patients with water, the wastewater will wet the sheets and drip to the ground, thus creating a dangerous working environment for the caregivers as well as inconvenience for the patients.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention provides an air cushion bed with a water-draining device, whereby enhancing the existing function of the sickbed through adding the water-draining capacity with the air cushion bed, thus creating a sanitary environment for the patients. The present invention includes a cushion with at least one air bladder, air conduits, a water tank, a pump, and a controller. The foregoing water tank contains front, rear, left and right walls and a tilted base plate with a water outlet, and is supported by a supporting frame that includes four legs with wheels so that the bed can be moved with ease. The air cushion is placed on top of the water tank&#39;s base plate, with the air conduits installed on both top-right and top-left of the air cushion. Thus the caregiver can use water to bathe the patients and clean the excrement and other matters, with the wastewater being flushed down to the water tank through the peripheries of the air bladder, then being channeled by the tilted base plate of the water tank to be discharged through the water outlet. In addition, the present invention provides cool or warm air through the air conduits, an additional function that not only keeps the air cushion dry and the bed warm during the winter and cool during the summer, but also keeps the patient&#39;s body as well as the bed from dampening and germ-growing condition without any skin affection. Hence, the present invention furnishes the disabled or patients in the persistent vegetative state with the convenience of being bathed in bed, and with the practical solutions of the discharge of the excrement and wastewater after bathing and cleaning, as well as the effect of keeping the patient warm.  
           [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide the patient with cleaning the excrement in bed, thus alleviating the financial burden of the patient&#39;s family by saving the expenses of using adult diapers. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1-A is a top plan view of an air cushion bed of the prior art;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1-B is a side view of an air cushion bed of the prior art;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a structural perspective view of an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a right side view of an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a front side view of an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0015]    FIGS.  6 -A and  6 -B both depict an air cushion bed with one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, wherein:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6-A shows the inflation of the odd-numbered air cushions (A) within an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6-B shows the inflation of the even-numbered air cushions (B) within an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 shows the cleaning means of an air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 is a structural perspective view of an air cushion bed with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    As shown in FIG. 2, the air cushion bed  2  with water-draining device of the present invention mainly comprises at least one air bladder  21  made of waterproof material, air conduits  221 ,  222  and  223 , a water tank  24 , pumps  231  and  232 , and a controller  25 ; wherein the water tank  24  is supported by a supporting frame  28  that contains at least four legs, with the end of each leg jointing a wheel  29 , enabling the air cushion bed to be moved with ease. In addition, the water tank  24  contains front, rear, left and right walls and a tilted base plate with a water outlet, thus forming a water-holding space. The base plate  241  tilts from one end (e.g. the left end) to the other end (e.g. the right end), and from the upper end to the lower end, thus forming the tilting structure sloping from the upper left end to the lower right end (as shown in FIG. 4). The water outlet  242 , capable of filtering the wastewater, is installed at the lowest part of the base plate  241 . The air bladder  21 , installed on top of the base plate  241  in the water tank  24 , contains an air bladder  211  that is kept air-full and used to support the head of the patient, with a removable pillow  30  on top. The pillow  30  can also become part of the air bladder  21 . The air bladder  21  is pierced through and connected, or as shown in FIG. 3, the air bladder  21 (A) and air bladder  21 (B) are pierced through and connected respectively, by the first air conduit  221  and the second air conduit  222 , both of which are linked to the first pump  231 . The third air conduit  223 , linked to the second pump  232 , is installed at both sides of the upper part of the air bladder  21 , the width of which shall at least wider than the shoulder length of the patient so that the patient will not lay on the air conduit  223 . An electric circuit (as shown in FIG. 5) is formed between the controller  25  and the pump  231  and  232 , enabling the user to control the air-pumping condition of the air bladder  21 .  
         [0021]    Also shown in FIG. 2, the air cushion bed  2  with the water-draining device of the present invention includes the controller  25  to output controlling signals for the operation of the first pump  231 , and further control both in and out of the airflow through the air conduits  221  and  222 , which, while both channeling the air in, can make the air bladder  21  reach the full air-containing capacity. Moreover, a pressure sensor (not shown in drawings) is installed at the air outlet of the pump  231 , so that if the air pressure reaches the pre-determined pressure value, the operation of the pump  231  will be stopped, with the air-channeling by the air conduit  221  also stopped. The tilting angle of the base plate  241  is so slight that the patient resting on the air bladder  21  shall not sense it; besides, the air bladder  21  can be designed with linear variations (as shown in FIG. 4), so that the horizontality of the air bladder  21  shall be kept after the completion of the inflation. Water is used to flush the excrement or clean the body of the patient resting on top of the air bladder  21 , thereafter the wastewater is flushed through the peripheries of every air bladder  21  down to the water tank  24 , then is channeled by the tilted base plate  241  and discharged through the water outlet  242 .  
         [0022]    Also through operating the controller  25 , an output signal can be sent to control the operation of the pump  232 , which then pumps the air in through the third air conduit  223 , so the air is spurted from both sides of the air conduit  223  toward the patient resting on the bed, thus keeping the patient&#39;s body dry and comfortable. Moreover, an extra bedding cushion (not shown in drawings) can be added on the air conduit  223  for the patient&#39;s comfortable use; also at the outlet of the pump  232  an instant heating unit can be added to heat up the air instantly, enabling the air conduit  223  to pump out cool air during the summer or hot air during the winter, which is one of the embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0023]    It is easy for those skilled in the art to employ the micro-computing device for controlling the inflation and deflation of the air bladder  21 , and the micro-computing device can also be included in the present invention to achieve the inflation and deflation of respective air bladders, and switch the patient&#39;s pressure points while resting in bed. The automatic micro-computing control device of the present invention is further described as follows. As shown in FIGS.  6 -A and  6 -B, the controller  25  is an automatic micro-computing control device, which includes a pressure sensor, an automatic pressure controller and an electromagnetic tee valve, wherein the electromagnetic tee valve connects three tubes (one in and two outs), with one end linking the pump  231  to pump in air, and the other two ends linking the air conduits  221  and  222 , while only either one of the two air conduits  221  and  222  receiving the air pumped in from the pump  231 , with another one being shut. When the controller  25  being activated, a signal is outputted to the pump  231  to pump the air into the air conduit  221  through the electromagnetic tee valve, thus inflating the air bladders  21 (A), as shown in FIG. 6-A. In addition, a pressure sensor, installed at the inlet tube near the electromagnetic tee valve, includes a signal wire that connects with the automatic pressure controller, wherein a pre-determined value is installed, so when the pressure level of the air conduit  221  and the air bladder  21 (A) reaches the predetermined pressure value, the automatic pressure controller will be activated to cause the electromagnetic tee valve to close the passage to the air conduit  221  and the air bladders  21 (A), and to open the passage to the air conduit  222 , thus inflating the air bladders  21 (B), while the deflation of the air bladders  21 (A) begins. And then when the pressure level of the air conduit  222  and the air bladder  21 (B) reaches the predetermined pressure value, the automatic pressure controller will again be activated to cause the electromagnetic tee valve to open the passage to the air conduit  221 , thus inflating the air bladders  21 (A) instead. Therefore the process repeats itself until the controller  25  is turned off. With the process of alternately inflating and deflating the air bladders  21 (A) and  21 (B), the pressure points of the patient resting in bed are switched, thus the patient&#39;s muscles are relaxed, the blood flow enlivened and the damage or necrosis of the patient&#39;s back muscles prevented.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 shows the cleaning means of the air cushion bed embodying features of the present invention. The air cushion bed  2  with water-draining device further comprises a shower nozzle  26  joining with the water hose, and a placing rack  261  whereon the shower nozzle  26  can be placed. The water nozzle  26  contains a water valve switch whereon the user can operate by using fingers when holding the shower nozzle  26 , thus enabling the user to select different spray types and water temperatures while using. The water hose is connected to a water heater so that warm water can be provided. Consequently, the hot and cold water can be provided through the shower nozzle  26  for the user to wash hair and bathing. A water bucket  27  can be placed beneath the water outlet  242  to contain the wastewater, or a tube  27  can be connected to the water outlet  242  to channel the wastewater directly to the drainage ditch, while a filter is installed on top of the water outlet  242  to prevent body hair or other matters from blocking the flow of water. Certainly the source of water shall not be limited to tap water, for beside the bed a water tank can be placed wherein an electric heating device and a temperature controller can be installed to control the water temperature and provide warm or cold water for bathing and cleaning; in addition, a water level detector can be installed to issue warning through warning light or buzzer sound when the water level becomes too low.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the air cushion bed with the water-draining device is made of a waterproof material, thus forming a water-holding air container  31  to function as the water tank  24 , with the air bladder  21  placed on the base plate  311  at the bottom of the water-holding air container  31 , wherewith an air conduit is connected, with another end connected to the first pump  231  to form a single circuit, thus different from those of the air conduits  221 ,  222  and  223 . When the controller  25  is activated, a controlling signal is outputted to control the operation of the first pump  231  to inflate and deflate the water-holding air container  31  through the air conduit. When the inflation of the water-holding air container  31  is completed, the bottom surface of the concave shall tilt from one end (e.g. the left end) to the other end (e.g. the right end), and from the upper end to the lower end, thus forming a tilted structure sloping from the upper left end to the lower right end, with a water outlet installed at the lowest part of the bottom surface. The tilting angle of the bottom surface  311  is so slight that the patient resting on the air bladder  21  shall not sense it; besides, the air bladder  21  can be designed with linear variations, so that the horizontality of the air bladder  21  shall be kept after the completion of the inflation. Water is used to flush the excrement or clean the body of the patient resting on top of the air bladder  21 , thereafter the wastewater is flushed through the peripheries of every air bladder  21  down to the water-holding air container  31 , then is channeled by the bottom surface  311  and discharged through the water outlet. The embodiment of the present invention provides the user with the foldable function, for the air bladders  21  and the water-holding air container  31  can both be folded for safekeeping after complete deflation. Certainly the embodiment of the present invention, as the previous one, also provides cool or warm air, keeping the user, with the function of heat preserving and coolness-keeping, from dampening, germ-growing condition and skin affection. In addition, the air cushion bed in the embodiment of the present invention can be placed on top of other common sickbeds.  
         [0026]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art can easily understand that all kinds of alterations and changes can be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the air cushion bed with the water-draining device of the present invention can further be installed with either fixed or removable water containers on the supporting frame to contain the wastewater or store the cold and hot water for bathing and cleaning. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments contained herein.