Abstract:
The present invention relates to a mattress system in which a ultra low pressure plenum is positioned within the mattress system. In one embodiment, the ultra low pressure plenum is a bladder which is sandwiched between layers of a foam material. A plurality of ultra low pressure plenums formed as columns extending longitudinally or laterally along the length of the mattress system can be used.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/495,096, filed Jun. 9, 2011, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a mattress system including low pressure air communicating chamber for providing support to a recumbent person. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Patients who lie on beds for a long term are easily subject to suffer from decubitus ulcers due to humidity or unrelieved pressure. A conventional mattress is made of thick and soft material, such as cotton. The thickness of the mattress can prevent the human body of the patient from directly touching a hard surface and provides some support. However, the conventional mattress is not sufficient to prevent decubitus ulcers. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,945,979 describes a mattress with airflow-circulating function. Filled static air chambers with enough air to support a patient are too stiff. 
         [0007]    It is desirable to provide an improved mattress to provide contouring and sufficient support. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention relates to a mattress system in which a ultra low pressure plenum is positioned within the mattress system. In one embodiment, the ultra low pressure plenum is a bladder which is sandwiched between layers of a foam material. 
         [0009]    In an alternate embodiment, the mattress system is formed of a low pressure midsection which sits on a low pressure lower section. A top layer formed of foam is attached to the top of the low pressure midsection. The low pressure midsection can be formed of a plurality of ultra low pressure plenums formed as columns extending longitudinally or laterally along the length of the mattress system. The ultra low pressure plenum is a static air plenum with a fixed amount of air to provide ultra low pressure support. The ultra low pressure plenum can be formed of an air bladder within an elastic sleeve to provide a column of air. The ultra low pressure plenums are contained in a side-by-side relationship to provide communication between the ultra low pressure plenums. In one embodiment, the ultra low pressure plenums can be staggered. A fluid medium can be present in any spaces between the ultra low pressure plenums. The low pressure lower section can be an air plenum. In this embodiment, the low pressure midsection provides micro-contouring to the patient and low pressure lower section provides macro-contouring to a recumbent patient. The mattress system maximizes the number of degrees of freedom of patient movement. 
         [0010]    The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram end view of a mattress system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram end cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a mattress system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram top view of a low pressure midsection used in the mattress system shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram end cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a mattress system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram end cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of a mattress system in accordance with the teachings of the present invention including a means to provide low air loss. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6A  is a schematic diagram end cross sectional view of the mattress system including a housing. 
           [0017]      FIG. 6B  is a top plan view of the mattress system shown in  FIG. 6A . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of mattress system  10  in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. In one embodiment, low pressure section  12  is positioned between top layer  14  and bottom layer  16 . In this embodiment, top layer  14  and bottom layer  16  can be formed of a foam material. Low pressure section  12  can be formed of ultra low pressure plenum  17  having low pressure air therein. Ultra low pressure plenum  17  can be filled with a gas, such as air, nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. Pressure in ultra low pressure plenum  17  can be below about 20 mm of water or about 20 mm of water to about 5 mm of water or 10 mm or water to about 5 mm of water. Alternatively, pressure lower than 5 mm or water can be used in ultra low pressure plenum  17 . It will be appreciated that all equivalents such as mm, Hg, and PSI can be used for measuring the pressure within ultra low pressure plenum  17 . For example, low pressure section  12  can be formed of a closed plastic or urethane material. Low pressure section  12 , top layer  14  and bottom layer  16  can be respectfully attached to one another for providing communication between top layer  14 , low pressure section  12  and bottom layer  16 . 
         [0020]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate an alternative embodiment of mattress system  20 . Low pressure midsection  22  can be formed of a plurality of ultra low pressure plenums  30  extending across the length L 1  of mattress system  20 . Ultra low pressure plenums  30  can be contained in a side-by-side relationship within cover  32 . Cover  32  can be formed of an elastic material. Ultra low pressure plenums  30  can be staggered and include fluid medium  31  in spaces between ultra low pressure plenums  30 . Each of ultra low pressure plenums  30  can be formed of bladder  34  contained within elastic sleeve  35  to form a column. Bladder  34  can be formed of plastic or urethane. Bladder  34  can be filled with a gas. For example, the elastic sleeve can be formed of Lycra®. 
         [0021]    Ultra low pressure plenums  30  can be filled with a gas, such as air, nitrogen, hydrogen and helium. The pressure within ultra low pressure plenum  30  can be below about 5 mm of water. Alternatively, pressure lower than 5 mm or water can be used in ultra low pressure plenum  17 . It will be appreciated that all equivalents such as mm, Hg, and PSI can be used for measuring the pressure within ultra low pressure plenum  30 . Alternatively, one or more of ultra low pressure plenums  30  can be filled with fluidized material  15  which can retain its shape after sculpting. The flowability or lubricity of fluidized material  15  can be increased by adding a lubricant or by the removal of air from the interstitial spaces or both. The preferred medium of fluidized material  15  is a particulate material that has been modified in such a way that it acts like a fluid Fluidized material  15  refers to a compound or composition which can be sculpted and retain its shape and has no memory or substantially no memory. The no memory or substantially no memory feature enables ultra low pressure plenum  30  to increase in height and maintain support of a body part. Fluidized material  15  is made of a viscosity that will allow it to contour but not collapse under the weight of the body part. 
         [0022]    At sea level, the normal interstitial air pressure would exceed about 760 millibars of mercury. This increases or decreases marginally as altitude varies. Depending on the nature of the particulate fluidized material  15 , the pressure can be lowered below about 500 millibars, preferably, about 350 millibars to about 5 millibars, while still maintaining the necessary flow characteristics of the product. The amount the pressure is lowered is dependent on the interstitial spaces needed to provide desired flow characteristics of the product. 
         [0023]    Fluidized material  15  can include beads, such as polyethylene or polystyrene (PS) beads, expanded polyethylene (PE), crosslinked expanded polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) pellets, closed cell foams, microspheres, encapsulated phase changing materials (PCM). The beads can be hard shelled or flexible. In one embodiment, the beads are flexible and air can be evacuated from the beads. In one embodiment, hard beads can be mixed with flexible beads in which air can be evacuated from the flexible beads. In an alternative embodiment, fluidized material  15  can a porous foam substance including pockets of interstitial air. In one embodiment, fluidized material  15  can be a polyurethane foam. The polyurethane foam can be open or closed cell and cut into small shapes such as spheres or blocks. For example, a sphere of polyurethane foam can have a size of 2 inches in diameter. For example, a block of polyurethane foam can be a 1×1×1 inch block. 
         [0024]    Suitable examples of fluidized material  15  can be formed of a mixture of microspheres and lubricant. The microspheres can include hollow or gas-filled structural bubbles (typically of glass or plastic) with an average diameter of less than 200 microns. The composition flows and stresses in response to a deforming pressure exerted on it and the composition ceases to flow and stresses when the deforming pressure is terminated. For example, fluidized material  15  can be formed of a product referenced to as Floam™. A flowable compound comprising lubricated microspheres, including the compound itself, formulations for making the compound, methods for making the compound, products made from the compound and methods for making products from the compound as defined by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,421,874, 5,549,743, 5,626,657, 6,020,055, 6,197,099, and 8,171,585, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. Ultra low pressure plenum  30  provides micro-contouring because fluidized material  15  can respond three-dimensionally. In an alternate embodiment, all of ultra low pressure plenums  30  can include fluidized material  15 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates an alternate embodiment of mattress system  40 . In this embodiment, low pressure midsection  22  sits on low pressure lower section  23 . For example, low pressure lower section  23  can be an air plenum. In one embodiment, low pressure lower section  23  can be formed of plastic or urethane. Top layer  24  is positioned over low pressure midsection  22 . Top layer  24  can be formed of a foam material. For example, the pressure in low pressure lower section  23  can be below about 20 mm of water. It will be appreciated that all equivalents such as mm, Hg, and PSI can be used for measuring the pressure within ultra low pressure section  23 . In this embodiment, low pressure midsection  22  provides micro-contouring to the patient and low pressure lower section  23  provides macro-contouring to a recumbent patient. Low pressure lower section  23 , low pressure midsection  22  and top layer  24  can be respectfully attached to one another for providing communication between top layer  24  and low pressure midsection  22  and low pressure low pressure midsection  22  and low pressure lower section  23 . 
         [0026]    The amount of air used in ultra low pressure plenums  30  and/or the size of ultra low pressure plenums  30  can be varied to vary the amount of interluminal area that is supported to thereby effect the ability of low pressure midsection  22  to contour to the patient. In one embodiment, a greater amount of air can be used in ultra low pressure plenums  30  positioned, for example, under the sacrum and a lesser amount of air can be used in ultra low pressure plenums  30  positioned, for example, under the head or heels of a patient. In one embodiment, ultra low pressure plenums  30  with gas for fluid  31  can be rotated to alternate filling of ultra low pressure plenums  30  to provide alternating support. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  illustrates an alternative embodiment of mattress system  50 . Low pressure lower section  23  can include dynamic air. Air  55  is pumped into low pressure lower section  23  through valve  56  by pump  57 . Low pressure lower section  23  is perforated with apertures  58 . Air can flow from low pressure lower section  23  through low pressure midsection  22 . Low pressure lower section  23  provides a dynamic amount of air to system  50  for adjusting the amount of air in system  50  and providing low air loss. 
         [0028]    Low pressure lower section  23  can be received on foam bottom  51  for providing additional support. 
         [0029]    Housing  60  can extend around mattress system  40  or mattress system  50 , as shown in  FIG. 6A-FIG .  6 B. In one embodiment, top layer  24  can slide across ultra low pressure plenums  30  to reduce both friction and shear. 
         [0030]    Mattress system  40  or mattress system  50  within housing  60  can provide six degrees of freedom by allowing plenums  30  to slide in any direction and provide shear relief and function relief. Housing  60  can be formed of an elastic material which is sewn around mattress system  40  or mattress system  50 . Alternatively, housing  60  is formed of one or more sheets of a plastic or urethane material which are welded to one another. 
         [0031]    It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.