Abstract:
The present invention is directed toward a mattress system and a method to decrease pressure applied to a patient. The mattress system has an analyzer that receives the measurements regarding the geometry of the mattress and the pressure of the bladders within the mattress. With that data, the analyzer compares those measurements and transmits a pressure signal to a pressure provider device. In response to the pressure signal, the pressure provider device alters and/or maintains the pressure in the bladders to decrease the chance of bottoming out and/or decrease the pressure applied to the patient.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is directed to a bladder mattress system. The bladder mattress system is capable of undergoing a gatching process. A gatching process converts a mattress from a supine position to a cardiac chair position, from the cardiac chair position to the supine position, and positions in between the cardiac chair position and the supine position. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Gaymar Industries, Inc. presently manufactures a mattress  100  that can be subjected to the gatching process as illustrated in  FIG. 1  (the supine position) and in  FIG. 2  (the cardiac chair position). The mattress  100  has a head section  110 , a foot section  120 , a gatch area  122  that distinguishes the head section  110  from the foot section  120 , a longitudinal axis  130 , a top surface  102  which a patient is designed to lay thereon and a bottom surface  104 . 
         [0003]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of mattress  100  illustrated in  FIG. 1  taken along the lines  3 - 3 . The mattress  100  contains a first set of plurality of inflatable cells  140  for supporting a patient in the head section  110  and a second set of plurality of inflatable cells  141  for supporting a patient in the foot section  120 . The first set of plurality of inflatable cells  140  and the second set of plurality of inflatable cells  141  may be positioned longitudinally in relation to the longitudinal axis  130 , horizontally in relation to the longitudinal axis, or combinations thereof. 
         [0004]    The mattress  100  also has a first inflatable enclosure  112  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) and a second inflatable enclosure  114  (see  FIG. 4 ) for laterally rotating a patient&#39;s head (and normally the upper torso) overlying the head section  110 . The first and second inflatable enclosures  112 ,  114  can be positioned over the top surface of the first set of plurality of inflatable cells  140 , under the bottom surface of the first set of plurality of inflatable cells  140 , and/or combinations thereof. 
         [0005]    The first inflatable enclosure  112  rotates the patient overlying the head section  110  in a first direction  113  relative to the longitudinal axis  130 . The second inflatable enclosure  114  rotates the patient overlying the head section  110  in a second direction  115 , relative to the longitudinal axis  130 . The second direction  114  is opposite the first direction  113 . 
         [0006]    The mattress  100  also has an analyzer  150 . The analyzer can be positioned within the mattress  100  ( FIG. 3 ) or alternatively outside the mattress  100  ( FIG. 5 ). The analyzer  150  is connected to a first pressure sensor  152 , a second pressure sensor  154 , a third pressure sensor  156 , and a fourth pressure sensor  158 . The first pressure sensor  152 , the second pressure sensor  154 , the third pressure sensor  156 , and the fourth pressure sensor  158  are pressure transducers or light sensors. There are no magnetic field strength sensors or electrically conductive baffle sheet(s) in the mattress  100  to determine the rotation of the patient&#39;s head on the mattress. The light sensor embodiment is described in greater detail in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,142. The preferred embodiment for the pressure sensors, however, is the pressure transducers. 
         [0007]    The third pressure sensor  156  measures the pressure within the first set of plurality of inflatable cells  140 . The third pressure sensor  156  transmits a third measured pressure value  301  to the analyzer  150 . The fourth pressure sensor measures the pressure within the second set of plurality of inflatable cells  141 . The fourth pressure sensor  158  transmits a fourth measured pressure value  303  to the analyzer  150 . 
         [0008]    The first pressure sensor  152  measures the pressure within the first inflatable enclosure  112 . The first pressure sensor  152  measures the pressure in (a) the enclosure as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , (b) an inlet conduit  116  that provides the fluid to the enclosure as generically illustrated in  FIG. 6   a  for all bladders, and/or the outlet conduit  118  that release the fluid from the enclosure as illustrated in the broken line format as illustrated in  FIG. 6   a  as an alternative embodiment. The input conduit and the output conduit can, in some embodiments, be the same as illustrated in  FIG. 6   b.  The first pressure sensor  152  transmits the first measured pressure  153  to the analyzer  150 . 
         [0009]    The second pressure sensor  154  measures the pressure within the second inflatable enclosure  114 . The second pressure sensor  154  can be the same or different type of sensor as the first pressure sensor  152 , and can be positioned in the same or similar locations as the first pressure sensor. The second pressure sensor  154  transmits the second measured pressure  155  to the analyzer  150 . 
         [0010]    The analyzer  150  receives a predetermined angle value  160 . The predetermined angle value  160  is the desired angle in which the entity on the mattress is to be rotated in the head section  110  at that particular time. The predetermined angle value  160  is either a programmed value over a certain time frame and/or a value that is provided by an entity that controls the mattress  100  positioning. 
         [0011]    The analyzer  150  reviews the first measured pressure  153 , the second measured pressure  155 , and the predetermined angle value  160 . If the analyzer  150  determines the first measured pressure  153  and the second measured pressure  155  are not interpreted to be at the predetermined angle value  160 , the analyzer  150  transmits a signal  162  to a pressure provider device  170 . 
         [0012]    The analyzer  150  also reviews the third measured pressure  301  and the fourth measured pressure  303 , and transmits the signal  162  to alter the pressure in the first set of plurality of inflatable cells  140  and/or the second set of plurality of inflatable cells  141 . 
         [0013]    The pressure provider device  170  provides a desired quantity of fluid into the first inflatable enclosure  112 , the second inflatable enclosure  114 , and the plurality of inflatable air cells  140 ,  141  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , and magnified in  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b.  The fluid is preferably air, but it could be an aqueous fluid. The fluid is directed into the respective enclosures  112 ,  114 , and cells  140 ,  141  through each enclosures and cells respective inlet and/or outlet conduits  116 ,  118 . The pressure provider device  170  is normally positioned exterior to the mattress  100 . The pressure provider device  170  is positioned exterior of the mattress  100  to avoid unnecessary kinking in the conduits  116 ,  118  in the gatch area  122 . The gatch area  122  is notorious for kinking hoses that adversely alter the pressure provided to the respective bladders  112 ,  114 ,  141 ,  140 . 
         [0014]    If the fluid is air, the first inflatable enclosure  112 , the second inflatable enclosure  114  and/or the plurality of inflatable cells  140 ,  141  can be air-loss devices or not. An air-loss device allows air to escape through a plurality of apertures. Those apertures are supposed to be directed toward the patient lying on the mattress  10 . 
         [0015]    The pressure provider device  170  alters the fluid quantity in the first inflatable enclosure  112  and the second inflatable enclosure  114  in response to the signal  162 . By adjusting the fluid quantity, the pressure provider device  170  controls the pressure within the first inflatable enclosure  112 , the second inflatable enclosure  114 , and the plurality of inflatable cells  140 ,  141 . 
         [0016]    Depending on the information transmitted within the pressure signal  162 , the pressure provider device  170  alters and/or maintains the pressure within the first inflatable enclosure  112  and the second inflatable enclosure  114 . If the pressure is altered, the pressure is altered so the first inflatable enclosure  112  and the second inflatable enclosure  114  are adjusted toward the desired angle value  162 . The pressure provider device  170  also alters the pressure within the inflatable cells  141 ,  140  to obtain the desired air pressure therein. 
         [0017]    Even though the head section  110  rotates, the foot section  120  does not rotate at all. That makes it impossible for the mattress  100  to rotate about its longitudinal axis  130 . However, the head section  110  is able to rotate about a part of the longitudinal axis  130 . 
         [0018]    In addition, the mattress  100  can be converted between a supine configuration (as shown in  FIG. 1 ) and a cardiac chair configuration (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), which includes the numerous positions in between. The gatch area  122  allows the mattress to easily convert into these distinct positions and positions in-between. This mattress conversion can be accomplished by positioning the mattress  100  onto a conventional mattress support apparatus  101 . The mattress support apparatus has numerous components that can alter the mattress  100  position and those components are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Those components can be a manual apparatuses, electronic apparatuses, pneumatic apparatuses, mechanical components and/or combinations thereof. 
         [0019]    The mattress  100  is a very good mattress, but there are some issues that can be improved to decrease the chances of the formation of bed sores. The present invention provides such improvements. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    The present invention is directed toward a mattress system and a method to decrease pressure applied to a patient. The mattress system has an analyzer that receives the measurements regarding the geometry of the mattress and the pressure of the bladders within the mattress. With that data, the analyzer compares those measurements and transmits a pressure signal to a pressure provider device. In response to the pressure signal, the pressure provider device alters and/or maintains the pressure in the bladders to decrease the chance of bottoming out and/or decrease the pressure applied to the patient. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates a prior art mattress in a supine configuration. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates a prior art mattress in a cardiac chair configuration. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  illustrates a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1  taken along lines  3 - 3 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a top view of  FIG. 1  without a cover. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic of the prior art. 
           [0026]      FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  illustrate fluid conduit patterns from the pressure provider device to the bladders as used in the prior art. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  illustrates a representative sample of bottoming out. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  illustrates a flow chart of the present invention&#39;s electrical circuit system. 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  illustrates a flow chart of the present invention&#39;s alternative electrical circuit system. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b  illustrate an alternative embodiment of the present invention regarding the additional bladder. 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  illustrates a self-contained mattress system. 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention having a second gatch area. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0035]    The mattress  100  and all the components described above are used in the present invention. The present invention is a modification of the prior art mattress  100 . 
       Prior Art Problems: 
       [0036]    A potential problem with the prior art mattress  100  described above is that the vertical patient load increases to a point where the patient bottoms out. “Bottoms out” means a portion  88  of a mattress  100  has little to no air at the location where a portion of the patient&#39;s body  20  is positioned, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0037]    Bottoming out is undesirable because the patient&#39;s skin is subject to pressure from the mattress support apparatus  101  and possibly other undesirable forces. The support apparatus  101  is designed to support a mattress  100  and a patient, not provide the desired pressure to the patient. Bottoming out increases the pressure applied to the patient&#39;s skin. That undesired pressure can cause unwanted bed sores or equivalents thereof. 
         [0038]    Another potential problem with the prior art mattress is that during the gatching process from a supine configuration toward the cardiac chair configuration, the tissue interface pressure distribution experienced by the patient shifts. The tissue interface pressure distribution shifts, typically (but not exclusively) from the shoulders, back and sacrum areas to almost exclusively the sacrum area. As the sacrum typically represents a lower proportion of the patient&#39;s surface area, the tissue interface pressure experienced by the patient on the mattress  100  increases to the point that pressure relief cannot be sustained, or pressure reduction cannot be achieved. 
       Solutions to the Problems: 
       [0039]    The present invention is directed to controlling the pressure within the mattress&#39; bladders as the mattress is in the gatching process and/or not in the supine position. That control is designed to decrease the chance of bottoming out and/or obtaining desired pressure reduction. 
       First Method: 
       [0040]    The first method to decrease those problems is to modifying the analyzer  150 , the sensors, and the pressure provider device  170 . 
         [0041]    The pressure sensors  152 ,  154  measure the pressure within, entering and/or exiting the bladders  112 ,  114 ,  140 ,  141 . It has been determined that to decrease the chance of the cited problems that the bladder pressure must be measured and the mattress geometry must be determined. The mattress geometry is determined by a geometry sensor system  200 . An example of the geometry sensor system  200  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0042]    By measuring the pressure and determining the mattress geometry, the present invention is able to dynamically alter the support surface pressure in response to different gatch positions of the surgical bed. This is important since using pressure transducers alone to sense the pressure and react accordingly has been determined to be insufficient. It is insufficient because the pressure transducers have no way of knowing what the geometrical patient position is. In order to achieve this dynamic control, it is necessary to use geometry sensor(s) (for the positioning of the mattress) in conjunction with the pressure sensors. The angle (geometry) sensors could be, by way of example but without limitation, accelerometers of mechanical ball-in-bowl type magnetic devices. Types of such devices are giant magento-resistive devices and Hall effect field sensors. 
         [0043]    Hall effect field sensors detect change in the characteristics of a magnetic field generated by the repositioning of the mattress. A magnet  210  is positioned apart from a distance measuring sensor  212 . For example the magnet  210  can be positioned on the support surface&#39;s extension  108  while the geometry sensor can be positioned on the bottom side  104  of the head section  110 ; vice versa or equivalents thereof. Sensor  212  detects the change in position of the magnet  210  during movement of the respective mattress  100  by detecting the change in magnetic field. Based on this change in magnetic field, sensor  212  sends a signal  330  indicative of the up, down, or neutral positions of the respective mattress  100  to analyzer  150  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0044]    The analyzer  150  continuously monitors and adjusts the surface fluid pressure in each bladder  114 ,  112 ,  141 ,  140  in response to the patient and mattress geometry through signal  162  to the pressure provider device  170 . Obviously, signal  162  can be numerous types of signals that allow the pressure provider device  170  to determine how much fluid should be directed and/or pulled to the respective bladder  114 ,  141 ,  140 ,  112 . The analyzer  150 , preferentially and independently, adjusts the pressure of different regions of the mattress surface in response to mattress position during the gatch process and any other time with the patient on and/or off the mattress  100 . 
         [0045]    The mattress  100  through the analyzer  150  and the pressure provider device  170  cradles the patient in the foot section  120  when the bed frame  101  is being re-positioned toward the cardiac chair position. The cradle position is similar to the bottoming out illustrated in  FIG. 7  in that the bladder surrounds the patient but it differs in that the bladder does not bottom out. As previously stated, the pressure applied to a patient&#39;s back in the cardiac chair position is diminished with respect to those applied to the foot section. To accommodate these pressure changes in the mattress, the analyzer transmits signal  162  to alter the pressure in the respective bladders  112 ,  114 ,  140 ,  141  as set forth in the representative sample bladder pressure protocol:
       The default firmness setting in the bladders  112 ,  114 ,  140 ,  141  of the mattress  100  is 18 mmHg. That pressure is sufficient to support most patients in the supine position, however as the head of the bed is elevated, the surface area supporting the patient becomes less. As a result there is more weight per square inch of surface area. To prevent the patient from bottoming in this situation the following protocol, which is an example, is used:   If head section  110  is &gt;15° and &lt;30° relative to the extension  108 , the bladder pressure is adjusted to a firmness of 22 mmHg (if the firmness is currently at 22 mmHg or greater, the pressure is not altered);   If head section  110  is &gt;30° and &lt;45° relative to the extension  108 , the bladder pressure is adjusted to a firmness of 26 mmHg (if the firmness is currently at 26 or greater, the pressure is not altered);   If head section  110  is &gt;45° and &lt;65° relative to the extension  108 , the bladder pressure is adjusted to a firmness of 30 mmHg and if the pressure is currently at 30, the pressure is adjusted to 35 mmHg;   If head section  110  is &gt;65° or greater relative to the extension  108 , the bladder pressure is adjusted to a firmness of 35 mmHg.       
 
         [0051]    The bladder pressure protocol  164  can obviously be modified to obtain the desired pressure. This bladder protocol is programmed into the analyzer  150 , and/or can be modified in the analyzer  150  in a similar manner that the desired angle value  162  is programmed into the analyzer  150 . 
         [0052]    The bladder pressure protocol reverts to the original firmness settings when the head of bed is reduced to &lt;15°. This protocol could be discontinued when the patient is being rotated. 
         [0053]    If the mattress  100  provides percussion and/or vibration modes, this protocol should be disabled when the percussion and/or vibration modes are operating. The percussion and/or vibration modes can be performed by the bladders  112 ,  114  if the pressure provider device  170  is programmed to direct and pull the fluid in and out of the bladders  112 ,  114  at specific rates to obtain the desired operational mode of vibration and/or percussion. 
       Second Method: 
       [0054]    The present invention can have an additional bladder  250  positioned in the foot section  120  as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . In particular, it is desired that the additional bladder  250  is positioned below the area that the patient&#39;s sacrum area would normally be located. The additional bladder  250  is interconnected to the pressure provider device  170  in the same way that the other bladders  112 ,  114 ,  140 ,  141  are connected to the pressure provider device as schematically illustrated in  FIG. 11 . Moreover, the analyzer  150  is interconnected to a pressure sensor  255  that monitors the pressure within the additional bladder  250  in the same manner in which the other bladders  112 ,  114 ,  140 ,  141  are measured as schematically illustrated in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0055]    It is possible that the additional bladder  250  may be incorporated into the bladders  141 . The bladder  250  could have an inlet  260  that allows the fluid to enter directly from the interior of the bladders  141  as illustrated in  FIG. 12   a.  The inlet  260  could also be positioned on the exterior surface of the bladder unit  250 ,  141  as illustrated in  FIG. 12   b.    
         [0056]    Conversely, if the foot section  120  is raised in relation to the support section  101 , the additional bladder  250  can positioned in the head section  110  to provide additional support to the patient&#39;s back area. That alternative embodiment is illustrated generically in  FIGS. 12   a  and  12   b.    
       Alternative Embodiment for a Self-Contained System 
       [0057]    The pressure provider device  170  can be positioned within the mattress  100 . In this embodiment, the pressure provider device  170  may be two components. The first component  170   a  is positioned in the head section  110  and the second component  170   b  is positioned in the foot section  120 . Preferably the first component  170   a  and the second component  170   b  are positioned to provide the least amount of pressure to the patient, normally the terminal ends of the head and foot sections. The first component  170   a  provides the desired fluid to the bladders  112 ,  114 ,  140  in the head section while the second component  170   b  provides the desired fluid to the bladders  141 , (possibly)  250  in the foot section. Preferably, each component  170   a,b  is electrically interconnected  99  to (a) the other component  170   a,b  directly and/or (b) the analyzer  150 , as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0058]    By using an electrical connection to connect the two pressure provider devices  170   a,b,  the mattress  100  can be self-contained. Self-contained mattresses are desired because it decreases the kinking that occurs if fluid conduits had to traverse through the gatch area  122 . If fluid conduits are kinked, the fluid conduits  118 ,  116  do not always provide the desired pressure to the bladders. In contrast, an electrical connection can be kinked and the kinking does not normally inhibit the transmission of the electrical signal through the kinked area. Accordingly, dividing the pressure provider device and placing each device  170   a,b  in two distinct sections when the mattress  100  is a self-contained mattress to decrease the adverse effects of kinking is desired. 
         [0059]    By separating the pressure provider devices  170   a,b  for the respective head section  110  and foot section  120 , the pressure provider devices  170   a,b  will provide the desired fluid to the desired bladder. When the mattress  100  is a self-contained mattress the fluid is normally air because it can be easily obtained and does not render the mattress  100  too heavy. The pressure provider device  170  is normally positioned toward an exterior side surface of the mattress as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0060]    Each pressure provider device has an air aperture that allows air to be drawn into or expelled out of the pressure provider device. Each pressure provider device, in this embodiment, has a fan (not shown) positioned near the air aperture to draw the air into the pressure provider device. The pressure provider device has a conventional manifold system that opens and closes the numerous conduits that direct the fluid toward or away from the bladders  112 ,  114 ,  141 ,  140 ,  250  as directed by the analyzer  150 . 
       Alternative Embodiment for the Foot Section 
       [0061]    The mattress  100  can also have a second gatch area  340  as illustrated in  FIG. 14 . The second gatch area  340  is positioned where the patient&#39;s knee would normally overlie. The second gatch area divides the foot section  120  into a seat section  342  and a calf section  344 . For a self-contained embodiment, there could be a third pressure provider device  170   c  positioned in the seat section  342 . 
         [0062]    The seat section  342  and the calf section  344  can be raised and/or lowered to obtain the desired shape. The seat section  342  and the calf section  344  can also have geometry sensors  200  (which include the magnet  210  and the distance measuring sensor  212 ) positioned thereon. For example, the geometry sensor system  200  can be positioned on the underside of the seat section, the calf section, the corresponding support structure  101 , and/or the base  109  of the support structure under the foot section  120 . 
       Alternative Embodiment for the Geometry Sensor 
       [0063]    The geometry sensor can also be a transmission from a computer interface system of the support surface  101 . If the computer interface system can determine the exact angle of the head section, the calf section and the seat section in relation to the corresponding sections, the computer interface system transmits the angle values to the analyzer  150 . The computer interface system can determine the precise angle of the mattress&#39; sections in relation to the mattress being in the supine configuration. 
         [0064]    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.