Patent Publication Number: US-2006016016-A1

Title: Modular bed system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/591,039 titled “Modular Bed System” to Hornbach, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present disclosure relates to a patient support such as a hospital bed. Some hospital beds include movable deck sections that articulate to position a patient in the Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg, and knee gatch positions. The present disclosure describes an inflatable mattress that can position a patient in the Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg, and knee gatch positions.  
      According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a patient support configured to support a patient. The support includes a frame, a deck supported by the frame, and a mattress supported by the deck, the mattress including a plurality of inflatable bladders, the bladders configured to support the patient in one of a horizontal position and a Trendelenburg position.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a patient support including a frame, a deck supported by the frame, a mattress including a plurality of inflatable bladders, an inflator configured to selectively inflate at least one of the plurality of inflatable bladders, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the inflator to inflate at least one of the plurality of inflatable bladders to configure the mattress in one of a Trendelenburg position, a Reverse-Trendelenburg position, a flat position, and a knee gatch position.  
      A further aspect of the present invention includes an inflatable mattress configured to support a patient. The inflatable mattress includes at least one inflatable cell configured to support the patient in one of a horizontal position and a Trendelenburg position, and a controller coupled to an inflator and at least one control valve, the controller configured to receive input from a user and control the inflator and the control valve to inflate or deflate the inflatable cell to position the patient in one of the horizontal position and the Trendelenburg position.  
      The present invention also includes a modular patient support system configured to support a patient in various acuity environments. The system includes a frame, a deck supported by the frame, the only movable deck section being a head section moveable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the remainder of the deck, and a plurality of mattresses. One mattress is selected for use on the deck depending on an acuity level of the patient wherein the mattress being selected is selected from a group of mattresses including a first static mattress, a second mattress including a plurality of inflatable bladders, the bladders being configured to provide selective elevation of the patient&#39;s thigh, a third mattress including a plurality of inflatable bladders, the bladders being configured to provide selective elevation of the patient&#39;s thigh and to selectively position the patient in a Trendelenburg position, and a fourth mattress including a plurality of inflatable bladders, the bladders configured to provide selective elevation of the patient&#39;s thigh, and to selectively position the patient in a Trendelenburg position and a reverse Trendelenburg position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of one embodiment of a patient support;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the patient support of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a diagrammatical view of another embodiment of a patient support with an inflatable mattress;  
       FIG. 4  is a diagrammatical side view of another embodiment of a patient support with an inflatable mattress;  
       FIG. 5  is a diagrammatical side view of yet another embodiment of a patient support with an inflatable mattress;  
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of one embodiment of an inflatable mattress;  
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal axis of another embodiment of an inflatable mattress; and  
       FIG. 8  is a schematic of a control system for one embodiment of an inflatable mattress. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a patient support  10  including a foot end  7 , a head end  8 , a lower frame  12 , an upper frame  14 , a mattress  16 , and siderails  20  is shown. Mattress  16  includes a plurality of inflatable bladders  18  which can be inflated and deflated to change the shape of mattress  16  and provide optimum patient comfort. As shown in  FIG. 2 , patient support  10  includes supports  26  coupled between lower frame  12  and upper frame  14  that allow upper frame  14  to be raised and lowered relative to lower frame  12 . A deck section  24  is supported by upper frame  14 . Deck Section  24  includes a head section  22  that can be positioned substantially flat as shown in  FIG. 1  or can be raised to an inclined position relative to the remainder of deck section  24  as shown in  FIG. 2 . A controller (not shown) including controls for raising and lowering upper frame  14  and raising and head section  22  may be included in siderails  20  or as a separate pendant controller.  
      One embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in  FIG. 3 . Patient support  10 ′ includes a mattress  16 ′ that includes a plurality of inflatable bladders  18 ′. Bladders  18 ′ are coupled to control valves that are actuated by a controller, which are described below, to provide optimum patient comfort when the patient is lying on mattress  16 ′. Mattress  16 ′ also includes a series of bladders  19 ′ which are configured to inflate below a patient&#39;s lower leg section or knees to raise the patient&#39;s legs. Patient support  10 ′ includes a control system that includes a knee gatch function that can be automatically actuated when head section  22  is elevated by the patient of caregiver. When head section  22  is elevated the controller acts to inflate bladders  19 ′. As head section  22  is elevated to an inclined position, bladders  19 ′ inflate to raise the patient&#39;s knees to prevent the patient from sliding toward foot end  7  of patient support  10 ′. Bladders  19 ′ may also be controlled separately to be inflated or deflated when head section  22  is in the flat position. In another embodiment, only those bladders  19 ′ located under a patient&#39;s knee are inflated to provide a knee gatch at the desired time. In this embodiment, the patient&#39;s feet are located below his knees in the knee gatch position.  
      It should be noted that mattress  16 ′ may be formed of a single inflatable bladder  18 ′ or of multiple inflatable bladders either collectively controlled or individually controlled. In another embodiment, inflatable mattress  16 ′ and bladders  18 ′ could also include features such as sequenced inflation/deflation to prevent decubitus ulcers, heel pressure relief, turn-assist, extendable length, low air loss therapy, rotation therapy, vibration therapy, and/or percussion therapy which are explained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,628, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , another embodiment of patient support  10 ″ includes a mattress  16 ″. Mattress  16 ″ includes a plurality of bladders  18 ″ which can be inflated to position the patient in the Reverse Trendelenburg position as shown in  FIG. 4 . Bladders  18 ″ can be inflated to position the patient in a flat orientation or may be inflated or deflated to position the patient in the Reverse Trendelenburg position. The bladders  18 ″ located toward head end  8  of patient support  10 ″ may be larger than the bladders located toward foot end  7 . In an alternative embodiment, several layers of bladders are present at head end  8  of patient support  10 ″ which can be inflated to provide the incline. In another alternative embodiment, mattress  16 ″ could also include the knee gatch function discussed above as well as the additional features described above. It should be noted that mattress  16 ″ may include a single inflatable bladder or could include multiple inflatable bladders to perform the Reverse Trendelenburg function. If multiple bladders  18 ″ are used, they may be selectively controlled or collectively controlled by a controller which can be actuated by the patient or a caregiver.  
      Another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , patient support  10 ′″ includes a mattress  16 ′″ having a plurality of inflatable bladders  18 ″′ which can be inflated to position the patient in the Trendelenburg position. Bladders  18 ′″ can be inflated and/or deflated to raise the lower section of the patient and lower the head section of the patient. The bladders  18 ′″ located toward foot end  7  of patient support  10 ′″ may be larger or contain a larger volume than the bladders located on head end  8  of mattress  16 ′″ may include layers of bladders which can be selectively inflated to produce the desired angle of inclination or declination. In an alternative embodiment, mattress  16 ′″ may also include the Reverse Trendelenburg function and/or the knee gatch function as well as the additional features described above. Bladders  18 ′″ may be selectively controlled or collectively controlled by a controller operated by the patient or a caregiver. It should be noted that mattress  16 ′″ may include a plurality of air bladders  18 ′″ or could be composed of a single air bladder.  
      Another embodiment of mattress  16  is shown in cross-section in  FIG. 6 . Mattress  40  includes an outer portion  42  configured to receive a plurality of inflatable bladders  44 ,  46 . Upper section  44  rests on top of bladders  46  and supports the patient. Outer portion  42  rests on upper deck  24  of patient support  10 . Outer portion  42  may be made of a semi-rigid material such as foam or a rigid material such as plastic. Outer portion  42  may be formed from one piece of material or may include several sections such as a base section and side sections. Outer portion  42  may include only a pair of vertical side sections on the head end  45  and foot end  47  of mattress  40  or may include four vertical side sections to fully surround bladders  44 ,  46 .  
      Upper section  44  is illustratively constructed of a semi-rigid material such as foam, rubber, or any other suitable material. Inflatable bladders  44  are substantially similar to inflatable bladders  18  which were discussed above. Bladders  46  are selectively inflated and deflated to position the upper section  44  in the Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg, or horizontal position. Bladders  46  can be arranged in any formation such as staggered, directly above one another, or any other suitable formation to adjust the angle of inclination or declination of upper section  44 . It should be noted that mattress  40  could include a single bladder  46  or a plurality of bladders  46 . Mattress  40  may include bladders of the same size or may contain bladders having different sizes or capacities. Bladders  46  can either be selectively controlled or collectively controlled by a control system. In addition to positioning the patient in the Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg, or horizontal positions, the pressure in bladders  40  can also be controlled to provide optimum patient comfort, heel pressure relief, rotation therapy, percussion therapy, and vibration therapy. An optional cover (not shown) can be placed around the components of mattress  40 . In an alternative embodiment of mattress  40 , a layer of inflatable bladders or foam is positioned on upper section  44  to provide support for the patient. In this embodiment, upper section  44  could be composed of a semi-rigid material or a rigid material such as plastic.  
      Another alternative embodiment of mattress  16  is shown in cross-section in  FIG. 7 . Mattress  50  is substantially similar to mattress  40  shown in  FIG. 6  with the exception that upper section  44  has been replaced with additional inflatable bladders. Mattress  50  includes a plurality of inflatable bladders  56  enclosed by an outer portion  52  similar to outer portion  42 . The top layer of bladders  56  directly supports the patient. Bladders  56  can be inflated or deflated to position the patient in the Trendelenburg, Reverse Trendelenburg, knee gatch, or horizontal position. Bladders  56  can either be selectively controlled or collectively controlled by a control system. An optional cover (not shown) can be placed around the components of mattress  50 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 8 , a control system  59  for the mattresses discussed above is shown. Controller  60  is coupled to an air supply  62  such as a blower or compressor and control valves  64 . Air supply  62 , is coupled to control valves  64 . Valves  64  are coupled to the inflatable bladders  18 ′ (for example) and also include an exhaust to the atmosphere  66 . Controller  60  can be a pendant controller, a siderail controller, or any other suitable controller utilized by the patient or a caregiver. Controller  60  includes at least one input switch or button configured to control air supply  62  and control valves  64 . Control valves  64  can be actuated to allow air to pass from air supply  62  to bladders  18 ′ or to allow air from bladders  18 ′ to exhaust to the atmosphere to deflate bladders  18 ′. Controller  60  can selectively inflate or deflate any one of the plurality of inflatable bladders to achieve the desired mattress function.  
      In an illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the modular bed system uses a relatively simple bed frame that has only two functions. These functions include a head section movable from a flat orientation to an elevated orientation as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Also as discussed above, the bed frame includes a hi/lo mechanism for raising and lowering the frame relative to the ground. Several different mattress options are provided with this simplified bed frame. A first embodiment includes a static foam mattress. A second embodiment includes a mattress having bladders configured to achieve a thigh or knee gatch function as discussed above. A third embodiment includes a mattress having bladders that provide the Trendelenburg, and thigh (knee gatch) functions. A fourth embodiment includes a mattress having bladders configured to provide the Trendelenburg, reverse Trendelenburg and thigh (knee gatch) functions discussed above.  
      By providing a simplified frame with various mattress combinations, the modular bed system is easily upgradeable. This provides a cost effective frame for low acuity levels such as home care or international. The system is upgradeable to be used in different acuity environments. Therefore, the modular bed system can be used for home care, international care, with the simple bed frame and static foam mattress. For a low end long term care bed, the simple frame is used with a mattress having only the thigh function. For a high end long term care bed, the mattress may include the thigh function along with the Trendelenburg function. For a low end Med-Surg bed, the frame is used with a fully functional mattress for Trendelenburg, reverse Trendelenburg, and thigh functions.  
      In certain instances, other mattresses such as those disclosed in, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,667,075; 6,012,186; 3,879,772; 4,527,298; 4,839,932; 3,781,928; 3,606,623; and 4,142,263 may be used to perform certain features or for movement of portions of the mattresses. All these listed patents are expressly incorporated by reference herein.  
      Although specific illustrated embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it is understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is not limited to the specific details disclosed herein, but is to be defined by the appended claims.