Patent Publication Number: US-7712171-B2

Title: Patient support including turn assist, low air loss, or integrated lateral transfer

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of Butler, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/913,906, entitled “Patient Support Including Turn Assist, Low Air Loss, or Integrated Lateral Transfer,” filed Apr. 25, 2007, which is incorporated herein by this reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   Patient Supports, including those used in hospitals, long term care facilities, and for home are used to support a patient and can include the support of a bariatric patient. Bariatric beds are designed for use by obese, heavy, or large patients. Bariatric beds typically include a larger than average heavy duty frame to support the patient size and weight. Such bariatric beds can be configured to support patients up to 1,000 lbs. or more. 
   During a patient&#39;s stay at a hospital or other healthcare facility including a home environment, patients on occasion may be turned on one of their sides by a caregiver to provide for care of the patient. For instance, it is common to place a patient on one or the other side to reduce or to eliminate the occurrence of pressure ulcers. In addition, a patient can be placed on a side to provide for bathing as well as to provide for changing the linens used on a patient support surface or mattress. In addition, turning of a patient can be helpful when a caregiver provides assistance to a patient when changing clothing. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention may comprise one or more of the features recited in the appended claims and/or one or more of the following features or combinations thereof. The present disclosure relates to a bariatric patient support to support a bariatric patient. The patient support/bed of the present disclosure is configured to support patients up to 1,000 lbs., preferably patients between 250 lbs. and 1,000 lbs., although it is within the scope of the present invention to accommodate patients of lesser as well as greater weights. The patient support includes a frame adapted to support the bariatric patient, a deck coupled to the frame which includes a plurality of moving sections each of which is adapted to support a portion of the bariatric patient, and a mattress supported by the deck. A bladder to turn the bariatric patient is supported by the mattress. The bladder includes a unitary structure and includes a base portion, a first side portion coupled to the base portion and a second side portion coupled to the base portion. A first fastener is coupled to the first side portion and includes a closed position and an open position. The closed position holds the first side portion in a closed condition and the open position releases the first side portion to an open condition having a first height. 
   According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a turning bladder to turn a bariatric patient including a base portion, a first side portion coupled to the base portion, a second side portion coupled to the base portion, and a first fastener. The first fastener is coupled to the first side portion and includes a closed position and an open position. The closed position holds the first side portion in a closed condition and the open position releases the first side portion to an open condition having a first height. 
   In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a patient support to support a bariatric patient. The patient support includes a foam member, at least one air bladder supported by the foam member, a three dimensional fiber network supported by the at least one air bladder, and a turning bladder. The turning bladder is adapted to be inflated with a fluid and includes a base portion, a first side portion and a second side portion each coupled to a top portion and to the base portion. A restraint is coupled to the top portion and to the base portion and is disposed between the first side portion and the second side portion. The restraint includes a dimension to restrict a distance between the top portion and the bottom portion. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a patient support; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a partial schematic view of a side view of the patient support coupled to a user interface; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective schematic view of the patient support having an elevated left side portion and a collapsed or non-elevated right side portion for turning a patient; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic view of a patient support having an elevated right side portion and a collapsed or non-elevated left side portion for turning a patient; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic perspective view of a turning bladder of the present invention coupled to a control system for selectively inflating either the left side portion, the right side portion of the turning bladder or both side portions; 
       FIG. 6  illustrates another embodiment of the turning bladder of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a schematic perspective view of the patient support of  FIG. 1 , further including a lateral transfer apparatus and a user interface of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a partial schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the patient support. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   The embodiments described below and shown in the figures are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Instead, the embodiments were selected for description to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention. 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a patient support  10  is illustrated to include a base frame  11  supported by a plurality of casters  12  each of which can be locked into place by a brake/steer pedal  14 . A connecting rod  15  couples break/steer pedal  14  through a linkage (not shown). An intermediate frame  16  is supported by the base frame  11  and is coupled to an articulating support deck  18 . The support deck  18  includes a plurality of sections configured to articulate relative to one another including a head section, a seat section, and a foot section. In other embodiments, a foot section may be included intermediate the seat section and the foot section. In addition, support deck  18  can further include a deck extension assembly located adjacent the foot section. The deck extension assembly can be moved with respect to the foot section through the actuation of a release handle. Further details of the articulating deck and the deck extension assembly can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/612,070, having a filing date of Dec. 18, 2006, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
   The support deck  18  also includes sliding panels  20  and side rail sliding panels  22  which may be moved laterally to expand and to retract the width of the deck  18 . Examples of expanding support decks are provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/191,651 filed Jul. 28, 2005 the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. The sliding panels  20  and side rail sliding panels  22  can be used to adjust the distance between opposed panels or opposed side rails to increase or decrease the distance therebetween. In one embodiment, the distance between opposed panels or side rails can be adjusted from approximately 40 inches to approximately 50 inches. The deck  18  provides for a variable distance between panels to provide for the use of an expandable width patient support surface. Such expandable width surfaces include expansion of either foam surfaces and/or by the use of air bolsters or foam bolsters. Example of expandable width support surfaces can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,348 entitled “Mattress Assembly” having an issue date of Sep. 26, 2006, the entirety of which is incorporated herein expressly by reference. 
   A head board  24  can be mounted to the intermediate frame  16  adjacent a head end  26  of patient support  10 . A foot board  28  is mounted to the intermediate frame  16  adjacent a foot end  30  of patient support  10 . The patient support  10  further includes a pair of head end side rail assemblies  32  and a pair of foot end side rail assemblies  34  coupled to the support deck  18  through the associated side rail sliding panels  22  located on opposite sides of the patient support  10 . Only a portion of one of the foot and side rail assemblies  34  is illustrated. 
   Additional details of the side rails can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/368,791 having a filing date of Mar. 6, 2006, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
   The frame  18  supports a patient mattress, also known as a patient support surface  40 , which supports a patient, and in particular a bariatric patient. The patient support surface  40  includes a number of features to accommodate bariatric patients but which can be used for all patients or persons of all types and sizes. The patient support surface includes a coverlet  42  to enclose and to protect the various components of the surface  40  enclosed therein. The coverlet  42  can be made of a water impermeable material which allows for water vapor transmission from inside the coverlet to the outside thereof but prevents moisture from entering from the outside of the coverlet  42  to the inside thereof. Various coverlets and the materials therefore are known to those skilled in the art. 
   The patient support surface  40  further includes a foam base or foam supporting layer  44  which is adjacent a bottom portion of the coverlet  42  which is supported by the deck  18 . A plurality of bladders are located above the foam base  44  and are supported thereby. The plurality of bladders  46  can be filled with a fluid, typically air. The plurality of bladders  46  can either be individually inflated and controlled for providing a controllable mattress to accommodate the patient. The bladders can also be filled with foam or other known support material. 
   The air bladders  46  are enclosed in a polyurethane barrier  48 , a portion of which is shown located adjacent to and above the bladders  46 . The polyurethane barrier can be formed to completely enclose the exposed surfaces of the bladders  46  or can be a single layer of fabric or other material which is provided on a top surface only of the air bladders  46 . The polyurethane barrier is substantially water and air impermeable and provides a barrier to substantially prevent moisture and/or other unwanted materials from contacting the air bladders  46 . 
   A topper  50  is located adjacent to and above the polyurethane barrier. The topper  50  provides a low air loss feature of the present patient support surface  40 . The low air loss topper can include a quilted material in which the material includes a compressible material such that air can be circulated within the topper  50 . In addition, it is also possible for the topper  50  to include one or more layers of a three dimensional fiber material. For additional details of the three dimensional fiber material, please see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/793,723 having a filing date of Mar. 5, 2004, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
   A turning bladder  52  is located above and supported by the topper  50 . The turning bladder  52  includes a first side  54  and a second side  56 . The first side  54  and second side  56  extend the length of the support surface  40 . A center line  58  extends longitudinally from the head end of the bladder  52  to the foot end of the bladder  52  between the first side  54  and second side  56 . The first side  54  and the second side  56  can also be known respectively as the right side  54  and left side  56  corresponding to a patient laying on their back with their head located at the head end  26 . Additional details of the bladder  52  are discussed with respect to  FIG. 3  through  FIG. 6 . 
     FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of the bladders  46  configured as a zoned mattress. As illustrated, the zoned mattress  46  includes a first zone  60  configured to support the upper back and the shoulders/head of a patient. A second zone  62  is configured to support a lumbar region of the patient. A third zone  64  is configured to support a hip and/or knee region of a patient. A fourth zone  66  supports the heels of a patient. Each of the zones includes a pressure which is controlled by a controller  68 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and as is understood by those skilled in the art. The controller  68  either hangs on the footboard  28  or can sit upon a floor, adjacent to the bed  10 , or can be incorporated into either the footboard, the headboard, or in one or more side rails. 
   The controller  68  includes a user interface  70 , a portion of which is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The user interface  70  can include manually depressible buttons or a touch screen. The user interface  70  includes a Zone  1  user input device  72  or button, a Zone  2  button, a Zone  3  button  76 , and a Zone  4  button  78 . Each of the zone buttons controls a respective zone as previously described for the zoned mattress  46 . Each of the zone buttons are respectively used to control the air pressure within a respective zone coupled thereto. For instance, selection of the Zone  1  button  72  enables or activates a pressure up/down button  80 . Once the zone  1  button  72  has been selected, the pressure up/down button  80  can be used by a caregiver to adjust the pressure either up or down within the selected zone  1 . Upon selection of another zone, using for instance zone  2  button  74 , the pressure up/down button  80  can now be used using adjust the pressure within the second zone  62 . Likewise, selection of the remaining zone buttons enables the pressure up/down button  80  to control respective pressures within each of these zones. Other mechanisms for controlling pressure can also be used, such as automatic control of zones based on patient size and/or weight. 
   While the described and illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 2  shows a zoned mattress having four controllable zones or sections, other numbers of controllable sections are within the scope of the present invention. For instance, the illustrated zone mattress of  FIG. 2  includes seven bladders in Zone  1 , five bladders in Zone  2 , three bladders in Zone  3 , and three bladders in Zone  4 . In an alternative embodiment, a zoned mattress can be provided having the same number of bladders but having only three zones such that a first zone includes eight bladders, a second zone includes five bladders, and a third zone includes five bladders. It is also within the scope of the present invention to incorporate zoned mattresses having other numbers of individual inflatable bladders. 
   The air bladders  46  support the polyurethane barrier  48  which in turn supports the topper  50  which includes a three dimensional material. The topper  50  is coupled to a fan or blower  82  which can be incorporated into the controller  68  or elsewhere, such as within the mattress or within or upon the frame or the components thereof. To provide for moisture removal from a patient or to provide either cooling or heating (if the fan provides heated air), a caregiver or other user selects the desired state by pressing or touching the activate topper selector  84  which in turn causes the fan  82  to move air through the topper. The activate topper button  84  can include multiple modes such that the fan  82  can be controlled at different speeds to provide different air flows depending upon the requirements of a person supported by the mattress of the present invention. 
   Located above and supported by the topper  50  is the turning bladder  52  which can be controlled by an elevate right selector  86  and/or an elevate left selector  88 . The elevate right selector  86  is used to raise the right side  54  of the turning bladder  52  such that the patient can be turned on a left side. The elevate left button  88  can be used to elevate the left side or second side  56  of the turning bladder  52  to place the patient on a right side. Additional details of the elevate right and elevate left positions are illustrated in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  respectively. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective elevated view of the patient support surface  40 . In this figure, the right side  54  is elevated upon activation by a caregiver using the elevate right button  86  of  FIG. 2 . An end view of the patient support surface  40  illustrates that the right side  54  and the left side  56  in this position generally define a wedge shape. While the polyurethane barrier  48  is not illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the polyurethane barrier  48  can be included if desired. It is not, however, necessary. As further illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the left side  56  has been inflated to elevate a portion of a patient such that the patient can be turned on the right side. In this instance, the right side  54  is not elevated with respect to the topper  50  such that an end view of the patient support surface  40  illustrates that the right side  54  and left side  56  embody a wedge shaped configuration. 
   To accomplish turning of a patient, including a bariatric patient, the turning bladder  52  as further illustrated in  FIG. 5  incorporates a bladder of unitary construction including a base portion  100 , a first side portion  102 , a top portion  104 , and a second side portion  106 . The first side portion  102  and the second side portion  106  are coupled to the base portion  100  and to the top portion  104  to create a substantially air tight bladder defining a single air chamber. End portions  108  and  110  complete the enclosure the turning bladder  52  which comprise a single or unitary bladder having the center line  58 . As illustrated, the center line  58  can include a tape  111  or other restraints to limit the expansion of the bladder  52  along the center line  58 . On either side of the centerline  58 , the first and the second side portions are defined and can include substantially the same amount of air when fully inflated. Each of the side portions includes a distance D, measured substantially vertically at an outside edge from the bottom portion to the top portion when inflated. The distance D is greater than a distance h at the center of the restraint  111 . The central portion  111  of the restraint is made shorter than either of the side portions having the distance D. 
   To provide the wedge shaped configurations of  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the first side portion  102  includes a fastener or coupler  112 . In the illustration of  FIG. 5 , the fastener  112  includes a zipper having a first side  114  and a second side  116 . A zipper tab  118  can be used to couple the first side  114  to the second side  116  thereby reducing the height of the first side portion  102  to configure the turning bladder of  FIG. 4 . A second fastener  120  is coupled to the second side portion  106  and includes a first side  122  and a second side  124  substantially similar to the first fastener  112 . When the second fastener  120  is closed or coupled together and the first fastener  112  is in the uncoupled or open position, the wedge shaped turning bladder configuration of  FIG. 3  can be provided. 
   During operation of the turning bladder, the caregiver or user selects at the control panel  70  one of the elevate right  86  or elevate left  88  buttons as previously described. Prior to selection of these buttons, however, the caregiver can either zip or unzip the fastener  112  or  120  to create an elevate right bladder or an elevate left bladder as desired. For instance, if the caregiver desires to create an elevate right bladder, the coupler  112  is opened such that the first side portion can be fully extended and the second fastener  120  is closed to maintain the second side portion at its minimum height in a closed condition. Once the zippers have been appropriately located, the elevate right button  86  is selected which in turn causes an inflation device, including a blower/air supply  130 , to provide air to the first side  54  under control of a valve  132  which has been appropriately positioned. Control of valves by controllers are known by those skilled in the art. Because the restraint  111  limits the expansion of the air bladder along the center line  58  and the zipper  120  has been closed, a certain amount of forced air will pass through the aperture  134  created by the restraint  111 . Consequently, depending on the selection of which fasteners to open or to close, a wedge shaped configured turning bladder is provided for turning a patient. It is also within the scope of the present invention to include a blower and a single air tube or hose coupled to a central portion of the turning bladder  52  since air can flow through the aperture  134  to either side. Coupling a first tube or hose  136  and a second tube or hose  138  from the valve  132  to the bladder  52  can provide for faster filling or evacuation of the bladders than may be available with a single hose. 
   As further illustrated in  FIG. 6  (without the inflation device), the turning bladder  52  can include a coupler  140  at the end portion  110  which can be zipped from either of the sides  102  and  106  to the center to close an end portion appropriately for right or left elevation. Fastening of coupler  140  closes one of the end portions extending from a lateral side portion to the center line to provide the desired wedge shaped configuration. The head end at the end portion  108  is similarly appropriately configured as the foot end to include a coupler (not shown). 
   The coupler  140  includes tabs  141  for closing or opening the coupler  140  as desired to create a turning bladder. To create a turning bladder, the coupler at the head end and at the foot end of the mattress are closed from one of the sides to the centerline. The remaining portion of the coupler is left open during inflation to create the wedge shaped configurations of either  FIG. 3  or  4 . A top and bottom longitudinal edge are held together when the zipper is closed from one of the sides to the center. 
   An alternative embodiment of the center line restraint  111  can include a divider including a plurality of holes  142  (see  FIG. 6 ), such as a screening material (not shown). A perforated or apertured flexible material such as plastic can also be used. The apertures provide for the passage of air from one side of the turning bladder to the other side of the turning bladder for inflation thereof. The divider can be coupled respectively to the top and bottom of the bladder to maintain the distance h. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention including the turning bladder  52 , the air bladder  46 , and the foam base  44 . In this alternative embodiment, a lateral transfer chamber  150  (shown inflated) is disposed between the turning bladder  52  and the air bladder  46 . The lateral transfer chamber  150  can be used to move a patient from one frame or patient support to another frame or patient support. As previously described, this embodiment includes the user interface  70  which includes a button or user interface selectors  152 ,  154  and  156  for selecting and pressurizing and adjusting the pressure of the pressures within individual zones  1 ,  2  and  3  respectively as previously described. In addition, this particular user interface includes an elevate right selector  158  and an elevate left selector  160 . Once either of the elevate selectors  158 ,  160  have been selected, an air pressure up down button  162  can be selected to adjust the pressure at each of the zones. 
   The lateral transfer chamber  150  includes a plurality of longitudinally oriented air bladders  163 . While six individual air bladders are described, other numbers of air bladders may also be included. The lateral transfer chamber further includes a first coupler  164  and a second coupler  166 . The first coupler  164  can couple the lateral transfer chamber  150  to the turning bladder  52  and the second coupler  166  can couple the lateral transfer chamber  150  to the air bladders  46 . The opposite side can include similar couplers. To move a patient from one frame or support deck to another frame or support deck, the coupler  166  and the opposite side coupler of the support surface are uncoupled. The combination of the turning bladder  52  and the lateral transfer chamber  150  can then be pulled to another frame by a caregiver using handles  167 . 
   To move a patient, the caregiver presses an activate air transfer button  168  which hyper-inflates the lateral transfer chamber  150 . The chamber  150  includes a plurality of holes  170  on the bottom surface thereof. Upon selection of the activate air transfer button  168 , an air blower  172  hyper-inflates the lateral transfer chamber  150  such that the chamber  150  and turning bladder  52  are supported by a cushion of air created between the bottom of the transfer chamber  150  and the coverlet surrounding the air bladders  46 . While it is possible to transfer a patient having both the first side  54  and the second side  56  of the turning bladder  52  in a deflated state, it is preferred that the first side  54  and second side  56  have each of the respective fasteners (not shown) uncoupled, such that the first side  54  and second side  56  provide a concave or trough-like feature therebetween (see  FIG. 5 ) for cradling or holding the patient when the patient is moved from one frame to another. 
   Further details of an air transfer device can be found in U.S. Pat. Re. 35,299 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     FIG. 8  illustrates a schematic perspective view of the foam layer  44 , the air bladder layer  46 , the topper layer  50  and the turning bladder layer  52 . The air bladder layer  46  and foam layer  44  are covered by a coverlet  180 , illustrated open ended, but which includes closed ends to completely surround or encapsulate the foam layer and air bladder layer. The coverlet  180  includes a coupler  182  which mates with a coupler  184  included in a coverlet  186  used to surround or encapsulate the topper  50  and the air bladder  52 . The opposite side includes a coupler  187 . While both coverlets  180  and  186  are shown to have an open end for purposes of illustration, the coverlets are complete enclosures for enclosing the components held therein. By including the couplers, the lateral transfer chamber can be coupled between the coverlets with a corresponding zipper or can be left out such that the coverlet  180  can be directly coupled to the coverlet  186 . Consequently, by using mateable coverlets, the described embodiments can be configured to mate with a lateral transfer chamber if desired. 
   Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention. For instance, while the couplers have been generally described as zippers, other couplers such as hook and loop fasteners may also be provided. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the sprint and broad scope of the appended claims.