Patent Publication Number: US-2022232991-A1

Title: Under base integral climate control for an articulating bed

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/141,572 filed on Jan. 26, 2021 entitled UNDER BASE INTEGRAL CLIMATE CONTROL FOR AN ARTICULATING BED having a common assignee with the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     This invention relates generally to the field of articulating beds and more particularly to an environmental control system for an articulating bed having an integral under base climate control system for engagement on a horizontal support section of the bed. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Articulating beds have long been used in hospital and healthcare facilities to allow positioning of a patient in a reclining position, sitting position, elevated leg position or combinations of these positions. General usage of articulating beds has been rapidly expanding due to the comfort and convenience available from adjusting the bed to desired positions for reading, general relaxation or sleeping. Typical articulating beds provide an upper body positioning element and a thigh and lower leg positioning element either individually active or with combined actuation. 
     New foam mattresses typically employed with articulating beds make overheating or, in certain occasions overcooling of the occupant during sleep. Environmental control systems are being introduced to cool or heat the mattress or provide heated or cooled airflow to maintain comfortable sleeping conditions. However, designs of modern bedding require a reduced thickness profile and reduced movement of ancillary components is preferable. 
     It is therefore desirable to provide an articulating bed having an integrated under base climate control system that minimally impacts operation of the articulation system of the bed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The implementations disclosed herein overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an environmental control assembly having a case configured for attachment to a bottom surface of an articulation assembly. One or more inlet fans is attached to a first wall of the case. An inlet plenum receives air provided by the one or more fans and extends from the first wall to a central chamber. An outlet plenum extends from the central chamber to a second wall of the case. A first pair of outlet ports extends from the outlet plenum proximate the central chamber through side walls of the case and a second pair of outlet ports extends from the outlet plenum distal the central chamber through side walls of the case. A cylindrical flow diffuser is positioned in the outlet plenum between the side walls and controls airflow into the first pair of ports and second pair of ports, each of said outlet ports configured for attachment to one of a plurality of flexible air conduits. 
     In certain exemplary implementations a heating element is provided in the central chamber. 
     In certain exemplary implementations at least one cooling unit extending into the inlet plenum is provided. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of an articulating bed in which the presently described implementations may be employed; 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom pictorial view of the articulation assembly and the environmental control assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a pictorial view of the environmental control assembly 
         FIG. 4  is a pictorial view of the environmental control assembly with the lower cover removed; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the environmental control assembly with the lower cover removed; 
         FIG. 6  is a side section view of the environmental control assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is a detailed pictorial view of the heating element; 
         FIG. 8  is a detailed pictorial view of a cooling unit; 
         FIG. 9  is a detailed exploded pictorial view of the thermoelectric device with associated heat sink and cold sink 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram representation of a control electronics printed circuit board for the system; 
         FIG. 11  is a detailed pictorial view of a flexible conduit connection flange for use in the exemplary implementation; 
         FIG. 12  is a detailed pictorial view of a mattress feeder hose connection flange; 
         FIG. 13  is an exploded pictorial view of the articulation assembly, mattress and mesh insert demonstrating air distribution from the environmental control assembly; and, 
         FIG. 14  is a detailed section pictorial view showing the ovaloid reliefs in the mattress for the mattress feeder hoses. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Implementations shown in the drawings and described herein provide selectable environmental control for an articulating bed with air circulation, heating and cooling capability. Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  shows an exemplary articulating bed in which an implementation of the under base integral climate control system may be employed. A mattress  10  is supported on an articulating assembly  12 . A base  14  includes a frame and articulating actuators for the articulating assembly  12 . The articulating assembly  12  has a seat section  16  which remains substantially horizontal, an upper body support panel  18  hinged to the seat section which articulates over a range of motion from a horizontal position to an elevated position, as shown, a thigh support panel  20  hinged to the seat section which articulates over a range of motion from a horizontal position to an elevated position, as shown, and a lower leg support panel  22  attached to the thigh support panel. 
       FIG. 2  shows the articulating assembly  12  in an unarticulated position with the base  14  and all associated actuation elements removed for clarity. An environmental control assembly  24  is attached to a bottom surface  26  of the seat section  16 . Flexible air conduits  28  (represented in phantom) extend from outlet ports, generally designated as element  30 , on the environmental control assembly  24  to connection flanges  32  for air distribution. In the exemplary implementation, two connection flanges are located in the upper body support panel and two connection flanges are located in the thigh support panel. In alternative implementations, locations of the connection flanges may be altered to the seat section  16  or lower leg support panel  22 . 
     Details of the environmental control assembly  24  are seen in  FIGS. 3-6 . The environmental control assembly  24  includes a case  34  having an inlet plenum  36  and an outlet plenum  38 . The case  34  is attached to the bottom surface  26  of the seat section  16  with flanges or tabs  35  using suitable fasteners. A heating element  40  is supported in a central chamber  42  between the inlet plenum  36  and outlet plenum  38 . One or more inlet fans  44  are positioned in a first end wall  46  to direct airflow into the inlet plenum  36 . For the exemplary implementation, two cooling units  48 , to be described in greater detail subsequently, extend through side walls  50  of the inlet plenum  36 . 
     As best seen in  FIG. 5 , the side walls  50  converge laterally in the inlet plenum  36  from the first end wall  46  to the central chamber  42  thereby increasing effective flow velocity of air provided by the one or more fans  44  through the inlet plenum  36  and into the central chamber  42 . As best seen in  FIG. 5 , an upper cover  52  and lower cover  54  of the case  34  converge vertically between the inlet plenum  36  and central chamber  42  to further increase flow velocity over the heating element  40 . The upper cover  52  and lower cover  54  further converge vertically between the central chamber  42  and second end wall  56 . The second end wall  56  is convex with respect to the outlet plenum  38  for enhanced flow distribution into the ports  30 . Each of the ports  30  has an extending neck  31  with a bead  33  configured to be received in corrugations of the flexible conduit  28  to allow connection with out supplemental fasteners. 
     A cylindrical flow diffuser  58  is positioned in the outlet plenum  38  between the side walls  50  to control airflow into ports  30   a  proximate to the central chamber  42  and ports  30   b  distal from the central chamber  42 . Longitudinal (in the flow direction from the central chamber to the outlet plenum) positioning of the cylindrical airflow diffuser  58  for equal flow into the proximate ports  30   a  and distal ports  30   b  is accomplished with a center axis  60  of the cylindrical air diffuser  58  at a first distance  62  between 30% and 45% of the distance  64  between axis  66  of the proximate ports  30   a  and the axis  68  of the distal ports  30   b . For the exemplary implementation, the proximate ports  30   a  provide airflow to the connection flanges  32  on the left side of the bed while the distal ports  30   b  provide airflow to the connection flanges  32  on the right side of the bed. Modifying flow between the proximate ports  30   a  and distal ports  30   b  (left and right sides of the bed) may be accomplished by longitudinal translation of the cylindrical flow diffuser  58 . Modifying flow between connection flanges on the upper body support panel  18  and thigh support panel  20  may be accomplished by lateral translation of the cylindrical flow diffuser  58 . 
     A control electronics printed circuit board (PCB)  70  is mounted in a compartment  72  in the case  34 . For the exemplary implementation, the compartment  72  is formed by the vertical convergence of the lower cover. Side walls  50  incorporate vents  74  for cooling of the PCB  70 . PCB 70  is interconnected with the one or more fans  44 , the cooling units  48 , the heating element  40  and temperature sensors as will be described in greater detail subsequently. 
     The heating element  40  has a metal support  76  folded with a curved leading edge  78  as seen in  FIG. 7 . The heating element  40  is mounted to the upper cover  52  with standoffs  80  (seen in  FIG. 6 ). The radius of curvature of the leading edge  78  spaces an upper flange  82  and lower flange  84  from the upper cover  52  and lower cover  54  forming upper flow channel  86  and lower flow channel  88 . The curvature of the leading edge is configured to smoothly transition flow of incoming air from the inlet plenum  36  into the upper and lower flow channels  86 ,  88 . The metal support  76  in the exemplary implementation is formed from aluminum and heating element  40  has a copper heater circuit  90  laminated inside a Kapton-Polyimide film sandwich that is adhered to the metal support. 
     Each of the two cooling units  48 , seen in detail in  FIG. 8 , incorporates a Peltier thermoelectric device  92  as seen in  FIG. 9 . The thermoelectric device  92  has an array of thermoelectric plates  94  supported by a frame  96 . A finned heatsink  98  is mounted to the frame  96  in contact with a hot side of the thermoelectric plates  94  while a finned coldsink  102  is mounted to the frame in contact with a cold side of the thermoelectric plates. The coldsink  102  extends into the inlet plenum in flow contact with air provide by the one or more inlet fans. In operation the thermoelectric device  92  cools the coldsink  102  thereby cooling the airflow in the inlet plenum  36 . A heatsink fan  104  is mounted to a channel cover  106  surrounding the finned heatsink  98  and attached to the side wall  50  to provide cooling air for efficiency of the thermoelectric device during operation. In the exemplary embodiment, the heatsink fan  104  is angularly mounted to the channel cover  106  to provide airflow with a longitudinal component across the finned heat sink  98 . 
     The PCB  70  receives AC power at an input  108  provides power and control for the one or more inlet fans  44 , the heating element  40  and the cooling units as shown in the block diagram of  FIG. 10 . A regulator circuit  110  provides AC to DC power conversion and regulation for power to the PCB components, fans, heater and Peltier thermoelectric device. A controller  112  which may be a microprocessor or dedicated application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or gate array receives temperature signals from an outlet plenum temperature sensor  114  and user desired controls for ventilation and temperature on input  116  which may be hardwired to a hand controller or a wireless receiver from a remote control or cellular phone interface. A heater drive circuit  118  receives a heater element temperature  120  and a heater control signal  122  from the controller  112  and provides an appropriate heater control output  124  to the heater circuit  90 . Similarly, a cooling unit drive circuit  126  receives a cooler temperature  128  from the cooling units  48  and a cooler control signal  130  from the controller  112  and provides an appropriate cold plate power output  132  to the Peltier thermoelectric device  92  and heatsink fans  104 . A fan control output  134  is provided by the controller  112  through the regulator circuit  110  to power the one or more inlet fans  44  response to a user desired ventilation input. 
     A detailed view of an example of one of the plurality of flexible conduit connection flanges  32  of the exemplary implementation is shown in  FIG. 11 . A central inlet connection neck  140  extends from a circular mounting flange  142  configured to be attached to a bottom surface of a support panel of the articulating assembly  12  to provide a flow aperture  144 . Similar to the ports  30 , a bead  146  surrounding the circumference of the neck  140  is configured to be received in corrugations of the flexible conduit  28  to allow connection with out supplemental fasteners. 
       FIG. 12  shows a detailed view of an example of one of a plurality of mattress feeder hose connection flanges  148  in the exemplary implementation. An outlet connection neck  150  extends from a circular mounting flange  152  configured to be attached to a top surface of a support panel of the articulating assembly  12  concentric at the flow aperture  144  with an adjacent flexible conduit connection flange  32 . The outlet connection neck  150  employs dimpled beads  153  on an internal surface to receive and engage corrugations in a mattress feeder hose  154  (seen in  FIG. 13 ). The combined mattress feeder hose connection flange  148  and flexible conduit connection flange  32  provide flow communication from the flexible conduits  32  to the mattress feeder hoses  154 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the mattress feeder hose connection flanges  148  (located in the upper body support panel  18  and thigh support panel  20  of the articulating assembly  12  in the exemplary implementation) each receive a mattress feeder hose  154  which extends upward to be received through tube channels  156  in the mattress  10 . The mattress  10  includes a relief  158  in a top surface into which an air distribution mesh layer  160  is inserted to distribute air received through the mattress feeder hoses  154 . The relief  158  is surrounded by a barrier  162  preventing peripheral flow out of the mesh layer to enhance the desired mattress surface ventilating, heating and cooling effects. The mattress  10  with mesh layer  160  may be inserted in a fabric sock (not shown) to restrain the mesh layer on the mattress. 
     To facilitate unhindered articulation of the mattress  10  with articulation of the upper body support panel  18  or thigh support panel  20 , the tube channels  156  have an ovaloid cross section as shown in  FIG. 13 . The ovaloid shape allows translation of the mattress feeder hoses  154  longitudinally in the mattress during articulation to avoid binding. 
     Having now described various embodiments of the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.