Patent ID: 8191187

Claim:
A conditioner mat for use with a bed assembly, comprising: an upper layer having a plurality of openings; a lower layer being substantially fluid impermeable; wherein the upper layer is attached to the lower layer along a periphery of the conditioner mat; an interior chamber defined between the upper layer and the lower layer; a spacer material positioned within the interior chamber, said spacer material configured to maintain a shape of the interior chamber and configured to help with the passage of fluids within at least a portion of the interior chamber; at least one inlet in fluid communication with the interior chamber; at least one fluid module comprising a fluid transfer device; a conduit connecting an outlet of the at least one fluid module with the at least one inlet; at least one fluid impermeable member positioned within the interior chamber, said at least one fluid impermeable member forming at least one non-fluid zone; and a control module for regulating at least one operational parameter of the at least one fluid module; a user input device configured to receive at least one climate control setting of the bed assembly; and at least one power supply adapted to selectively provide electrical power to the at least one fluid module; wherein the at least one fluid module selectively delivers fluids to the interior chamber through the conduit and the at least one inlet; wherein fluids entering the interior chamber through the at least one inlet are generally distributed by the spacer material within at least a portion of the interior chamber before exiting through the plurality of openings along the upper layer; wherein fluids entering the interior chamber are generally not permitted to flow through the at least one non-fluid zone; wherein a thickness of the conditioner mat along the at least one non-fluid zone is generally equal to a thickness of the conditioner mat along a portion of the conditioner mat that comprises a spacer material; and wherein the conditioner mat is configured to be removably placed on top of a bed assembly to selectively deliver fluids to an occupant positioned thereon.