Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the invention 
   The present invention relates to alternating air inflation mattresses system, and particularly to a width-adjustable alternating air inflation mattress having a extendable mattress body, wherein at least one lateral side of the body being added with tubular air cells for increasing the width of the mattress body, the inflation of the tubular air cell being controlled by air valves from control units. When the tubular air cells are inflated, the width of the mattress body is increased so that the mattress can easy get into a narrow door in movement and meet different weight patients. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The prior art bed is not suitable for patients which need to lie on the bed for a long time because they often cause pressure ulcer, even the skins of the patients is necrosis. To solve this problem, an alternating air inflation mattress system is developed, which is formed by a multi tubular air cells. The tubular air cells can be inflated air or evacuated air alternatively (alternating) so as to buffer the pressures upon the skins and muscles. Thereby, air ventilation is improved on the air cells. 
   In the prior art, the widths of the alternating air inflation mattresses are fixed size, for example, with a size of 36 inches. However, it is not suitable for the bariatric patient. Although increasing the width of the alternating air inflation mattress can improve this problem, but it will induce that the width of the alternating air inflation mattress is wider than the door so that it can not pass through the door as the bed is moved. Thereby, in emergency, if the patient lay on the alternating air inflation mattress and need to move to other room for treating or rehabilitation, the alternating air inflation mattress cannot pass through the door. Thus, apparently, to widen the alternating air inflation mattress is not a preferred way. Moreover, to have different widths of the alternating air inflation mattresses, a hospital must prepare a plurality of mattresses of different widths. Thus the cost is increased. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a width-adjustable alternating alternating air inflation mattress having an extendable body; at least one lateral side of the body being added with tubular air cells for increasing a width of the mattress body. The inflation of the tubular air cell is controlled by air valves from control unit. When the tubular air cells are inflated, the width of the mattress body is increased from both sides. 
   By above mentioned alternating air inflation mattress, in normal use, the alternating air inflation mattress has a sufficient wide and thus the patient can lie upon the mattress comfortably. If it is desired to pass the alternating air inflation mattress through the door, it only needs to evacuate airs from both sides of tubular air cells so as easy to reduce the width of the mattress. 
   In the air valve of the present invention, Other than the inflation of the tubular air cells being controllable, if the patient needs a first aid, the air in the tubular air cell can be evacuated out rapidly for executing CPR. 
   The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic perspective view of the alternating air inflation mattress of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1B  is a lateral schematic view of the alternating air inflation mattress of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1C  is a schematic view showing that the alternating air inflation mattress of present invention is arranged with a check valve. 
       FIG. 2  shows the arrangement of the pump, the first air valve and second air valve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3A  is an exploded perspective view of the first air valve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3B  is another exploded perspective view of the first air valve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4A  is an exploded perspective view of the second air valve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4B  is another exploded perspective view of the second air valve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5A  shows the arrangement of the present invention, where the mattress body is in a basic width and air in one tubular air cell is evacuated. 
       FIG. 5B  is a schematic view of the alternating air inflation mattress in  FIG. 5A . 
       FIG. 5C  is a schematic view showing the first air valve and second air valve  FIG. 5A . 
       FIG. 6A  shows one arrangement of the present invention, where the alternating air inflation mattress is in a basic width and two tubular air cells are inflated. 
       FIG. 6B  is a schematic view showing the alternating air inflation mattress of  FIG. 6A . 
       FIG. 6C  is a schematic view showing the first air valve and the second air valve of the  FIG. 6A . 
       FIG. 7A  shows the arrangement of the present invention, where the alternating air inflation mattress is in basic width, air in the tubular air cell is evacuated. 
       FIG. 7B  is a schematic view showing the alternating air, inflation mattress of  FIG. 7A . 
       FIG. 7C  is a schematic view showing the first air valve and the second air valve of the  FIG. 7A . 
       FIG. 8A  shows one arrangement, where the tubular air cell  14  of the present invention is inflated for increasing the width of the mattress body. 
       FIG. 8B  is a schematic view of the alternating air inflation mattress of  FIG. 8A . 
       FIG. 8C  is a schematic view showing the first air valve and the second air valve of the  FIG. 8A . 
       FIG. 9A  shows one arrangement, where the tubular air cells  14  and  15  of the present invention is inflated for increasing the width of the mattress body. 
       FIG. 9B  is a schematic view of the alternating air inflation mattress of  FIG. 9A . 
       FIG. 9C  is a schematic view showing the first air valve and the second air valve of the  FIG. 9A . 
       FIG. 10A  shows one arrangement, where air in the tubular air cells of the present invention are evacuated. 
       FIG. 10B  is a schematic view of the alternating air inflation mattress of  FIG. 10   
       FIG. 10C  is a schematic view showing the first air valve and the second air valve of the  FIG. 10A . 
       FIG. 11  shows another embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In order that those skilled in the art can further understand the present invention, a description will be described in the following in details. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are only used to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to be used to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the width-adjustable alternating air inflation mattress of the present invention is illustrated. The width-adjustable alternating air inflation mattress of the present invention is a mattress body  1 . The mattress body  1  includes a plurality of alternating tubular air cells  11 , a plurality of alternating tubular air cells  12  and a plurality of non alternating/static tubular air cells  13  which are adjacently arranged in parallel. Two ends of the tubular air cells  11 ,  12  and  13  are arranged with tubular air cells  14  and tubular air cells  15 , respectively. The tubular air cells  11  and tubular air cells  12  could be static function or alternating function. In normal powerless condition and in powerless transport condition, the tubular air cells  13  will remain inflated through the sealing of check valve  19  (see  FIG. 1C)and the  sealing plate  387  (see FIG.  3 B)located at the first air valve  3 . The tubular air cells  11 ,  12  and  13  are used as a base. The inflation of tubular air cells  14  and  15  are determined by the width of the width-adjustable alternating air inflation mattress. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 2 , the arrangement of the present invention is illustrated. The inflation and evacuate of air in the tubular air cells can be achieved by a pump/blower  2 , a first air valve  3  and a second air valve  4 . 
   The pump/blower  2  includes an air suction  21  and an air outlet  22  which is communicable with the first air valve  3 . 
   The first air valve  3  is connected between the mattress body  1 , pump  2  and second air valve  4 . The first air valve  3  includes a first air inlet  31 , an air supply  32 , an air transfer tube  33 , connecting tubes  34 ,  35 , and  36 , and a first opening  37 . The first air inlet  31  is connected to the wind outlet  22 . The air supply opening  32  is connected to a wind suction  21 . The connecting tube  34  is connected to the tubular air cells  14 . The connecting tube  35  is connected to the tubular air cells  15 . The connecting tube  36  is connected to the tubular air cells  13 . The first opening  37  is opened. 
   The second air valve  4  is installed between the first air valve  3  and the mattress body  1  for alternatively inflating and evacuating air in the tubular air cells  11  and tubular air cells  12 . The second air valve  4  includes a second air inlet  41 , a second opening  42 , a connecting tube  43 , a connecting tube  44 , etc. The second air inlet  41  is connected to the air transfer tube  33 . The second opening  42  is opened and the connecting tubes  43  and  44  are communicable to the tubular air cells  1  and  12 , respectively. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the embodiment of the first air valve  3  is illustrated The first air valve  3  is formed by a first upper body  38  and a first lower body  39 . The first upper body  38  has an annular edge  380  at an inner side thereof, and a center of the first upper body  38  is installed with a center space  382 , a space  383 , a space  384 , and space  385 , space  386 , sealing plate  387 , etc. The edge of the first lower body  39  is formed with an annular edge  390 , a central hole  391 , a lower center space  392 , the first air inlet  31 , the air supply opening  32 , the air transfer tube  33 , the connecting tube  34 , the connecting tube  35 , the connecting,tube  36  and the first opening  37 , etc. The interior of the first air inlet In  31  is communicable to the lower center space  392 . 
   With reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the structure of the second air valve  4  is illustrated. The second air valve  4  is formed by a second upper body  45  and a second lower body  46  which are overlapped to one another. The inner center of the second upper body  45  is formed with a shaft  451  and an edge thereof is formed with a space  452  and a second opening  42 . The second lower body  46  includes a second air inlet  41 , a connecting tube  43 , a connecting tube  44 , a shaft  461 , a central space  48 , a space  491 , a space  492 , etc. An interior of the second air inlet  41  is communicable to the central space  48 . The space  491  is communicable to the connecting tube  43 . The space  492  is communicable to the connecting tube  44 . 
   By above said structure, when it is desired that the alternating air inflation mattress has a basic width, referring to  FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C, the first upper body  38  of the first air valve  3  rotates with respect to the first lower body  39  to a specific orientation as illustrated in the figures. The first inlet  31  is communicable to the air transfer tube  33  by the lower central space  492 , upper central space  382 , and space  383 . The air supply opening  32  sucks air from the connecting tubes  34  and  35  and the first opening  37 . The tubular air cells  14 ,  15  are not inflated. The air transfer tube  33  is inflated for supplying air to the second air valve  4 . Then, the second upper body  45  of the second air valve  4  rotates with respect to the second lower body  46  to a specific orientation. Air flows into the air inlet  41 , passing through the central space  48 , and the space  452  to the space  491  and connecting tube  43 . Then the tubular air cell  11  is inflated. The air in the tubular air cell  12  is vented out since the connecting tube  44  is communicable to the space  492  and the second opening  42 . Since the inflated tubular air cell  13  is covered by the sealing plate  387 , it is retained in the original condition. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C, the first air valve  3  is retained in the previous. The second upper body  45  of the second air valve  4  rotates with respect to the second lower body  46  to a specific orientation as shown in the drawings. As a result, air flows into the second air inlet  41 , passing through the central space  48 , and the space  452  to the space  491 , space  492 , and the connecting tubes  43 ,  44 . At this state, the tubular air cells  11  and  12  are both inflated. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7A ,  7 B and  7 C, the first air valve  3  is retained in the original state, and the second air valve  4 . The second upper body  45  of the second air valve  4  rotates with respect to the second lower body  46  to a specific orientation. Air flows into the second air inlet  41 , passing through the central space  48  and space  452  to the space  492  and connecting tube  44 . At this time, the tubular air cell  12  is inflated and the tubular air cell  11  is not inflated because the connecting tube  43  is communicable to the space  491  and second opening  42 . 
   From above description, in the basic width of the present invention, air can be inflated to or vented from the tubular air cell  11  or tubular air cell  12 , or the tubular air cells  11  and  12  are both in the inflation state. 
   When it is desired to increase the width of the alternating air inflation mattress, referring to  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  8 C, the first upper body  38  of the first air valve  3  rotates with respect to the first lower body  39  to a specific orientation as shown in the figures. The air transfer tube  33  is communicable to the first air inlet  31  through the lower central space  392 , upper central space  382 , and the space  383 . The connecting tube  34  is also connected to the space  383  and space  384  so that air in the first air inlet  31  flows into the connecting tube  34  so that the tubular air cell  14  is inflated. Thus, the width of the mattress body  1  includes the tubular air cells  11 ,  12 ,  13  and the tubular air cell  14 . Apparently, the width of the bed body  1  is increased. As for the connecting tube  35 , it is communicable to the air supply opening  32  and the first opening  37  through the space  386  and space  385  so that the tubular air cell  15  is not inflated. As for the second air valve  4 , it can inflate, evacuate air in the tubular air cell or retain the air in the tubular air cell. 
   When it is desired to widen the width of the mattress body  1  to a widest extent, as shown in  FIGS. 9A ,  9 B and  9 C, the first upper body  38  of the first air valve  3  rotates with respect to the first lower body  39  to a specific orientation as shown in the drawings. The first air inlet  31  is communicable to the air transfer tube  33  through the lower central space  392 , upper central space  382 , and space  383 . The connecting tubes  34 ,  35  are communicable to the spaces  383 , and  384 , respectively so that the air in the first air inlet  31  is transferred to the connecting tubes  34 ,  35 . Thus, the tubular air cells  14  and  15  are both inflated. Thereby, the width of the mattress body  1  includes the tubular air cells  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15 . 
   In emergency, if it is desired to rescue the patient laying upon the mattress  1 , the air in the mattress  1  must be released out rapidly for performing CPR. At this time, as shown in  FIGS. 10A ,  10 B and  10 C, the first upper body  38  of the first air valve  3  rotates with respect to the first lower body  39  to a specific orientation as shown in the drawings. Then, the first air inlet  31  is communicable to the first opening  37  through the lower central space  392 , the upper central space  382  and the space  383 . The air is evacuated out. The air transfer tube  33 , connecting tubes  34 ,  35  and  36  are communicable to the air supply opening  32  through the space  385 . Since the air supply opening  32  has a suction force, air in the tubular air cells  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14  and  15  are sucked out rapidly. Thus air evacuates out and CPR can be performed. 
   By above-mentioned structure, by the rotation states of the first air valve  3 , air in the tubular air cells  15  and  14  can evacuate out separately so as to reduce the width as desired. 
     FIG. 11  shows that in the present invention, the mattress body  1  can be formed only by the tubular air cells  91 ,  92 ,  93 , and  94 , the bottom base pad can be neglected. In practical use, it is only necessary to seal the connecting tube  36  of the first air valve  3 . 
   However, the present invention provides a full-featured healthcare mattress system providing a comfortable, pressure reduction environment for the care and management of larger patients. Moreover, the present invention provides an expandable bed having an adjustable width through the expansion of either side or both side lateral air cells to accommodate different larger sized patients. Further, the mattress of present invention allows a bed arranged with the mattress to passage through hospital doors easily and quickly. 
   Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Category: 1