Sytron Corporation

David J Sloop

Hsiang-Lin Yu

An air pressurization and control system for a low air loss air floatation mattress or cushion is disclosed. The control system controls air supplied to the air floatation mattress within a range of pressures and flowrates so as to inflate all of the cells of the mattress and to maintain a flow of air to all of the cells over an extended period of time while maintaining all of the cells at a desired level of inflation for the air floatation support of the patient without any of the cells exerting decubitus pressures above the maximum desired decubitus pressure and so as to prevent collapse of any of the cells. A sensor is provided for sensing the pressure of the air within the common supply. The controller includes a microprocessor for initializing the controller to a particular patient to be supported by the mattress and for the air floatation support of the patient over an extended period of time without exceeding a maximum decubitus pressure on any portion of the person's body in contact with the mattress and without permitting any of the cells to collapse. The initializing procedure comprises inflating the mattress with the person supported thereon and determining when at least one of the cells becomes fully inflated thereby determining a maximum inflation pressure not to be exceeded during the course of treatment and then deflating the mattress and determining the pressure at which at least one of the cells collapses thereby determining a lower pressure level above which pressure within the mattress is to be maintained during the course of treatment. The controller monitors the pressure of the air supplied to the common source and regulates operation of the source of pressurized air so as to be at a predetermined pressure between the minimum and the maximum pressure.

Microprocessor controller and method of initializing and controlling low

An electrically powered window shade with selectively variable shading characteristics is installable within a window opening for selectively blocking (by absorption or reflection), filtering and/or transmitting light through the window shade into a room for purposes of energy control and/or decoration, etc. This window shade comprises an upper roller assembly, a lower roller assembly, and an elongate flexible web wound on the upper and lower roller assemblies, with the web being longer than the spacing between the upper and lower roller assemblies. Each of the roller assemblies comprises an elongate tubular roller, bearings engageable with the end of the roller for rotatably journaling the ends of the roller with respect to the window. The web is scrolled onto and from the rollers as the latter are rotated about their respective longitudinal axes. A drive is provided for each of the rollers so as to drive the rollers in one direction or the other so as to scroll the web from one of the rollers onto the other roller. The drive comprises a gearmotor having an output shaft substantially coaxial with the gearmotor, and with the gearmotor being received within the roller, with the output shaft being coaxial with the roller. The gear motor is fixed against rotation with respect to the frame. Further, each of the gearmotors includes a torsional spring for maintaining the web taut as it is scrolled and unscrolled from one roller to the other, and while the web is stationary and to accommodate changes in rotation rates and roll diameters as the web is scrolled and unscrolled. Specifically, this torsional spring operatively connects the output shaft of each gearmotor with its respective roller. The torsional spring of one of the rollers is wound in one direction (e.g., clockwise), and the other torsional spring associated with the other gearmotor is wound in the other direction (e.g., counterclockwise) so that upon initial energization of one gearmotor or the other, differences in rotational speed and start-up times between the gearmotors will be taken up.

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis, MO, United States of America

David J Sloop