Hill-rom Services, Inc.

Hill-rom Company, Inc.

Ssi Medical Services, Inc.

Donald E Williamson

Kenith W Chambers

James R Stolpmann

Barry D Hand

Robert C Novack

A pressure control apparatus for use in a bed including a pressurized air source, an inflatable air sack, and an independently inflatable cell located adjacent the inflatable air sack. A controller is operable to regulate the pressure in the air sack and to independently alternately pressurize and vent the inflatable cell at a selected frequency.

Vibratory patient support system

A pressure control apparatus includes a valve inlet configured to receive pressurized air from the pressurized air source, a valve stem coupled to the valve inlet and configured to engage the port of the manifold to form an airtight connection with the manifold and receive the pressurized air from the pressurized air source via the manifold, a valve outlet configured to permit exit of said pressurized air to the at least one air sack, a valve in fluid communication between said valve inlet and said valve outlet and configured to regulate flow of said pressurized air between said valve inlet and said valve outlet, and a controller coupled to said valve and configured to control said valve to regulate flow of said pressurized air through said valve.

The present invention relates to a vibratory patient support system for providing therapeutic vibrational action or forces to a patient suffering from a respiratory ailment. The vibratory patient support system includes a rigid support frame such as a bed frame, a plurality of inflatable sacs supported upon the support frame with each sac having an upper surface so that the plurality of sacs forms a patient support surface. The inflatable sacs are pressurized and maintained at a predetermined pressure. This predetermined pressure may be a patient height and weight specific pressure profile. A vibrating component is provided separate from the apparatus for pressurizing and maintaining the air sacs at the predetermined pressure. The vibrating component vibrates at least a portion of the patient support surface at a predetermined frequency. In this manner, the plurality of air sacs are maintained at their predetermined pressure and the portion of the patient support surface is simultaneously vibrated at the predetermined frequency. The vibrating means are further variably controllable so that an operator can vary the frequency, magnitude or amplitude, and duration of the vibrating therapy. The vibratory patient support system may include a specialty low air loss bed configuration including vibrating means for vibrating a portion of the patient support surface of the low air loss sacs at the predetermined frequency.

Growing community of inventors

N. Charleston, SC, United States of America

Donald E Williamson