Hill-rom Services, Inc.

Hill-rom Company, Inc.

Ssi Medical Services, Inc.

Bissell Inc.

Hill-rom, Inc.

W Layne Carruth

Steven D DeRidder

Kenith W Chambers

Stephen R Schulte

Craig D Ellis

Scott D McCormick

Sohrab Soltani

Richard B Stacy

Warren P Jones

Alfred W Siman

Kim J Waldvogel

A valve assembly for a patient support having a mattress including a bladder comprises an interior housing formed to include a supply chamber, an exhaust chamber, a plenum, and an exterior housing surrounding the interior housing. A supply valve and an exhaust valve are located in the interior housing and connect the supply chamber and the exhaust chamber, respectively, to the plenum. A supply solenoid and an exhaust solenoid are coupled to the interior housing and covered by the exterior housing. The supply solenoid and the exhaust solenoid are coupled to the supply and exhaust valves respectively.

Valve assembly

A valve assembly for an air mattress having a common actuator on a manifold between opposed supply and exhaust valves moving the valves along actuating axes. The system includes a plurality of actuator/valve combinations for different portions of the air mattress. A pulsating valve is provided which includes a housing having therein supply and exhaust valves each directly controlled by supply and exhaust solenoids.

A valve assembly for an air mattress having a common actuator on a manifold between opposed supply and exhaust valves moving the valves along their actuating axis. The system includes a plurality of actuator/valve combinations for different portions of the air mattress. A pulsating valve is provided which includes a housing having therein supply and exhaust valves each directly controlled by supply and exhaust solenoids. The solenoids are of an improved design.

Hand grip strength tester

Patient support apparatus configured for one or more of the care, maintenance or treatment of a patient, have internal components that become soiled in use and must be cleaned and disinfected. The method performs this required cleansing and disinfecting using an all-automated and all hands-free, flushing module with the capability of performing an internal cleansing of internally soiled components of such a patient support apparatus. The method automatically goes through a flush cycle, a wash cycle and a rinse cycle.

Method of cleaning a patient support device for care, maintenance, and

The system of the present invention is an all-automated and all hands-free, flushing module with the capability of performing an internal cleansing of internally soiled components of a patient support apparatus configured for one or more of the care, maintenance or treatment of a patient. The system is configured with at least one bay to receive a patient support apparatus to be cleaned. The system is designed so that additional bays can be used to clean two or three patient support apparatus at one time. The system includes hoses supplying liquid into the bed's internal surfaces that come into contact with substances associated with one or more of the care, maintenance and/or treatment of a patient on the patient support apparatus. The system automatically goes through a flush cycle, a wash cycle and a rinse cycle. The system has extra compartments for jug washing. The system takes predetermined amounts of bactericides or all of the cleansing agents, mixes them with tap water, uses the mixed liquids for washing or rinsing, and then the liquids used for washing or rinsing are disposed into the sewer system.

Automated flushing module

A heavy patient support is mounted on a base by load cell beams forming the transducer for a scale to weigh a patient. Each load cell has a cup, a ball and an inverted cup providing the sole support for the patient support. Thus, only vertical components of force are weighed, and lateral movement of the patient support with respect to the bed is minimized.

Load cell mount for hospital weigh bed

An apparatus and method for decontaminating contaminated microspheres of a patient support system employing a fluidizing medium to fluidize the microspheres to provide support for the patient, includes a tank for containing the microspheres. The tank includes a diffuser mounted inside the tank to form a plenum in the bottom of the tank. A rigid shell surrounds heat-insulating material around the outside of the tank. A recirculation channel is defined in the shell. A cover seals the tank. An air heater member and a gas blower provide hot air to fluidize the microspheres inside the tank. A valve permits a heating mode of operation, a cooling mode of operation, and a holding temperature mode of operation. The valve is switched between modes by action of a solenoid or a motor. A temperature probe monitors the temperature inside of the tank. A control circuit controls the air heater, the valve, and the gas blower according to a predetermined timed sequence of actuation. The monitored temperatures are recorded to provide a hard record of same. The method includes sieving the contaminated microspheres before placing them into the container and fluidizing them with heated air until a predetermined temperature is maintained for a predetermined time. The heated air is recirculated. The decontaminated microspheres are cooled by introducing ambient air into the tank and expelling the hot air from the tank. The heating of the gas is discontinued when the holding temperature is attained and resumed when the temperature falls below the holding temperature.

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Cordova, TN, United States of America

W Layne Carruth