The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 18, 1997
Jean-Louis Viard, Grabels, FR;
Gilles Camus, Montpellier, FR;
Support Systems International Industries, Montpellier, FR;
Abstract
The invention concerns a method of supporting the body of a patient, the method consisting in providing at least one support element, such as a mattress, subdivided into at least two closed, flexible, controlled-release regions that are inflatable with fluid under a pressure that is a function of the set penetration distance to which the body of the patient penetrates into the support element, namely at least one first support region for supporting the body of the patient other than in its heel region, and a second support region specifically for supporting the heel region. According to the invention, the second support region is inflated by tapping fluid from the first support region. This method makes it easy, in particular, to adjust the pressure as a function of the relative position of the patient on the support, of the patient's weight, of the patient's morphology, or else as a function of the particular needs of the treatment.