Configurable air diffusion body supports

摘要

A patient positioning wedge, mattress, pillow, pod, or other surface or apparatus for preventing or relieving pressure ulcers or other types of wounds through low air loss therapy, alternating pressure therapy, or both, and the ports, controllers, and manifolds used in combination. The mattress includes a plurality of perforated or otherwise porous air cells for supporting the patient's body weight. The mattress further includes valves and accessory ports to pump air into accessories, such as patient positioning wedges, pods, and pillows. Each accessory also includes perforated or otherwise porous air cells. The air cells in the mattress and accessories allow for low air loss therapy and/or alternating pressure therapy by passing air between the contact surface of the mattress or accessory and the contact surface of the patient, thus helping alleviate pressure, heat, friction, and moisture, while maintaining support and stability of the patient.

主权项

1. A low air loss or alternating pressure patient positioning system, comprising:
a low air loss mattress having a top side, a bottom side, a plurality of sidewalls, and an array of perforated air cells having a substantially hollow interior and forming said top side of said mattress, said array of air cells permitting flow of a fluid from said substantially hollow interior of each air cell of said array of air cells to an exterior of said array of air cells through perforations in said each air cell; an air source directly or indirectly coupled to said array of air cells for pumping or distributing said fluid from said air source into said substantially hollow interior of said each air cell in order to inflate said array of air cells for support of a patient or subject thereon; an accessory port in communication with at least one air cell of said array of air cells; and a low air loss support accessory coupled to said accessory port for distributing said fluid from said at least one air cell into said support accessory through said accessory port in order to inflate said support accessory, said support accessory including a perforated air cell layer that is powered, inflated, and controlled by said mattress via said accessory port on said mattress to provide fluid communication between said mattress and an interior of said perforated air cell layer, wherein flow of said fluid follows a path of travel from said air source, into said low air loss mattress, through said accessory port, into said interior of said perforated air cell layer, through perforations of said perforated air cell layer, and into an environment external to patient positioning system.