| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for positioning of an occupant capable of assisting to turn the occupant from, for example, a prone position to a supine position by inflating turn assist bladders to tilt the occupant to the left or right. <P>SOLUTION: A method of positioning the occupant includes identifying a discrepancy between an existing occupant position and a target occupant position, and establishing an elevation gradient having a direction, magnitude and position compatible with moving the occupant from the existing position to the target position. In one variant of the method, a step of establishing an elevation gradient is one substep of a preordained sequence of bladder inflations and deflations. In another variant, the method includes determining if the discrepancy is corrected and responding to any noncorrection of the discrepancy. A controller is capable of receiving information from a sensor array, identifying suboptimal positioning of the occupant, and capable of issuing commands for the pump to inflate selected repositioning bladders, thereby, urging the occupant from his or her target position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
