AIR CHAMBER TYPE PATIENT MOVER

摘要

Air chamber-type air pallets (10) incorporate side-to-side linked air pressurized tubes or chambers (46-64) in two integrated rows, having common members (14, 16) for adjacent chambers under air pressurization rendered rigid over a certain extent to rigidify the air chambers thereof which form load backing chambers in place of rigid backing members conventionally employed in air pallets maintaning the load (P) footprint borne by the air pressurized backing chambers matched by that of the developed air bearing or air film (A) by passage of compressed air through the pattern of perforations (26). Preferably, linked tubes (44-54) of one row are laterally offset but integrated physically to those (56-64) of a second row to both limit lateral shrinkage of linked tubes (44-64) extending completely across the pin hole perforations (26) within the thin, flexible bottom sheet (18) partially forming such air pallets. A single row of linked tubes (306) formed of two thin, flexible sheets (302, 304), acting as plenum chambers and having perforations (316) within the thin, flexible bottom sheet (304) functions adequately to support the patient (P) directly on the top thin, flexible sheeet (302) with the bottom tangential surfaces of the individual tubes (306) flattening.