초록 ▼

A mattress or another type of support surface which allows for discrete manipulation of the pressure on a supported body. The present invention includes resilient fluid cells having a spring bias, grouped to allow adjustable dynamic control of the pressure exerted on various locations of the body su

A mattress or another type of support surface which allows for discrete manipulation of the pressure on a supported body. The present invention includes resilient fluid cells having a spring bias, grouped to allow adjustable dynamic control of the pressure exerted on various locations of the body support. Each of the fluid cells has a multiple port air distribution system, either integral to the fluid cell or attached to the fluid cell. The multiple port air distribution system includes ports and allows for the control of intake flow, outflow, and sound. A harnessing system is attached to the ports of the multiple port air distribution system and interconnects the fluid cells in a pattern desired by the user. The harnessing system controls the directions and flow volume of air into the fluid cells creating selected zones. The harnessing configuration is customizable to a particular patient. The fluid cells are held together by a casing. The casing supports, houses, and prevents movement of the fluid cells and the harnessing system.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A body support apparatus for discrete manipulation of pressure on a body comprising: a plurality of self-inflating fluid cells affixed together to form a support surface, wherein each of said plurality of self-inflating fluid cells has at least one port, an exterior, and an i

What is claimed is: 1. A body support apparatus for discrete manipulation of pressure on a body comprising: a plurality of self-inflating fluid cells affixed together to form a support surface, wherein each of said plurality of self-inflating fluid cells has at least one port, an exterior, and an interior, and wherein said interior is defined by an open area for receiving fluid; and a harnessing system that controls the direction and flow volume of fluid into the self-inflating fluid cells such that the pressure in one or a group of the plurality of self-inflating cells may be discretely controlled, and an intake check valve operatively attached to said plurality of self inflating cells, wherein said body support apparatus remains functional by providing even patient support when non-powered by allowing all of said plurality of self-inflating fluid cells to equalize to an identical pressure by fluid flow through said ports interconnecting the plurality of cells. 2. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of self-inflating fluid cells is a reforming element that collapses when loaded with a load having a force which is greater than the sum of the forces within the self-inflating fluid cell, including the pressure of the fluid inside the self-inflating fluid cell multiplied by the area of the self-inflating fluid cell supporting the load, plus the reforming force of the self-inflating fluid cell, and said self-inflating fluid cell reforms when said load is reduced to a load having a force which is less than the sum of the forces within the self-inflating fluid cell and the reforming force of the self-inflating fluid cell. 3. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said harnessing system is releasably attached to said at least one port of said plurality of self-inflating fluid cells and may be releasably attached to said at least one port of said plurality of self-inflating fluid cells in a plurality of harnessing configurations. 4. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the harnessing system includes a plurality of networks of connecting lines which create a plurality of pressure zones. 5. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said harnessing system is non-powered. 6. The body support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for supplying fluid to said harnessing system. 7. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said self-inflating fluid cells are cylindrical. 8. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said self-inflating fluid cells have a helical pattern on the outer construct such that said self-inflating fluid cells collapse when loaded with force which is greater than the sum of the force of pressure inside the self-inflating fluid cell and the reforming force of the self-inflating fluid cell and inherently expand when the load is reduced. 9. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said self-inflating fluid cells are releasably attached to said harnessing system. 10. The body support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an entrapment device which restrains the expansion of at least one of the plurality of self-inflating fluid cells. 11. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said self-inflating fluid cells are formed of molded plastic. 12. The body support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a casing which accepts said self-inflating fluid cells and affixes said self-inflating fluid cells together to form at least one of a mattress, seat, or sofa construct. 13. The body support apparatus of claim 12, wherein said casing is plastic. 14. The body support apparatus of claim 12, wherein said casing is foam. 15. The body support apparatus of claim 12, wherein said casing includes bays for accepting said self-inflating fluid cells. 16. The body support apparatus of claim 15 wherein said bays include threaded constructs to receive a self-inflating fluid cell having corresponding threads. 17. The body support apparatus of claim 12 further including a topper positioned above the cells to provide further cushioning. 18. The body support apparatus of claim 17, wherein the topper is wool. 19. The body support apparatus of claim 18, further including an outer cover having a low friction and low shear surface. 20. The body support apparatus of claim 19, wherein the outer cover is expandable. 21. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one port includes a sound control batten for reducing the sound during intake and exhaust of the fluid cell. 22. The body support apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sound control batten is reticulated foam. 23. The body support apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sound control batten is a variegated surface. 24. The body support apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sound control batten is selected from the group consisting of flexible material and rigid material. 25. The body support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electronic pressure control system for selective manipulation of said self-inflating fluid cells, wherein said electronic pressure controller is attached to said harnessing system. 26. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said self-inflating fluid cells are not constructed of foam. 27. The body support apparatus of claim 1, wherein said self-inflating fluid cells are selected from the group consisting of single helix springs, twin helix springs, and bellows. 28. A method of manipulating the pressure on a body comprising: providing a support apparatus according to claim 1 further having a plurality of molded air springs, wherein each of said molded air springs has an exterior configured to reform said molded air spring; attaching a harnessing system to said plurality of molded air springs, wherein said harnessing system includes conduits that interconnect the plurality of molded air springs to create a first harnessing configuration, wherein said first harnessing configuration includes a plurality of pressure zones; and selectively manipulating the pressure on a body on the support apparatus by selectively filling at least one of said plurality of pressure zones. 29. The method of manipulating the pressure on a body of claim 28 further comprising: releasing any one of said conduits of said harnessing system from said molded air spring; and attaching said any one of said conduits to any one of said molded air springs to create a second harnessing configuration. 30. The method of manipulating the pressure on a body of claim 28 further comprising; providing an electronic pressure control system for selectively supplying fluid pressure to the plurality of pressure zones. 31. The method of manipulating the pressure on a body of claim 28, further comprising: sequentially applying pressure to said plurality of pressure zones. 32. The method of manipulating the pressure on a body of claim 28, further comprising: providing a casing adapted to receive said molded air springs. 33. The method of manipulating the pressure on a body of claim 28, further comprising: providing a fluid supply reservoir; providing an inlet port and an exhaust port for each molded air spring; attaching a first check valve between said fluid supply reservoir and an inlet port of at least one of said molded air springs in each of said plurality of pressure zones, such that fluid will only be able to flow into said molded air spring; providing a controllable pressure relief valve, wherein said controllable pressure relief valve is operatively attached to the exhaust port of at least one molded air spring in each of said plurality of pressure zones. 34. The method of manipulating the pressure on a body of claim 28, further comprising: providing a first zone of molded air springs and second zone of molded air springs; and attaching a third check valve between said first zone of molded air springs and said second zone of molded air springs such that air may flow from said first zone of molded air springs to said second zone of molded air springs and air is prevented from flowing from said second zone of molded air springs into said first zone of molded air springs. 35. A body support apparatus for discrete manipulation of the pressure on a body comprising: a plurality of non-foam cartridges that are self-inflating; a multiple port air distribution system for each non-foam cartridge including at least two ports; an intake check valve on each non-foam cartridge; a casing adapted to receive said fluid cell, wherein said casing affixes said non-foam cartridges together to form a support surface; a harnessing system that controls the direction and flow volume of air into the non-foam cartridges, wherein said harnessing system is attached to the multiple port air distribution system of each of said non-foam cartridges of said plurality of non-foam cartridges and wherein said body support apparatus remains functional when non-powered to provide patient support by equalizing to an identical pressure by fluid flow through said ports interconnecting the plurality of cells. 36. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein one of said at least two ports is an inlet port having said check valce and another of said at least two ports is an exhaust port. 37. The body support apparatus of claim 36, further comprising: a flow restrictor, wherein said flow restrictor controls the volume of air flowing through said exhaust port. 38. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said multiple port air distribution system includes at least one intake port and at least one port that allows the bilateral flow of fluid. 39. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said multiple port air distribution system includes three ports. 40. The body support appatatus of claim 35, wherein said multiple port air distribution system includes four ports. 41. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein a first of said at least two ports is in an inlet port having said check valve, a second of said at least two ports is an exhaust port, and a third and fourth of said at least two ports allow the bilateral flow of fluid and are connected to constant pressure. 42. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said multiple port air distribution system is integral to said non-foam cartridge. 43. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said multiple port air distribution system is attached to a single port on said non-foam cartridge and further includes a connector creating at least two ports that can be attached to said harnessing system. 44. The body support apparatus od claim 35, wherein said non-foam cartridges are cylindrical. 45. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said non-foam cartridges have a helical pattern on the outer construct such that said each of said non-foam cartridges collapse when loaded with force which is greater than the sum of the force of pressure inside the non-foam cartridge and the reforming force of the non-foam cartridge and inherently expand when the load is reduced. 46. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said non-foam cartridges are releasably attached to said harnessing system. 47. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further comprising an entrapment device which restrains the expansion of at least one of the plurality of non-foam cartridges. 48. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said non-foam cartridges are formed of molded plastic. 49. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: means for supplying fluid to said harnessing system. 50. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said casing is foam. 51. The cushioning device of claim 35 wherein said casing further comprises: a first pad having bays for accepting said non-foam cartridges. 52. The cushioning device of claim 51 wherein said casing further comprises: at least one pad located on a separate side of said plurality of non-foam cartridges than said first pad. 53. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said casing is plastic. 54. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said harnessing system is non-powered. 55. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein the harnessing system includes a plurality of networks of connecting lines and wherein said connecting lines attach to said ports of said multiple port air distribution system to create a plurality of pressure zones. 56. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further including an outer cover having a low friction and low shear surface. 57. The body support apparatus of claim 56, wherein the outer cover is expandable. 58. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein the multiple port air distribution system includes a sound control batten for reducing the sound during intake and exhaust of the non-foam cartridge. 59. The body support apparatus of claim 58, wherein the sound control batten is reticulated foam. 60. The body support apparatus of claim 58, wherein the sound control batten is a variegated surface. 61. The body support apparatus of claim 58, wherein the sound control batten is selected from the group consisting of flexible material and rigid material. 62. The body support apparatus of claim 35, wherein said non-foam cartridges are selected from the group consisting of single helix springs, twin helix springs, and bellows. 63. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: a pressure control system for selective manipulation of said non-foam cartridges, wherein said pressure control system is attached to said harnessing system. 64. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: an pressure control system applying alternating fluid pressure to the network of connecting lines. 65. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: a pressure control system which applies pressure sequentially to said pressure zones. 66. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further comprising: a pressure control system which applies pressure randomly to said pressure zones. 67. The body support apparatus of claim 35, further including a topper positioned above the non-foam cartridges to provide further cushioning. 68. A cushioning device comprising: a plurality of air springs, each of said air springs having an exterior, an interior, an inlet port and an exhaust port, wherein said interior is defined by an open space for receiving fluid, and wherein said exterior has a bias to reform said air spring; a flow restrictor in said exhaust port to control flow of said fluid; at least one port on each air spring to allow bilateral flow to an adjacent air spring; a fluid supply; a check valve between said fluid supply and said inlet port of at least one of said air springs, such that fluid will only be able to flow into said air spring. 69. The cushioning device of claim 68 further comprising: providing a casing adapted to receive said air springs. 70. The cushioning device of claim 68 further comprising: a third check valve between said first zone of air springs and said second zone of air springs such that air may flow from said first zone of cells to said second zone of cells and air is prevented from flowing from said second zone of cells into said first zone of cells. 71. The cushioning device of claim 68, further comprising: a fluid pressure source operatively connected to said air springs. 72. The cushioning device of claim 68 further comprising: a controllable pressure relief valve, wherein said controllable pressure relief valve is operatively attached to the exhaust port of at least one air spring in each of said plurality of pressure zones; a second check valve between said exhaust port and said controllable pressure relief valve, such that fluid is prevented from entering said exhaust port; and a pressure control system which allows for individual manipulation of said support zones.