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A valve assembly for selectively enabling discharge of fluid includes a plurality of valves that are selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position and a cam that selectively actuates the valves. The cam is moveable between a first position in which fluid is sealed from discharg

A valve assembly for selectively enabling discharge of fluid includes a plurality of valves that are selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position and a cam that selectively actuates the valves. The cam is moveable between a first position in which fluid is sealed from discharge by the valves and a second position in which the valves are in the open position. An electrical actuator and a manual actuator are connected to the cam, with both the electrical actuator and the manual actuator being separately operable to move the cam into the second position upon actuation. The valve assembly may further include a housing within which the valves are disposed for movement.

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1. A valve assembly for a patient support mattress having a plurality of bladders, said valve assembly operable to selectively discharge fluid from the bladders of the patient support mattress and comprising: a plurality of valves, said valves being operatively connected with the bladders of the pat

1. A valve assembly for a patient support mattress having a plurality of bladders, said valve assembly operable to selectively discharge fluid from the bladders of the patient support mattress and comprising: a plurality of valves, said valves being operatively connected with the bladders of the patient support system and selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position;a cam that selectively actuates said valves, said cam being moveable between a position in which fluid is sealed from discharge by said valves and a position in which said valves are in said open position; andan electrical actuator connected to said cam and a manual actuator connected to said cam, both said electrical actuator and said manual actuator being separately operable to move said cam to open said valves;said cam including a plurality of cam surfaces with movement of said cam causing said cam surfaces to move relative to said valves to open said valves with said cam surfaces including an initial portion that commences opening of said valves, and with the spacing of said initial portion of one said cam surface relative to an associated said valve being different from the spacing of said initial portion of another said cam surface relative to its associated said valve whereby commencement of opening of all said valves does not occur simultaneously during movement of said cam. 2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein said valves include a valve stem and said cam slides generally perpendicular relative to said valve stem. 3. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein said cam is generally cylindrical and comprises a plurality of cam segments for actuating said valves, said valve segments comprising a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion, and a cam surface portion located between said first cylindrical portion and said second cylindrical portion with said first cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than said second cylindrical portion. 4. The valve assembly of claim 1, further including an actuating member disposed between said cam and each said valve, and wherein said cam surfaces act on said actuating members and said actuating members act on said valves. 5. The valve assembly of claim 4, wherein said actuating members comprise balls. 6. The valve assembly of claim 5, further including a housing within which said valves operate, and wherein said housing includes a plurality of actuator bores with said actuator bores retaining said actuating members. 7. The valve assembly of claim 6, wherein said housing comprises a plurality of housings with at least one said valve operating within each said housing. 8. The valve assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of valve springs, said valve springs acting on said valves to maintain said valves in said closed orientation. 9. A valve assembly for a patient support mattress having a plurality of bladders, said valve assembly operable to selectively discharge fluid from the bladders of the patient support mattress and comprising: a plurality of valves, said valves being operatively connected with the bladders of the patient support system and selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position;a housing within which said valves operate;a cam that selectively actuates said valves, said cam being moveable in a reciprocating orientation relative to said housing between a position in which fluid is sealed from discharge by said valves and a position in which said valves are in said open position; andan electrical actuator connected to said cam and a manual actuator connected to said cam, both said electrical actuator and said manual actuator being separately operable to move said cam to open said valves. 10. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said electrical actuator includes an extendable member with said extendable member being linked to said cam and with said extendable member sliding said cam to open said valves upon actuation, and wherein said manual actuator includes a cable linked to said cam with said cable being manually operable to slide said cam to open said valves. 11. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said cam includes a plurality of cam surfaces with movement of said cam causing said cam surfaces to move relative to said valves to open said valves with said cam surfaces including an initial portion that commences opening of said valves, and with the spacing of said initial portion of one said cam surface relative to an associated said valve being different from the spacing of said initial portion of another said cam surface relative to its associated said valve whereby commencement of opening of all said valves does not occur simultaneously during movement of said cam. 12. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said housing comprises a plurality of housings with at least one said valve operating within each said housing. 13. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said cam is generally cylindrical and comprises a plurality of cam segments for actuating said valves, said valve segments comprising a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion, and a cam surface portion located between said first cylindrical portion and said second cylindrical portion with said first cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than said second cylindrical portion. 14. The valve assembly of claim 13, wherein said cam slides within a portion of said housing. 15. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said valves include a valve stem and said cam slides generally perpendicular relative to said valve stem. 16. The valve assembly of claim 9, further including an actuating member disposed between said cam and each said valve, and wherein said cam includes cam surfaces and wherein said cam surfaces act on said actuating members and said actuating members act on said valves. 17. The valve assembly of claim 16, wherein said actuating members comprise balls. 18. The valve assembly of claim 17, wherein said housing includes a plurality of actuator bores with said actuator bores retaining said actuating members. 19. The valve assembly of claim 9, further including a plurality of valve springs and a plurality of valve support members with said valve support members being affixed to said housing and said valve springs retained within said valve support members, said valve springs acting on said valves to provide a biasing force to maintain said valves in said closed position. 20. A valve assembly for a patient support mattress having a plurality of bladders, said valve assembly operable to selectively discharge fluid from the bladders of the patient support mattress and comprising: a plurality of valves, said valves being operatively connected with the bladders of the patient support system and selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position;a cam that selectively actuates said valves, said cam being moveable between a position in which fluid is sealed from discharge by said valves and a position in which said valves are in said open position; andan electrical actuator connected to said cam and a manual actuator connected to said cam, both said electrical actuator and said manual actuator being separately operable to move said cam to open said valves, with said electrical actuator including an extendable member that is linked to said cam to move said cam to open said valves upon actuation, and with said manual actuator including a cable linked to said cam with said cable being manually operable to move said cam to open said valves. 21. The valve assembly of claim 20 further including a housing within which said valves operate, and wherein said cam is moveable in a sliding orientation relative to said housing to open said valves with said cam including a plurality of cam surfaces and movement of said cam causes said cam surfaces to move relative to said valves to open said valves. 22. The valve assembly of claim 21, wherein with said cam surfaces include an initial portion that commences opening of said valves, and with the spacing of said initial portion of one said cam surface relative to an associated said valve being different from the spacing of said initial portion of another said cam surface relative to its associated said valve whereby commencement of opening of all said valves does not occur simultaneously during movement of said cam. 23. The valve assembly of claim 21, wherein said cam is generally cylindrical and comprises a plurality of cam segments for actuating said valves, said valve segments comprising a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion, with said cam surfaces located between said first cylindrical portion and said second cylindrical portion with said first cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than said second cylindrical portion. 24. The valve assembly of claim 21, further including an actuating member disposed between said cam and each said valve, and wherein said cam surfaces act on said actuating members and said actuating members act on said valves. 25. The valve assembly of claim 24, wherein said actuating members comprise balls and said housing includes a plurality of actuator bores with said actuator bores retaining said actuating members. 26. The valve assembly of claim 21, further including a plurality of valve springs and a plurality of valve support members with said valve support members being affixed to said housing and said valve springs retained within said valve support members, said valve springs acting on said valves to provide a biasing force to maintain said valves in said closed position. 27. The valve assembly of claim 26, wherein said valve support members include a spring cavity and a spring seat, and wherein one of said springs is positioned within each said spring cavity with said spring being supported on said spring seat.