Patent · US Expired

Ventilated body support

US4391009A · kind A · utility

219Cited by
11References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 17, 1980
Grant dateJul 5, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 17, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61G7/05784
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Disclosed is a ventilated support for living bodies comprising an inflatable alternating pressure pad which is either enclosed by or forms a part of an air permeable plenum chamber through which air is pumped at low pressure to provide a source of ventilating air to a body resting on the support. The alternating pressure pad which is inflated by a high pressure pump has two sets of interdigitated cells which are alternately inflatable and deflatable and carry the weight of a body, alternately, on each of the two sets of cells. The plenum chamber is provided with a separate low pressure air pump which passes through the air permeable upper element of the plenum chamber to reduce moisture build-up and otherwise cool the body resting on the support. In the embodiment in which the alternating pressure pad forms the upper element of the plenum chamber, it is provided with a plurality of apertures which are sealed from the alternating pressure cells to prevent the loss of pressure therein.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.