Air pallet having multiple entry integrated air inlet valves
US4517690A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1984 |
| Grant date | May 21, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61G2200/32
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An air pallet such as a patient mover which may be formed of upper and lower thin flexible film sheets sealed at their edges to form a plenum chamber therebetween, functions to move with minimal friction, a load supported by a generally rigid planar backing member, which may be the load itself, over an underlying generally planar fixed support surface. The bottom thin flexible material sheet is perforated by small diameter perforations such as pin holes at the load imprint area. Dual opposed air inlets permit pressurization of the plenum chamber by insertion of a wand connected to a source of pressurized air into one of the air inlets. Air escaping from the perforations creates an air bearing between the fixed support surface and the bottom thin flexible film material sheet. A pair of flexible strips are interposed at laterally opposed inlets within the plenum chamber and extend across the chamber from opposed edges of the air pallet with the free ends of the strips overlapped. Air inlet openings are formed at respective edges where the flexible strips and the flexible sheets are sealed together between one side of each strip and an adjacent thin flexible film sheet. Both strip sid…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.