Patent · US Expired

Bimodal system for pressurizing a low air loss patient support

US5052067A · kind A · utility

78Cited by
15References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 18, 1990
Grant dateOct 1, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 18, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/86614
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A bimodal system for pressurizing a low air loss patient support having a plurality of inflatable sacks, each sack being subdivided into at least two separate air tight chambers. The system includes a source of pressurized air such as an air blower. The system also includes at least two pressure control valves, each valve having an input communicating with the source of pressurized air. The system further includes at least one flow diverter valve having a pair of inlets and a pair of outlets. One of the pressure control valves communicates with one of the diverter valve inlets via the output of the pressure control valve. The second pressure control valve also communicates with the other of the inlets of the diverter valve via the output of the second pressure control valve. The flow diverter valve has a pair of pathways which connect between the inlets and the outlets. A rotatable switching disk supports the pathways and can be rotated to change the way that the inlets communicate with the outlets and accordingly change the way that the pressurized air travels from the source through the flow diverter valve. A plurality of diverter valves can be provided for a plurality of pressur…

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