Patent · US Expired

Air chamber type patient mover air pallet with multiple control features

US5067189A · kind A · utility

144Cited by
29References
26Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 11, 1990
Grant dateNov 26, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 11, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61G2200/32
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Air chamber-type air pallets incorporate side-to-side linked air pressurized tubes or chambers in two integrated rows, having common members for adjacent chambers under air pressurization rendered rigid over a certain extent to rigidify the air chambers thereof which form load backing chambers in place of rigid backing members conventionally employed in air pallets maintaining the load footprint borne by the air pressurized backing chambers matched by that of the developed air bearing or air film by passage of compressed air through the pattern of perforations. Preferably, linked tubes of one row are laterally offset but integrated physically to those of a second row to both limit lateral shrinkage of linked tubes extending completely across the pin hole perforations within the thin, flexible bottom sheet partially forming such air pallets. The use of upper and lower rows of tubes subject to air pressurization provides adequate separation between the load and the fixed support surface to prevent contact of the load and the fixed support surface irrespective of loss of pressurization of a given one of the tubes of either row. The air pallets are formed totally of thin, flexible shee…

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