Fluidized support bed
US7797776B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 25, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 21, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61G7/05746
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fluidized bed for supporting a patient has a fluid-impervious peripheral wall, a fluid-porous membrane top covering and a fluid-porous floor defining a unit volume in which a quantity of glass bead support media is confined. Several diffusers supply air through the floor to fluidize the support media and support a body on the bed top covering. Each diffuser is a laminate having a porous membrane top and a porous membrane bottom spaced by a fluid-impervious boundary wall and a plurality of fluid-impervious interior walls that create discrete cells. Each cell contains a quantity of glass bead cell media. A pair of blowers supplies pressure air through one-way valves to the cells in the diffusers and through the cells up into the unit interior volume to fluidize the support media. Unequal distribution of support media causes a localized drop in air flow beneath an area of low media density and a consequent air pressure increase in the cells below an area of high media density, increasing air pressure in the support media above, which causes the support media to self-level to equalize pressure throughout the unit volume.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.