Air-powered low interface pressure support surface

Abstract

An air inflatable mattress and mattress coverlet are provided for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers (i.e., pressure sores or bedsores). The mattress incorporates a user selectable static or alternating air powered support surface for more uniformly redistributing pressure exerted on a patient's skin. The mattress coverlet encompasses a low air loss feature independent of the mattress's user selectable air powered support surface. Such low air loss feature provides a patient contact surface exhibiting a high moisture vapor transfer ratio in conjunction with a forced air flow to aid in reducing the moisture and heat near the patient's body. Both the mattress and mattress coverlet are driven by an external control system which houses the user controls, as well as the necessary pumps, regulators, and valving.

1 . A patient support system for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers, said patient support system comprising: 
 a foam shell defining an internal cavity for housing a plurality of air cells;    a plurality of air cells housed in said foam shell internal cavity;    a multi-layer mattress coverlet, said coverlet providing a low air loss feature and encasing said foam shell; and    an external control system for driving said plurality of air cells and for respectively and selectively powering said low air loss feature of said multi-layer mattress coverlet by selectively providing a continuous airflow therethrough.    
   
   
       2 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plurality of air cells are oriented from side-to-side within said foam shell; and wherein    said foam shell is a multi-piece foam shell comprising a foam shell topper, foam bolsters, a foam header, and a foam footer.    
   
   
       3 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said multi-layer mattress coverlet comprises three layers.  
   
   
       4 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said three layers of said multi-layer mattress coverlet comprise: 
 a first layer of a high moisture vapor transfer ratio material;  
 a middle layer of a non-crushable, three-dimensional fabric; and  
 a third layer of a water-proof, vapor-impermeable material; and  
   further wherein said continuous airflow provided by said external control system through said multi-layer mattress coverlet comprises an airflow selectively provided by said external control system through said lower layer of said mattress coverlet.    
   
   
       5 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said third layer further forms a zippered sheath for encasing said foam shell and said air cells housed in said internal cavity thereof.  
   
   
       6 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said first and said third layers are welded together about generally their entire periphery and are spot welded in a plurality of locations to control billowing thereof.  
   
   
       7 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said first layer is perforated to enhance said high moisture vapor transfer rate.  
   
   
       8 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said external control system is a fully self-contained unit for providing inflationary airflows to said air cells and respectively and selectively to said mattress coverlet.  
   
   
       9 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said external control system houses a plurality of pumps for respectively providing said inflationary airflows.  
   
   
       10 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of pumps operate independently so as to allow alternate or simultaneous use of said air cells and respective selective use of said low air loss feature of said mattress coverlet.  
   
   
       11 . A multi-layered low air loss mattress coverlet for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers, said coverlet comprising: 
 a first layer of a material with a high moisture vapor transfer rate;    a middle layer of a non-crushable three-dimensional fabric material;    a third layer of a material that is water-proof and vapor-impermeable; and    an external airflow source selectively providing an airflow through said middle layer to remove warm moist air from around said coverlet's contact points with a patient.    
   
   
       12 . A low air loss mattress coverlet as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said mattress coverlet may be modularly applied to various patient support surfaces including mattresses, wheelchair/seating cushions, and/or patient positioners.  
   
   
       13 . A low air loss mattress coverlet as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said external airflow source comprises an external control system that is a fully self-contained unit for providing inflationary airflows to said multi-layered low air loss mattress coverlet.  
   
   
       14 . A patient support system for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers, said patient support system comprising: 
 a foam shell defining an internal cavity;    a plurality of air cells housed in said foam shell internal cavity;    a multi-layer mattress coverlet, said coverlet providing a low air loss feature and encasing said foam shell; and    an external control system, wherein said external control system comprises a fully self-contained unit for selectively providing inflationary airflows to said air cells and respectively to at least one layer of said multi-layer of said mattress coverlet.    
   
   
       15 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said external control system houses a plurality of pumps for selectively providing said inflationary airflows.  
   
   
       16 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said plurality of pumps operate independently so as to allow alternate or simultaneous use of said air cells and said low air loss feature of said mattress coverlet.  
   
   
       17 . A patient support system for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers, said patient support system comprising: 
 a foam shell defining an internal cavity;    a plurality of air cells housed in said foam shell internal cavity;    a multi-layer mattress coverlet comprising a first layer of a high moisture vapor transfer ratio material, a middle layer of a non-crushable, three-dimensional fabric and a third layer of a water-proof, vapor-impermeable material; and    an external control system wherein said external control system selectively provides a continuous stream of air to said middle layer of said multi-layer mattress coverlet so as to selectively drive a low air loss feature provided by such stream of air flowing through said multi-layer mattress coverlet.    
   
   
       18 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein: 
 said plurality of air cells are oriented from side-to-side within said foam shell; and    wherein said foam shell is a multi-piece foam shell comprising foam bolsters, a foam header, and a foam footer.    
   
   
       19 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said first and said third layers are welded together about generally their entire periphery and are spot welded in a plurality of locations to control billowing of such first and third layers.  
   
   
       20 . A patient support system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said external control drives inflationary airflows to said air cells, and further wherein said external control system houses a plurality of pumps for selectively providing said inflationary airflows.  
   
   
       21 . An air-powered low interface pressure support surface apparatus, for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers, said apparatus comprising: 
 an air inflatable mattress having an air powered support surface for more uniformly redistributing pressure exerted on the skin of a patient received on said apparatus;    a mattress coverlet encompassing a low air loss feature which provides a patient contact surface interface exhibiting a high moisture vapor transfer ratio in conjunction with a forced air flow to aid in reducing ambient moisture and heat near the body of a patient received on said apparatus; and    an external control system for respectively driving both said air powered support surface of said mattress and said low air loss feature of said mattress coverlet.    
   
   
       22 . An air-powered low interface pressure support surface apparatus as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein drive of said air powered support surface of said mattress is user selectable between one of a static mode and an alternating mode.  
   
   
       23 . An air-powered low interface pressure support surface apparatus as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said external control system houses user controls for said user selectable drive of said air powered support surface of said mattress, and further houses air pumps, regulators, and valving for said respective drive of said air powered support surface of said mattress and said low air loss feature of said mattress coverlet.  
   
   
       24 . An air-powered low interface pressure support surface apparatus as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein drive of said low air loss feature of said mattress coverlet is independent of drive of said air powered support surface of said mattress.