Adverse event mitigation systems, methods, and devices

Abstract

A sleep apparatus, such as a mattress, comprises a head support surface sized to support a person's head, and a torso support surface sized to support a person's torso. The head support surface is generally laterally sloped moving from a first side toward a second side of the mattress, and the torso support surface is generally laterally sloped moving from the first side toward the second side. In some embodiments, the lateral slope of the head support surface is at least about 15°, the lateral slope of the head support surface is greater than the lateral slope of the torso support surface, and/or, the sleep apparatus slopes in the longitudinal direction as well.

1 . A support system configured to support and laterally rotate at least a portion of a user with respect to a longitudinal axis of the support system, said support system being embodied as a mattress and comprising:
 at least one support piece configured to form a laterally angled sleep surface having a lateral dimension defined between a first side of the mattress and an opposing second side of the mattress spaced from the first side with the first and second sides extending substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis such that the laterally angled sleep surface extends fully all the way across the support system in its entirety from the first side to the second side, wherein the laterally angled sleep surface comprises a flat, planar surface from the first side to the second side when the user is absent from the support system, wherein the at least one support piece is included as one of a plurality of support pieces that are in abutment at respective vertical planes that extend laterally between the first and second sides and that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the laterally angled sleep surface of the at least one support piece and an adjacent laterally angled sleep surface of a next adjacent support piece of the plurality of support piece slope laterally slope downwardly in a same direction from the first side to the second side but at different angles that are each greater than zero degrees.   
     
     
         2 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the laterally angled sleep surface is situated in a head end region of the mattress and is spaced from a foot end region of the mattress. 
     
     
         3 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support piece forms a continuously sloped sleep surface. 
     
     
         4 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support piece is rotatable about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support pieces are each configured to define its respective laterally angled sleep surface, a first support piece of the plurality of support pieces forming a first support plane along the longitudinal axis having a first angle of rotation with respect to a base surface of the support system, and a second support piece of the plurality of support pieces forming a second support plane along the longitudinal axis having a second angle of rotation with respect to the base surface different than the first angle of rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The support system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of support pieces have progressively greater angles of rotation along the longitudinal axis to facilitate a relatively greater rotation of an upper respiratory tract of the user and a relatively lesser rotation in a lower body of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The support system of  claim 5 , wherein the second angle of rotation is greater than the first angle of rotation to facilitate greater rotation of an upper respiratory tract of the user supported on the second support plane than a lower body of the user at least partially supported on the first support plane. 
     
     
         8 . The support system of  claim 5 , wherein each support piece of the plurality of support pieces is independently rotatable about an axis extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the support system. 
     
     
         9 . The support system of  claim 5 , wherein the first support plane is positioned at a first lateral angle of rotation of 20° to 30° with respect to a base surface of the first support piece, the second support plane is positioned at a second lateral angle of rotation of 10° to 20° with respect to a base surface of the second support piece, and a third support piece defines a third support surface positioned at a third lateral angle of rotation of 5° to 15° with respect to a base surface of the third support piece. 
     
     
         10 . The support system of  claim 5 , further comprising a transitional piece positioned between adjacent support pieces of the plurality of support pieces to facilitate providing a gradual continuous transition between support planes of the adjacent support pieces. 
     
     
         11 . The support system of  claim 5 , further comprising a transitional piece positioned at a transitional line where the first support piece meets with the second support piece to provide support for the user. 
     
     
         12 . The support system of  claim 1 , further comprising a system control having a display configured to display information about the support system. 
     
     
         13 . The support system of  claim 12 , wherein the system control comprises a processor configured to adjust angles of rotation of the support planes based at least in part on data inputted at the system control and/or data signals received from one or more sensors of the support system. 
     
     
         14 . A bolster in combination with the support system of  claim 1 , wherein the bolster comprises an element separate from the support system, the bolster being positioned along a lateral side of the support system to limit lateral migration of the user. 
     
     
         15 . The support system of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the bolster includes a textured surface to facilitate retaining the user positioned on the sleep surface. 
     
     
         16 . The support system of  claim 14 , wherein the bolster is formed of a formable material to provide envelopment throughout the sleep surface. 
     
     
         17 . The support system of  claim 14 , further comprising a strap operatively coupled to the bolster to facilitate maintaining the user positioned on the sleep surface. 
     
     
         18 . The support system, of  claim 5 , wherein each support piece of the plurality of support pieces is rotatable about the longitudinal axis between a first orientation having a right side slope and a second orientation having a left side slope. 
     
     
         19 . The support system of  claim 18 , further comprising a section positioned within the first support piece and coaxially aligned with the longitudinal axis to facilitate rotation of the first support piece about the longitudinal axis independently of the second support piece. 
     
     
         20 . The support system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one spacer configured to adjust the length of the support system. 
     
     
         21 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the support system has a first length defined between a head end and a foot end of the support system, and further comprising a spacer added to the support system between the head end and the foot end to increase an overall length of the support system from the first length to a second length. 
     
     
         22 . The support system of  claim 21 , wherein adjacent support pieces of the at least one support piece and the spacer are coupled together using a coupling mechanism. 
     
     
         23 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support piece comprises an inflatable fluid bladder configured to contain a fluid. 
     
     
         24 . The support system of  claim 23 , wherein an amount of fluid within the fluid bladder is controlled electronically. 
     
     
         25 . The support system of claim.  24 , further comprising a coupler configured to at least one of to maintain an amount of fluid within the fluid bladder and provide support to the respective support plane. 
     
     
         26 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein a first support piece of the at least one support piece comprises a plurality of independent support wedges forming a gradation in a longitudinal slope of the sleep surface. 
     
     
         27 . The support system of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of independent support wedges comprises one of a formable material a semi-rigid material, a foam material, and a fluid bladder. 
     
     
         28 . The support system of  claim 27 , wherein a first support wedge of the plurality of independent support wedges defines a first support plane positioned at a first lateral angle of rotation and a second support wedge of the plurality of independent support wedges defines a second support plane at a second lateral angle of rotation different that the first lateral angle of rotation. 
     
     
         29 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one support piece comprises a continuous support piece having a gradual density transition along the length of the sleep surface. 
     
     
         30 . The support system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of support pieces are configured to collectively define the laterally angled sleep surface, a first support piece of the plurality of support pieces having a first density and a second support piece of the plurality of support pieces having a second density different than the first density. 
     
     
         31 . The support system of  claim 30 , wherein each support piece of the plurality of support pieces defines a support plane positioned at a substantially similar, initial lateral rotational angle.