Hybrid alternating pressure pad

Abstract

A method of using a pad body system that includes disposing a pad body of the pad body system an article, the pad body comprising: a first layer defined by a first planar sheet, a second layer defined by a second planar sheet, a first chamber and a second chamber defined by the first and second layers and couplings that physically couple the first and second layers, and a plurality of pad coupling systems. The method further includes coupling a planar cushion to the pad body, the planar cushion comprising: a plurality of cushion coupling systems corresponding to the layout of the plurality of pad coupling systems at least when the pad body is in an inflated state, wherein coupling a planar cushion to the pad body includes coupling the plurality of cushion coupling systems to the plurality of pad coupling systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using a pad body system with an article, the method comprising:
 disposing a pad body of the pad body system on at least one cushion or mattress of the article, the pad body having a rectangular shape with a length axis that is greater than a width axis, the pad body system having parallel first and second ends and parallel first and second peripheral sides, the pad body comprising:
 a first layer defined by a first planar sheet of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) of the pad body, the first layer having a thickness of between 0.20 mm-0.70 mm; 
 a second layer defined by a second planar sheet of PVC of the pad body, the second layer having a thickness between 0.20 mm-0.70 mm, the second layer being directly physically coupled with the first layer via a plurality of weld couplings; 
 a first chamber and a second chamber that is separate from the first chamber, the first and second chambers being defined by the first and second layers and the plurality of weld couplings that physically couple the first and second layers, the first and second chambers being physically separate such that the first and second chambers can be separately inflated and deflated, the first and second chambers defining a plurality of first and second forks that are staggered with each other, with each of the plurality of first and second forks having a central fork axis that is parallel to the width axis of the pad body and perpendicular to the length axis of the pad body; 
 first and second peripheral portions at the first and second peripheral sides defined by an edge coupling seam and a peripheral coupling seam; 
 eight pad coupling systems including a first set of four pad snaps along the first peripheral side of the pad body coupled within the first peripheral portion and a second set of four pad snaps along the second peripheral side of the pad body coupled within the second peripheral portion, where pad snaps on opposing sides are respectively aligned along parallel axes S 1 , S 2 , S 3  and S 4  that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to edges of the first and second peripheral sides, the first set of four pad snaps aligned along a first common axis that is parallel to a second common axis of the second set of four pad snaps, the layout of the first and second sets of four pad snaps having a central axis of symmetry along both of the width and length of the pad body; 
 a first charging port and a second charging port, the first charging port defining a passage through which air can be introduced into the first chamber and the second charging port defining a passage through which air can be introduced into the second chamber, the first charging port and the second charging port being separate such that the first and second chambers can be separately inflated and deflated via the first charging port and the second charging port, the first and second sets of four pad snaps being disposed on the same side of the pad body as the first and second charging ports; 
 a first and second flexible planar extension member extending respectively from the first and second ends of the pad body, the first and second flexible planar extension members comprising planar sheets of PVC having a thickness of between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm and being solid components without an inflatable cavity; 
   coupling the pad body to the article by extending the first extension member around and under a top end of the article of and extending the second extension member around and under a bottom end of the article to couple the pad body to the article;   inflating the pad body to cause the pad body to transition from a deflated state to an inflated state by activating a pump system comprising a first tube and a second tube that are respectively coupled with the first charging port and the second charging port, the pump system configured to separately inflate and deflate the first and second chambers of the pad body by introducing and removing air from the first and second chambers via the first and second tubes and first and second charging ports that communicate with the separate first and second chambers, the pump system being an electronic device comprising a processor and a memory that stores instructions that when executed by the processor cause the pump system to perform an automated alternating pressure routine that includes alternatingly inflating and deflating the first and second chambers in a looping cycle; and   coupling a planar rectangular cushion to the pad body while the pad body is in the inflated state, the cushion comprising:
 a waterproof external bag that includes a zipper closure that provides access in an internal cavity of the external bag in which a planar piece of cushion material is removably disposed that comprises a rectangular planar piece of foam having a thickness between 4.5 and 5.5 mm, and 
 eight cushion coupling systems including a first set of four cushion snaps along a first peripheral side of the cushion and a second set of four cushion snaps along a second peripheral side of the cushion, the layout of the first and second sets of four cushion snaps having a central axis of symmetry along both of the width and length of the cushion and corresponding to the layout of the first and second sets of pad snaps at least when the pad body is in the inflated state, 
 wherein coupling the planar rectangular cushion to the pad body includes coupling the respective first and second sets of four cushion snaps with the first and second sets of four pad snaps such that both the cushion and pad body both remain substantially planar without causing one or both of the cushion and inflated pad body to be bent, deformed, curved or otherwise taken out of a substantially planar shape based on couplings between a plurality of the respective pad snaps and cushion snaps, 
 wherein the inflating the pad body from the deflated state to the inflated state causes the pad body to shrink in width between 11% and 12% and to shrink in length between 18% and 19% in length, 
 wherein the pad snaps and cushion snaps are inoperable to be coupled while the pad body is in the deflated state, without causing one or both of the cushion and deflated pad body to be bent, deformed, curved or otherwise taken out of a substantially planar shape based on couplings between a plurality of the respective pad snaps and cushion snaps, and 
 wherein the cushion and the pad body are both symmetrical such that the cushion can be coupled to the pad body in a first orientation or in a second orientation where the cushion is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cushion snaps and pad snaps can include respective cooperating components comprising a male component and a female component that mechanically engage to releasably couple the cushion and pad body together, the male component including a protruding post or stud surrounded by an annular groove or lip. The female component can include a complementary socket having an internal cavity with a resilient rim or spring element sized to receive and retain the protruding post or stud, wherein pressing the male and female components together causes the protruding post or stud to elastically deflect the resilient rim of the socket until the protruding post or stud passes into the cavity, at which point the rim snaps into the annular groove to provide a positive mechanical retention and an audible or tactile snap indicative of proper engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coupling the pad body to the article includes extending the first extension member around and under a top end of a mattress of a bed and extending the second extension member around and under a bottom end of the mattress to couple the pad body to the bed between the mattress and a bed frame that the mattress is disposed on. 
     
     
         4 . A method of using a pad body system with an article, the method comprising:
 disposing a pad body of the pad body system on at least one cushion or mattress of the article, the pad body having a rectangular shape with a length axis that is greater than a width axis, the pad body system having parallel first and second ends and parallel first and second peripheral sides, the pad body comprising:
 a first layer defined by a first planar sheet; 
 a second layer defined by a second planar sheet; 
 a first chamber and a second chamber that is separate from the first chamber, the first and second chambers being defined by the first and second layers and couplings that physically couple the first and second layers, the first and second chambers being physically separate such that the first and second chambers can be separately inflated and deflated; 
 first and second peripheral portions at the first and second peripheral sides defined by an edge coupling seam and a peripheral coupling seam; 
 a plurality of pad coupling systems including a first set of pad snaps along the first peripheral side of the pad body coupled within the first peripheral portion and a second set of pad snaps along the second peripheral side of the pad body coupled within the second peripheral portion, the layout of the first and second sets of pad snaps having a central axis of symmetry along both of the width and length of the pad body; 
 a first charging port and a second charging port, the first charging port defining a passage through which air can be introduced into the first chamber and the second charging port defining a passage through which air can be introduced into the second chamber, the first charging port and the second charging port being separate such that the first and second chambers can be separately inflated and deflated via the first charging port and the second charging port, the first and second sets of pad snaps being disposed on the same side of the pad body as the first and second charging ports; 
 a first and second flexible planar extension member extending respectively from the first and second ends of the pad body; 
   coupling the pad body to the article by extending the first extension member around and under a top end of the article of and extending the second extension member around and under a bottom end of the article to couple the pad body to the article;   inflating the pad body to cause the pad body to transition from a deflated state to an inflated state by activating a pump system comprising a first tube and a second tube that are respectively coupled with the first charging port and the second charging port; and   coupling a planar rectangular cushion to the pad body while the pad body is in the inflated state, the cushion comprising:
 a plurality of cushion coupling systems including a first set of cushion snaps along a first peripheral side of the cushion and a second set of cushion snaps along a second peripheral side of the cushion, the layout of the first and second sets of cushion snaps having a central axis of symmetry along both of the width and length of the cushion and corresponding to the layout of the first and second sets of pad snaps at least when the pad body is in the inflated state, 
 wherein coupling the planar rectangular cushion to the pad body includes coupling the respective first and second sets of cushion snaps with the first and second sets of pad snaps such that both the cushion and pad body both remain substantially planar without causing one or both of the cushion and inflated pad body to be bent, deformed, curved or otherwise taken out of a substantially planar shape based on couplings between a plurality of the respective pad snaps and cushion snaps, 
 wherein the inflating the pad body from the deflated state to the inflated state causes the pad body to shrink in width and to shrink in length, 
 wherein the pad snaps and cushion snaps are inoperable to be coupled while the pad body is in the deflated state, without causing one or both of the cushion and deflated pad body to be bent, deformed, curved or otherwise taken out of a substantially planar shape based on couplings between a plurality of the respective pad snaps and cushion snaps, and 
 wherein the cushion and the pad body are both symmetrical such that the cushion can be coupled to the pad body in a first orientation or in a second orientation where the cushion is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first layer is defined by a first planar sheet of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) of the pad body, the first layer having a thickness of between 0.10 mm-0.80 mm, and wherein the second layer is defined by a second planar sheet of PVC of the pad body, the second layer having a thickness between 0.10 mm-0.90 mm, the second layer being directly physically coupled with the first layer via a plurality of weld couplings. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein, the first and second chambers define a plurality of first and second forks that are staggered with each other, with each of the plurality of first and second forks having a central fork axis that is parallel to the width axis of the pad body and perpendicular to the length axis of the pad body. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of pad coupling systems include a first set of at least four pad snaps along the first peripheral side of the pad body coupled within the first peripheral portion and a second set of at least four pad snaps along the second peripheral side of the pad body coupled within the second peripheral portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second flexible planar extension members comprising planar sheets of PVC having a thickness of between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm and being solid components without an inflatable cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the pump system is configured to separately inflate and deflate the first and second chambers of the pad body by introducing and removing air from the first and second chambers via the first and second tubes and first and second charging ports that communicate with the separate first and second chambers, the pump system comprising an electronic device that causes the pump system to perform an automated alternating pressure routine that includes alternatingly inflating and deflating the first and second chambers in a looping cycle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the cushion comprises an external bag that includes a closure that provides access in an internal cavity of the external bag in which a planar piece of cushion material is removably disposed that comprises a rectangular planar piece of foam having a thickness between 3.0 mm and 7.0 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of cushion coupling systems including a first set of at least four cushion snaps along a first peripheral side of the cushion and a second sets of at least four cushion snaps along a second peripheral side of the cushion, the layout of the first and second sets of at least four cushion snaps having a central axis of symmetry along both of the width and length of the cushion and corresponding to the layout of the first and second sets of pad snaps at least when the pad body is in the inflated state. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the inflating the pad body from the deflated state to the inflated state causes the pad body to shrink in width between 9% and 14% and to shrink in length between 15% and 22% in length. 
     
     
         13 . A method of using a pad body system with an article, the method comprising:
 disposing a pad body of the pad body system an article, the pad body system having first and second ends and first and second peripheral sides, the pad body comprising:
 a first layer defined by a first planar sheet, 
 a second layer defined by a second planar sheet, 
 a first chamber and a second chamber that is separate from the first chamber, the first and second chambers being defined by the first and second layers and couplings that physically couple the first and second layers, and 
 a plurality of pad coupling systems; and 
   coupling a planar cushion to the pad body, the planar cushion comprising:
 a plurality of cushion coupling systems corresponding to the layout of the plurality of pad coupling systems at least when the pad body is in an inflated state, 
 wherein coupling a planar cushion to the pad body includes coupling the plurality of cushion coupling systems to the plurality of pad coupling systems. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the a plurality of pad coupling systems include a first set of pad snaps along the first peripheral side of the pad body and a second set of pad snaps along the second peripheral side of the pad body. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the pad body further comprises a first and second flexible planar extension member extending respectively from the first and second ends of the pad body, and wherein the method further includes coupling the pad body to the article by extending the first extension member around a top end of the article of and extending the second extension member around a bottom end of the article to couple the pad body to the article. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of cushion coupling systems includes a first set of cushion snaps along a first peripheral side of the cushion and a second set of cushion snaps along a second peripheral side of the cushion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein coupling the cushion to the pad body includes coupling respective first and second sets of cushion snaps with first and second sets of pad snaps such that both the cushion and pad body both remain substantially planar without causing one or both of the cushion and inflated pad body to be bent, deformed, curved or otherwise taken out of a substantially planar shape based on couplings between a plurality of the respective pad snaps and cushion snaps. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein inflating the pad body from a deflated state to an inflated state causes the pad body to shrink. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of cushion coupling systems and the plurality of pad coupling systems are inoperable to be coupled while the pad body is in a deflated state, without causing one or both of the cushion and deflated pad body to be bent, deformed, curved or otherwise taken out of a substantially planar shape based on couplings between the plurality of cushion coupling systems and the plurality of pad coupling systems. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the cushion and the pad body are both symmetrical such that the cushion can be coupled to the pad body in a first orientation or in a second orientation where the cushion is rotated 180 degrees from the first orientation.