Disclosed herein is a cushioning device that includes a first foam layer including a first top surface and a first bottom surface, the first foam layer including a plurality of first channels located in the first top surface. Further disclosed is a support fluid cell located in each of the plurality of first channels. Moreover, a second foam layer including a second top surface and a second bottom surface is disclosed, the second foam layer including a second channel located in the second top surface. The cushioning device includes a counterbalance fluid cell located in the second channel. The second foam layer is located underneath the first foam layer. The first foam layer, in combination with the support fluid cells, create a support surface configured to support a load of a person.

A dynamic support apparatus. The dynamic support apparatus includes a cushion, at least one actuator wherein the at least one actuator defines an interior volume and wherein the interior volume may be configured to be at least partially filled with a fluid, and a support disposed in the interior volume wherein the support configured to support an occupant when the interior volume is not filled with the fluid such that the support is sufficient to support the occupant.

A valve for an inflatable device includes a pocket configured to be located in a cavity of the inflatable device. The pocket includes an entrance opening to receive air from an air source and an exit opening to deliver air to the cavity. The exit opening is spaced apart from the entrance opening, such that airflow passes through the valve by flowing from the entrance opening, through the pocket, and out through the exit opening to enter the cavity. The pocket may include a second exit opening spaced from the entrance opening and the exit opening, and may include a first branch and a second branch extending away from each other, and wherein the exit opening is located on the first branch and the second exit opening is located on the second branch.

A bed rest system for improving health of immobile patients and safety of the patients' caretakers. The system includes a mattress cover and a transfer board. The mattress cover is configured to prevent or ameliorate health complications of a patient that may arise because of bed rest. The transfer board is configured to facilitate easy and safe transfer of a patient from one surface to another surface by one or more caretakers. During use, the mattress cover conforms to a patient's body and does not cause indentations in the skin, thereby preventing or ameliorating bedsores. During use, the transfer board is secured on a crevice between two surfaces, such as beds, and prevents or reduces a risk of the patient falling between the beds during transfer of the patient from one bed to the other bed. The complete system may be used, or either the mattress cover or the transfer board may be used individually.

A double-shell helmet is disclosed. The double-shell helmet includes an outer shell, an impact absorbing material layer affixed to the outer shell on a first side of the impact absorbing material layer, an inner shell affixed to the impact absorbing material layer on a second side of the impact absorbing material layer opposite the first side of the impact absorbing material layer, and a foam layer affixed to the inner shell.

A medical pad includes a piece of substrate with a major surface and an electric circuit on the major surface, a sensor connected with the electric circuit for measuring the electrical resistance of the electric circuit, and a wireless data transceiver or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag electrically connected with the sensor for receiving results of the measuring from the sensor for subsequent transmission. The system carries out real time self-calibration to adaptively monitor the condition of a medical pad even in the face of changing environment and changing material properties.

An inflatable air mattress device includes a cover internally defining a first and a second receiving zone for receiving a pump and an air mattress therein, respectively. The air mattress includes a plurality of parallelly arranged air cells, each of which internally includes a first air chamber located below a second air chamber and having an elastic member provided therein. The pump is held in the first receiving zone via a movement-limiting mechanism and is provided with an air input and an air release line for communicably connecting to each of the air cells. Since the air cells, the pump and the air input and release lines all are arranged inside the cover, the inflatable air mattress device has an esthetic appearance and occupies less space. The elastic members in the first air chambers prevent a user from contacting with a hard bed frame when the air cells are deflated.

The invention provides an overlay configured to substantially conform to a contoured surface. The overlay comprises at least a first layer having a rear surface on which a plurality of channels are located. Optionally, the overlay also comprises one or more removable contouring members, which are located between adjacent channels on the rear surface of the overlay.

A mattress includes a first, phase changeable component and a thermal management system adapted to control the temperature of the phase changeable component in order to change the firmness of the mattress. Some embodiments of the mattress include an optional single phase component. The firmness can can be made spatially and/or temporally uniform or nonuniform, and can be controlled based on one or more sensed parameters.

A patient repositioning apparatus doubles as a repositioning sheet and a sling. The repositioning apparatus includes a sheet with an upper surface and an opposing lower surface and defines an outer periphery that has opposing side edges. The upper surface of the sheet has an upper surface material, and the lower surface of the sheet has a lower surface material that is formed from a relatively low-friction material as compared to the upper surface material. The handles are disposed along the opposing side edges of the sheet, and the strap members are attached to the sheet and distributed across both opposing side edges. Each of the strap members includes a strap portion that forms a bight in the strap member.