Support device for supporting a body or a part of a body, in particular of a human body, comprising at least one deformable element with a first face and a second face opposite each other and provided with at least one detection means for detecting deformations of said deformable element, in which the detection means comprises: a substrate sheet (20), which is connected to one of the faces of said deformable element (6) extending parallel thereto and is provided with a plurality of metal windings (19) formed flat on at least one face of this substrate sheet, and a plurality of metal pellets (28), which are connected to the other face of said deformable element.

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for reducing humidity (i.e., moisture) and/or heat within and/or adjacent a patient support mattress, without requiring any electrical power. A spacer fabric is used to create a non-crushable area of support below a patient's core area, where moisture and heat more commonly buildup. Integrated air cells in the mattress have resilient elements such as open-celled foam interiors. The air cells are connected by air tubing to the spacer fabric, and the mattress is otherwise vented externally from the spacer fabric. As a result, the patient's movement causes air to be expelled from or drawn into the air cells, which in turn results in air movement in the spacer fabric below a patient or user, resulting in cooling effects by removing moisture and/or heat, all without requiring external or internal electrical power.

The invention provides a patient supporting plate (2) consisting of at least one first and one second patient supporting components (3, 4) and an accessory part (7). The first or the second patient supporting component (3, 4) is provided with a hinge (5) having a swivel axis (6). The hinge (5) has a drive element (11) for swiveling the patient supporting components (3, 4), as well as at least one coupling element (8) for coupling the first patient supporting component to the second patient supporting component (3, 4). The drive element (11) and the coupling element (8) are arranged juxtaposed in the direction of the swivel axis (6) and can be fastened to one another by means of at least one first detachable fastening element (17). The accessory part (7) can be fastened to the coupling element (8) by means of the first detachable fastening element (17) or a second detachable fastening element (24), by providing a first through opening (14) running in the direction of the swivel axis (6) in the drive element (11) and a second through opening (15) in the coupling element (8) for the first or second fastening element (17, 24) and also an aligned receptacle (16) in the accessory part (7), so that the fastening element (17, 24) can be inserted into the first opening (14) from the drive element (11) side located opposite the coupling element (8) and connected to the accessory part (7).

A patient support for supporting a patient includes an inflatable mattress defining a support surface and a pneumatic system for inflating the inflatable mattress. The pneumatic system includes a pressurized reservoir for holding pressurized air and selectively releases pressurized air from the reservoir to the mattress.

The present disclosure relates to patient support systems, such as hospital beds, and particularly to reconfigurable patient support systems movable among a number of different positions. The present disclosure further relates to control algorithms and interfaces for use in patient support systems.

A bolster structure system possesses anti-decubitus ulcer characteristics, and may cooperate with a mattress overlay also having anti-decubitus ulcer capabilities as part of a mattress overlay system, in which multiple elongate, positionally adjustable, relatively moveable bolsters are configured for selective placement in conditions of lateral under-engagement with the sides of an overlay to create inclined, lateral side elevations of these sides at locations along the length of the overlay. The bolster structure and overlay may each include a dynamic-response core expanse formed of an open-cell, compressible viscoelastic foam coated with an elastomeric, moisture- and gas-flow-managing, differential-thickness coating structure load-transmissively bonded to the entirety of the outside of said core expanse to function as a dynamically-responsive unit therewith.

A patient support device includes an inflatable body having a top sheet, a bottom sheet, and a cavity formed by the top sheet and the bottom sheet, wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet are coupled together along a peripheral edge. The device further includes a port formed at the peripheral edge to permit inflation of the cavity and configured for connection to an air output device for inflation of the cavity. The port includes an opening configured to receive a portion of the air output device and a strap configured to wrap around at least a portion of the opening to retain the portion of the air output device within the opening. The strap is configured to adjust the size of the opening to retain the portion of the air output device.

A mattress is disclosed. The mattress comprises a base having a lower surface and an upper surface, and a frame which extends around at least a portion of a periphery of the base. The frame extends above the upper surface of the base to define a mattress cavity, for receiving an inflatable bladder disposed in the cavity.

A mattress for institutional use provides upper and lower surfaces offering different levels of firmness through the use of gradiated firmness in multiple polymer foam layers.

A patient positioning system for use with a patient on a bed includes an inflatable patient support device, and optionally, other components such as one or more wedges and/or an absorbent pad. The device includes top and bottom sheets, where the top sheet is connected to the bottom sheet to define a cavity, such that the top and bottom sheets form top and bottom walls of the cavity in use. The device further has passages extending from the cavity to an exterior of the device, through the bottom sheet, and gussets connected to the top and bottom sheets and extending across the cavity. The passages permit air to pass from the cavity to the exterior of the device and to flow between the bottom surface of the device and the surface supporting the device. Selective glide assemblies may be used to resist sliding of these components in certain directions.