Hybrid coil and air chamber assemblies for cushioning supports generally include pressurized air chambers that are positioned intermediate strings of pocketed coils. In this manner, the coils and air chambers can move independently but can be made to cooperate to provide firmness control, contouring and/or support of a user thereof. Air pressure within the air chambers can be independently adjusted to manipulate firmness and/or contour properties in specific zones defined by the presence and location of the air chambers, e.g., pressure of the air chambers corresponding to the lumbar region can be adjusted to eliminate high pressure points. Still further, the pressure within the air chambers can be automatically adjusted to different applied loads as a function of movement. Also disclose are processes for adjusting a mattress including the hybrid coil and air assemblies.

Hybrid coil and air chamber assemblies for cushioning supports generally include pressurized air chambers that are positioned intermediate strings of pocketed coils. In this manner, the coils and air chambers can move independently but can be made to cooperate to provide firmness control, contouring and/or support of a user thereof. Air pressure within the air chambers can be independently adjusted to manipulate firmness and/or contour properties in specific zones defined by the presence and location of the air chambers, e.g., pressure of the air chambers corresponding to the lumbar region can be adjusted to eliminate high pressure points. Still further, the pressure within the air chambers can be automatically adjusted to different applied loads as a function of movement. Also disclose are processes for adjusting a mattress including the hybrid coil and air assemblies.

A mattress including: a support surface to support a user; a mattress main body that constitutes the support surface; at least one pressure sensor having a flexible sheet shape to detect a pressure acting on the support surface; a support surface cover positioned with respect to the mattress main body and arranged so as to cover the support surface; and at least one positioning member provided to the support surface cover to permit a movement of the pressure sensor with respect to the support surface cover in a planar direction while limiting an amount of the movement of the pressure sensor with respect to the support surface cover in the planar direction such that the pressure sensor is positioned on the support surface by the positioning member.

A mattress including: a support surface to support a user; a mattress main body that constitutes the support surface; at least one pressure sensor having a flexible sheet shape to detect a pressure acting on the support surface; a support surface cover positioned with respect to the mattress main body and arranged so as to cover the support surface; and at least one positioning member provided to the support surface cover to permit a movement of the pressure sensor with respect to the support surface cover in a planar direction while limiting an amount of the movement of the pressure sensor with respect to the support surface cover in the planar direction such that the pressure sensor is positioned on the support surface by the positioning member.

A ball combination module capable of detecting and regulating a posture pressure has the requirement of regulating individual independent ball pressures and lifting and lowering functions and mainly includes one or multiple sets of pressure controlling ball modules. Each pressure controlling ball module is connected to a cylinder connected to an external pressure source and is configured with an independent inflating/deflating electromagnetic valve set including a pressure-sensing intake control electromagnetic valve of controlling inflation, a deflation control electromagnetic valve of regulating deflation and a pressure sensor. The external pressure source has a pressure regulator providing a stable pressure gas source. A main gas supply conduit connected to multiple shunts provides inflation and deflation for all the pressure controlling ball modules. The pressure controlling ball modules are combined to constitute a large-area support region and achieve the dot-like pressure regulating and lifting and lowering functions for the comprehensive single ball.

A ball combination module capable of detecting and regulating a posture pressure has the requirement of regulating individual independent ball pressures and lifting and lowering functions and mainly includes one or multiple sets of pressure controlling ball modules. Each pressure controlling ball module is connected to a cylinder connected to an external pressure source and is configured with an independent inflating/deflating electromagnetic valve set including a pressure-sensing intake control electromagnetic valve of controlling inflation, a deflation control electromagnetic valve of regulating deflation and a pressure sensor. The external pressure source has a pressure regulator providing a stable pressure gas source. A main gas supply conduit connected to multiple shunts provides inflation and deflation for all the pressure controlling ball modules. The pressure controlling ball modules are combined to constitute a large-area support region and achieve the dot-like pressure regulating and lifting and lowering functions for the comprehensive single ball.

Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of the air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of the air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of the air bladders followed by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of the air bladders to provide a massaging action.

Active comfort controlled bedding systems include a variable firmness control and/or variable climate control. The active comfort controlled bedding systems generally include a plurality of air bladders, each one of the plurality of air bladders includes a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure within a respective air bladder. A control unit configured to selectively operate a pump and valves to sequentially adjust a pressure in two or more of the plurality of the air bladders having an applied load of an end user thereon to provide a repeating pattern within the two or more plurality of the air bladders, wherein the repeating pattern is defined by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected one of the plurality of the air bladders followed by a pressure increase and subsequent decrease in a selected other one of the plurality of the air bladders to provide a massaging action.

Apparatus and methods related to an underbody support for supporting a body of a being, such as during surgery to prevent contact pressure injuries. In certain embodiments, the underbody support may include one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume. At least one of the inflatable chambers may include one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, and the one or more compression sensitive switches may be located within the inflatable chamber. In some embodiments the one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the said inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume.

Apparatus and methods related to an underbody support for supporting a body of a being, such as during surgery to prevent contact pressure injuries. In certain embodiments, the underbody support may include one or more inflatable chambers enclosing a volume. At least one of the inflatable chambers may include one or more compression sensitive switches for monitoring the volume of the inflatable chamber, and the one or more compression sensitive switches may be located within the inflatable chamber. In some embodiments the one or more compression sensitive switches are sized to close when the said inflatable chamber is deflated to a desired residual volume.