Fluid supply apparatus for a mattress

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/509,452, filed Mar. 21, 2000, which is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/US98/17493, having an International filing date of Aug. 24, 1998, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/056,791, filed on Aug. 25, 1997, all of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an air supply apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved air supply apparatus for controlling fluid flow to desired pieces of equipment, such as air mattress, therapy devices, or other components of a bed. Although the illustrated embodiments of the present invention disclose air blowers, it is understood that the present invention may also be useful with other types of fluid.

[0003] The air supply apparatus of the present invention is used to provide air or other type of fluid to an air mattress, to support a patient and to provide therapy to a patient. The air supply apparatus includes a housing which may be located on the floor adjacent a bed to control the air mattress or therapy device. In addition, the air supply apparatus may be coupled to a footboard of the bed in two different orientations, depending upon the configuration of the footboard and the desires of a caregiver.

[0004] The illustrated air supply apparatus includes a blower motor or compressor for supplying air to the mattress or therapy device. The air supply apparatus further includes a controller to provide rotation, percussion, and vibration therapies and to adjust pressure within air bladders in the mattress to enhance patient comfort. The illustrated controller includes a microprocessor located within the housing of the air supply unit. The processor stores data related to the therapies performed. This stored data can be downloaded through an output port located on the housing to a printer or computer. In other words, the air supply apparatus of the present invention includes a controller having a memory which stores the particular key strokes or therapies provided to a patient by the device. This historical information can then be printed or downloaded to a computer to analyze the data.

[0005] A control panel of the air supply apparatus is located on the housing. Various menus are displayed on the control panel. Features and therapies are controlled by a touch screen panel which provides increased flexibility of menu driven functions compared to membrane switches typically used on control panels of air supplies.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a fluid supply apparatus is provided for supplying fluid to a therapy device on a bed having a footboard. The apparatus includes a housing, a fluid supply located within the housing, a first hanger coupled to the housing, and a second hanger coupled to the housing. The first hanger is configured to couple the housing to the footboard in a first orientation, and the second hanger is configured to couple the housing to the footboard in a second orientation.

[0007] In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second hangers are pivotably coupled to a rear wall of the housing. The housing is formed to include first and second recessed portions adjacent the rear wall which are configured to receive the first and second hangers, respectively, in downwardly pivoted, storage positions. The first and second hangers are located inwardly from the rear wall of the housing when the first and second hangers are in the storage positions.

[0008] Also in the illustrated embodiment, the first hanger includes first and second spaced apart arms pivotably coupled to the housing. The first and second arms each include a hook portion configured to engage a top edge of the footboard to couple the housing to the footboard. A cross bar is coupled between the first and second arms of the first hanger. The cross bar is formed to include notched portions configured to engage the second hanger when the second hanger is in an outwardly pivoted position relative to the housing to hold the second hanger in a position to engage the footboard.

[0009] The second hanger includes first and second arms pivotably coupled to the housing and a U-shaped portion coupled between the first and second arms to define a hook configured to engage a top edge of the footboard. A protective coating is located over the U-shaped portion of the second hanger. The arms of the first hanger have a length greater than the arms of the second hanger. The arms of the first hanger are also spaced apart further than the arms of the second hanger.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, a fluid supply apparatus is provided for controlling a therapy device. The apparatus includes a housing, a fluid supply located within the housing, a processor located within the housing, and a touch screen control panel coupled to the housing. The fluid supply is configured to be coupled to the therapy device. The processor is configured to the electrically coupled to the therapy device. The touch screen control panel is electrically coupled to the processor to receive operator inputs to control the therapy device.

[0011] In the illustrated embodiment, a memory located within the housing. The memory is coupled to the processor to store data related to inputs from the touch screen. A communication port is also coupled to the housing. The communication port is coupled to the processor and configured to be coupled to a computer to download information from the memory to the computer. The communication port is also configured to be coupled to a printer to print information stored in the memory. The computer can also upload information related to the therapy device to the processor. The computer transmits a menu for controlling the therapy device to the processor to be displayed on the touch screen control panel.

[0012] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a fluid supply apparatus is provided for a therapy device. The apparatus includes a housing formed to include an elongated slot configured to define a storage receptacle, a fluid supply located within the housing, and a controller located within the housing. The fluid supply is configured to be coupled to the therapy device, and the controller is coupled to the fluid supply.

[0013] In the illustrated embodiment, a user manual configured to be inserted into the storage receptacle. The slot is formed adjacent a bottom end of the housing below the fluid supply. The housing includes a front case and a rear case configured to be coupled together to define the housing. A first portion of the slot is formed by the first case, and a second portion of the slot is formed by the second case.

[0014] According to still another aspect of the present invention, a fluid supply apparatus is provided for controlling a therapy device. The apparatus includes a housing, a fluid supply located within the housing, a processor located within the housing, the processor being configured to the electrically coupled to the therapy device, and a memory located within the housing. The fluid supply is configured to be coupled to the therapy device, and the memory is coupled to the processor to store data. The apparatus also includes a control panel coupled to the housing. The control panel is electrically coupled to the processor to receive operator inputs to control the therapy device. The apparatus further includes a communication port coupled to the housing. The communication port is coupled to the processor and configured to be coupled to a computer to download information from the memory to the computer. The computer is also configured upload information related to the therapy device to the processor.

[0015] Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an air supply apparatus of the present invention coupled to an air mattress by an air supply hose;

[0018]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the air supply apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a rear case assembly of a housing of the air supply apparatus;

[0020]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a large hanger assembly for mounting the air supply apparatus to a footboard of a bed in a first orientation;

[0021]FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a small hanger assembly for mounting the air supply apparatus on the footboard of the bed in a second orientation;

[0022]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, with portions broken away, illustrating the air supply apparatus mounted on a footboard of a bed in the first orientation by the large hanger assembly;

[0023]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, with portions broken away, illustrating the air supply apparatus mounted on the footboard of the bed in the second orientation by the small hanger assembly;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a rear elevational view taken along lines <b>8</b>-<b>8</b> of FIG. 7, with portions broken, illustrating further details of the small hanger assembly coupled to the footboard; and

[0025]FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating further details of the air supply apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an air supply apparatus <b>10</b> of the present invention including a housing <b>12</b> having a lower section <b>14</b> for receiving a blower motor and a touch screen control panel <b>16</b> for controlling operation of the air supply apparatus <b>10</b> and the therapies being performed on a therapy device such as an air mattress <b>18</b>. Air supply apparatus <b>10</b> is coupled to the mattress <b>18</b> pneumatically by air supply tube <b>20</b>. A controller of air supply apparatus <b>10</b> is also electrically coupled to the therapy device <b>18</b> by an electrical wire running through the air supply hose <b>20</b>. Further details of the therapy mattress are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,533, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, valve assemblies for controlling therapies and air flow to various air bladders within the mattress <b>18</b> are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,672, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0027] Details of the air therapy apparatus <b>10</b> are illustrated in FIGS. <b>2</b>-<b>8</b>. Referring now to FIG. 2, the housing <b>12</b> includes a front case assembly <b>22</b> and a rear case assembly <b>24</b>. Each of the front and rear case assemblies <b>22</b> and <b>24</b> is formed to include a portion of handle <b>26</b> for carrying the housing <b>12</b>. Front case assembly <b>22</b> includes section <b>14</b> for receiving the blower motor or other fluid supply (not shown). Front case assembly <b>22</b> also includes a control panel <b>16</b> which is illustratively a touch screen control panel which can be cleaned with a soft damp cloth. The touch screen control panel <b>16</b> is actuated by an operator touching desired portions of the screen of control panel <b>16</b>.

[0028] The touch screen control panel <b>16</b> provides increased flexibility for menu driven functions compared to membrane-type switches which are typically used on air supply housings. Function control buttons <b>28</b> are located adjacent control panel <b>16</b>. Control buttons <b>28</b> illustratively include a CPR button, a maximum inflate button, an alarm silence button, and a therapy on/off control button. The front and rear case assemblies <b>22</b> and <b>24</b> are coupled together by suitable fasteners <b>30</b> to form the housing <b>12</b>.

[0029] Filter cover <b>32</b> is located over an air intake portion of the housing <b>12</b>. T-shaped elongated feet <b>32</b> slide into T-shaped slots <b>34</b> formed on opposite sides of front and rear case assemblies <b>22</b> and <b>24</b>. Feet <b>32</b> support the housing <b>12</b> on the ground. Air supply apparatus <b>10</b> further includes an inlet flange <b>34</b> and a power cord <b>36</b> having any desired length. Magnetic clip assemblies <b>38</b> include magnets <b>40</b> configured to be coupled to any metal member on the bed frame. The clips <b>38</b> retain the power cord <b>36</b> in an out of the way position. Power cord <b>36</b> includes a plug <b>42</b> at one end and a power cord connector <b>44</b> at the other end. Connector <b>44</b> is configured to be coupled to a connector <b>46</b> of air supply apparatus <b>10</b>.

[0030] The front and rear case assemblies <b>22</b> and <b>24</b> are each formed to include an elongated slot <b>48</b> and <b>50</b>, respectively. Slot <b>48</b> is open completely through the first case assembly <b>22</b>. Slot <b>50</b> terminates in an end wall <b>52</b> on rear case assembly <b>24</b>. Slots <b>48</b> and <b>50</b> cooperate to define an article receiving slot for holding articles such as a user manual <b>54</b> which can be inserted into slot <b>58</b> in the direction of arrow <b>56</b> and stored for convenience. User manual <b>54</b> provides instructions for operation of the air supply apparatus <b>10</b>.

[0031] Referring now to FIG. 3, a battery assembly <b>58</b> is located within the housing <b>12</b>. Air supply apparatus <b>10</b> includes a first large hanger assembly <b>60</b> coupled to housing <b>12</b> and a second smaller hanger assembly <b>62</b> which is also coupled to housing <b>12</b>.

[0032] Large hanger assembly <b>60</b> is illustrated in FIG. 4. Hanger assembly <b>60</b> includes first and second spaced apart mounting arms <b>64</b>, each having a hook portion <b>66</b> for coupling the housing to a footboard <b>82</b> of a bed (not shown) as discussed below. Hooks <b>66</b> are covered by a protective coating. Large hanger assembly <b>60</b> also includes a cross bar <b>68</b> coupled to arms <b>64</b>. Cross bar <b>68</b> is formed to include two notched portions <b>70</b>. Arms <b>64</b> are each formed to include an aperture <b>72</b> configured to receive a pin <b>74</b> to couple the arms <b>64</b> to hanger brackets <b>76</b>. Pins <b>74</b> extend through apertures <b>75</b> formed in spaced apart flanges <b>77</b> of brackets <b>76</b>. Hanger brackets <b>76</b> include a first pair of apertures <b>78</b> to permit the hanger assembly <b>60</b> to be coupled to the housing <b>12</b> with suitable fasteners <b>80</b> shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. It is understood that four such fasteners <b>80</b> are used to couple the hanger assembly <b>60</b> to the housing <b>12</b>.

[0033] Large hanger assembly <b>60</b> is movable from an upwardly extending pivoted position shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 for mounting the housing <b>12</b> on a footboard <b>82</b> of a bed (not shown). When in the upwardly pivoted position shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the large hanger assembly <b>60</b> is positioned so that hooks <b>66</b> extend over and engage a top end edge <b>84</b> of footboard <b>82</b>. Larger hanger assembly <b>60</b> is particularly useful in footboards which include control panels <b>86</b> built into the footboard <b>82</b> for controlling functions of the bed. Footboard <b>82</b> may also include a flip panel <b>88</b> which provides access to further control functions. Since the arms <b>64</b> are spaced apart by a relatively wide distance, the caregiver can still operate the controls <b>86</b> or the controls under flip panel <b>88</b> while the housing <b>12</b> is mounted on the footboard <b>82</b>. When not in use, the large hanger assembly <b>60</b> is pivoted downwardly relative to housing <b>12</b> to the storage position shown in FIG. 7. In this storage position, the arms <b>64</b> and hooks <b>66</b> are stored within recesses <b>90</b> formed on opposite sides of the housing <b>12</b> so that the entire hanger assembly <b>60</b> is located inwardly from a rear wall <b>92</b> of housing <b>12</b>.

[0034] Small hanger assembly <b>62</b> is best illustrated in FIG. 5. Hanger assembly <b>62</b> includes opposite support arms <b>94</b> which are each formed to include an aperture <b>96</b> configured to receive a pin <b>98</b> for coupling the hanger <b>62</b> to mounting brackets <b>100</b>. Specifically, pins <b>98</b> extend through apertures <b>102</b> formed in spaced apart flanges <b>104</b> of the mounting brackets <b>100</b>. Hanger assembly <b>62</b> also includes a U-shaped section <b>106</b> which is illustratively covered by a protective coating to prevent marring of the footboard <b>82</b>. Mounting brackets <b>100</b> are configured to be coupled to housing <b>12</b> by fasteners <b>108</b> as best shown in FIG. 6.

[0035] Small hanger assembly <b>62</b> is movable from a downwardly pivoted, storage position shown in FIG. 6 in which the arms <b>94</b> and the U-shaped portion <b>106</b> are located within a recess <b>110</b> of housing <b>12</b> so that the entire hanger assembly <b>62</b> is located inwardly from the rear wall <b>92</b> of housing <b>12</b>. Hanger <b>62</b> is also movable to an upwardly pivoted orientation shown in FIG. 7 to couple the housing <b>12</b> to the top end <b>84</b> of footboard <b>82</b> in a second orientation. In the mounting position shown in FIG. 7, the support arms <b>94</b> of hanger <b>62</b> engage notched portions <b>70</b> formed in crossbar <b>68</b> of hanger assembly <b>60</b> as best shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, crossbar <b>68</b> prevents the small hanger assembly <b>62</b> from pivoting further upwardly in the direction of arrow <b>110</b> in FIG. 7 to hold the housing <b>12</b> on the footboard <b>82</b>.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 9, the air supply apparatus <b>10</b> includes a controller such as a microprocessor <b>112</b> coupled to the touch screen control panel <b>16</b> and to the fluid supply <b>114</b> such as a blower motor, compressor, etc. As discussed above, fluid supply <b>114</b> is coupled to the therapy device <b>18</b> by tube <b>20</b>. Processor <b>112</b> is also coupled to the therapy device <b>18</b> by electrical wire <b>116</b> to provide electrical control signals to therapy device <b>18</b> and to receive signals from the therapy device <b>18</b>, if applicable.

[0037] A memory <b>118</b> is also coupled to the processor <b>112</b> within the housing <b>12</b>. Processor <b>112</b> is configured to provide a menu driven display on touch screen <b>16</b> to permit a caregiver to provide various therapies to a patient on the therapy device <b>18</b>. For instance, for the mattress <b>18</b>, rotation, percussion, vibration, or combinations of these therapies may be provided. In addition, various pressure settings may be provided for air bladders within the mattress <b>18</b> to reduce pressure on the patient.

[0038] Processor <b>112</b> stores each screen press made by an operator on the control panel <b>16</b> in a history buffer of memory <b>118</b>. Therefore, all key presses entered on touch screen control panel <b>16</b> are stored within the memory <b>118</b>. Air supply apparatus <b>10</b> includes a communication port <b>120</b> coupled to housing <b>12</b> to permit the housing <b>12</b> to be coupled directly to a printer or computer <b>122</b>. Illustratively, port <b>120</b> is a serial port coupled to housing <b>12</b> and processor <b>112</b>. Therefore, information related to the therapies provided to the patient or all the inputs entered by the operator can be downloaded to the printer or computer <b>122</b>. In addition, menus, therapies, or other information can be loaded into the processor <b>112</b> from the computer <b>122</b>. It is understood that the computer <b>122</b> could be on site or at a remote location connected via a computer network or telephone line. Therefore, operation of the air supply apparatus <b>10</b> can be monitored or controlled from a remote location, if desired.

[0039] Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to a certain illustrated embodiment, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of the present invention as described and defined in the following claims.