Abstract: An apparatus is configured to support at least a portion of a body thereon. The apparatus includes a cover having an interior region, a base located within the interior region, and a three dimensional engineered material located within the interior region above the base. The three dimensional engineered material and the base cooperate to provide support for the body.

Abstract: A mattress assembly comprises an inflatable central support portion having a head end, a foot end, a first side and a second side, and first and second side bolsters coupled to the first and second sides, respectively, of the inflatable central support portion. The first and second side bolsters each have at least two chambers extending along a longitudinal axis of the first and second side bolsters. At least one of the chambers is a manifold in fluid communication with the central support portion. The manifold is configured to be coupled to an air supply to supply air to the central support portion and the other chambers.

Abstract: A mattress is provided having an elongated foam base, a plurality of air sacks positioned above the foam base, and a longitudinally-extending manifold. Each air sack defines an interior region. The manifold includes an outer wall defining an interior region in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid and in fluid communication with the interior region of each air sack. The foam base and the plurality of air sacks cooperate to define a channel. The manifold is positioned in the channel and supported on top of the foam base.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to support a mattress. The apparatus includes a base platform that is formed to rest on a box spring and to include slots therethrough, a plate hinged to the base platform, and a bladder fastened between the plate and the base platform. In addition, the apparatus includes a fastener mechanism coupled to the plate and adapted to block sliding movement of the mattress relative to the plate and a strap coupled to the base platform. The strap extends through the slots and is configured to extend about the box spring to hold the base platform on the box spring.

Abstract: An apparatus is configured for mounting a blower motor into a blower housing. The blower housing has an interior region for receiving the blower motor. The apparatus comprises a top shell configured to surround a top portion of the blower motor and a bottom shell configured to surround a bottom portion of the blower motor. The top and bottom shells are configured to hold the blower motor in the interior region of the housing without a rigid connection between the blower motor and the blower housing. The top shell cooperates with the bottom shell to define an air intake manifold to provide flow of intake air to the blower motor.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the pressure of fluid within a chamber upon which a person rests includes a manifold having a wall defining an interior region in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid and an air sack defining the chamber. The air sack includes a wall defining an interior region of the air sack. The wall is formed to include an air loss opening in fluid communication with the interior region of the air sack. The apparatus also includes a flow control assembly having a conduit in fluid communication with the interior region of the air sack and with the interior region of the manifold. The flow control assembly also includes a check valve mounted in the conduit to prevent the flow of pressurized fluid through the conduit from the interior region of the air sack to the interior region of the manifold.

Abstract: The invention is a modular inflatable/air fluidized patient bed suitable for in-home use. The bed includes a double walled, molded plastic base formed from two pedestals and a connecting midsection. A blower compartment containing the electrical and mechanical components needed to operate the bed is formed in one of the pedestals. The bed optionally includes a plurality of block-shaped spacers that can be positioned under the pedestals to increase the height of the bed. A series of pilot operated check valves are provided in the air lines leading to the inflatable components. If air flow is interrupted, the check valves close to maintain the air in the inflatable components and prevent them from deflating.

Abstract: A fastening device for flexible sheeting members that must be reliably joined at times and easily disengaged at other times is provided along with a method for using same in connection with a patient support system that includes a pressurizable chamber. A male member desirably has two sections formed of relatively softer material. The female member desirably includes a pair of opposed wing members configured so that external pressure exerted against each wing member toward the other wing member has the effect of leveraging the wing members to positively lock the fastening device. A cord closure has a manually operable release mechanism, which is spring biased to engage a cord member anchored at opposite ends to a flexible sheet secured to the fastening device. The operator selects where along the length of the cord member the cord closure is to be engaged to shorten the length of the flexible sheet.

Abstract: A heavy patient support is mounted on a base by load cell beams forming the transducer for a scale to weigh a patient. Each load cell has a cup, a ball and an inverted cup providing the sole support for the patient support. Thus, only vertical components of force are weighed, and lateral movement of the patient support with respect to the bed is minimized.

Abstract: An undercarriage system apparatus is provided for supporting and transporting a fluidized patient support system above and across a floor. The apparpatus includes a base frame for carrying the fluidized patient support system, a plurality of heavy duty casters, and a pair of disk springs disposed between each caster and the base frame. Each caster includes a central shaft, a shoulder portion disposed about the central shaft for carrying the load, a wheel carriage rotatably mounted via needle bearings to swivel about the central shaft, and a pair of caster wheels mounted side-by-side to rotate about the wheel carriage. The disk springs of each pair are disposed to contact at their outermost edges. Each dish spring desirably has a maximum load capacity rated at least 50% above the nominal load which the disk spring must carry. The base frame defines a sleeve for receiving each central shaft of each caster. An elongated slot is defined through each sleeve.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing Trendelenburg therapy and reverse Trendelenburg therapy includes an intermediate frame carried above a base frame by an inner cross-riser pivotally connected to an outer cross-riser. One end of the outer cross-riser to pivotally connected to the base frame, and the opposite end of the outer cross-riser is rotatably and translatably connected to the intermediate frame via a cam and cam follower arrangement in which the cam follower rides on a wear plate. One end of the inner cross-riser is pivotally connected to the intermediate frame, and the opposite end of the inner cross-riser is both rotatably and translatably connected to the base frame via a cam and cam follower arrangement in which the follower rolls against a lower wear plate.