Abstract: An infant support for use with an incubator or a warmer or a combination thereof comprises a support surface having a head end and a foot end and a driver engageable with the head and foot ends. The driver comprises a first elevator and a second elevator. The first elevator is engageable with the head end and the second elevator is engageable with the foot end. The driver is movable to cause the head and foot ends to move between raised and lowered positions.

Abstract: An infant care unit includes an infant-support platform, a canopy, and a mounting assembly that couples the canopy to the platform. The mounting assembly allows movement of the canopy about a vertical axis between a plurality of positions, one of which is a central position having the canopy overlying the platform.

Abstract: An infant apparatus having a base, a vertically movable hood and a plurality of walls that form an infant compartment. The apparatus has lateral side walls and a front end door that can be individually opened. There is an interlocking engagement between the upper periphery of the lateral walls and hood by a plurality of pins on the hood that engage brackets located at the top of the front and rear end walls. A latching arrangement allows all three doors to be opened. The side lateral doors are latched by a movable latch member that enters an opening in brackets affixed to the front and rear end walls. The front end wall can be moved vertically upwardly to disengage its latching arrangement to enable it to pivot downwardly. An alignment mechanism is also provided to insure that the movable latch members correctly align with the openings in the brackets.

Abstract: A phototherapy apparatus which includes a filter unit that is coupled to a light generating unit. The light generating unit includes a plurality of light sources and an electrical control board which can regulate and control the power applied to the light sources so as to affect the wattage output of the light sources. The filter unit includes housing which contains a filter slide that is movable within the housing. The filter slide includes a plurality of filter elements and apertures which separate adjacent filter elements. The filter slide is movable between a first position in which light produced by the light generating unit passes through the apertures in the filter slide and a second position in light produced by the light generating unit passes through the filter elements in the filter slide.

Abstract: An ultrasonically vibrating snare wire at the end of an elongate flexible waveguide can fit through an endoscope inserted in a patient's intestine. The wire loop can be extended past the distal end of the endoscope to grasp a polyp projecting from the intestinal wall. While the wire is vibrating at ultrasonic frequency, the loop is closed. This cuts and coagulates the tissue to stop bleeding. The ultrasonic cutting is more localized than electrocautery for more precise excision.

Abstract: An infant-support heater assembly having a heater element a radiator associated with the heater element and a sensing element in contact with at least a portion of the radiator. The sensing element is separate from the heater element.

Abstract: An infant care unit is provided having a patient support platform, an overhead arm and a mounting assembly. The overhead arm is located generally above the platform. The mounting assembly couples the overhead arm to the platform for pivoting movement relative thereto. The pivoting movement is in a second plane that is generally parallel to a first plane which is defined by the platform.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus is provided that includes a support for underlying the infant within the apparatus for providing care to that infant. The apparatus has an alarm system that triggers upon the occurrence of some event indicating that a particular parameter or condition of the apparatus or infant is outside the prescribed limits or other fault condition. The alarm system thus provides a signal indicative of that alarm condition to activate a means of warning the caregiver of the existence of the alarm condition. A sound producing device and/or light producing device receives the signal produced by the audible sound or light producing device to alert the caregiver of the alarm condition. The sound producing device and the light producing device are positioned on the apparatus such that there is a sound barrier and light barrier, respectively, between the particular device and the infant so that the infant is protected from being startled, and thus stressed, by the alarm audible sound or light activation.

Abstract: In this incubator, the door rotation restricting means in the operating state restrains the rotation of the door in the opening direction beyond the operating angle. Thus, in the case that the door rotation restricting means is in the operating state, even if the door is pushed by the accommodated baby from the inside of the hood under the state wherein the door is not fixed by the door fixing means in a closing state, the door does not rotate in the opening direction beyond the operating angle and the angle of the door does not exceed the operating angle. Therefore, even if opening and closing operation of the nursing window is not securely performed, at least the environment inside the hood hardly deviates from the physiological environment appropriate for the accommodated baby.

Abstract: A patient-support apparatus includes a base, a patient support carried above the base and a controller that controls at least one function of the patient support. A user interface panel includes a display and at least one button configured to provide an input signal to the controller. The user interface panel is coupled to the patient support for pivoting movement about more than one axis.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus is provided that includes a specially designed grommet in order to facilitate the introduction of wires and/or tubes through a wall in the infant care apparatus so that wires and/or tubes can be passed through the wall for use with the infant positioned within the infant apparatus and contained with the wall or walls. The grommet is located in one of the walls surrounding the infant and includes a slit formed in a flexible material and where the slit is oriented vertically. The flexible material has a plurality of spaced apart thickened ridges that create barriers to the ease of movement of the wires or tubes along the slit. The thickened ridges preferably are formed in pairs and extend outwardly bidirectionally from the slit and may be tapered inwardly in the direction toward the slit. Thus, a wire or tube may be slid vertically along the slit and located at a desired area between any of the thickened ridges and not interfere with other wires or tubes.

Abstract: A patient warming apparatus includes a patient support and a canopy that moves upwardly and downwardly relative to the patient support. A first heater is coupled to the canopy and moves upwardly and downwardly with the canopy. A second heater is coupled to the patient support.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating an infant including an upper radiant element integrated with the hood and a lower radiant element integrated with the mattress. The upper radiant element comprises a resistive ink printed on the underside of the hood. The mattress is transparent to infra-red wave length radiant energy, and includes a temperature sensor on its topside. The hood includes a liquid crystal panel for controllably viewing the infant, whereas the rest of the hood is opaque.

Abstract: An infant warming apparatus that functions both as an infant incubator as well as an infant warmer. The apparatus has a heater that moves vertically with respect to an infant support during the change in function between an infant incubator and infant warmer. A powered motive system, such as an electric motor, powers the movement of the heater between its upper and its lower positions. The heater also has a door or doors that are open when the heater is at or nearing the upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. The doors close at or shortly after the heater commences movement to the lower position. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel and prevents the further radiating of infrared energy towards the infant. The mechanism operates automatically without any reminder to the user or action by the user.

Abstract: A patient warming apparatus includes a patient support and a canopy that moves upwardly and downwardly relative to the patient support. A radiant heater noves upwardly and downwardly with the canopy. The patient warming apparatus also includes a convective heater.

Abstract: A method is provided for affixing a wristlet to the side of an incubator. The side is a double walled side having an inner wall and an outer wall with a space between those walls. Both the outer and inner walls have handhole openings that are in alignment when the inner and outer walls are affixed together to allow a person to insert an arm through the openings. A flexible handhole is affixed within the opening in the outer wall and extending inwardly toward the incubator interior through the inner wall. That handhole has an annular flange that extends outwardly and a wristlet having an outer peripheral portion having an elastic member is affixed to the handhole by encircling the annular flange. The inner wall is removably affixed with respect to the outer wall and when affixed to the outer wall, the inner wall sandwiches the outer periphery of the wristlet between that inner wall and the annular flange.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the initial start up of a radiant heater used in an infant care apparatus. The system and method provides power to the radiant heater in excess of the 100% rated power of the heater for an initial period of time to cause a more rapid heating of the heater. The system utilizes an initial set power for the heater to determine the period of time that the heater is provided the excess power and discontinues that excess power after the determined period of time so tha the control of the heater is returned to a normal heating algorithm to thereafter provide the control of power to the heater. By use of the excess power upon initial start-up of the radiant heater, the heater more rapidly provides heat to an infant being cared for in the infant care apparatus.

Abstract: An incubator is described which uses a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) as a heat pump in order to provide a stable temperature environment in the infant chamber. Use of a TEC allows a preselected temperature to be maintained in a large range of ambient temperatures during transport, with improved operating efficiency.

Abstract: An infant thermal support device which provides convective heat transfer similar to an incubator yet which allows for unlimited care provider access to the infant without compromising the infant's thermal environment. The device has an infant support with head and foot ends and lateral sides, and provides a heated curtain of air traveling over an infant on the support to maintain the temperature of the infant at an appropriate level. Vertically oriented curtains of air travel upwardly from the lateral edges and at least one end of the support. The device provides warmth to the infant on the support by virtue of the heated air curtain, and the vertically oriented air curtains reduced perturbations of the heated air curtain caused by physical disturbances adjacent to the device such that a canopy enclosing the device is not required. The device further comprises a raisable and lowerable canopy and infrared heater, such that the device can function as either an infant radiant warmer, an incubator or both.

Abstract: Controlled atmosphere cabinet has enclosure (110;210) with means providing visibility (110F; 210F) of its interior from outside, gas supply (113-116, 212-216) for desired or target composition of internal atmosphere, controlled lock-type access (112) for manual introduction and removal of items, and hand/arm access port provision (111A, B; 211A, B) for manipulation of said samples in the cabinet. Gas supply associated control means (230-240) serves during use of the cabinet (other than normal atmosphere augmenting in use of the lock-type access) for additional gas supply further to correct or compensate for effects actually or potentially adverse to maintaining the desired or target internal atmosphere composition, via operator-actuated input means (121t, 123; 222) and/or means (122, 124, 139; 225) for sensing prescribed conditions to which the control means is responsive for said additional gas supply.

Abstract: A humidifier for use with an infant incubator is disclosed that has a housing and a reservoir. The reservoir is pivotally affixed to the housing so that it can be tilted from its upright position where it actively provides the heated water vapor to the incubator and a tilted position where water can be added to the reservoir. A heater extends into the reservoir to heat a localized volume of water. The reservoir is also removable from the housing but is constrained in its movement generally along the axis of the heater so as to prevent damage to the heater if the reservoir is immediately tilted during its removal or reinstallation.

Abstract: An infant care center or infant care warmer having as it source of heat, a radiant heater that includes a reflector in the shape of a quadratic surface of revolution consisting of a paraboloid, an ellipsoid or a hyperboloid. The shape allows the heater to be positioned at the head of the infant care apparatus and out of the way of the attending personnel and yet deliver sufficient heat to provide warmth to the infant. An infrared energy emitter is positioned at substantially the focal point of the geometric configuration of the reflector to provide radiant energy to be reflected toward an infant resting on a planar surface underneath the heater. While out of the way of the infant and the attending personnel, the radiant heater provides a generally uniform footprint of heat to the infant.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming and contracting scar collagen below a tissue surface in a selected tissue site. An electromagnetic energy apparatus is provided and includes an electromagnetic energy source and a delivery device. The delivery device is positioned on the tissue surface. Electromagnetic energy is produced from the electromagnetic energy source and delivered through the tissue surface to the selected tissue site for a sufficient time to induce scar collagen formation in the selected tissue site. No more than a second degree burn is formed on the tissue surface. The scar collagen is then contracted. This method is particularly useful in tissue sites that are devoid or deficient in collagen.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus is provided that has easily removable side doors. The doors have hinges with bores and pie shaped openings extending outwardly from the bores. A bar secures the doors to the infant care apparatus and that bar has a plurality of grooves that readily pass through the pie shaped openings. The diameter of the bar is such as to snugly fit within the bore and be held therein. The bar is movable with respect to the door hinges so that the bar can be moved from one position where the bar is fitted within the bores to sturdily affix the door to the infant apparatus and to another position where the grooves are aligned with the bores and where the door can be detached and reattached by sliding the grooves through the pie shaped openings. In the preferred embodiment, the bar is spring biased along its axis so that it can be moved in either direction along its axis to allow the door to be removed and reattached.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus that has a canopy that can be moved vertically with respect to an infant pedestal on which the infant is positioned. In the preferred embodiment, the canopy contain a radiant heater that can be moved from a lower position enclosing the infant in an infant compartment to an upper position where the infant compartment is open. The canopy is affixed to a movable frame member that is, in turn, movably mounted on a stationary frame member. A constant force spring or springs are used to interconnect between the stationary frame member and the movable frame member and the springs are designed so as to achieve a counterbalancing of the canopy and associated components such that the weight of such canopy and components is neutralized. Thus, a standard, inexpensive motor can be used to raise and lower the canopy without complex synchronization between two motors and yet the unit moves smoothly and without misalignment.

Abstract: An incubator includes (a) a housing, (b) a sample shelf holding at least one plate accommodating a sample, (c) a controller maintaining an environment inside of the housing at a given condition, (d) a first opening provided on the housing, (e) a first door for closing the first opening, (f) a second opening provided on the housing and smaller than the first opening and yet large enough for at least one plate being passed through, and (g) a second door for closing the second opening. This construction allows the incubator to minimize opening when the plate is taken out or restored during a test or a culture so that environment changes in the housing can be restrained. As a result, the incubator produces reliable data.

Abstract: An infant warming apparatus that functions both as an infant incubator as well as an infant warmer. The apparatus has a heater that moves vertically with respect to an infant support during the change in function between an infant incubator and infant warmer. A powered motive system, such as an electric motor, powers the movement of the heater between its upper and its lower positions. The heater also has a door or doors that are open when the heater is at or nearing the upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. The doors close at or shortly after the heater commences movement to the lower position. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel and prevents the further radiating of infrared energy towards the infant. The mechanism operates automatically without any reminder to the user or action by the user.

Abstract: A connection device for connecting a filtering system to an incubator. The connection device includes a body member adapted to fit in the wall of an incubator and having at least two bores which provide access into the incubator. The bores are equipped with fittings which provide a port for connection of tubing to direct the flow of filtered air into and out of the incubator.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus that has a canopy that can be moved vertically with respect to an infant platform on which the infant is positioned. The canopy contains a radiant heater that can be moved from a lower position enclosing the infant in an infant compartment to an upper position where the infant compartment is open and the radiant heater provides radiant energy to warm the infant. When the canopy is in its lower position there is a convective heating system that provides a forced flow of heated air to the infant compartment to heat the infant. The convective heating system includes a heater, a fan and various ducting and passageways in the infant platform that conduct the heated air to the infant compartment and receive air from that compartment for re-circulation.

Abstract: A thermal and moisture barrier device for use with a specialized heating and humidifying apparatus in the care of extremely premature neonatal infants. The thermal and moisture barrier comprises a collapsible and substantially flexible cover which defines an enclosed volume, large enough to accommodate an extremely premature neonatal infant. At least one flexible opening is located on a portion of the cover which communicates with the enclosed volume. A diaphragm provides closure of the flexible openings. The diaphragm is a resiliently flexible sheet extending across the opening and has slits.

Abstract: A laboratory incubator (10) having an improved temperature control assembly (14) that more effectively maintains the temperature within the incubator in a desired range and more accurately controls the rate of heat loss from the laboratory incubators as ambient temperatures rise. The incubator includes a housing (12) having an enclosed incubation chamber (18) therein; a heater (22) positioned within the housing for heating the chamber; a cooling device (24) positioned within the housing for cooling the walls of the housing; and a controller (26) for controlling the operation of the heater and the cooling device to maintain a temperature in the chamber within a set temperature range. The cooling device includes an electrically operated peltier device operable to both cool the chamber and to assist the heater in heating the chamber.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus such as an incubator or infant warmer having a mattress for supporting the infant on an infant platform that can, at times, by fully rotated 360 degrees to obtain full access to the infant. In the incubator, a translation platform can be slid into and out of the infant compartment and the mattress tray is pivoted to that translation platform so as to rotate at a pivot point that connects the mattress tray to the translation platform. Accordingly, when all of the doors of the infant incubator are in the closed position, the mattress tray is constrained from rotational movement but that mattress tray can be rotated a full 360 degrees whenever both doors are open or when the translation platform has been moved to a position at least partially exterior of the infant compartment. In all, the apparatus provides easy and convenient access to the infant for carrying out procedures on the infant while it is still supported by the infant care apparatus.

Abstract: Non invasive measurement of infant lung function during unsedated sleep is achieved by a plethysmograph which comprises of a rigid acrylic box (10) with integral water sealed spirometer (11) and a vacuum-actuated neck seal (20) allowing "head out" monitoring. The neck seal comprises particulate material entrapped in the space between two layers of rubber, which become rigid when a vacuum is applied to the space. Tidal volume, respiratory rate and changes in functional residual capacity (FRC) are able to be recorded during unsedated REM and NREM sleep whilst monitoring with conventional polysomnographic methods. The head out configuration allows additional instrumentation to be used, avoids facial stimulation and allows unimpeded access to the upper airway.

Abstract: A climatic cabinet such as a climatic test cabinet or gassing incubator includes a housing bounding a useful space. The useful space communicates with the exterior through a front opening. The housing includes a floor having a back wall and opposing sidewalls upstanding therefrom. The floor is inclined at least at the front opening so as to slope down from the front opening towards the back wall. The floor bounds a trough configured to retain water remote from the front opening.

Abstract: An enclosure defining an anaerobic chamber for confining an anaerobic atmosphere, cuff and sleeve assemblies mounted on the enclosure in an airtight relation to the chamber so as to enable a scientist to insert his/her arms into said cuff and sleeve assemblies in an airtight manner so that his/her hands can be projected into the chamber without allowing oxygen into the chamber thereby offering the scientist the glove-free ability to handle and inspect samples in the chamber and thereby improve tactile efficiency, and an expandable and collapsible diaphragm mounted on said enclosure so as to communicate with said chamber so as to provide a continuous visual signal as to the condition of the atmosphere in the chamber, collapse of the diaphragm indicating that oxygen is leaking into the chamber.

Abstract: In an incubator, only water supplied from a water reservoir to a heating portion is heated. Even if the number of times of water replenishment is small, water vapor can be kept generated over a long period of time, while generation of the water vapor can be started shortly after the start of heating. In addition, since the water reservoir and heating portion that are connected to each other can be detached from and mounted on a support, both the water reservoir and the heating portion can be completely disconnected from the support. Therefore, both the water reservoir and the heating portion can be cleaned easily, facilitating use as well as maintenance.

Abstract: An incubator having a mattress tray that underlies and supports an infant. The mattress tray is movable from a first position where it is entirely within the controlled atmosphere of the infant compartment to a second position outside that infant compartment and when moved to the second position, a warm flow of air is provided to warm the infant . The outside position of the mattress thereby allows considerable access to the infant to carry out procedures by attending personnel that would not be possible within the confined infant compartment and yet the invent is warmed by the flow of warm air.

Abstract: A patient-support apparatus comprising a base, and a patient-support assembly supported above the base including a patient-support deck having longitudinally spaced-apart ends and an elevation mechanism for moving one of the ends of the patient-support deck relative to the other of the ends and relative to the base. The elevation mechanism including a transversely-extending threaded shaft, a pair of blocks threadedly coupled to the shaft, and a linkage coupled to the pair of blocks and extending upwardly therefrom to support the end of the patient support deck to be moved by the elevation mechanism, the pair of blocks moving transversely in response to rotation of the threaded shaft, and the linkage having horizontally extending pins being configured to move the end of the patient-support deck relative to the base in response to transverse movement of the blocks.

Abstract: An infant warming apparatus that functions both as an infant incubator as well as an infant warmer. The apparatus has a heater that moves vertically with respect to an infant support during the change in function between an infant incubator and infant warmer. A powered motive system, such as an electric motor, powers the movement of the heater between its upper and its lower positions. The heater also has a door or doors that are open when the heater is in it upper position so that the heater can direct energy toward the infant to warm the infant when acting as an infant warmer. When closed, the doors isolate the heater to prevent the inadvertent touching of the heater by the infant or attending personnel. A safety interlock system is provided that prevents the heater from being activated unless it is in its upper position and the door or doors are fully open.

Abstract: A patient-support apparatus having at least one side guard panel pivotably mounted for movement between first and second positions and a combined hinge and latch assembly configured to pivotably connect the side guard panel to the patient support. The combined hinge and latch assembly including a mounting member fixedly connected to the patient support, a hinge member fixedly connected to the side guard panel and rotatably connected to the mount for pivoting movement about an axis, and a stop mechanism coupled to one of the hinge member and the mount. The hinge member is movable along the axis between a locking position in which the stop mechanism engages the other of the hinge member and the mount to prevent relative rotation between the hinge member and the mount and a releasing position in which the stop mechanism is disengaged from the other of the hinge member and the mount to allow relative rotation between the hinge member and the mount.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an improved process for controlling the operating parameters of an incubator, which determine the heat balance of a patient, by means of skin temperatures (t.sub.h1, t.sub.h2) measured at the patient and the air temperature (t.sub.i) measured in the incubator, characterized in that the air temperature (t.sub.i) in the incubator is set as a function of the core temperature (t.sub.c) and the peripheral temperature (t.sub.p), which are determined from the equationt.sub.c =t.sub.h1 +c'.multidot.(t.sub.h1 -t.sub.i)ort.sub.p =t.sub.h2 +c'.multidot.(t.sub.h2 -t.sub.i)with the constant c', or as a function of a linkage of the two temperatures, wherein the skin temperature (t.sub.h1) is measured in a skin area at the head, and the skin temperature (t.sub.h2) is measured in a skin area on the periphery of the body.

Abstract: A patient support and environmental control apparatus comprises a frame and an upwardly-facing patient-support surface carried by the frame. An air curtain generator is mounted to the frame. The air curtain generator provides first and second curtains of air. The patient-support surface has a perimeter and the first and second curtains of air originate adjacent to the perimeter and converge at a point positioned to lie above the patient-support surface. The first and second curtains of air cooperate with the patient-support surface to define a patient space.

Abstract: An infant incubator having a heating system that provides a flow of heated air into the infant compartment and which exhausts air from the infant compartment. A temperature sensor is located in the air inlet of the warm air into the infant compartment and another temperature sensor is located in the air outlet of the air from the infant compartment. The system thus monitors the temperature of the air to the infant compartment and the air from the infant compartment. By analyzing the temperatures from the inlet and the outlet the overall incubator heating system can be controlled and yet a further advantage is provided by using the temperature information to recognize a fault or deficiency in the incubator system.

Abstract: A humidifier module is provided for a patient support apparatus which includes an opening into which the module is inserted, an electrical service connector, an air inlet port, and an air outlet port. The humidifier module includes a water reservoir and a heater configured to heat water in the reservoir. An air chamber with an air inlet port and an air exhaust port for mating with air inlet and outlet ports of the patient support apparatus and an electrical connector for mating with the electrical service connector of the patient support apparatus is included in the humidifier module. When the humidifier module is inserted into the patient support apparatus, the patient support apparatus is provided with a humidified environment for a patient.

Abstract: A patient-support apparatus having an overhead arm located over a patient support mounted on a base, a canopy mounted to the overhead arm and supported over the patient support by the overhead arm, and a mounting assembly for attaching the overhead arm to the base, including an alignment mechanism to properly align the overhead arm with respect to the patient support, wherein the alignment mechanism has at least two relatively movable members, which moveable members are also relatively movable with respect to the overhead arm and the base and are fixedly secured to each other, the overhead arm and the base after alignment of the overhead arm relative to the patient support.

Abstract: An infant care apparatus that has a infant bed tilt mechanism that can be accessed by the user in close proximity to the infant mattress and at the mattress level. When the infant care apparatus is an infant incubator, the tilt mechanism is operable internal of the infant compartment. The user can thus be carrying out some procedure on the infant within that infant compartment of the incubator or at the level of the infant bed of an infant warmer and be able to alter the tilt angle of the infant bed without breaking the semi sterile conditions surrounding the infant and its close proximity by manipulation of a actuating mechanism that is situated at the level of the infant bed and in close proximity to the infant. The tilt mechanism itself has a lead screw rotatable mounted to the infant bed and which passes through a threaded nut that is resiliently affixed to the base of the incubator or infant warmer.

Abstract: A method for supporting the life of a baby which was born too prematurely to have functioning lungs and remains attached to its placenta through its umbilical cord. The placenta is maintained in a moist, oxygen containing environment while it is contacted with a liquid composition containing nutrients, an anticoagulant, and red blood cells in a concentration by volume from about lot to about 30%.

Abstract: An open care bed or infant warmer having a mattress supported on a mattress base cantilevered from a columnar or vertically disposed "back bone". The column carries an infrared radiant heater head at its upper end which directs heat down towards the mattress. The lower end of the column sits on a base of the infant warmer which is provided with castors for transporting the warmer. The mattress base comprises a box like frame over which a sheet is stretched to provide tensioned support for a mattress. The sides of the mattress base are provided with fold down side walls which are normally retained in a vertical position but are lowerable to a horizontal position, by free falling under the control of a friction controlled damping axle configuration. Adjustment of the angle of inclination of the mattress base is made possible by the use of a non-parallel arm type system providing a virtual pivot point for the mattress base which may be positioned near the center of the mattress.

Abstract: A patient-support apparatus includes a base and a patient-support surface carried above the base. The patient-support apparatus further includes an indicator and a unit having at least one of a noise sensor and a light sensor which generates a sensor data signal. The patient-support apparatus further includes a control system coupled to the indicator and the at least one sensor. The control system is configured to process the sensor data signal and activate the indicator only when the sensor data signal exceeds a preset threshold level. The patient-support apparatus further includes a mechanism coupled to the control system to permit adjustment of the preset threshold level.

Abstract: A fluid flow controlling device having a working member capable of reciprocating in a tubular case. The working member comprises a pressure detecting portion to detect the pressure of a second fluid, which flows into the tubular case through a second inlet, and to move the working member forwards; and a valve element to decrease the opening of the first outlet in relation to the opening of the first inlet, through which the first fluid is led into the tubular case, in correspondence with the displacement of the working member. By the use of the above fluid flow controlling device, it becomes easy to control the quantity of the first fluid led into the tubular case in relation to that of the second fluid, and it becomes possible to sufficiently supplying the first fluid to the tubular case even when the second fluid is exhausted and cannot be supplied any more so long as the first fluid is not exhausted.