Abstract: The present invention is a protective and pressure normalizing device for a body extremity, that has a topside, an underside and two other sides. The device has an inflatable member, a non-inflatable member, a heel aperture, releasable securing means and a nozzle. The inflatable member has a lower portion, an intermediate portion, and an upper portion. Each portion contacts at least a portion of the other sides of the respective lower, intermediate, and upper region of the extremity. The heel aperture exposes the underside of the intermediate region. The non-inflatable member contacts at least a portion of the underside of the lower region. The inflatable member and heel aperture surround at least a portion of the non-inflatable member. The releasable securing means secures the device at least about the lower portion. The device engages and partially encloses in a cradling fashion the extremity. Thereby, the inflating member applies a uniform interface pressure where it is applied to the extremity.

Abstract: The present invention details a pressurizable mattress. The mattress has at least one inflatable cushion having a pair of sides, and at least one set of an electromagnetic energy emitting device and an electromagnetic energy receiving device. The electromagnetic energy emitting device, when operating, illuminates the interior of the inflatable cushion. The electromagnetic energy receiving device collects the illuminating energy. The operation of the mattress requires a means for measuring the optical aperture of the inflatable cushion. The measuring means determines the optical aperture of the inflatable cushion by measuring the quantity of illuminating energy collected by the electromagnetic energy receiving device when the electromagnetic energy emitting device illuminates the interior of the inflatable cushion.

Abstract: An inflatable support pad wherein a first group of inflatable cells are in flow communication with each other, a second group of inflatable cells are in flow communication with each other, and the cells of the first group of cells are interleaved with the cells of the second group of cells whereby the cells are alternatively inflatable and alternately exhaustible. Seal seam portions or walls which separate adjacent cells have serpentine shapes and are disposed relative to each other to define alternately broad and narrow cell portions. The serpentine shapes are truncated to eliminate or reduce duck-billing.

Abstract: A fluid warming device for warming blood and other fluids prior to introduction into a patient. The counterflow fluid bags utilize a flat counter flow pathway which provides high flow performance and ensuring uniform, gradual and energy efficient blood warming. The warming device contains a pair of opposed, identical heater elements. The guide rails of the bag align the counter flow passageway for the fluid so that the bag is spaced and located precisely between the heater elements. The heater is provided with a receptive slot down the middle, in a horizontal plane, with two different sized guide slots, one on each side of the receptive slot. A pair of guide rails, integrated into the sides of the bag, are parallel to one another providing sufficient rigidity for easy insertion of the bag, and being sized to allow easy insertion in only the correct orientation. The blood warmer preferably incorporates a microprocessor for precise control of the electric current provided to the heater.

Abstract: A mattress wherein at least one fabric strip bridges a foam crib for an inflatable cushion to provide lateral stability thereto such as when the mattress is tilted for turning a patient over or otherwise. The fabric strip position is selected so as not to interfere with pressure relief to a portion of the patient's body where pressure ulcers frequently occur. In order to accurately and quickly monitor the tilt of a mattress, transmitting and receiving coils are provided on opposite sides of an assembly of lifting bladders for the side of the mattress being lifted, and the signal strength is measured when a signal is transmitted therebetween, and the angle of tilt is determined therefrom. In order to reduce exposure of lines leading to an inflatable mattress, a notch is provided in a crib for receiving a pump for pressurizing a cushion within the crib so that the pump is positioned to face exteriorly of the crib to allow heat dissipation.

Abstract: A leg rest for supporting a patient's legs while the patient is lying on a bed and during turning or otherwise managing the patient. The leg rest includes a pair of trough portions for receiving the patient's legs and a raised central portion and a pair of raised side portions for keeping the legs apart and restraining sideways leg movement. The central and side portions extend beyond the trough portions for restraining sideways movement of the patient's feet as the patient's legs rest on the trough portions with the patient's feet projecting beyond the trough portions for pressure relief of the patient's heels. The leg rest may be inflatable so that it may be inexpensively produced and disposable and so that its pressure may be adjusted for patient comfort. The leg rest may be contained within a case which has a bib for underlying the patient's upper legs to prevent slippage of the leg rest out of position.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the position of a patient relative to a bed signals whether the patient is in the middle of the bed, to the left or right of center, at the left or right edge of the bed, attempting to lift himself from the bed, or completely out of the bed.

Abstract: A bed signalling apparatus signals a caregiver an out of bed condition and a bottoming condition of a patient. Signalling of patient location within a bed is also provided. The bed signalling apparatus includes a fluid supplying member connected to at least one resilient member to supply fluid under pressure thereto, such fluid flowing from an inlet of the resilient member to an outlet of the resilient member. At least one switching member is connected between the resilient member and the fluid supplying member for controlling at least one indicating member attached to the switching member in response to changes in pressure within the resilient member.

Abstract: A failsafe feedback control system of the type including transducers for measuring a characteristic of some object and emitting a signal representative of such measurement to a controlled apparatus the operation of which is responsive to such signal. The apparatus includes a first switch for detecting when any two transducers have failed and a second switch for detecting when any one transducer has failed. The responsiveness of the circuitry of each transducer can be set independent of that of all of the other transducers.

Abstract: An apparatus for the infrared heating and warming of post-anesthetic surgical patients is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of infrared heat lamps controlled by plural patient temperature sensors in a closed-loop control system for providing safe, controlled warming of a patient following anesthesia and surgery. Signals from the temperature sensors are averaged and compared against an average temperature setpoint to provide control signals for the heat lamp control network. Low and high temperature alarms are provided for patient safety.

Abstract: A pneumatic cushion having preinflated sealed cells with pressure compensators for distributing air between cells in response to loads placed thereon, the pneumatic cushion having a mid sheet with top and bottom surfaces, a top layer of preinflated sealed cells attached to the top surface of the mid sheet, a bottom layer of preinflated sealed cells attached to the bottom surface of the mid sheet, and pressure compensators affixed to the mid sheet and in communication with each top and bottom cell whereby upon uneven loading of the sealed cells air is stepwise transferred by the pressure compensators from a cell of high pressure on a first layer to a cell on a second layer and then to another cell on the first and so on to smooth out the uneven pressure.

Abstract: A sleeve device for encasing and applying successive compressive pressures against a patient's limb from a source of pressurized fluid, the sleeve has a plurality of laterally extending separate fluid pressure members progressively arranged longitudinally along the sleeve from a lower portion of the encased limb to the upper portion thereof, the adjacent lateral edge portions of adjacent pressure members are curved upwardly and then downwardly in unison whereby the respective contiguous edges thereof follow each other so that when pressure is successively applied from the lowermost pressure member upward there will never be a continuous circumferential pressure gap on any lateral circular portion of the encircled limb and further wherein the successive pressurization of each pressure member from the lowermost heartward produces a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inward maximum and minimum forces interdigitated with successive pressure members having similar maximum and minimum forces to produce