Abstract: A surface pad system for a surgical table includes a cover having an upwardly-facing patient-support surface defining an interior region of the surface pad system, and a vacuum bead bag received in the interior region. The vacuum bead bag includes a flexible cover defining an interior region containing compressible beads including a lower layer of compressible beads and an upper layer of compressible bead separated from the lower layer of compressible beads by a membrane made from a flexible material. The system also includes a bladder received in the interior region of the cover and positioned to lie beneath the vacuum bead bag. The bladder defines an interior region and is inflatable when pressurized fluid is received in the interior region of the bladder so that the vacuum bead bag conformingly engages the patient on the patient-support surface when the bladder is inflated.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to permit upgrading of a hospital room from a general care room to a critical care room and to facilitate transport of a critical care patient on a hospital bed.

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: A bed including a stepped deck is provided which is configured to support a mattress including a lower mattress section and an upper mattress section. The deck includes an upper deck, and a lower deck coupled to the upper deck by a deck side wall so that the lower deck is spaced apart from the upper deck to define a recess of the deck. The lower deck is configured to support the lower mattress section within the recess of the deck with the bottom surface of the lower mattress section engaging the lower deck. The side wall of the deck is configured to be located adjacent the side wall of the lower mattress section. The top surface of the lower mattress section is aligned generally in a plane of the upper deck. The upper deck is configured to support the upper mattress section with the top surface of the upper mattress section extending above the upper deck to provide a body support surface. The bottom surface of the upper mattress section engages the upper deck.

Abstract: A radiant heater apparatus includes a heating element which generates radiant energy. The heating element has first and second terminals. The apparatus also includes an inner tube configured to surround the heating element. The inner tube includes first and second ends. The inner tube is substantially transmissive to radiant energy. The apparatus further includes an outer tube surrounding the inner tube. The outer tube has an inner surface, an outer surface, and first and second ends. The inner surface of the outer tube is absorptive to radiant energy, and the outer surface of the outer tube is emissive to radiant energy so that radiant energy from the heating element passing through the inner tube is absorbed and re-emitted from by outer tube.

Abstract: A bed for supporting a patient having a seat panel and a back panel coupled together by a joint assembly that allows the panels to rotate about an axis coincident with the patient's hip joint.

Abstract: A mobile support unit such as an IV stand or the like coupled to a mobile hospital bed, gurney or wheelchair by a latch mechanism which provides hands free operation thereby avoiding the need for a nurse or care provider to manually manipulate the latch to secure the units together for tandem transport. Further, the latch mechanism according to this invention includes a clutch which prevents relative movement of the IV stand or support unit with respect to the hospital bed during transport up to a specific adjustable torque level thereby avoiding the problem of the IV stand or support unit swinging freely relative to the bed during movement. Further, the clutch permits movement of the IV stand or support unit through an arc relative to the bed when a specified force is applied as required by the nurse or care provider to reposition the IV stand or support unit relative to the bed and provide increased access to the patient or the like.

Abstract: A dump valve apparatus is configured to inflate and deflate an air cushion on a bed having an articulating deck movable from a first generally horizontal position to a second angled position. The dump valve apparatus is coupled to the deck and includes an elongated housing having an interior region. The housing has first and second open ends and a central opening located between the first and second open ends. The central opening is coupled to the air cushion. The first end of the housing is coupled to an air supply. A piston is slidable within the interior region of the housing of the housing as the deck moves to its angled position to permit air to pass from the air bladder, through the central opening, and through the open second end of the housing to deflate the air bladder.

Abstract: A head wall apparatus includes a support configured to be coupled to a wall, and a front panel coupled to the support to define an interior region of the head wall. The front panel includes an elongated opening. The apparatus also includes a gas block having an inlet and an outlet, and a shield configured to extend over the opening. The shield defines a track for slidably coupling the gas block to the head wall. The shield is configured to block access to the interior region of the head wall. A gas supply line located in the interior region of the head wall is coupled to the inlet of the gas block.

Abstract: A long term care bed is disclosed which includes a base frame with a plurality of castors coupled to the base frame and supporting the base frame upon a floor. A support frame having a head end, a foot end, and spaced apart sides is supported by the base frame. A bed deck is supported by the support frame and includes an upwardly-facing sleeping surface for supporting a patient. Spaced first and second side rails are coupled to the support frame and include a top bar positionable in a raised position above the sleeping surface by a first distance. A side rail extension member is coupled to at least one of the first and second side rails, the extension includes an upper portion overlaying and spaced from the top bar of its associated side rail so as to provide an opening between the top bar and the extension. The side rail extension member is positionable in a raised position above the sleeping surface by a second distance greater than the first distance.

Abstract: A scale mounting apparatus is provided for coupling a fixed support frame to a movable weigh frame. The apparatus includes a load cell having a first end rigidly coupled to the support frame and a second, movable end, a mounting bracket coupled to the weigh frame, an elastomeric mounting block, and a fastener for coupling the mounting block and the mounting bracket to the second movable end of the load cell.

Abstract: A patient/nurse call system for a hospital includes patient stations capable of generating hospital calls and a remote master station which prioritizes and stores the calls. Hall units outside patient rooms identify the rooms from which the calls originate and the type of call. Each patient station allows selective retrieval and display of unanswered calls, and the system further permits audio interconnection between any two of the stations. Nurse-worn badges transmit pulse-coded infrared signals which are received by receivers at the patient stations and in response, the systems generates identity and location signals which are stored at the master station. The nurse location and identity information may also be retrieved and displayed at any patient station. Receipt of a nurse's infrared signal at a room station automatically cancels a patient call originating from the room and display thereof by the respective hall unit, while actuating a display to indicate nurse presence.

Abstract: A monitor arm includes a mounting assembly adapted to be coupled to a support structure and a parallelogram mechanism coupled to the mounting assembly. The parallelogram mechanism includes a support member adapted to couple to an object, such as a computer monitor, a first arm pivotably coupled to the mounting assembly at a first pivot axis and pivotably coupled to the support member at a second pivot axis, and a second arm pivotably coupled to the mounting assembly at a fifth pivot axis and pivotably coupled to the support member at a fourth pivot axis. The monitor arm includes a counterbalancer having a first end coupled to the mounting assembly at a third pivot axis and a second end coupled to the first arm at the second pivot axis. The third pivot axis is vertically above and vertically aligned with the first and fifth pivot axes.

Abstract: A patient warming apparatus includes a support surface for supporting a patient, a convective heater for supplying convective heat to warm the patient, and a radiant heater for supplying radiant heat to warm the patient. The apparatus also includes a controller having a first output coupled to the convective heater and a second output coupled to the radiant heater for varying output power levels of the convective heater and the radiant heater, respectively, to maintain the patient located on the support surface at substantially a preselected temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of a patient adjacent to a patient-carrying surface of a patient-support device including at least one sensing element spaced apart from the patient-carrying surface, defining a detection space adjacent to the patient-carrying surface and providing an input signal in response to the dielectric constant within the detection space. A control unit provides an output signal indicating the presence or absence of the patient within the detection space in response to the input signal. A booster element including a plate positioned to lie adjacent the patient-carrying surface for shaping and positioning the detection space and a connector electrically coupling the plate to the sensing element may be provided.

Abstract: A stretcher includes an elongated frame having an upper frame and a lower frame. A patient-support deck is supported by the upper frame and includes a patient-support surface. Casters are mounted to the lower frame and a pair of push bars are mounted to the upper frame. Each push bar includes a handle post that can be gripped by a caregiver to push the stretcher. Each push bar is mounted to the upper frame for movement between a push position having the handle post extending above the patient-support surface and a down-out-of-the-way position having a portion of the push bar located underneath the upper frame. The stretcher also includes a pair of latches coupled to the upper frame to pivot about respective axes between lock positions engaging the push bars to lock the push bars in the push positions and release positions allowing the push bars to move between respective push positions and down-out-of-the-way positions.

Abstract: A bed comprises an inflatable mattress supported on a platform of articulable links by a support system mounted on a weigh frame. The weigh frame is supported on a base frame supported relative to a floor. A pneumatic system includes a platform-mounted blower directing air through passageways in the articulable links. An exhaust passageway parallels the pressure passageway for exhausting opposite the blower. Air flow into and out of air cells in the mattress are controlled by valves coupling the pressurized air chamber and exhaust chamber to cell ports. A connector assembly is used to couple the cells to the platform, to adjacent cells, and to tubes connected to other cells. An alternative pneumatic system includes fans distributed on the platform in association with sets of mattress cells. A footboard assembly is formed as two gates that swing out from the foot of the bed. Each gate has a storable tray that is positionable on either side of the gate.

Abstract: A rail apparatus is configured to be mounted to a frame of a bed. The apparatus includes a siderail, a support having a first end pivotably coupled to the siderail and a second end, and a bottom mounting pivotably coupled to the second end of the support. The bottom mounting including at least one mounting bracket for coupling the bottom mounting to the frame of the bed, and an accessory rail configured to permit mounting of accessory items on the rail apparatus.

Abstract: An elongated mattress core for a mattress structure includes a foam core having an upwardly-facing top surface, a bottom surface spaced apart from the top surface, and first and second elongated sides connecting the top and bottom surfaces. The foam core is formed to include a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart transverse slits extending downwardly from the top surface. Each slit terminates at a lower end spaced apart from the bottom surface by a first distance and extending transversely from a first slit end spaced apart from the first side of the foam core to a second slit end spaced apart from the second side of the foam core. Each adjacent pair of slits defines a foam column so that the foam core has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart and transversely extending foam columns. Each foam column has a pair of generally vertical column side walls defining the slits.

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.