Patents Examined by Michael Trettel
  • Patent number: 8863326
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for facilitating rotation of a mattress in a horizontal plane carried by a box spring or a platform. Slick surfaces are placed in contact between the mattress and the box spring or platform The slick surfaces may be provided by two (2) separate covers; one cover for the mattress and one cover for the box spring or platform. A first cover is provided with a slick and non-slick surface. A second cover includes a slick surface on one side and forms part of a levitation device. The other side of the second cover may be formed with a slick or a non-slick surface. The levitation device creates an air cushion between the mattress and the box spring under the influence of an air supply which lifts the mattress and allows the mattress to be rotated in a horizontal plane virtually effortlessly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Levitation Sciences LLC
    Inventor: William John Scarleski
  • Patent number: 8856986
    Abstract: A patient support system includes independently adjustable columns supporting a hinged bending or breaking patient support structure. At least one column includes at least two sections. A coordinated drive system provides for upwardly breaking and downwardly breaking orientations of the two sections in various inclined and tilted positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventor: Roger P. Jackson
  • Patent number: 8856990
    Abstract: An automobile neck pillow relates to an automobile seat articles technology field, which adopts a key technology truly adapted to human mechanical physiological curves and makes a multiple choice about materials of a core body and an elongated housing and a scientific measurement about shapes and sizes thereof to make the core body and the elongated housing match with each other, wherein the core body is soaked in medical liquids of health care to provide health care and healing to the neck, the core body is attached with a bamboo charcoal fiber cushion, an infra-red cloth, or a negative oxygen ion cloth while integrally being sprayed with perfume, and a brace provided in the elongated housing is mounted between a seat and a head cushion by a longitudinal fixation, a transverse fixation, a combination of longitudinal and transverse fixation, a head-sleeving fixation, or an integral fixation with the head cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventor: Lei Huang
  • Patent number: 8850641
    Abstract: A pillow (10) in the form of a ring (20) extending around a vertical axis (22), with a gap (24) between front ends (26, 28) of the pillow. A person can lie in a prone position with his/her face lying facedown in the vertical aperture (54) formed by the ring and with the periphery of the person's face supported by the upper surface of the ring. The pillow front ends and a rear portion (32) project downward to leave tunnels (Q) at opposite sides though which the person can breath. The person's chin projects into the gap between the pillow front ends. A separate chest support (12) has a rear portion of a soft elastomer that can support the person's abdomen, and has a front portion of a stiffer elastomer for supporting the chest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Halo Mac Enterprise
    Inventor: Clinton Mac Marbury, III
  • Patent number: 8850638
    Abstract: A modular paneled bed frame assembled from connected paneled sections. A modular paneled bed frame may be comprised generally of a headboard, a footboard, and side rails. Modular paneled bed frame may be configured in a folded position for ease of shipping or retail storage. In an embodiment, a modular paneled bed frame may be assembled by an end consumer in a short period of time, for example less than 15 minutes, based on a “no-tool” assembly due to hinged and interlocking components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Pragma Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard Suh
  • Patent number: 8850644
    Abstract: The invention relates mold, particularly a mold for producing foam articles. In a preferred embodiment, the mold comprises a lid and a bowl releasingly engageable to define a mold cavity, the lid comprising: (i) a vent having a passageway for gas to escape from the mold cavity, and (ii) a plurality of grooves connected to the vent. The use of a plurality of grooves/slots in the mold cavity surface effectively acts as a siphon to draw gas away from the composition to be molded. The plurality of grooves/slots is connected to one or more vents which then allows for escape of the gas from the mold cavity to the exterior of the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Proprietect L.P.
    Inventors: Allan K. Cathcart, Leslie E. Clarke, Larry A. Genyn, Louie J. Meneses, Randall J. Lansue
  • Patent number: 8844074
    Abstract: A triangular prism-shaped wedge, fashioned of a sturdy foam core with soft and malleable properties, fashioned to occupy the space that commonly exists between the head of a mattress and the wall or headboard that the mattress is binding against. It is configured to occupy this space, aided via the force of friction, to ensure that items such as pillows, remote controls, and other bedside items do not fall behind the mattress, and onto the floor. It may be configured with an assortment of interchangeable pockets, as well as an embedded stereo speaker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventors: Brent A. Mohr, Edward Peisner
  • Patent number: 8844077
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a supine patient to a prone position on a patient positioning support system, and for rotating such a prone patient between prone and supine positions without removing the patient from the patient positioning support system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Inventors: Roger P. Jackson, Lawrence E. Guerra, Michael A. Herron
  • Patent number: 8844073
    Abstract: A person-support structure includes a control system, an input configured to communicate a first input signal to the control system, and a sensor configured to sense a physiological characteristic of a person supported on the person-support structure. The sensor communicates a second input signal corresponding to the physiological characteristic to the control system. The control system calculates a condition score as a function of the first input signal and the physiological characteristic of the person and compares the condition score to a predetermined threshold. The control system scales at least one of the physiological characteristic of the person and the predetermined threshold as a function of the first input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl W. Riley, Dan R. Tallent
  • Patent number: 8839471
    Abstract: A patient support system includes independently adjustable columns supporting a hinged bending or breaking patient support structure. At least one column includes at least two sections. A coordinated drive system provides for upwardly breaking and downwardly breaking orientations of the two sections in various inclined and tilted positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Inventor: Roger P. Jackson
  • Patent number: 8832882
    Abstract: A mattress comprises an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The mattress further includes first and second opposing side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and third and fourth opposing side surfaces extending between the upper surface and the lower surface and between the first and second opposing side surfaces. A core section is formed by the upper and lower surfaces and first and second opposing core section side surfaces and third and fourth opposing core section side surfaces and an extension extends outwardly from a side surface of the core section. The extension is fixedly connected to or integral with the core section and the extension provides the upper surface with a greater area than the lower surface. The extension is capable of supporting a user without a support structure being positioned below the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: King Koil Licensing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Roberts, Ross Olinski, Owen Shoemaker, Raheel Sadiq
  • Patent number: 8832883
    Abstract: Patient support systems are generally disclosed. An example patient support system may include a base; first and second longitudinally oriented sidewalls extending upward from lateral side portions of the base; a substantially vapor-impermeable barrier on the top surface of the base and on inwardly facing surfaces of the sidewalls; a substantially vapor-permeable top cover extending between the sidewalls such that a generally longitudinally oriented channel configured to receive airflow therethrough is substantially defined by a lower surface of the top cover, an upper surface of the barrier on the base, and inwardly facing surfaces of the barrier on the sidewalls; a supply conduit extending from an exterior air supply connector to an internal air supply opening within the channel; an air discharge opening within the channel; and an inflatable support disposed in the channel. The interior volume of the inflatable support may be fluidicly isolated from the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: American Home Health Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Schwirian, Tushar Shah, Bradley Yakam
  • Patent number: 8826478
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inflatable device comprising an electromechanical device and a self-sealing valve, and in particular, to any inflatable device that includes the assembly. In some embodiments, at least a portion of a fluid controller is coupled to and supported by an inflatable bladder of an inflatable device. The fluid controller may be located in a compartment, and the compartment may be within the profile of the bladder. The inflatable device may be a single bladder mattress or a dual bladder mattress. The inflatable device may include a heater or an articulation device. The inflatable device may be multi-positional device or have a storage compartment. The inflatable device may be configurable using one or more members such as a membrane or fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Robert B. Chaffee
  • Patent number: 8826475
    Abstract: A modular, multi-articulated patient support system includes independently adjustable columns connected by an adjustable base and supporting a patient support structure. Each column includes rotation, angulation and separation adjustment structure. The patient support may be raised, lowered and rotated about a longitudinal axis in either horizontal or tilted orientation. The patient support includes a body support rotatably coupled with right and left leg supports disengageable at the outboard ends, that can be tilted, rotated and locked in place. An intermediate brace engages the base when the outboard ends of the leg supports are disengaged. The patient support structure may include two pairs of patient supports, each attached at the outboard end of a column and having a free inboard end. A coordinated drive system raises, lowers, tilts and rotates the patient supports, which may be positioned in overlapping relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Roger P. Jackson
  • Patent number: 8826477
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air mattress and inflatable product. The air mattress includes top and bottom sheets made of a flexible airtight material, and an airtight inflatable compartment formed at least partially by the top and bottom sheets. The air mattress further includes a plurality of elongated flexible strips positioned within the airtight inflatable compartment, each of the strips including a plurality of first bonding portions, intermediate connecting portions and second bonding portions arranged in order along the length direction of the strips, wherein the first bonding portions are bonded to an inner surface of the top sheet to form first bonding surfaces, the second bonding portions are bonded to an inner surface of the bottom sheet to form second bonding surfaces, and the intermediate connecting portions are positioned between the first bonding portions and the second bonding portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Zhejiang Natural Travel Goods, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonghui Xia, Jigui Xia, Jinglong Cao
  • Patent number: 8826474
    Abstract: A modular, multi-articulated patient support system includes independently adjustable columns connected by an adjustable base and supporting a patient support structure. Each column includes rotation, angulation and separation adjustment structure. The patient support may be raised, lowered and rotated about a longitudinal axis in either horizontal or tilted orientation. The patient support includes a body support rotatably coupled with right and left leg supports disengageable at the outboard ends, that can be tilted, rotated and locked in place. An intermediate brace engages the base when the outboard ends of the leg supports are disengaged. The patient support structure may include two pairs of patient supports, each attached at the outboard end of a column and having a free inboard end. A coordinated drive system raises, lowers, tilts and rotates the patient supports, which may be positioned in overlapping relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Inventor: Roger P. Jackson
  • Patent number: 8813280
    Abstract: An article of bedding for disposition over the top, side and end surfaces of a mattress comprises a substantially inelastic web of textile material which includes a top panel, side and end panels, and corner seams. The article further comprises a stretchable corner member overlying each corner seam, an additional seam aligned axially with each corner seam, and a stretchable border member secured to the peripheral edges of the side panels. This construction allows the article to accommodate the contours of mattresses of varying thicknesses within each given peripheral mattress size classification. Methods of making such articles are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Indo Count Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Deepak Kumar Arora
  • Patent number: 8813277
    Abstract: This invention is directed towards a patient single surface system, PS3, which is a next generation system solution for patient accommodation, diagnosis, treatment, transfer and transport. PS3 provides a single surface for the patient to remain on from the trauma site through diagnosis, treatment and convalescence. Needs addressed by the PS3 system include improved patient treatment through reduction in time to treatment, reduced or eliminated unnecessary patient movement and injury, as well as improved comfort throughout treatment and convalescence. In addition, the PS3 system solves significant economic considerations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Ahlman IP, LLC
    Inventor: Scott M. Ahlman
  • Patent number: 8793827
    Abstract: A field stretcher comprising a subject transporting portion, the subject transporting portion comprising a region capable of forming a subject retaining compartment for retaining a subject positioned within the subject transporting portion, is disclosed and described. A method of transporting a subject generally horizontally, is provided, the method comprising providing a field stretcher comprising a subject transporting portion, positioning a subject in the subject transporting portion, and drawing at least a portion of the subject transporting portion about at least a portion of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: TSG Associates, LLP
    Inventors: Colin John Smart, Simon Eric Pennells, Mark Pittaway
  • Patent number: 8782835
    Abstract: A seat cushion, such as for use in an aircraft passenger seat, including a layer of open cell foam for passenger comfort, a closed cell foam core for flotation and structural support, and support structure positioned on the underside of the seat cushion for directly engaging underlying beams of a seat frame to attach the seat cushion to the seat frame without the need for additional fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander N. Pozzi