UNDER BASE INTEGRAL CLIMATE CONTROL FOR AN ARTICULATING BED
An environmental control assembly has a case configured for attachment to a bottom surface of an articulation assembly. One or more inlet fans is attached to a first wall of the case. An inlet plenum receives air provided by the one or more fans and extends from the first wall to a central chamber. An outlet plenum extends from the central chamber to a second wall of the case. A first pair of outlet ports extends from the outlet plenum proximate the central chamber through side walls of the case and a second pair of outlet ports extends from the outlet plenum distal the central chamber through side walls of the case. A cylindrical flow diffuser is positioned in the outlet plenum between the side walls and controls airflow into the first pair of ports and second pair of ports, each of said outlet ports configured for attachment to one of a plurality of flexible air conduits.
This application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/141,572 filed on Jan. 26, 2021 entitled UNDER BASE INTEGRAL CLIMATE CONTROL FOR AN ARTICULATING BED having a common assignee with the present application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND FieldThis invention relates generally to the field of articulating beds and more particularly to an environmental control system for an articulating bed having an integral under base climate control system for engagement on a horizontal support section of the bed.
Description of the Related ArtArticulating beds have long been used in hospital and healthcare facilities to allow positioning of a patient in a reclining position, sitting position, elevated leg position or combinations of these positions. General usage of articulating beds has been rapidly expanding due to the comfort and convenience available from adjusting the bed to desired positions for reading, general relaxation or sleeping. Typical articulating beds provide an upper body positioning element and a thigh and lower leg positioning element either individually active or with combined actuation.
New foam mattresses typically employed with articulating beds make overheating or, in certain occasions overcooling of the occupant during sleep. Environmental control systems are being introduced to cool or heat the mattress or provide heated or cooled airflow to maintain comfortable sleeping conditions. However, designs of modern bedding require a reduced thickness profile and reduced movement of ancillary components is preferable.
It is therefore desirable to provide an articulating bed having an integrated under base climate control system that minimally impacts operation of the articulation system of the bed.
SUMMARYThe implementations disclosed herein overcome the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an environmental control assembly having a case configured for attachment to a bottom surface of an articulation assembly. One or more inlet fans is attached to a first wall of the case. An inlet plenum receives air provided by the one or more fans and extends from the first wall to a central chamber. An outlet plenum extends from the central chamber to a second wall of the case. A first pair of outlet ports extends from the outlet plenum proximate the central chamber through side walls of the case and a second pair of outlet ports extends from the outlet plenum distal the central chamber through side walls of the case. A cylindrical flow diffuser is positioned in the outlet plenum between the side walls and controls airflow into the first pair of ports and second pair of ports, each of said outlet ports configured for attachment to one of a plurality of flexible air conduits.
In certain exemplary implementations a heating element is provided in the central chamber.
In certain exemplary implementations at least one cooling unit extending into the inlet plenum is provided.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
Implementations shown in the drawings and described herein provide selectable environmental control for an articulating bed with air circulation, heating and cooling capability. Referring to the drawings,
Details of the environmental control assembly 24 are seen in
As best seen in
A cylindrical flow diffuser 58 is positioned in the outlet plenum 38 between the side walls 50 to control airflow into ports 30a proximate to the central chamber 42 and ports 30b distal from the central chamber 42. Longitudinal (in the flow direction from the central chamber to the outlet plenum) positioning of the cylindrical airflow diffuser 58 for equal flow into the proximate ports 30a and distal ports 30b is accomplished with a center axis 60 of the cylindrical air diffuser 58 at a first distance 62 between 30% and 45% of the distance 64 between axis 66 of the proximate ports 30a and the axis 68 of the distal ports 30b. For the exemplary implementation, the proximate ports 30a provide airflow to the connection flanges 32 on the left side of the bed while the distal ports 30b provide airflow to the connection flanges 32 on the right side of the bed. Modifying flow between the proximate ports 30a and distal ports 30b (left and right sides of the bed) may be accomplished by longitudinal translation of the cylindrical flow diffuser 58. Modifying flow between connection flanges on the upper body support panel 18 and thigh support panel 20 may be accomplished by lateral translation of the cylindrical flow diffuser 58.
A control electronics printed circuit board (PCB) 70 is mounted in a compartment 72 in the case 34. For the exemplary implementation, the compartment 72 is formed by the vertical convergence of the lower cover. Side walls 50 incorporate vents 74 for cooling of the PCB 70. PCB70 is interconnected with the one or more fans 44, the cooling units 48, the heating element 40 and temperature sensors as will be described in greater detail subsequently.
The heating element 40 has a metal support 76 folded with a curved leading edge 78 as seen in
Each of the two cooling units 48, seen in detail in
The PCB 70 receives AC power at an input 108 provides power and control for the one or more inlet fans 44, the heating element 40 and the cooling units as shown in the block diagram of
A detailed view of an example of one of the plurality of flexible conduit connection flanges 32 of the exemplary implementation is shown in
As seen in
To facilitate unhindered articulation of the mattress 10 with articulation of the upper body support panel 18 or thigh support panel 20, the tube channels 156 have an ovaloid cross section as shown in
Having now described various embodiments of the invention in detail as required by the patent statutes, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications and substitutions to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. Such modifications are within the scope and intent of the present invention as defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. An environmental control assembly comprising:
- a case configured for attachment to a bottom surface of an articulation assembly;
- one or more inlet fans attached to a first wall of the case,
- an inlet plenum receiving air provided by the one or more fans and extending from the first wall to a central chamber;
- an outlet plenum extending from the central chamber to a second wall of the case, and
- at least one first outlet port extending from the outlet plenum proximate the central chamber through side walls of the case; and,
- at least one second outlet port extending from the outlet plenum distal the central chamber through side walls of the case.
2. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the at least one first outlet port comprises a first pair of outlet ports and the at least on second outlet port comprises a second pair of outlet ports; and,
- a cylindrical flow diffuser positioned in the outlet plenum between the side walls and controlling airflow into the first pair of ports and second pair of ports, each of said outlet ports configured for attachment to one of a plurality of flexible air conduits.
3. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein longitudinal positioning of the cylindrical airflow diffuser for equal flow into the proximate ports and distal ports is accomplished with a center axis of the cylindrical air diffuser at a first distance.
4. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein the first distance is between 30% and 45% of a distance between an axis of the proximate ports and an axis of the distal ports.
5. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising a heating element supported in the central chamber between the inlet plenum and outlet plenum.
6. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein an upper cover and a lower cover of the case converge vertically between the inlet plenum and central chamber to further increase flow velocity of air provided by the one or more fans over the heating element.
7. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the side walls of the case converge in the inlet plenum from the first end wall to the central chamber thereby increasing effective flow velocity of air provided by the one or more fans.
8. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein the heating element comprises a metal support folded with a curved leading edge, the heating element mounted to the upper cover with standoffs and a laminated copper heater circuit adhered to the metal support.
9. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the radius of curvature of the leading edge spaces an upper flange and lower flange from the upper cover and lower cover forming an upper flow channel and a lower flow channel and the curvature of the leading edge is configured to smoothly transition flow of incoming air from the inlet plenum into the upper and lower flow channels.
10. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the copper heater circuit is laminated inside a Kapton-Polyimide film sandwich.
11. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising:
- at least one cooling unit having
- a thermoelectric device with an array of thermoelectric plates supported by a frame,
- a finned heatsink mounted to the frame contact with a hot side of the thermoelectric plates, said finned heatsink extending outward from a side wall of the case,
- a finned coldsink mounted to the frame in contact with a cold side of the thermoelectric plates, the coldsink extending into the inlet plenum in flow contact with air provide by the one or more inlet fans whereby in operation the thermoelectric device cools the coldsink thereby cooling the airflow in the inlet plenum.
12. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein the at least one cooling unit further comprises a heatsink fan mounted to a channel cover surrounding the finned heatsink, said channel cover attached to one of said side walls, said heatsink fan providing cooling air for efficiency of the thermoelectric device during operation.
13. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the heatsink fan is angularly mounted to the channel cover to provide airflow with a longitudinal component across the finned heat sink.
14. The environmental control assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising:
- a heating element having a metal support folded with a curved leading edge, the heating element mounted to the upper cover with standoffs and a laminated copper heater circuit adhered to the metal support, said heating element supported in the central chamber between the inlet plenum and outlet plenum;
- at least one cooling unit having a thermoelectric device with an array of thermoelectric plates supported by a frame, a finned heatsink mounted to the frame contact with a hot side of the thermoelectric plates, said finned heatsink extending outward from a side wall of the case, a finned coldsink mounted to the frame in contact with a cold side of the thermoelectric plates, the coldsink extending into the inlet plenum in flow contact with air provide by the one or more inlet fans whereby in operation the thermoelectric device cools the coldsink thereby cooling the airflow in the inlet plenum; a heatsink fan mounted to a channel cover surrounding the finned heatsink, said channel cover attached to one of said side walls;
- a control electronics printed circuit board (PCB) mounted in a compartment in the case, the PCB receiving AC power at an input and having a regulator circuit providing AC to DC power conversion and regulation of power; a controller receiving temperature signals from an outlet plenum temperature sensor and user desired controls for ventilation and temperature on an input; a heater drive circuit receiving a heater element temperature and a heater control signal from the controller and providing a heater control output to the heater circuit; a cooling unit drive circuit receiving a cooler temperature from the cooling units and a cooler control signal from the controller and providing a cold plate power output to the thermoelectric device and heatsink fan; a fan control output provided by the controller through the regulator circuit to power the one or more inlet fans responsive to a user desired ventilation input.
15. An under base integral climate control system for an articulating bed, the system comprising:
- an environmental control assembly attached to a bottom surface of an articulation assembly and having a case; one or more inlet fans attached to a first wall of the case, an inlet plenum extending from the first wall to a central chamber; an outlet plenum extending from the central chamber to a second wall of the case, and a plurality of outlet ports extending from the outlet plenum through side walls of the case;
- a plurality of flexible air conduits extending from the plurality of outlet ports to connection flanges on bottom surfaces of support panels of the articulation assembly;
- a plurality of mattress feeder hoses in flow communication with the plurality of flexible air conduits, said mattress feeder hoses extending through tube channels in a mattress supported on the articulation assembly;
- an air distribution mesh layer supported in a relief in an upper surface of the mattress, said relief surrounded by a barrier preventing peripheral flow out of the mesh layer to enhance the desired mattress surface ventilating, heating and cooling effects.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 13, 2022
Publication Date: Jul 28, 2022
Inventors: Joseph Ermalovich (Santa Barbara, CA), Brett Anthony Towe (Goleta, CA)
Application Number: 17/574,808