Abstract: A modular air mattress including three separate pieces, one to support the head region, the middle abdomen region, and the lower leg region of a human body, respectively. The mattress pieces include a low air loss ventilating air mattress piece and conventional, non-ventilating mattress pieces. The ventilating mattress piece is positioned to support a body region susceptible to bed sores, while the conventional mattress pieces are positioned to support non-bed-sore susceptible body regions. Each piece has means for releasably coupling to each of the other pieces so that the ventilating air mattress piece and conventional mattress pieces may be conveniently positioned, and securely coupled, in any longitudinal series. The releasable coupling means also facilitates easy and convenient replacement and/or rearrangement of the mattress pieces.

Abstract: An air mattress includes a plurality of symbiotic sacs juxtapositionally transversely secured in a mattress envelope, having a plurality of primary and secondary symbiotic sacs alternatively pulsated in the envelope for continuously changing the pressurized areas of a bed-ridden patient for preventing pressure sores such as bed sore or decubitus ulcer, with each symbiotic sac consisting of an upper pulsating sac portion alternatively inflated and deflated and a lower static sac portion constantly inflated to maintain at least a partial fluid pressure in each symbiotic sac for continuously cushioning the patient even when a power failure is caused or bed transfer is required, and having a plurality of tertiary symbiotic sacs constantly inflated for cushioning a patient head portion, with each symbiotic sac independently secured in the mattress envelope whereby upon breaking of any one sac, only an individual broken sac should be replaced with a new one without abandoning the whole mattress.

Abstract: An inflatable flexible pallet having generally rectangular dimensions defined by top and bottom sheets within which an array of structurally interrelated inflatable chambers are formed to support a load when inflated. The flexible pallet is configured to resist lateral and longitudinal shrinkage of the load support surface, resist ballooning and hot dogging, and reduce rotational instability by providing a greater load surface support area having sufficient rigidity to support the desired load, while simultaneously achieving improved air dispersion for a more uniform jacking of the load, and maintaining a preset internal pressure using an automatic self-regulating valve to provide circulatory therapy to a patient lying atop the pallet for an extended period.