(19)
(11) EP 0 364 249 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
26.09.1990 Bulletin 1990/39

(43) Date of publication A2:
18.04.1990 Bulletin 1990/16

(21) Application number: 89310417.4

(22) Date of filing: 11.10.1989
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: A61G 7/057
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE ES FR GB GR IT LI LU NL SE

(30) Priority: 14.10.1988 GB 8824174

(71) Applicants:
  • Du Pont Canada Inc.
    Mississauga, Ontario L5M 2H3 (CA)
  • QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY AT KINGSTON
    Kingston Ontario K7L 3N6 (CA)

(72) Inventors:
  • Barnett, Richard Irwin
    Bath Ontario, K0H 1GO (CA)
  • Knapp, William Charles
    Kingston Ontario, K7K 6K1 (CA)

(74) Representative: Harrison, David Christopher et al
MEWBURN ELLIS York House 23 Kingsway
London WC2B 6HP
London WC2B 6HP (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Support system


    (57) A support system such as a clinical mattress comprises two sheets of flexible material bonded together to provide a plurality of separate cells (1) that are capable of being alternately and repeatedly inflated and deflated by means of a fluid contained in the cells (1). The flexible material is impermeable to the fluid. The cells (1) are of a size and shape and with an intercellular spacing such that in the width or length, or both, of the system, the distance between centres of adjacent inflated cells (1) is less than the human two-point discrimination threshold and the clinical support system is capable of supporting a human body with bottoming out either of or between the inflated cells (1).







    Search report