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(11) | EP 0 569 056 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Patient support system and method |
| (57) A patient support system has a fluidizable surface formed by air fluidizing a mass
of fluidizable material (50), and a surface formed by a plurality of inflatable sacks
(36) which may be disposed on an articulatable member. The two surfaces are disposed
end to end so that the inflatable sacks (36) support the head, chest and upper torso
of a patient, and the fluidized material (50) supports the buttocks. legs and feet
of the patient. The fluidizable material (50) is contained by a member (66) which
is at least partially collapsible so as to facilitate the patient's ingress and egress
to and from the support system, the collapsible member for example comprising an air
impermeable panel which can form an inflatable elastic wall (66) having one or more
internal webs defining separately pressurizable compartments. A blower (40) inflates
the sacks, the elastic wall (66), and the fluidizable material under the control of
a microprocessor which controls actuation of various valves and the blower (40) according
to signals inputted by operating personnel or supplied by various sensors which monitor
the patient support system. |