EP0961566B1 - Method and apparatus for quick inflating of an inflatable bag, particularly a supporting device bag, such as a mattress - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rapidly inflating an inflatable chamber. The apparatus comprises inflation means 50 for inflating an inflatable chamber 14 defined by a support device 12 for supporting a patient P. The apparatus 10 comprises at least one first inflation means 52 for performing inflation at a high flow rate and at a low pressure so as to fill the volume of said chamber 14 substantially fully at a low pressure, and a second inflation means 54 for inflating at a low flow rate but at a high pressure to obtain said predetermined inflation pressure in said chamber 14. The invention makes it possible to inflate the chamber 14 rapidly, which is particularly important in medical applications.

Description

The invention relates essentially to a method and an apparatus for rapid inflation of an inflatable chamber, in particular a chamber of an support device, such as a mattress. The invention finds an application particularly advantageous in the prevention and treatment of complications linked to bed rest and prolonged immobilization, in particular pressure sores.

It is known in the prior art, in particular by the Applicant's previous document FR-A-2 718 347 = EP-A-676 158, a method and a device for supporting an element to be supported, in particular the body of a patient, allowing support at a controlled insertion depth, essentially constant.

However, for the inflation of the chamber which is initially deflated, an inflation means such as a compressor capable of inflating at high pressure, greater than 30 mbar, generally around 50 mbar, which however has the disadvantage be of a low flow rate, that is to say a flow rate of less than about 10 l / min, which generates a considerable waiting time before operational implementation, which is 20 to 60 min or more.

Document US-A-5,575,627 describes a two-handed hand pump speeds, a first speed at high flow and low pressure and a second speed at low flow and high pressure. This pump is therefore actuated manual and is in a totally different technical field from that of the invention and does not allow use in automatic operating mode.

Thus, the main object of the present invention is to solve the new technical problem consisting in providing a solution which allows rapid inflation of an inflatable chamber, in particular a chamber of a support device such as a mattress.

The main object of the present invention is also to resolve the new aforementioned technical problem according to a solution which makes it possible to carry out preferably rapid inflation of such a chamber in less than 10 min, preferably less than 5 min, and even better less than about 2 min.

The main object of the present invention is also to resolve the new technical problem consisting in providing a solution which allows rapid inflation of an inflation chamber of a support of an element to be supported, in particular the body of a patient, advantageously in the case of prevention or treatment of subject patients prolonged bed rest, or patients who have had a skin graft or patients subject to acute pain following certain diseases.

All of these technical problems are solved for the first times by the present invention, in a simple, inexpensive, easy to put implemented and usable on an industrial and medical scale.

Thus, according to a first aspect, the present invention provides a support method as defined in the preamble of claim 1 and characterized in that the inflation itself is carried out in two stages, a first stage known as fast inflation at high flow and low pressure to essentially fill completely the volume of said chamber, and a second step of inflation to low flow but at high pressure to obtain said inflation pressure predetermined in said room.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, this is characterized in that the chamber is inflated with a fluid consisting of air, a liquid such as water or an aqueous solution.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, this is characterized in that the large flow serving for rapid inflation of the first stage is carried out at a flow rate equal to or greater than 50 l / min, better equal or greater than 100 l / min, preferably still greater than 200 l / min and further preferably more than 300 l / min.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the low pressure used for rapid inflation is a pressure less than about 20 mbar.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the low inflation rate used in the second step is a flow equal to or less than 30 l / min.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the high pressure used during inflation in the second stage is a pressure equal to or greater than 20 mbar and even better still equal to or greater than 30 mbar, especially when the predetermined inflation pressure in the room is around 20 mbar. It is advantageous in the context of the invention that the high inflation pressure in the second stage is at least of the order twice the predetermined inflation pressure sought in said bedroom.

According to yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the total inflation time, i.e. the first and second stages of inflation mentioned above, is equal to or less than about 10 min, preferably equal or less than about 5 min.

The present invention finds a particularly application advantageous in the context of a method of supporting an element to be supported, in particularly the body of a patient, comprising the provision of at least one device support comprising at least one flexible, inflatable, closed or controlled exhaust, means for filling or evacuating a filling of said chamber being provided as well as control means filling or discharging said filling fluid as a function of various parameters retained, in particular the insertion distance from an element to support such as the body of a patient in the support member comprising said chamber, and / or the inflation pressure in said chamber. These parameters are well known to those skilled in the art and allow in particular in the context of patient support to achieve the expected performance in terms of prevention or treatment of the patient, especially complications related to a prolonged bed rest or immobilization, including pressure sores, as well as avoid relatively high pressures at different parts of the element to bear, especially the body of a patient, which are detrimental to the treatment and the comfort of certain types of patients, in particular patients who have undergone skin transplant or patients prone to severe pain following some diseases.

According to a second aspect, the present invention also relates to a support device as defined in the preamble of claim 8, and characterized in that it comprises at least two means of separate filling or inflation, a first inflation means providing a high flow, low pressure inflation to fill substantially completely the volume of said low pressure chamber, and a second means of inflation at low flow rate but at high pressure to obtain said pressure predetermined inflation in said chamber.

Advantageous embodiments of this device in particular related to high flow, low pressure, low flow and high pressure clearly result from the preceding description concerning the first aspect which fully applies to the second aspect.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first high-speed inflation means comprises at least one turbine or mini-turbine, for example delivering according to one embodiment currently more preferred in the range of 350 l / min at a low pressure of about 8 mbar, preferably air.

According to yet another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned second inflation means at low pressure flow high comprises at least one compressor, for example of the vibrator type membrane delivering a flow rate of the order of 10 l / min at a pressure of the order of 40 mbar to obtain a predetermined pressure in the chamber of the order of 20 mbar, preferably air.

In the context of the invention, it is preferred that the inflation fluid of the room is made up of air, but we can naturally use a liquid such as water or an aqueous solution.

Thanks to the invention, the rapid inflation of the chamber during the first step is preferably obtained in an extremely short time of the order 1 min and pressurizing to the predetermined pressure with the second inflation means, such as a compressor, is produced in one time also short on the order of 1 to 4 min, which results in a total inflation time at predetermined inflation pressure less than 5 min.

It is thus understood that the invention makes it possible to solve the problems previously stated techniques in a simple, inexpensive, easy to implement and usable on an industrial and medical scale.

The invention also makes it possible to rapidly inflate any type of chamber and in particular support device chambers, in particular of support of a patient's body.

In the context of the invention, the support device or mattress can understand a multitude of cushions or tubes communicating with each other, or communicating with each other only by zones, thus making it possible to define areas inflated to different pressures.

On the other hand, according to another embodiment, the cushions or tubes can be deflated alternately individually, sequentially, in particular one in two, one in three, one in four or one in n.

It is thus understood that the invention finds application in any type of inflatable chamber.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear clearly in light of the following explanatory description made in reference to a currently preferred embodiment of the given invention merely by way of illustration and which therefore cannot in any way limit the scope of the invention. It should be noted that any characteristic which appears to be new vis-à-vis any prior art is part of the invention in general. Also, Figures 1 and 2 are an integral part of the present invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique de principe d'un appareil de gonflage rapide selon la présente invention, dans lequel la chambre de gonflage est une chambre de gonflage d'un élément à supporter tel qu'un corps d'un patient, cet élément à supporter étant dans ce cas du type matelas ;
• la figure 2 représente la courbe de gonflage obtenue avec l'appareil de gonflage selon la présente invention de la figure 1, mettant en oeuvre le procédé de gonflage selon la présente invention.

In the figures:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the principle of a rapid inflation apparatus according to the present invention, in which the inflation chamber is an inflation chamber of an element to be supported such as a body of a patient, this element to bear being in this case of the mattress type;
• FIG. 2 represents the inflation curve obtained with the inflation apparatus according to the present invention of FIG. 1, implementing the inflation method according to the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a currently preferred embodiment of a device according to the present invention is represented by the reference number general 10.

This device comprises a support device proper 12, for example a mattress, as part of the support of a patient's body P. Ce support device 12 may, for example, include at least one closed area or with controlled exhaust 14, flexible, inflation, which can, for example, be composed of a multiplicity of inflatable tubes communicating with each other. This chamber 14 is inflatable under a predetermined initial inflation pressure, adjustable. This support device 12 generally rests on a bed base (here not represented) or equivalent means.

Naturally, this support device 12 can be subdivided into several inflatable chambers which can thus be inflated to a pressure of pre-determined initial inflation different from that of other chambers.

It is advantageous that this apparatus 10 also includes means for control 40 which include a command center 42 which usually includes an electronic or electromechanical central unit or still electropneumatic managing the automatic inflation operation of chamber 14. These control means 40 are well known to those skilled in the art and are not described in more detail here. They are generally of the type described in the applicant's previous document FR-A-2 718 347 = EP-A-0 676 158 to which those skilled in the art can refer.

In the context of the present invention, the apparatus 10 is an apparatus for rapid inflation of an inflatable chamber, here chamber 14, by a inflation such as water or air, this chamber having an inflation volume determined in the inflated state, for example 210 liters. This device includes inflation means 50 of the inflatable chamber 14 by the inflation fluid at a pre-determined inflation pressure.

In the context of the present invention, the apparatus 10 is characterized by what it includes at least two separate inflation means, a first means inflation 52 performing a high flow and low pressure inflation to fill substantially the volume of the low pressure chamber, and a second inflation means 52 at low flow rate but at high pressure to obtain the predetermined inflation pressure in chamber 14.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the first means of inflation 52 at high flow rate includes at least one turbine or miniturbine, such as shown, for example delivering according to a more preferred embodiment currently around 350 l / min at a low pressure of around 8 mbar.

According to yet another particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the second inflation means 54 at low flow at high pressure comprises at least one compressor, as shown, for example of the type membrane vibrator delivering a flow rate of the order of 10 l / min at a pressure of around 40 mbar when the predetermined pressure in the chamber is around 20 mbar. These inflation means 50 are naturally linked to the chamber 14 by a suitable pipe 30 provided with non-return valves 35 and 36 and on which are mounted in diversion by a pipe 32 of the means 34 such as a valve for discharging the inflation fluid when a drop in pressure is sought in chamber 14. The means of inflation 50, in particular the first means 52 and the second means 54, thus that the evacuation means 34 are connected electronically or electromechanically or even electropneumatic at the control center 42 des means of control 40.

Particular embodiments result from the description above concerning the process and the apparatus of the present invention and will not be so not repeated here. However, in the context of the invention, it is preferred to use as air inflation fluid which facilitates the implementation and it it is possible to discharge the inflation fluid directly into the atmosphere.

We understand that thanks to the invention, it is possible to achieve a rapid inflation, total of chamber 14 at a predetermined inflation pressure in a very short time, which can be less than 5 min, unlike the solutions of the prior art where the inflation generally required 20 to 60 min or more.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown an inflation curve a chamber 14 of a support device 12 adapted to support a patient P with the apparatus of the invention described in FIG. 1, using as the first means inflation 52 a miniturbine delivering a large air flow of around 350 l / min at a low pressure of approximately 8 mbar and a second inflation 54 constituted by an annular turbine type booster delivering a low flow rate of approximately 10 l / min at a high pressure of around 40 mbar, it is possible to fill the volume of 210 liters of chamber 14 at a pressure of the order of 18 mbar in 4 min, which constitutes a decisive technical advantage compared to the state of the prior art.

Claims (11)

1. A method of supporting an element to be supported, in particular the body of a patient, comprising providing at least one support device comprising at least one closed or controlled-release chamber that is flexible and inflatable, said chamber having a given inflation volume, filling and emptying means being provided for filling or emptying said chamber with a filling fluid as well as filling and emptying control means being provided for filling said chamber with said filling fluid and emptying said fluid therefrom as a function of various chosen parameters, in particular the penetration distance to which an element to be supported such as the body of a patient penetrates into the support element comprising said chamber, and/or the inflation pressure in said chamber, said method comprising an inflation step for inflating said chamber at a predetermined inflation pressure, and in that the automatic operation of inflation of the chamber (14) is managed by providing a control station (42) usually comprising an electronic, electro-mechanical, or electro-pneumatic central processing unit, the method being characterised in that it is performed the inflation proper of said chamber having a given inflation volume in two steps, namely a rapid first inflation step performed at a high flow rate and at a low pressure for filling the volume of said chamber essentially fully, and a second inflation step performed at a low flow rate and at a high pressure to obtain said predetermined inflation pressure in said chamber.
2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that the chamber is inflated with a fluid constituted by air, a liquid such as water or an aqueous solution.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the high flow rate serving to perform the rapid inflation in the first step is implemented at a flow rate of not less than 50 l/min, better still not less than 100 l/min, preferably greater than 200 l/min, and more preferably greater than 300 l/min.
4. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the low pressure used for the rapid inflation is a pressure lower than about 20 mbars.
5. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the low flow rate used for inflation in the second step is a flow rate of not more 30 l/min.
6. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the high pressure used for inflation in the second step is a pressure not less than 20 mbars, and better still not less than 30 mbars, in particular when the predetermined inflation pressure in the chamber is about 20 mbars.
7. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the total duration of the inflation, i.e. of the above-mentioned first and second inflation steps, is not more than about 10 minutes, and preferably not more than about 5 minutes.
8. A method of supporting an element to be supported, in particular the body of a patient (P), comprising at least one support device (12) comprising at least one closed or controlled-release chamber (14) that is flexible and inflatable, said chamber having a given inflation volume, filling and emptying means (50, 34) for filling or emptying said chamber (14) with a filling fluid, filling and emptying control means (40) for filling and emptying said filling fluid therefrom as a function of various chosen parameters, in particular the penetration distance to which an element to be supported such as the body of a patient (P) penetrates into the support element (12) comprising said chamber (14), and/or the inflation pressure in said chamber (14), said filling means (50) constituting inflation means for inflating said inflatable chamber with an inflation fluid to a predetermined inflation pressure, said apparatus further comprising a control station (42) usually comprising an electronic, electro-mechanical, or electro-pneumatic central processing unit managing the automatic operation of inflation of the chamber (14), the apparatus being characterised in that it comprises at least two distinct filling or inflation means, a first inflation means (52) for performing inflation at a high flow rate and at a low pressure so as to fill the volume of said chamber substantially fully at a low pressure, and a second inflation means (54) for inflating at a low flow rate but at a high pressure to obtain said predetermined inflation pressure in said chamber.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that the above-mentioned first inflation means (52) for inflating at a high flow rate comprises at least one turbine or miniturbine, advantageously an air turbine or miniturbine.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the second inflation means (54) for inflating at a low flow rate and at a high pressure comprises at least one compressor, advantageously an air compressor.
11. Apparatus according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterised in that the inflation fluid is air which enables to empty the inflation fluid directly into the atmosphere via the emptying means (34), advantageously the first inflation means (52) comprises a miniturbine delivering a high flow rate of air of about 350 l/min at a low pressure of about 8 mbars, and the second inflation means (54) is constituted by a booster pump of the annular turbine type delivering a low flow rate of about 10 l/min at a high pressure of about 40 mbars.

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